DESCRIPTION

Vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower ad other greens can be stored in pits, trenches, out-door cellars or caves to keep them fresh. Post Plank Cellars (like the one in figure 1) are low-cost but the wood will decay unless it is made water-proof. Cabbage pits, made of stakes and poles covered with straw (see figure 2) are pretty reliable. Cabbages can also be stored above the ground in cone-shaped pits in an area protected by drains from excess moisture (figure 3). 

CABBAGE PITS

Dig a trench long enough to hold the number of cabbages to be stored. Pull the plants by the roots and set them side by side in the trench. Pack soil around the roots. Build a frame about 2 inches high around the bed, with poles or stakes driven into the ground. Bank the soil around the frame and place poles across the top to hold the covering of straw, hay or leaves. 

CONICAL OUTDOOR PITS

Build the pit either on the surface of the ground, or in a hole 8 to 10 inches deep in a well-drained location. Spread a layer of straw or leaves on the ground. Stack the food to be stored on the litter in a cone-shaped pile. Cover the food with more straw and cover the entire pile with 3 to 4 inches of soil. Then, firm the soil with the back of a shovel to make it waterproof. Dig a shallow drainage ditch around the pit to carry away water. (see figure 3). 

SOURCE

Volunteers in Technical Assistance (VITA), 3706 Rhode Island Avenue, Mt. Rainier, Maryland, 20822, USA.