Cold Storage Done Right

Most gardeners own a fridge; fewer use it intelligently. Salad leaves want high humidity and 2–4°C; tomatoes hate temperatures below 12°C and lose all aromatic compounds within two days of chilling. Apples stored next to carrots cause both to deteriorate faster — apples emit ethylene, carrots absorb it and turn bitter.

Root crops are the easiest to store long-term. Beetroot, carrots, parsnips and celeriac can sit in damp sand in a cool garage or shed for four months at 1–4°C without shrivelling. Potatoes need darkness, ventilation and 7–10°C — warmer and they sprout, colder and the starches convert to sugars and they taste sweet and fry badly. Never wash roots before storage; soil is protective.

Brassicas and squash want cool but not cold. Cabbages keep eight weeks at 4°C in perforated bags; calabrese lasts five days maximum. Winter squash and pumpkins need curing first — one week at 25°C, then store at 12–15°C in single layers, never touching. Check weekly and remove any with soft spots immediately.