If you grow your own vegetables, having a root cellar is a must to preserve and extend the shelf life of your harvest. A root cellar not only saves money on groceries and prevents food waste but it can also help make local eating possible all year round! DIY root cellar kits offer simple ways to do just this – saving money on groceries while keeping produce fresh for longer.
Root cellars come in all sizes – from space in your garage to an old refrigerator dug into the ground – providing extra protection from cold temperatures and the elements. A well-designed cellar should provide an airflow pattern to help regulate temperatures; for instance, its intake air vent should be placed near ground level while its outlet air vent near ceiling level allows cool, fresh air into your cellar space while stale air exits quickly preventing moisture build-up in the space.
To create your own DIY root cellar, a sturdy, watertight foundation is required. This could include concrete, bricks, or even cinder blocks; what matters is that your cellar can withstand moisture and cold weather conditions that it will encounter over time. A concrete footer may be useful if digging your cellar into the earth – this will prevent its walls from shifting over time and aid with stabilization of its walls.
Root cellars can be constructed using whatever materials are at hand, such as wood or old crates. When choosing wood as your construction material, try to use untreated, natural-looking wood that won’t introduce chemicals into your food store. This will prevent chemical exposure that might compromise its integrity.
When building your root cellar in the ground, it’s essential that you create a plan for how you will erect its walls and take into account soil temperature fluctuations based on your location and local hydrology – consult a hydrology map if unsure!
Once your cellar is constructed, insulating materials should be added for insulation purposes. Layers of straw, leaves or sand will serve as an effective foundation for vegetable storage while also helping to prevent the growth of mold while safeguarding against bugs and rodents.
Place a hardware cloth-lined lid atop the dirt floor to deter pests, as well as adding bales of straw to insulate and dry the room. Finally, label bins and shelves in order to know what food items are stored there as well as their safe expiry dates. Once ready to store food in your root cellar, keep track of its inventory by labeling bins and shelves – this way you know exactly what food items you have available for consumption at any given time.