Store Vegetables in the Ground Over Winter

After the potatoes, onions, and pumpkins have been harvested and the weather has turned cooler, it's time to clean up your summer garden and store your vegetables. But where?

A root cellar, garage, dark closet, or even the space under your bed are suitable options for storing vegetables. As long as you select a cool and dark location, your vegetables should stay fresh for several months. Be sure to check them regularly for rot or spoilage of any kind. Remove any damaged vegetables, as one bad onion can ruin the the whole bunch.

Storing your vegetables in the ground over winter is another option. Yes! Certain root vegetables such as beets, carrots, turnips and rutabagas store well when left in the ground. Even some leafy greens such as spinach and kale can survive under a blanket of snow.

So what steps do you take for storing your vegetables in the ground over winter?

• Before the first frost, hoe soil over your carrots, beets, turnips, and any other root crops you want to leave in the ground. If you decide to leave any greens, such as spinach, leave the leafy part of the plant exposed so they can continue to grow and sweeten. 

• During autumn, allow your cold tolerant crops to grow as long as possible. They will accumulate higher levels of sugar making them freeze tolerant when winter finally arrives. Their flavor will enhance, becoming sweeter; surely no one will complain about that. If an early hard frost is predicted, cover your crops with Reemay, cloth, straw, or leaves and uncover them when temperatures rise above freezing. 

• As autumn wanes and winter approaches, mulch your crops to protect them from the cold. In milder climates, a light mulch will do. In northern climates where winters are much colder, prepare your crops before the ground freezes. A thick layer of mulch, 12 inches or more, such as straw or leaves will bury your crops and keep the ground from freezing around your plants. 

After taking these steps, your vegetables should be snug and warm, allowing for harvesting all winter. With the extra effort of winterizing your root crops, you will be rewarded with fresh, sweet vegetables over winter; better than what you can purchase from the grocery store. 

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TIP: If mice or voles become a problem because you have created a warm and inviting little nest, simply set some live-catch traps. Hopefully this will discourage them before they destroy your crops.

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We've noticed some fellow gardeners have left a number of carrots to over-winter in the Community Garden this year. It's great to know that these hardy little roots can withstand a harsh Montana winter.

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Product Recommendation:  Our tender tomato plants survived and thrived after using Reemay ground cloth in the garden to cover them from cold springtime temperatures.

Reemay Garden Blanket - 67" x 100'