Storing vegetables

[fluffy]

Hi,

This is my first year growing my own fruit and veg and I am hoping to try and make some of my produce last a little bit longer... So what I was wondering was which fruit or vegetable you can actually store and how to do it.

I am growing second early potatoes can this variety be stored? Do you just shove them in a sack in a dark cool area? Which veg can you just leave in the ground? Which are best frozen (peas I am guessing?) what about soft fruit, I am going to make jam with my rasberries and strawberries.

I also have an apple and pear tree, but this is their first year so I am guessing I wont get anything from them for a few years yet, but would still like to know how to store them. How would you store pumpkin?

Thanks in advance

Fluffy
x

[oldjerry]

Loads of questions! Here's afew answers,others will fill in the gaps.....I'd eat 2nd earlies as they are available,and only store maincrop in clamps.Clamps too for parsnips(can be left in ground but hardto lift in frost!),celery,swede,kohlrabi,beetroot.Maincrop Carrots in boxes of dry sand not touching.Runner beans,sliced then salted,dry beans,freeze peas,erm.....Store marrows,squash,Pumkins etc on brown paper,not touching in the dark.
Your top fruit,not all varieties store well,if they are keepers,wrap in brown paper store in tomato trays in the dark inspect fortnightly.I've run out of steam now,BW.

[grahamhobbs]

We don't store a lot, partly because we live in a flat and live in a relatively warm part of the country, but also because we aim to produce fresh vegetables throughout the year. However we do dry store onions, garlic, borlotti beans and pumpkins, frozen broad beans, cooked apples and tomatoes in Kilmer jars, and make a few pickles/chutneys. We don't bother but in the NE you will need to store other veg as Old Jerry suggests such as carrots and beetroot.

[fluffy]

Hey thanks Old jerry and Graham for your replies, I am only thinking about storing for if I have a glut and don't want it to go to waste. I have looked at some old threads on here for some more information.

I fancy the idea of bottling things how do you do that?

thanks again

Fluffy
x

[grahamhobbs]

Fluffy, try to avoid gluts, at least accidental ones, because, unless it is things you can dry store or freeze, you probably won't be prepared to deal with it. I know it is difficult when you are first starting to grow your own to know what is going to come up, succeed, etc, but try to work how much you will need - no point growing 20 cauliflowers because 90% will produce heads all at the same time. Better to sow small quantities of things in succession.

If you are doing things like bottling you definitely need to be prepared, the crop has to be fresh and you must have the equipment, etc. all ready to go. Regarding bottling, there are various methods and with each timings are critical, best to read up on it from a book or website (preferably several, because of conflicting information and techniques), unless you can find someone to show you how to do it.

Small gluts of crops that you can't simply freeze or dry store, can often be used in various pickles, chutneys or jams without much trouble or equipment.