Store vegetables the correct way

Many vegetables grown in home gardens can be stored fresh, but they must be harvested at the proper time and kept at the correct temperature, humidity and ventilation.

The most common facility used by homeowners to store vegetables is the refrigerator. Water loss in fresh vegetables results in a wilted appearance.

Root crops such as beet, carrots, celery, rutabagas and turnips should not be put in storage until late fall. Root crops keep best between 32 and 40 degrees. Turnips and rutabagas give off odors, so do not store them in your basement.

Hot Peppers: Dry the peppers by pulling the plants and hanging them up or by removing the pods from the plants and stringing them up on a line. Store them in a cool, dry, ventilated area.

Sweet Potatoes: Cure freshly dug sweet potatoes for 10 to 14 days at moist conditions at 90 to 95 degrees. To maintain high humidity during curing, stack storage crates and cover with paper or heavy cloth. At the end of the curing period, move the sweet potatoes to the coolest part of the basement or house where the temperature of 55 to 60 can be maintained. Sweet potatoes are subject to chilling injury. Therefore, do not store them below 55.

Pumpkin: Harvest should occur before frost but after the rind is fully hardened. One to 2 inches of stem should be left attached to the fruit to reduce spoilage. Pumpkins are subject to chilling injuries when stored at temperatures below 50.

Beets: Begin harvesting beets when they are 1½ inches in diameter.

Broccoli: Harvest broccoli when the head is about 6 inches across. The central shoot will be tender and edible 3 or 4 inches below the flower bud.

Sweet corn: Harvest sweet corn after the silks dry up. The kernel juice should be milky, not pasty. This will be 18 to 24 days after the silks first appear. Cook or pressure sweet corn immediately after harvest. It loses sugar rapidly if allowed to stand.

Tomato: Tomatoes are by all measures the most popular of all edible plants in the garden. Harvest tomatoes as they turn red, but before the tomato becomes soft. For canning, the tomato should be completely red and fully ripe. Evening is a good time to harvest tomatoes. They have their maximum vitamin content after a day in the sun. For more gardening information, call the Tipton County Extension office at 901-476-0231 or the Shelby County Extension office at 901-752-1207. Booker T. Leigh is extension director.