How to store Jerusalem artichoke in winter: at home, in an apartment, in a cellar, can it be frozen?

Content

1 When to dig up Jerusalem artichoke
2 Methods for storing Jerusalem artichoke
3 Preparing Jerusalem artichoke for winter storage
4 How to store Jerusalem artichoke in the cellar in winter
5 How to store Jerusalem artichoke in winter at home
- 5.1 How to store Jerusalem artichoke in an apartment
6 How to store Jerusalem artichoke in the refrigerator
7 Is it possible to freeze Jerusalem artichoke?
8 How to freeze Jerusalem artichoke
9 How to store Jerusalem artichoke before planting
10 Conclusion

There are several ways to store Jerusalem artichoke in winter. The main condition is the creation of the necessary microclimate for the tubers. If the room has a high temperature and minimal humidity, the root crop will dry out, lose its presentation and taste, and the shelf life will be significantly reduced.

When to dig up Jerusalem artichoke

Jerusalem artichoke (“earthen pear”, “sun root”, “Jerusalem artichoke”) is a perennial plant with a high frost resistance. Ripe tubers removed from the ground are not stored for a long time; their shell is very thin; as the root crop ripens, it does not become rougher, so the root crop is practically not protected from rotting and drying out. For food, Jerusalem artichokes are dug up in small quantities and immediately included in the diet; after 3 days, the tubers are no longer suitable for food.

The accumulation of carbohydrates and nutrients occurs at the end of autumn, depending on the region of growth - in September or October.Tubers retain their chemical composition until spring. During the growing season and the formation of new root crops, Jerusalem artichoke loses its taste and energy value. In the ground, the Jerusalem artichoke tolerates low temperatures well, without losing its composition and presentation. Ground pears are harvested for storage in the fall at the time of the first frost, and dug up for food in the spring or autumn.

14 days before harvesting, the stems of Jerusalem artichoke intended for digging are cut off for storage. Leave a shoot 25 centimeters long above the ground. The nutrients will be used to form the root crop, the earthen pear will quickly accumulate the necessary chemical composition and ripen.

Methods for storing Jerusalem artichoke

The sun root is harvested in the quantity necessary to feed the family. The product is difficult to store and requires compliance with certain conditions. Options for storing Jerusalem artichoke in winter:

in a refrigerator;
freezer:
basement;
by immersion in paraffin;
on a balcony or loggia;
in a trench on the site.

Advice! You can store Jerusalem artichoke in the basement along with carrots: in boxes with sand.

Preparing Jerusalem artichoke for winter storage

To store Jerusalem artichoke at home in winter, you need to properly remove the vegetable from the soil. The technology is similar to harvesting potatoes. The root system of the earthen pear is superficial, the formation of root crops occurs at a depth of 20–25 cm, the growth width is about 30 cm. When removing the root from the soil, mechanical damage to the tubers is avoided. Several fruits are left in the ground; they will become the beginning of the growth of a new bush.

You can dig up the sun root using a shovel; in this case, there is no guarantee that the fruits will not be damaged during the work.The best option is to use a fork with a wide tooth pattern. The bush is carefully dug up from all sides and removed from the soil by the remains of the stem.

The Jerusalem artichoke is separated from the bush; it is not recommended to cut off the stalk; such manipulation will shorten the shelf life. Leave a root 10–15 cm long; in this form, the fruits will retain more microelements and nutrients. If storage space allows, the tubers are left on the bush, only the root ball of soil is removed. When separated from the root, the Jerusalem artichoke is carefully cleaned from the soil, placed in a container and placed in a room with good ventilation to dry. Vegetables are not left in a place exposed to sunlight; exposure to ultraviolet radiation destroys most of the biological composition.

Before storing, Jerusalem artichokes are inspected; only high-quality fruits can last until spring. Necessary requirements for the vegetable:

Tubers are of different sizes in shape; rarely are they identical in appearance.
The color of the shell is yellow, dark red, brown; this color range can be observed in one mother plant.
The consistency of the vegetable is hard, elastic, reminiscent of potatoes; soft fruits are not suitable for storage.
The presence of growths and irregularities is normal.
If there is mechanical damage on the surface, stains, lack of density, or vegetables of poor quality, they are rejected.

A prerequisite for preparatory work is that Jerusalem artichokes are not washed before storing.

How to store Jerusalem artichoke in the cellar in winter

It is better to dig up Jerusalem artichokes in the fall; if the volume of the harvested crop is large, the easiest way to store it is to load it into the basement.

You can easily maintain a constant temperature in the room +4⁰ C and air humidity 85%. These are optimal conditions for an earthen pear. The area allows you to place the tubers together with the bush, and not separately. There are several ways, each of them productive, choose as desired:

They are placed in a container with sand along with carrots; they have the same requirements for conditions.
The tubers are covered with a layer of clay, placed in wooden boxes or plastic containers, and tightly covered with dark material on top.
Distribute the Jerusalem artichoke into containers and cover the top with moss, peat or sawdust.
Place the tubers in a plastic bag, release the air, and tie tightly. The bags are placed in a bag and covered with soil.

Lighting has a detrimental effect on the solar root; the room should be dark. If this is not possible, then the container and packaging should not transmit light.

You can preserve Jerusalem artichoke for the winter using the waxing method:

the vegetable is carefully cleaned of soil;
melt food or candle paraffin;
each fruit is dipped into the substance for a few seconds and removed;
put in boxes and lowered into the cellar.

The procedure is carried out in a cold room so that the tubers cool quickly. Long-term thermal exposure is undesirable for Jerusalem artichoke. The method is labor-intensive, but the most effective. In this state, the vegetable can be stored for more than 3 months.

Attention! Jerusalem artichokes should not be placed next to beets and potatoes.

After planting, the tubers are periodically inspected for rotting. Spoiled vegetables are removed so that bacterial infection does not affect nearby tubers.

How to store Jerusalem artichoke in winter at home

In the fall, the harvest harvested at the dacha, which does not have a basement, is transported to the living space.In winter, to store Jerusalem artichoke at home, you can hang a bag of tubers outside the window outside. This method is used before the onset of severe frosts. If possible, the tubers in the box are sprinkled with sand and placed on the site, covered with a board and spruce branches on top. In winter they throw snow in the form of a snowdrift. The design is convenient because you can take vegetables out of the box at any time.

How to store Jerusalem artichoke in an apartment

Jerusalem artichokes are harvested in the fall and Jerusalem artichokes are stored in the winter in an apartment on a balcony or loggia. Vegetables must be freshly dug and not purchased from a retail chain. Store-bought tubers are poorly stored.

Storage differs on a glazed and open balcony. Vegetables are placed on a closed loggia according to the following scheme:

a layer of peat is placed at the bottom of the box or container;
an earthen pear is placed on top;
add peat, the tubers should be completely covered;
a layer of sawdust completes the cover;
cover the container with an opaque material;
removed to the balcony.

If the loggia is not glazed, put the tubers in a bag, release the air, and tie it tightly. The bags are placed in a canvas bag according to the following scheme: a layer of soil, vegetables, covered with earth on top. The bag is tied and covered with a blanket or old jackets. If the fruits freeze, don’t worry, they completely retain their taste and nutrients. In its natural environment, Jerusalem artichoke winters safely at -45 ⁰C.

How to store Jerusalem artichoke in the refrigerator

If the earthen pear harvest is insignificant or purchased for the winter in small quantities and takes up little space, store it in the refrigerator. Vegetables from the refrigerator are usable for no more than 25 days. Algorithm of actions:

Separate the fruits from the bush.
Remove soil fragments from the surface.
Wipe without pressure with a dry cloth.
Moisten the cloth, wrap the fruit in it, or use a container with a lid.
Place in the lower vegetable section.
Make sure the fabric is damp.

Is it possible to freeze Jerusalem artichoke?

The cold-resistant plant retains its biological composition and energy qualities well for 2.5 months after freezing. This is a guaranteed way to preserve Jerusalem artichokes for the winter without spoiling the fruits. There is no need to worry about the integrity of the peel. The method is clean and not labor-intensive; before planting, the solar root is washed well under running water. The disadvantage of freezing is the small volume of the freezer, which does not allow storing large quantities of product.

How to freeze Jerusalem artichoke

For freezing earthen pears, fruits that are damaged during digging and have minor stains on the surface are suitable. The main condition is that the vegetables must be fresh. It is recommended to freeze in portions rather than in bulk. Sequence of work:

The stalks and damaged areas are removed from clean tubers.
Cut into cubes or plates; the shape of the cut is irrelevant.
Place in packaging bags, release air, tie tightly.

Place in the freezer. Instead of bags, you can use small containers. Defrost the product gradually, first take out a portion and place it on the refrigerator shelf for 2 hours, then in cold water.

Important! After defrosting, it is not recommended to put the product back into the freezer; the taste of the Jerusalem artichoke is lost.

How to store Jerusalem artichoke before planting

There is no need to specifically dig up Jerusalem artichokes in the fall to plant them in the spring.The crop is propagated in October by dividing the mother bush; this method is also suitable for May planting. The material retains the possibility of growing for only 14 days; after this period, the earthen pear will not sprout. If you purchased the tubers at the market or from friends, and the planting date is not right, the best way to preserve germination is to place the material in a wet cloth and put it in the refrigerator (not the freezer).

Conclusion

There are several ways to store Jerusalem artichoke in winter, the main thing is to create the microclimate necessary for the tubers. Important factors: humidity and lack of lighting. The temperature should not exceed +4⁰ C. The longest shelf life in the freezer is 3 months, on the refrigerator shelf - 25 days. Vegetables are stored in the basement and on the balcony for up to 60 days.