Building A Root Cellar

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:: Home > Growing A-Z > Growing Techniques

Building A Root Cellar

A root cellar is an easy, inexpensive and cool way to store root crops, winter squash and some other homegrown produce.

In This Article

>	Allow for ventilation
>	Build the walls
>	Cover the walls
>	Add the shelves
>	Hang a door
>	Finishing touch



Related Articles

>	What To Store In A Root Cellar
>	Food Dehydration Basics
>	Freezing Basics
>	Home Canning Basics

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A root cellar was an essential part of every home in the days before fresh produce was available in supermarkets year-round. (The root cellar was also the spookiest spot in most old houses.) A root cellar is still an easy, inexpensive and a cool way to store root crops, winter squash and some other homegrown produce.

Even if you live in a newer house, you can still have a root cellar. The following are simple plans for transforming a corner of your basement into a root cellar, with a minimum of know-how and readily available materials.

Choose a damp spot. Most crops keep best in relatively high humidity. So build your root cellar in the dampest area of your basement (typically the sump pump is in the dampest corner).

Next to an exterior wall. You want, if possible, to build on a wall that's below grade (underground), because you want the greatest contact with outside soil temperature you can get. If you need to use a wall that's above grade, be sure it doesn't get too much sun. (Use north or shaded walls.)

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