You have highlighted a crucial point: the concept of extending freshness through storage is the complete anti thesis of roof top vegetables.

The greatest reward of a home garden is the unbeatable freshness (flavour, aroma, texture) achieved at the peak of harvest. Harvesting and storage is to be discouraged as a routine practice.

The Ideal SOP: Plant-to-Plate

The correct approach that aligns with our philosophy is to Plant only enough and eat it when harvested.

• Continuous Planning is the Storage Solution: By staggering the planting of multi-cut and single-harvest crops (5.4.2) and continuously harvesting long-term crops, you ensure that you only pick what you need for the day's meal. Your garden is your storage unit.

The Emergency Rule of Thumb

If, however, a sudden situation arises where harvesting has taken place and cooking is not happening immediately—you have harvested a little too much—you need a simple, non-refrigerated solution for a brief delay.

• The Best Method: The best method is simply keeping the vegetable in cold corners of the house.

o Leafy Greens: Wrap them loosely in a slightly damp cotton or muslin cloth and place them in the coolest, darkest place in your kitchen (e.g., in a ceramic bowl away from the stove).

o Fruiting Vegetables (Tomatoes, Chilies, Gourds): Place them in a simple woven basket or on a shelf in the coolest, most well-ventilated area of your home.

Why Not Refrigerate? Refrigeration, especially for many common garden fruits like tomatoes and some herbs, dulls the flavour and ruins the texture—the very qualities you worked hard to cultivate.

Conclusion: Embrace the low-hassle mandate: don't store, just pick and enjoy immediately. If delay is unavoidable, a simple, cool, dark spot is all the storage you need.