{"id":36689,"date":"2021-10-25T07:00:31","date_gmt":"2021-10-25T12:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/?p=36689"},"modified":"2023-04-25T13:04:51","modified_gmt":"2023-04-25T18:04:51","slug":"how-to-store-your-harvest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/how-to-store-your-harvest\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Store Your Harvest"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have too many homegrown garden vegetables to eat? Cold storage, freezing, drying, pickling, and canning are just a few ways to make your harvest last.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> With these techniques, you\u2019ll save money on food, boost your nutrition during the winter, and keep your veggies all the way to spring<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014here\u2019s how!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-36692 size-large lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Platt-Hill-Nursery-harvesting-carrots-1024x512.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Platt-Hill-Nursery-harvesting-carrots-1024x512.png 1024w, https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Platt-Hill-Nursery-harvesting-carrots-980x490.png 980w, https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Platt-Hill-Nursery-harvesting-carrots-480x240.png 480w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/512;\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>How to Store Carrots<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Carrots are one of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.platthillnursery.com\/simple-tips-beginner-vegetable-gardeners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">easiest vegetables<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to store. You have several methods to choose from:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Refrigerator:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if you have a second fridge or extra space, you can store them there for up to three months with the following steps:<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Preparation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cut off the stems, brush off excess dirt (don\u2019t wash them), and let the carrots dry in an airy place for a day.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Storage:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> put them in the vegetable drawer with dry paper towels beneath them. Check the paper towels every week and replace them if they\u2019re damp.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>In Sand: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you can store carrots for 3-4 months in a bucket or crate of sand in a cool location with the following steps:\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Preparation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cut off stems and brush off garden soil (but don\u2019t wash them).<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Storage: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lay two inches of sand at the bottom of the container, followed by a row of carrots (not too crowded). Then add one inch of sand followed by another row of carrots until the container is full. Keep them at 32-40F in a basement, root cellar, garage, or crawl space. Note: don\u2019t seal a lid on top of the bucket, but place it on loosely to let the carrots breathe.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Freezing, Fermenting, and Canning:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> blanched carrots, carrot soup, pickled carrots, or canned carrots are all reliable and delicious ways to keep carrots for months.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2>How to Store Onions<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can cure, dry, and store garden onions throughout the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.platthillnursery.com\/contact-us\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chicago<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> winter with the following steps:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Preparation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> brush off soil and lay out onions at room temperature for two weeks to cure.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Storage: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cut away withered stems and place bulbs in a mesh bag, perforated cardboard box, or something similar. Keep them in a dark, cool place at 35-40F.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Note:<\/strong> only pungent onions can be stored with this method. Sweet onions have too much moisture for long-term storage, although they can be cooked and frozen.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-36693 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Platt-Hill-Nursery-potatoes-in-wooden-crates-1024x512.png\" alt=\"Platt Hill Nursery potatoes in wooden crates\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Platt-Hill-Nursery-potatoes-in-wooden-crates-1024x512.png 1024w, https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Platt-Hill-Nursery-potatoes-in-wooden-crates-980x490.png 980w, https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Platt-Hill-Nursery-potatoes-in-wooden-crates-480x240.png 480w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/512;\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>How to Store Potatoes<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Potatoes are another <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.platthillnursery.com\/guide-growing-vegetables-for-the-first-time\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">easy vegetable<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to store as long as you keep them cool and dark\u2014here\u2019s how.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Preparation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> brush off excessive soil and lay them out to cure in a dark room for two weeks at 50-60F.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Storage: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">store them in a perforated cardboard box, burlap sack, or well-ventilated bag (not plastic) in a dark room between 40-50F. They should last for many months, but check them periodically to ensure none are going moldy.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>How to Store Lettuce<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lettuce is one <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.platthillnursery.com\/ten-garden-vegetables-fruits-for-beginners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">garden vegetable<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> you need to eat when it\u2019s fresh, but there are ways to preserve it in the fridge for 6-8 days:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dunk the lettuce in cold water after harvesting.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep it in a plastic bag away from fruit, which gives off gas that can shorten the shelf life of vegetables.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-36695 size-large lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Platt-Hill-Nursery-carrots-and-beets-1024x512.png\" alt=\"Platt Hill Nursery carrots and beets\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Platt-Hill-Nursery-carrots-and-beets-1024x512.png 1024w, https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Platt-Hill-Nursery-carrots-and-beets-980x490.png 980w, https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Platt-Hill-Nursery-carrots-and-beets-480x240.png 480w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/512;\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>How to Store Beets<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Store garden beets in the same way you store carrots: in the fridge or in sand (see above), canned, blanched and frozen, or fermented. Pickled beets are an especially tasty way to preserve them.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>How to Store Kale, Collards, and Swiss Chard<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Freeze them: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you can cook these powerhouse greens into soups or sauces and freeze them. Or, you can freeze kale and collards without cooking or blanching\u2014just pop them into the freezer in a ziplock bag and they\u2019ll last for months.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Dry them:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> they\u2019ll dry in the oven at 150F in 2 hours or less. Afterwards, you\u2019ll have highly nutritious flakes to add to smoothies, stews, sauces, and stir fries throughout the winter.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-36696 size-large lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Platt-Hill-Nursery-canning-tomatoes-1024x512.png\" alt=\"Platt Hill Nursery canning tomatoes\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Platt-Hill-Nursery-canning-tomatoes-1024x512.png 1024w, https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Platt-Hill-Nursery-canning-tomatoes-980x490.png 980w, https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Platt-Hill-Nursery-canning-tomatoes-480x240.png 480w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/512;\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>How to Store Tomatoes<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Sauce and Freeze:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> skip the refrigerator when it comes to this garden veggie, as chilled tomatoes turn mealy in a day or two. The best option is to cook ripe tomatoes into sauces or other dishes that you can freeze.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Green Tomatoes:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> green garden tomatoes last for months under the right conditions. Wash and store them in a cardboard box in a cool, dry area at 50-60F. Ensure they have air circulation and that no tomato is touching another. When you want to eat one, take it out and let it ripen at room temperature.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/platthillnursery.com\/r0wxmrag49\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-36697 size-large lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/platt-hill-vegetable-gardening-beginners-carrots-subscribe-button-1024x339.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"339\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/platt-hill-vegetable-gardening-beginners-carrots-subscribe-button-1024x339.png 1024w, https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/platt-hill-vegetable-gardening-beginners-carrots-subscribe-button-980x324.png 980w, https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/platt-hill-vegetable-gardening-beginners-carrots-subscribe-button-480x159.png 480w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/339;\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Final Tips on How to Store Garden Vegetables<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remove any bruised or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.platthillnursery.com\/mistakes-rookie-gardeners-make\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">damaged garden vegetables<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> before storage, as they will quickly rot.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Check your stored goods periodically, so that if one veggie spoils, you can remove it and still save the rest.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Platt Hill Nursery is Chicago\u2019s premier garden center and nursery in the Chicagoland area.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Enjoy the taste of your harvest right through the winter. Here\u2019s a guide to storing garden vegetables!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":348,"featured_media":36690,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[971,977],"tags":[108,1306,1308,1304,1307,1303,1305,1302,153,1309],"class_list":["post-36689","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to","category-vegetables-herbs","tag-bloomingdale-garden-center","tag-how-to-keep-vegetable-harvest-fresh","tag-how-to-store-beets","tag-how-to-store-carrots","tag-how-to-store-lettuce","tag-how-to-store-my-garden-vegetables","tag-how-to-store-onions","tag-how-to-store-veggie-harvest","tag-platt-hill-nursery-is-chicagos-premier-garden-center-and-nursery","tag-tips-for-storing-tomatoes"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36689","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/348"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36689"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36689\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36690"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36689"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36689"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36689"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}