Preserving and Storing the Harvest
Growing your own food is only half the story. The other half is making it last. This guide covers every method of preserving and storing garden produce — from freezing and fermenting to drying, pickling, jamming, and simple cool storage. Whether you're facing a courgette glut in August or wondering how to keep your root vegetables fresh until March, you'll find the answer here.
Freezing
- How do you freeze vegetables from the garden so they stay good?
- Do you really need to blanch vegetables before freezing them?
- How do you freeze garden fruit so it doesn't turn to mush?
- How do you organise freezer space to fit a large garden harvest?
- Is vacuum sealing worth it for storing homegrown vegetables and fruit?
Jams, Preserves and Pickles
- How do you make jam from garden fruit that actually sets properly?
- How do you make chutney that keeps for years and actually tastes good?
- How do you pickle vegetables at home so they stay crisp and safe to eat?
- Is preserving vegetables in oil safe and how long does it last?
- How do you use salt to preserve vegetables from the garden?
- How does sugar preserve fruit and which method suits your garden harvest?
Drying
- How do you dry vegetables from the garden so they last all winter?
- What is the best way to dry garden herbs so they keep their flavour?
- How do you dry fruit from the garden to make it last for months?
Root and Vegetable Storage
- How do you store root vegetables so they last through winter without rotting?
- How do you store homegrown onions and garlic so they keep for months?
- How do you stop homegrown potatoes from sprouting and going green in storage?
- How long do winter squash last in storage and what conditions do they need?
- What is a root clamp and how do you build one to store vegetables over winter?
Fruit Storage
- How do you store garden apples so they last through winter?
- How do you store fresh tomatoes so they taste good and last longer?
Fermentation, Bottling and Gluts
- Is home fermentation of vegetables safe and where do you start?
- How do you make sauerkraut and lacto-fermented vegetables from your garden?
- How do you bottle fruit and vegetables safely at home to keep all year?
- What do you do when courgettes get out of control?
- What is the best way to use up a big glut of tomatoes?
- What do you do when runner beans and French beans are producing faster than you can eat them?
- What can you do with more apples than you can possibly eat?
- How do you make sure homemade preserves are safe to eat?
- What equipment do you actually need to preserve a garden harvest?