Preserving food in the ground

Many vegetables and certain fruits can be preserved in the soil or through simple storage methods over the winter months, provided that temperature and humidity remain suitably cool and dry, and rodents and other pests are excluded. Such practices are some of the most ancient and accessible forms of food preservation, enabling continued access to fresh produce throughout the colder seasons. At their most basic, these methods involve simply leaving the crops in the ground and covering them to prevent damage, but more advanced methods such as building in-ground silos require only rudimentary tools, materials and experience.

Materials used

Required materials will depend on the complexity of the methods used.

Preserving in the ground or trenching (heeling in)

• Dried ferns, straw or other vegetative insulation

For some methods

• Wooden planks, boards or sleepers (if available) or thick branches
• Waterproof covering or other water resistant material

Preserving in a silo

• Dried leaves, dried grasses, sand or other moisture-regulating material
• Wood ashes
• Wooden planks, boards or sleepers (if available) or thick branches

For some methods

• Waterproof covering or other water resistant material

For semi-buried silo

• Bundle of 1-2cm (1/2") twigs or tree prunings

For brick silo

• Hollow cement blocks (recycled) or clay bricks