Best Way to Store Potatoes

[jackie j]

This has probably been on here before and I have done a search but the list is endless. What is the best way to store potatoes, mine are in need of digging up but far too many to eat at once ( 10lb yesterday ) If I can get one is a hessian sack the best way, and do I keep them in a dark cool place as well. I have a celler so they can go in there.

[BFG]

I've got an old postal sack somewhere I'm going to try.

[shirlthegirl43]

Let them dry on the surface of the soil for a couple hours then throw away any green ones. Store dry dark and cool. My fave way for storing a small batch is to layer the fresh dug spuds with dry compost in a bucket. Store in a dry place and 'harvest' as required.

[organic vic]

I have a wicker basket to store some in the kitchen and the rest are going in a hessian sack and will be stored in the dark,cool outside cupboard. I got my hessian sack on ebay.

[SarzWix]

I've found a stout cardboard box is as good as anything - keeps the light out, and doesn't make them sweat like plastic would. I've saved a couple of paper sacks from when we had to buy spuds as well, so hopefully I'll have enough to fill them

[gojiberry]

Because you need to check your stored potatoes now and again I don't find any sort of sack very practical. I use the blue plastic mushroom trays from the greengrocer lined with newspaper. I can get two layers per tray with newspaper between each layer and newspaper on top to keep the light out. The trays will also stack on top of each other. Easy to check for any going rotten.

Ian

[zazen999]

I also do what gojiberry does; I keep them in the shed at the lottie [to fit them in I clean the shed out during midsummer, it was done a couple of weeks ago]....and then we bring a carrier bag back every time we need them at home.

[Snadger]

One year I grew a load of maincrops spuds (Desiree) and stored them in a traditional clamp.
They stored very well and i was able to keep breaking the clamp open and just taking what I needed.

Last year, as an experiment I didn't lift some of my maincrops and just left them in the soil. I was able to dig as many as I needed, when I wanted them.
Surprisingly they weren't affected by keelslugs but a few went soft that were near the surface when it got frozen.

This year I will just lift my earlies and lates as I need them and plant something in the vacated space as I go!

[Melwel]

We were thinking of replanting in the gaps too Snadger, but we dont have any sets left- can we plant some of the new spuds we just lifted?? Would love to have new taties for the harvest festival!!

We store our spuds in a hessian sack in the shed. We keep them off the deck on a pallet. You can buy the sacks from most garden centres or tree nurseries. Make sure any damp soil is removed as best you can before you bag them.

[Snadger]

[quote=Melwel;493250]We were thinking of replanting in the gaps too Snadger, but we dont have any sets left................quote]

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear! I meant I plant other stuff like leeks,cabbages, kales etc as soon as I lift each individual potatoe 'shaw'!
Don't like to see bare earth with nothing growing in it!

[Melwel]

Right, got you now Snadger , will try that too!

[Cosmo and Dibs]

How long can I keep my spuds in a hessian sack in my shed for?

Should I was them before storing them away?