Potato and Onion storage ideas?

[booker81]

Our friend gave me a 50lb bag of onions, and is picking up 50 or 100lbs of potatoes for me (my choice on how many).

Last year, I was lazy and threw all of the potatoes in a BIG rubbermaid, and about once a month dug through and chucked anything that was starting to rot. The potatoes lasted us from October to about April or May I think. The onions last year I just kept in the sack (like a grain sack, woven "plastic" sacks, 50lbs each).

I'd like to make something to help them last, both onions and potatoes, but was thinking I'd see what other folks have.

Our basement is out, it's very hot from the furnace (tiny basement), and damp from being a Michigan basement (unsealed walls, uneven concrete floor, flooding fun, sump pump.)

Figured I'd see what other folks do

For the price - $5 for 50lb onions, $10 for 100lbs potatoes.

 

[Judy]

Potatoes are best kept not touching each other. I had good luck spreading them out in some of those $3 or so cardboard storage boxes that slide under the bed. I even put a layer of newspaper in some and made two or three layers of potatoes.


The only trick I know for storing onions is making ropes of one at a time out of nylon hose or mesh onion bags or something that lets air in, and hanging the rope.

 

[TyrannosaurusChix]

i am in the same boat as you almost, except i know i have to can mine. i think i have the potatos handled, however.. i need a recipe to can the onions. im new to canning( never done it) and i dont wanna screw it up. last year i ende dup wasting so much because i couldnt preserve them in this house..

 

[sewchick]

Maybe you could dig yourself a root cellar. We had one when I was a kid. I cannot remember what they kept them in. Maybe some sort of bag. I just cannot remember. They seemed to last until the next potato season.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Do you have an unheated enclosed porch? That's where my potatoes and onions are. Also good for apples too.

 

[ReiMiraa]

Awesome i can apply what i have been learning here! i'm in an olericulture class at WSU (think world vegetables.) and right now i am studying for an exam that i have in that class at 3pm and its going over things like these.
since i do not have much time. hopefully the link should help you some.

now this is just a starchy white potato correct? cos sweetpotatos are another thing. i also can get a link for onions.

potato: http://sharepoint.cals.uidaho.edu/vegcrops451/Office%20Documents/Lecture%20Notes%20PDF%202010/Veg%20Crops-Lesson%2011%20Potato.pdf

onions: http://sharepoint.cals.uidaho.edu/vegcrops451/Office%20Documents/Lecture%20Notes%20PDF%202010/Veg%20Crops-Lesson%2015%20Onion%20Allium.pdf

they cover almost everything. otherwise it is suplemented with this world vegetables text book i have.

enjoy learning!

 

[LovinMyPeeps]

Awesome idea... make potatoe and onion perogies, feed them to me and I will gladly store them in my stomach for you

But yes, store them in a cold/dry location with layers of newspaper, and the onions? The nylon stocking style with a know inbetween is best them you can also cut off one at a time.

 

[MrsDuck]

I saw this in a catalog and asked my DH to make me one for next year. They have a couple of sizes. You still need a cool-dark place to keep them, but I bet it'll work better than a big tub. It looks pretty basic to make, but for what you're saving on the produce you could probably just buy one.

http://www.gardeners.com/harvest-storage-rack/20729,38-221,default,cp.html

 

[wildorchid053]

we planted yukon gold potatoes last year and i live in upstate ny where there is lots of snow.. this spring when tilling the garden we ran across potatoes that we had missed and they were perfectly fine to eat... guess you can leave them in the ground if it gets cold enough and dig them when you want some

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

When I was younger I remember my mom storing big spanish onions/red onions in old Nylons tied from the fruit cellar ceiling .....a knot in between each onion ....I remember this because we had to save all our nylons and plus it was my job to cut an onion out when she need one ..and she also tied onions using the dried stem leaves in bunches from the fruit cellar ceiling ...