[mrs plumtree]

As the title says how do you do yours?

We've so far been leaving them in the plastic buckets that we put them into at the allotment, which works fine but isn't terribly sightly in the kitchen. So I've thought about getting hession sacks, hoping they'd look more 'rustic' at least. If I did that how long do you think they'd last, would they need to be in the dark? If not, what do you do?

[WG.]

Which root veg do you mean exactly please?

[mrs plumtree]

Potatoes, carrots, beetroot, and sometime if/when they grow bigger leeks.

[brucesgirl]

All I know is that you can leave the leeks in the ground till you are ready to eat them.
Over to the experts for advice on the others.

[WG.]

Carrots - lift as required unless you have slugs, root fly or need the ground.

Beetroot - lift as required until about mid-November when any remaining will be lifted, pickled or stored in peat in a cold shed.

Potatoes - not really a root crop   - open boxes in total darkness is best.  Again, in the soil is a good place unless you have slugs, blight or need the ground.

Leeks - not really a root crop   - lift as required until ground is needed in Mar / Apr

[mrs plumtree]

Thanks for that both of you. Trouble is we don't go as often as we should to the allotment so when we do get down there we pick a lot to cover us till the next time we go. But I'll keep in mind about leaving them in the ground as long as poss.

Potatoes and leeks not really root vegetables - didn't know that  :oops:

[WG.]

Trouble is we don't go as often as we should to the allotment so when we do get down there we pick a lot to cover us till the next time we go.

This would be short term storage then?  If it is only for a week, then I'd be tempted to keep carrot / beetroot / leeks in the fridge.   Tatties (unwashed) in a cool dark cupboard.

Potatoes and leeks not really root vegetables - didn't know that  :oops:

Wasn't seeking to embarass you but the distinction is important.  For example, most folks will advise you not to manure before root vegetables but potatoes (edible tubers) and leeks (edible swollen stems and leaves) both need lots of manure.

I'd include the following as root crops : carrot, parsnip, salsify, scorzonera, mooli and other maincrop radish for storing, turnip, kohl rabi, celeraic.   In most cases, you are eating a swollen root / lower stem.  

[ytyynycefn]

Last year we kept our maincrop spuds in a double hessian sack in the shed.  We ate the last ones in March, and they were just as good as they had been back in the autumn when they were harvested.  This year, due to blight, we cooked and mashed and froze all 40lbs of maincrops  :shock:

As for carrots, we ate them all by Christmas, so it wasn't an issue!  I planted more this year, and the faster varieties will get eaten now, the "Autumn King" next, and the "365" can allegedly stay in the soil until we want them.

I'd recommend Lakeland's "stayfresh" bags for keeping stuff in the fridge - I've had french beans be nice and crunchy a good two weeks after picking with these.

[muntjac]

taters in paper sacks or hessian . sealed agin light check every 2 weeks for rot .roots i just put in damp peat when the bad weather comes in .parsnips need a frosting so can stay in the ground . carrots can be left stored in clamps like taters  covered with a deep layer of straw and soil put over the top .or put in compost in trays . leeks i blanch and freeze same with beets turnips etc

[splodger]

i store my beets, carrots, parsnips and turnips in boxes of sand - in the shed - i have found that they all keep very well (as long as you don't have mice in your shed   )

[lesley]

This is a great book, it might be of some help
 
Keeping food fresh, old world techniques and recipes 1999
The gardeners and farmers of Terre Vivante
Chelsea green publishing company, Vermont 1999
Terre Vivante – organic ecological education centre – isere France (www.terrevivante.org)

Lots of ways to preserve/store food over the winter.

It is available to download for $0.49 - (yes forty nine cents) - from amazon.com - search for
The Gardeners & Farmers of Centre Terre Vivante Speaks About Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning:

[jacnal]

I'd recommend Lakeland's "stayfresh" bags for keeping stuff in the fridge - I've had french beans be nice and crunchy a good two weeks after picking with these.

.....Or you could make your own *stay fresh* bag/container. I wet a kitchen towel, wrap the cleaned ready to eat/cook veg in it, and place in an airtight ziplock bag or plastic container which goes in the fridge. Works great for any veg - even salad leaves - you want to keep fresh and crunchy for up to 4 days. Tried and tested by Jac!  

Edit to add:

Ps: I'll try leaving for longer, just to see if one can get away from buying stay fresh, lol!

Frugal Jac  :oops: