Storing spuds, any info?

mandycharlie · « **on:** July 09, 2007, 00:02 »

We have just lifted our whole crop of first earlies, really good size they were, but had just started to suffer from blight, although the spuds look okay.

I no noffink about spuds.. and storage...

how long can you store spuds for? and whats the best way?

crowndale · « **Reply #1 on:** July 09, 2007, 07:33 »

Not sure of the best way other than to keep dry and dark. My earlies are in a hessian sack in a dark cupboard in my utility room (no direct sun or central heating in there so also cool). They have been there around 10 days now and are losing their scrapability as the skin hardnes but are still looking (and more importantly, tasting) good. Am hoping to keep my main crop in the shed once I have emptied it of rubbish.

corndolly · « **Reply #2 on:** July 09, 2007, 09:01 »

Never done it but you can freeze potaoes ,for new potatoes I would try scrubbing, blanching and freezing ,at least you wont have the problem of the skins hardening in storage.

This year will be a bad year for storing maincrop potatoes, you only need one bad one in the sack to spoil the others .Potatoes with blight can look OK ish on the outside but inside there will be black patches ,signs of rot.

So I would advise checking them regularly, that will mean emptying sacks and taking out any baddies,lot of work but worth it !

purplebat · « **Reply #3 on:** July 09, 2007, 14:38 »

I read somewhere that if you are at all concerned about blight not to store your potatoes in sacks as you need to keep checking them; crates or boxes are best in a dark place, so you can easily spot one going bad and remove it before it spoils the others, hope this helps

greenfingers · « **Reply #4 on:** July 09, 2007, 16:50 »

We lifted our first ever potatoes yesterday

we got loads and they were massive! We have put them in a box to dry out and then will put them in a hessian sack (Bought off ebay) We're having roast chicken with our potatoes tonight Yum Yum :!:

splodger · « **Reply #5 on:** July 09, 2007, 17:34 »

i store my earlies in boxes of dryish compost - use the same technique for carrots and beetroot (although later beetroot will go into sand)

i think the general rule is cool, dry, dark but allowing air to circulate

Annie · « **Reply #6 on:** July 09, 2007, 17:42 »

Any of the above but check very regularly for rotting tubers,they go off suprisingly quickly if they get blight.

Beanzie · « **Reply #7 on:** July 10, 2007, 17:59 »

I always leave tham in the ground and dig as required, but admit to being lucky with slugs.

mum of 3 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 11, 2007, 07:15 »

we stored ours in wooden crates in our outhouse,as its cold and dark,the trouble with sacks it you cant see if there is any going off at the bottom

Oliveview · « **Reply #9 on:** July 11, 2007, 09:12 »

We´ve got ours stored inbetween pallets, we have laid the pallets flat on the floor, covered the base with newspaper, then put the spuds on the paper then more paper and another pallet on top and more paper... carry on until full. We then put spare floor tiles at the side and more newspaper on the top..... We ate some last night and thankfully they were keeping cool. The garage gets roasting as the temperatures here are in the 40´s by 4pm. Not Good
Pamela (in SPain)

WG. · « **Reply #10 on:** July 11, 2007, 09:17 »

I don't recommend freezing them unless it is in ready-made soup. They simply go watery.

Scribbler · « **Reply #11 on:** July 12, 2007, 09:43 »

I think my Dad used to make a potato clamp. See

http://www.selfsufficientish.com/clamp.htm

WG. · « **Reply #12 on:** July 12, 2007, 09:45 »

Quote from: "Scribbler"

I think my Dad used to make a potato clamp. See

http://www.selfsufficientish.com/clamp.htm

Might have been for maincrop. Earlies will not store long term (Duke of York is an exception)

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Storing spuds, any info?

splodger

WG.

WG.