How To Store Your Garden Harvest Safely
Excerpted from: Storing Fruits and Vegetables From the Home Garden.
When stored and handled properly, fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden can add
special appeal to meals long after they were harvested. Many Wisconsin residents enjoy
growing fruits and vegetables at home. While our growing season is relatively short, many
different kinds of produce can be stored at home well after being harvested.
Sometimes produce can be purchased in bulk during the growing season at a reduced price,
but this is only economical if the produce can be stored so that its quality is maintained.
Produce can be preserved for longer storage by canning, freezing, pickling or drying.
Yet eggshells are quite useful in adding calcium to homemade fertilizers, or you can simply make
calcium water by steeping dried eggshells in water for a couple of days, and then using the strained
water for your plants, including houseplants. Plants that haven't been repotted for some time often
perk up quickly when given a good drench of eggshell water.
Maximizing Storage Life
Understanding storage needs can help you take steps to maximize storage life.
Store at Ideal Temperature. Fresh fruits and vegetables are living organisms —
even after harvest. They consume oxygen and release carbon dioxide in a process called
respiration. The rate of respiration depends on the storage temperature and the
type of produce. Lowering the temperature slows respiration and extends storage life. Produce
should be cooled to the ideal temperature as quickly as possible.
Maintain Moisture. All fresh fruits and vegetables contain water and water is what makes
strawberries juicy and potatoes flaky. After harvest, water is released into the air and is not
replaced. You can maintain moisture by storing them in perforated plastic bags or by increasing
the humidity in the air.
Avoid Temperature Extremes. When fresh fruits and vegetables are exposed to extreme
temperatures, the tissue can be damaged. Fresh produce that has been frozen will begin to break
down almost immediately after thawing. By contrast, overheating and exposure to sun may
cause bleaching, uneven ripening, softening or shriveling.
Remove Diseased Produce. Most produce is quite resistant to disease as long as the skin
remains intact. Skin punctures or cuts provide access to disease-causing fungi or bacteria.
Before storing, inspect produce for wounds or early signs of disease: tissue discoloration,
water soaking, or decay. Routinely inspect stored produce and remove any with signs of decay.
Few homes have perfect storage conditions but it is possible to create spaces that will help to
extend the length of time produce can be stored. The optimum conditions may be divided into 3
main groups.
Cool and Dry. (50-60 ° F and 60% relative humidity). Basements are generally cool and
dry — or places in basements can be made cool and dry. These conditions are best for
squash and pumpkins.
Cold and Dry. (32-40 ° F and 65% relative humidity). Cold and dry describes most
refrigeration or perhaps an insulated garage in the fall or spring. Onions and garlic prefer cold
and dry conditions.
Cold and Moist. (32-40 ° F and 95% relative humidity). Cold and moist storage is the most
challenging condition to create. Refrigerators provide the cold but they are also dry. Placing
produce in perforated plastic bags in a refrigerator can create a cold and moist environment. All
fruit that grows in Wisconsin and most tender vegetables require these storage conditions.
While calcium is considered a secondary nutrient for plants, your garden will certainly appreciate the
added minerals, especially if you grow tomatoes or peppers as these plants are the most easily affected
by calcium-deficency.
Even if fruits and vegetables require similar storage conditions, they can't always be successfully stored
together. Produce may give off strong odors which can be absorbed by other items. Onions, for
example, give off pungent gases and should not be stored near apples or potatoes. Apples, pears,
tomatoes and overripe cucumbers give off a gas known as ethylene. In sensitive
crops, exposure to ethylene may cause yellowing, softening and decay.
| Fruit |
Temp (° F) |
Plastic Bag |
Duration |
| Apples |
32-38 |
Yes |
1-8 months |
| Apricots |
32 |
Yes |
1-2 weeks |
| Blueberries |
32 |
Yes |
7-10 days |
| Peaches |
32 |
Yes |
2-3 weeks |
| Pears |
32 |
Yes |
3-5 months |
| Plums |
32 |
Yes |
2-4 weeks |
| Raspberries |
32 |
Yes |
7-10 days |
| Strawberries |
32 |
Yes |
7-10 days |
| Vegetable |
Temp (° F) |
Plastic Bag |
Duration |
| Asparagas |
36 |
Yes |
7-10 days |
| Beans, snap |
41-46 |
Yes |
6-12 days |
| Beets |
32-36 |
No |
1-3 months |
| Broccoli |
32 |
Yes |
2-3 weeks |
| Brussel Sprouts |
32 |
Yes |
3-5 weeks |
| Carrot |
32-38 |
Optional |
7-9 months |
| Eggplant |
50-54 |
No |
1-2 weeks |
| Melon |
50 |
No |
7-10 days |
| Onions, sweet |
32 |
No |
1-3 months |
| Peas |
32 |
Yes |
1-2 weeks |
| Potato |
40 |
No |
4-5 months |
| Sweet Corn |
32 |
Yes |
1 week |
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