A root cellar is the perfect solution if you have a lot of extra vegetables in your home throughout the year. If you’re not the kind of person which likes to keep canned goods, the root cellar is definitely the way to go. But what’s the best way you could make a root cellar and not spend a lot of money on it? Concrete blocks and wood which are commonly used to build this are not that cheap. Instead, an old refrigerator can be repurposed so creatively. There is some digging involved though. Make sure you make a bit of space around it in order to install some ventilation. Also some PVC pipes must be put inside the refrigerator so more air can circulated once the root cellar is finished. There is a lot of work with this project, but you save some money in the process and keep your vegetables fresh. Watch the video for further instructions and see how the project unfolds from start to finish.

More ideas…

Building a root cellar is quite a hard task, but with the appropriate tutorial that guides you, even this project can become easy. The tutorial below will offer you a step by step guide (pictures included) of how to dig your very own root cellar. Besides this, you will also learn how to create two separate rooms, one for planting and a cold room, used as a storage unit. The surprise of the tutorial is the community that offered help for the author, namely the Amish community. He managed to purchase an astonishing wooden shed that is a very original piece and a true example of great craftsmanship. The shed cover the whole root cellar and completed the project in a unique way. For more information and the whole tutorial, do not hesitate to see the link at the end of article…

If cooking is something you hold dear, but your home doesn’t have a cellar, there’s only one thing you can and must do: build a DIY root cellar. Now, obviously the most important part would be the costs of such a structure. Luckily, we have a collection of 10 ideas you can use in order to make your own awesome root cellar with as little costs as possible. One solution from the ones provided in the list can be implemented if you keep in mind that you should build the cellar below ground. This way, you will be using the earth as a natural insulation. But there are other ideas available at the click of a mouse. Check out all of the projects of DIY root cellars and make it a real possibility to not use refrigeration for storing fruits and vegetables in order to make delicious recipes in the future. Good luck on the building project!

1. Root Cellar and Storm Shelter

Mike from Michigan shows how he repurposed a old Agricultural Liquids tank to a Storm Shelter and cold foods storage.

The Root Cellar – Storm Shelter Guide

2. Building Barrel Root Cellars

3. What To Store in a Root Cellar

A handy chart for storing vegetables

With root cellars registering a comeback, due mainly to the growing importance people give to the quality of their vegetables and fruit, especially home-grown ones, you will need a good working system of organizing it. The following DIY storage project will provide the much awaited freshness and accessibility of your produce. In order to turn this idea into reality, you will need some plywood and pine, screws and nails, and a blueprint of the entire cellar. Customizing the room according to your needs will let you use the spare space in the best possible way. The drawers, bin and shelves include some clever opening facilities, like the ventilated areas or the partially opening mechanism. If you decide to make this kind of project for your home, the finished root cellar storage should look as smooth as the one in the images. Read the entire list of required materials and follow the instructions provided in order to turn your ordinary root cellar in a highly-useful cellar!

Root Cellar Storage – Instructions