tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post6388636102068197388..comments2010-10-03T21:51:43.888-07:00Crunchy Chickenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10612320939936593420noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-50079139207051717582010-02-25T21:05:43.939-08:002010-02-25T21:05:43.939-08:00I live in Southern California 5 miles from the beach, there is too much humidity here to store roots of any kind for even short amounts of time in the house, even when I find the darkest place or in the garage my potatoes get eyes and my garlic and onions start growing in just a few weeks of storage (We have no basement, just a tiny subspace big enough for a plumber to crawl in for fixing pipes but that&#39;s it. <br /><br />We have an old cast iron bathtub in the garage after our bathroom remodel, could I bury that in my yard (which has no hill) and somehow make it into a root cellar? Since it would have no sealed lid would I need sub containers like rubbermaid boxes or something?Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12299675026700569467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-75720087397512957352010-02-25T21:03:00.742-08:002010-02-25T21:03:00.742-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12299675026700569467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-31871956702551765692008-10-25T04:15:00.000-07:002008-10-25T04:15:00.000-07:00Just be aware, all the storage containers I've bought in recent years have holes in them somewhere (in case you accidentally try to store your child in them,I assume) usually in a not real noticable spot like under the handles, so you'd need to seal those off to keep the bugs out!Sweetpeashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688283236426618677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-52919337559098423542008-10-25T02:48:00.000-07:002008-10-25T02:48:00.000-07:00Hi! You have a Great blog!!<BR/>How about exchanging Links?!<BR/>Visit my Blog &amp; if u like it,pls add it to your Blogroll and I too will put a Link for your Site on my Blog!!<BR/><BR/><BR/>www.garunkumar.blogspot.comArun kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02191359122081349268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-40595843123903177102008-10-24T16:48:00.000-07:002008-10-24T16:48:00.000-07:00interesting. i wonder how this would work in CO. what happens when your root cellar gets covered in tons of snow? i guess you dig it out, eh? ;)Crunchy Domestic Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546426544439507593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-46486487894882333002008-10-24T15:23:00.000-07:002008-10-24T15:23:00.000-07:00Why not put apples and potatoes together? I am clueless.Mrs. Haidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12055817016471627038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-78599920646052203972008-10-24T11:53:00.000-07:002008-10-24T11:53:00.000-07:00Great idea to think about. I have read the "Root Cellaring" book too. Last year, we stored things in our basement laundry room -- chilly, not cold; humidified slightly (we are in dry Colorado) by hanging laundry in winter. Some of our humongous butternut squash lasted until June. We also have stored onions, potatoes and apples (bought in bulk) successfully in that room. I would say it is around 60 degrees in winter. We also have an unheated closet beneath an outdoor porch that is a bit cooler -- have thought of rigging it up.Cheap Like Mehttp://cheaplikeme.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-35199149505637246532008-10-24T10:38:00.000-07:002008-10-24T10:38:00.000-07:00So why can't you just put things in closed containers, not buried, and keep outside on the back porch? Living in the same place as you do, Cruncy. Just wondering....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-41153990288056143702008-10-24T09:18:00.000-07:002008-10-24T09:18:00.000-07:00i'm thinking about how our downstairs storage area would work, but am worried about the moisture level, too. guess if i keep checking it, it wouldn't be a problem.kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13895972110506764320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-57842344913814548652008-10-24T08:28:00.000-07:002008-10-24T08:28:00.000-07:00Wouldn't mold/ too much moisture be an issue in a closed container with produce inside? We have mold grow even below 50 degrees in our basement....Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16752502341237775324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-22005078398291197012008-10-24T07:45:00.000-07:002008-10-24T07:45:00.000-07:00We are currently researching root cellar ideas here in MN where we get real winters :)mnultraguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08660935913938910138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-34674894411494686932008-10-24T07:33:00.001-07:002008-10-24T07:33:00.001-07:00Interesting topic, I've read a great book on this subject that I'd suggest to anyone interested in storing foods. <BR/><BR/>Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits and Vegetables <BR/>by Mike Bubel, Nancy Bubel<BR/><BR/>It not only gives you ideas for storage and what people have actually done but also the temp and humidity levels that you should store the foods and also the best varieties for long storage. Excellent resource. The only thing I've had luck storing is spaghetti squash which lasted through to March. Our furnace is in the basement so I have trouble keeping the temps cool enough for apples and other root veggies.maryannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18321655450076297697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-72653789637296716512008-10-24T07:33:00.000-07:002008-10-24T07:33:00.000-07:00Has anyone ever used their window wells for root cellars? I'm going to put a box of apples in my basement window wells and hope they don't freeze. We have parsley and lemon balm growing in a west facing window well and they seem to do okay. We live in Colorado (zone 4).<BR/><BR/>dianaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-69001718008508840352008-10-24T07:20:00.000-07:002008-10-24T07:20:00.000-07:00Thanks for the info. We have a wood stove in the basement so we can't store stuff there, since it's the warmest part of the house. I'm going to try the garage this year, but if that's too warm now I have another alternative.Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04993260095409544097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-2169394887809828622008-10-24T06:41:00.000-07:002008-10-24T06:41:00.000-07:00Has anyone dug a root cellar like this already? How did it turn out? Were there any problems? I'm thinking of doing it (we live in Zone 7) but also considering trying to just put some potatoes in a cooler in the garage.Hausfrauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10474901509039914502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-84565659257342929302008-10-24T06:17:00.000-07:002008-10-24T06:17:00.000-07:00Thanks for writing about this, Deanna. For those without enough yard space to do this, they might also consider walling off a section of basement (if you don't have a heater of some sort like a furance or woodstove in your basement, the basement will probably do, but most of us do), or even a closet on an outside wall that can be vented. We use our unheated enclosed porch, with some extra blankets over windows and food to store things for the winter, and they do fine. There are a lot of good options.<BR/><BR/>The only thing I'd add is that pumpkins and squash don't really like temperatures as cold as in a root cellar - they are susceptible to cold injury and won't keep as long in a hole in the ground as they will in a cool house that is between 55-60, in a dry place. That shouldn't be very hard to achieve for those who are freezing their buns ;-). We keep ours under our guest bed.<BR/><BR/>Sharonjewishfarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17547121621115074866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-11466386544428334422008-10-24T05:23:00.000-07:002008-10-24T05:23:00.000-07:00I live in a place with real winters (i liked the NW better) can I do something in my basement that would work as a "root cellar"?pigbook1http://www.blogger.com/profile/17552268769571342359noreply@blogger.com