2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Photo: Anna Kompaniets
Beets are a very tasty and healthy vegetable that is constantly needed in the kitchen. Beets should always be at hand, without it it is difficult to imagine Russian cuisine. It is needed to cook borscht, salad or vegetable cutlets. It is most convenient to store beets in a basement or cellar when conditions are optimal. But how exactly to preserve this root crop so that it does not lose its taste, this article will tell.
Beetroot belongs to table root crops, the keeping quality of which is much better than that of potatoes or carrots, therefore, storing beets should not cause any particular problems. Knowing how to properly store beets and prevent specimens affected by infectious diseases in the total mass, then in the spring you will rejoice at healthy root crops that have not lost their presentation.
The successful preservation of beets in the winter is due to a properly grown crop. For a rich harvest of beets, choose varieties that have good keeping quality and cold resistance. Stock up on knowledge of which varieties of beets are intended to be stored until spring, and which are better to eat right away. Remember that quality roots can be grown in fertile loamy and sandy loam soils.
Harvesting beets
The harvesting period for beets depends on the weather conditions of a particular region. Most vegetable growers are convinced that beets must be dug out before the first stable frosts, as they partially rise above the garden bed and require more heat than carrots.
The timing of harvesting beets is relative, it all depends on the onset of frost, in the Far East and Siberia of Russia, the best harvest time is before the beginning of October, in the south there is much more time. Watch the weather, follow the forecasts of weather forecasters, choosing a fine day for harvesting beets. If the autumn is rainy, then there is a high possibility that the vegetables will be saturated with moisture and begin to rot, and such beets are no longer suitable for storage. That is why gardeners do not take risks and try not to leave beets in the ground for a long time. The beets are always harvested ahead of the carrots.
One of the factors of the ripeness of the culture is the formation of growths on the leaves and roots. If in doubt about the maturity of a beet and want to test it, just dig in one. To harvest beets, take a blunt pitchfork or a shovel with you, because sometimes you need to dig root crops. Some people have a question, why dig in if the beets are practically on the surface of the earth. The answer is actually simple. The beet root "sits" in the ground and is firmly held by its roots for it. When harvesting by hand, there is a chance of damaging part of the root crop. Therefore, it is better to dig in the beets with a blunt pitchfork. Do this carefully so that no mechanical cuts remain, otherwise viral and fungal diseases will develop. Before drying, the root crops must be cleaned of residual dirt, in no case do not hit the root crop against the root crop, do not use a knife to clean the ground, this will damage the beet skin. Next, you need to remove the side roots, you can reduce the main root, remove the tops with scissors without damaging the head of the vegetable, and start drying before storing. In good autumn weather, drying can be done in the garden in the garden for 2 - 3 hours. Then the sorted beets are laid out in a dry room so that the roots are completely dry.
How to store beets?
It is recommended to store beets in a basement with a humidity of no more than 90%, at temperatures from zero to three degrees Celsius. At temperatures above 4 degrees, beets sprout tops, root crops wither, diseases develop and the process of decay begins.
Air circulation in the basement plays an important role during storage. The storage should be naturally ventilated. Knock down the bins 15 cm above the floor for free air circulation, which would evenly cool the roots and prevent them from sweating. Make a place for storing beets with walls up to 1 m and provide a wooden grill at the bottom for ventilation.
Another option for storing beets is on top of potatoes. This is a very convenient method that has two advantages: firstly, the beets will absorb the necessary moisture, and secondly, the potatoes will be protected from unnecessary moisture.
It is possible to store beets like carrots in boxes, sprinkling them with sand or dusting them with ash. To prevent the beets from starting to rot, place the leaves of a plant rich in phytoncides, such as a fern, on the bottom. Beets can be stored well if they are treated with brine and simply sprinkled with salt.
Knowing how to store beets in the cellar will give you hard and tasty root vegetables, right up to spring.
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