Cabbage is always needed in the kitchen, so you need to know how to store it in any conditions. Either it is an apartment in a big metropolis, or an ordinary rural house, ordinary white cabbage is eaten around. Cabbage is a rather capricious vegetable and is not very well stored at home, but still, if you create more or less optimal conditions, it will lie for a while. Therefore, it is important to know how to properly store cabbage at home.
Where and how can you store cabbage at home
Per great story growing cabbage, they learned to preserve it in many places, while inventing different ways... The most common places to store cabbage at home include:
- cellars and cellars;
- holes dug in the soil;
- ground shelters for storing cabbage;
- in the pantry;
- in cans and barrels (fermented);
- on the balcony;
- in a refrigerator.
Cabbage is preserved at home in many ways, each owner has his own secrets and his own favorite method. The most common ways of storing cabbage at home in our area include:
- Cabbage is stored by wrapping it in plastic wrap. For wrapping heads, it is advisable to choose rolls of film with a width of 350 to 450 millimeters. Only the hardest heads of cabbage are selected for storage. Loose and soft are best used for fermentation or consumed within a few weeks. Before wrapping, you need to remove dry and those leaves that are loose from the head of cabbage. If there are damaged areas, they must be cut off. The stumps need to be cut to the level with the leaves, you can cut off 1-2 centimeters more. The finished head of cabbage must be tightly wrapped with cling film in 2-3 layers. When wrapping, you need to compare and press each fold so that the wrapping is tight. After that, the cabbage heads can be put on the shelves in the cellar, in bags, in boxes, and thus the cabbage can be stored until the next harvest. The main thing is periodically, do not forget to inspect the cabbage. As some of the forks on top may start to rot. If this happens, then you need to remove the upper damaged layer and then wrap the cabbage again. Thus, it can still persist for some time.
- Storing the cabbage with the root. This method is quite common, with it, cabbage can be stored in many places, except for the refrigerator. Cabbage, which has been pulled out with its roots, is often dipped in liquid clay so that no leaves are visible. After that, in a shaded place that is well ventilated, such cabbage heads are well dried. Thus, hanging up the mountain by roots, the cabbage is stored in the cellar. Also, cabbage, together with the root, is often tied in bunches of 2-3 pieces and hung from the ceiling in the storage.
Storing cabbage at home requires experience, so cabbage must be stored in several ways in the early stages. The more storage methods you try, the better and better the harvested cabbage will be stored. Cabbage must be stored both with and without roots, since it is not known what conditions are created in the storage. In addition, cabbage with roots can be planted in spring for planting and at the end of summer to collect your own seeds.
Keeping fresh homemade food is a must for every young housewife. They preserve vegetables not only before winter, that is, frost, but also during other seasons. You can store it on the balcony, in an apartment, cellar and even in the beds, if the owner of the house loves to grow his own food on his own. This article describes how to store one type of vegetable, cabbage. It is also good in winter-summer salad, soup, stews, fried dishes.
What kind of cabbage is stored
Only the best cabbage heads are selected - whole, without larvae deposited between the leaves, traces of decay, crush, slugs, cracks. If only the top layer of leaves is spoiled, it must be removed. The top sheets have a protective function. This storage preparation method is suitable for different varieties cabbage (red, white, Brussels sprouts, Savoy).
How to store cabbage on the balcony
For storing cabbage on the balcony, the room is glazed and insulated. Cabbage feels good in warmth. Plus, other vegetables can be stored along with cabbage. It is also more pleasant that the house has an exit to warm balcony... It should be equipped with insulated storage cabinets (foam insulation). And the cabinets, in turn, are equipped with shelves where cabbage heads will be laid out.
Windows must be ventilated and curtains to create blackout. A well-equipped balcony is only half the battle; it is important to review your cabbage supplies from time to time, check for rot. Usually cabbage putrid smell is very well felt. One cabbage will rot the rest, so if the owner wants to keep the food intact, you should train yourself to revise vegetables for spoilage. 
How to store cabbage hanging
Cauliflower is slightly more difficult to store than white cabbage. On the ceiling, it is better to make comfortable beams and hooks for hanging the cabbage heads. This type of storage is also suitable for white and red cabbage. The vegetable is suspended from an oblong head of cabbage, around which a rope is wound. For convenience, each head is fixed at a different height so that there is no contact with each other. You can hammer nails into a board that attaches to the wall, also use it for hanging.
How to store cabbage in the ground and sand
For storage in sand or loosened earth, you need cabbage with long stalks. If sand is a costly method, soil is poured. The heads are stuck with sticks into the soil 20 cm deep. But the minus of the earth is that it is trampled down over time, and the sand remains crumbly.
The second way to store in the sand is to cover the cabbage with sand in wooden boxes. They are needed without holes so that sand does not seep through the holes. Although the option is financially costly at first, the storage material is reusable.
How to store cabbage in a cellar
To store cabbage in a cellar, you need to adhere to a certain temperature. Optimum humidity 85%, temperature +2 C. For storing cabbage, they are specially knocked down wooden shelves, shelving. The cabbage is laid out on them without touching the neighboring vegetable. You can wrap the cabbage head in paper or cling film. Although the latter option is quite expensive, it is often used in stores. In the cellar, boxes are also installed, knocked down so that the products that are stored in them have free access to air. 
How to store cabbage in clay
The method, although dirty, but working. Clay is mixed with water in a 2: 1 ratio, the consistency of sour cream should be obtained. The clay layer on the cabbage is not translucent, completely covers the leaves. Next, the cabbage is dried on fresh air and is placed in the cellar for further storage. 
How to store cabbage in the refrigerator
The home version is designed for several heads of cabbage. Cabbage is placed under glass, in a special box designed for storing various vegetables. To isolate the cabbage from the neighboring vegetable, put it in a bag, but do not close it so that the vegetable does not rot.
Knowing the most important points storing cabbage, you can protect it for a long time, for example, from putrefactive processes. Rotting often occurs due to great content water in cabbage leaves, also contact with other kind of moisture. Cabbage is a mass of vitamins that it is desirable to keep intact for your household. This knowledge will help not only to preserve the product, but also to equip your home as correctly as possible, so that every corner works for the owner or hostess.
The shelf life of cabbage is influenced not only by its variety, but also by many other nuances. Growing conditions are one of the main criteria in this case. Some features cannot be recognized if the cabbage is bought in a store. This applies, for example, to the types of soil, the amount of precipitation, as well as the types of fertilizers used. If you plan to store cabbage bought in a store, then preference should be given to the densest heads of cabbage without yellowed leaves or signs of rotting.
The nuances of storing cabbage:
- the shortest shelf life is cabbage early varieties (it is better to eat it as early as possible);
- mid-season and late varieties cabbage;
- the top leaves from the cabbage should not be removed before storing it;
- frozen, cracked, withered cabbage or cabbage with mechanical damage (as well as cabbage with traces of disease or insect damage) cannot be stored;
- if the cabbage is stored in a wooden box, then it is necessary to exclude the contact of the heads of cabbage with each other using newspaper or any paper;
- place cabbage during storage with the stump top;
- cabbage is well preserved on a kind of "sand pillow" (this option is suitable for storage in cellars, basements or on the balcony);
- you can store cabbage in ordinary soil (buckets, barrels or even bags can be used as storage containers);
- if cling film is used when storing cabbage, then wrap the head of cabbage in it as tightly as possible so that there is no accumulation of air or condensation;
- in the refrigerator, cabbage can be stored in paper (this method will extend the shelf life of the head);
- you can prevent the appearance of rot or mold on cabbage with the help of crushed chalk (heads of cabbage should be “powdered” with chalk and placed in a cool place);
- hanging cabbage can be stored longer;
- close contact of heads of cabbage with each other can become the main accelerator of the decay process;
- if burdock leaves are placed next to the cabbage, then the shelf life of the heads of cabbage will increase slightly;
- it is desirable that the air flows to the heads of cabbage from either side (if such conditions are difficult to create, then it is better to turn the cabbage periodically during storage).
Often in the process of storing cabbage on heads of cabbage appears white bloom... This sign indicates the beginning of the development of mold. You can stop this process with crushed chalk or mustard powder... The affected areas are simply treated with the indicated components, and before eating, they are removed along with the leaves or cut off.
How much and at what temperature to store cabbage
Mid-season cabbage varieties, subject to the necessary conditions, can be stored for 2-3 months. Late varieties persist for 7-9 months. Optimum temperature storage is between -1 and +1 degrees. At the same time, the air humidity should be at least 85% and not more than 90%. Otherwise, the cabbage will either wither and lose its juiciness, or begin to deteriorate and rot.
The nuances of the temperature regime for cabbage:
- the average storage temperature for cabbage is in the range from -1 to +5 degrees;
- if the cabbage is young, and its leaves are too tender, then subzero temperatures should be avoided to prevent overfreezing of the heads;
- white cabbage is less susceptible to temperature and more endurance.
The average shelf life of cabbage is 4-6 months. When placing heads of cabbage in a cellar or basement, this indicator may increase, and under conditions of refrigerators, it may decrease. It is highly recommended to wrap the heads of cabbage with cling film or paper before placing them, especially in the cut state.
How to store cabbage at home? This question is relevant not only for summer residents, but also for most urban residents. The need for stocks for the winter is due to two reasons: in winter prices are much higher than in summer, and the quality is not very good. As for the storage, it must be correct, otherwise vitamins or beneficial trace elements disappear.
Rules for preserving cabbage for the winter
There are several rules:
- Only choose best heads... If the head of cabbage is already spoiled, then it will not be possible to preserve it for a long time. And because of it, other heads will deteriorate;
- Remove the top leaves and cut off the leg. Attention! Do not peel the head too much;
- They wash. To do this, use cold running water... This procedure minimizes the chance of dirt or insect larvae under the leaves. Wet heads are thoroughly blotted with a dry towel.
White, Brussels and chinese cabbage prepared for storage according to almost the same rules, but taking into account the nuances in each individual case.
How to store cabbage on the balcony
If there is no cellar, but preparations for the winter are needed, then good option is a balcony. However, the place must be glazed and insulated. Otherwise, the products will not last long.
Keep track of how long you open the windows on the balcony in winter. If the temperature is too low, the heads of cabbage will freeze and quickly deteriorate.
For the safety of each fork you need:
- Wrap the head in wax paper or cling film;
- Place on the table or in the closet on the balcony as freely as possible.
Note! The condition of the heads of cabbage must be constantly checked. In winter, this is done once a month. But the closer to spring, the more often the quality of vegetables is checked.
This method is only for white cabbage... But for broccoli, Beijing, colored, this method is not suitable, since the varieties are quite capricious, so they will quickly deteriorate in such conditions.
How to keep cabbage in the refrigerator
The apartment is not the right place for plugs. Therefore, for city residents, the refrigerator is often the only available place to store vegetables. You can use it like this:
- Correctly prepared heads of cabbage are placed in the vegetable compartment. Minus - wilting of leaves. Therefore, the upper ones will periodically have to be removed and thrown away;
- Wrapping each head of cabbage in plastic wrap. Thin polyethylene protects the upper leaves from wilting and the vegetables stay fresh long time.
The duration of the preservation of vegetables depends on the variety. White cabbage can stay fresh for a long time. Peking at home can only be stored in the refrigerator, after wrapping each head of cabbage in plastic wrap... Kohlrabi can be stored in the refrigerator, but it will not last all winter. Therefore, stocking up with a lot is not worth it.
We should also talk about storing broccoli in the refrigerator:
- Never wash it before placing it in the refrigerator. So the heads of cabbage will only spoil faster. It is better to wash broccoli just before use;
- The package does not need to be closed. There must be air access to its contents;
- Place a damp towel on the bottom of the vegetable compartment. This will create additional moisture and the contents of the bags will remain fresh for a long time;
- If using freezer, each unit must be placed in a separate bag. Otherwise, the entire freeze will deteriorate in half the time.
As for storing cauliflower in this way, this is possible subject to the same rules as for broccoli. But it is worth remembering that this variety will not lie in the refrigerator all winter, so the strategic reserve should be counted on for one and a half to two months, no more!
Storing cabbage in the cellar
Winter for storing vegetables is not a hindrance. Especially in a private house with a cellar.
How to prepare a cellar:
- The room temperature should be between -1 and +2. Such temperature conditions vegetables will keep their freshness almost all winter;
- Do not put heads of cabbage on the floor. Remember that the cellar is damp. Therefore, the forks will start to rot and deteriorate ahead of time. Better to just stack on wooden shelves or flooring. This ensures oxygen access to vegetables;
- Dampness is prevented by a layer of straw or burdock leaves between the wood flooring and the vegetables;
- The heads are laid out on the straw in a checkerboard pattern. In this case, air circulation is even better;
- In order not to rot the upper leaves, you need to lay the heads on the bedding with stumps up.
Also make sure there are no rodents in the cellar. Wood flooring or the shelves, before the blanks are placed on them for the winter, are thoroughly washed with an antiseptic and dried. Remember! Wet wood accelerates decay!
If it is not possible to fold in a checkerboard pattern, they are laid out in boxes. But at the same time, each fork is packed in soft paper, for example, a newspaper. This will prevent the forks from touching each other and the soft paper will not interfere with air circulation.
Another storage option is under the ceiling in the cellar. In this case, the leg is not cut off when harvesting. Nailed under the ceiling wooden board or a stick. The distance from the stick to the wall is at least thirty centimeters. Heads of cabbage are hung on a stick by threading a wire or thick thread through the leg. The main thing is that the forks should not touch.
Storing cabbage in the sand in the garden
This method is only suitable for storing white cabbage. To save:
- They make a pit in the sand bed, fifty to sixty centimeters deep. The diameter of the pit is one meter;
- The forks are folded into the hole, stumps up;
- Heads of cabbage are shifted with needles;
- Then cover the pit with leaves, peat, sand and snow.
Forks are kept in such a pit for the winter. Attention! This option is not suitable for residents of the northern regions. The air temperature is at least five degrees below zero. Otherwise, the vegetables will quickly deteriorate.
How much fresh cabbage is stored
Before buying forks, you should understand that they cannot be fresh forever. Therefore, it is important to know how long a vegetable is stored at home in winter:
- When room temperature - no more than a week;
- On the balcony - four months. But only if the rules described above are followed;
- In the refrigerator without cling film - a month. But only if you remove the withering upper leaves in time;
- In the refrigerator with cling film - up to five months;
- Kohlrabi stays fresh in the refrigerator for a month;
- Beijing - when using cling film, it is stored in the refrigerator for no longer than fifteen days.
If the cabbage is frozen, it can be eaten for ten months.
There are many ways of storing cabbage, so after carefully reviewing each of them and creating the necessary conditions in the storage, you can cook cabbage soup and borscht, make saltwort and salads, bake pies and cook other dishes from your own reserves until spring.
Harvesting cabbage
Early maturing white cabbage and mid-season varieties ripens gradually, and it is removed, as a rule, in several stages. Late varieties are usually subject to a single harvest, but in any case, it is very important to correctly determine the sufficient degree of maturity, on which the timing of harvesting depends.
Ready-to-harvest cabbage heads of mid-season and late varieties have a mass of at least 0.8 kg, early ones - from 0.3 kg and more. At the same time, several tight-fitting green leaves should remain on them (they should not be removed, since they have the most high resistance to disease and protect vegetables during storage). If the product meets these requirements, it means that it has entered the stage of removable maturity and you can start cleaning.
For central Russia optimal time picking white cabbage is the second week of October. It is best to cut cabbages in clear, dry weather, when the air temperature is 3–8 ° C during the day and around 0 ° C at night.
Choosing the right harvest time is very important, because if the heads are cut too early, due to the high air temperature, they are very poorly cooled, which can lead to massive development of diseases. On the contrary, late harvested vegetables are at risk of freezing, which also negatively affects their keeping quality. True, short-term frosts up to 4–5 ° C will not harm cabbage of mature varieties (such as Zimovka and Amager), but only when the heads of cabbage are thawed in the bud some time before harvest.
It is known that cabbage heads often crack both during harvesting and during storage. This happens as a result of the growth of the internal stump, and in order to avoid undesirable consequences, it is necessary to break root system and thus prevent the influx of nutrients. To this end, before cutting, the heads of cabbage should be bent to one side several times - this will protect them from cracking and extend the harvesting period by 10-15 days (whereas under normal conditions it should take no more than a week).
Cabbage ready for harvesting and storage is cut, chopped or plucked by the roots (the latter refers primarily to late varieties). The heads of cabbage should be cut and trimmed carefully, trying not to make deep serifs. In this case, it is recommended to leave a few covering leaves and a stump with a straight cut about 3 cm long - such heads of cabbage are much less injured during transportation and, accordingly, are better stored.
Harvested crop sorted by removing cracked, diseased or damaged heads. At the same time, loose leaves are removed.
Cabbage sorted for storage is loaded onto conveyors or placed in containers, and then transported to the storage site. If the transportation takes a long time, it is necessary to use transport with refrigeration units, since overheating of the heads of cabbage reduces their keeping quality and significantly reduces the shelf life.
Particular attention should be paid to the loading process. It is undesirable to toss up the heads of cabbage too much, as this will damage them and lose their presentation.
Usually heads of cabbage are cut off with a sharp shovel or knife, but, as practice shows, cabbage, uprooted, is better stored. After collection, they examine it. For storing cabbage in winter, only the densest intact heads of cabbage are selected. If there is moisture on the cover leaves, dry them slightly.
Where to store cabbage in winter and can it be done in a basement or cellar
Where to store cabbage to preserve the harvest? Most often, cabbage storage in winter at home is carried out in cellars or basements, placing it on racks. The latter are best made collapsible using the same boards. Heads of cabbage for storing cabbage in the cellar are laid in rows in 2-3 layers. However, it must be remembered that the distance between top layer vegetables and the next rack should be at least 30 cm - this will ensure constant air circulation. If the cabbage harvest is small, the cabbages can be individually hung from the ceiling or racks by the stumps.
It is also advisable to stack vegetables in stacks in the form of a pyramid (stumps upwards), making sure to leave gaps of 30–40 cm in size. This method perfectly helps to save space: up to 200 kg of cabbage can be placed per 1 m2.
There is another common way of storing cabbage in a basement or cellar: heads of cabbage are placed in trellises wooden boxes in several layers. In this case, each layer is placed with stumps up, and the topmost - stumps inward. The boxes are placed on a wooden shelf at a distance of 20 cm from the floor.
As you can see in the photo, when storing cabbage to increase keeping quality, it is advisable to wrap each head of cabbage in thick paper:
How to keep cabbage for the winter in a pile
So, with the question "is it possible to store cabbage in the cellar", you figured it out. But there is another way. A rich harvest of cabbage is often stored in piles. Unlike potato tubers or root crops, the heads of cabbage are not poured, but stacked one at a time to minimize the risk of mechanical damage. Vegetables located on the surface are placed with stumps inward - this helps prevent freezing.
The most effective way of storing cabbage in bulk is in storage facilities with active ventilation. If the crop was harvested in cool dry weather, the heads of cabbage are covered over the entire storage area with a continuous layer of 2.5 m.If the harvest was carried out in rainy weather, and the harvest is represented by less mature varieties, the heads of cabbage are placed in the storage in wide piles on both sides of the passage. The passage is left so that, in the event of possible damage to vegetables, it is possible to take necessary measures: sort out the products, clean or remove the affected heads of cabbage. Immediately after loading, the heads of cabbage are dried and cooled using intensive 15-hour ventilation. This procedure lasts for 10-12 days, since only then the final cooling of the cabbage mass will occur (drying usually takes much less time: about 3 days). But even after that, ventilation continues daily for 3-4 hours. It is important to remember this important condition storage of cabbage in winter, as the temperature of the supplied air: it should
not be below -1 ° C.
You can also store cabbage in naturally refrigerated rooms or refrigerators. In this case, the vegetables are also stacked. A good way to increase the shelf life of cabbage until June is with snowing. IN middle lane In Russia, this method is used in late February or early March, when the air and snow temperature is about -3 ° C. Heads of cabbage intended for snow must be dense, well preserved, without damage or decay.
They snow cabbage, as a rule, in piles. Before storing cabbage in winter in this way, snow is compacted with a layer of 50–80 cm thick on a site about 4 m wide, and low snow walls are made on the sides. The cabbage is laid in rows, sprinkling each of them with a 10-centimeter layer of snow. Gradually the collar is narrowed, and the top is covered with snow, peat and shavings. The height of the finished snow pile should be about 2 m. Snowing can also be used in storage facilities, but it is necessary to ensure the outflow of melt water.
Whichever method you choose, in any case must be respected mandatory conditions storage, the most important of which are temperature, humidity and composition of the gas environment.
How to store cabbage in a basement or cellar in winter
The ideal temperature for storing white cabbage is from 0 to -1 ° C. The fact is that interior the head of cabbage is more sensitive to low temperatures than the outside. It freezes and dies already at -1.5 ° C, while the upper leaves are able to withstand temperatures as low as -7 ° C. As a result of thawing, the frozen part of the head darkens and begins to decompose, releasing a substance with a pungent unpleasant odor - acetaldehyde. The areas affected in this way are called cuffs. Research results have confirmed that the formation of cuffs is directly related to the storage temperature. It has been proven that at temperatures not lower than -1 ° C, they do not appear for a long time.
But too high a temperature negatively affects the keeping quality of cabbage. It is especially important to monitor this, since cabbage during storage emits much large quantity heat than any other type of vegetables (it is known that the temperature in a stack increases by an average of 1 ° C per day). Therefore, the ventilation and cooling system in the storage facilities must be strengthened. Besides heat, cabbage also produces a lot of moisture. As a result, the relative humidity in the storage is usually around 98%, which can lead to the development of many diseases, especially gray rot. But a decrease in humidity can also damage the condition of the products: this increases evaporation, and the heads of cabbage quickly dry out, losing weight. In this regard, it is desirable to maintain a relative humidity of 90–95% in the room.
Before storing cabbage in the cellar, take care of the composition of the gas environment. It has been found that the optimal ratio is 4% CO2, 5% O2 and 91% N2. When this condition is met, cabbage can be stored for up to 7 months even at high temperature and relative humidity. The fact is that an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide reduces the intensity of respiration, as a result of which the loss of mass decreases and the development of diseases slows down. Due to improper collection, sorting and storage, as well as due to a number of other reasons, cabbage heads can be subject to various diseases. The most common of these are gray rot, white rot, mucous bacteriosis, vascular bacteriosis, and punctate necrosis.
For long-term storage cabbage of late ripening, or so-called winter, varieties is suitable. It is very important to harvest on time, since numerous studies have established that respiration in cabbage heads harvested at a temperature of 0 - +5 ° C is the least intense and, therefore, they are better stored. Frozen cabbage will not be stored for long, as well as cracked cabbage in case of prolonged watering or prolonged rains.
How to properly store cabbage using any of the above methods? Cabbage is stored in a dark room at a stable temperature of 0 - +1 ° C and a relative humidity of 95%. The storage should have good ventilation and a certain gas composition of the air - not less than 6 - 8% oxygen and not more than 2 - 3% carbon dioxide. Only this storage mode provides good keeping quality of cabbage with minimal loss of nutritional properties. During storage, cabbage loses little vitamins, even the most unstable vitamin C in this respect retains 2 thirds of its original volume.
It is better to store cabbage on shelves, placing it in such a way that the heads of cabbage do not touch each other. If there are no shelves, you can lay out a pyramid from the heads of cabbage on the floor, be sure to spread an armful of straw or spruce branches. When laying, pay attention to the roots - the lower layers are laid with the roots up, and the top - with the roots down.
There is another way to store cabbage in the cellar in winter: you can hang the cabbage by the roots, tied with twine. Before that, you can dip the cabbage in a clay mash and dry it.
Methods and conditions for storing white cabbage and cauliflower
You can store white cabbage different ways... For example, hanging heads of cabbage from the ceiling of the cellar. If it is supposed to store the forks in this way, then in late autumn, before the onset of persistent frosts, the cabbage must be dug up along with the roots. Then remove the top leaves from the heads, air dry and tie in pairs. Each pair of forks should be suspended from the cellar ceiling. This method allows you to keep the cabbage fresh until spring. It should be remembered that the suspended heads of cabbage should never touch each other.
If the described method of storing cabbage for some reason is unacceptable for you, then a small amount of cabbage can simply be laid out on the dry shelves of the cellar. However, in this case, it is necessary to periodically check the forks and remove the spoiled leaves.
The third way to store fresh white cabbage is as follows: you need to dig in the cellar floor suitable sizes a groove in which to put the prepared heads of cabbage with stumps up. After that, the forks should be covered with earth so that a layer of at least 10 cm is formed above the cabbage. In a cold cellar, with the onset of frost, the earth must be regularly poured so that the cabbage does not freeze. In some winters, the layer of soil above the cabbage forks can reach 30 cm.
In a dry, well-ventilated cellar, the following method of storing white cabbage and cauliflower is applicable. Forks of white cabbage need to be dug out by the roots and planted in dry sand. When storing cauliflower for the winter, you need to do the same, but they must be dug out of the garden along with small clods of earth. The forks should not touch each other, and it is recommended to tie up the cauliflower cabbage additionally, as it may grow during storage.
How else to store cauliflower at home with minimal losses? Some experienced gardeners keep the cabbage forks in the clay. To do this, the heads of cabbage need to be cut down, each tied with strong twine, leaving a convenient loop. Then the peeled forks should be dipped in diluted clay. At the same time, the consistency of the clay solution should resemble thick sour cream. After the entire head of cabbage is covered with clay, it should be dried and hung from the ceiling of the cellar.
A few more ways to store cabbage. In the Caucasus, for a long time, cabbage heads have been stored by stringing them on corn stalks. it good way, since it allows the cabbage to breathe during storage without accumulating carbon dioxide between the leaves.
First of all, the storage needs to be ventilated. Do not do this in hot weather in summer, as the warm air will cause a large amount of condensation to form on the ceiling and walls. This work should be carried out in the fall with more low temperaturesah, when it does not lead to the formation of excessive moisture.
An important condition for storing white cabbage is not only airing, but also disinfecting the vegetable store. To do this, you can burn several sulfur sticks (1 stick per 10 m3). It is required to work with them very carefully, adhering to all precautions. The checker is set on fire in the storage, setting it on a metal stand away (not closer than 0.5 m) from flammable objects. Before ignition, vents, slots, etc. are tightly closed, and after ignition - and the entrance. After 2 - 3 days of processing, the room is thoroughly ventilated. The sulfuric checker will help get rid of not only various microorganisms, but also kill insects and rodents.
Then the ceiling and walls should be whitewashed. lime mortar with the addition of a small amount copper sulfate... It is better to remove wooden shelves and boxes and dry in the sun, and then spray with a 5% solution of copper sulfate. If in past winters the storage was frozen, insulate it with sheets of expanded polystyrene. This simple and inexpensive operation will positively affect the keeping quality of the stored products, and first of all potatoes, which, as you know, have an unpleasant taste and consistency when frozen.
A rather interesting way of long-term storage of cabbage is used in northern regions Russia. It is called snowing and is as follows: on a winter day, prepared cabbage is stacked on a trampled area, covering each row with snow. Then the entire stack is covered from all sides with 1 m thick snow.
Until spring, cabbage in the villages was also stored in this way. They dug a hole at least 1 m deep and poured a layer of sand on the bottom. The cabbage pulled out from the root was placed in this hole with the roots up so that they did not touch each other. The first row was covered with earth, covering the roots with it, then the second row was laid, etc. After the onset of frost, the pit was covered with straw, and then with manure. In the spring, as soon as the snow began to melt, the shelter was removed and the cabbage was dug up, because melt water could damage the heads of cabbage.
Diseases of cabbage during storage
Many are faced with the fact that outwardly healthy forks laid in the cellar begin to rot for no reason at all.
For example, when cutting the next head of cabbage, dry, darkened leaves, black dots, dry "nets" or streaks covered with spots are suddenly found.
Decay of cabbage during storage is due to damage to its tissues various diseasesthat do not make themselves felt during the preparation of winter stocks. These are, first of all, white and gray rot, slimy bacteriosis, rhizoctonia, etc. Infection with them occurs as a result of improper growing conditions, careless harvesting and preparation of vegetables for storage.
Such a cabbage disease during storage, such as gray rot, appears on the forks in the form of weeping mucous spots, in places covered with a gray fluffy bloom. Typically, the decay process begins on heads of cabbage where damage has been done during harvesting or transportation, as well as on slightly frozen leaves. The appearance of gray rot is dangerous because it quickly spreads throughout the cellar: the contact of healthy heads of cabbage with sick heads and spores that are carried through the air play a role. And the higher the storage temperature of vegetables, the faster gray rot covers more and more forks, and this disease can affect not only cabbage, but also many other vegetables.
White cabbage, as a rule, is not afraid of low temperatures, and short-term freezing does not harm it. However, long-term storage at temperatures below 0 ° C leads to the fact that frozen leaves and cabbage juice prevent air from entering the inside of the head. This factor can cause tissue death and decomposition. Such spots and dents are popularly called "cuffs". After thawing, damaged forks quickly rot and are no longer suitable for food.
If the crop is damaged by white rot, the outer leaves of the head of cabbage rot, becoming slimy, and a mycelium forms between the damaged leaves, which looks like pieces of white cotton wool. In the future, "vata" is covered with numerous black dots - sclerotia - various shapes and magnitudes.
Infection of cabbage with white rot usually occurs during the cutting of cabbages. The disease develops rapidly if the cleaning was carried out in wet weather, in the rain, and later some storage parameters were violated, for example temperature regime... A head of cabbage stricken with white rot rots completely in short time, becoming sources of infection for other stocks.
Decay of leaves at the base of the stump is a sign of rhizoctonia. This disease begins during the growing season and, as a rule, affects later varieties of white cabbage. Heads of cabbage are especially severely affected in rainy years. The first signs of rhizoctonia are flat black sclerotia that forms on the affected leaves. Decayed leaves acquire a brown hue, in places covered with a rare light fluff.
Over time, the damaged leaves rot away, becoming yellow, dry and transparent. Rhizoctonia develops faster at high temperatures in the cellar. The disease spreads through direct contact of sick heads of cabbage with healthy ones.
With mucous bacteriosis, there is mucus and leaf decay, accompanied by complete softening of tissues and the appearance unpleasant odor... Mucous bacteriosis usually infects heads of cabbage, injured during transportation or during harvesting, as well as cracked, frostbitten, damaged by insects or other diseases. Mucous bacteriosis develops rapidly in cellars with high humidity and high air temperature.
The quality of winter stocks is significantly reduced when cabbage is damaged by vascular bacteriosis. Infection with this disease occurs during the active growing season of the plant, and during storage it manifests itself in the form of brown streaks, or dots, or a clearly visible dark "mesh".
Point necrosis is characterized by the appearance of sunken small dark specks on the heads of cabbage. This physiological disease can be caused not by one, but by a whole complex of reasons, ranging from the method of fertilizing and ending with the characteristics of a particular variety of cabbage. The storage conditions of winter stocks also play an important role in this.
It can also be said that during storage, cabbage does not tolerate either too high or too low temperatures. As for those heads of cabbage that we bring from the cellar or store, it is advisable to use them for food immediately. Long-term storage in household refrigerator negatively affects the quality of cabbage and often leads to decay of the heads.
How to store cauliflower and red cabbage for the winter at home
Before storing cauliflower for the winter, you need to select only strong, dense heads. They are tied up and hung in a cool, dark room. It has been noticed that if you drill a small hole in the cabbage stump, then it will stay fresh for 2 - 3 months longer.
To have fresh cauliflower in winter or spring, you can simply grow it in your cellar. Why in the fall they dig up cabbage with heads of at least 3 - 5 cm and plant it in boxes with damp earth, burying the roots to the first leaves. Necessary condition storage of cauliflower - a dark cool room with a temperature of +1 to + 8 ° C). The heads grow well within 40 - 90 days, it is only necessary to maintain soil moisture and ventilate the store.
The cut heads of cauliflower are tied with a rope so that they do not touch each other, suspended in the basement from the ceiling.
Red cabbage is harvested before the onset of frost. Dense, intact heads of cabbage are placed on shelves or in rack boxes and stored at a temperature of +2 - 4 ° C in a well-ventilated room. You can sprinkle the heads of cabbage with wet sand.
Conditions and storage temperature of white cabbage in winter
White cabbage is preserved with 3-4 green leaves tightly fitting the head of cabbage, and the stump is left 2-3 cm long from the last leaf left. Lay the cabbage in a layer of 5–7 heads (pyramids) at a temperature of +1, -1 degrees. If there are shelves, cabbage racks are placed on them in 2-3 layers at free access to her air. Cabbage is well kept hanging on slats. In this case, the stump is not cut off. Decaying leaves are removed.
In regions with mild winters, storing cabbage in a basement is difficult. In these areas, it is advisable to grow cabbage. To do this, late cabbage is sown 3 weeks later than the generally accepted time frame. Before the onset of frost, plants with loose heads of cabbage are selected and pulled out of the ground with stalks. Then they dig grooves 20–30 cm deep, as wide as the diameter of the head of cabbage. Lay the cabbage heads down with all the whole and healthy leaves of the rosette. Then they cover it with earth, removed from the groove, with an additional layer of 30 cm. In frosty winters, the cabbage is covered with fresh manure or straw. By February - March, the head of cabbage increases in weight, becomes dense and white.
The most common and proven ways to store cabbage include the following:
Storage on shelves in the cellar is the simplest type of cabbage "wintering", in which the heads of cabbage are cleaned of the upper green leaves, leaving only 2-3 pieces. During the winter, the fruits are periodically turned over to the other side. Moreover, the longer the stump, the longer the head of cabbage will be stored.
Before laying the heads of cabbage in the cellar, it is advisable to process them in order to get rid of harmful microorganisms. To do this, each head of cabbage, holding by the stump, is dipped for a few seconds in a solution of whitewash lime (100 g of lime per 5 kg of cabbage) or pollinated with chalk (proportions are identical).
If you have a small amount of cabbage, you can use the second storage method. The cabbage is again cleaned of the upper leaves and each head of cabbage is tied to a beam under the ceiling of the cellar by a stump. It is desirable that the fruits do not come into contact with each other. Alternatively, storage of cabbage in suspended nets.
The next method suggests, without removing the upper leaves, wrap each head of cabbage in paper and lower it into the cellar, and during storage, check the condition of the fruits for moisture. If the paper gets wet, the head of cabbage must be unfolded, removed one layer of leaves, wrapped in a dry "package" and put back.
With another method, the stumps are cut off almost closely, stepping back from the fruit about 0.5 cm, and each head of cabbage is wrapped with a thin cling film in 2-3 layers. After that, the cabbage can be lowered into the cellar or stored in any other cool place, periodically, as in the paper version, checking the fruits and removing rotten leaves.
You can also give some more general tips:
- late-ripening varieties are used for long-term storage;
- cabbage heads are never washed, but only wiped with a dry cloth;
- cabbage is not stored in boxes, as it will quickly rot in them.
As for cauliflower, it is stored for no more than 2 months. It can be wrapped in tight plastic bag 2-3 heads each, making 2-3 holes of 0.5-1 cm in the "package". The method with cling film is no less effective.
Some summer residents "grow" their heads, for which they put them vertically and sprinkle the roots of plants with sand (peat), watering them from time to time.
Optimum storage conditions for cabbage - air humidity 90%. The storage temperature of white cabbage is from -1 to 2 ° C. There are several storage methods for this vegetable crops... The first is the arrangement of heads of cabbage in a suspended state. It is necessary to collect cabbage from the garden along with the roots before the onset of the first frost, remove the top sheets from the forks and hold for a little open air... After that, tie the roots with twine, to which they attach with hooks made of wire. The heads of cabbage should be suspended from the ceiling of the cellar or basement so that they do not touch each other.
You can put the forks prepared in the same way on wooden shelves (just do not make hooks) and remove the leaves as they deteriorate throughout the storage period.
Another way of storing white cabbage is often used. Tie parts of the cut roots with twine, make a loop on top. Remove the top leaves, dip the forks entirely in a clay solution similar in consistency to sour cream, and dry in a suspended state in a well-ventilated area. Hang the dried cabbage from the ceiling in the cellar or basement.
Salted or sauerkraut in barrels should be stored at 0-1 ° C. Care must be taken that the brine completely covers the product, otherwise it will lose vitamin C. If the temperature in the cellar or basement drops sharply, the cabbage will be frozen and must be consumed after thawing Freezing again will destroy all vitamins.