Storm Cellar Double as a root Cellar?

[Tallman]

I have a neighbor who sells used cargo containers that are hauled on semi truck trailers. I am considering burying one to use as a root cellar. I would have to build an entrance and put in a vent. What do you think?

 

[sylvie]

Is this something that you could paint to seal off whatever was hauled in it? I'm thinking like what a concrete in-ground cistern would be waterproofed with or something along those lines.

Just curious; what do those go for?

 

[Tallman]

Just talked to the neighbor, and what he has access to are 10 X 28 foot trailers. He said that I would not want the cargo containers because of what they haul in them, and he did not think that the trailer would last very long since it has a wooden floor.

He has a bid in to purchase three trailers for $950. He said that he could deliver it for around $1,200.

Looks like I'm back to square one.

 

[me&thegals]

We have what I think you are describing. When we built, the front porch had to have a 4-foot frostwall under it. Instead, we dropped it down 8 feet and turned that space into a cellar. Three sides are against the earth, the fourth is a wall in our basement in which the wood stove is tucked in. It gets to about 40 degrees most of the winter. There is a concrete floor and wooden door between the cellar and basement, but even with a largeish gap the room stays very cool. I have no idea what the humidity is, but it kept our apples, onions, potatoes and citrus good for months. Good luck! It really saves us a lot of $ to be able to grow or buy in bulk and then store so long.

 

[freemotion]

Here is a site that has a great chart that lists the best storage conditions for various fruits and vegetables, temp and humidity. I used this chart and a thermometer that also measures humidity that I found at TSC to find the best spot in my cellar to partition off for my root cellar. http://www.floydcountyinview.com/rcbasics.html

I found that the conditions in the same area varied considerably from bottom shelf to top shelf, so the chart tells me exactly where in my cellar to store each item. Only had pumpkins and rutabagas this past winter, but I used them all....just finished the last pumpkin this week.

 

[Beekissed]

I think you can only find out how your storm cellar will function as a storage place is if you just go ahead and use it. Watch your stuff carefully and compensate for any deficits such as too dry, too humid, too cold, or too warm. That's what us folks with cellars do! We just monitor the conditions and use a little common sense.

My cellar was still too warm in early fall to keep my apples, so this year I've insulated the ceiling and openings better. I've also done a little reading on how to store veggies and fruits since last year and have gleaned some good ideas I plan to try.

I think, what they used to do about keeping crops preserved, we have forgotten. I've read books where they would take regular days to go through their stored veggies and fruits and eliminate any rotten items. Most of us don't really have the time to sort through our whole potato bins and apple crates to check for rotten spots, but we definitely should.

I've read where one could rinse fruits and squash in a 10% bleach solution and let dry before storing. This is supposed to kill any bacteria and fungi on the surface of the fruit.

I've also learned that potatoes should be "cured" before storage. That storing root crops, squash, pumpkins, etc. in sand or sawdust can make them last longer. That apples should not be touching each other (how one could manage that without some very fancy spacers, I don't know) when stored. That you can store onions in old pantyhose, carrots should have the tops removed before storage, that you can hang pepper plants upside down in your cellar to preserve the peppers for as long as possible.

Its all very exciting when you consider just how much and how many things can be stored underground for the winter. I am going to fill my cellar UP! Good luck with your storm cellar!

 

[justusnak]

We dont have a cellar...but we do have a basement and a 2 car garage under the house. THe garage area stays about 45 to 50 degrees in the winter. Not sure what the humidity is in there. I cant use the basement...altho it stays in the low to mid 60's without the wood stove going. Thats OUR problem...we use the woodstove, and at times in the winter it will get to 74 or 75 down there....and DRY!! So, DH will lose more of the garage to storage. We dont use the garage for our trucks so its a great place for storage...and my summer kitchen. I am thinking a storm shelter will be a good place for food storage. You have the turbine vent? The round thingy that spins in the wind!? Easy to cover with a trash bag come winter. You just want to make sure that you dont over fill the storm shelter, to where the family cant get in there. No use haveing food safe, if everyone who is supposed to eat it is blown away in the tordado. The only problem with storm shelters, in Oklahoma...is critters LOVE the coolness dureing the summer. Scorpions, snakes...spiders...just make sure its safe!

 

[me&thegals]

I think you can only find out how your storm cellar will function as a storage place is if you just go ahead and use it. Watch your stuff carefully and compensate for any deficits such as too dry, too humid, too cold, or too warm. That's what us folks with cellars do! We just monitor the conditions and use a little common sense.

My cellar was still too warm in early fall to keep my apples, so this year I've insulated the ceiling and openings better. I've also done a little reading on how to store veggies and fruits since last year and have gleaned some good ideas I plan to try.

I think, what they used to do about keeping crops preserved, we have forgotten. I've read books where they would take regular days to go through their stored veggies and fruits and eliminate any rotten items. Most of us don't really have the time to sort through our whole potato bins and apple crates to check for rotten spots, but we definitely should.

I've read where one could rinse fruits and squash in a 10% bleach solution and let dry before storing. This is supposed to kill any bacteria and fungi on the surface of the fruit.

I've also learned that potatoes should be "cured" before storage. That storing root crops, squash, pumpkins, etc. in sand or sawdust can make them last longer. That apples should not be touching each other (how one could manage that without some very fancy spacers, I don't know) when stored. That you can store onions in old pantyhose, carrots should have the tops removed before storage, that you can hang pepper plants upside down in your cellar to preserve the peppers for as long as possible.

Its all very exciting when you consider just how much and how many things can be stored underground for the winter. I am going to fill my cellar UP! Good luck with your storm cellar!

Great tips. I think there's a book called something like "Root Cellaring" that gives wonderful tips on all the above. True about potatoes. They're supposed to be exposed to air and sun for a couple days after digging, then brushed off of most dirt and store in the dark.

We've done the 1 part bleach to 10 parts water solution. You dip the perfect squash (no breaks in skin or bruises or rotten spots) in the solution, and then let it drip dry, solution still on. It kills the bacteria on the surface of the squash. We tried this 2 years ago and had perfect squash up until spring, when we finished the last one.

For the apples, I bet it wouldn't be too crazy hard to wrap them in newspaper, or at least separate each layer of apples with a sheet of newspaper to somewhat prevent rottenness spreading.

Fun subject My goal this year is to grow enough beets, potatoes, garlic, onions, squash and carrots to get us all the way through to spring.

ETA: One more idea on the apples. You know those big egg-carton like squares that store apples are resting in? They're cardboard and hold each apple separate from the other, stacking row upon row. Wonder what the stores do with them once the apples are sold? Those would be pretty nifty in a cellar storage system

 

[Okiemommy]

freemotion that is a great link!! Thanks!!

Bee I think you're right, after being armed with this information, I feel like it's possible that our storm cellar can be used at least some of the winter for food storage. Now that I know I have a possible place for it, (and a great link ) I will definitely be doing some more research.

I am thinking a storm shelter will be a good place for food storage. You have the turbine vent? The round thingy that spins in the wind!? Easy to cover with a trash bag come winter. You just want to make sure that you dont over fill the storm shelter, to where the family cant get in there. No use haveing food safe, if everyone who is supposed to eat it is blown away in the tordado. The only problem with storm shelters, in Oklahoma...is critters LOVE the coolness dureing the summer. Scorpions, snakes...spiders...just make sure its safe!

LOL!! I thought the same thing to myself It's fairly small since it's a storm shelter, so I know we wouldn't be able to store a bunch of stuff in it, but it's not too small that we would crowd ourselves out lol!

True about the critters. We found a scorpion in there last summer. :/

Okay dumb question ya'll. How come things like apples and citrus go bad so quickly in the fridge, but some of you folks can keep them for months in your root cellars? What's the difference? Remember be gentle, this is a whole new world for me
Yep that's the kind of vent we have! The trash bag makes sense now that you mention it! LOL

Edt for spelling

 

[freemotion]

My guess is that the apples people are storing in their own cellars are hand-picked carefully, VERY carefully, so as not to bruise them, then brought carefully into the cellar where they are carefully placed in storage.

Ever have to sternly reprimand the check-out kid for slamming your produce on the scale and then throwing it onto the belt for the bagger to slam it into a bag? Imagine what happens when no one is looking! And how many times that produce is handled and driven over bumpy roads.

And all the scary treatments they do to produce now to make it look pretty for weeks and weeks. Love those green beans that look perfect but are almost hollow inside. Or that big bag of lovely carrots that rots in my fridge in about 3-4 days. Or the avacadoes that are firm when I buy them but in a couple days are black inside. Blech. Can't wait to have my root cellar fully stocked! Workin' on it!