Recommended Storage Temperatures and Relative Humidity Levels
for Crops in Your Winter CSA Share:
Root Crops, Kale, Pac Choi and Brussels Sprouts
Best Place to Store – The refrigerator, in a plastic bag with only some holes (not fully perforated)
Ideal Conditions – COLD and VERY MOIST (32-40o F, 90-95% RH)
Roots crops in this category included: beets, carrots, parsnips, watermelon radishes, rutabaga, and Jerusalem artichokes (i.e. sunchokes). Root crops, hearty greens (such as kale and Pac Choi), and Brussels Sprouts all will do well in your refrigerator as long as they are kept in plastic bags to ensure a high moisture level. The plastic bag should have some holes so that the crops can ‘breath’ but they should not be fully perforated bags or else too much moisture will be lost. If you keep root crops in a plastic bag in the lower drawers of your refrigerator you will be surprised to see how long they will stay fresh and delicious!
Potatoes, Cabbage, Kohlrabi
Best Place to Store – The basement or refrigerator, in a perforated plastic bag for longer storage
Ideal Conditions – COLD and MOIST(32-40o F, 80-90% RH)
Cabbage, Kohlrabi, and Potatoes do best in cold, humid (90-95%) conditions and will keep for months. Potatoes will keep well in the basement, or in another cool dark place. If potatoes are exposed to light they will sprout. Cabbage and Kohlrabi will do better in the refrigerator in a perforated plastic bag, but if you are running out of room in the fridge they will also do fine in the basement!
Onions
Best Place to Store – A cool area of the house, the ‘cupboard’, or even the basement
Ideal Conditions – COOL and DRY (32-50o F, 60-70% RH)
Onions and garlic like cold and dry (55-60% humidity) conditions and will keep from 3 to 7 months.
Winter Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatillos, Jalepenos,
Green Tomatoes, Dried Herbs
Best Place to Store – any room in the house that tends to stay cool, but not the basement!
Ideal Conditions: MODERATELY WARM and DRY (50-60o F, 60-70% RH)
Squash and Sweet Potatoes do best at around 55 degrees F. and in slightly dry (70-75% humidity) conditions. A cool spot in your house such as an entryway or attic or cold pantry, where the temperature does not fluctuate widely, may be ideal for keeping squash. Tomatillos, Jalepenos, Green Tomatoes, and Dried Herbs will all do fine in a slightly warmer area of the house such as the Kitchen.
Items that do not store well – Eat Soon!:
Broccoli, Cauliflower, Tender Salad Greens, Chard, Spinach, Lettuce, Peppers
Information from: Maine Organic Farmers Association and Penn State Extension Services
