Storage of Vegetables 
ONE of the problems confronting the amateur gar- 
dener in the fall will be the storage of vegetables 
for winter use. To be stored successfully veg- 
egetable crops should be planted at such a time as to be 
properly developed at the time of storage. Most of the 
crops usually keep best if stored comparatively late, so 
that it should be the aim of the gardener to mature the 
plants as late as possible and yet not to have them injured 
by cold. If planted too early root crops are likely to 
become tough and undesirable, while cabbages are liable 
to split. 
Three important factors should be taken into account 
when providing storage facilities — moisture, temperature, 
and fresh air. No general rule can be formulated to apply 
to all cla'sses of vegetables, as different crops require 
various combinations of conditions. Root crops, for 
instance, should be kept quite moist in order to preserve 
their plumpness and succulence, while onions, squashes 
and sweet potatoes should be kept dry to avoid decay. 
With a few exceptions 2-5 deg. above freezing is the 
most favorable temperature for safe storage. Air cir- 
culation is absolutely essential for onions, but root crops 
do better when not in contact with fresh air. Vegetables 
which are expected to continue growth in storage, such 
as celery, leeks, Brussels sprouts, etc., should be planted 
in soil and the roots kept moist, while free circulation and 
low temperature are required. On the other hand, 
squashes demand a high temperature and dry atmosphere. 
The cellar of a residence is often used to preserve 
vegetables, but as a rule it provides unsatisfactory con- 
ditions, especially if it contains a furnace which makes 
the air warm and dry. This difficulty may be over- 
come by partitioning oft' part of the space with any 
material which will keep out the heat and by providing 
ample ventilation by means of windows on the sunny 
side of the house. 
If the cellar does not provide sufficient room or is 
not suitaole for the storage of certain vegetables the 
method of burying in pits is used. A shallow pit 
should be dug in which the vegetables are placed, cov- 
ered with straw and soil, and later overlaid with man- 
ure to prevent freezing and boards to shed the rain. 
To avoid overheating it is desirable in some cases 
(cabbage) to cover lightly at first and later to add the 
dressing heavier. 
Cold-frames may also be used to advantage in storing 
vegetables, providing the drainage is made thorough. 
After the frames are filled the sash should be covered 
with boards and the outside banked with soil or manure. 
As the weather becomes severe a covering of straw or 
mats will be necessary. 
Beans should be stored in a drv place, regardless of 
the cold, as they are not injured by freezing. 
Cabbages may be stored in the cellar by packing in 
boxes or barrels filled with soil or sand. For winter use, 
however, they will keep better in an outdoor pit. The uit 
need not be more than 2 feet deep and wide enough to 
accommodate 3 or 4 heads placed in a row. If a soil 
is not well drained the heads should be laid on the surface 
of the ground, leaving the outer leaves and roots on. In 
either case the heads should be placed with roots up in 
2 layers — 3 in the first and 2 in the second. The mound 
should then be covered with a layer of straw 6-8 inches 
deep. As the weather becomes colder 6-8 inches of soil 
should be added, and finally a coating of manure to pre- 
vent freezing. At the bottom of the pile an opening 
should be left for removal of material, this being stuft'ed 
with straw when not in use. 
Cauliflower which fails to mature in the fall may be 
taken up and planted in shallow boxes of soil in the 
lightest part of the cellar and kept well watered. The 
crop will then gradually mature for winter use. 
Celery may be stored in a number of ways, but the 
most satisfactory method for home use is to take up 
the plants and plant the roots in boxes of soil. By keep- 
ing the roots supplied with moisture, giving plenty of 
air at the tops, and a temperature of 35 degrees F., 
celery will keep in good condition throughout the winter. 
The moisture should be supplied through holes bored 
about 4 inches from the bottom of the box, so as not 
to wet the foliage. Sphagnum moss or sand may be 
substituted for soil. 
(Jnions require a dry cool atmosphere. They should 
be thoroughly cured, dried, and all the tops cut off before 
storing. Market baskets, trays, or any other receptable 
which will permit of proper air circulation may be used 
as containers. If the bulbs begin to grow in the spring a 
good crop of green onions can be secured by setting them 
outdoors in beds. 
Potatoes should be stored in a cool frostless cellar in 
long narrow bins divided into sections to hold about 2-3 
bushels. A covering of sand or soil is beneficial to keep 
moisture in. The tubers should be dug on a bright day 
when the soil is dry so that it will shake off readily. 
They should not be washed nor exposed to light for any 
length of time after harvesting, as that will cause them 
to turn green. If tubers begin sprouting in the spring all 
the shoots should be rubbed off. The bins should be 
examined occasionally and any rotting tubers removed 
to prevent the spread of infection. Potatoes may also 
be stored outdoors by placing in a conical pile and cover- 
ing with 6-8 inches of straw, 6-8 inches of soil and a 
layer of manure. A ventilator made of boards 4 inches 
wide should be placed at the apex running down to the 
tubers. When freezing weather sets in it should be 
stuft'ed with fine hay. 
The root crops — beets, carrots, turnips, etc — should be 
kept cool in a cellar and packed in damp soil or sand. It 
is desirable to leave on part of the tops for convenience in 
use and conservation of flavor. The better means of 
storage is the pit method similar to the one recommended 
for potatoes. In getting the vegetables from pits in 
midwinter the manure is removed at the base of the 
pile and a hole 1 foot square is chopped through the 
frozen soil. Sufficient straw is pulled out to enable one 
to thrust an arm into the opening. The hole should 
then he stuft'ed again. 
Tomatoes may be saved for winter use not only by 
canning but also by storing. They should be picked as 
they being to turn, leaving the stems on and taking care 
not to bruise them. The fruits should be packed in a 
barrel or box in clean dry sand, being placed some dis- 
tance apart and kept in a dry cool cellar. Fruits which 
fail to ripen before frost may be taken indoors and 
ripened, or ripening upon vines may be hastened a week 
or 10 days by bagging the fruit. — From Missouri Botani- 
cal Garden Bulletin. 
237 
