Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Cooking, Storing and Preserving => Topic started by: DaveF68 on September 19, 2017, 15:02

Title: Storing Potatoes - Dirt on/ Dirt Off?
Post by: DaveF68 on September 19, 2017, 15:02
Just wondered what others do. Any benefits or disadvantages to washing before storing (New to having sufficient stocks to store!)
Title: Re: Storing Potatoes - Dirt on/ Dirt Off?
Post by: 8doubles on September 19, 2017, 15:33
Don't think the farmers wash them before storage , just rub the dried soil off so there is less to hold damp .
The less abrasion  on the skin the better so mould can not get an easy start .
Title: Re: Storing Potatoes - Dirt on/ Dirt Off?
Post by: Paul Plots on September 19, 2017, 16:06
8doubles - I'm inclined the agree with you all the way. If the soil is dry then there's no problem. But, with all the wet we've been having it's not that easy to dry potatoes without leaving them out for ages and then there's the risk of them developing a green tinge. :(

I've been lifting just enough to last a day or two and leaving the rest in the ground. Since giving up my allotment plot and growing on small "home" veg plots I have had not had to worry about little wormy holes appearing in the spuds.....but those potatoes are going to have to come out soon.

I will consider washing mine off in a bucket prior to storing unless I can pick a warm drying day to lift the remainder before bagging them up for storage. I can understand DaveF68's dilemma.  :mellow:

A difficult one.  :(
Title: Re: Storing Potatoes - Dirt on/ Dirt Off?
Post by: greenjay on September 19, 2017, 20:13
dirt off but rubbed off not washed.
they soon dry in a bit of sunshine and wind.
I find gentle rubbing whilst grading sufficient.
by grading I mean keepers no damage and use first any damaged ones
Title: Re: Storing Potatoes - Dirt on/ Dirt Off?
Post by: madcat on September 20, 2017, 18:47
I do the same as greenjay, but ended up having to put a tent/awning of tarpaulin up over them while drying to protect from the squalls of rain.  >:( >:(  Sometimes my language on the subject was less than polite!  ::)
Title: Re: Storing Potatoes - Dirt on/ Dirt Off?
Post by: mumofstig on September 20, 2017, 19:07
I hose mine off and if the weather is too wet they get laid on a placcy sheet on the dining room floor, turning them over till they are all dried off  :D
Title: Re: Storing Potatoes - Dirt on/ Dirt Off?
Post by: madcat on September 20, 2017, 22:15
..... on the dining room floor, turning them over till they are all dried off  :D

 :ohmy: :ohmy:  I think that would be err...  interesting!  Particularly as OH is responsible for vacc'ing floors. Wow.  You definitely have your priorities sorted!!   :)
Title: Re: Storing Potatoes - Dirt on/ Dirt Off?
Post by: DaveF68 on October 06, 2017, 23:53
Thanks for thoughts. Have decided to experiment, left half dirty and washed half, see what happens
Title: Re: Storing Potatoes - Dirt on/ Dirt Off?
Post by: LILLILEAF on October 07, 2017, 07:04
I lived on a potato farm where they processed the potatoes,the farmer grew them for a crisp company,they insisted all potatoes were washed before loading into huge lorries,which was annoying as we had no water in the house >:( .
Title: Re: Storing Potatoes - Dirt on/ Dirt Off?
Post by: Rhys on November 25, 2017, 03:50
I washed some of mine when I dug them up with a hosepipe, but quickly discovered I looked like I'd pee'd myself..  :blush:


Ended up filling an old tub with water and scrubbing them all, then leaving to dry in plastic trays.
Though the last lot I dug up, I just brushed the worst off and took home. All the trays are stacked up in the garage with a towel draped over the front. We're always eating spuds, so they are soon going down. And it appears that Roosters, not only taste good, but keep well also.