To come in
Portal about sewerage and downpipes
  • To make the tomatoes large and ripen faster, prepare top dressing What to do to ripen tomatoes
  • Simple and effective ways to treat a greenhouse from phytophthora Greenhouse treatment in spring before planting from phytophthora
  • In what period and how to fertilize potatoes after planting How to feed potatoes after germination during hilling
  • Yaskolka - modest charm
  • Cyperus: main species, growing conditions, reproduction On which continent does the papyrus plant grow
  • At what distance should tomatoes be planted? For what purpose tomato seedlings are planted
  • Leek storage for the winter. When to harvest onions and how to store them in winter

    Leek storage for the winter.  When to harvest onions and how to store them in winter

    Now I know how to store leeks all winter. And a few years ago, I did not perceive this unusual onion at all as a vegetable with a long shelf life, I considered it to be something similar to ordinary green onions.

    Leek, which folk connoisseurs called pearl or pearl (from the word "pearl", which also means "pearl"), has been cultivated in our area not so long ago, but has already won the hearts of adherents of home farming. It does not form onions, but its appetizing white tender leg and young leaves with a pleasant, slightly spicy taste add sophistication to any culinary dishes. Knowing how to properly organize the harvest and how to store leeks in winter, you can use this delicious ingredient all year round when cooking vegetable and meat soups, second courses of poultry, fish, meat, mushrooms, and salads, and create spicy sauces based on it. .

    Despite its overseas origin, this vegetable is not capricious in cultivation and is quite disposed to long-term storage.

    A storehouse of healing ingredients

    Mentions about the healing properties of leek were left by the ancient inhabitants of the Mediterranean region (Egyptians, Greeks, Romans).

    Ancient healers noticed that he helps with physical and mental overwork, lack of appetite.

    Lotions, ointments and drugs from leek extracts have long been recommended for gout, rheumatism, advanced scurvy, urolithiasis disorders, and obesity.

    Modern research has confirmed the healing properties of this onion.

    Today it is known that the leek can “boast” of a significant content of nutrients:

    • the composition is rich in potassium, iron, calcium, phosphorus ions;
    • contains a number of vitamins;
    • carotene is present;
    • there is an essential oil, the structure of which includes sulfur.

    When and how to harvest

    Leek is especially attractive because you can feast on its tender stems and leaves almost from the very beginning of its ripening.

    And onion feathers are harvested throughout the season.

    They are cut off, cutting off the yellowed and dried fragments, washed and allowed to dry (drying is carried out in a dark place). Then cut into any shape and placed in the freezer.

    First you need to dig up this vegetable in a timely manner, and then think about how to store the leek after harvesting. Harvest before frost:

    1. try to dig the plant delicately so that the earth does not accumulate between the leaves;
    2. if clogging could not be avoided, thoroughly clean the onion. Then carefully cut off the roots, trying not to touch the bottom;
    3. do not cut healthy leaves - this will inevitably lead to the rapid withering of the vegetable and make it vulnerable to disease;
    4. be sure to remove damaged leaves.

    How to store leeks at home

    In urban conditions, leeks can be stored on the balcony, in the refrigerator. For the longest storage, it is placed in the freezer or dried.

    On the balcony

    At room temperature, leeks spoil quickly.

    Therefore, the answer to the question about how to properly store leeks in the house can only be a balcony.

    Prepared stems are kept in boxes, which, in severe frosts, are covered with a dense warm cloth.

    Craftsmen make boxes insulated with foam plastic, basalt fiber.

    When laying, consider the need for minimal ventilation and easy access to the contents. After all the crop should be periodically inspected, removing spoiled vegetables.

    Leek withstands frosts even more than onions, the storage of which we have already considered - from - 7 to - 10 ° C.

    Even if it freezes slightly, it doesn’t matter: the onion can be thawed at room temperature or transferred to the refrigerator on the vegetable shelf. Of course, this is not suitable for salads, but it will be quite suitable for first and second courses.

    In a refrigerator

    It is better to decide whether and how to store leeks in the refrigerator in advance - there is not so much space on the shelves of this household appliance, and you should leave it for other vegetables as well. For example, it is so convenient to store fresh bell pepper - it will remain fresh until the New Year.

    To place in the refrigerator, select the best plants, cut the roots, remove spoiled leaves. Now onion should be refrigerated beforehand - this is a guarantee of long-term storage. Without packaging, place it in the coldest compartment, where the temperature is kept at 0 ... - 2 ° C. Then, without delay, place the stems in plastic bags with punctures for air. Pack in portions, no more than 10 stems per bag.

    Onion stocks can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 months. The lower the temperature, the longer the shelf life.

    Freeze

    In the freezer, leeks will successfully retain all their vitamins almost until the new garden season.

    You can store it whole, but it is more convenient to immediately chop the stems in any shape of any size.

    If the freezer already contains green leaves that you harvested gradually during the season, it makes no sense to separate new blanks into leaves and stems.

    Divide the chopped vegetable material into the volumes (portions) you need, place them in food bags or paper, seal and place in the chamber.

    Drying

    If you wish to use leeks as a dry seasoning, they will need to be cooked in an oven or electric dryer.

    Chop the prepared stems with leaves into smaller pieces, lay them out in one layer on a baking sheet and dry at a temperature of + 50 ° C for about 2 hours.

    Some housewives claim that the express method (20 minutes at 150 ° C) is no worse, but this is debatable.

    Dried onions should not be stored hermetically sealed.

    Arrange it in glass or ceramic containers and cover with parchment paper. You can use gauze by folding it in several layers.

    When dried, onions best retain their taste and useful qualities. This procedure is accepted in the food industry.

    Conservation

    Canned leek is a tasty and healthy snack, very attractive in appearance.

    As a rule, only stems are closed in jars.

    Before preservation, the onion is washed and chopped into rings.

    Sharpen the knife sharper, a blunt blade will not cut, but crush the delicate structure.

    The marinade is made from water, salt, favorite spices, vinegar or lemon juice.(proportions of water / vinegar - at your discretion).

    It is delicious to add bay leaf, chili pepper to the preparation.

    Some gourmets like it when there are a few juniper berries in the jar.

    Ways to store in the cellar or basement

    The best solution for storing leeks is to place them in the cellar or basement for the winter. There, the vitamin harvest will last for about six months, but the following conditions must be observed:

    • temperature -1…+1;
    • air humidity is about 85%.

    It is very convenient to store the workpiece in the sand.

    To do this, cover the bottom of the box with a layer of sifted sand (approximately three fingers wide).

    In the sand, vertically install onion stalks in rows (like candles), cover with additional wet sand by 10-15 cm.

    And before you store the leek in the cellar in this form, dust it with quite a bit of wood ash - this will disinfect.

    Considering that leeks are not so capricious in storage, many resort to a simplified method - they simply put them in a bucket, sprinkle them with wet sand and leave them in the cellar or basement.

    • Pearl onions are one of the few vegetables that can not lose, but accumulate useful substances during storage. For example, the concentration of vitamin C in the onion stalk during storage increases by one and a half times!
    • As soon as you notice that the onion stored in the refrigerator began to “give up”, quickly inspect it, remove the wilted fragments, chop and send it to the freezer.
    • If you intend to store leeks fresh, without freezing or drying, choose varieties of medium, or better, late ripeness.

    Useful video

    You can also try to store leeks until spring right in the ground without digging. Experienced summer residents confirm the effectiveness of this method:

    How to store leeks in the winter so that they remain as bright and as useful? There are several ways, which we will tell you in detail.

    How to store leeks at home

    When to dig up and how to store leeks?

    Leek is suitable for eating at the end of summer. But in order to massively dig it out and store it in the future, you need to wait until October. If you want the bulb to retain its bright color, then 2-3 weeks before harvesting, the soil around the plants will have to be covered with a material that is not translucent. For this, fabric bags are suitable. Dig up the onion carefully so as not to crush it or cut it. Remove damaged and dirty leaves, and shorten the remaining ones by 2/3. Cut the root in half.

    How can this vegetable be stored? There are 2 storage options:

    • in the apartment;
    • in a cellar or basement.

    Choose the option that is more convenient for you. And how exactly should a vegetable be stored - we will understand this in detail.

    How to store leeks in the apartment

    1. Freeze. Peel and wash the bulbs, dry on a paper towel. Cut into pieces and put in a plastic container or plastic bag. Place in freezer. Shelf life - up to 6 months.
    2. Drying. Put the washed and chopped onions on a wire rack and put in the oven, preheated to 60 ° C, for 4 hours. But it is better to use an electric dryer. Put the dried onion rings in a clean jar and close the lid.
    3. Canning. Peel and cut the white part of the vegetable. Boil for 1 minute in boiling water, and then place in a sterilized jar. Water (1 l), in which the onion was boiled, bring to a boil and add 50 g of salt, 100 g of sugar and 90 ml of apple cider vinegar to it. Boil the marinade for 3 minutes, and then pour over our onions. Screw the jar with an iron lid, turn it upside down.

    How to properly store leeks in the basement

    The basement will be an ideal place for overwintering onions. How to properly store leeks in the basement.

    The taste of the white part is sweet and spicy. Leek can be called one of the most valuable vegetable crops. It has a high content of vitamin C, B1, B2, B3, E, PP and provitamin A. It perfectly retains its properties for a long time. During storage, ascorbic acid accumulates in leeks. With the constant use of leek in food, immunity to colds increases. In our time, we somehow bypass this king-vegetable, underestimate its properties. We rarely see it on store shelves, and vegetable growers practically do not supply it to food markets. And the reason here is that we know little about this plant and do not know how to cook it. And, of course, our main question is how long you can keep leeks in winter. Please note that during the storage period, the amount of vitamin C in onions only increases. The vegetable is successfully used in cosmetology and medicine. Carotene supports vision and improves hair condition. Essential oils boost immunity and maintain skin tone. The low calorie content of the plant explains its presence in many diet recipes. In addition, it should be noted that in a boiled, stewed, fried state, onions have the most gentle effect on all body systems, but eating raw vegetables has some limitations.

    Leek Description

    Outwardly, the vegetable resembles its aforementioned relative - onions. However, there is a difference in them - the leek does not have the usual type of bulb, but ends with a thick stem called the "leg". Summer varieties are distinguished by the longest and thinnest “leg”, winter varieties are short and thick. The green leaves of the leek are wide, flat, hard, as if covered with wax.

    For many, it remains a mystery what part of the leek can be used and whether the green part of the leek can be eaten. Once having tried this, people usually lose all interest in this variety of the Onion family.

    That's right - green leaves are used extremely rarely and only in young shoots, they are too hard and are unlikely to add charm to the dish.

    However, you should not throw them away - green shoots are used in cooking.

    Thinking about what part of the leek is eaten, it should be remembered that only the most delicate white leg is eaten, which forms the so-called false stem and false bulb, as well as young green leaves.

    Preparing to store leeks in winter

    When growing leeks, it is better to immediately allocate a separate bed intended for long-term storage for the winter. Leaves should not be plucked from plants in this bed during the season.

    The growing season of leeks is long, so the crop is harvested just before the frost. Plants carefully dig in, trying not to damage the bulbs and avoiding lumps of earth between the leaves. Feathers are cut to a length of 25 cm to reduce moisture loss. The roots are shortened, leaving no more than 2 cm. Large adhering clods of earth are cleaned off with their hands. If you just take the stems and try to shake off the bulbs, winter storage can end up spoiling the entire crop.

    Methods for storing leeks for the winter

    • methods of storing onions by chopping containers with sand in the cellar;
    • at room temperature in the apartment;
    • in a special refrigerator chamber;
    • drying;
    • freezing;
    • by salting;
    • marinated.

    Leek storage for the winter in the cellar

    Most often, the already familiar method with sand is chosen to store leeks in the cellar, however, experienced gardeners say that instead of sand, you can also use ordinary soil from the garden on which the vegetable grew.

    This onion should be stored in this way only in a vertical position, since leaving it in a horizontal position, we will get a vegetable curved to the top. It turns out so because the leek grows and stretches upwards.

    Regarding what you can fill the vegetable with. As mentioned earlier, you can use ordinary soil, river or ordinary sand. Whatever you choose from this list, it should be slightly moistened. However, please note that excessive soil moisture will cause plant roots to rot.

    About roots. They also need to be prepared. You can cut the roots by 1/3, 2/3 or not cut at all. The main thing that cannot be done is to remove the roots completely, because in this case the onion will rot.

    We also bring the leaves back to normal. You can leave them uncut, cut to 1/3, 2/3. But keep in mind that completely uncut leaves will turn at least half yellow. You can’t cut them completely, because they feed the false bulb.

    It is also important to say that it is not necessary to place the plants in soil or sand. You can put the onion in an upright position in a container with a slatted bottom and place it on the selected soil.

    When storing onions in this way, do not forget about maintaining a certain temperature and humidity. Be sure to ventilate the room even in the cold season.

    Drying leeks for the winter

    If you wish to use leeks as a dry seasoning, they will need to be cooked in an oven or electric dryer.

    Chop the prepared stems with leaves into smaller pieces, lay them out in one layer on a baking sheet and dry at a temperature of + 50 ° C for about 2 hours. Some housewives claim that the express method (20 minutes at 150 ° C) is no worse, but this is debatable. Dried onions should not be stored hermetically sealed. Arrange it in glass or ceramic containers and cover with parchment paper. You can use gauze by folding it in several layers. Important! When drying, onions best retain their taste and useful qualities. This procedure is accepted in the food industry.

    Leek storage on the balcony

    It is more difficult for residents of city apartments to preserve leeks, since they have neither a cellar, nor a vegetable store, nor an underground floor. For this I use a glazed balcony. For storage on the balcony, onions are planted in boxes with sand, as when stored in a cellar. After the boxes have been placed on the balcony, they are covered.

    Many people keep boxes of sand in the apartment, not taking them out to the balcony, but mostly in a dark, cool place. For this, a pantry or a closet in the kitchen under the window, which can often be found in city apartments, may be suitable.

    Storing Leek Frozen

    Storing frozen leeks for the winter in the freezer of the refrigerator is suitable for people who do not have balconies and basements. To do this, the plant must be thoroughly washed, sorted out the leaves, while removing dry and damaged ones, cut off the roots.

    Washed and sorted onions should be laid out on a mesh or gauze in a ventilated dark place. After drying, the onion should be cooled. To do this, put the vegetable on plates and place in the refrigerator. Place cooled onions in clean, dry bags and dry freeze.

    Do they freeze onions for the winter? We have already considered in our article such a method of preserving various types of onions for the winter, such as. Freezing can also be called one of the ways.

    Of course, any harvesting of vegetables begins with buying or harvesting your own crop. Read about it in our article.

    Basic Rules

    Where to freeze onions? Before you begin the process of freezing onions, it is important to make sure that the freezer compartment of your refrigerator is capable of maintain the temperature within -18 ... -20 degrees.

    If the refrigerator does not have these qualities, it is better to purchase special freezer.

    At this temperature, frozen onions can retain all their beneficial properties up to up to 6 months.

    If freezing is done at higher temperatures ( 0…-8 degrees), then the shelf life of the onion will be halved.

    How to freeze onions?

    Onions must be frozen in plastic bags suitable for use. for food purposes, or in plastic dishes, which must also be suitable for safe contact with food.

    Freezing is done in small portions in order to use them in the future as a whole, preventing re-freezing, since upon contact with oxygen, frozen onions lose their taste.

    How and how long to store frozen onions? Store frozen onions from 3 months to half a year, but it is best to use the blank in the first 4-6 weeks, since after this period the onion begins to lose its taste and aroma. After 6 months, the workpiece will completely lose its taste.

    In any case, these terms are much longer than the period.

    When preparing onions by freezing, it should be borne in mind that in the first weeks the smell from it will be so strong that will be absorbed into other foods in the freezer.

    How to freeze onions for the winter? An interesting way to freeze green onions for the winter in plastic bottles in this video:

    Green

    How to freeze green onions for the winter? For proper freezing of green onions, it must first be prepared:

    1. It is necessary to separate the feathers from the roots, while eliminating yellowed and withered parts.
    2. onion greens rinse well under running water and dry thoroughly to avoid the formation of a coma during freezing. You can dry the onion on a newspaper, napkin or waffle towel.
    3. After the green onion has dried, it must be chop with a knife the way you would normally do it with a fresh plant.
    4. From the bags in which the chopped onion is placed, you need to remove the air, then tie it tightly (or use bags with a zipper) and send it to the freezer.

    How to freeze green onions for the winter? You can freeze green onions both fresh and heat treated. For the preparation of first and second courses, frozen fried or blanched onions are suitable.

    Is it possible to freeze green onions with butter? If you decide to fry greens, you should use animal fats, since vegetable oil does not freeze.

    Freezing is a good way to harvest green onions. with butter. For this you need:

    • Combine a little softened butter with finely chopped onion and mix gently.
    • Put the mixture on the edge of the cling film / foil and roll into a sausage.
    • Fasten the ends of the film / foil.
    • Place the resulting bundle in the freezer and use as needed, cutting off small portions.

    How to freeze green onions for the winter using olive oil, in this video:

    You can also freeze onions in ice molds or silicone molds. To do this, onion feathers must be chopped using a blender until the consistency of gruel, pour the mixture into molds and place in the freezer. You can use this blank by throwing "onion ice" cubes directly into the dish when cooking.

    How to freeze green onions for the winter in the freezer in this video:

    For others, read our article.

    onion

    Is it possible to freeze onions for the winter? The debate about whether to freeze onions has not subsided among experienced housewives for a long time. There is an opinion that onions can completely destroy own smell of all products in a refrigerator.

    Also, many argue that after freezing, the onion becomes “glassy”, watery, soft and tasteless.

    All this takes place if the freezing process is approached incorrectly. In order for frozen onions did not lose his qualities, it is necessary to prepare it in stages, adhering to some rules:

    1. For harvesting for the winter select only fresh onions, without a sharp putrefactive odor and surface spots.
    2. Peel the onion from the top layer (husk).
    3. Cut the onion into slices, 0.5-1 cm thick.
    4. Chopped onions must be divided into portions and put into bags, leaving them in some free space(frozen onions increase in volume).
    5. Carefully squeeze out excess air from the bag, tie or fasten.
    6. Shake the package for uniform distribution cuts in it.
    7. Place servings in the freezer.

    Onions can also be frozen. lightly fried and blanched. Read about this and others on our website.

    Leek

    How to freeze leeks for the winter? The taste and smell of leeks is much milder and sweeter than that of the plant we are used to, so freezing it will bring much less hassle in mind. no strong odor.

    Often, housewives refuse the upper dark green leaves of onions because of their fibrous structure.

    However, it is in this part of the plant that the maximum amount of nutrients, so dark leaves should also be harvested. Freezing leeks is done in the following way:

    1. Peel the onion, removing yellowed, withered leaves.
    2. Rinse with running water and dry on a linen cloth or towel.
    3. Without removing the leaves, the leek should be cut into small pieces (2-3 cm) and placed in plastic bags, divided into portions.
    4. Eliminate excess air, tie tightly, place in the freezer.

    Leek must be frozen at a temperature no higher than -18 degrees, and can be stored in conditions of -18 ... -5.

    There is another way to freeze leeks, namely stem:

    1. After cleaning, the stems of the plant must be cooled. Cooling is carried out at a temperature of -2 ... +2 without packaging.
    2. After 1-2 hours, the chilled onions are placed in plastic bags (no more than 8 stalks in 1 bag).
    3. After eliminating the air from the bags, they should be placed in the freezer for further storage.

    Read useful information about on our website.

    Schnitt

    How to freeze chives for the winter? Chives, known as chives, have a bright, rich flavor reminiscent of mixture of onion and garlic. Very often, chives are used as special seasoning for a wide variety of dishes.

    If you are a lover of this plant and want to save it for the winter, then freezing is the best way to harvest it. In order to freeze qualitatively chives must follow the instructions:

    Blanch onions before freezing should be no longer than 3 minutes on low heat with the addition of a small amount of water. For maximum preservation of vitamins and nutrients, it is better to place the chopped onion in a metal sieve and lower it into boiling water. for 30 seconds then rinse with cold water.

    Frozen onions should not be used raw. It is only suitable for cooking various dishes.

    Do not do it defrost onions, since in this case the product may lose its taste, change the consistency and color. It is better to add it to dishes during the cooking process.

    If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

    Leek is popular with summer residents and gardeners due to its unpretentiousness regarding growing conditions. With a large harvest, you can make stocks for the winter. There are several ways to store leeks. With proper storage technology, any family diversifies their table with a delicious fresh product.

    The best varieties

    Shelf life depends on the leek variety. Softer leaves of early and mid-season species are popular among vegetable growers because of the opportunity to get a rich harvest from the garden. But they are not suitable for long-term storage. Varieties such as Goliath, Columbus, Kilima, Casimir, Tango, Bastion can lie down only until November-December.

    Therefore, when planning to make a supply of Leek for the whole winter and spring, you should pay attention to late-ripening options. These include the following varieties of onions:

    • Mercury;
    • elephant;
    • Bulgarian;
    • Karantansky;
    • Autumn giant.

    Despite the tougher leaves and specific taste characteristics, they will allow you to eat fresh herbs until the next harvest.

    When to clean?

    Leek harvesting is determined by the varietal affiliation of the crop. Early varieties are dug up in summer. In the same period, greens are recommended to be used immediately - it is not suitable for a long bookmark. Later varieties, whose growth is 5-7 months, are able to withstand small (up to 7 degrees) frosts. They can be stored for a long time.

    Residents of central Russia and Belarus of late-ripening varieties until early-mid December. The climatic conditions of the latitudes are relatively mild. Wanting to keep the crop until the end of spring, gardeners should not keep plants in the garden until hard frosts - after the first slight frost, the onions must be harvested.

    In the northern regions of Russia, in Siberia and the Urals, it is recommended to harvest in September, in warm weather - in October. You can understand when to dig a leek by external signs:

    • fallen and yellowed leaves;
    • drying of the neck of the bulbs;
    • dry and flaky skin coming out of the ground to the surface.

    These symptoms do not always appear together.

    • Rainy and cold summers preserve the brightness of the color of the feathers.
    • Early frosts, on the contrary, lead to premature yellowing and leaf fall.

    Therefore, the degree of maturity of Leek is easier to determine by a set of features.


    The exact timing of harvesting leek is determined by the gardener himself. This takes into account the weather conditions of the summer and autumn seasons where the crop is grown, as well as the speed of its maturation. Leek takes a long time to fully mature. During hot and dry summers, this process accelerates; during the rainy and cool seasons, it is delayed.

    How to clean?

    When harvesting, vegetable growers try to carefully handle the root of the plant - careless and quick movements can damage the bulb. Store damaged leek greens for a long time will not work. Therefore, gardeners most often use a pitchfork for digging.

    Cleaning and preparation of the winter stock includes the following procedures:

    • digging up the crop;
    • processing and drying;
    • storage bookmark.

    With a pitchfork, carefully dig each plant, after which they pull it out with their hands, trying to avoid getting the earth between the leaves.

    The roots are cut off, leaving their length no more than 2 cm.

    Remove the top layer of the skin from the bulbs.

    The harvested crop is left in the sun to dry for several hours.

    Cleaned and dried plants are ready for laying for long-term storage.

    IMPORTANT! For picking leek, it is better to choose a day with dry sunny weather. It is necessary to clean the bulbs from adhering earth with your hands, without shaking the stems.

    Optimal storage conditions

    Storage of the leek crop at home is carried out in several ways. Onions can be stored;

    • whole;
    • chopped;
    • dried.

    At home, storage is used:

    • refrigerators;
    • balconies;
    • cellars, cellars or subfloors;
    • garages.

    You can leave crops in the beds, subject to certain bookmark rules. Some vegetable growers store leeks simply in a house or apartment. Having prepared the bulbs correctly and observing the temperature regime, you can feast on the juicy fresh pulp of the plant throughout the winter.

    Place Processing method Temperature conditions, °C Shelf life
    Fridge Wrap in cling film or place in a plastic bag from 0 to + 5 4-5 months
    Freezer Cut into rings, place in plastic bags or plastic containers from 0 to - 15 about a year, until the new harvest
    In room Dried, in glass jar from + 20 to + 25 until spring
    Cellar or cellar Fresh, place in a box filled with wet sand from – 1 to + 1 up to 6 months
    Balcony Fresh, put in sand from 0 to - 8 3-4 months
    In the garden In equipped greenhouse up to - 25 until spring

    IMPORTANT! When storing Leek, in addition to the temperature regime, it is necessary to observe the humidity indicator. So, in the basement or subfield, it should not be higher than 85%. Violation of these conditions leads to the germination of the onion or its decay.

    What bow is good?

    After harvesting, bulbs are selected for storage. It is recommended to carefully select the largest healthy root crops, dry and cut the roots. The leek pruning procedure is carried out carefully - it is important not to damage the bulb itself, so part of the root is left. In this way, the shelf life of the culture is increased.

    When planning the laying of fresh herbs in the cellar, basement, garage or in the beds, experienced gardeners not only leave the best bulbs, but also take into account varietal characteristics. Plants of different varieties are not kept together.

    Preparation rules

    The procedure for preparing the culture depends on the chosen method of bookmarking. When planning to store fresh leeks in the winter in a garage, basement, or under snow, it is not recommended to cut the feathers. Only yellow and dried leaves are subject to removal. A container suitable for storage is also prepared. More often these are wooden or plastic boxes or containers with sand.

    The least troublesome way is to bookmark in a cut form, when the stems are removed and the bulbs are cut into rings. They are put in plastic bags or plastic jars with lids. This is the best way to store leek in the freezer or refrigerator.

    In the case when the gardener does not have a cold storage place, the crop can be dried. To do this, the bulbs are cut into thin circles and dried in the house. For storage, you can use paper bags or canvas bags.

    IMPORTANT! When preparing root crops for cutting and subsequent freezing or drying, it is necessary to rinse the bulbs in running water.

    5 best ways

    The rules for preparing and laying vegetables depend on the preferred storage method:

    1. On the beds. A layer of sand is poured, onions are laid and covered with a second layer, straw or dry leaves are sprinkled on top and left to winter. After the snow melts in the spring, the storage is poured with warm water and root crops are taken out.
    2. On the balcony. Onions are placed in boxes or boxes with sand, kept on a glazed balcony, covered with old rags.
    3. In a cellar or basement. Wet sand is poured into buckets or boxes with a layer of up to 4 cm, leeks are buried to the top of the white bulb, leaving a distance between the bulbs.
    4. In the apartment. If there is a dark cool pantry or a closet under the windowsill, the bookmark is made in the same way as the balcony method.
    5. In a refrigerator. The stems are washed and dried, cooled to a temperature of -2 to +2 degrees, placed in plastic wrap or bags with holes for ventilation and placed in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator with a lower temperature.

    If cold storage is not possible for any reason, the crop can be frozen. To do this, the stems are cut into rings and laid out on a baking sheet, which is placed in the freezer for a couple of hours. After that, the product is packaged in bags or containers, placed in the freezer. At a temperature of about -6 ° C, Leek can lie for up to six months.

    You can also prepare stocks in dried form, using them as a seasoning for dishes. White onions are cut into rings, dried in an oven or electric dryer to such a state that they easily crumble when touched. After that, the product is crushed and scattered into glass jars, paper bags or fabric bags. Seasoning put in a dark and dry place.

    IMPORTANT! When storing fresh stems in boxes or buckets, the quality of the bulbs should be checked periodically. Stems that have begun to dry out or rot are removed in a timely manner to avoid damage to the rest of the stock.

    Harvested in time, carefully prepared and placed in optimal conditions for long-term laying, leek is able not only to overwinter, but also to retain its useful properties for a long time. And the family of a vegetable grower can eat a delicious product that is a source of vitamins and microelements all winter and spring.