How to store veggies

[teresac]

Does anyone have suggestions how to store, potatos, carrots etc without canning. I have a finished basement with our mechanical room (water heaters etc) that is cool and dry. My problem is we occasionally get field mice. How can I store fresh veggies without rot & mice getting them. HELP! :/

 

[herbsherbsflowers]

I would use metal garbage cans and maybe wrap them in newspaper or put straw between the layers. That would keep them dark and dry and keep the mice out.

 

[patandchickens]

If you don't want to (or haven't presently got the materials to) cobble together ventilated storage bins with mouseproof screening, here is a trick you might try. I use it to keep mice from eating the seedlings I start under lights in my basement.

I put the seedlings on a card table. Keep it away from walls (and preferably under a mouseproof part of the ceiling i.e. not exposed wires etc they can run atop). To prevent them running up the table legs, I took icecream tub lids (but you could use anything similar, just make sure it is at least 10" or more in diameter, -ish) and cut a hole in the center. Push the lid up the table leg. If the leg is round, push it til it binds (should be at least 2' off the floor); if it's square, push it to that height and then slather on the duct tape so mice can't squeeze through the gap. Duct-tape these 'mouse guards' firmly into place on each leg. Now they're like squirrel baffles on a bird-feeder! It has worked for me for 2 years now, REALLY well, whereas before I was losing like all of my seedlings.

Be aware that I think some of those veggies actually need cool and *damp* -- look up the preferred storage temps and humidities for each of them.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[cardenfarms]

you could try a garbage can with a snap on/secure lid. also, you could get a drum that is sold from a feed store for feed with a lid. good luck.

 

[teresac]

Thank you for all the good ideas! Hope to have a bountiful garden this year!

 

[simple life]

I read about someone that put the veggies in mesh bags and and hung them from the rafters.