I am making an above ground root cellar out of an old deep freezer. It will be so far in the ground with two sides between a cliff. I am putting 3 feet of gravel on the other sides with an insulated cover plus bags of leaves. Will this work; or do I need more dirt? I don't want my veggies to freeze.
By marie
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Read on the web and see if you can find directions for building an above ground potato mound for storing potatoes in winter. I read it somewhere but don't recall where. I think you do need more dirt, maybe a layer or two of straw or something insulating. There is the possibility of finding scrap packing foam chunks, stacks of newspaper as well, which should probably be covered with plastic tarp.
Plastic tarp can be found cheaply in lots of places, but also keep eye out at garage sales. You also I think will need to put in a pipe of some kind, not large for a little ventilation. Carrots and root veggies can be kept in box of damp sand, probably a plastic tote of some kind [not potatoes of course], most people don't grow any root veggies except carrots anymore, Straw would be very good if you could find it. Where are you? I'll try to see if I can track down info for you.
Read on the web and see if you can find directions for building an above ground potato mound for storing potatoes in winter. I read it somewhere but don't recall where. I think you do need more dirt, maybe a layer or two of straw or something insulating. There is the possibility of finding scrap packing foam chunks, stacks of newspaper as well, which should probably be covered with plastic tarp.
Plastic tarp can be found cheaply in lots of places, but also keep eye out at garage sales. You also I think will need to put in a pipe of some kind, not large for a little ventilation. Carrots and root veggies can be kept in box of damp sand, probably a plastic tote of some kind [not potatoes of course], most people don't grow any root veggies except carrots anymore, Straw would be very good if you could find it. Where are you?
www.examiner.com/
I found this article after I posted and it has some links to other info, ie the 'potato clamp' which I believe will have info re how much material to pile on top and sides of your fridge because the fridge/freezer will have some insulation and the amount of insulation suggested re the clamp should be sufficient for most situations.
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Does anyone have any idea for making root cellars? I have an old deep freeze I wanted to turn into a root cellar, but I wanted to have it above ground. I don't want to dig a hole to put it in. Does anyone have any ideas for a root cellar on top of the ground? Can I just put my old freezer in a shed and will my vegetables keep in the freezer? The shed is made out of tin.
By marie
If it stays cold enough, good luck. (03/21/2010)
No it won't work above ground. The principle behind root cellars is that the earth maintains a steady temperature, of about 35 degrees or so. If you live in a cold climate the stuff stored in your freezer will freeze, and it will get to warm in the summer. You need to insulate it. My suggestion would be to surround it with straw bales and figure out a way to insulate the lid of the freezer. You might try sawdust or something.
Probably your best bet is to build a straw structure around your freezer and cover the lid with about six inches of straw. I would put the straw on a tarp and lift the entire thing off when you go to open the lid this should keep your "cellar" at an even temperature. You won't get the heat from the earth, but it should keep stuff from freezing or getting too warm.
By Anna Shobe
