How to properly store cabbage in a cellar in winter

Cabbage is a favorite vegetable for many Russians. It's used in many soups and salads, so gardeners strive to stock up on it for the winter. Growing cabbage isn't easy, but preserving the harvest is even more important. Let's explore the best ways to preserve it during the long northern winter.

Rules and conditions for storing fresh cabbage in the cellar

Mid- and late-ripening cabbage varieties, which mature in 90-120 days, are stored for winter. The heads of these cabbages are dense, round, and slightly flattened. Early-ripening varieties, which mature as early as midsummer, have loose heads, so they are eaten within 1-2 months after harvest. Mid- and late-ripening varieties include Nadezhda, Podarok, Amager, Orbita, Slava, Zimovka, and Moskovskaya Pozdnyaya.

Preparation for storage

Cabbage is dug up in mid-autumn during dry, sunny weather. After digging, the roots are cut off, and the loose outer leaves are removed. The dug-up vegetables are left under a canopy for one to two days to dry. Small, immature heads are set aside for later use. Hollow, frost-bitten, or severely pest- or disease-infested heads are also not stored.

Preparing storage conditions

Before storing the harvest for the winter, the cellar is cleared of vegetable remains and thoroughly dried. The walls and shelves are treated with an antiseptic or whitewashed with a solution of quicklime. To prevent rot and mold, the cellar is fumigated with sulfur at a rate of 30-40 grams per square meter.

Cabbage is very sensitive to storage conditions. The cellar temperature should be stable between 0°C and 2°C, with humidity at 90-98%. At low temperatures, it freezes, and at higher temperatures, its shelf life is reduced. Cabbage releases moisture during storage, so the cellar must be equipped with a ventilation system.

Ways to preserve cabbage until spring

Over the years of growing cabbage, gardeners have come up with many ways to store this tasty vegetable.

Storage in cling film

To preserve, each head of cabbage is wrapped in cling film or placed in a plastic bag. The tight plastic cocoon prevents the outer leaves from aging and drying out, allowing the heads to last longer.

Storage in paper

Each head of cabbage is wrapped in two or three layers of newspaper and then placed on shelves or in boxes. The paper prevents the cabbage heads from touching each other and also prevents the outer leaves from drying out.

In a clay ball

Red clay is diluted with water to the consistency of sour cream. The cabbage heads are dipped into the mixture, the resulting clay balls are sun-dried until the outer layer hardens, and then stored on cellar shelves.

Pyramid storage

A wooden base is nailed onto the cellar floor. Heads of cabbage are laid on the base in a checkerboard pattern, forming a pyramid. The arrangement should be done to ensure minimal contact between heads and maximum air access to the forks. Heads of cabbage from the top rows of the "pyramid" are served first.

The disadvantage of this method is the difficulty of inspecting the heads for rot, as well as the large amount of time spent periodically sorting the crop.

Storage in sand

A layer of sand is poured into a chest, barrel, crate, or other container, and a layer of cabbage is placed on top. A layer of dry river sand is added on top of the cabbage, followed by another layer of cabbage, and so on until the container is filled to the top. Storing vegetables in sand is very effective, but quite complex and labor-intensive. Every year before the season, the sand must be dried and cleaned of debris.

On a rope

Cabbage is dug up with its long stalk. Hooks are screwed into the cellar ceiling, and forks are hung by the stalk on ropes. This method preserves cabbage well, but requires a lot of hanging space.

In the garden bed

In the fall, a 60-70 centimeter-deep trench is dug in the raised garden bed at a height. The bottom of the trench is lined with boards. The heads of cabbage are placed in the trench, stalk-side up. The space between the heads of cabbage is filled with sand, and a layer of straw is placed on top. Small bundles of reeds are placed in the corners of the trench for ventilation. The straw is covered with a 5-centimeter layer of clay, and the hole is then filled with soil. In this way, the heads of cabbage are stored in the garden bed until the following spring.

How to store cabbage with other vegetables

Typically, gardeners store their entire harvest in one room. Cabbage keeps well in the same room with other vegetables, provided they follow a few simple rules:

• cabbage is stored separately from other vegetables;
• there should be no rotten root vegetables in the room;
• The room must be well ventilated.

By following these fairly simple rules, you can be sure of the complete safety of your harvest.

Storage life of cabbage

Each type of cabbage has its own storage characteristics.

White and red cabbage

When stored properly, white cabbage will keep well in the cellar until spring. Red cabbage is stored no differently than regular white cabbage. Stored in the cellar in early October, it retains its marketable appearance for 4-5 months.

Kohlrabi cabbage

Kohlrabi's weakness is the rapid drying of the outer skin. To prevent this, kohlrabi is stored in wooden boxes and sprinkled with wet sand. At temperatures around 0°C and 90% humidity, kohlrabi can be stored for 4-5 months.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower has a very short shelf life in winter. For the winter, it is packed tightly in wooden boxes and covered with plastic. In this case, the cut cauliflower will keep in the basement for 10-14 days.

Chinese cabbage

Chinese cabbage consists of numerous juicy and loose leaves, so after being cut, it begins to lose moisture quickly. To prevent this, cut heads are packaged in bags or simply wrapped in plastic film and stored in boxes. At temperatures between zero and two degrees Celsius, packaged cabbage can be stored for up to three months.

Reviews

Tatyana, 35 years old

We have a large garden, but limited storage capacity. So I ferment the entire cabbage harvest right away. Jars of sauerkraut keep perfectly well on the insulated balcony all winter.

Alexey, 42 years old

In our house, we nailed nails into the rafters of our basement and stored our harvest suspended. The basement is insulated and maintains a stable temperature, so the suspended cabbage keeps perfectly all winter.

There are many options for preserving the harvest, everyone can choose what best suits their conditions.