Do it yourself root cellars can provide an easy and inexpensive solution for long-term food storage. They provide an inexpensive way to increase self-reliance when it comes to food preservation; providing an alternative to canning, freezing or dehydrating your produce such as potatoes, carrots, beets and other root crops, apples pears oranges squash tomatoes nuts as well.
Root cellars typically consist of underground construction as they help regulate temperature and humidity by acting as passive insulation materials. A root cellar may consist of a trench filled with earth, box or other container covered in dirt and gravel or even recycled items like an old chest freezer or straw bale container with insulation built-in. Relying on earth for insulation saves money as well as being more eco-friendly than using other forms of insulation materials.
As part of setting up a root cellar, make sure it’s as dark as possible by sealing any cracks that could let in light or air, especially those that depend on light for their plants to sprout and mature.
An effective ventilation system is another integral element of a do-it-yourself root cellar, as it helps prevent the accumulation of ethylene gas released by some fruits and vegetables from stagnating and leading to other produce ripening early or spoiling prematurely. Many fruits produce high levels of ethylene gas such as apples, bananas, melons and pears while tomatoes produce moderate levels. When storing sensitive crops such as tomatoes with high ethylene emission rates it is wise to store these separately or wrap them appropriately if possible.
Dependent upon the produce being stored, humidity adjustments may be necessary in your root cellar. Certain crops such as beets and carrots require high levels of humidity in order to remain fresh while squash and tomatoes tend to perform better in dryer environments. A moisture meter is an invaluable investment that allows you to monitor humidity levels within your cellar.
Once your cellar is complete and filled with food, it’s essential that you monitor it regularly for signs of spoilage or decay in the vegetables stored there. Anytime they begin shrinking or decaying they should be taken out from storage either for consumption or added to a compost pile.
As an added perk, your root cellar can also serve as an effective storage facility for herbs. This is particularly useful if you are trying to reduce how often you purchase spices and herbs at stores; by keeping them at their freshest by keeping them in a root cellar you can keep your inventory at peak quality!