Handy tips for storing your homegrown produce

Growing your own produce is rewarding in more ways than one, but knowing how to preserve your harvest can extend the benefits even further. After all, why spend all that time growing yummy herbs, veggies and fruit, just for it to go bad before you eat it?

There are many different ways in which you can store your produce. Here, we offer some insights and tips on how to keep it fresh for longer utilising eco-friendly products that you can use year after year.

Use beeswax wraps to store fruit and vegetables

One of our standout products is our Beeswax Food Wraps, a sustainable alternative to clingfilm. These wraps are perfect for keeping your home-grown vegetables fresh, as they are breathable and allow the produce to maintain its natural moisture without becoming soggy.

For hard vegetables and fruit, such as potatoes, carrots, sprouts, apples, peaches and quince, simply wrap your produce directly with the beeswax wraps. The natural properties of beeswax help to keep your produce fresh and crisp, even if they’re sliced before wrapping.

For soft vegetables and fruit, such as cucumber, courgette, tomatoes, spinach and berries, pop them in a cup or bowl, and cover the top with a beeswax wrap.

When your wraps start to lose their stickiness, you can refresh them with our Wax Wrap Refresher Bar. This bar extends the life of your wraps, making them as good as new and ensuring that your produce stays fresh for as long as possible.

Protect produce without the use of chemicals

Another essential product from Plastic Free Gardening is our Vegetable Protection Net. This netting is designed to keep your vegetables protected from insect damage. By reducing insect attacks, your vegetables can continue to ripen and stay fresh right on the plant until you’re ready to harvest them. This not only ensures a better-tasting crop but also means less wastage and more produce for you to enjoy.

An alternative to plastic fleece, this net is made from certified organic cotton, and can be used again and again. It can also be recycled when it has reached the end of its lifespan. Nets also help to reduce the use of harmful pesticides, which keeps your garden wildlife-friendly, and your food free from endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

More tips for storing homegrown produce

In addition to using our sustainable products, here are some tips for properly storing your home-grown herbs and vegetables to help them last longer:

• Herbs: For leafy herbs like cilantro, parsley and basil, trim the stems and place them in a jar with water, similar to a bouquet of flowers. Cover the herbs with a beeswax wrap and store them in the fridge (except for basil, which should be left at room temperature). Change the water every couple of days to keep the herbs fresh.

• Root vegetables: Store root vegetables such as carrots, radishes, and beetroot in a beeswax wrap or a reusable container in the fridge. Make sure to remove the greens from these vegetables, as they draw moisture from the roots, causing them to wilt faster.

• Leafy greens: For greens like lettuce and spinach, rinse and pat them dry carefully and thoroughly before wrapping them in a beeswax wrap. Store them in the crisper drawer of your fridge. If you intend to store them longer than a day or two, you can line the inside of your beeswax wrap with kitchen roll first, as this will help absorb moisture; replace the kitchen roll daily.

• Tomatoes: Store tomatoes at room temperature and out of direct sunlight until they are fully ripe. Once ripe, you can place them in the fridge to extend their freshness for a few more days.

• Onions and garlic: These should be stored in a cool, dry, and dark place. A breathable bag or basket is ideal to prevent mould growth; never store them in sealed plastic, as it will cause them to spoil faster.

• Peppers: Store peppers in a beeswax wrap in the fridge. This will help them retain their moisture and stay fresh for longer.

By using our sustainable, non-plastic tools and following these handy storage tips, you can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables and herbs) of your labour for weeks after harvest!