Storing Potatoes?

[nao57]

So I had a few questions about storing potatoes.

I hope someone can help me with this.

These questions came from my own experiments with them.

I've already learned to store them in the basement or cool dark places like cellars. I know to put dirt around them and that storing them in dirt boxes works.

BUT what I WANT to really know is what's the longest you can store them and still have them be edible?

When I stored last year's potatoes they looked really terrible by the time it was time to plant again in the spring. Naturally, some of this was because I'd made a mistake with too many air pockets in the box I'd stored them in. At the time I couldn't risk losing any extra good top soil, because I needed it. I wish I'd done it differently on this part, to see how much better it would have turned out if I'd had them fully covered all over with dirt.

And the year before that I stored some and got to spring also. But having seed potatoes...the quality by then isn't always edible. You can have a mangy thing wrinkled potato that will work for seed potatoes but not really be something you'd dare to eat. (I have really planted this kind and they will produce good potatoes that are just fine.)

But at that time I wasn't thinking that far ahead in terms of, what if I actually do need to know how to store them? And just practical applied skills, how do you store them (edible) for as long as possible? This is also a question for applied skills. People with applied life skills and applied skills generally are much better prepared for life than people who only deal with theory.

In schools, also they will tell you that kids who are learning applied skills will be better off and more able to endure in life. So I want applied skills. And Gardening is a life skill.

I hope by explaining some of the things I'm thinking about like this will help others also along the way. Maybe others are thinking similar questions also?

There's also the problem of counting the days between when you plant and when you'd be planting next year. If I harvest potatoes in the fall, and then plant in the spring, technically I've only learned how to store about 4 months (plus or minus a bit depending on your zone). This would mean you've not really learned how to feed yourself if you only know how to store them until spring planting. To really be truly self sufficient technically you'd have to know how to store them from fall harvest to AT least next year's harvest, because you'd technically have to be able to eat what you grew without it looking like a mangy death plague seed until the next fall's harvest.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Here's what I try to do: I plant some the earliest I can in the spring, around April (I'm in zone 6b), that way I can start having some new baby potatoes, and some for storage for the early part of the year, and then at the end of this money, May, or June, I will plant the rest of my crop that will buy me another two months of storage for those potatoes. I chose three varieties, including a russet, which is known for it's large size and long storage time. This year I am trying something new: I have read that by wrapping them in newspaper or parchment paper they will last longer. This still may not be a "years supply" but should be close and will certainly give me seed potatoes for the following year.

 

[nao57]

Here's what I try to do: I plant some the earliest I can in the spring, around April (I'm in zone 6b), that way I can start having some new baby potatoes, and some for storage for the early part of the year, and then at the end of this money, May, or June, I will plant the rest of my crop that will buy me another two months of storage for those potatoes. I chose three varieties, including a russet, which is known for it's large size and long storage time. This year I am trying something new: I have read that by wrapping them in newspaper or parchment paper they will last longer. This still may not be a "years supply" but should be close and will certainly give me seed potatoes for the following year.

Thanks. That's an interesting idea.

I hope others post on it.

Also, because with stuff like Round UP (Monsanto) etc, I wouldn't be surprised if the stuff they are using to commercially spray potatoes to stop them from sprouting eyes (regarding potatoes in stores) will likewise eventually be shown to not be good for humans.

 

[Beer can]

Thanks. That's an interesting idea.

I hope others post on it.

Also, because with stuff like Round UP (Monsanto) etc, I wouldn't be surprised if the stuff they are using to commercially spray potatoes to stop them from sprouting eyes (regarding potatoes in stores) will likewise eventually be shown to not be good for humans.

Would not think any chemicals are good for anything.
If I need seed potatoes and don't have enough from previous yr, or don't think I will, I don't buy 'seed' potatoes. Just go to the grocery store and buy the bigger bags of cheaper potatoes the ones in the paper bags they are dirtier and not as nice but dang they grow eyes. Just buy them late into the winter and leave them in our cellar, tons of eyes all over. $$ seed potatoes your lucky if you get one eye per potato. I cut them up a few days to a week before planting to let the cuts dry out heard it helps, and only need a little piece of tater on the eye, even a inch square is good.

 

[Beer can]

BUT what I WANT to really know is what's the longest you can store them and still have them be edible?

Maybe six months? We pick fall around October, some will still be good come planting season May. Just dry stored in paper bags or laundry hamper plastic with holes in them thingamajigs, in our basement. Just keep eating and checking on them, throwing away any bad ones.

To really be truly self sufficient technically you'd have to know how to store them from fall harvest to AT least next year's harvest,

I was thinking that's really not possible IMHO, canning or dehydrating yeah. Few vegis are capable of until next harvest. Not taters but heard Hopi Pale Grey squash native Americans kept good till next harvest, and many reviews today say year long storage, I didn't have that good luck with them and wasn't impressed with the flavor, not bad but not 'exceptional'.
Reading your post I got to thinking I have had a couple things long , super long term storage on accident. Multiplier potato onions had them in a paper bag not enough to eat after first try with them so was going to just replant them, forgot about them. Two yrs latter still looked freshly picked!!! Planted them and grew!!
Oops, forgot to pick them last fall... Guess what? Right now greening up in our garden after the snow melted!!
Another sweet potatoes, had a bag I grew two yrs ago hanging in our cellar stairway. Saw sprouts on them that looked dead recently. (Sweet potatoes are very different than regular potatoes). Taters don't look much different than when I picked them two yrs ago, cutting them up to help sprout them they are very punky dry inside don't look edible. Sprouts didn't look good either but decided to pull them out of the potatoes and just put them in water. Started rooting now and starts of leaves!!
Have pics of all this with dates if you are skeptical

 

[Beer can]

Guess I was wrong on the date of the sweet potatoes, three years old!!!
these are the ones I'm getting starts from right now


And those multiplier potato onions

 

[Mtnboomer]

I store my potatoes in our well house. Its dark and winter temps stay between 40-45F. I plant potatoes in mid march (zone 6a). I leave the potatoes in the ground even after the leaves die all summer unless we are getting a lot of rain harvesting as needed from the garden. In late Aug early Sept we dig and store dirty potatoes (usually btw 100-150lbs) in a wooden crate.

In jan, i take 20-30lbs worth inside the house and keep them in low light. The warmer temps and light induce sprouting. These become my seed potatoes.

The remaining are eaten by late may. So not a full year but 10 months or so.

BTW - never store potatoes with onions. Your taters won't keep.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I store my potatoes in our well house. Its dark and winter temps stay between 40-45F. I plant potatoes in mid march (zone 6a). I leave the potatoes in the ground even after the leaves die all summer unless we are getting a lot of rain harvesting as needed from the garden. In late Aug early Sept we dig and store dirty potatoes (usually btw 100-150lbs) in a wooden crate.

In jan, i take 20-30lbs worth inside the house and keep them in low light. The warmer temps and light induce sprouting. These become my seed potatoes.

The remaining are eaten by late may. So not a full year but 10 months or so.

BTW - never store potatoes with onions. Your taters won't keep.

I am in 6b..... do you think May is too late to plant? My intention was to plant at the end of March but we are building our entire homestead up from scratch starting in September '19. House repairs, greenhouse, barn repairs, building the garden, installing beehives. I just haven't had the chance yet to plant them! I've got maybe 50 lbs of seed potatoes waiting to go in the ground.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I am in 6b..... do you think May is too late to plant? My intention was to plant at the end of March but we are building our entire homestead up from scratch starting in September '19. House repairs, greenhouse, barn repairs, building the garden, installing beehives. I just haven't had the chance yet to plant them! I've got maybe 50 lbs of seed potatoes waiting to go in the ground.

You should be ok. I have planted potatoes as late as the 3rd week in may. The biggest factors that i have had with such late planting dates is heat and lack if moisture. Plant in mid-late may, sprouts break the surface in early june, start growing vigorously in mid-late june and BAM! a hot dry spell hits. The late planting does not allow as well of an established root system and heat and drought stress may result in weakening plants susceptible to disease or under developed potatoes (small).

They are also prime targets for pests so be vigilant.

Potatoes are pretty tough so this is of course dependent upon just how long the dry spell lasts and watering (not too much) if need be can nurse them through.

Harvest dates will be pushed back until probably early September.

Definitely put them in asap though and you'll be fine.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I am in 6b..... do you think May is too late to plant? My intention was to plant at the end of March but we are building our entire homestead up from scratch starting in September '19. House repairs, greenhouse, barn repairs, building the garden, installing beehives. I just haven't had the chance yet to plant them! I've got maybe 50 lbs of seed potatoes waiting to go in the ground.

Good luck on your homestead btw! It sounds like you are off to a great start. I started the same process 3yrs ago with the house/property we bought.

The house was in rough shape so i have put a lot of time and money into fixing it up myself. We are in the mountains so the soils are heavy clay and rock. Nevertheless, with a lot of hardwork dedicated to soil improvement, each year my little 110' x 50' garden has been producing awesome crops! Based upon grocery store prices, it has saved us over $1000 each season. Now I am looking to expand.

Our fruit orchards and nut groves should start producing more by next year and our "edible landscape" is starting to provide seasonal berry harvests.

We get 75% of our meat from wild game. Deer, wild turkey, rabbit, and squirrels are abundant and are a staple at our dinner table. The chickens obviously provide meat and eggs and we expect to have goats by this January.

Larger farm stock is planned for the future but it will be a few years yet.

My goal is to be self sufficient on food and buy only basics (flour, sugar, coffee, spices, etc). We are looking into solar power for energy.

Right now I am giving our food suplus away to family and friends, but may try to sell it at the local farmers market for additional income.

In any case, it has been an incredible journey and one that you are embarking on with I'm sure the same passion and enthusiasm that I have. It can feel overwhelming at times as the work load continues to grow, but it is so rewarding when the fruits of your labor enjoyed.