An Apple in your Potatoes??

[Grovsey]

I went up to my local green grocers to get some potato sacks and she gave me a load of boxes with lids (which was great) and an apple....I looked at her with a mix of surprise and bewilderment...she went on to explain that her dad had been growing veg for years and always stored his potatoes with an apple as its stops them sprouting...

I will give it a go but has anyone else ever heard of this?

[yoanbob]

Ive heard of it but never tried it

[Peter]

Is it something to do with acetylene gas?

[Cutecumber]

Acetylene??? Isn't that part of the mix for welding???

Do you mean ethylene?

And I think the answer is no, anyway.

[Cutecumber]

Actually, I found this about ethylene gas in a horticultural journal

"it is reckoned to increase stem numbers when used in seed potato stores, and even appears to inhibit sprouting"

So there you go.

[momol]

Wow, old generations seems to practice a lot of advance method long ago with out even knowing the scientific explanations... bravo !!!

momol

[Peter]

Ah, that was where I was going wrong, I'll use the arc welder next time.

[Protea]

Cutecumber is right - ethylene gas is used in stores to prevent sprouting. Can't remember the in's and out's of it all, but i'm sure one of my mags somewhere tell me!

here you go, without rummaging through tons of old mags, i've found a website: http://www.bio-fresh.co.uk/index.php...d=17&Itemid=78

I'm goig to try the apple trick - i always have trouble with my potatoes sprouting - didn't even occur to me! although how long does it take for the apple to go mouldy i wonder???