Store vegetables in the ground rent

What is an earth rent?

This is a 40 centimeter deep pit in which vegetables are stored during the cold season. It comes from times when there was no refrigerator. In contrast to one Earth cellar the rent can be set up very easily, inexpensively and in a small space, for example in a harvested bed.

The required material:

• spade and shovel
• Play sand
• Fresh, clean straw
• Close-meshed wire to protect against voles. Alternatively, you can use green vegetable boxes.
• A wooden board as a cover

Which place is suitable?

The ground rent should not be invested too far from the house so that you can easily reach it even on inhospitable winter days. In addition, the place must be chosen so that the small pit does not fill with water when the snow melts. The edge of the garage, a bed near the house wall or an unheated greenhouse would be ideal.

The creation of the rent

• First, dig a pit that is at least 30 centimeters deep. The size is based on the amount of vegetables that you want to store. For four people this would be around 100 centimeters wide and two to three meters long.
• Sprinkle a two-inch layer of sand on the ground.
• Secure the edges with formwork boards, old bricks or patio stones.
• Lay the entire rent with wire. Alternatively, you can use wooden or plastic vegetable boxes.
• The edges are lined with straw. This ensures good air circulation.
• Layer the vegetables in separate layers, which you in turn cover with sand. It is important that the vegetables do not touch each other.
• Once everything is in place, cover the last layer of sand with a board.

On frost-free days you can open the rent and remove the vegetables in portions.