Where and how to store fresh cabbage at home in an apartment

Cabbage, second only to potatoes in popularity in Russia, is used in traditional cooking. Borscht and cabbage soup are made from it, marinate, ferment and eat it raw. Cabbage is stuffed into pies, fish and game, and kulebyaka and cabbage rolls are made from it.

Gardeners grow cabbage in large quantities, and everyone needs to store it for a long time. In a private house, where there is a cellar and the attic, this issue is not so pressing. Residents of apartment buildings are faced with the problem of preserving vegetables due to the lack of large rooms with a constant low temperature.

Today we will tell you which cabbage is best and what methods are used to preserve it in an apartment.

The best varieties for storing at home

Let's consider TOP 15 best cabbage varieties and hybrids suitable for long-term storage in apartment conditions.

Selection and preparation of heads of cabbage

When choosing heads of cabbage for long-term storage, including at room temperature, pay attention to their size. Forks of medium size and weight (about 2.5-3 kg) are best stored.It is better not to take too large or very small ones: large ones tend to wither quickly (they put pressure on the lower leaves with their mass, so they deteriorate), and small ones risk losing all their leaves or drying out over the winter.

The cabbage should not have dark spots, traces of insects, areas of rot or mold. A small number of dried leaves is allowed, but no more than 2-3 outer leaves per fork. The cabbage should be firm and not lose its shape when squeezed. It is recommended to inspect the stalk: in a fresh vegetable it has a light color without spots or rings, which indicate internal rotting.

Before harvesting the crop for storage, the heads of cabbage are prepared: All darkened leaves are torn off from them, wet forks are wiped with a soft cotton cloth. The stalk is cut only if the forks will not be stored in a suspended state.

Optimal storage conditions

How to store cabbage at home in an apartment? Housewives usually choose a refrigerator. This is the best option for storing forks at home, where there is no cellar, cool attic or large freezer.

In the main chamber of the refrigerator, the heads of cabbage will be stored for 3 months. If you remove leaves that begin to wither, you can extend the shelf life of the vegetable to 4-5 months.

It is recommended to store cabbage on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, placing it in a plastic bag. It is important that condensation does not collect in the bag - it creates favorable conditions for the growth of fungi.

How to properly preserve cabbage at home

There are many ways to preserve vegetables in an apartment. Let's talk about a few of them.

In film

This method is suitable for those who have a storage room in their apartment.. It is advisable that it be located close to the front door or have a common wall with the entrance. In such a storage room a relatively low temperature is maintained - no higher than +20°C.

To preserve the heads of cabbage in such a room, they are tightly wrapped in cling film. Once every 10-14 days, the forks are inspected, and limp and darkening leaves are torn off. This way vegetables can be stored for up to 5 months.

In paper

Cabbage wrapped in paper sheets is preserved from oxidation and drying out. The paper removes excess water, which can lead to rotting. Thanks to the paper wrapping, the forks do not touch each other and do not spoil longer.

Such vegetables can be folded into a box or box and sent to a closet or to the balcony, if it is glazed and the temperature is maintained there at least +4...+7°C. Forks stay fresh in paper for 5-6 months.

In clay

An unusual way to preserve the freshness of heads of cabbage is to create a “clay coat”. Two parts of clay are mixed with one part of water, the resulting mixture is tightly coated with forks and sent to dry in the fresh air.

Dried cabbage is carefully placed in boxes and stored until spring in a cool place - on a glazed balcony or in a pantry.

In limbo

Large glazed loggias allow you to hang vegetables by the stalk. To do this, a long wooden strip is attached to the wall under the ceiling. Nails are stuffed into it, strong ropes are tied to them, the free ends of which are tied around the stalks.

This method is the most gentle: the vegetables do not come into contact with each other, do not put pressure on themselves with their own weight, and are constantly ventilated.

On the grid

The nets are suitable for short storage – 2-3 months. Forks in nets are most often kept during transport.At home, such bags take up a lot of space and are rarely used. In addition, the heads of cabbage lie too tightly in them, and the outer leaves are injured.

In sand

For owners of spacious glazed loggias, the method of storing cabbage in sand is suitable. To preserve vegetables, a small layer of sand is poured onto the bottom of the box, on which the first row of cabbage is laid. Then they sprinkle it with sand so that the next row does not come into contact with the bottom one.

The top layer of sand should completely cover the vegetables. In such a box, protected from moisture, oxygen and sun, the cabbage will lie until spring.

Features of storing different types of cabbage

If you plan to store other types of cabbage for a long time, it is important to follow simple rules.

Kohlrabi

Stem fruits are pulled out of the ground along with the roots. The root is cut off. Kohlrabi hang on the loggia or in the refrigerator, wrapped in paper. This way the vegetable will last up to 5 months. Kohlrabi will last in the freezer for up to a year.

Colored

This vegetable is often marinate or salted. When you need to keep it fresh for 4-5 months, freeze it, separating the inflorescences from the stalk, or store it in the refrigerator in paper or on the balcony in a box covered with paper, if the temperature there does not fall below 0°C.

Broccoli

Vegetables cannot be stored for long without freezing. You can preserve broccoli florets for 5-6 days in a glass of water in the refrigerator. or in a cool place, wrapped in a damp towel. This way the inflorescences are not deprived of moisture and remain crispy.

Keeps broccoli in the freezer taste and properties up to a year.

Best before date

Some varieties of white cabbage, for example, Moscow late, are stored until summer. But more often cabbage lasts 6-8 months. Cabbage of specially bred late varieties with a high degree of keeping quality lasts the longest.

Storage duration depends on the preparation of vegetables (wet or rotten leaves can ruin the entire harvest) and compliance with the conditions. To prevent the cabbage from spoiling after 2-3 months of storage, the forks are periodically inspected for rot and darkening. Bad leaves are torn off, and cabbage that has become soft is thrown away.

Conclusion

Late varieties of cabbage can be stored for a long time, some varieties can last until summer, others are edible until the end of winter - beginning of spring. When choosing vegetables for long-term storage, preference is given to late varieties. They not only tolerate long-term storage well, but also improve their taste over time.

You can store cabbage in different ways, including hanging it, burying it in sand, covering it with clay, or wrapping it in film. The ideal place in the apartment to store cabbage heads is a cool closet or a glassed-in loggia. Housewives freeze other types of cabbage - kohlrabi, broccoli, cauliflower. In this form they retain their properties for up to 12 months.