Home Storage of Fruits and Vegetables in Root Cellars

Reviewed by Leslie Bertsch
Field Specialist in Nutrition and Health

Use this chart as a quick reference. For more detailed information about constructing and using a root cellar, check the references listed.

Root Cellar storage requirements

Apples

Cold and moist
Do not store with vegetables
32 to 40 degrees Farenheit
80 to 90 percent relative humidity

Beans, dry

Cool and dry
Home and commercially prepared foods also need a cool, dry storage place
32 to 50 degrees Farenheit
60 to 70 percent relative humidity

Beets

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Farenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity

Brussels sprouts

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Farenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity

Cabbage

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity

Cabbage, Chinese

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity

Carrots

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity

Cauliflower

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity

Celeriac

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity

Celery

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity

Endive (Escarole)

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity

Garlic

Cool and dry
Home and commercially prepared foods also need a cool, dry storage place
32 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit ideal
60 to 70 percent relative humidity

Grapefruit

Cold and moist
Do not store with vegetables
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
80 to 90 percent relative humidity

Grapes

Cold and moist
Do not store with vegetables
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
80 to 90 percent relative humidity

Horseradish

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity
May be left in the ground undisturbed until needed. Digging can be done unless the soil is frozen hard. A thick layer of mulch may extend your harvest season.

Jerusalem artichoke

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity
May be left in the ground undisturbed until needed. Digging can be done unless the soil is frozen hard. A thick layer of mulch may extend your harvest season.

Kale

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity

Kohlrabi

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity

Leeks

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity

Onions

Cool and dry
Home and commercially prepared foods also need a cool, dry storage place
32 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit ideal
60 to 70 percent relative humidity

Oranges

Cold and moist
Do not store with vegetables
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
80 to 90 percent relative humidity

Parsnips

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity

Pears

Cold and moist
Do not store with vegetables
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
80 to 90 percent relative humidity

Peas

Cool and dry
Home and commercially prepared foods also need a cool, dry storage place
Airtight container
32 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit
60 to 70 percent relative humidity

Peppers, hot dried

Cool and dry
Home and commercially prepared foods also need a cool, dry storage place
32 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit
60 to 70 percent relative humidity

Popcorn

Cool and dry
Home and commercially prepared foods also need a cool, dry storage place
Airtight container
32 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit
60 to 70 percent relative humidity

Potatoes

Cold and moist
Do not store with fruits
38 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit ideal
80 to 90 percent relative humidity

Potatoes, sweet

Warm and moist
To keep sweet potatoes from spoiling in warm and moist storage, do not let temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit
80 to 90 percent relative humidity

Pumpkins

Warm and dry
50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit
60 to 75 percent relative humidity

Radish, winter

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity

Rutabaga

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity

Salsify, oyster plant

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity
May be left in the ground undisturbed until needed. Digging can be done unless the soil is frozen hard. A thick layer of mulch may extend your harvest season.

Squash, winter

Warm and dry
50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit
60 to 75 percent relative humidity

Tomatoes

Warm and moist
To keep green tomatoes from spoiling in warm and moist storage, do not let temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit
80 to 90 percent relative humidity

Turnip

Cold and very moist
32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
90 to 95 percent relative humidity

Note
Storing foods in a root cellar makes it possible to eat fresh fruits and vegetables from the home garden well into the winter months.

The length of time that fruits and vegetables keep well in root cellars depends on several factors:

Early or late crops (late-maturing crops store better)
Storage conditions (less-than-ideal conditions shorten storage life)
Fruit and vegetable condition at storage time (proper curing of damage-free produce results in longer storage life).

Vegetables and fruits should not be stored together even though temperatures and moisture requirements are similar. As fruits such as apples and pears ripen, they give off ethylene gas which decreases the storage life of vegetables. This is especially evident with potatoes which sprout early if stored near certain fruits. Also, the odor of strong smelling vegetables, like turnips and cabbage, can be absorbed by fruits and other vegetables. Store them away from other food and where the odor cannot waft into the house.

Do not allow fruits and vegetables to freeze.

References

Bubel M., and Bubel N., Root Cellaring, Rodale Press, Emmaus, PA, 1979.
Hartzberg, R., Vaughan, B. and Greene, J., The New Putting Food By, Stephen Greene Press, Brattleboro, VT, 1982.