Vegetables and mushrooms

How to store cabbage is a question that not only summer residents ask, because all people tend to stock up on certain types of vegetables for the winter. Firstly, it is expensive to buy them in winter, and secondly, the quality of such products leaves much to be desired, because sellers usually do not worry too much about their storage conditions.

Cabbage is just one of those vegetables that is suitable for long-term storage; it is only important to place it in conditions favorable for this. Knowing how to properly store cabbage is no less important than other vegetables, because it is a real treasure trove useful substances and vitamins.

And it depends on where to store cabbage and how to do it correctly how much useful substances will remain in it.

How to properly store cabbage

The optimal storage temperature for cabbage is considered to be from 0 to 5 °C, but for white cabbage Temperatures up to minus 0.8 °C are allowed. A decrease in temperature below minus 0.8 ° C can lead to freezing of leaves.

Many people use old proven methods on how to store cabbage correctly in winter. For example, some tie the heads with twine and hang them, but for this it is necessary to leave the stalks longer. Others preserve fresh cabbage in winter using clay.

Before storing cabbage in this way, you should clear it of the covering green leaves and, stepping back a couple of centimeters, tie twine to the stalk. Next, the heads of cabbage are hung from a beam or crossbar, completely covered with a thick layer of thick clay.

When the clay on the hanging heads of fresh cabbage has dried well, you can move them to the cellar, where it can be successfully preserved through the winter until spring. By the way, this method of storing cabbage does not involve regularly removing the top rotten leaves.

Those who need to preserve a large amount of cabbage in winter can snow it. To do this, the heads of fresh cabbage are placed on the snow and covered with layers of snow 15–20 cm thick. The topmost layer of snow should be no thinner than 40 cm, and the resulting snowdrift is covered with mats, straw or reeds on top to protect it from melting.

As a rule, this method of storing fresh cabbage is acceptable in regions where cold climate. But in the southern regions, fresh cabbage is often stored in the ground. The heads of cabbage are laid out stalks up in a special ditch, which I then cover with a layer of earth no more than 10 cm, only increasing it to 30 cm in case of significant cold weather.

Before storing cabbage, you should carefully sort it out, leaving only those heads that are suitable for long-term storage. Cabbage with a rotten stalk, too small and damaged by pests, cannot be preserved for long. You shouldn’t even try to find out how to store cabbage for the winter if it’s a little spoiled; it’s much more profitable to go the other way - ferment it.

So, cabbage heads suitable for storage are laid out in one layer in a dry place and left for 12 - 20 hours, this will allow the heads to dry well and subsequently be stored longer.

After this, you should cut off the stalks, and that’s it, in fact, preparatory work are ending. Those who know how to store cabbage in winter select mainly heads with green covering leaves for this purpose.

It is also necessary to ensure that a head of cabbage that is too saturated with moisture does not get into the total mass - it can ruin the entire stock.

The best place to store fresh cabbage is in the cellar, but, unfortunately, not every person has this opportunity, so many are interested in the question not only of how to store cabbage in the cellar, but also how to store cabbage in the apartment.

How to store cabbage in the cellar

It’s hard to argue with the fact that it’s best to store fresh cabbage in the cellar, as is the case with all fresh vegetables. The optimal storage temperature for cabbage is from 1 degree Celsius below zero to two degrees Celsius with an air humidity of about 90 - 98%. These are the conditions that should exist in the cellar if you plan to store fresh cabbage there in winter.

It is undesirable to leave the heads of cabbage on the ground; the likelihood of it getting damp is too high, which will trigger the process of rotting. The best way how to store cabbage implies providing it with full access to oxygen and keeping it on wooden floor or special flooring.

Ideally, the wooden surface on which the cabbage will be stored should be washed with baking soda and covered with burdock or fern leaves, which help maintain the freshness of the cabbage leaves and prevent them from rotting.

You can prevent moisture on a wooden surface by adding a layer of straw, and air circulation will be ensured if you lay out the cabbage in a checkerboard pattern in two to three rows. Those who do not yet know how to store cabbage should remember that they need to be laid out with the stalks facing up to prevent rotting of the stalks and upper leaves.

How to store cabbage in the refrigerator

Many people have to store vegetables in their apartment, and, unfortunately, there is no more suitable place for this than the refrigerator. This is completely acceptable, but you need to know how to store cabbage in the refrigerator so that it lasts as long as possible. Having selected fruits suitable for storage, it is enough to wrap them in cling film in 2-3 layers and place them in the so-called “freshness zone”.

It is considered correct to store fresh cabbage in an apartment if it is in a dry and well-ventilated place with a suitable air temperature. Such a place could be a balcony. Cabbage can be placed in a fabric bag or wooden box, sprinkled with sand. You can also use the old proven method of properly storing fresh vegetables - wrap each fruit in paper.

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Source: http://kak-hranit.ru/kak-hranit-kapustu/

How to properly store cabbage in a house or apartment?

There is an opinion that white cabbage firmly holds second place in popularity, giving way to potatoes. But how can I say it? In other families, cabbage is the leader. Here, cabbage soup and borscht, dumplings and cabbage rolls, kulebyaki, casseroles and many other dishes are held in high esteem. But how to ensure that fresh vegetables can be eaten before the new harvest? How to store cabbage in an apartment?

The answer is not so simple if there is no cellar, garage, cottage or even an ordinary storage room with which you were allocated multi-storey buildings era of N.S. Khrushchev. Most city dwellers have only a balcony and a refrigerator.

True, in lately Many apartments now have freezers in which you can long time freeze many vegetables and fruits. But this is a topic for a separate article.

Selection and preparation of heads of cabbage

Before you start storing cabbage at home, you need to prepare it. Forks are best stored average size, tight, round, slightly flattened.

If they went on sale in late autumn, therefore, they belong to late-ripening varieties intended for long-term storage. But there is a catch here too. Loose specimens (even from late hybrids) are not suitable for storage.

Early and mid-ripening varieties are also not suitable. Their savings period is limited to a maximum of three months.

But not only the variety plays a role in the shelf life of fresh vegetables. Before harvesting, each fork must be carefully inspected.

If cracks or damage from pests are found, they should be put aside and consumed as soon as possible. Be sure to cut off the remaining stems. The stronger the better.

After all, during long-term storage, cabbage begins to grow - it forms small heads of cabbage or puts out flower stalks.

The cover leaves are also removed, leaving no more than a couple of leaves on the head of cabbage. It must be remembered that these green leaves protect the forks from damage. Therefore, there is no need to peel the cabbage until it is white. You should get smooth and beautiful heads of cabbage with several covering leaves.

Also, be sure to wash the forks in running cool water. Water should be supplied under pressure to wash away stuck insects and remaining soil or sand. A shower is best suited for this purpose. Then the heads of cabbage are wiped with a cloth, you can waffle towel so that no moisture remains. This is the basis of how to preserve cabbage for the winter.

Refrigerator comes first

For residents of modern urban neighborhoods, refrigerators are the most convenient and accessible place for long-term storage of cabbage. By placing forks in the vegetable compartment, you can be sure that they will not spoil within 3 months. True, over time the vegetable will become lethargic and lose its attractiveness. But if you periodically remove the wilted leaves, you can increase the shelf life.

True, the forks will decrease in size each time. However, if there is no way out, you can store the cabbage in the refrigerator for the winter. With this storage, the heads of cabbage will not lose all their beneficial properties. The set of minerals, vitamins, nutrients.

But you can increase the shelf life if you wrap each fork in protective cling film.

Believe me, the whole arsenal of useful substances is beautiful appearance– absolutely everything will last at least 2 times longer.

The most important thing is that the vegetable will not cease to be crispy, as if it had just been picked from the garden. This is easy to achieve if you do proper preparation before storing cabbage at home.

By the way, Chinese and Chinese cabbage are only stored in the refrigerator. Karsnokochanka and Savoy also “live” quite well in it. The situation is different with cauliflower, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts and Romanesco. It is not recommended to keep these types of cabbage in the refrigerator for a long time, as they will become stale.

Balcony as storage for vegetables

The main disadvantage of storing vegetables in the refrigerator is that there is not enough space. Even the most spacious can accommodate no more than ten heads of cabbage. In addition, there are other products that are placed in vegetable chambers. A loggia or balcony can be a salvation if they are glazed and sufficiently insulated.

Storing cabbage on the balcony is a great option. You couldn't find a better place in the apartment. Typically, a lockable cabinet with shelving is installed for these purposes.

The heads of cabbage are wrapped in paper or cling film and placed in one row so that there is a small space between the forks. Newspapers should not be used as they contain ink containing harmful substances.

Another rule is that you cannot store cabbage on the balcony in winter if the air temperature on the balcony drops to sub-zero values.

You need to check vegetables monthly and remove forks that show signs of rotting. In the spring, such a check should be carried out weekly, or more often. Beijing, as well as Romanesco and broccoli cannot be stored on the balcony. This cabbage here will quickly become unusable due to temperature changes.

Or maybe it’s still a storage room?

If the apartment has a small pantry, you can equip it with cabbage storage. Only the pantry should not be in the kitchen. It is better if she is in the corridor, closer to front door. The ideal location for a storage room would be a stairwell.

To store the pantry, forks with a well-cut stalk are carefully covered with cling film, and always in several layers. When wrapping, you need to press the film into the head of cabbage to remove excess air.

When inspecting the heads of cabbage, which must be done at least once every 10 days, remove the rotten leaves and re-wrap the leaves with film. This is the simplest method for storing cabbage in an apartment.

But in modern residential high-rises such storage rooms are not provided.

How long can cabbage be stored in an apartment?

A piece of white cabbage that is not prepared for long-term storage, that is, not wrapped in a paper bag or wrapped in cling film, can be stored at room temperature for no more than seven days. Storing cabbage on the balcony, subject to all the above recommendations, will give you the opportunity to eat fresh produce until June.

Remember

Cabbage in film can be preserved for five months. When frozen, it stays fresh for about 10 months. The shelf life of dried vegetables is one year. In a dry, ventilated pantry, cabbage wrapped in cling film can be stored for several months.

Humidity at low temperatures can reach 95 percent, at high temperatures - 80 percent.

Of course, it is almost impossible to achieve such values ​​(the refrigerator does not count), and therefore it is better not to store white cabbage for a long time.

Other types of cabbage may not remain in the refrigerator for long. For example, the shelf life of broccoli, cauliflower and peking broccoli is only a couple of weeks. Kohlrabi, however, takes a little longer - 30 days.

• When preparing heads of cabbage small size For storage, it is recommended to soak each fork in salt water for about a quarter of an hour. Then the head of cabbage is dried with a towel. This rids the product of insects and completely disinfects it.
• Regular inspection of vegetables is necessary. If you find that the leaves begin to lose their color and darken, you need to urgently remove the paper or film from the leaves. After carefully cutting off the rotten leaves, you should wrap the cabbage again.
• If you see that cabbage is losing its appearance, it is better to ferment it or prepare some kind of preserved food.

Source: http://kapusty.ru/kak-hranit-kapustu-v-kvartire.html

How to store cabbage in winter: simple and reliable methods

White cabbage is a common crop that is grown on an industrial scale. It can be purchased in stores and markets all year round.

But if you set out to grow this vegetable yourself and stock up on it for the whole winter, it’s better to learn how to properly collect, store, and make cabbage preparations at home.

Some tips and simple recipes will be useful to every housewife.

How to store cabbage in winter: all options

Let's look at how to preserve cabbage at home until spring. Like other vegetables, it can be stored in fresh, simply in heads of cabbage, providing the plants with certain conditions. This method is available to residents of both private houses and city apartments. Its advantages include ease of execution and constant access to fresh product.

In addition, cabbage can be processed for the winter. Some recipes allow you to use this vegetable for 2-3 weeks, others for 1-2 years. The most common ways to store cabbage for the winter are:

• pickling or pickling (both chopped and whole heads of cabbage);
• pickling;
• canning in jars.

The latter option is precisely intended for long-term storage. When salted and pickled, the vegetable retains maximum beneficial qualities.

At room temperature, the vegetable will not last even a week.

How to store cabbage at home is up to you, but first you need to find out which varieties are suitable for this, how and when to harvest.

Varieties and their purpose

All varieties of white cabbage are divided into early, middle and late. Some of them are suitable only for summer use, others are suitable for laying in winter. Cabbage harvesting is carried out in the phase technical ripeness Kochanov.

Did you know that...

The phase of technical ripeness is the state when the characteristics of a variety are already distinguishable, but have not yet reached their maximum value. Simply put, a state of immaturity.

Early varieties

Vegetables of early varieties ripen quickly. You can harvest them as early as mid-June, but they won’t last long. They can be stored fresh in a cellar or refrigerator for about 1 month.

Such plants have thin, succulent leaves, the purpose of which is salads and other culinary masterpieces. Moreover, for some varieties, breeders prescribe a warning: “Consumed only fresh.” Of course, a variety like “Granddaughter” (very early) can be thrown into vegetable soup, but you need to know that heating must be stopped immediately, otherwise your soup will turn into puree.

Mid-season varieties

These varieties begin to be cut in July or August. To determine if vegetables are ripe and suitable for harvest, touch the heads of cabbage. If they are tight, with tightly fitting outer leaves, then the cabbage can be removed.

Once cut, most of them will not last long. They are mainly intended for fresh consumption and, with rare exceptions, for example, the Zosya variety, for short-term storage of 2-2.5 weeks.

Tip of the day

Do not allow mid-season cabbage to stay in the garden longer than expected. It quickly outgrows, and some varieties begin to crack even after watering is stopped. Harvest on time.

Mid-late and late-ripening varieties

For fresh storage in winter, choose mid-late and late-ripening varieties. They can last 6-8 months, that is, until a new harvest of early vegetables appears. This long-term preservation is facilitated by:

• dense structure of the head of cabbage;
• lower moisture content in leaves;
• the most late dates cleaning.

The best varieties of cabbage for storage are shown in the table:

Varieties with a shelf life of 6-8 months (according to the State Register of the Russian Federation). Click on the image to enlarge (opens in a new window)

Tip of the day

Cabbage is a highly zoned crop. Before choosing a variety or hybrid for planting, find out if it is recommended for your region.

Harvesting

Late cabbage varieties have a long growing season. There is a danger in this. If you do not have time to harvest from the garden before frosts -5 ° C, then the frozen vegetable will not be stored.

But there is no need to rush through this procedure. The heads of cabbage must be fully formed and ripen on the vine. This important point, if you decide to use vegetables for storage and pickling. The holiday of Intercession (October 14) is the time when you need to harvest cabbage from the garden.

From the first light frosts the plant loses its bitterness and becomes sweeter

Harvest late cabbage on dry sunny days, when the air temperature does not rise above 5-7 °C.

To work you will need:

• sharp knife or small hatchet;
• rubber gloves;
• containers (boxes, bags, baskets).

Using a knife or hatchet, carefully separate the heads of cabbage ready for harvest from the stalk, leaving about 5 cm. Or pull out the plants by the roots. Try not to damage the wax coating too much, which protects them from premature deterioration. Place the cut or plucked heads into bags, baskets or boxes and take them away from the garden.

Tip of the day

If you plan to store cabbage for a long time, it is better not to remove the top leaves right away - they will gradually fall off on their own.

When the crop is harvested, carefully inspect each head. Only healthy, dense heads of cabbage that have reached a weight of 2 kg are suitable for storage in winter. Smaller specimens are best used for canning.

The heads must be free of mechanical damage, traces of pests and cracks. Set aside heads that were cut too high or poorly for processing or consumption first. Immediately place selected copies in storage.

We answer the question: when to buy cabbage for winter storage?

For storage, it is better to grow it yourself. This is the only way you will be confident in the quality of the product. But if this is not possible, you should purchase vegetables for the winter during the period of mass harvesting of late-ripening varieties, that is, not earlier than the end of September.

Fresh storage

Preserving fresh cabbage until spring is very easy. On the scale of a personal farm or cottage, the yield rarely exceeds 100-200 kg. This amount is enough for the whole family, so further we will talk about saving exactly this volume of production.

You should decide on the method and place of storage before harvesting.

Storage mode

To ensure your vegetables overwinter safely, follow these rules:

1. Provide cabbage temperature regime within the range from 0 to 1 °C.
2. Keep the humidity in the storage area around 90-95%.
3. Equip the room with good ventilation or ventilate it frequently.
4. Store varieties with different terms keeping quality separately.
5. Periodically review your bookmarks and promptly remove damaged copies.

When the storage regime is created incorrectly, the plant either quickly withers or rots just as quickly.

We answer the question: Is it possible to store cabbage at sub-zero temperatures?

In a private home, the easiest way to store cabbage is in the cellar. If you don’t have one, an insulated shed or garage will do, or you can also keep it underground. But these options are not without their drawbacks. In contrast, it is easier to maintain optimal temperature and humidity in the cellar in winter.

Storage methods

And now about the most simple ways Storing cabbage at home:

1. If there are only a few heads and you have pulled them out by the roots, hang them head down from the ceiling of the storage room. In this case, the plants should not touch each other. Use slats, ropes or hooks to secure vegetables.
2. Keep larger quantities in mini-containers. Large slatted boxes or bulky plastic containers are suitable. Just place a few vegetables in each and store them in storage.
3. Keep your biggest harvest on pallets. Simply stack the heads of cabbage in a mound, leaving small gaps between them for ventilation. Layer the rows with polyethylene so that a vegetable that has begun to rot will not infect neighboring ones with its microflora.

Support in the apartment ideal conditions much more difficult. At room temperature, the heads of cabbage will not last long, and the smell from them will be felt. All that remains is to store cabbage on the balcony, provided that it is glazed and well insulated.

You can place vegetables on racks or keep them in drawers. To prevent the heads of cabbage from spoiling for a long time, wrap them tightly in cling film, leaving no air bubbles.

Watch this short video on how to store cabbage in garbage bags:

We answer the question: how to store red cabbage?

Red cabbage can be stored fresh in the same way as white cabbage. The principles are the same. Other red varieties last even longer than white ones.

Canned storage

How best to diversify the menu during the cold season is up to the hostess of the house. But it must contain vegetables. If you prefer cabbage and dishes made from it, try canned cabbage. It is convenient, tasty and healthy, and substandard plant specimens can serve as the main ingredient.

The easiest way to prepare cabbage for the winter is in jars. They can be easily stored both in an apartment and in a house. A refrigerator or pantry shelf will do.

The fresh cabbage selected for processing should be pre-prepared - remove the top dry outer leaves, remove the stalk and cut out the damaged areas.

Did you know that...

Pickling varieties have thick, fleshy leaves. They have a lot of juice and few veins. These are the ones that need to be selected for conservation. Dry and low-juicy varieties for long-term storage are not suitable for preparations.

Varieties that are suitable for fermentation (according to the State Register of the Russian Federation). Click on the image to enlarge (opens in a new window)

Pickling

Considered a classic of the genre sauerkraut. It's the easiest to prepare. You will need these ingredients:

• cabbage – 2 kg;
• carrots – 1 pc.;
• bay leaf – 2-3 pcs.;
• sweet peas in grains – 5-8 pcs.;
• salt – 1-1.5 tbsp. l.

Chop the cabbage, place it in a bowl, add the grated carrots, mix and mash the mixture a little with your hands. Add salt and spices, mix everything again and leave for 0.5 hours so that the cabbage releases its juice.

Now place everything tightly in a 3-liter jar and place it in a warm place. Periodically pierce the contents with a stick reaching to the bottom to remove carbon dioxide, otherwise the cabbage will taste bitter.

After 2-3 days, the jar needs to be moved to the refrigerator to continue cold fermentation, and after another 2-3 days the fermentation will be ready. Store it in the refrigerator.

Pickling

Pickled cabbage “pelyustka” turns out to be very tasty. Loose, unformed heads of cabbage are ideal for its preparation. You will need the following ingredients:

• cabbage – 1 pc.;
• beets – 1 pc.;
• garlic – 1 head;
• sugar – 1 glass;
• salt – 2 tbsp. l.;
• vinegar - 1 glass;
• vegetable oil – 100 ml.

Cut the cabbage into large pieces and separate into leaves. Grate the beets and peeled garlic. Place the main ingredient in a 3-liter jar, layering it with beets and garlic. Prepare the filling: 1 liter.

Dissolve salt, sugar and butter in water. Bring the liquid to a boil. Remove the container from the heat, add vinegar to it, stir and pour the filling into the jar. It should completely cover the cabbage. Place the cooled product in the refrigerator for storage.

In 2-3 days the dish will be ready.

Canning

Try also such a recipe for preserving cabbage as Victoria salad. This time the jars will need to be rolled up and sterilized. To prepare you will need the following ingredients:

Cut the cabbage, onions and peppers into strips, tomatoes into slices, and grate the carrots. Mix everything in a bowl, add salt, sugar, vinegar and oil. Now place the blanks tightly in half-liter jars. There should be brine on top. Sterilize the jars for 1 hour and seal them with tin lids. After cooling, store the product as usual.

Find out how to store other types of cabbage at home in winter: cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, kohlrabi, broccoli.

Storing cabbage at home is very easy. Choose which method suits you and use the product all year round.

Store correctly and be healthy!

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Ecology of consumption. Estate: Every summer resident wants to get a rich harvest. Vegetables and fruits contain a whole range of microelements and vitamins, but not everyone manages to preserve them for a long time fresh vegetables.

Every summer resident wants to get a rich harvest. Vegetables and fruits contain a whole range of microelements and vitamins, but not everyone manages to keep vegetables fresh for a long time. There is a tradition of fermenting cabbage in the fall so that you can enjoy it later in the winter. delicious cabbage soup. But there are ways to store cabbage fresh.

Cabbage is indispensable for human body. There are many options for canning and cooking cabbage and ways to preserve this useful product fresh. If you want to keep white cabbage fresh, you need to remove it from the beds as soon as possible, even before severe frosts occur.

To do this, you need to select the most elastic and dense heads of cabbage that have no external damage. Light heads of cabbage, in which the leaves are not located close to each other, will quickly deteriorate and are therefore not suitable for long-term storage. If the leaves do not adhere tightly to the surface of the head of cabbage, they need to be removed. If possible, leave a few green leaves on the head. The main function of these leaves will be to protect the valuable white leaves from negative impact storage environments.

Cut the stalk under the base of the head of cabbage; it should not protrude more than one centimeter. Prepare the heads of cabbage and lay the cabbage tightly in 3 layers, wrap it in household food packaging film. Convenient film 30 or 40 cm wide. Before storing vegetables, they need to be dried for several hours. Then put the cabbage in the cellar. There are no special requirements for placing heads of cabbage in the cellar. They can be laid out on existing shelves or hung in nets.

The optimal temperature for storing cabbage is considered to be from plus 1 degree to plus 5 degrees, so it will be least susceptible to rotting and will not lose its beneficial properties. Depending on the area of ​​the cellar or underground, you can choose suitable option for storing cabbage. A method that is considered effective is when the heads of cabbage are hung upside down with the top green leaves with the roots and stalk remaining.

You can pour a little dry sand into the basement and plant heads of cabbage in this improvised “bed”, stalk down, at some distance from each other. These methods, if provided at the correct temperature and good ventilation, are suitable for long-term storage of vegetables.

Once a month, inspect the cabbage and remove the top rotting leaves, do not allow the lesion to spread to the entire head of cabbage. After the spoiled leaves have been removed, wrap the cabbage in film and put it back into storage. If several layers of cabbage have spoiled, then you should no longer store such a head of cabbage, but simply remove the spoiled leaves, rinse the head of cabbage and you can use it for food. In the spring, the procedure for inspecting cabbage and culling it must be done at least 2 times a month.

By observing storage conditions, cabbage can remain fresh all year round until the next harvest. Late-ripening cabbage varieties are suitable for long-term storage. Cabbage cannot be stored if the top leaves are frostbitten. published

All varieties of cabbage are healthy in their own way and can diversify the winter menu by adding vitamins to it. But how to store cabbage at home so that it lasts until spring and does not spoil?

The shelf life of cabbage depends on many factors. First of all, this is, of course, a variety. Agricultural technology, soil, harvesting timing, and the chosen storage method are also important. Not all gardeners follow the basic rules that allow you to enjoy fresh cabbage 8-10 months after harvest.

The best cabbage varieties for storage

Preparation for storing cabbage begins at the seed selection stage. Not all cabbage is suitable for fresh wintering - early and mid-season varieties do not last even until December. It’s good to pamper yourself with them in the summer or early autumn, but for pickling and winter storage Mid-late and late-ripening varieties are suitable, as well as those whose seed packaging is marked “for storage.”

From average late varieties Suitable for storing cabbage: Belorusskaya 455, Dobrovolskaya, Vyuga, Podarok, Rusinovk A. Of the late-ripening varieties, the most popular are: Amager 611, Snow White, Stone Head, Kamenka, Morozko. Their dense heads of cabbage are resistant to rot, are easily stored for 8-10 months and only become tastier over time.

How to grow cabbage for storage

Storing fresh cabbage in winter is only possible if it has been properly grown. After all, the composition of the soil, fertilizers applied to the soil, and even autumn rains can change the keeping quality of heads of cabbage for the worse.

However, although growing cabbage has many subtleties, the following can be considered the most important:

• cabbage grown on light or loamy soils lasts longer;
• a large amount of nitrogen fertilizers reduces the keeping quality of cabbage, and potassium-phosphorus fertilizers, on the contrary, increase it;
• an abundance of autumn precipitation or excessive uneven watering leads to cracking of the heads of cabbage, and they will not be stored;
• Premature harvesting will not allow vegetables to ripen; if they are unripe, they will not last even a couple of months.

Preparing cabbage for storage

In order for cabbage to be stored for a long time, you need to put some effort into the process of harvesting it.

1. Sort the cabbage carefully: only ripened, dense heads of cabbage without cracks, mechanical damage, mold, rot or signs of disease can survive the winter fresh.
2. When cutting, be sure to leave the head of cabbage a small part of the stalk (up to 3 cm) and a couple of strong covering leaves.
3. Harvest in dry weather, and dry the cut cabbage for 24 hours in a warm, well-ventilated place.
4. Do not rush to harvest: wait until the daytime temperature drops to 3-8°C, and the night temperature to almost 0°C, and only then take the sharpest knife and go to the garden to pick cabbage.

How to Preserve Different Varieties of Cabbage

If Soviet summer residents mainly grew white cabbage, now on the ridges you can find cauliflower, broccoli, kohlrabi, and Chinese cabbage. Not all of them are as easy to store as the white and green “koloboks” we are accustomed to from childhood, but their life can be extended.

How to store white cabbage

White cabbage is one of the most simple vegetables in terms of storage. It easily tolerates changes in temperature and humidity, does not require a separate room, and even lies in a room or on the balcony for a long time.

If you follow the basic conditions for storing cabbage (temperature from –1 to 2°C, and humidity – 85-95%), then it will easily last for more than six months. It is also important not to forget to regularly (at least once a month) ventilate the room with the heads of cabbage and sort through them in search of rotten ones.

How to store cauliflower and broccoli

Cauliflower and broccoli heads are not so durable - they can be stored for a maximum of several months. If you want to enjoy dishes from these vegetables all winter, it will be easier to separate them into florets and freeze them. Fresh cabbage can be placed in wooden boxes, covered with film, and put in the cellar. At the same time, it needs to be checked every couple of weeks and removed from storage at the first signs of rot.

Cauliflower can also be stored in the refrigerator, but to prolong its life, each head will need to be placed in a separate bag or wrapped in cling film.

How to store Chinese cabbage

Properly selected humidity and storage temperature for cabbage will extend the life of even the capricious Beijing beauty. It can lie for up to 3 months if it is provided with a humidity of about 95-98% and a temperature of 0 to 2°C. True, even slight fluctuations in any of these parameters will lead to rotting or withering of tender leaves.

Where to store cabbage

Don't know how to properly store cabbage? Experienced gardeners have already come up with dozens of methods, each of which has its own pros and cons.

How to store cabbage in the cellar

If you have a spacious cellar in your private home or country house, you have probably already decided on the issue of storing cabbage. The temperature and humidity in the cellars are just right for cabbages, and they can be placed in several ways:

• hanging by stumps directly from the ceiling or beams;
• laid out in wooden boxes on the floor;
• on shelves 25-30 cm wide along the walls;
• in boxes with a thin (up to 10 cm) layer of sand, sticking a stalk into it.

It is important to remember that for longer storage, the heads of cabbage should not be placed close to each other, but at a distance of about 10 cm. Storing cabbage in film or paper also prolongs the life of cabbage. Each head of cabbage is wrapped in paper or film or placed in a separate bag. You will need to periodically check the packaging for condensation and, if any, replace it with a new one.

How to store cabbage in the refrigerator

The shelf life of cabbage in the refrigerator is shorter than in the underground, and its specific smell can bother you. However, a head of cabbage brought from the dacha can lie in a vegetable tray for a couple of months without harming itself or others, and by wrapping it in paper or cling film you will extend this period by another 3-4 weeks.

How to store cabbage on the balcony

A glazed but unheated balcony can also be an excellent place for winter storage of cabbage. True, if it freezes in severe frosts, some of the heads of cabbage may die, but additional shelter from a couple of old coats or a carpet can correct the situation.

The easiest way to store cabbage on the balcony is in wooden boxes, separating the heads of cabbage from each other with plywood or cardboard partitions. If your balcony is not glazed, then the boxes need to be insulated using polystyrene foam at least 5 cm thick.

Storing cabbage in sand

For those who do not have a cellar, but only a shallow, warm underground floor, the sand method is suitable. A layer of sand is poured onto the bottom of the box, heads of cabbage are laid and they are covered entirely, a second tier of cabbage is placed on top and the cabbage is also covered.

For such storage, it is better to choose clean river sand, and, if possible, you need to steam or calcinate it before use.

Storing cabbage in a trench

Storing cabbage in trenches is rarely used, since this is one of the most inconvenient methods, and it is suitable only for those who have no alternative.

Trenches for vegetables, a little more than half a meter deep, are dug on a hill, covered with straw, and the heads of cabbage themselves are also covered with it on top. Lay on straw wooden boards, pour a layer of earth 20 cm thick and install a “beacon” that makes it easy to navigate in winter.

The disadvantages of this method are that water gets into the trenches and rodents easily penetrate; in addition, in the harshest winters, vegetables can freeze.

Storing cabbage in hay

Not only basements, but also attics of residential buildings are suitable for storing cabbage. True, there is one condition - the house must be heated, and the attic must remain cold.
You can lay the heads of cabbage directly on the floor, or you can lay them on a layer of hay, covering them with a layer of hay on top when frost sets in. At the very cold winter The hay layer can reach 1 m.

Do not store cabbage next to apples - the taste of the heads will deteriorate.

Why does cabbage rot during storage?

Winter storage of cabbage, even with all the conditions met, can be marred by the appearance of spots on the heads of cabbage. Most often, this is a manifestation of two diseases: gray rot and soft rot.

Gray rot on cabbage occurs as a result improper storage(humidity violations), as well as if the heads of cabbage were damaged or frozen. At the first sign of its appearance, you need to sort all the cabbage into storage, remove the affected heads, and treat the remaining ones with chalk.

Soft rot affects those heads of cabbage that have cracks or mechanical damage. Such cabbage should also be immediately removed from storage.

You can protect cabbage by powdering it with chalk or slaked lime before harvesting for storage.

Now that you know everything about how to store fresh cabbage, we are sure that nothing threatens your harvest, and you will have vitamins on your table until spring.

There are many ways to store cabbage, so by carefully familiarizing yourself with each of them and creating the necessary conditions in the storage, you will be able to cook cabbage soup and borscht, make solyanka and salads, bake pies and prepare other dishes from your own supplies until spring.

Harvesting cabbage

White cabbage of early and mid-ripening varieties ripens gradually and is usually harvested 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, which determines the timing of harvesting.

Ready-to-harvest heads of cabbage of mid-season and late varieties weigh at least 0.8 kg, early ones weigh from 0.3 kg and more. At the same time, a few tightly fitting green leaves should remain on them (they should not be removed, since they have the highest resistance to diseases and protect the vegetables during storage). If the product meets these requirements, it means that it has entered the stage of removable maturity and you can begin harvesting.

For central Russia optimal time The harvest of white cabbage is the second week of October. It is best to cut heads of cabbage in clear, dry weather, when the air temperature during the day is 3–8 °C and at night around 0 °C.

The correct choice of harvest time is very important, because if the heads of cabbage are cut too early, due to the high air temperature they are very poorly cooled, which can lead to the massive development of diseases. On the contrary, vegetables harvested late are at risk of freezing, which also negatively affects their keeping quality. True, short frosts down to 4–5 °C will not damage the cabbage of mature varieties (such as Zimovka and Amager), but only when the heads of cabbage have thawed on the vine some time before harvesting.

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 violate root system and thereby prevent the influx of nutrients. For this purpose, the heads of cabbage should be bent to one side several times before cutting - this will protect them from cracking and extend the harvest period by 10–15 days (whereas when normal conditions it should take no more than a week).

When cabbage is ready for harvesting and storage, it is cut, chopped down or pulled out by the roots (the latter applies primarily to late varieties). Heads of cabbage should be cut and peeled carefully, trying not to make deep cuts. In this case, it is recommended to leave a few covering leaves and a stump with a straight cut approximately 3 cm long - such heads of cabbage are much less damaged during transportation and, accordingly, are better stored.

Harvest sort, removing cracked, diseased or damaged heads of cabbage. At the same time, stray leaves are also removed.

Cabbage sorted for storage is loaded onto conveyors or placed in containers, and then transported to the storage location. If 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 shortens the shelf life.

Particular attention should be paid to the loading process. It is undesirable to toss the heads of cabbage too much, as this will damage them and lose their presentation.

Usually the heads of cabbage are cut with a sharp shovel or knife, but, as practice shows, cabbage torn out from the roots is better stored. After collection, it is inspected. To store cabbage in winter, only the densest, undamaged heads of cabbage are selected. If there is moisture on the outer leaves, they need to be slightly dried.

Where to store cabbage in winter and can it be done in a basement or cellar?

Where to store cabbage to protect the harvest? Most often, cabbage is stored at home in winter in cellars or basements, placed on racks. It is better to make the latter collapsible using identical 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 heads of cabbage can be hung individually by stumps from the ceiling or shelves.

It is also advisable to stack vegetables in the form of a pyramid (with the stumps up), making sure to leave gaps of 30–40 cm in size. This method is a great way to save space: up to 200 kg of cabbage can be placed per 1 m2.

Another common way to store cabbage in a basement or cellar is to place the heads of cabbage in lattice wooden boxes in several layers. In this case, each layer is placed with the stumps facing upwards, and the topmost layer with the stumps facing 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 shelf life, it is advisable to wrap each head of cabbage in thick paper:

How to store cabbage for the winter in a pile

So, you have sorted out the question “is it possible to store cabbage in the cellar”. But there is another way. A rich harvest of cabbage is often stored in piles. Unlike potato tubers or root vegetables, the heads of cabbage are not poured, but placed one at a time to minimize the risk of mechanical damage. Vegetables located on the surface are placed with their stumps inward - this helps prevent freezing.

The most effective bulk method of storing cabbage is in storage facilities with active ventilation. If the harvest was harvested in cool, dry weather, the heads of cabbage are covered over the entire storage area in a continuous layer of 2.5 m. If the harvest was carried out in rainy weather, and the harvest is represented by less shelf-stable varieties, the heads of cabbage are placed in the storage in wide stacks on both sides of the aisle. The passage is left so that in the event of possible spoilage of vegetables, it is possible to take the necessary measures: sort through 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 continues for 10–12 days, since only then will the final cooling of the cabbage mass occur (drying usually takes much less time: about 3 days). But even after this, they continue to carry out ventilation 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
must not be lower than -1 °C.

Cabbage can also be stored in naturally cooled rooms or in refrigerators. In this case, vegetables are also placed in stacks. A good way to increase the shelf life of cabbage until June is the so-called snowing. IN middle lane In Russia, this method is used at the end of February or beginning of March, when the air and snow temperatures are about -3 °C. Heads of cabbage intended for snowing must be dense, well preserved, without damage or rotting.

Cabbage is usually snowed in piles. Before storing cabbage in winter using this method, snow is compacted on an area approximately 4 m wide with a layer 50–80 cm thick, and low snow walls are made on the sides. The cabbage is laid in rows, covering each of them with a 10-centimeter layer of snow. Gradually the pile 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.

Whatever method you choose, in any case you must comply prerequisites storage, the most important of which are temperature, humidity and gas composition.

How to properly store cabbage in the basement or cellar in winter

The ideal temperature for storing white cabbage is from 0 to -1 °C. The fact is that the inside of 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 can withstand temperatures down to -7 °C. As a result of thawing, the frozen part of the head of cabbage darkens and begins to decompose, releasing a substance with a strong unpleasant odor - acetaldehyde. The areas affected in this way are called cuffs. The research results confirmed that the formation of cuffs directly depends on 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 also negatively affects the keeping quality of cabbage. It is especially important to monitor this, since cabbage during storage produces a much greater amount of heat than any other type of vegetable (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 storage facilities must be strengthened. In addition to heat, cabbage also releases quite a lot of moisture. As a result, the relative humidity in the storage area is usually around 98%, which can lead to the development of many diseases, especially gray mold. But a decrease in humidity can also damage the condition of the product: this increases evaporation, and the heads of cabbage quickly dry out, losing weight. In this regard, it is advisable 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 established that the optimal ratio is 4% CO2, 5% O2 and 91% N2. If this condition is met, cabbage can be stored for up to 7 months even at high temperature And relative humidity. The point is that increased concentration carbon dioxide reduces the intensity of breathing, resulting in reduced weight loss and slows down the development of diseases. Due to improper collection, sorting and storage, as well as due to a number of other reasons, cabbage heads can be susceptible to various diseases. The most common of these are gray rot, white rot, mucous bacteriosis, vascular bacteriosis and spot necrosis.

Late-ripening, or so-called winter, varieties of cabbage are suitable for long-term storage. It is very important to harvest the crop on time, since numerous studies have established that respiration in cabbage heads collected at a temperature of 0 - +5 ° C occurs least intensively and, therefore, they are better stored. Frozen cabbage will not last long, just like cabbage that has cracked due to prolonged watering or prolonged rains.

How to properly store cabbage using any of the above methods? Store cabbage in a dark room at a stable temperature of 0 – +1 °C and a relative humidity of 95%. The storage must have good ventilation and a certain gas composition of the air - at least 6 - 8% oxygen and no more than 2 - 3% carbon dioxide. Only this storage mode ensures good shelf life of cabbage with minimal loss of nutritional properties. During storage, cabbage loses few vitamins; even the most unstable vitamin C retains 2 thirds of its original volume.

It is better to store cabbage on racks, 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 of heads of cabbage on the floor, be sure to lay down 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 heads of cabbage by the roots tied with twine. Before this, you can dip the cabbage in clay mash and dry.

Methods and conditions for storing white cabbage and cauliflower

You can store white cabbage in different ways. For example, hanging heads of cabbage from the ceiling of the cellar. If you plan 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 of cabbage, air dry and tie in pairs. Each pair of forks should be suspended from the cellar ceiling. This method allows you to keep cabbage fresh until spring. It must be remembered that the suspended heads of cabbage should under no circumstances touch each other.

If the described method of storing cabbage is for some reason unacceptable to you, then a small number of heads of cabbage can simply be laid out on dry shelves in the cellar. However, in this case it is necessary to periodically check the forks and remove spoiled leaves.

The third way to store fresh white cabbage is as follows: in the floor of the cellar you need to dig a groove of suitable size into which to place the prepared heads of cabbage with the stalks facing up. After this, the forks should be covered with soil so that a layer of at least 10 cm is formed above the cabbage. In a cold cellar with the onset of frost, the soil must be regularly added so that the cabbage does not freeze. In some winters, the layer of soil above the cabbage forks can reach 30 cm.

Applicable in a dry, well-ventilated cellar next way storage of white and cauliflower. Forks of white cabbage need to be dug up with roots and planted in dry sand. When storing cauliflower for the winter, you need to do the same thing, but they need to be dug out of the bed along with small clods of earth. The forks should not touch each other, and it is recommended to additionally tie the heads of cauliflower, since it may grow during storage.

How else to store cauliflower at home with minimal losses? Some experienced gardeners preserve forks of white cabbage in clay. To do this, you need to cut down the heads of cabbage and tie each one with strong twine, leaving a convenient loop. Then the cleaned fork should be dipped in diluted clay. In this case, the clay solution should resemble thick sour cream in consistency. After the entire head of cabbage is covered with clay, it should be dried and hung from the ceiling of the cellar.

Some more ways to store cabbage. In the Caucasus, for a long time, heads of cabbage have been stored strung on corn stalks. This good way, because it allows 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 summer weather as the flow is strong. warm air will lead to the formation large quantity condensation on the ceiling and walls. This work should be carried out in the fall at more low temperatures oh, when this does not lead to the formation of excessive dampness.

An important condition for storing white cabbage is not only ventilation, but also disinfection of the vegetable storage area. To do this, you can burn several sulfur bombs (1 bomb per 10 m3). You need to work with them very carefully, adhering to all safety precautions. The checker is set on fire in storage, placed on a metal stand away (no closer than 0.5 m) from flammable objects. Before ignition, vents, cracks, etc. are tightly closed, and after ignition, so is the entrance. After 2–3 days of treatment, the room is thoroughly ventilated. A sulfur bomb will help get rid of not only various microorganisms, but will also kill insects and rodents.

Then you should whitewash the ceiling and walls lime mortar with the addition of a small amount copper sulfate. It is better to remove wooden shelves and drawers and dry them in the sun, and then spray them with a 5% solution of copper sulfate. If the storage area froze in past winters, insulate it with sheets of polystyrene foam. This simple and inexpensive operation will have a positive effect on the shelf life of stored products, and primarily potatoes, which, as is known, have bad taste and consistency.

Enough interesting way long-term storage of cabbage is used in the northern regions of Russia. It is called snowing and consists of the following: on a winter day, prepared cabbage is placed in a stack on a trampled area, covering each row with snow. Then the entire stack is covered with snow 1 m thick on all sides.

Until spring, cabbage was also stored in villages in this way. They dug a hole at least 1 m deep and poured a layer of sand on the bottom. The uprooted cabbage 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 2nd row was laid, etc. After the onset of frost, the hole 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 people are faced with the fact that seemingly healthy forks stored in the cellar suddenly begin to rot.

For example, when cutting through another head of cabbage, dry darkened leaves, black dots, dry “nets” or stained veins are suddenly discovered.

Rotting of cabbage during storage is due to damage to its tissues various diseases, which do not make themselves felt in the process of preparing winter stocks. These are, first of all, white and gray rot, mucous bacteriosis, rhizoctonia, etc. Infection with them occurs as a result of improper growing conditions, careless harvesting and preparation of vegetables for storage.

This disease of cabbage during storage, gray rot, appears on the forks in the form of weeping mucous spots, in places covered with a gray fluffy coating. Typically, the rotting process begins on heads of cabbage where damage was caused during harvesting or transportation, as well as on slightly frost-bitten leaves. The appearance of gray rot is dangerous because it quickly spreads throughout the cellar: the contact of healthy heads of cabbage with diseased ones 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 new 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 the penetration of air to the inside of the head of cabbage. This factor can cause tissue necrosis and decomposition. Such stains and dents are popularly called “cuffs.” After thawing, damaged forks quickly rot and are no longer suitable for food.

When 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. Subsequently, the “cotton wool” becomes covered with numerous black dots – sclerotia – various shapes and magnitude.

Infection of cabbage with white rot usually occurs during the cutting of cabbage heads. The disease develops quickly if harvesting was carried out in humid weather, in the rain, and later some storage parameters were violated, for example temperature conditions. A head of cabbage affected by white rot rots completely in short terms, becoming sources of infection for other stocks.

Rotting 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 late varieties of white cabbage. Heads of cabbage are especially severely affected in rainy years. The first signs of rhizoctonia blight are flat black sclerotia that form on the affected leaves. Decayed leaves acquire a brown tint, in places becoming covered with sparse light fluff.

Over time, damaged leaves rot, becoming yellow, dry and transparent. Rhizoctoniosis develops faster at high temperatures in the cellar. The disease spreads through direct contact of diseased cabbage heads with healthy ones.

With mucous bacteriosis, mucus and rotting of the leaves are observed, accompanied by complete softening of the tissues and the appearance of unpleasant odor. Mucous bacteriosis usually affects heads of cabbage that are injured during transportation or during harvesting, as well as those that are cracked, frostbitten, damaged by insects or other diseases. Mucous bacteriosis develops quickly in cellars with high humidity and increased air temperature.

The quality of winter reserves is significantly reduced when cabbage is infected with vascular bacteriosis. Infection with this disease occurs during the active growing season of the plant, and during storage it appears 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 spots 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 applying fertilizers to the characteristics of a particular variety of cabbage. The conditions for storing 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 a household refrigerator negatively affects the quality of cabbage and often leads to rotting of the cabbage 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 bandaged and hung in a cool, dark room. It has been noted that if you drill a small hole in the stalk of cabbage, it will remain fresh for 2 to 3 months longer.

To have fresh cauliflower in winter or spring, you can simply grow it in the cellar. Why in the fall they dig up cabbage with heads at least 3–5 cm and plant them in boxes with moist soil, burying the roots to the first leaves. Prerequisite storage of cauliflower - a dark, cool room with a temperature of +1 to + 8 °C). The heads grow well within 40–90 days; you just need to maintain soil moisture and ventilate the storage.

The cut heads of cauliflower are tied with a rope so that they do not touch one another and hung in the basement under the ceiling.

Red cabbage is harvested before the onset of frost. Dense, undamaged heads of cabbage are placed on shelves or in slatted boxes and stored at a temperature of +2 – 4 °C in a well-ventilated area. You can sprinkle the heads of cabbage with wet sand.

Conditions and temperature for storing white cabbage in winter

White cabbage is kept with 3–4 green leaves tightly fitting the head, 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, the cabbage racks are placed on them in 2-3 layers with free access to air. Cabbage is stored well when hung on slats. In this case, the stump is not cut. Decaying leaves are removed.

In regions with mild winters, storing cabbage in the basement is quite difficult. In these areas, it is advisable to grow white cabbage. For this late cabbage sown 3 weeks later than generally accepted dates. 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 and as wide as the diameter of the head of cabbage. Lay the cabbage heads down with all intact and healthy leaves of the rosette. Then they cover it with earth, taken out of the groove, with an additional layer of 30 cm. In frosty winters, cover the cabbage fresh manure or straw. By February - March, the head of cabbage increases in weight, becomes dense and white.

The most common and proven methods for storing cabbage include the following:

Storing on shelves in the cellar is the simplest type of “wintering” of cabbage, in which the heads of cabbage are cleared of the top green leaves, leaving only 2-3 pieces. During the winter, the fruits are periodically turned over on the other side. Moreover, the longer the stalk, the longer the head of cabbage will be stored.

Before storing the heads of cabbage in the cellar, it is advisable to treat them to get rid of harmful microorganisms. To do this, each head of cabbage, held by the stalk, is dipped for a few seconds in a solution of whitening lime (100 g of lime per 5 kg of cabbage) or pollinated with chalk (the proportions are identical).

If you have a small amount of cabbage, you can use the second storage method. The cabbage is again peeled from the top leaves and each head of cabbage is tied by the stalk to a beam under the ceiling of the cellar. It is advisable that the fruits do not come into contact with each other. Another option is to store cabbage in hanging nets.

The following method suggests, without removing the top leaves, wrap each head of cabbage in paper and lower it into the cellar, and during storage, check the condition of the fruit for moisture. If the paper gets wet, you need to unroll the head of cabbage, remove one layer of leaves, wrap it in a dry “packaging” and put it back.

With another method, the stalks are cut off almost tightly, about 0.5 cm away from the fruit, and each head of cabbage is wrapped in thin cling film in 2-3 layers. After this, the cabbage can be lowered into the cellar or stored in any other cool place, periodically, as in the version with paper, checking the fruits and removing rotten leaves.

Here are some more general tips:

• For long-term storage, late-ripening varieties are used;
• cabbage heads are never washed, but only wiped with a dry cloth;
• Cabbage should not be stored in boxes, as it will quickly rot in them.

As for cauliflower, it can be stored for no more than 2 months. It can be wrapped in a thick plastic bag, 2-3 heads each, making 2-3 holes in the “package” of 0.5-1 cm each. The method with cling film is no less effective.

Some summer residents “grow” the heads, for which they stand them vertically and sprinkle the roots of the plants with sand (peat), watering them from time to time.

Optimal storage conditions for cabbage are 90% air humidity. The storage temperature for white cabbage is from -1 to 2° C. There are several methods for storing this vegetable crop. The first is the location of the heads of cabbage in a suspended state. You need to collect cabbage from the garden along with the roots before the first frost, remove the top leaves from the forks and leave them in the open air for a while. After this, tie the roots with twine and attach them with hooks made of wire. Heads of cabbage should be hung from the ceiling of a cellar or basement so that they do not touch each other.

You can place forks prepared in the same way on wooden shelves(just do not make hooks) and throughout the entire storage period, remove leaves as they deteriorate.

Another method of storing white cabbage is often used. You should tie parts of the cut roots with twine and make a loop on top. Remove the top leaves, completely dip the forks in a clay solution, the consistency of sour cream, and hang dry in a well-ventilated area. Hang dried cabbage from the ceiling in a cellar or basement.

Salted or sauerkraut in barrels should be stored at 0-1° C. It is necessary to ensure that the brine completely covers the product, otherwise it will be deprived of vitamin C. If the temperature in the cellar or basement drops sharply, the cabbage will be frozen, and it will definitely be needed consume after thawing. Repeated freezing will destroy all vitamins.

Cauliflower and white cabbage, as well as potatoes and carrots, are the basis of our year-round diet. However, by the end of winter it is difficult to find a juicy and dense head of cabbage - due to non-compliance with storage conditions, the vegetable loses most of its vitamins and turns dry and tasteless. But we will figure out how to store cabbage in a cellar or basement correctly in order to keep it fresh until spring.

Condition 1. Storage methods

There are many the right ways cabbage storage For example:

Image	Storage options
	Method 1.In boxes The boxes should have holes to allow air to reach the vegetables.
	Method 2.On the shelves Build shelves along the wall with your own hands so that they can easily accommodate forks. Vegetables are placed with the stalk facing up, having previously been wrapped in paper (you can use cling film).
	Method 3.Suspended Take the head of cabbage along with the roots. Then tie a rope to the stalk and hang the forks from the shelf, as shown in the photo.
	Method 4. In the refrigerator Heads of cabbage can be placed in the vegetable compartment and displayed minimum temperature, creating the so-called “freshness zone”.

How much useful substances will be retained in it depends on how to properly store cabbage and where to place it.

Condition 2. Which varieties are good for storage?

To keep the vegetable juicy until spring, need to be selected the right varieties white cabbage. As a rule, the shelf life of a vegetable also depends on the timing of its ripening:

• Early ripening- ripen in May-June; they are not suitable for long-term storage, as they have loose heads of cabbage.

• Mid-season- will last about three months.
• Mid-late and late-ripening— perfect for long-term storage, they have elastic heads of cabbage that are enriched with a lot of fiber.

A small conclusion: only mid-late and late-ripening varieties of cabbage are suitable for winter storage.

Mid-late

Mid-late varieties include:

Image	Variety
	Present Greenish-white heads of cabbage. Can be stored for up to 7 months.
	Dobrovodskaya Weighty juicy heads of cabbage. Retain beneficial properties for up to six months.
	Blizzard The heads are gray-green. At proper storage lasts up to 8 months.

No less good varieties for storage, but not very popular:

• Harvest,
• Rusinovka,
• Finale,
• Menza,
• Belorusskaya et al.

Late

The following varieties are extremely popular among late varieties:

Image	Variety
	Amager It is one of the most storage-resistant varieties - it will last up to 8 months.
	Snow White This variety can last for about six months.
	Stone head ABOUT round-flat heads of cabbage will last a whole year, and during this time they will become even tastier.

Condition 3. Cultivation for winter storage

• forks grown on light to medium soils, can last longer than harvest from sandy loam soil;
• abundance of precipitation V autumn period provides negative influence for storage - the not yet formed fork cracks and becomes loose;
• amount of fertilizer plays an important role, therefore it is necessary to observe crop rotation - this is an annual alternation of crops in the beds.

It is impossible to preserve cabbage grown on excessively treated soil with nitrogen fertilizers! Since the amount of dry matter in the tissues of its leaves rapidly decreases, which is why the heads of cabbage loosen, rot and deteriorate. Increasing the dose of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers will have a positive effect on storing fresh cabbage in winter.

Condition 4. Harvesting and storing the crop in the cellar

For those who grow crops at their dacha plot, First of all, you should take care of collecting it correctly. Harvesting is recommended from late summer to mid-autumn, depending on the variety.

Instructions on how to properly harvest and prepare crops for wintering:

Illustration	Sequence of actions
	Step 1 We harvest correctly. It is advisable to do this in sunny weather. Carefully dig up the forks with a shovel, and clean the roots and stalks from the soil.
	Step 2 We get rid of “defective” heads of cabbage. Storing fresh cabbage for the winter depends on the condition of the crop, so it needs to be sorted. Sort out small heads and spoiled ones - use them first.
	Step 3 Now you need to dry each head of cabbage. It is better to do this in an apartment or under a canopy - at least 24 hours. Depending on which storage method you choose, at this stage you can sharp knife cut off the roots.

In order for storing cabbage in the basement in winter at home to be successful, it is important to take care of the optimal microclimate in the room. The storage temperature in the cellar in winter should not exceed +2 ° C, humidity should remain at 92-98%. The price of neglecting these conditions is spoiled heads of cabbage. If you follow these recommendations, you will get juicy and fresh cabbage, even after 8 months of storage.

In winter, storing cauliflower at home is also possible. The conditions are the same as for white cabbage. The main thing is not to let the flowers deteriorate.

Conclusion

You learned how to grow and how to properly harvest cabbage in order to preserve the vegetable until spring. Some more instructions are in the video in this article. Do you know how to store cabbage? Write in the comments!