Foreword

How to store beets in order to use root crops grown on your own plot for food in winter is not only an economic issue, but also a healthy nutritious diet. Indeed, in addition to the fact that purchased vegetables are more expensive until the next harvest, their quality can be very low (for example, they can be sick, spoiled, contain nitrates), and it is also possible to purchase fodder beets instead of table beets.

Which table beets are suitable for long-term storage?

Of course, as for other vegetables, it is not necessary to lay the entire harvest of beet in a row for long-term storage, but selectively. The fulfillment of this condition is very important, but not the most important. The fact is that not all varieties of this vegetable can be stored for a long time. If you choose the wrong kind of seeds for planting, then all the efforts spent on growing, collecting and storing root crops in the hope that in winter there will be dishes from your beets on the table may be in vain. And even if the vegetables of the resulting harvest are unusually healthy and beautiful, if they are varieties with poor keeping quality, then very soon they will have to either be thrown away or hastily processed and preserved.

The following varieties of beetroot are intended for long-term storage: Renova, Saladnaya, Cold-resistant 19, Mulatka, Red ball, Boltardi, Podzimnyaya A-474, Flat mushroom A-474, Libero, Detroit, Bravo, Egyptian flat, Incomparable A-463, Nosovskaya flat , Pablo F1, One-sprout, Bordeaux-237.

In terms of keeping quality, these varieties are the best. But first of all, you should pay attention to the local selection of beets. Its varieties will most often be the best option not only for growing a good harvest, but also for its successful and long-term storage.

But, for example, the Cylinder variety, which is very popular and grown in almost every country house, is not suitable for winter storage. Its root crops have excellent taste, but keeping quality is much worse than that of the above varieties.

Rules for preparing beetroot for storage

Regardless of the variety, storage preparation begins with the correct harvest of the beetroot. It must be harvested before the first frost. Beet root crops grow at the very surface of the soil, and their upper part protrudes from the ground at all, so that even in the case of a slight frost, they can freeze and become unsuitable for storage.

For harvesting, it is best to choose a dry and fine, preferably sunny autumn day. And it is more pleasant to work, and this will contribute to the long-term storage of table beets. Harvesting is also necessary not anyhow. It is categorically impossible to pull out the root crops by pulling the tops. Beet skins are more likely to be damaged by the ground and pebbles in them: peeled, scratched, or cut. Such roots will rot shortly after being laid for storage and will not lie for a long time. Moreover, because of them, undamaged healthy beets can begin to deteriorate.

You need to collect root crops using a shovel or a pitchfork:

1. We immerse the bayonet of the tool in the ground next to the beets.
2. By pressing on the handle of the shovel, we slightly raise the root crop along with the soil.
3. Gently pull the vegetable out of the break in the ground by the tops or take it out with your hands.

Immediately it is necessary to clear the roots of the soil. Lumps of soil on the surface of beets during storage will absorb moisture and become a favorable environment for putrefactive bacteria contained in them. But it is also not worth striving at any cost to remove all the land. It is more important, after all, not to damage the vegetables when cleaning. Therefore, it is completely unacceptable to use a chip, a knife and other objects, to press hard on firmly adhering lumps of soil with your hand and beat the beets one against the other. Separately, the root vegetables should be shaken slightly by the tops, and the remaining soil should be removed by light pressure with the thumb of the hand. If it didn’t work, it’s better to leave it as it is. There will be less harm from this than from the damaged skin of the root crop.

When harvesting in dry weather, you probably won't have to clean the ground. If the soil is oily and moist, then it will be easy to remove it using the above methods. Problems, as a rule, arise for those who peel vegetables later - after transportation and drying, before storing them.

Then the tops of the beets must be cut off. And not completely, to the very root crop, but leaving a small tail 1–1.5 cm long. It is not recommended to twist or break off the tops by hand - you just need to cut them off.

Then we cut off the side roots. At the same time, we must try not to damage the root crop itself. If the main root is very long and branched, it is allowed to cut it off a little, leaving a tail of 5–7 cm. However, for storing beets, it is better when it remains completely intact - there is less chance of infection.

Then you need to select the beets, which will be laid for long-term storage. We leave only strong, whole and healthy roots. All damaged, sick and rotten vegetables must be set aside separately. They should be used for food shortly. They will not be stored for a long time, moreover, starting or continuing to deteriorate, they will infect healthy beets. It is also desirable that the selected roots are not very large. The best and longest shelf life is beets with a diameter of up to 12 cm, and a large one is poorly stored. Drying is the last step in preparing beets for storage.

It is not necessary to wash the root vegetables either before or after this!

If the harvesting of beets takes place in warm dry weather, then all its preparation for storage can be done right on the garden bed. To dry, lay out the selected root crops, if under the sun - for 2 hours, and in the shade - for about 4 hours. No more need, otherwise the vegetables will start to wither.

When the beets had to be dug out of the wet ground, maybe even in the rain and the weather in the next day does not allow drying them outside, this should be done indoors. It is desirable that it be well ventilated. Spread the roots on the floor in 1 layer. Drying of wet beets indoors takes 2-3 to 7 days.

The best conditions and methods for storing beets

Beets are best stored in sand boxes in a cool, dark place. Conditions that need to be created in it:

• humidity level 95–90%;
• temperature 0 ... +2 o C;
• natural ventilation is desirable.

Under these conditions, root crops can be stored until spring and even longer. The most important thing is to maintain the temperature, especially the first 1-2 months after setting the beets, because if it rises to at least +4 o C, the vegetables will begin to sprout tops, and this will significantly reduce the shelf life. Also, the temperature must not be allowed to drop below 0 ° C, otherwise the roots will freeze. Then, again, they will not be saved for a long time.

It is impossible to create such storage conditions for beets in an apartment - only in the basement or cellar. The sand in the boxes should be clean sifted river, preferably washed and calcined in the oven or dried in the sun. We put it on the bottom of the container with a layer of 8–10 cm. Then we put the vegetables so that they do not touch each other. Sprinkle them with sand on top, making a layer of 2-3 cm above them. So we lay the beets to the very top of the box. The condition of the roots should be checked every month. Those that have begun to deteriorate must be removed, and the overgrown tops must be cut off. Here's how to properly store beets so that they will definitely stay until spring.

• In plastic bags with ventilation holes with a capacity of 35-40 kg. They are hung and not tied tightly for air access.
• In a chest with potatoes. Place the beets on top of the tubers in 1 layer. The potato will give excess moisture to the roots that they need.
• Small pyramids (heaps) on shelves or in small boxes with holes for air circulation. Shelves and drawers must be at least 15 cm above the floor.
• In peat, table salt or sawdust. They, like sand, are poured over root crops, laid in layers in boxes. If in sawdust, then it is advisable to check the condition of the root crops more often than once a month.
• Scattered in a separate chest, the bottom and walls of which are lattice, with cracks.

These methods, if properly performed and maintained in the required conditions, can also save vegetables until spring.

Before storing the beets, it is advisable to powder it with sifted wood ash or roll it in chalk powder. This will protect the roots from diseases and slow down the spread of spoilage from one to another. It is better to store small vegetables separately from large ones.

Storing beets in the apartment

This option is the least preferable, since it is very difficult to store beets in an apartment in winter. More than you can count on - the roots will lie for 3-4 months. Storage methods are the same as for the cellar. Best of all in low boxes, sprinkled with sand. The entire storage period must be monitored so that the filler remains dry.

The best conditions can be created on an insulated loggia, but there is a high risk of freezing of root crops in severe frost. And if you heat this room, then it is difficult to withstand the required temperature - up to +4 o C. But nevertheless, the conditions there are better than in the rooms. To prevent freezing, root crops can be placed in, which will need to be built. Or they will have to be covered with warm blankets in cold weather.

You can store beets in the rooms of the apartment in a change house, a pantry; under the wardrobe, bed; most importantly, away from batteries and in the dark. In the refrigerator, wrapping each tightly in food foil or parchment paper, beets can be stored for 2-3 months.

Beets grown in your garden or purchased from farmers will have to be stored somewhere. A vegetable, incredibly healthy and necessary for preparing various dishes, should be in the kitchen of every housewife. Before laying a vegetable for long-term storage, you need to find out what methods of harvesting a root crop exist. Let's try to figure out how to properly store beets at home.

Most vegetable varieties are not suitable for wintering. Keeping quality depends on many factors, but to a greater extent on the selected variety. If the gardener wants to save the beets for the winter, then when choosing seeds, you need to focus on the variety.

Important! If the harvest is good enough, it is not yet certain that the beets can be stored for a long time for the winter. It is necessary to take care of storage conditions, t mode, humidity.

It is better to store at home in winter that variety of beets that have a dense skin and are resistant to mold and rot damage. The following varieties with good keeping quality are most suitable:

• Gribovskaya flat A473;
• Detroit;
• Salad;
• Renova;
• Libero;
• Mulatto;
• Pablo F1;
• Cold resistant;
• One-sprout;
• Late winter;
• Red ball;
• Incomparable;
• Bravo.

Better and longer it will be possible to preserve the beets of mid- and late-ripening varieties... Often, gardeners are offered the popular Cylinder variety. However, you need to understand that it will not be stored for a long time in winter and is only suitable for canning and cooking for a month.

How to select beets

Before you start storing beets for the winter, you need to pay attention to the correct harvest - on time. Harvesting time depends on the climatic conditions of a particular region, variety.

Harvesting signs:

1. The size of the root crop can be assessed visually.
2. If the tops are dry and yellow.
3. If formations are formed on the leaves and fruits.

You can start harvesting in October... It is better if the weather is dry without rain. If you miss the timely harvest, then this can lead to rotting of root crops.

Collection rules:

• You need to collect beets at a time when t does not fall below zero.
• Dig up the vegetable with a pitchfork or a shovel under the root vegetable so as not to damage it. Stack in piles next to the garden bed.
• Trim the tops, leaving 0.5 cm.
• Clean the root crop from the ground and remove the side roots.
• Handle the fruits as carefully as possible in order to prevent the appearance of defects, cracks.

The fruits are ready to dry in the fresh air. To do this, lay them out on film or in boxes in one layer and leave them outside to dry for 5 hours. The weather must be sunny. If it is damp outside, then it is better to dry the vegetable indoors or under a canopy.

Interesting! Gardeners who trust the lunar calendar should know that beets are harvested when the moon is in the last quarter.

Processing technology is carried out immediately after drying. It consists of the following stages:

1. Clean the vegetable from dirt, sand... You need to clean it as carefully as possible so as not to damage the peel. Microorganisms can get into the cracks of the beets and it will not be possible to preserve it for a long time.
2. Vegetables should be sorted by examining each one individually.... If the root crop has damage, rot, then they must be used first.
3. Choose medium-sized fruits for long-term storage, and use large fruits in the first months.

Important! Fruit storage must not be washed.

Video: how to properly clean and store beets at home.

Optimal storage conditions

Storage conditions are very important for this vegetable. Therefore, it is advisable to answer the question - how to properly store beets at home. The root crop, which has good keeping quality, is well stored even at low temperatures.

The main aspects to which it is important to pay attention to when storing beets in winter:

• Temperature regime. The temperature at which beets can be stored should not exceed 2-3 C and should not fall below zero... Too low temperatures affect the quality of the plant, and t above 5 C makes it soft and activates the growth of tops. Already after a few weeks, such a root crop is unusable. The first time you need to maintain t 2-3C for at least 2 months.
• Indoor humidity should be at least 90% otherwise the vegetable will dry out and become soft and wrinkled.
• A place... Storage conditions for beets can be selected based on the place of residence: in an apartment or in a private house. The air should be cool and the room dark and ventilated. The main storage locations are indoor and outdoor. The root crop can be properly stored all winter in pits, basement, cellar, balcony, pantry. Keeps well on the floor, on the ground, in containers or bags.

• canning;
• to freeze;
• keep a fresh root vegetable at home.

Features of storage locations

There are many places where you can store beets. The main thing is to comply with all the conditions in which a tasty culture retains its useful properties and remains tasty.

• in the cellar;
• in fridge;
• on the balcony;
• in boxes of sand;
• in the barn;
• in the apartment under the windows;
• in bags.

Video: where to store beets in the winter at home.

In the apartment

Of course, many people live in apartments rather than private houses. Therefore, many summer residents often think about the question - how to keep a root crop for the winter in an apartment?

It is worth noting that keeping fresh beets in the apartment for the winter is a little problematic due to the limited area. However, you can adapt and create favorable conditions for the root crop.

Where can beets be stored in an apartment? There are several suitable storage locations:

1) Fridge... Due to the limited space, only a couple of kilograms of beets can be stored in the refrigerator for the winter. The temperature should be 2-3 C. At the same time, it will be stored for only a few months.

To keep the root vegetable in the refrigerator for the winter, you need to put the vegetable in a plastic box or cellophane bag, having previously made holes in it for air ventilation. It is better to choose fruits of medium or small size for the refrigerator.

2)Balcony or storage room... If the balcony is insulated, then beets can be stored in it in winter. You need to put the fruits in a wooden box with sand. When storing root vegetables in sand, it prevents the formation of mold, vegetables do not get sick and do not dry out, completely retaining their appearance. You can replace sand with sawdust and peat.

Medium-sized fruits can be placed in boxes or other containers. Another option for storing beets in boxes on the balcony is to mix the fruits with ash and chalk.

3) Under the windows... If there is no balcony in the dwelling, then you can store the beets for the winter right in the apartment under the windows, just not near the battery. It is convenient to put the root crop in a bag that holds 40 kg. A larger volume will not be very comfortable to store under windows. The main condition for storage in bags is to seal it tightly so that no light enters.

In a private house

In a private house, most often there is a cellar or basement where you can successfully store the beets for the winter, because there is maintained the humidity required to preserve the harvest.

In the first month of storage, it is especially important to maintain appropriate conditions. If t rises, then there is a rapid multiplication of bacteria, mold and fungus appear.

To properly store beets in the cellar in winter, you must follow the following rules:

1. There must be good air circulation in the cellar... Natural circulation is done by raising the beet containers 15 cm above the floor. This will keep the fruit cool and prevent fogging.
2. In the cellar, lay out vegetables in bulk directly on the floor... To do this, you can spread plastic wrap and sprinkle vegetables in one layer.
3. Some gardeners make special bins, walls up to a meter high... At the bottom of such structures, a fine mesh is installed 5-10 cm above the floor. This will provide ventilation for the plant.
4. Store on top of potatoes in bags or boxes... In this case, it absorbs moisture and prevents the potatoes from deteriorating.

Video: how to properly store beets in a cellar in winter.

The fruits can be processed, mixed with the following elements:

• chalk;
• ash;
• sand;
• peat;
• sawdust;
• sprinkle with table salt;
• treat the boxes with brine;
• put fern leaves on top.

Mix any of the ingredients with root crops immediately during preparation for storage.

Video: how to store beets in sawdust in the basement.

Popular ways to save

There are other storage methods. You can also properly save beets for the winter in several ways:

• Dry... Alternatively, some of the beets can be dried in small pieces to add when stewing vegetables or preparing other dishes.
• Canning... There are a huge number of ways to preserve, pickle vegetables. It is very convenient to store preservation in glass containers.
• To freeze... You can successfully store beets in the freezer for the winter. It is especially important to store frozen beets in grated form for making borscht. To do this, you need to peel, grate and pack the vegetable into bags or special plastic containers and place in the freezer.
• Leave fresh and save beets for the winter at home using the above methods.

Video: how to store beets for the winter in bags.

• If severe frosts and insulation have begun, and glazing does not save, then you need to cover the harvest with a warm blanket.
• If the vegetables are stored on the balcony, and the room allows, then it is better to lay out the beets in one layer. Thus, it can be protected from decay.
• Leave the tops 1 cm, without cutting them to pulp. In this form, the vegetable is much better preserved.
• In order not to waste time on cleaning and cooking root crops, you can stock up on ready-made dressings for borscht in the form of canned or frozen in advance.
• Vegetables should be checked regularly for mold and rot. Remove spoiled fruits, and rinse and dry the wet ones.
• To keep the beets well, you need to pay special attention to watering when growing crops. Also, don't give too much nitrogen fertilizer.
• Waterproof synthetic spacers can be used to store large quantities of beets. They need to be placed between vegetables in a container.
• From all unsuitable crops, you can prepare seals for the winter.

Common storage errors

To keep fresh beets at home for the whole winter, you need to do it according to certain rules. Unfortunately, many people make annoying mistakes that take away the joy of eating a delicious red vegetable in winter.

Therefore, it is worth knowing the main mistakes that can be made when storing beets at home:

• Storing beets next to radiators and other heating devices... In this case, the vegetable will quickly lose its elasticity and taste.
• If you wash vegetables before storing, then they will not survive for several weeks.
• Tops cut to pulp leads to the fact that microorganisms enter the vegetable.
• To monitor the room temperature, it is better to install a thermometer rather than try to set t at random.
• Choose early maturing varieties for storage in the winter.
• If do not sort out periodically root crops, that is, the probability of contamination of the entire crop (and not only beets).

If you store the beets correctly, then you can feast on the vegetable throughout the winter and even more than half of the spring. Correctly preserved mid-season and late-season varieties can be stored until the next season. The main thing is to take into account all recommendations for conditions: variety, air temperature, ventilation, humidity, storage location. Good luck in preserving the beet harvest until spring!

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Note to the owner, help the hostess - how to store the beets in the cellar in perfect condition until spring. What affects keeping quality, ideas, storage methods, secrets and tips.

What kind of beets to store: the most important part

Not all beets will keep well. Early varieties are not subject to long-term storage: juicy, with delicate fiber and a small amount of dry matter, with a thin skin, they wither quickly. The priority is varieties and hybrids of medium ripening, late.

How to store beets in the cellar in winter, what kind and what: advice from practitioners, recommendations, tricks.

This is theoretically, but in practice, in the Middle Lane, a root crop with a long growing season often does not ripen due to the cold and rainy autumn, it freezes. The solution will be a compromise: the choice of varieties is not early, but with a shorter growing cycle.

Good for storage varieties Cold-resistant 19, Gribovskaya flat A473, Bravo, Late winter 474, Podzimaya, Mulatka, Nosovskaya flat, Renovo, Krasny ball, Pablo F1, Odnorostkovaya, Bordeaux 237 and others.

How to keep beets in the cellar in winter: preparation is the key to storage

1. They are harvested before the onset of frost: the frozen roots will not lie for a long time, and they also lose their taste. Late harvesting threatens freezing of the upper part of the beets protruding from the ground, which greatly spoils the taste and reduces keeping quality. In a rainy autumn, delay threatens with gray rot and other ailments of root crops that have gained moisture.
2. How to determine the degree of readiness: the lower leaves turn yellow, growths appear at the top, the tops protrude significantly from the ground, acquire the size characteristic of the variety.
3. After digging, the tops are cut to a height of 1-1.5 cm, left to dry for a couple of hours. The beets selected from their wet soil are dried from 2-3 days to a week. Do not wash: rub the clods of earth with a glove, without violating the integrity of the peel.
4. The main root is not cut off: it will let out the juice, fade. You can only shorten its dry part and cut off the lateral thin roots, the removal of which does not violate the integrity of the peel.
5. They sort out, reject specimens damaged mechanically, by diseases, pests.

How to store beets in winter: important facts

She does not sleep. Beets do not have a dormant period. She does not sleep - and, feeling warmth, instantly withers, ready to start growing, with an increase in t to +5 .. + 7 ° C tops begin to grow.

Storing beets in the cellar and not only: these are important subtleties to know.

The best moisture retainer. During storage, it gives off moisture, so it is stored on top of the potatoes - to protect it from drying out and maintain moisture.

She doesn't like bad neighbors... The bad ones are fruits and vegetables that release ethylene, a hormone that accelerates the growth and maturation of plants. Emitting ethylene - apples, pears, pumpkin. It is better not to store them in the neighborhood, to isolate them from each other.

Champion. The first among root crops in keeping quality, is second only to black radish: it is stored almost until the new harvest. But - if her skin is safe and sound, without scratches and ribs. Beets with damaged skins are not stored until the New Year.

Enemies of its storage and requirements for the cellar

• humidity in the cellar above 85-90% - the risk of rotting, the development of fungal, rot;
• dry air - below 80% threatens to wilting;
• t above 0 ... + 1 ° C, maximum + 2 ... + 3 ° C - the path to the germination of tops;
• temperature differences at which condensation forms in the cellar, and the beets themselves sweat, as a result - rotting;
• light. In the light it withers, germinates;
• cellar without ventilation, not meeting temperature requirements, damp or dry.

And whether she will be comfortable all winter: that is the question.

To provide beets with comfortable storage conditions in winter, the cellar is equipped as follows.

1. Temperature 0 ... + 2 ° C, humidity no more than 85-90%.
2. Lattice flooring 15-20 cm high when stored in bulk for air circulation, ventilation, uniform cooling from below. When stored in this way, beets do not sprout, do not sweat.
   The distance from the walls of the cellar is at least 20 cm when stored in chests, compartments.
3. The height of the compartment or the bins is no more than half a meter: a high embankment is poorly ventilated, it is pretentious, a haven for rot.

Beet storage methods: in search of the best

After drying, it is advisable to store for 7-10 days in a cellar in bulk: according to the principle of potatoes, the roots should sweat, their peel should be coarse, the cuts should heal.

With moist, not hardened cuts, beets cannot be stored. And then we choose the method.

In wooden boxes or compartments

The simplest method, but with a caveat. Storage boxes should have slots or gaps between the planks. Sprinkle sawdust on top to protect it from drying out, cover with a tarpaulin. The option of plastic boxes is not the best: closed ones are condensation, hypothermia, fogging. Open grates - excessive airflow, drying out.

On the shelves in pyramids

Pyramids are laid out on shelves covered with burlap and straw. Not for the sake of beauty: it is compact, and ventilation, and there is no excessive drying out.

We store beets in the sand like carrots.

In the sand or in the ground

Placed in a box, sprinkled with sand or dry soil. The layer at the bottom is 5-7 cm, and up to 5 cm on top. The sand should be dry, fine, so that the coarse abrasive does not damage the thin skin.

The boxes should be made of wood: in plastic containers, the beets that give off moisture to the sand melt, deteriorate, and rot.

On potatoes

Exactly so: on piles, on top of boxes in the bins of the cellar - both compact and useful. The height of the masonry is 2-3 layers.

Beets and potatoes in storage are a mutually beneficial union.

Joint storage is useful for both: the moisture released by the potatoes during respiration is given to the beets, which, in turn, protects the potatoes from drying out.

In sawdust

Root crops are placed in a box on a pillow of shavings, and they are poured with it. Pour generously - a layer between adjacent beets from 5 mm, tk. the material is caked.

Sawdust will save you from drying out, damage, moisture - they will save you from everything.

It is important not to use coniferous shavings - they give off an odor. Tyrsu is also not used due to its high moisture capacity.

Do not use leaf litter as a shelter for fungal, straw as food and a nest for rodents.

Powder her

Powdered with wood ash mixed with chalk or just ash. Do not dust: just lightly dust. Evil ash prevents the reproduction of spores of fungal diseases, dry rot, takes on moisture.

Fans of original storage methods will find the following options useful.

In clay

How best to store beets in a cellar in winter: a selection of methods that work.

Each specimen is immersed in a weak solution of clay with the addition of chalk and dried. The consistency of "talker" - liquid sour cream. "Spacesuit" will protect you from dampness, bacteria, drying out - from all troubles.

In salt

Salt storage is all the rage, they say. The layers are sprinkled with coarse rock salt, which prevents the growth of fungal, putrefactive bacteria. In addition, large crystals absorb moisture - salt is multitasking during storage.

How to properly store beets in the cellar: these simple subtleties are important to know.

As an option - immersion in a saline solution and drying: salted peel is not afraid of diseases or mechanical damage.

Sphagum moss

For whom - exotic, and for whom - a help in the economy. Including for storing beets in the cellar: sphagnum is dried, laid in layers, not forgetting to line the bottom with it.

In plastic bags

The method is controversial, but it works. Just put it in plastic bags, tie it up - ruin the product: it will rot. But to tie, let the condensate appear, untie and store in a slightly open form - according to reviews, the storage method is very good.

After sweating, the beets give off excess moisture, the peel coarsens and will no longer give off moisture. In addition, in polyethylene, it emits carbon dioxide, which prevents spoilage. However, the method can be recommended for short-term storage.

Harvesting and preparing the crop for winter

Gardeners take care of the future safety of beets even before planting. When choosing a variety of vegetables, check keeping quality - the ability to store for 4–6 months. An excess of nitrogenous fertilizers increases yields, but creates problems with food storage and taste. Varieties suitable for long-term storage:

• Renova;
• Mulatto;
• Late winter A-474;
• Libero;
• Egyptian flat;
• Bordeaux-237;
• Salad;
• One-sprout;
• Incomparable А463;
• Pablo F1;
• Cold resistant 19;
• Detroit;
• Boltardi;
• Gribovskaya flat A473.

Harvesting beets is easier when the ground is damp, but vegetables will dry out faster in sunny weather.

For harvesting, dry weather is desirable in order to dry the beets, but in the rain the beets will dry out indoors. When collecting beets, three rules are taken into account:

• if the soil is dense, clayey, then it is better not to pull out the beets, but to dig in with a pitchfork. You cannot throw the beets, this will reduce the marketability and shelf life;
• when drying outside, vegetables are laid out in the shade so as not to wither in the sun. Stuck earth can be easily removed from dry beets;
• the tops are torn off, as the leaves continue to evaporate moisture and dry out the roots.

Disputes continue over which is preferable: twisting the tops or trimming. When pruning, leave the stalks 2-3 cm long so that an infection does not get inside the fetus. Unscrewing the tops will allow not to transfer the juice of a diseased plant to uninfected ones on the knife.

The tails left will prevent infection from entering the fruit through the cut and keep the vegetables healthy.

Video: preparing beets for storage

The next step is sorting. Divide the root vegetables into three groups:

• flawed vegetables: damaged by pests, rotten, punctured or cut. The crop of this group is suitable for urgent processing with careful removal of damage, cannot be stored;
• healthy roots with a diameter of less than 4 cm. Under-grown vegetables are suitable for storage, but will wilt and dry quickly;
• ripe large fruits will last without damage until spring in the basement or cellar.

Beet storage rules

For storing vegetables, both cellars and basements are used, as well as vegetable trenches, pits and even apartment balconies. Beets will last all winter if the right conditions are created.

Storing beets in the cellar, basement

Before harvesting, a cellar or basement should be prepared in advance:

• remove the debris left over from the last season and ventilate the vegetable store;
• disinfect the room. Whitewash brick or wooden walls, and treat the shelves with a ten percent solution of copper sulfate;
• pickle the vegetable storage area with one or two sulfur sticks to protect it from insects;
• thoroughly ventilate the room, otherwise foreign odors will be absorbed into the plants;
• do not use last year's cardboard boxes and sawdust for storing beets, use new ones. Bake reusable containers in the sun on 1-2 hot days.

After the room has been cleaned, disinfected and ventilated, store the vegetables. Place the undergrowth beets separately to use first. Put the root vegetables in boxes and boxes and arrange in rows, sprinkling each row with a layer of sawdust, sand, peat, dry moss. Place the container with vegetables on shelves, wooden flooring at a distance of 10-15 cm. Maintain the temperature in the room at + 5 ° C, humidity - 85-90%, but the accumulation of condensation is unacceptable. If the air is dry, place wide containers filled with water next to the boxes - buckets, pots, but not bottles. To reduce moisture, use hygroscopic material: sawdust, chalk, and do not forget about regular ventilation. In case of a threat of frost, insulate the boxes using available methods - cover with agrofibre, hay or a thick cloth.

Laying in boxes with sand will protect root crops from excess moisture, drying out and freezing

Storing beets in the apartment

It is not easy to create suitable conditions for storing vegetables in an apartment. But, if other options are not available, choose a dark, humid place with a cool temperature. A loggia, a balcony or a spacious storage room will do. The process of preparing beets for storage in an apartment is as follows:

• prepare two cardboard boxes;
• place the container one inside the other like a nesting doll. It is desirable that the distance between the boxes is 10 cm;
• loosely fill the gap with crumpled newspapers or coconut for thermal insulation;
• Place a 3–5 cm layer of sawdust, sand, peat, or dry moss on the bottom of the inner box to maintain temperature and humidity. It is advisable to ignite the sand in order to get rid of pests;
• Spread the beets loosely, sprinkling each row with sand or sawdust. Fill the top row thoroughly. If there are no bulk materials in the house, lay layers of vegetables with newspapers or wrap each root crop with paper;
• cover closed boxes with agrofibre or warm clothes that have served their time;
• if placing boxes on the balcony, protect vegetables from rain and direct sunlight.

Beet storage problems

It happens that beets deteriorate during storage due to the appearance of fungus and the invasion of rodents. To prevent this from happening, be careful when harvesting and preparing root crops, carefully select vegetables without damage and rot. In addition, blackening inside the root crop is possible due to a lack of boron during the growth of the vegetable. Feeding the plant with complex fertilizer or boric acid solution at a concentration of 5 g per 10 liters of water will help to avoid the problem. It will not be possible to save the affected root vegetables, so spoiled vegetables should be thrown away immediately.

Spoiled beets are unusable and can infect nearby vegetables

Freezing beets

You can store the harvest of root crops both fresh and frozen. At the same time, you should not defrost vegetables and put them back in the freezer - the beets will lose their beneficial properties.

Freezing whole beets

To freeze, the vegetable is washed, peeled, put in a bag and placed in the freezer. Before eating, the beets should be defrosted in advance, since you cannot use the microwave oven - the root vegetable will soften. Ice forms inside the fruit when frozen, so such beets are not suitable for serving.

Both fresh and boiled root vegetables are frozen whole

Freezing beet tops

Gardeners preserve the tops, which contain vitamin C and trace elements. To freeze beet stalks you need:

• rinse the tops with running water and check for a sign of disease and pests on the leaves;
• let the greens dry;
• chop the tops and put them in packages in portions;
• place the bags in the freezer.

Beet greens retain useful trace elements and vitamins even after freezing