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Potatoes can last for months in storage under the right shape . Learn when to harvest potatoes , how to cure them properly , and how to store potatoes for winter with these crown .
Potatoes are a staple solid food for many culture around the human race . Potatoes are a very various vegetable that can be used in everything from soups to side dishes . They are cheap to develop , packed with nutrition , and can be stored for a drawn-out period of time .
Long before modernistic supermarkets , potatoes were traditionally uprise or purchased in autumn , and stash away in ascendant cellars for winter meal . A radical basement is an underground social organisation that is protected from freeze temperatures , but maintain nerveless and humid conditions ideal for holding foods for month after harvest home .
Most of us do n’t have root cellars anymore , but we can still apply the same rationale to store crops in wintertime in our modern homes .
I have an unwarmed corner in my cellar that is perfect . This recess outride dark , nerveless , and do like a root basement . I have contribute shelve where I put in the foods preserve from the vegetable garden during the growing season . Once fall arrives , the ledge are fill up with dwelling house canned trade good and winter storage crops .
A cellar keeps a steady temperature and is cool than the rest of the household . If you do n’t have a basement , view any location that stays above freezing through the fall and wintertime , such as your crawl space , garage , mud room , bulkhead , under the back porch , or even a loo .
How to Harvest Potatoes
If you aregrowing potatoesfor wintertime food computer memory , let the genus Tuber develop fully in the ground . Mature potatoes are less likely to offend when harvest than immature potatoes , and will last longer in storage . Here are tips for harvesting potatoes for wintertime intellectual nourishment storage :
Let the Potatoes Mature Fully
Potatoes are finish growing when the foliage take off turning chickenhearted . Stop watering at this point and let the foliage die back . During this meter , the hide of the potatoes will thicken and toughen up . This will assist protect the tuber from damage when they are harvested .
Check your crop by digging up a few Solanum tuberosum from the edge of your potato bandage . Rub the skin with your thumb . If the cutis is paper - thin and chafe off easily , the potatoes are not ready yet . Give them a few more days under earth , and then see them again .
Dig Up the Potatoes
Your potatoes are quick for harvesting once the plants have died back , and the skin have firmed up and no longer rub off easy .
Harvest the spud on a ardent , teetotal Clarence Shepard Day Jr. after a period of little or no rain . prod by hand is the best way to avoid damaging the potatoes .
Use a turn over fork to loosen the grease beneath the potatoes . Then sift through with your hands and pull out out the genus Tuber . Place your potatoes carefully in buckets or bins . Try not to wound or damage the pelt or the potatoes will not last long in storage .
If you are harvesting on a sunny day , place the bucket in the shade after fulfil because sun will turn over the Solanum tuberosum skins green . There is no motive to lave the potato after harvesting , just keep them wry and out of direct light .
Separate Damaged Tubers
Occasionally , you will come across murphy that were damaged by moles or vole underground , or you may incidentally knife one with the moil crotch . Keep flawed potatoes separate from your repositing potatoes because they are more likely to rot and peradventure infect the rest of the tubers . Trim off the damaged country and wipe out these first .
Tips for Storing Potatoes Long Term
Whether you grow your own , or stock up at your local farmers ’ market , choice varieties jazz for their long - full term storage capabilities . TheOSU Extension Servicerecommends the be varieties : Elba , Katahdin , Red Chieftain , Yukon Gold , Burbank Russet , German Butterball , Yukon Gem , Rose Finn Apple Fingerling , Russian Banana Fingerling , Red Pontiac , All sorry , and Kennebec .
If you are purchase spud from a Fannie Farmer ’s market in fall or wintertime , ask the growers which varieties they advocate for store . In addition , find out when they were harvested , and if they call for to be cure before storing .
Do n’t interest if your variety is not on the list . Other varieties may not last all wintertime , but most potatoes will last at least a calendar month or two when lay in under the right shape .
You may be wondering if you could store potato purchased at a food market store all wintertime in the same way . The answer is … it depends .
Commercially grown potatoes are harvested , bring around , and stack away in limited environment controlled refrigeration buildings until they are ready to ship . Then they are sorted , packaged , boxed , shipped to warehouses , and then finally truck to your local grocery store .
During this time , the tubers experience temperature wavering and pic to Light Within . It is likely the potatoes already have break down quiescency before reaching the supermarket shelves . However , you’re able to still hive away grocery keep potatoes fresh for at least a few month using this method acting . Be sure to remove them from their plastic bags before storing , and follow the storage steps below .
5 Steps to Storing Potatoes for Winter
Step 1: Sort the Potatoes
Sort your potato by form . Since some types of potatoes will last longer in storage than others , sort out by salmagundi will make it easy to find the ones that have a forgetful entrepot animation and apply these first .
I grow two varieties of potatoes : Dark Red Norland and Kennebec . Kennebec hold up much longer in memory board , up to 6 month . The Dark Red Norland often commence weaken and sprouting after several month , so we consume the red potatoes first .
As you are sorting , look over the Irish potato carefully and draw out out any with bruises or signs of price . genus Tuber with broken hide , cracks , or balmy spots should be separated and used immediately because these will not lay in well .
light-green potatoes should be tossed out because they will smack bitter , and if eaten in large quantities , may cause illness . Small spots can be dress off , but if there is significant greening , throw the potato out .
Step 2: Cure the Potatoes
Curing your potatoes will help heal small wounds , and toughen up the skin to mold a protective case that stretch the storage lifespan . To cure your potatoes , simply circulate out the vulgar tubers in a single bed in seedling tray or shallow box describe with newspapers .
Cover the trays with a dark towel to eliminate light , but leave air travel to go around . Let the potatoes cure for several week in an surface area that is between 50 to 60˚F.
Step 3: Identify an Area Suitable for Storing Potatoes
While your potatoes are curing , situate an area in your home to lay in the potatoes . Ideally , potatoes should be stash away in a benighted , well - air field at 45˚F to 50˚F ( 7˚C to 10˚C ) . The proportional humidity should be around 95 % to preclude the tubers from dry out out . The ideal warehousing domain for potatoes is one that is :
Suggested home entrepot placement include an unheated basement , spare wardrobe , shed , crawl space , or service department . Any area you choose should be insulated to protect the tater from freezing temperatures .
Do n’t worry if your storage area is not thoroughgoing . Even if you do n’t have the idealistic repositing conditions , as long as it is relatively cool and stays above freezing , you probably still can store your Irish potato for a period of time . It is worth exploring to essay it out to see how long your potatoes last in your singular storage conditions .
Step 4: Pack Up the Potatoes
After cure , lay in the Irish potato in a dark area in cover boxes or bins with some holes for ventilation . Do n’t wash off the murphy before packing because the moisture will encourage mould and reduce the storage life .
I salt away my potatoes in recycled paper boxes nestled in shredded newspaper publisher recycle from placard and other paperwork . I cut a few holes in the side of the boxes for zephyr circulation , add a bed of shredded paper , and distribute out the potatoes , cover with more chopped paper , and extend until the box is full .
As you pack up your Irish potato , lightly sweep off supererogatory dirt and audit them once again . Small or damaged Tuber should be separated and used forthwith rather of stored .
Once the cardboard boxful is full , add the cover , recording label , and store in your cool , dark expanse . Again , idealistic storage conditions for spud are at 45˚F to 50˚F ( 7˚C to 10˚C ) and 80 - 90 % proportional humidity . white potato can last 4 - 9 months in storage depending on the mixture .
Store potatoes disjoined from onions , bananas , and other fruit . These give off ethene flatulence that can cause your potatoes to sprout prematurely .
Step 5: Check on the Stored Potatoes
Every few weeks , look through the corner to remove any potatoes that may start to rot . unremarkably you may order by the scent if there is one in the box . If you comment a musky , sullen dirt olfactory sensation , you should look through the box to move out the rotten potato before it infect the others .
Keep a thermometer near the Irish potato so you could note any changes in temperature . Keeping the potatoes cool will slow the sprout process , but eventually belittled sprouts will appear . The potatoes are safe to eat if they are still steadfast , simply remove the sprout before cooking .
spud may modernise a sweet gustatory sensation if storage temperature dip below 40˚F. The cold temperature triggers the starches to convert to cabbage . While the sugar may aid the white potato dark-brown well when roasted or fried , too much sweetness can convert the tang . Luckily , you’re able to overthrow this process by moving the tubers to a slimly warmer location for several weeks before using in your recipes .
Trim off potato tegument that has turned green . If the green has diffuse into the Solanum tuberosum , throw it away . It is not worth the risk of realize your family sick of .
Under the ideal storage condition , white potato can remain fresh for 3 to 6 months or longer . Ours often last until spring before they begin sprouting . Sprouted potatoes can be implant in outflow , as long as they look healthy and the previous season was disease spare .
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So there you have it , your quick start scout to storing Irish potato for winter . The most significant thing to remember , is potato store well in a well air , nerveless , dingy , and humid surroundings .
Other Ways to Preserve Potatoes
The prosperous ways to preserve potatoes is to store them in a root cellar or cool field of your home . However , if your storage surroundings is not idealistic , here are other ways to bear on your potato harvest :
Potato Recipes:
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Want to Learn How to Grow Potatoes?
You will find everything you need to start growing murphy in my PDF eBook , Grow a Good Life Guide to Growing Potatoes . Whether you are striving for a few gourmet fingerling potatoes or a large crop for wintertime food storehouse , this guide will show how you could produce your own , constitutive , homegrown white potato vine .
