Home gardening continues to grow in popularity, with Gen Z and Millenials increasing their efforts to adopt gardening as part of their seasonal lifestyle. While it's easy to get excited about gardening in the spring and summer, a high 59% of millennials and 43% of Gen Zers shared in a recent study that they were also actively gardening in the fall.

“Facing rising food prices, nearly half of U.S. gardeners are turning to fall crops to ease the grocery bill, making a real impact,” highlights Jana McDaniel, founder of First Saturday Lime. “With many Gen Z gardeners reporting they’re cutting grocery costs by as much as 23%, it’s clear that growing your own food is rewarding for the tastebuds and a shrewd financial move. In fact, on average, home gardeners save around $80 a month by cultivating their own vegetables and herbs. What’s more, the setup costs often pay for themselves in just a few months. These days, gardening has become about more than fresh produce and reducing expenses. It’s a way to take control of your food, connect with nature, and grow something meaningful.”

While mastering the zen art of gardening your own fruits and vegetables, mastering a food storage technique to maximize your harvest is another story. Different vegetables have different needs, but with a little know-how, you can keep your harvested root vegetables—carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips, and more— fresh and flavorful for months.

1. Let Your Veggies Rest

Some root crops, like beets, turnips, and rutabagas, need a little "rest" before storing. This rest is referred to as "curing." Curing dries out excess moisture and toughens their skins, which helps them last longer in storage.

• Brush off excess soil (don’t wash them yet!). Remove leaves; you don't have to leave the stems intact.
• Lay them out in a dry, airy space (like a garage or shed) for 7-10 days.
• Once cured, they’re ready for storage.

2. Cold Storage: Keep It Cool and Humid

If you’ve got a dry spot in your basement, root cellar, or in an unheated garage, you’re in luck! Root veggies love cold, dark spaces with high humidity. Store them in wooden crates or sturdy cardboard boxes to allow airflow.

• Ideal storage temperatures: 32-40°F, just above freezing.
• Humidity level: High, around 90-95%. If it's too dry, pack the veggies in a layer of damp sand, sawdust, or peat moss to help keep them moist.

3. No Cellar? No Problem—Use the Fridge

If you’re lacking a cellar or cold space, you can extend their shelf life in your fridge, but you’ll need to keep an eye on them in this location.

• Avoid storing them in airtight containers or plastic food bags. If you must, use perforated bags to keep them from getting too damp.
• A bounty of root crops can last up to 3 months, but check on them every week and remove any softing vegetables. As they begin to reveal soft spots, consider using them in cooked dishes or homemade juices so they don't go to waste.

4. In-Ground Storage

Have you considered that you don’t even have to dig them up right away? Unlike butternut squash and zucchini, root vegetables are more insulated. This means they can stay in the ground throughout winter, especially in milder climates where you might only experience light frosts.

• After frost hits, cover the rows with a layer of straw or mulch to prevent the soil from freezing. An inch of mulch helps keep the soil surface moist.
• Harvest when needed, leaving the rest safely insulated.

5. Freezing: A Handy Backup

Freezing is another easy way to store your veggies if you have a bumper crop or lack storage space with the ideal storage conditions. Even in the fridge, our crisper drawer only holds so much.

• Peel and clean the vegetables.
• Blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes, then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking.
• Dry, then freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer the food to airtight freezer bags or a freezer-safe storage container.

How to Save Seeds at the End of the Gardening Season

Should I leave the tops on root vegetables when storing them?

No, it’s best to remove the leafy tops (like carrot greens) since they pull moisture from the roots, which can cause them to shrivel and spoil faster. That said, eat up those turnip greens! If you're not into sauteeing them, you can puree them and add it to a sauce, or put them through your juicer.

I don’t have a basement. Where else can I store my root veggies?

Try an unheated garage, shed, or even an unused closet if it stays cool. Just make sure it’s dark, cool, and away from direct heat.

How long can I store root vegetables?

When stored correctly, root vegetables can last several months. A bunch of carrots and parsnips, for example, can stay fresh for 4-6 months, while turnips and beets usually last 3-4 months.