No matter if your goal is emergency preparedness or simply enjoying homegrown vegetables, an above ground root cellar should be considered as an essential investment. Building one may be possible for relatively little cost if a suitable space near your house remains cool enough to hold fresh produce safely and nutritously. It also serves as an effective way to utilize any surplus harvest during its most flavorful growing season – something many gardeners do!
Root cellars must provide temperatures ranging between 32-40 F (0-4 C), with humidity between 85-95%. This combination allows plants to release less ethylene gas while inhibiting microorganism growth that causes premature ripening or decomposition, as well as helping prevent moisture loss through evaporation.
Root cellaring provides ideal conditions to extend the shelf life of many vegetables, fruits, and herbs beyond their normal storage periods. Examples of crops that benefit include carrots, beets, parsnips, turnips, radishes and leeks; it may even extend the growing season for vegetables such as potatoes and butternut squash.
Some people create root cellars by digging down into the earth, but this may prove challenging in areas with rocky or waterlogged soil and high water tables, and maintaining temperatures stable enough to protect food supplies. An alternative approach would be to construct an above-ground root cellar similar to a conventional basement but insulated and sealed against outside moisture intrusion; add a door that seals off when not in use to prevent pests and rodents from getting inside, and install a ventilation system so cool air from outside can enter while hot, stale air can exit out through another venting system – both will help keep food fresher longer!
Root cellars can be created using the same methods used to build basements: using studs and boards to construct it, with insulation applied to its walls, ceiling and floor surfaces. If you plan on storing large quantities of produce in your root cellar, ensuring it stays at an ideal temperature and humidity level is crucial in keeping it from spoiling quickly or becoming watery or mouldy over time. A thermometer and hygrometer should be placed within it so you can monitor its conditions closely while making adjustments as necessary regarding ventilation or insulation adjustments as necessary in order to achieve ideal conditions in storage conditions.
Locating your root cellar close to the kitchen makes it easier to access. In an emergency situation, having access to food quickly may be essential – particularly if a storm washes out roads or bridges and makes driving impossible. A root cellar also saves money if used during harvest season when produce can be purchased in bulk and at its most economical.