How to store cabbage in the cellar in winter: storage methods and features

The cellar is the most common place for storing fresh vegetables. A cool and dark room is ideal for long storage... However, there are some tricks on how to store cabbage in the winter in the cellar.

Content:

• Methods for storing cabbage in a cellar
• Storage features
• How to properly collect cabbage so that it is stored longer?
• Storing cabbage in the ground

Methods for storing cabbage in a cellar

Simple tips will protect your crop from freezing and rotting:

1. Dried leaves. To cabbage was stored for a long time and at the same time remained fresh and did not rot, it is necessary to dry the upper leaves a little. This method will be especially effective if the cabbage is uprooted. You do not need to cut the spine. Just hang the head of cabbage from it in some place with sufficient air (but not bright sun). When the upper leaves are twisted and dry, you can remove the heads of cabbage and hang them in the same position in the cellar, where they will be stored all winter.
2. Dusting with chalk. For long-term storage, you can sprinkle the crop with crushed chalk.
3. Clay. For this, it is also convenient to take heads of cabbage with roots. We hang the cabbage and coat it with a solution of clay and water. It should not be too thick, not thicker than sour cream. When the head of cabbage is smeared, we hang it in a draft to dry. After the crust has dried, you can hang the cabbage in the cellar.
4. Storage in boxes. Boxes can be taken both wooden and plastic. Do not put too many heads of cabbage in one box. Ten will be enough. It is very important that all the cabbage stumps are hidden inside the box, that is, we put the lower heads of cabbage with the stumps up, and the upper ones - with the stumps down. Do not place the box on the ground. You need to hang it or put it on a flat surface such as shelves, so you protect the crop from rotting.
5. Paper. It is convenient to store cabbage without roots wrapped in paper. Just take blank paper with no text printed on it. Printing ink contains harmful substances that will interfere with long-term storage of crops. Wrap each head of cabbage in paper, and then put in bags, but do not tie it, leave access for air.
6. Cling film. This is a very efficient way to store cabbage. Use regular cling film, which you can buy at any store, as a wrap for each head of cabbage. The cling film adheres tightly to the sheets, does not allow air and moisture to pass through, which means it prevents rotting.

Storage features

Storing any vegetables requires compliance with certain conditions that slow down the decay processes. There are several rules, the observance of which will provide you with a fresh harvest almost all year round:

• The cellar must be prepared in advance. Check for fungus, mold, dry, whitewash, prepare boxes. Be sure to ventilate the cellar before adding crops.
• Cabbage loves coolness, but not frost. The ideal temperature is 0 degrees, plus or minus 1 degree. If the temperature rises above this limit, the cabbage will crack, the heads of cabbage will begin to sprout.
• The humidity should be high enough, around 90%.
• Be sure to inspect the crop before placing it in the cellar. Select only dense and healthy heads of cabbage, without signs of decay, cracks or damage.
• If you store the heads of cabbage without a shell or wrapper, make sure that they do not come into contact with each other. Then, if one head of cabbage rots, the rest will not suffer.
• In whatever form you store the cabbage, if you sprinkle it with sand, it will remain fresh, since the sand will prevent rotting. The sand absorbs moisture well, just make sure it is dry.
• For long-term storage of cabbage, it is necessary to provide it with a sufficient amount of air. The heads of cabbage contain a lot of moisture, therefore, boxes with cabbage are not placed on the ground, it will rot. Whatever surface you put the heads of cabbage on, it must be completely dry.
• Cabbage is not stored for a long time in closed bags and boxes. Due to excess moisture and lack of air, it begins to rot. In close proximity to heads of cabbage, rot is quickly transmitted from one head of cabbage to another.

If the crop is plentiful and there is not enough space to hang it, stack the crop in a pyramid. With this method, not a single head of cabbage will be completely closed. Air will pass in the gap between them, which means that the cabbage will be stored for a long time and will remain fresh.

If you are using plastic wrap or bags, it is advisable to remove all the air from the wrapper.

Of course, you cannot achieve a complete vacuum, but it is quite possible to remove most of the air with a vacuum cleaner. After that, the cabbage will lie even longer.

How to harvest cabbage correctly so that it can be stored longer?

To keep the cabbage fresh for a long time, do not skip the preparation step. When to harvest, the packaging from seed... Each variety has its own time: for early cabbage - early summer, for late - autumn.

You need to dig up the cabbage in a warm place and in the presence of the sun. Use a shovel to carefully scoop up the roots and knock down any lumps of earth. You do not need to cut off the root immediately, as the cabbage is stored longer. If you want to store it without a root, cut it off just before placing it in the cellar.

Before packing the cabbage, inspect the crop several times for damaged heads.

Also separate the small and unripe cabbages, put them separately, since this is the kind of cabbage that should be eaten first. It will not be stored for a long time. Any damaged heads of cabbage do not need to be thrown away or eaten immediately. It can be salted for the winter. It will stay that way all year. Air-dry the cabbage before cutting off the root, but under a canopy to prevent rain from dampening the crop. You need to dry the cabbage for at least a day. Never pack raw cabbage straight from the ground, it will rot quickly.

Be sure to check the cellar for rodents. Mice love cabbage. If pests discovered, be sure to hatch them before putting your crop there. Remove the remnants of last year's harvest. Old cabbage leaves will rot and create an unfavorable environment for storing new crops.

Don't pick cabbage ahead of time. The "lie down, mature" method will not work here. Cabbage harvested too early will not be stored for a long time, it wilts early. Overripe cabbage is also not able to lie in the cellar for a long time. Overripe heads of cabbage will burst, and frozen ones will be too wet for storage. It is necessary to let them thaw, and then dry thoroughly.

Do not cut the root close to the head, leave the stump 2 cm.

This should be done in a dry place, or after that, dry it for some time. Take your time to remove the top sheets. If left, they will protect the head of cabbage from damage.

Storing cabbage in the ground

If you do not have a cellar or live in a part of our country where there is enough snow in winter, cabbage can be stored outside.

To do this, you can:

• Dig a trench on an area approximately 30 cm deep.
• Cabbage, already prepared and dried, we fold it into a house, that is, like a gable roof.
• Put cabbage leaves on top, ordinary leaves or straw.
• When the snow falls, cover the trench with snow at least 1 meter thick.Then the cabbage will not freeze and will be perfectly preserved.

There is also another option. We make a trench deeper and wider, about half a meter deep and a meter wide. Lay the cabbage in a row, sideways to each other, stump up. It is not necessary to completely cover it with earth. The first layer is 10 cm. When the frost intensifies, it will be necessary to add another 25 cm of soil.

You can make a collar instead of a trench, lay straw on the bottom.

Cabbage must be placed in it in a checkerboard pattern so that the heads of cabbage are in minimal contact with each other. The stumps should be hidden, that is, all layers are put stubs up, and the last, top layer - stumps down. You can sprinkle each layer with earth or leave it that way. From above, all this must be covered with a sufficient layer of snow.

If there is too much cabbage and the hole is larger, dig a few hollow pipes into the ground. There should be plugs on top. Open them periodically to provide enough air for the crop. So the cabbage will not rot in the ground. Sprinkle cabbage with pine needles. Its scent will keep mice and other pests away.

You can store cabbage right in the snow without holes and trenches. Cabbage is simply laid out on the snow, sprinkled on top with a layer of snow about half a meter thick, and covered with mats on top. This option is for colder regions where storage in the ground is impractical.

More information can be found in the video.