What are the best methods of storing carrots for the winter. The kitchen Garden mag recommended September and October as good months for storing carrots. I know you can leave some varieties in the ground, but I found last year that the slugs moved into them as the winter went on.
Therefore, what are the best storage? Do you store them in sand and if so do you use dry or moist sand?
Will they keep if you keep them dry in sacks, either onion or potate sacks?
Any advise is welcome.
Thanks,
Thomas
I've kept them in these ways:
Black plastic sack (no good, some went bad quickly)
Clamps of earth - no good on my plot as it flooded, some rotted, some sprouted.
Single hessian sack in garage - got a bit wrinkly around Feb, but still edible
Two hessian sacks, one inside the other - better than above, got wrinkly around March.
Cheap B&Q compost in plastic rectangular containers, the sort you keep junk in the loft in - good as long as the compost is not very moist, as they sprout in Jan/Feb
In layers in straw in plastic rectangular containers - very good indeed except for one container where I think the straw was wet and they went mouldy.
Chopped & blanched in bags in the freezer best of all, but expensive as I had to buy a second freezer.
Dont you find they go rubbery if you freeze them ?
I saw somwhere (gardening expert i fink) that you can keep them in boxes of sand.
I expect you can store them in sand but you'd need to use 'play sand' or silver sand, not builders sand.
No, they don't go rubbery if you freeze them, if you chop them into rectangular chunks rather than round slices. Anyway, you can always put them in stews...
I presume when you say play sand you mean sand used for a childs sand pit? I've heard two different versions of the sand storing method - one was that the sand should be kept moist and someone else has said it should be dry, anyone know which is right? Finally I presume that they should be kept frost free but how warm do they need to be - my garage is about +5 during the winter - that should be enough?
They don't need to be kept warm - just frost-free.
My book says store them in sand, light soil or sifted ashes, no mention of any of these needing to be moist. With mesh over the top if you have mice.
And store the larger roots at the bottom, smaller ones at the top to use first because they dry out faster.
As I have a large chest freezer, I try and prepare as many carrots as I can beforehand, so they are ready for the pan, in small freezer bags. At this time of year though, it seems like I am spending all my time in the kitchen, peeling and dicing . . . ;D
Derekthefox :D
Simhop - Yes, sand for sandpits. I agree with Christine about not needing to be moist.
Derek - I know exactly how you feel about peeling and chopping... and peeling and chopping... and.... :)
I used to have lovely hands. :(
I find that any carrot I pull and don't use immediately (ie within 24 hours) goes flexible and becomes very hard to peel. Yet if I keep it in water for a day or two, it can then be taken out and kept dry and it stays fairly firm. Weird...
moonbells
Quote from: moonbells on September 14, 2005, 09:12:16
I find that any carrot I pull and don't use immediately (ie within 24 hours) goes flexible and becomes very hard to peel. Yet if I keep it in water for a day or two, it can then be taken out and kept dry and it stays fairly firm. Weird...
moonbells
Do you keep them in the fridge - mine are normally fine for a couple of weeks. Could be the variety ?
Quote from: moonbells on September 14, 2005, 09:12:16
I find that any carrot I pull and don't use immediately (ie within 24 hours) goes flexible and becomes very hard to peel. Yet if I keep it in water for a day or two, it can then be taken out and kept dry and it stays fairly firm. Weird...
moonbells
Mine don't do that at all (Autumn King). Even the thinnings lasted for a week or thereabouts in a carrier bag in the fridge before I got around to freezing what wasn't used.
Agree with the freezer - I bought a second one for the garage to cope but the blanching is not the most exciting job in the world!
Ha ha ha yes Jennym, my hands are getting a bit bashed too, the bit I get most anxious about is cutting my fingers, cos I use a very sharp knife, and after the 1000th carrot, the fingers get a shade numb. It is difficult to play guitar with cut fingers ... I have used superglue before now to repair wounds. Needs must, and that is what superglue was invented for ... Still hurts like hell though.
Ah well, my choice really
Derekthefox :D