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First root cellar, temp to start storage?

 
Posts: 5
Location: Upper Valley, NH
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We've converted our bulkhead to become a root cellar. Even in 90* days before insulating it stayed below 74, so I'm sure now that it's insulated it'll be closer to 65 during the days, until the cold sets in around mid-Oct. This is my first root cellar.

Which brings me to my question,
How cold do I have to wait for it before shifting in the carrots?

My grandfather stored only potatoes (kennebec) in the unfinished cellar of the house I grew up in. He started storing them right about now (same latitude etc, 1980's). The potatoes made it to february/March just fine (when we would run out). He didn't keep carrots in the root cellar, so the thought of losing carrots is worrying me.

If I store things as I've been taught (burlap, sawdust etc). Can the carrots manage in the 60's until the cold settles in around the end of October? Or are they going to definitely rot?

If I can't start storage, how long can I leave the carrots in the ground beyond their 'ready' point? (What signs that they need to get yanked NOW?) In case it matters - I have "bolero" planted.

I really don't want to can all those carrots if I can help it. Next year I'll plant my second and third succession later so they aren't 'ready' until mid September.

Thanks in advance for advice!
 
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Posts: 1968
Location: Longbranch, WA Mild wet winter dry climate change now hot summer
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It is hard for me to answer because here carrots drop there seeds about now and grow over winter.  As long as they don't try to go to seed they can stay in the ground until the color is in danger of being frozen.
So yes planting counting back from first hard freeze date the days to maturity gives the best sugar content before storage.
 
pollinator
Posts: 195
Location: Colrain, MA, USA (5a - ~1,000' elev.)
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Hi Lissa Malloy,

I understand that carrots can store well in moist sand, but lemme check
I'm checking 'Root Cellaring' by Nancy and Mike Bubel, Garden Way Publishing, March 1995...
They write that carrots like cold and very moist storage conditions (32-40F, 90-95 % relative humidity), and that June-planted carrots store better than early-spring-planted ones. The Bubels store carrots in damp sawdust, with carrot layers separated by the sawdust. They say sand, peat moss, moss or leaves also protect stored carrots well. They address garden storage as well.

Brian
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My carrots kep well into July next year in moist sand.
 
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