How to Make a Cheap Root Cellar

Instructions

1. Decide whether you want to build your root cellar into the side of a hill or bury it in the ground. Walk-in root cellars are more convenient than crawl-in, so consider planning a root cellar tall enough to accommodate a regular sized door for easy entry. Top-entry trap doors will require you to plan for additional space in your root cellar to accommodate a ladder or staircase.

2. Using 2 x 4 rot-resistant framing material and sealed plywood, build a sturdy box to the size you've chosen for the root cellar. On one of the side walls, cut out two 3-inch diameter holes, large enough to fit snugly around a 3-inch PVC pipe which you will install for ventilation. One of the holes should be about a foot from the floor, and the other about a foot from the ceiling of the root cellar box. Make a door frame on another wall, starting about 2 inches from the base of the box, and install the door.

3. Alternatively, use an old refrigerator for the root cellar, after removing any closed shelving (such as between the freezer section and fridge) and refrigeration tubes. You will have to drill holes in the bottom of the refrigerator for ventilation and place the fridge on cinder blocks to allow air to circulate upward. Place a fine screen over the holes to keep out insects. Drill a larger hole near the top of the refrigerator to install a PVC pipe to vent out the warmer air that gathers at the top of the refrigerator.

4. Dig out a squared off space to install the plywood box or fridge, using an excavator if available, or a shovel. It's ideal to dig down far enough so that the top of the box is approximately even with ground level after installation. Your job will be easier if you can dig the root cellar space out of a hillside. If you have to dig it into the ground, you can dig a recess in front of the door big enough for the door to open wide. Install an old stepladder or wooden planks to allow you to descend to the door level.

5. Install the refrigerator or wooden box into the excavated space and fill in with available or purchased soil, taking care to expose the ends of the PVC vent pipes to the open air. Attach a valve seal mechanism at the ends of the vent pipes so they can be sealed off in the event of extremely cold weather. You can also use a rag or a sponge.

6. Build and install shelving into the wooden box if that is what you are using for your root cellar. Make sure to leave a couple of inches between the shelving and the walls of the root cellar to allow for adequate air circulation. And finally, cover the top of your root cellar box or refrigerator with at least 12 inches of sod or soil seeded with grass to hold it firmly in place.