Food preservation tips for garlic, potatoes, and onions

To prevent autumn harvests from spoiling, various preservation and storage techniques can be used for garlic, potatoes, and onions.

Garlic can be preserved long-term by drying it using sunlight, an oven, or a food dehydrator. For oven drying, it is recommended to peel and slice garlic into uniform, thin pieces and use a temperature of approximately 70 °C for 2 to 3 hours. Once completely dried, garlic pieces can even be ground into powder.

Potatoes require cool, dark, dry, and well-ventilated environments. They should be kept away from light to prevent greening and away from heat sources like radiators. Storing them in airtight plastic bags or refrigerators is discouraged, as moisture can cause rot and low temperatures can turn starch into sugar. If potatoes are firm and not green, sprouts can be removed, but heavily green or shriveled potatoes should be discarded.

Onions should be stored in a dry, cool, and dark place using breathable containers like mesh, paper bags, or baskets rather than plastic. It is advised to store onions separately from potatoes, as keeping them together can cause both vegetables to sprout or rot more quickly.