To grow a good harvest is only half the battle. Preserving vegetables and fruits until spring so as to preserve all the nutrients and vitamins, the taste of the fruits and appearance - this is real science. For example, how to store cabbage fresh so that it does not turn black from rot and does not dry out, retains an appetizing appearance and its own taste?
First of all, you need to know that only cabbage varieties of late ripening are worth laying for storage. Early and mid-ripening varieties of white cabbage are suitable only for short-term storage. If the cabbage variety is unknown, then the strongest heads of cabbage with tight-fitting leaves are selected.
When trimming cabbage, several green leaves are left before storage. They will keep the heads out in case of frostbite and damage by microorganisms. The root may not be pruned, but it should be thoroughly cleaned of any remaining soil.
Optimum storage conditions for cabbage and most vegetables: in a dark, dry place, at a temperature of 0 to +3 degrees Celsius and a relative humidity of 90-98%. But the main thing is to monitor the temperature. If in the place of storage of cabbage the temperature drops to -2 ° C, it is possible to freeze the crop. And when the temperature rises to + 4 ° C, vital processes are activated, and cabbage can begin to germinate.
The best place where storing cabbage will be just perfect is the village cellar. Here it can be gently hung from the root to the ceiling, laid out on a wooden floor or shelving. It is not recommended to pile up the heads of cabbage, as their ventilation is disturbed. This can lead to fungus and rot.
If it is not possible to equip a wooden flooring, then the cabbage can be laid out on wooden bricks or lay dry straw. It is undesirable for cabbage to directly touch the earth floor. During storage, it is recommended that you turn over the heads occasionally.
The answer to the question of how to store cabbage in winter can be the construction of special ditches dug in the ground. Straw is laid on their bottom, on which the crop is laid in one layer. It is also covered with straw from above and sprinkled with earth. If severe frosts are possible in winter, then the storage can be covered with a layer of dry snow.
One original way to store cabbage is to make heads of clay coated with clay so that there are no gaps on the surface. Then they are suspended in fresh air to dry the applied layer, and then hanged in winter storage. Thus, the clay capsule protects the head of cabbage from withering and disease.
In the Caucasus, cabbage is stored by hanging on corn stalks. To do this, a hole is made in the heads of cabbage and cabbage is strung through it on a corn stalk. The porous stem prevents the hole from overgrowing and allows the vegetable to breathe, preventing the development of putrefactive processes.
City residents are concerned about the question of how to store cabbage in an apartment, when there is no cellar and the only cool place is a refrigerator. You should immediately make a reservation that the refrigerator is too expensive and not the best place to store cabbage.
If there is a balcony, the construction of a heating cabinet is the best option. When insulating the cabinet, one must not forget that the cabbage must breathe. Therefore, as a heater it is better to use porous materials (dry wood, polystyrene foam, cotton wool). Bookmark should be done in late autumn, when negative temperatures stabilize outside the window. During thaws, the cabinet should be opened for ventilation.
How to store cabbage in an apartment in a cool closet? For this, well-peeled and dried-up heads of cabbage are wrapped in newsprint and loosely placed in a closet or other cool place. This method will not give the desired long-term result, but the shelf life of the crop in this form will significantly extend.