Monday, October 01, 2018

Harvesting and Storing Potatoes

Potatoes growing in a barrel.
Each year I grow potatoes in barrels. I get enough from three barrels for Wayne and I to enjoy through the winter. I've found that Yukon Golds make a nice sized spud that stays firm and fresh when stored for months. Any that do sprout by spring I use for seed potatoes. The barrel on the left is ready to dig because the plants have died back. The one on the right isn't ready yet.

Each barrel gave me a bucket of potatoes.
Last week I dug up four barrels worth to store for winter use. First I let the soil in the barrels dry. I find digging the potatoes out with my hand is easiest on me and the potatoes. Eliminating cuts from sharp objects helps the potatoes store better. To help keep my digging hand and nails cleaner, I wear a latex glove.

Saving soil from potato barrels.
As I dig, I remove the dirt to get to potatoes at the bottom. I save the soil for next year's gardening for anything except potatoes and tomatoes. This year I added the soil to my raised beds in the float garden. Using my own seed potatoes and saving soil reduces my overall gardening costs.

Dry potatoes before storage.
Here's my bounty from one barrel. I left them out to dry and to allow the skin to firm up. It's best not to wash potatoes before storage. Just brush off any excess dirt and then inspect them for damage. Damaged spuds should be eaten as soon as possible. They do not store well and may damage your good produce.

Wrapping potatoes in newspaper for storage.
Store potatoes away from light and in temperatures between 5 and 10°C. If it's too cold, starch will turn to sugar and make them sweet. Paper and burlap bags or cardboard boxes are good for storage. Do not use plastic bags. Trapped moisture will accelerate spoilage. Avoid storing potatoes with apples, onions or garlic. They produce a gas that causes potatoes to spoil quickly. If potatoes are exposed to the light they will turn green. Remove green portions before eating.

Store in a cool location.
I wrap my potatoes in newspaper and store them is open sided plastic baskets ($1.00 each at the Dollar Store). This keeps them away from the light and separates them from neighboring potatoes. The paper allows the potatoes to "breathe" but also prevents too much moisture from escaping.

Pouch potatoes ready to cook in the woodstove.
I keep the baskets under the downstairs bed, the coolest place in the cabin. Properly stored potatoes will remain dormant and will not sprout for about three months after harvesting. That makes for lots of comfort food meals throughout winter. -- Margy

14 comments:

  1. Amazing luv your gardening barrels
    Thanks for dropping by my blog today

    Much love...

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    1. Thanks for coming here as well. The half 55-gallon barrels make great containers for plants. They hold enough soil for root growth and plant development. - Margy

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  2. It looks like a lot of work but so worth it. Both of my brothers re successful in growing potatoes in their gardens and I know their fresh taste is so good.

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    1. I am amazed how long mine stay crisp and fresh in storage. I can eat them fresh until about February, then I can what's left to tide me over until the following crop. - Margy

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  3. Wow you sure had healthy potatoes. I might try some again next year, grew them a couple of years ago and keep finding the odd potato plant volunteering in old pots that I was growing them in.

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    1. They are almost as tenacious as tomatoes. - Margy

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  4. You do amazing work. I'm struggling these days just to appear normal!

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    1. You have lots of things that keep you busy. I love reading about your walkies with the cats. I sure miss mine. - Margy

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  5. potatoes in a barrell! what a gr4eat idea! and thank you so much for the tips on storing potatoes. Enjoy the rest of your week and thank you so much for stopping by my blog this week.

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    1. You can grow them just about anywhere that way and the yields are high for the small space. - Margy

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  6. Great harvest - I grew potatoes on the deck one year in a giant pot - it was fun to dig them out, though I didn't get enough to last the winter, but they were delicious.

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    1. I have to grow about four large pots to get enough to store for winter. We aren't huge potato eaters so a little goes a long way. - Margy

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  7. You have the best ideas. The natural foods market where I go keeps gunnysacks on top of their Yukon Golds in the produce section. Sign to says pick quick and re-cover.

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    1. Yukon Golds have a thin skin and in my experience turn green on the surface quicker than other potatoes when exposed to the light. - Margy

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We welcome your comments and questions. - Wayne and Margy