Potato clamp question?

[nao57]

So... I'd looked at several Youtube videos where they talk about building potato clamps in the field or backyard to store the potatoes that you grew in. It seems like a really easy to do experiment to try. And many people say it works.

But... when they talk about this most of the tutorials on this skill say to leave the top of the clamp open. Kind of like a volcano.

I don't understand this part of why they leave a hole in the top open? I hoped someone else might have insight on this?

Plus, wouldn't it also work if you just had the top closed with earth over the top anyway? Does it really matter?

Thank you.

 

[Sally PB]

What I've read is to leave a hole filled with straw in the top. I've never made a clamp, so I'm guessing that the straw filled hole is to allow some ventilation as well as a place to reach in to remove some potatoes? I'm not sure how you'd keep critters from digging it up.

If you do this, please let us know how it works.