Storing garlic until next season: ideal places in the apartment

The storage location for the grown crop must be organized so that the work is not in vain. Unlike other vegetables, it is permissible to store garlic directly in the apartment. There are quite a lot of ways today. The main thing is to prevent the bulbs from drying out and deteriorating. In suitable conditions, garlic can last until the next season.

Temperature and humidity conditions for storing garlic

Storage conditions depend on what kind of garlic is grown. Winter varieties are planted in the fall to reap a large harvest. Its heads will lie well at a temperature of +1-4° C and air humidity of 60-80%.

Spring varieties (sown in spring) show good keeping quality at higher temperatures (+15-20° C). At the same time, they require slightly lower humidity - 50-70%. The storage area should definitely not be excessively humid. To prevent the bulbs from rotting, they need air exchange. The container must allow air to pass through; the basement and cellar must be equipped with ventilation. Garlic should never be stored near the battery.

Preparing garlic for storage

The preparation process begins immediately after harvesting. The garlic is left in the shade for a couple of days to remove soil moisture. After this, the roots are cut off with a sharp knife, the stem is shortened, leaving a stump 2 cm high.

To store garlic hanging, leave the tops, which are then braided.Before storing in storage, the harvest is sorted, discarding specimens with mechanical damage, stains, and rotten areas. Further actions depend on exactly how the vegetable will be stored.

In the cellar and basement

The lucky owners of a cellar can store their garlic harvest there. A basement is only suitable if it is not too warm. Garlic heads are stored in plastic or wooden boxes. The container must have slots or holes for free passage of air. It is impossible for the temperature in the storage to drop to minus values, otherwise the harvest of not only garlic, but also other vegetables will be lost.

In utility rooms there is often high humidity, so you need to take care of good ventilation in advance. If this condition is not met, mold may appear on the cloves. Once every 2 weeks, the harvest is sorted, removing sprouted and spoiled bulbs.

Where to store garlic in an apartment in winter - choosing a location

The choice of place where the bulbs will lie until next spring depends on whether it is possible to store the garlic in the refrigerator. If it is, then great, if not, you will have to use other options. Let's look at each method separately.

On the loggia and balcony

At sub-zero outside temperatures, garlic can only be stored on a balcony with glazing. Temperatures below 0° C are unacceptable; the vegetable should not freeze. The bulbs must be securely hidden from the sun. The optimal humidity level is considered to be 60%. Garlic bulbs are folded for storage:

• in boxes;
• bags;
• glass jars without lids;
• plastic containers.

To prevent garlic from freezing in winter, you can place it in an insulated box, the walls and bottom of which are lined with pieces of foam plastic. You can throw an old blanket or jacket on top for insulation in cold weather.

In the refrigerator compartment

It is very convenient to store garlic in the refrigerator, because the desired temperature is maintained automatically. The only downside is that a large amount of vegetables simply won’t fit there.

Garlic is packed in thick paper bags or cotton bags. Properly packaged vegetables can last up to 4 months. This method is only suitable for varieties planted before winter. Spring garlic will not lie in such conditions.

In the freezer

Only peeled garlic can be frozen for storage. It is disassembled into slices and freed from the husk. Then there can be 2 options: the cloves are stored whole or in crushed form. Whole slices can be packed in a ziplock bag.

Garlic crumbs ground with a blender are placed in plastic containers with an airtight lid. In the freezer, garlic loses some of its taste and aroma, but retains its beneficial properties. The temperature regulator is set to -18° C. This indicator is suitable for most products. In the freezer, garlic cloves will remain calm until the next season.

Other places

Garlic does not have to be stored in the kitchen. The harvest is placed in a plastic vegetable box. And then they choose any nook in the apartment. The box can be placed in a closet, under the bed, near the balcony door, or put away in the closet.

Periodically you need to check the condition of the bulbs by sorting them out. Young garlic, also called spring garlic, is kept warm. Those who have a rustic kitchen can decorate it with garlic braids hung on the wall.

How to properly store garlic in an apartment

It is not always possible to preserve garlic for a long time by keeping it at room temperature at home. Resourceful summer residents have long come up with additional ways to maintain the safety of vegetables.

In banks

Dry, clean heads fit well in a glass jar, which must first be sterilized and dried. To save space, you can disassemble the bulbs into individual slices. Storage temperature depends on the type of garlic. Winter varieties are placed on the balcony, spring varieties can be placed in any convenient place without access to light.

In salt

To implement this storage method, you will need a fairly large amount of salt, so it is not used so often. But with this method, garlic heads are stored longer. Salt absorbs excess moisture from the air, protecting the vegetable from mold and rotting, while at the same time preventing it from drying out. In rooms with high humidity with this method of storage, garlic lasts well at home for 5-6 months.

In oil

Refined and deodorized oil will help preserve garlic cloves. The product envelops each clove, preventing access to air. As a result, the teeth do not dry out and are not subject to rotting processes. Typically, this method is used to save crops that have already begun to show signs of spoilage.

The downside of the oil storage method is the large amount of time it takes to prepare the vegetable. Each head must be divided into slices, and then freed from the husk. The container (a glass jar is ideal) will need to be washed and sterilized; in this case, the garlic will be stored for about 3 months in a cool place. The aromatic oil is then not poured out, but used for cooking.

In fabric bags

Bags made of thick cotton fabric should be used. This material provides air exchange. It is convenient to store the bags hanging, freeing up space on the shelves for other vegetables.

If there are concerns about the safety of garlic, it is recommended to immerse each head for 5-10 seconds in a concentrated saline solution and dry thoroughly. After this treatment, the vegetable will be stored better.

In flour

In this case, flour is used as an adsorbent. The product absorbs excess moisture very well. You can use any flour you have in the house. The essence of the method is to place the bulbs in a suitable container while simultaneously sprinkling them with flour.

The heads must be isolated from each other and not touch the bottom and walls of the container. After filling, close the container with a lid. In this case, garlic can last all winter and spring.

In the sawdust

Sawdust will help preserve the garlic so that it does not dry out or rot. This is an old method that has long proven its effectiveness. Dry sawdust should be used, and the bulbs themselves should be dried. The bottom of the container is covered with filler and the heads are poured.

It is better to use softwood sawdust; they release phenolic compounds that protect vegetables from spoilage. Since the filler is light in weight, even cardboard boxes can be used as containers. You can keep the bulbs cool in this way for six months or more.

In cling film

You can keep the garlic from drying out by wrapping the entire heads in 2 layers of cling film. Each bulb is packaged individually. You need to wrap the garlic tightly so that there is no air left under the film. The method is also convenient because during such storage, spoiled heads do not infect healthy bulbs.

In onion skins

Summer residents who, in addition to garlic, grow a large crop of onions, can use onion peels to store garlic heads. Onion skins in this case will play the role of filler. When placing garlic in boxes, boxes, containers, they are sprinkled with onion peels. This technique allows you to get a good result in terms of preserving the spicy vegetable.

In the ash

Any ash is suitable for these purposes, for example, the one that remains after burning wood in a bathhouse. In this case, it is important to place the garlic correctly. Each layer is sprinkled with ash powder. Ash is also placed on top and bottom. Ash powder has a fungicidal effect and protects the heads from mold and rot.

Methods for processing garlic for long-term storage

Whole garlic heads take up quite a lot of space during storage. For this reason, many summer residents process vegetables in various ways. Recycling also helps when it is not possible to create ideal storage conditions.

Purified

Peeled garlic can be compactly packaged. It is disassembled into individual cloves, after which it is put into a paper bag and placed in the vegetable compartment. This preparation will last for a month without loss of quality. Peeled cloves are also stored in the freezer, in a jar with flour or butter, or in a box with salt.

Dried

It’s easy to make dried garlic at home, which will be a worthy alternative to the industrial product. The cloves are first cleaned, cut into thin slices and sent to dry in an electric dryer or oven.

Dry the vegetable at low temperature (50-60° C).The finished dried slices can be left in this form and immediately stored in a glass jar, or crushed in a blender, resulting in a fragrant powder.

Shredded

The cloves are usually ground for further storage in the freezer. Such a product can also be stored in the refrigerator, although it will not last so long here. You can grind the garlic cloves using a meat grinder or blender. If there is only a small amount of product, you can use a regular grater for chopping.

How long does garlic last?

How long garlic can last depends on the storage conditions and methods. For example, a winter variety at room temperature can begin to deteriorate within 3-4 weeks. On average, the shelf life of vegetables is 3-4 months. Under ideal conditions, the heads last up to six months or a little longer. Frozen garlic has the longest shelf life. It retains its properties for at least 1 year.

Storage problems

Sometimes, despite the conditions created, garlic begins to deteriorate while in storage. Various problems can arise with it - the cloves dry out, rot, become moldy, and begin to sprout. In each case, there is a reason for damage.

Garlic dries

The reason may be increased dryness of the air in the apartment or too high a temperature. If signs of drying are noticed, the garlic is transferred to a cooler room with a humidity level of 60-80%. You can also prevent drying out by placing the heads in salt, sawdust or flour. Cling film will also help retain moisture in the vegetable.

Fungus and mold damage

Bulbs can become moldy if they are in a cold and damp room. This often happens when stored in a cellar or basement with poor ventilation.Affected heads must be removed from storage so that they do not infect neighboring specimens. It is also necessary to take measures to reduce indoor humidity. If this is not possible, the garlic is transferred to another place for storage.

Germination

Bulbs germinate if they are kept at high temperatures. You can avoid germination by placing the vegetable in a cool place - in the refrigerator, on the balcony, in the cellar or basement. Towards the end of the storage period, even under ideal conditions, garlic may begin to sprout.

Rot

Garlic can rot during storage if the heads are infected with some disease or the crop is poorly dried. It is possible that the storage facility was not disinfected before storing the crop. The heads should be stored at a temperature of +1-3° C and air humidity of 75%. Bulbs affected by rot are removed from storage to preserve the rest of the harvest.

Summarizing the above, we come to the conclusion that it is possible to preserve the garlic harvest if the right method is chosen for this and ideal conditions are created. If there are doubts that it will be possible to ensure the safety of the vegetable, it is better to process it - dry or chop it and put it in the freezer.