How to make a root cellar without digging

After visiting my Aunt Lois last summer, I decided that  I wanted to have fresh apples, carrots, potatoes, and onions all year round. The pioneers got it right with a root seller which keeps the produce cool, frost free, and aired out to prevent molding.

Most root sellers are underground.. However, a few years ago, we dug out our basement to make a forced walk out. It was only about 4 feet down, but nevertheless, I do not want to ever dig again...ever.

So after checking on line (I love all the info you can get on line.) I realized that our shed that is tucked neatly under our deck and snuggled up next to the north side of the house, should work well.

I started by caulking the bottom side between each plank. The top side was already caulked and painted with a roof over that, but I knew that any leaks would be devastating so I'd need to do a little overkill.

Next I put in 2 inch Styrofoam that has a 10 R value. This was much harder than I expected. It had to be tight enough to keep out the heat or cold but still loose enough to fit between each rafter. Styrofoam is recommended in an area that could possible get moisture. It is also has the highest insulative value for the thickness.

Next I added a vertical piece of Styrofoam directly below the horizontal piece on each end. There were many gaps on the ends since the blocks were so difficult to maneuver.

Below the Styrofoam, I put regular fiberglass insulation. It was much easier to install and cheaper.

During the summer months, the room will need ventilation. We added one vent near the ceiling and the other one as low as possible  in between the same two studs. The vents can open and close and have metal mesh to keep out animals, but it wasn't enough for winter months. Obviously, during the winter, the vents need to be insulated so I wrapped a piece of Styrofoam with bubble wrap. It was tricky to sew the seams together and even trickier to turn it right side out, but I did it and then stuffed the Styrofoam inside and sewed and taped the end closed. I included two flaps on each side with which to pull it in and out of the wall. It has a fairly tight fit and the flaps proved to be a necessity.

Then I used bubble wrap and sealed the insulation off. This was tricky too because I didn't want to take all the hanging shelves down so I had to cut around all those obstacles. However, it worked well in the end.

I was trying to repair some plastic shelves to put the produce on when I noticed these shelves tossed aside at Lowe's. They were being thrown away and the clerk said I could have them. It fits perfectly and now the test is on. The room has air, it shouldn't freeze, but it should stay cool.

Another plus is that our sump pump is in the corner. Though most of the drain pipes are below ground and shouldn't freeze, I've always wondered if sub zero temperatures would create a problem. Common sense says that if the temperature is that cold, water won't be seeping into the well either, but it's still good to know that the room is insulated.

I think my pioneer ancestors would be proud.