IN THE KITCHEN
and cover it with a few
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skins. Cure potatoes in a cool
and dark area by spreading
the tubers out into seedling
trays lined with newspaper.
Cover the trays with a dark
towel to eliminate light but
allow air to circulate and let
them cure for several weeks.
They can be stored in
cardboard boxes with holes
cut in the sides and layered in
shredded paper or damp
sawdust or sand. Another
option is to place a tarpaulin
on the ground in a shady spot
centimetres of loose straw
outdoors. Pile on potatoes
and cover with more straw, a
second tarp, and a thick
blanket of leaves or straw.
You will need to ensure that
the potatoes are safe from
vermin though.
Essential oils of clove,
spearmint and peppermint
can control potato sprouting
organically.
K Pumpkins are ready to be
harvested when the skin is no
longer shiny and
the stem is beginning to
go brown. Cut ripe fruits
from the vine, leaving a
short stub of stem
attached. Wipe with a
damp cloth to remove
soil. Cure in a wellventilated place with
warm room temperatures for one to two
weeks. For long term
storage, wash the
pumpkins in a mild
disinfectant solution.
Use one cup of chlorine to
three litres of water. This will
Dried beans in glass jars
destroy bacteria which may
cause the fruit to rot.
Store the pumpkin in a cool,
dry and dark place. Avoid hot
and humid places, even if
storing for only a couple of
weeks. Pumpkins are best
stored on a board or piece of
cardboard. Do not store the
fruit on a cement floor, as
they tend to rot. If you do not
have a storeroom, pumpkins
can be stacked on their sides
in a single layer next to each
other under a tree with a
fairly dense leaf canopy but
which is open at the sides.
Air movement under a tree
must be free. If you can raise
them from the ground it
would be better.
K Beans of certain varieties
can be dried for long-term
use. Gather pods as they dry
and plants turn yellow, but
before pods shatter. Dry
whole pods in a warm, dry
place until crisp. Shell beans
and continue drying in open
containers at room temperature for two weeks.
Store in airtight jars in a cool,
dark place. Place a bayleaf in
each jar to deter insects.
K Butternut can be stored
the longest of all the
squashes. Their smooth, hard
rinds help give them the
longest storage life - often six
months or more - so
butternuts should be eaten
last. They are ready to
harvest when the skin is too
hard to pierce it with
fingernails. Carefully cut
them from the vine with a
knife leaving 5cm of stalk
attached to the butternut to
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