How To Store Potatoes

Fall is my favorite season.  It means harvesting, canning, and holidays. Many of the crops harvested in fall can be stored and enjoyed for months to come.  Apples, winter squash, pumpkins, roots crops, cabbage, and potatoes can all be stored and eaten "fresh" when the garden is long gone and winter has set in.

Potatoes

  I love the smell of the fresh turned soil as you harvest potatoes.   Your potato harvest can be enjoyed well into the winter with careful planning, planting the right varieties, and correct storage.

PLANTING THE RIGHT POTATOES FOR STORAGE

Not all potatoes are storage potatoes.  Late season potatoes have the best storage potential. Early harvested potatoes will last 4-6 weeks, but under proper conditions late season potatoes can store from 4-6 months.  Darkness, cold, and humidity are the keys.

Good options for storage potatoes:  Kennebec, Katahdin, and Carola.

Red and purple potatoes which have thin skins are not very good storage options.  The thinner skins means the potatoes are more easily nicked breaking the skins.  This allows for bacteria a rot.  So use these potatoes first.  They can be harvested earlier than storage potatoes.

La Soda

PLANTING AT THE RIGHT TIME

Potatoes can be planted early spring as soon as the soil can be worked; however, a late spring planting which is harvested in early fall is ideal for potatoes you plan on storing.  Make 2 plantings and enjoy potatoes longer.  Be sure to use certified disease free seed potatoes.

Kennebec

HARVESTING CORRECTLY

I like to harvest as late as possible which for me is late October early November.  You can, however, harvest whenever the tops die back and dry up.  Provided you do not have an extremely wet season, you can leave the tubers in the ground up to six weeks.  If the potatoes are partially exposed cover them with soil to prevent greening.

Potatoes should be cured before storing this toughens up the skins and allows small nicks to heal.  Dig the potatoes and lightly brush the dirt off.  Do NOT wash.  Spread them out under a porch where temperatures are around 60 to 75 F.  Protect from sun and wind while curing.

After 2 weeks they are ready for storage.  

Purple Viking, my favorite potato

STORING POTATOES

Ideal conditions are cold and damp.  The perfect temperature is 35-45 F with high humidity around 80-90%.  

If potatoes are stored below 35F some of the starch begins turning to sugar.  To remedy this, bring small batches of potatoes into a 70F room and in a couple weeks the sugar will revert to starch.  (Root Cellaring, Mike and Nancy Bubel)

If temperatures are too warm sprouting and shriveling will occur.

Sort and remove any diseased or damaged potatoes. Those can be used first. Choose only the best to store long term.  Find a container that allows for good ventilation such as root cellar bins, cardboard boxes with slits cut in them, or bushel baskets.

Cover with burlap to prevent light from turning the potatoes green. The burlap allows for ventilation.

WHERE TO STORE

The ideal spot would be a root cellar.  Other options will depend on the climate where you live.  A basement, window well, garage, or extra refrigerator may all be options.

A hygrometer measures humidity.  Too increase humidity in a refrigerator soak a sponge, wring it out, and put it in the fridge.  In a root cellar the gravel floor is sprinkled with water.  Other storage areas such as a garage or basement will be difficult to control humidity.

Periodically check the potatoes and remove any rotting ones.

Don't forget to get your potato orders in early.  Many of the varieties I mentioned sell out soon.