Above ground Root Cellar

[barry419]

I have a high water table on my property and don't want to go in the ground. I was wonderinng what you think of a box off from a refrigerated box truck
for an above ground root cellar. It would be animal proof, might have to add some foam insulation and could put in a small heater just in case the temp get's to freezing. NW Ohio ...........Sometime I think to much !

[woodsman]

I've seen above ground root cellar - it was a mound made with dirt from the pound that was dug before, piled around and on top of a small cement block room with insulated door. There were grass and shrubs growing on top of it and it was mostly shaded by trees too.

[InHisName]

My husband built a cold room for me in a corner of the garage- works great! 40 degrees, even when it is 15 below zero, only a light bulb for heat. Have you checked out Root Cellaring by Bubel? Our idea came from the Joy of Gardening by Dick Raymond. I would also check MEN archives.

[o&itw]

Originally Posted by barry419

I have a high water table on my property and don't want to go in the ground. I was wonderinng what you think of a box off from a refrigerated box truck
for an above ground root cellar. It would be animal proof, might have to add some foam insulation and could put in a small heater just in case the temp get's to freezing. NW Ohio ...........Sometime I think to much !

Insulation makes the temperature change inside slower, and if you had just a month of freezing temperatures, you might be OK, but I don't think it would last and entire winter.

The ground has a lot to do with keeping the temperature even and above freezing. There is one on some property that I am looking at with a high water table, and it is built into the side of a hill.

If that is not available, then I think you would be best going with Woodsman' suggestion and mounding dirt over the top and around whatever building/ container you use to a depth of at least 30 inches (thick) on the sides. (if you use the truck body, it will not support much thickness of dirt on the top at all, and you might get by with a good layer of straw or something. There is a slight slow steady heat that comes up from the ground, which is what makes the most difference. You might be ok with less dirt over it as well insulated as it is, especially if you could bury a foot or two into the ground,