HO-125
Storing
Vegetables and Fruits at Home
HOME YARD & GARDEN • COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE • PURDUE UNIVERSITY • WEST LAFAYETTE, IN
B. Rosie Lerner and Michael N. Dana
Remember Grandma’s root cellar, which yielded crisp fruits and vegetables all winter long? Even though modern housing and central heating have pretty much done away with yesterday's deep, dark cellars, you can still store fruits and vegetables at home without refrigeration.
Many fruits and vegetables picked in their prime can be stored in basements, cellars, outbuildings, and pits so long as adequate ventilation to allow cold outdoor air inside is provided. The storage areas described here are practical only where the average winter temperatures are below freezing from mid-November to mid-March.

Conditions Necessary for Storage
Store only fresh, sound produce that is free from cuts, cracks, bruises, or other insect or mechanical injury. If any damaged, insect-infested, or diseased specimens are placed in storage, they could damage the entire supply. Handle produce carefully to prevent any mechanical damage. When harvesting and storing, use only containers that have smooth, inner surfaces, free from any protrusions such as wire staples or splinters. Standard apple boxes and lug boxes for shipping tomatoes and grapes are good storage containers.
Vegetables should have as little field heat as possible when they are placed in storage. Harvest in early morning on a cool day or let the crops cool outdoors overnight before placing them in storage. Waxing vegetables is not recommended for home storage. The amount of wax to apply is critical and is difficult for the home gardener to control.
Keep your storage facilities clean. Get rid of any vegetables that show signs of decay or damage. Remove all containers from storage facilities at least once a year, and clean and air them in the sun. This is best done in early spring when old vegetables are being discarded, and in late fall when you are ready to store your new season’s crop.
Temperature and Humidity
Maintaining proper temperature will do much toward lengthening the time the produce can be stored (Table 1). In a large storage area or storage rooms, place one thermometer in the coldest location of the room and the other outdoors. Outdoor temperatures well below 32°F are needed to cool storage air to 32° and to maintain that temperature. Once cooled to 32°, the temperature will rise again if ventilators are closed, even though outdoor temperature is about 25°. Close ventilators tightly whenever the outdoor temperature is higher than the storage temperature. Also be careful that produce doesn’t freeze during extremely cold weather.
Correct humidity levels maintain produce freshness, and prevent excessive shriveling. A simple humidity gauge available at most hardware stores can be used to monitor relative humidity. Humidity can be elevated by sprinkling the floor of the storage area frequently, by placing large pans of water under fresh-air intake vents, or by covering the floor with wet materials such as straw or odorless sawdust. However, these methods will not produce enough humidity for root crop storage. The easiest and most efficient way to control moisture loss is to place produce in polyethylene bags or box liners. Be sure they have several 1/4 to 3/8-inch holes in the sides to permit ventilation. If moisture collects on the inside of the bag, punch a few more holes. See Table 1 for recommended humidity levels.

Home Basements
Most home basements which contain a furnace are too warm for storing fruits and vegetables. However, such locations are ideal for ripening tomatoes and for short-term storage of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and onions.
For short-term storage (3-6 weeks) or ripening, partition off a north or east side of the basement, preferably one without heating pipes or ducts. Choose a location with at least one