Summary
Many vegetablegardenersend up with large issue that are way more than any one person or fellowship could eat in a undivided background . When vegetable yields are particularly fruitful , there are a few thing one can do . Where many unlike types of base veggies can simply be stored in a dark , cool spot for weeks , other plants need to be cure before being lay in . as luck would have it , curing andstoringvegetablesis easy , and most backyard gardeners already have the tools and supplies needed to get started .
What Are Cured Veggies and Why Should Gardeners Cure Them Before Storage?
Curing is the process of indurate the proscribed skin of sure types of edible plant before cast them in farseeing - term storehouse . cure can meliorate the quality of certain veggies while they are in storage , as well as increase their longevity .
You might be wonder , " How do you cure murphy , squash , onions , and othervegetables ? " It ’s pretty unproblematic .
1Materials Needed to CureVegetables
Kick the process off right and gather the necessary items
cure veggieshave a caboodle to provide . fortuitously , cured veggies are yummy ! To start , you ’ll need to gather some materials :
Materials
Tools
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2Pick the Right Veggies to Cure
Not every vegetable is good for curing
It ’s very important to remember that only specific plants are suitable for cure . Most etymon veggies and squash diversity are worthy for curing . However , certain type of root veggies do n’t even call for heal at all to store well , while others need to bepreservedusing alternative method forfruit and vegetable storage .
As a general dominion of pollex , plants with very thick skin that harden once glean are the most suited for curing .
heal
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Do n’t Cure
Russet , gilt , red , etc . potatoes
carrot
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Sweet tater
Beets
yam
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Leafy greens
Onions and garlic
daikon
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Winter squash , such as butternut , spaghetti , acorn , etc .
Tomatoes
Edible plants that are n’t suitable for curing should be consumed right away after harvest or refrigerate for a little amount of prison term .
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3Harvest Your Plants at the Right Time
Timing is a crucial element when curing veggies
Timing is incredibly authoritative when it comes to harvest home veggies for curing .
That ’s definitely not ideal , so make certain that you harvest your curable veg at the correct time . If you ’re thinking , " How do you cure potatoes , sweet potatoes , onions , garlic , and winter squash , " get a line some insight on when to harvest for the thoroughgoing cure .
Vegetable
When To Harvest
Days to Maturity ( From Seed to Harvest )
Potatoes
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harvesting when the white potato ' foliage has died back a bit , but only before the first frost of the season .
80 to 100 Clarence Shepard Day Jr.
Harvest your sweet potato before the first frost of the time of year , as cold melodic line can damage Tuber and make them undesirable for cure .
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85 to 120 day
reap both onion and garlic varieties when the big top of the plants have flopped over and begun to dry out out . This means that the bulbs are done grow and ready to be harvested .
90 to 100 days for onion plant , 250 to 270 days for garlic
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wintertime mash
The rind of a ripe wintertime squash rackets should be grueling , and the fore should be dry . If you ’re not sure if your winter crush is juiceless enough to be harvest , jab your fingernail into the peel / rind . If you could pass on an indent without actually deflate the skin , your squash is quick for harvest .
60 to 110 twenty-four hours
Always diddle it dependable when it total to harvesting veggies that you be after to cure and store long - terminal figure . If there are any sign of the zodiac of rot , disease , or pest plague , do notcure onion , tater , or squash that appear to be affected . Not only will the single veg go high-risk , but disease could diffuse and cause your entire yield to rot while in storage .
4Clean and Prep Your Veggies
Cleaning your veggies without water is essential to prolonging their longevity after curing
Nobody need to eat a soiled vegetable . Cleaning your harvest straightaway before cure them will ensure that they lay in well and no small hitchhikers ( Solanum tuberosum beetle , aphids , squash bug , etc . ) will rust up your yield in storehouse .
After clean your veggies , keep them in a coolheaded and shaded area while you prepare your curing environment .
Do not use your spare hand to pass over off your veg . crude oil or dampness on your work force could change to the pelt of the works and negatively dissemble the curing process .
5Prepare the Perfect Curing Environment
Choosing the right curing environment is (fortunately) quite easy to do
Find a place in your home or in a glasshouse that has the correct environment for curing . spud , sweet murphy , onion , garlic , and winter squelch have different cure temperature ranges , but they also overlap . If you may get a place where you may maintain a temperature range of mountains shared by all of these works , they can all be cured together .
Most habitation gardeners will bring around theirvegetablesin a cellar , ventilated cupboard , or humble greenhouse . If you need to correct the temperature or humidness of your bring around area , you might do good from using a blank heater ( placed far away from the actual vegetables ) as well as a humidifier or dehumidifier .
Curing Temperature
Humidity Requirements
Cure at 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit for 7 to 14 daytime .
85 to 95 pct humidness .
Cure at 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit for 7 to 14 days .
85 to 90 percent humidity .
Onionsand ail
remedy at 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit for 14 to 21 days .
65 to 70 percentage humidness .
remedy at 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 14 days .
80 to 85 per centum humidity .
Adequate ventilation system is also key . Do not cure your veggies in a space with no ventilation ; that will be a surefire way to shape your veg . And nobody likes moldy veg !
6Cure YourVegetablesProperly
Different plants require different curing methods and techniques
You might be wonder at this point , " How do you heal potatoes , onions , and squash ? " You ’re in the end ready to start the appendage ! Once your plant life are cleaned , and you ’ve found the idealistic cure location , consider the curing want of each veggie you have .
If you have a peculiarly massive vegetable , such as a huge squash racquets or bulky ail bulb , try plow them over every few years or so . This will insure that you cancure onions , white potato , and squash plants equally .
7Move Your Cured Veggies to Long-Term Storage
Cured veggies should be kept in the right environment for long-term storage
Once the curing period is up , check each single vegetable to make certain it has not turned unripe , rotten , or diseased . Any individuals that show signs of improper solidification should be thrown out or composted , when possible .
Now that your veggies are cured , it ’s fourth dimension for long - termfruit and vegetable storage .
Different flora have dissimilar temperature needs for long - term memory board .
Temperature
45 to 50 degree Fahrenheit
55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit
No matter which character of cured veggie you ’re storing , the place you lay in them in should be completely dark . Do n’t leave your cured veggies out in the Sunday !
8Regularly Monitor Your Stored Veggies
Curedvegetablesshould be regularly monitored and maintained for freshness and food safety
Afterstoring vegetableslong - term , contain on them every few weeks to verify there are no sign of the zodiac of decomposition , sprout , or mold . bemuse out affected individuals immediately .
If you notice quite a bit of spoilage across multiple items in store , your conditions may not be idealistic . Double - check your temperature and humidity to check that everything is where it should be .
After consume out a vegetable or two to cook from memory board , make trusted to adequately clean them with water system and a veggie washing before preparing them .
Always habituate the oldest cure veggies first to keep food waste !
Curing Veggies For Months-Long Freshness
Curing comestible plants is n’t just a enceinte way to preserve your harvest ; it ’s also kind of sport , too ! If you follow each gradation in this usher and ensure your temperature and humidness levels are ideal , you ’ll be able-bodied to enjoy your yield of curedvegetablesfor up to six months .
