The potatoes have been dug and my garden is starting to look bare with the new large empty patch. We have Yukon Gold and Dakota Jewel Red in every size, from very large one potato for two people to pearl onion size. This should be enough potatoes to take us well into the winter, perhaps clear through to spring.
Homegrown potatoes need to be cured before they are stored so that their skins can be toughened up. Spread them out in a protected area that is 60 to 70 degrees for one to two weeks. Leave a layer of dirt on the potatoes, this extends their live, and never wash them before storing. Place in a bin or burlap, but never plastic, then store them in a cold, damp, dark spot. A root cellar is ideal. High humidity and a temperature of 38 to 40 degrees is ideal, the temperatures in my cold storage are around 50 degrees, but they still keep fairly well.
This is our "root cellar", a small space in the basement that the prior owner built as a cold-storage room. It is nothing special to look at, but it does the trick; there are no windows, it is insulated, has shelves and a door. We store our squash, potatoes, onions, and apples in here. Potatoes will keep in these conditions for 4 to 6 months. Last year our garden potatoes kept well into January when we used the last of them up, they were not even soft or sprouting. Keep an eye on them though, if one potato goes bad, perhaps from a bruised spot, pull it out or the rest will start to go. Also, be sure not to store potatoes and apples close together or they won't keep well.
Simple Lives Thursday
AHH , to live somewhere where you CAN do a root cellar :) In TX..it's the garage since we don't have basements, and it stays hot here through October and starts up again in March. Congrats on the good harvest!
ReplyDeleteYour potatoes look great. I wish I had a basement to use as a root cellar! I have a mudroom (well, actually it is a large porch that has become our storage area) that I use to store my squash apples and potatoes.
ReplyDeleteThat is a very, very nice harvest of potatoes, we are fortunate enough to be able to use our basement as a root cellar as well.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful harvest! Is there anything more entertaining than digging up the potatoes? The kids love it, and I do too.
ReplyDeleteWish we had a root cellar. I wouldn't care how it looked as long as it got us through the cold winter! THANKS!
Storage is also my problem with potatoes (and everything else!)
ReplyDeleteAny storage suggestions for someone who lives in Florida? I have no basement, no garage. I've got a tiny little mud room/closet, but it's very rarely colder than 50 degrees.
ReplyDeleteI especially love your overseer (the cat). Beautiful harvest! Nice advice on the storing too, I really need to get out and dig up my potatoes. I seem to be out of steam at the moment! Thanks for linking up to Simple Lives Thursday.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the comments everyone.
ReplyDeleteDiana, I have read that without a basement, root crops can be stored in a dark, cool room (closet?). However, they do not keep as long and you will want to keep an eye on them, a rotting potato REALLY stinks.
The advantage you have is that your growing season is longer and you can eat more seasonally, meaning whatever is currently growing is what you put on your table.
-Brenda
Thank you for this! I need to get this up for myself!
ReplyDeleteHey, nice site you have here! Keep up the excellent work!
ReplyDeleteCoolroom