How to make a root cellar

[Horse with no Name]

This works where average winter temps are under 40 degrees.

Bury a 32-gallon heavy duty plastic garbage can in the ground with the rim 3 inches above soil level so that rain and melting snow cannot leak inside. To prevent the vegetables from shriveling, line the bottom of the can with 2 inches of damp sand and pack more damp sand around and between the layers. The top is insulated against changing air temperatures by a readily moveable covering made up of a 1-2 foot high mound of straw or leaves kept dry by by a piece of plastic film held in place by rocks.


I found this is one of my gardening books and thought it might be beneficial to someone.

[ThomWV]

1. Observations

I think there are potential problems:

1. If you were to burry a can in the earth here with 3" sticking out the top it would not be a sufficient lip to stop snow melt from entering in this part of the country. A foot might do it, but not 3".

2. You will not be able to reach the bottom let alone dig vegetables out of the sand at greater than arm's length.

3. An entry way covered by a foot or two of material that must be replaced after every visit will soon fall into disuse.

[Dover]

2. Hmmmm....how important is air circulation? I would worry about things getting

mildewy. Might experiment with it this winter by placing a few different things in it over winter.
Actually, I don't think building a more substantial root cellar would require that much work, but then I've never tried. I would like to figure out how best to build one in the south (Texas) for preserving things without refrigeration. It might just simply be a matter of going deeper into the ground. Maybe I could justify it if it doubled as a storm shelter.

[Lisa0825]

3. I am curious....

what can those of us in hot climates do to make root veggies last longer? Fridge is too cold, ambient temp is too high. I am thinking about buying a small wine cooler because the temps are more accurately adjustable that a regular frigde.

[hippywife]

4. I read the same method

in The All New Square Foot Gardening book but he used hay instead of sand. I would think that maybe two or three 5 gallon buckets would work, too, eliminating the problem of how to reach stuff in the bottom. It would also keep things segregated so you wouldn't have to dig through the turnips to get to the potatoes, to get to the beets, etc. It would also easier on the back to dig those smaller holes.