Refrigerator Root Cellars provide an inexpensive and practical way to store produce like carrots, potatoes and beets for months – an alternative to buying vegetables at the grocery store that may not have the same quality or cost effectiveness as home grown produce. While purchasing one may initially seem costly and burdensome, root cellars can ultimately pay dividends by allowing you to grow and store your own produce instead of being subject to supply chain constraints from large retail stores.
Root cellars provide an ideal place for food that would otherwise quickly spoil in summer heat or winter cold. A root cellar keeps vegetables fresh and crisp so that they’re always ready to eat when the time is right.
Conservators allow you to enjoy vegetables that are in season all year-round, providing an easy and cost-efficient way to store roots vegetables, produce such as tomatoes, corn, peppers, squash and cucumbers; it may even reduce your grocery bills!
Root cellars should ideally be dug into the ground or into the side of a hill to protect them from weather elements and allow soil temperatures to regulate temperatures naturally. Digging down also prevents heat escaping to the surface in wintertime and prevents sudden temperature shifts from fluctuating too drastically.
Root cellar soil should be loose, well-drained, moisture-retaining material free from rocks, roots and debris that could harm produce. Furthermore, it should be slightly raised above surrounding land to prevent flooding when rain or snow come.
Root cellar temperatures should range between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity should range between 90-95 percent to allow vegetables to cure and preserve their texture, flavor and appearance while simultaneously minimizing bacteria growth. An ideal air flow pattern would see cool fresh air enter through low intake vents while warm air should rise and exit through higher outlet vents.
An essential step to maintaining an effective root cellar is regular inspection and upkeep, to ensure its functionality. This may involve switching airflow directions in order to control temperature and humidity levels; eliminating mold or mildew growth that has formed; adding water as necessary; and making sure that its floor remains dry and clean so as to ward off pests from accessing produce stored there.
Refrigerator root cellars can be constructed economically by using recycled materials and without hiring an excavator or professional contractors, but costs quickly escalate when expanding the size, needing special foundation support or opting for high-end finishes. Furthermore, access must be easy; thus many opt to build earthbag root cellars, using bags filled with dirt as building blocks along rows.