How to Store Vegetables in the Garden

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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If you don't have a lot of cool storage for your winter foods, you can store some of your crops right in the garden. Dig and use the vegetables as you need them.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Row Storage

Step1

Spread a strip of hardware cloth or old screening down each row of vegetables to discourage mice.

Step2

Place a 12-inch layer of straw or mulch over each row of vegetables.

Step3

Peel back mulch and dig as needed; be sure to re-cover the area with mulch.

Hay Bale Storage

Step1

Stack hay or straw bales two deep around a broccoli or chard plant to use later in winter.

Step2

Cover the top with an old storm window. If it is going to get really cold, throw an old rug over the window to preserve warmth.

Row Covering

Step1

Place a stake at the end of each row, with one in the middle if the row is very long.

Step2

String a piece of rope or wire tightly between the stakes.

Step3

Hang a plastic sheet over the string like a tent.

Step4

Secure the edges of the plastic with stones or blocks.

Tips & Warnings

For people in cold areas, try placing an 8-inch layer of straw on the ground, then a strip of plastic, then covering it with the 12-inch layer of straw or mulch. This will keep the layer close to the ground drier and easier to dig when frozen.
Row storage crops include carrots, parsnips, salsify, Jerusalem artichokes, and turnips. For the mid to upper South, you can add beets, cabbage, winter radishes, and celeriac.
This type of storage works well for leafy vegetables.