How to store maincrop spuds

[sarahspatch]

Hi,
I'm chitting my early potatoes, but am keeping my mains in a cool dark cupboard. I noticed they are sprouting white shoots - should I chit them properly or will they be too advanced when I plant them?

[Snadger]

Store them in a cool light place Sarah! That way if they do start chitting at least the sprouts will be short and strong. It will also help toughen the skin!

[zazen999]

I chit mine all together.

[veg4681]

I chit mine all together.

I'm chitting mine together too (both 2nd earlies and maincrop) seeing as they're chitting away steadily but not quickly enough to be alarmed. BTW they're all in egg tray on the window sill for the natural light.

I received my 1st earlies potatoes late so I put them in a cupboard to hurry the sprouting process before they get stored on the window sill for a stronger short greenish sprouts. Putting in the dark cupboard causes them to sprout like mad.

[vegnut]

Iv'e also done all of mine together. All in egg boxes.

[Winged one]

Ah, so storing in the dark before chitting is not a good idea then?! OK, will know better for the 2nd earlies (1st earlies were in a cupboard until yesterday, and now in eggboxes in northfacing spare room with lots of white sprouts).

[rustylady]

Please don't store them in the dark. They will produce long white shoots. If this does happen move them to a cool light place straight away and you may be able to save the situation. I put all my spuds to chit as soon as I get them. The main thing is to unpack them from their plastic bags and put them somewhere cool, light and airy. Then they will produce nice short dark green sprouts.

[sarahspatch]

Thanks for the replies - they HAVE got small white sprouts so hopefully they will be ok if I put them into the light!?

I feel like I have committed cruelty to potatoes!!

[Winged one]

Oh well, this growing veg lark is all a learning curve anyway, so next year (and next batch) I will know better.

Hopefully Sarahspatch, your and my white shoots will be ok now that we have both been enlightened (and so too have our spuds!!)

[SarzWix]

Just dug this thread out on a search.
My potatoes were all stored in a big cardboard box in the garage, which is pretty cold, but they've definitely been there too long They're all doing that white shoot thing, including the maincrops. All the earlies I can cope with, they're in egg boxes and trays, and I can just about squeeze them onto window sills. The maincrops are a much bigger problem...
I have 2.5kg of Desiree, 2.5kg of Peach Bloom, 5kg of Sarpo Mira and 5kg of Sarpo Axona, and definitely don't have enough windowsill space for them... What on earth am I going to do with them??!! It's not safe to put them in the greenhouse, they'd almost certainly get frosted. Planting them isn't an option either, apart from the fact I'm incapable of doing it, it's too early up here.

Suggestions on a postcard please

[Eyren]

Suggestions on a postcard please

Scrounge some baker's trays or similar shallow containers, put your maincrops in the greenhouse during the day and bring them in at night? Cover them with bubblewrap or fleece so they get some light but are protected from frost?

[SarzWix]

Scrounge some baker's trays or similar shallow containers, put your maincrops in the greenhouse during the day and bring them in at night? Cover them with bubblewrap or fleece so they get some light but are protected from frost?

I can't walk, let alone carry trays of potatoes The OH would take them out there, but in and out every day he'd baulk at.

Fleece is an idea though... I need tattieman to tell me how low a temp they can stand - we're forecast -2°c in the next week or so, and fleece only gives a few degrees of protection doesn't it? Hmmmmm.... ponders....

[Snadger]

All my seed tatties have been in trays in a cold greenhouse for the last month and are looking very well thankyou.
I have them covered with two layers of the stuff you put under laminate flooring........like a very thin opaque polystyrene!

In fact it's the same piece I had covering last years spuds .....and it worked fine then too!

[SarzWix]

Thanks Snadger & Eyren.. OH thinks he has some bubble wrap in the garage, will try that

[Snadger]

Thanks Snadger & Eyren.. OH thinks he has some bubble wrap in the garage, will try that

If the temp is forecast to really drop, if you just put whole newspapers over them they should be ok (works for tramps anyway, or is that not a politically correct comment?!)