Root Cellar - Is it Possible to Get to Cold During the Winter?

The simple answer is yes but it can be avoided. In the last 6 weeks we have been blessed with some cold temperature that have lasted for a week or more. This hasn't happened in the last 3 years so we are excited that some unwanted bugs may die this winter!!!

So back to the root cellar, ours is currently at 41 degrees F and holding steady for the last 6 weeks during the cold. When you build a cellar you have 1 or 2 supply and exhaust pipes. The supply pipe allows the cold air to into into the cellar low, near the floor.

The exhaust pipe is high so as the cold air enters from the supply pipe the warm air passes out the exhaust pipe. No equipment (fans or air pump) required for this transfer provided you don't close off the vents with a filter media or a tight screen.

Since it happens naturally how do you prevent is from happening? We simply remove the pvc fittings on the supply and exhaust pipes and cover them with a bucket. This prevents the air exchange and you protect your fruits and vegetables from freezing.

Currently our root cellar is housing spaghetti squash, Yukon gold seed potatoes which are ready to be planted, garlic, summer sausage, wine and some brandy. All of this was grown, raised, or produced on the homestead. In years past (before we built the cellar) we had vegetable in closets, cabinets, and well almost everywhere! At times it seemed overwhelming and the cellar has eliminated all of these pains/stresses.

Hopefully this post helps you see the benefits of owning a root cellar plus some tips you may need your first year owning a cellar. We didn't understand this our first year and we almost lost everything, temperature was 33 degrees F before we figured this out... Thank for reading and commenting!