STORING CARROTS for SIX MONTHS without a root cellar!

[@Robert-un6uu]

I have been growing carrots for 50 + years and find its best to cut the stalk below its base and barely into the orange flesh. This prevents sprouting from the top over 6 months of storage. In the past few years I have been leaving my carrots in the ground all winter. I cover them in 6-8 inches of leaves, then a layer of green boughs and then a tarpaulin to keep the rain out and thus prevent freezing. It works beautifully. Fresh as fresh can be but u do have to shovel off the snow unless u get a mild period where most of the snow might melt. This works right up until u r ready to start planting again!

[@jwhite5396]

When leaving in the ground, do you cut the green tops off before you cover with leaves?

[@staceykerslake8753]

What zone are you in.

[@mntgardener9246]

We can't leave carrots in the ground here. It can get 40 to 50 below zero.

[@galanonim9863]

It seems defensless against mice etc

[@austin2842]

I top and tail the carrots, then put them in a clear plastic bag that has holes punctured in it. A few pieces of paper towel go in, too. They last indefinitely in the fridge this way.

[@itsdarke1054]

top and tail, what does that mean? and do you wrap them in paper towels or just throw it in?

[@austin2842]

@itsdarke1054 "Top and tail" means to cut both ends off. I fill the bags with alternating layers of paper towel and carrots. It helps prevent moisture buildup.

[@melissatorres3456]

Very informative and to the point … no fluff… thank you!

[@randygreen007]

I’m watching this just before I head out to the garden to harvest this season’s carrots so good suggestion YT! 😂 I scrolled through your videos hoping for suggestions on storing sweet potatoes but didn’t find any. My mother was an old school Appalachian mountains farmer (RIP momma) and she always stored regular potatoes in the open air but in the coolest place in the house, usually the basement. She would chit the ones left over from the previous season and plant them again in the spring. It’s amazing how these techniques are being forgotten so it’s really nice to see someone taking the time to load this information onto YT. 🙏🏻 Definitely subscribed!!

[@wholefedhomestead]

Thanks! And unfortunately sweet potatoes don’t grow that well here in the north!

[@PoliticallyIncorrectMechanic]

Great video. I love letting them grow for as long as possible I like to wait till we get a frost b/c I think it makes them sweeter plus gets them as big as possible.

[@biancassipiran97]

Thank you for this video, I have to remember fridge and not freezer 😊

[@monicaharrison3887]

Perfect timing for what I needed to😊 know. This was my first year growing carrots. I will definitely plant more next year.

[@charleenbridgman751]

It worked! My carrots were just fine 6 months later! Working on this year's crop after reviewing the process.

[@wholefedhomestead]

Love to hear that!

[@lorivalmay3366]

Awesome! Can’t wait to try this! Thanks for sharing!!

[@shelley4042]

Very helpful video! I am in WI too. I had an awesome carrot harvest this year and was searching for the best way to store them. Thanks for all the great info!

[@wholefedhomestead]

You bet! 😊

[@Lovelygreens]

Excellent advice!

[@wholefedhomestead]

Thanks for watching!

[@ChocolateBoxCottage]

Well done. Lots of good, useful information. Thank you! ~Michele

[@wholefedhomestead]

Glad it was helpful!

[@susankranz6729]

Where are you in Wisconsin? I am near Green Bay. I just harvested my carrots and needed to know how to prep them for storage. Your video was just what I needed. Thank you!

[@Greens5511]

Good basic info, thanks, I am going to give it a go 👍👍

[@maries3000]

Really helpful. We have a garden full of carrots, but haven’t had much success in storing them, even short-term. Plan to give your method a try. Thank you.

[@sarrahathome]

Helpful, thanks! Without a root cellar needed another alternative.

[@wholefedhomestead]

Glad it helped

[@yarnprepper]

This video is super helpful! I would like to add in 2021 I used ziplock freezer bags and my carrots were rubber in less than a month. This year I used ello silicone bags and they lasted 3 months.

[@brucehalleran1149]

I take from this that the carrots must, as she says, breath. Just a little.

[@joseedavis9366]

Always such wonderful tips! Thanks

[@wholefedhomestead]

Glad you like them!

[@lyndalouk]

Thank you so much for this tutorial, Crystal. I love your videos. I always lean something 😊

[@wholefedhomestead]

You are so welcome!

[@AuditionSerenbe]

just the best info as always!!!!!

[@wholefedhomestead]

Thanks so much!

[@montanaplants]

This is great, thank you! I'll have to judge by the quantity I get as to whether I can store in fridge or not. I'm sure I can fit a couple of bags at least. Subscribing!

[@wholefedhomestead]

Thanks 🥰

[@josorr]

Very well done video. Informative and concise. Thank you very much. Subscribed.

[@wholefedhomestead]

Thanks! 🥰

[@josorr]

@@wholefedhomestead You're welcome and thank YOU. I've got 12 rows of carrots each is 12 feet long in raised beds of sifted compost doing well and I'm going to need to store them.

[@dawnschanz6395]

Perfect! Thanks so much for the great info!!

[@wholefedhomestead]

Glad it was helpful!

[@NorthToSouthChannel]

This is super helpful! thank you.

[@communitygardener17]

I have good luck reusing plastic carrier bags from the grocery store. The bags can be left loosely open so rot is avoided.

[@59kuphoff]

Thank you so much! Very helpful. New subscriber.

[@hannuto]

You need a big fridge and it takes energy. I just let them stay in the ground and harvest according to need (extra cover) under snow too. Null energy storage. Videos in youtube too. My carrots in Helsinki.

[@wholefedhomestead]

That's nice for you but that doesn't work here. Our ground freezes solid at least a foot down.

[@karenholt9744]

@3:20 Whooooaaaa! 😎

[@kathygreer2097]

Thanks, just what I was looking for. I see at the end of vid you store apples right next to bags of carrots. I’ve read you shouldn’t do that because of the gases given off by the apples. Just an FYI.

[@wholefedhomestead]

I've heard that but have not found that to be true at all. We've stored apples and carrots together for year and both keep 6+ months together in the fridge.

[@DaintyAbby]

I loooove your channel!

[@wholefedhomestead]

Thank you so much!!

[@jeramietolbert6699]

This was so helpful! Can you share how you store potatoes? We are in ND, zone 4/3 and don’t have a root cellar either. Our basement doesn’t get very cool either, it stays on the warm side. We do have a fridge down there but it’s old and should get replaced.

[@wholefedhomestead]

Thanks! Potatoes do need to be kept cool (no more than 50°F) and dark… either that, or they need to be preserved.

[@NaturallyUnbridled]

Thanks for this helpful video!

[@NateFord]

Super helpful! Thank you!!! 👨‍🌾

[@wholefedhomestead]

So glad!

[@joycekatende2928]

Can you do the same for carrots bought at the market?

[@tinatriestoplan8316]

Do you plant in the spring? When do you harvest? Gonna try carrots for the first time this year

[@wholefedhomestead]

We plant in spring for a summer through fall crop, yes 👍🏻

[@queeniesplantsgardening3697]

Excellent!!’👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾🪶🪶🪶

[@tibbs4000]

May I ask what month you sow the seeds? Thanks for this great information!

[@wholefedhomestead]

In the spring… sometime around after risk of frost is over.

[@CheriMalinowski]

Did anyone see the link that she posted about the bags that she used? I did not see one

[@wholefedhomestead]

It's in the video description. You might have to tap "...more" to see it. 👍🏻

[@amandahills1998]

Do you store all veg this way too? I'm looking to grow to have enough all year starting in spring but an looking at different ways to store

[@wholefedhomestead]

No, we store apples, carrots, pickles, and fermented vegetables in a fridge long term.

[@joyandpeacefullaughter5307]

What about in the freezer?

[@wholefedhomestead]

You can freeze carrots, yes, but they’re not anything like eating a fresh carrot.

[@ryancurtis4692]

I tried storing in sand last year. It worked ok I guess, just NOT fun digging around in a giant container of sand looking for carrots.

[@LoveMyCoffee10]

Does this apply to store bought carrots? I was planning to keep them in my garage through winter - East Coast … ty

[@wholefedhomestead]

No... they have likely already been stored for a long time before they even get to the store.

[@Nnnn888..l]

Does these bag work any different than regular ziplock bags?

[@wholefedhomestead]

Yes I think so. These bags breathe more than ziplocks.

[@phillygrl7898]

My carrots 🥕 don’t come out of the ground that clean. My grow the hairs all the way around. How can I remove all of the hairs without scrubbing them ?

[@wholefedhomestead]

I’d work on getting them to not grow hairs- it’s likely they need more water or more consistent water, or it could be the variety.

[@music2flyful]

Fertilizers your garden in Fall; of fertilized in Spring carrots will have lots of 'hair' (basically roots due to the extra fertilizer)

[@marktoldgardengnome4110]

@@music2flyful Too much nitrogen. Carrots are fussy. They seem all or nothing. Too much nitrogen, big tops and hairy, all the nitrogen goes to the tops and the main tap root slows as it puts out additional roots, the hair, to use the additional nitrogen up. We use Espoma Veg and tomato fertilizer. Organic and slow release, npk 3-4-6 and rarely have any hairy ones. Great tips on the preservation method. Seems it's temp that counts. Refrigerators maintain about 34-40 degrees, perfect for keeping the carrots in limbo. Also beets, parsnips, and potatoes. The sweetness developed at those temps is desirable in all but the potatoes, starches turn to sugars. But works great for saving your own potatoes for next years garden.

[@charleenbridgman751]

Very helpful and clear.

[@wholefedhomestead]

Glad you think so! 💗

[@ziggyustar3137]

Excellent thank you/.

[@phillippinter7518]

I'm assuming "DAN" is for danvers. But what is "NK"?

[@wholefedhomestead]

A different variety that I didn’t care for 😊

[@carolkontur1442]

Do you puncture the bag?

[@wholefedhomestead]

No- I tried that one year and I think they did slightly better in the non-punctured bags… that is, as long as you use these thin sort of breathable bags I recommend.

[@mygardenofthings]

👍👍👍

[@lindsaymus45]

Thanks for the video. Good info but your carrots are very small.

[@spru-seal]

😂😂😂😵😵😵

[@donna1018]

I suppose you could save actual bread bags to store your carrots in..

[@wholefedhomestead]

Those might be too thick.

[@createone100]

Boy do you work slow. It would take me days to process my carrots if I worked at your speed.

[@dlcarbonneau3750]

Glad I skipped to the end of this after wasting my time watching your apple storage video. It would be helpful to have known I needed an extra fridge at the start.

[@wholefedhomestead]

You sound like you’re a delightful person.

[@dlcarbonneau3750]

Just busy and budgeting time and money. Needing a large appliance is a bit extreme.@@wholefedhomestead

[@GlenaGarrett]

What? Both were about 5 min long and the apple storage video specifically mentioned and showed the extra fridge she also mentioned in this video. Sniping at people giving advice free of charge, and which you can freely choose to follow or not, is just not a good look, among other things it seems ungrateful.

[@milliealford8968]

Wow, did we have a bad day or something?? I am grateful for your video. I just found you. God Bless!!

[@nesssheen]

Oh boy i just finished scrubbing 5kg of carrots that i got from a rescue buy when i saw this video, i hope theyre still ok to store 🥲