Storing root veg successfully.

[Lazgaot]

I planted 4 varieties of tatties this year, Red Duke of York, Charlotte, Romano and Sante. They were all harvested by July/August and put in paper sacks in a dark shed. They are all starting to sprout and I've just looked in the papersacks and some have massive shoots and are going soft. We're eating them as fast as possible and I'm going to have to give some away. Anyone else experiencing this? How can I prevent it for next year?

Also, how best to store beetroot? I've just cleared a bed and have about 10kg or Cylindra ones, still with tops on. For the time being I've layered them in plastic boxes with dry spent compost (from some tatties I grew in grow bags) in between. Is this sufficient to keep them for the next few months?

[Reb Williams]

It sounds as if you've done everything right with the potatoes, but could be just a problem of this autumn's surprising warm weather. Having said that, ours aren't sprouting yet and they are stored just like yours. Are the sprouts green at all, ie could it be there is light getting in that you aren't aware of?
One way of slowing the softening down is to take all the sprouts off. It shouldn't sprout again from the same place. It won't solve the problem but may give you a little longer before you have to chuck the potato away.

re: beetroots, your method sounds good, the beets might get a little wrinkly because they are dry rather than in a clamp, but nothing to actually worry about or put you off.

Reb
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[gojiberry]

Home grown potatoes can be a problem to store especially with climate change going the way it is. Commercially potatoes are kept at 1/2 degrees which isn't feasible for us home growers. One solution is to try and leave them in the ground longer but then that increases the risk of blight. Try to experiment with different varieties as some are more prone to early sprouting than others. I have been out on the lottie today and there are loads of potatoes shoots popping up where the potatoes were, just shows how mild the weather is.

Ian

[Alison]

Of the ones you've grown, I grew Sante, Romano and Charlotte but didn't harvest any of those until late August / September. They were left in the light for a short while to harden the skins and then stored in our pretty cold garage in hessian sacks. At present not signs of any softness or sprouting but wonder if the fact they were dug up later is a contributing factor.

[Two_Sheds]

They are all starting to sprout...and are going soft.

Mine are too: Charlotte sprouted first, although it was harvested only recently, but also my others are doing it too now. It's really annoying.
I think the really warm October did for them - the garage was 20C some days.

I've got a bag in the fridge which have done better: but I haven't room for the whole crop in my fridge

[Snadger]

Mine seem fine!
I just leave them in the ground and harvest them as required. I know keel slugs can be a problem, but for some reason on my plot they aint! I would like to think it's because of all the frogs that hatched from my allotment pond!

It sounds as if they are sprouting because of the mild autumn weather. If you are really serious about keeping spuds an allotment 'clamp' worked fine for me a couple of years ago, until I found my easier method. One problem with 'pocket' planting is remembering where you've planted stuff though!

[oliveoyl]

If you've got a bit of room in your freezer... cook, mash, portion up + freeze. You can also chunky chop some, parboil + freeze... good for roasties.

[Bigmallly]

I don't know anything about potatoes so it's a learning curve for me..thanks.
With regards to beetroot, you could pickle some............lovely.