You can freeze just about anything, but there are just some things that won’t taste good pickled or turned into a jam. That’s why there are so many different methods of food preservation when you’re a gardener. In the articles below, we cover lots of food preservation basics and the specifics of preserving various fruits, herbs, and vegetables.
Unfortunately, there are just as many ways to improperly store and spoil your vegetables as there are ways to preserve them.
For example, did you know you should not store white or sweet potatoes in the fridge? The cold can injure them. You also shouldn’t store them with fruit. Gas from the fruit makes potatoes sprout. And unless you’re cooking, keep your potatoes away from onions; the two in close proximity will make the potatoes sprout.
Or how about storing corn? Once the ear leaves the stalk, the corn starts converting its sugar to starch. The longer you wait to cook and eat it, the more it will taste like grocery store corn rather than fresh-picked. If you store it in the refrigerator, you have about a week.
And did you realize that berries need moisture to stay crisp? If you pick a few bushels of strawberries or blueberries, it’s a good idea to rinse them before storing them because the moisture will keep them plump longer. Blueberries can last over a month in a device like a berry box, which allows you to rinse the blueberries and keep them in a strainer inside an air-tight box, which keeps the berries crisp without sitting in water.
And we haven’t even gotten to our posts on canning, freezing, making jams, and all the ways you can preserve vegetables for the much longer-term so you don’t have to risk storage spoilage.
In the articles below, you’ll learn about everything from canning apples to freezing squash, storing potatoes, and drying herbs. We welcome you to also read our Recipes from Your Garden freebie. Enjoy!
We’re a pretty easy-going bunch here at Food Gardening Network. Heck, we get to grow vegetables and cook and write about it. What’s not to enjoy? But there is one thing that we are very serious about: food safety. And that, my friend, is why I want to address how to safely preserve vegetables in […]
If there’s one thing we know about potatoes, it’s that they need to be kept cold, humid, and dark to survive a long winter. Otherwise, they’re likely to turn green or sprout, neither of which we want from potatoes we hope to eat. That’s why, if you’re growing tubers, you’ll benefit from some of the […]
When trying something new or revisiting an old hobby, we oftentimes turn to the all-knowing internet for guidance. But sometimes the internet is a little overwhelming. This is true in the niche world of food preservation, especially if you’ve ever looked up pressure canning safety. Everyone has a blog, or message board post, or public comment about the best way to use a pressure canner or other canning methods. And if you stick around long enough, debates will break out about safety. Grab the popcorn, because the comments can get juicy!
Squash gets overlooked for its versatility and overall yum-factor when it comes to garden vegetables (okay, technically a fruit). Always a bridesmaid, squash is often relegated to “side dish material,” and the general public doesn’t give it a second thought. But we’re not the general public. We’re gardeners and we know how amazing squash is!
Question: What’s worse than wilted, mushy, refrigerator lettuce stored in single-use plastic? Answer: Nothing. Over the last few years, I’ve been slowly swapping out my single-use food storage items for more sustainable options. One surprising benefit (aside from… you know, saving the planet) is that my produce keeps fresh longer!
Sometimes I feel like Lucille Ball at the chocolate factory when I’m knee-deep in harvest season and just can’t keep up with using all of my delicious veggies. Even after I gift them to family and neighbors I’m always looking for creative ways to preserve vegetables once harvested. Enter butternut squash!
If you’re the do-it-yourself type, maybe the idea of making your own DIY cold storage space has crossed your mind. And if you’re the do-it-yourself type with somewhat limited construction skills, perhaps you thought better of it. Then you found out how much a commercial refrigerator cost, and you decided that figuring out a DIY […]
I get it. You worked hard on preserving those fresh garden veggies, and you’re looking forward to enjoying them on a cold, dark winter evening. You pull a glass jar from your pantry, and you notice the signs of food spoilage. It’s disappointing. If the spoilage isn’t too evident, you might even be tempted to […]
All hail the mighty (and versatile as heck) onion! From subtle flavors to sharp zings, onions can add so many dimensions to your recipes. Being able to use your own homegrown onions all winter long is the ultimate Little House on the Prairie dream. It’s also super cost-effective and adds peace of mind knowing that you’ve grown and stored your onions without chemicals or other variables coming into the mix.
I’ll be the first to say that I love looking in my pantry and seeing jar after jar of canned garden vegetables. Like many gardeners, I enjoy sharing the abundance of nature with friends and neighbors. I also appreciate being able to open a jar of homegrown green beans in February when temperatures are well […]
