Laurel outlook., 1950-09-13
s.tift,sftts tfiasii is.siiisiff Observation-Disclosures
Yard and Garden
BY Leonard wager
Assistant Horticulturist
Montana Extension Service

Storage of Vegetables
Vegetables that can be stored
successfully under home conditions
fall into three main groups. The
first group requires cool, moist
storage conditions. This group in
cludes root crops like beets, par
ships and carrots, celery, cabbage
and potatoes. The second group
needs a cool dry storage and dried
beans and peas and onions belong
in this category. The third group
are those vegetables which need
fairly cool temperatures and mod
erately dry storage. Pumpkins and
squash belong to this last group.
Tomatoes lend themselves to keep
ing into the fall months and de-
mand conditions somewhat differ
ent than those described above.
Root crops Ire most success
fully stored for winter use if cor
rect storage conditions are pres
ent. Root storage houses and even
pit storages are ideal for these
kinds of vegetables and potatoes.
Cellar storage is sometimes diff
ficult if a furnace is present which
keeps temperatures too high and
reduces the relative humidity. In
order to overcome this, some home
gardeners have partitioned off a
room from the rest of the base
ment for the specific storage of
these vegetables and for keeping
canned vegetables and fruits. Such
an arrangement works very well
providing the temperature can be
controlled by windows, and ade-
quate ventilation can be provided.
Root crops and potatoes will
keep all winter and on into spring
if the storage temperature re-
mains cool and the relative humid
ity is kept above IS per cent. For
these vegetables storage temper
atures from 35 to 40 degrees are
ideal. If potatoes are kept too
near the freezing temperature, i. e.
80 to "a degrees Fahrenheit, they
are apt to become too sweet in
flavor. Where the relative humid
ity cannot be maintained at the
optimum level, it is beneficial to
store root vegetables like carrots,
parsnips or beets in slightly moist,
clean sand. In this respect waxing
has often proven beneficial, but the
temperature must be kept below 40
degrees Fahrenheit, or waxed veg
stables will quickly spoil. One other
precaution is to make sure the
vegetables put in storage are sound
and are free of defect, like bruises,
cuts, and disease.
Onions, dry beans and dry peas
like a cool dry storage. Such con-
1itions exist in many easements
for that reason, these vege-
are easiest for home gar
ieners to store. On storing onions
make sure they r we'll matured,
hat is, the tops or necks are well
Tried. Green and thick necked on
ons should be put aside and used
iirst.
Pumpkins and ~squashes store
,est at temperatures between so
md 60 degrees in a fairly dry
DOM. Warm attics, or fairly warm
furnace rooms are ideal for stor-
ng these vegetables. Well matured
ipecimens have hard shells and
yill store well. A preliminary place
nent of immature squash and
'umpkin in a warm room about
70 to IS degrees for two weeks
will help to cure the specimens.
Place them in rows along a shelf
that the fruits do not touch one
mother. They store best with
small portion of stem attached.
Tomatoes may be picked from
ines when frost threatens. Lay
ut the near-ripe fruits in a single
owl along shelves or on the base
tent floor for ripening. The warm
r the storage temperature the
uicker will the tomatoes ripen.
~ governing the storage temper
lures one can have ripe tomatoes
Or a couple months after frost.
lace ripe tomatoes in the refrig-