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HARVESTING, WINTERIZING
Esther Taylor
Master Gardener
Weston County Extension Service
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VEGETABLE HARVESTING
Light freeze – 28-32°F Moderate freeze – 24-28°F Severe freeze – below 24°F Ideal storage often not available around
average home
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COLD, MOIST STORAGE
32-40°F, 90-95% Humidity Root crops
– Improve humidity by storing in moist sand or vermiculite
– Beets – 1” to 1st mod freeze, storage 2-4 months– Carrots – 3” to 1st mod freeze, storage 2-4 months– Horse radish – after several severe freezes– Parsnips – after several mod freezes– Potatoes after tops died, cure for week in shade, storage
2-4 months
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COLD, MOIST STORAGE (cont.) Root crops (cont.)
– Radish – ½-1”, storage 1 month– Turnips – 1” to several light freezes
Cole (cabbage) crops– Broccoli – when florets are tight & green, storage 1
week– Brussel sprouts – when firm, storage 3 weeks– Cabbage – when solid, storage 2 months– Cauliflower – tie up outer leaves when curds 1-2”,
ready in 2 more weeks, storage 2 weeks
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COLD, MOIST STORAGE (cont.) Cole (cabbage) crops (cont.)
– Chinese cabbage – after 1st mod frost, storage 2 months
– Kohlrabi – when swollen stems 2-3” dia, storage 2-4 weeks
Greens– Chard – continuous until 1st mod freeze, storage 2
weeks
– Collard, kale, mustard, spinach – when suitable size, storage 2 weeks
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COLD, MOIST STORAGE (cont.) Salads
– Endive – storage 3 weeks
– Lettuce – anytime before going to seed, storage 2 weeks
– Parley – will over winter in protected place or cool sunny room, storage 1 week
Legumes– Lima beans – when pods are filled, storage 1 week
– Peas – when pods are filled, storage 1 week
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COLD, MOIST STORAGE (cont.) Other vegetables
– Asparagus – before top ferns out, storage 1 week
– Green onions – when sufficient size, storage 2 weeks
– Rhubarb – when stalks ½-1” dia, storage 3 wks– Sweet corn – kernels plump & tender, storage 5
days
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COOL, MOIST STORAGE
45-50°F, 80-90% humidity Vine crops
– Cantaloupe – when stems slip easily from fruit, storage 10 days
– Summer squash – when young & tender, storage 1 week
– Cucumber – before seeds ½ size, storage 1 wk– Watermelon – underside turns whitish to
yellowish, storage 2-3 wks
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COOL, MOIST STORAGE (cont.) Other vegetables
– Eggplant – when fruit nearly full grown but color still bright, storage 1 wk in warmest part of frig
– Green beans – seeds ¼ grown, storage 1 wk in warmest part of frig
– Okra – pods 2-3” long, storage 1 wk in warmest part of frig
– Sweet peppers – fruits firm, full or color develops, 2-3 wks in warmest part of frig
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COOL, DRY STORAGE
32-55°F, 50-60% humidity Dry onions – when tops have fallen over
and neck shriveled, cure in open 3-4 weeks Hot peppers – pull late in season, hang to
dry
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WARM, DRY STORAGE
55-60°F, 60-70% humidity Pumpkins – when skin is hard & color
darkens before frost Winter squash – same as pumpkin
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WARM, MOIST STORAGE
55-60°F, 80-85% humidity Sweet potatoes – before frost, cure 1 wk @
80-85° Tomatoes – before frost, storage of ripe 1
wk, green 3-5 wks
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STORAGE
LONG TERM– Canning
– Freezing
– Dehydration
COOL OR WARM STORAGE TEMPORARY– Two refrigerators
• Cold - 32-40°
• Cool - 45-50°
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STORAGE (cont.)
UNHEATED BASEMENT– 60-65°– Improve by building cellar room in corner with
window
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STORAGE (cont.)
OUTDOOR PIT– Used for roots– Unlined
• Pile roots on layer of straw
• Cover w/ more straw held by soil layer
– Lined• Semi-horizontal barrel
• Cover w/ 1-3’ of straw held by soil
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STORAGE (cont.)
STORAGE MOUND– Short period– Where ground is wet– Pile mixed vegetables on straw– Cover w/ straw held by soil
REMOVE ALL DAMAGED OR ROTTED FRUITS OR VEGETABLES BEFORE STORAGE
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WINTERIZATION
REMOVE LEAVES, VINES, STALKS, ETC– Provide winter home for insects & diseases
ADD LAYER OF COMPOST OR ORGANIC MATTER
TILL