Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: rowlandwells on November 18, 2022, 17:31
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It's not that I want to know how to store potatoes outdoors overwinter because I know the answer I'm just asking how many of you out there know the answer to my question how would you would actually store your potato crop outdoors in the winter months no shed no poly tunnel and no greenhouse and whatever it is must be frost free and you must be able to get your potatoes out of there to use in the winter months I look forward to seeing your replies :D
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Mine stay in the ground :wub:
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As I'll hopefully be growing my own next year, is it mud on, in paper sacks in an outhouse. Would that be ok?
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Cheating I know but I used to buy a sack and store them in the garage when we had children at home. I have grown spuds since I have had an allotment but I normally find the slugs enjoy them too much so I just buy a few as needed. Growing in bags seems better but then you have to make sure you water consistently.
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Does anyone even do this??.. even farmers store in sheds/barns.. leaving in the ground is a big no no as they'll either be eaten by slugs or be hit by frost!
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I'm just lazy!
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Mine stay in the ground :wub:
I intended to leave mine in the ground but with all that warm weather they started chitting :ohmy: so had to be lifted.
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Hi if you have a lot you could try creating a "veg clamp", alternatively, do you have a pallett or similar you could prop at an angle and cover with plastic or bubble wrap then store bagged produce under that. Might be ok if weather doesn't get too bad. I've found leaving in the ground just feeds the slugs or the rot as we have quite heavy soil.
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I think your reply is the nearest to what I'm asking Learnerlady :D a potato clamp was what I was looking for so now we have established what I meant can anyone tell me how I should make a potato clamp with only materials of the allotment, and it must be frost proof :unsure:
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Is a clamp that straw pyramid thing covered with soil?
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Potato clamp..
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I think your reply is the nearest to what I'm asking Learnerlady :D a potato clamp was what I was looking for so now we have established what I meant can anyone tell me how I should make a potato clamp with only materials of the allotment, and it must be frost proof: unsure:
I assumed you already knew of this solution and its name, given that you said in your first message that you knew the answer :lol:
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I think your reply is the nearest to what I'm asking Learnerlady :D a potato clamp was what I was looking for so now we have established what I meant can anyone tell me how I should make a potato clamp with only materials of the allotment, and it must be frost proof :unsure:
Hi, to add to others answers, this explains further but depends if you have straw onsite, possibly substitute with wood chippings if no straw?? Haven't tried as lucky enough to have a shed
https://blog.mr-fothergills.co.uk/potato-clamps-storing-potatoes-vegetables-using-clamp
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thanks all for your replies just a bit of fun to keep the old brain box working and so AndyRVTR was spot on together with the plan of the potato clamp and your correct Yorkie I did know the answer,
my late father-in-law used to clamp his potato crops every year and he grew his own straw on the allotments to that's a bit too much hard work for me I'm afraid, but his clamp kept the potatoes frost free and they lasted well into the spring
thanks, all RW
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I store my potatoes and have done the same for 5 yrs with no trouble from slugs or frost in 30 ltr tubs which are covered with heavy duty plastic sheet to keep them dry .I have 35 tubs that last me until the beginning of April .and my allotment is at 750 ft above sea level .
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that sounds a good way to store your potatoes bazial although we haven't really had hard frosts for several years now, potatoes seem to keep better these winters he says with fingers crossed :D
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Potato clamp here one for ya does anyone know how to grow ya own clothes From supermarket ingredients
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that sounds a good way to store your potatoes bazial although we haven't really had hard frosts for several years now, potatoes seem to keep better these winters he says with fingers crossed :D
Rowland they do store in hard Frosty weather , Just been up allotment today 13 Dec emptied 2 tubs of Picasso prefect no damage from frost , we have had minus 5 even in greenhouse . Soil in tubs was completely dry under thick plastic sheet , all the spuds perfect no damage from slugs or critters .
Regards
Bazial
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It seems you could do the same thing with a plastic trash can, with lid, optional drain holes in the bottom, layer of straw (wood chips if you prefer) on the bottom and around the sides. Root vegetables in the center.
Top with a layer of straw, or wood chips, and the lid.
It has the added benefit of being easy to open and close, the clamp seems like you would need to dig out each time you retrieved potatoes.
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well done Bazial obviously that sheet did the trick as for my potatoes well after filling my potato box with what was in bags I covered the box with old carpets and there keeping well I'm not sure if I'm going to be tempted to use tubs and a plastic sheet though :)
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I've still got 2 x 30lt tubs with Blue Danube spuds in, hope they'll be ok once the freeze is over. Fingers crossed :unsure:
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just been up Allotment first time since latest big freeze at 2 nights minus 11 to empty one of my 30 litre tubs and thank goodness no frosted potatoes . So keeping them dry and covered with thick black plastic sheet works .
A big sigh of relieve when I emptied the tub .