Root crops such as beets, carrots, celeriac, kohlrabi, rutabagas,
turnips, and winter radishes should not be put in storage until late
fall. Root crops keep best between 32° and 40° F. They require high
humidity to prevent shriveling. Continued storage at 45° causes them to
sprout new tops and become woody.
Large and overmature root crops may become tough and stringy in storage.
Small and immature root crops probably will shrivel.
Dig root crops when the soil is dry and the temperature consistently
low. Prepare them immediately for storage. Cut the plant tops about a
half inch above the crown. Beets will bleed unless 2 to 3 inches of the
top is left. You may wash the roots if you let them dry again before
storing. Do not expose them to drying winds, and be sure they are cool
when put in storage.
Prevent bitterness in carrots by storing them away from fruits such as
apples, which give off volatile gases while ripening.
Turnips and rutabagas give off odors, so don't store them in your
basement. Find a separate spot, or store them with other root crops and
vegetables in an outdoor cellar or pit. Turnips may be left in the
garden longer than most other crops. They withstand hard frosts, but are
damaged by alternate freezing and thawing. All other root crops can be
stored together in your basement storage room.
[Illustration: VEGETABLE-FRUIT STORAGE GUIDE]