Trash Can Root Cellar

[MaineDad 85]

So for years I have contemplating about digging a small root cellar for storing my potatoes. You see, I always lose a lot of my potatoes because my storage in my basement is too warm due to the furnace. So this weekend, I started digging a hole near the raised beds. I ended up with a 3 foot deep by 2 foot wide hole. Now this does not sound like a hard task unless you have stuck a spade in our Shaker Hill soil! Rocks, gravel and even more rocks after two hours with a pick axe and spade I finally came up with this;

 

 

I took one of my 6 foot long pry bars and 10 pound sledge hammer and made some even deeper "Vent" holes in the bottom of the hole to allow more cool air into the area. When I was done pounding these holes, I added some landscape rock in the bottom of the hole to help with any possible drainage;

 

 

I then went to the local Ace Hardware store and bought a 31 gallon galvanized metal garbage can for $25. I wanted to buy some screen from a screen door from them but he gave me a bunch of remants for free from a recent job they did! I took the can and screen home and drilled a bunch of holes in the bottom of the can. I drilled them from the inside instead of flipping it over so the metal shards would not damage any potatoes. These holes will allow the cool air from the earth into the can;

 

 

I then flipped over the can and used the bottom as a guide to cut the screen. I cut two circles and placed them both in the bottom of the can. This should keep any bugs from entering;

 

 

 

 

I then placed the can into the hole and back filled around the edges so the dirt was just a few inches away from the can cover;

 

 

I then took some old leftover 2x10 pressure treated boards and made a 3x3 box that will cover the can opening. This space will also be fitted with a piece of rigid insulation to help keep the frost away from the top of the can;

 

 

I did not have any pressure treated plywood on hand, so I will make a hinged cover for the box with a handle next weekend. This box will be mounded with dirt all the way around it and will also have some straw or hay covering it through out the winter. Hopefully this Trash Can root cellar will help keep my potatoes for a long time! I will let you know.

Edited August 26, 2013 by MaineDad

[AMC RULES 36,941]

How will the potatoes be stored in the can...loose or bagged? 

[MaineDad 85]

Probably bagged. I may leave some loose to see how they fair.

[953 nut 51,536]

 Hope the frost line up there isn't a problem.

 

You may want to line the hole with some landscape fabric to keep worms out, otherwise it looks like a winner.

 

 

 

[dennist 139]

Micah, Looks nice. One of our neighbors has a similar set up, I do not know the specifics, but went over to pick up Cole one day a few winters ago and the dad was out back digging in the snow and I was a little puzzled when he came out with some carrots,potatoes, and cabbage? I went over and he told me to make a boiled dinner! He works USDA and could not believe I had not seen one before, oh well. His was made from the blue 55 or 35 gal barrels you see everywhere and he had several and the product was loose. I do not know about any holes or not, but the veggies were great. Do you go to the Common Ground Fair in Sept.?

[tunahead72 2,334]

That setup should work real nice for you, MaineDad.  You might consider layering some straw or hay inside the can to lay your potatoes on, it will insulate and cushion them a bit.  And for your next one (  ), you might want to backfill with more gravel instead of soil, that should help your drainage a bit and help keep your can from rusting too quickly.

 

I'll confess, these aren't original ideas.  When I saw this thread, I dug out my copy of an old book called Root Cellaring by Mike and Nancy Bubel.  I hadn't looked at it in probably 20 years, there's a whole lot of cool ideas in there if you ever get to root cellaring more seriously.  My really vague memory tells me that I may actually have two copies of this book for some reason, and I may be able to find my extra copy.  Let me know if you're interested, and I'll take a look around for it.

[JC 1965 1,528]

Your setup will probably work fine Micah. When I was a small child  I can remember my family storing potatoes in the ground. They put a thin layer of straw in the bottom then a layer of potatoes and then kept that process going all the way to the top. A layer of straw between each layer of potatoes. That kept the potatoes from packing against each other and prevented rot. The top layer was always straw to protect from freeze. Don't know if all that was necessary or not but we had potatoes all winter and never had any go bad. If you get one bad potato in there the others will go bad after some time. Hope this helps.      

[MaineDad 85]

Dennis - I hope to go to the CGF this year. I love to go except there is way too much politics! You going?

 

Ed - Great idea about back filling with gravel instead! I would be interested in that book. PM me if you ever find it.

 

Jerry - Layering is probably a real good idea. Thanks for the advice.

[dennist 139]

Dennis - I hope to go to the CGF this year. I love to go except there is way too much politics! You Going?

We usually do go, but it always depends on weather and how we feel at the moment...we hardly ever plan on going or not till the day comes. We are only 10-15 min away.

[tunahead72 2,334]

Ed - ... I would be interested in that book. PM me if you ever find it.

 

Will do.

[MaineDad 85]

Update: Filled my trash can root cellar with potatoes at the end of August. Today is May 11, 2014 after a real cold long hard winter, the potatoes are almost gone but still real fresh with no eyes or rot after 7 months! Making a Mother's Day potato salad with them today too. Here's a video of this morning's potato haul;

 

 

 

I will grow and store even more this summer.