Potato is the most common source of carbohydrates on our planet after cereals. The varietal variety of potatoes is huge, few cultures can compete with it in terms of the number of varieties.
Potatoes are adapted for growing in a wide variety of countries, under different temperature and weather conditions. The yield of potatoes is very high: from a part of a tuber (from ½ to ¼) a full-fledged bush grows, giving from 10 to 30 tubers. To be used as food for a long time, potatoes need reliable and long-term storage.
Subject to the rules of collection, pre-processing and storage, potatoes are able to maintain their gastronomic qualities for 10 months. The article discusses how potatoes should be stored so that they can be used as food even during the next spring.
Content:
Read also: Potatoes: description of 73 best varieties (Photo & Video) + Feedback from gardeners
Where does it all start
Haulm mowing two weeks before harvest
For all vegetables, preparation for storage begins already at the harvest stage. Potato is no exception, however, it is this culture that has several features that are highly undesirable to ignore.
One of the most important requirements at this stage is the degree of maturity of potato tubers. Very often, gardeners send not fully ripened or still young potatoes for long-term storage, in the hope that they will retain the qualities inherent in them at the time of digging. Doing this, of course, is impossible.
Potato picking
The criterion for the ripeness of tubers, that is, their readiness for harvesting, is the drying of the lower leaves of the tops on the bush. However, do not rush to dig up root crops. About a month should pass from the moment the leaves begin to wither to the technical ripeness of the tubers; at the same time, the tops will partially dry out, and some branches will even die off.
Two weeks after the tops begin to dry, it is recommended to cut them off completely and leave the tubers for 2 weeks in the ground for ripening. At the same time, the tubers are covered with a rough and thick skin familiar to everyone, on which eyes are formed. Two weeks after mowing the tops, you can start digging up potatoes.
The difference between the terms of harvesting early and medium late potatoes is from 30 to 35 days. For example, if early varieties are harvested in early August, then medium-late varieties are harvested in mid-September.
Preparing root crops for storage
Drying tubers after harvest
After the potatoes are dug out of the ground, the process of preparing them for storage enters an active phase. The first thing to do with the tubers is to carry out the initial drying and disinfection.
To do this, dug out potatoes are placed in the sun: the sun's rays will not only dry the skin, but also kill some of the fungal spores and bacteria due to ultraviolet radiation.
- large tubers are used for cooking
- medium - partly for food purposes, partly for reproduction
- small ones - for breeding or for livestock feed.
Potato stem nematode
Sick and damaged tubers must be destroyed.
When the tubers are sorted, they should be treated with antifungal drugs (for example, phytosporin) and dried in the shade for several hours.
After that, you can start packing root crops in storage containers.
storage space for tubers
Homemade storage box for tubers with thermal insulation
The best place to store potatoes are cellars, cellars or undergrounds, equipped accordingly. It is best if such rooms have double walls, between which there is a layer of insulation.
If there are no such specialized premises (for example, in an apartment), as a storage for potatoes, you can use ordinary wooden chests installed on insulated loggias or balconies.
Such structures must have heat-insulating walls and a cover, and also be protected from moisture.
Household thermal container
An alternative storage option can be a portable household thermal container. In another way, a similar design is called a balcony cellar. It consists of a tent or canvas fabric in the form of a double bag. Currently, there are "cellars" that can store several hundred kilograms of potatoes.
The space between the walls of these bags is filled with insulation (polystyrene, synthetic winterizer, etc.). Inside this design is a thermostat. Of course, such a "cellar" will require an electrical connection.
This design can theoretically be located in any unheated room or even directly on the street. (of course, it must be at least minimally protected from weather phenomena in the form of snow and rain).
Modern designs of this kind are able to preserve the quality of potatoes at external temperatures down to -40 ° C.
After storage of the tubers, the cellar must be cleaned or washed and carefully folded until the next use.
Tuber storage conditions
Storing potatoes in a box
The requirements for the conditions that must be met in the storage are as follows:
The air temperature should be between +2 and +4°C. It is in such conditions that the tubers are in a kind of "suspended" state: they do not freeze, but they do not form roots either. Too low temperatures lead to the transformation of starch into sugar, too high - activate the appearance of roots and sprouts. To ensure the required temperature in the room, there should be means for its control - thermometers, and means for its regulation (often, the temperature is controlled by opening doors, hatches or air vents)
Humidity in the storage should be maintained at 70-85%. To control it, you need a hygrometer. Too low humidity leads to overdrying of fruits, too high - to the active development and spread of fungi, in particular mold. Humidity can be adjusted similarly to temperature control (opening the room and ventilating it), or by humidifying the air in various ways (spraying, installing open water tanks, sprinkling wet sand on the floor, etc.)
At the bottom of the storage, a layer of sand or small pebbles should be evenly distributed. These materials are able to absorb moisture
Storage of potatoes on the shelves
The place of storage should not have constant lighting, especially daylight. Light not only stimulates the germination of tubers, but also leads to the production of solanine in them (leading to greening of the tubers), making them unfit for consumption.
The room where the tubers are stored must be isolated from pests - mice, rats, insects, slugs, etc.
Previously, a week before the start of storage, it is necessary to disinfect the storage room from the fungus. To do this, you can use a sulfur checker (just burn it indoors) or carry out the treatment by spraying the area with some kind of fungicide
Xwounding potatoes by pouring directly onto the floor is acceptable, but this is an extreme option. It is best to place root crops in containers on pallets or shelves.
Potato storage rules
Bags are widely used for storage.
On the one hand, the rules for storing potato roots are obvious and somewhat similar to those used for storing other vegetables. However, the difference is still there and sometimes quite significant.
Consider some of the storage features characteristic of this culture:
Ventilation is one of the most important requirements for potatoes. Often, to ensure the required level of humidity, many people forget about this procedure. If it is difficult to ensure constant air circulation, you should at least temporarily open the doors to the room or air vents
The most optimal volume for storing potatoes are relatively small containers (from 10 to 15 kg). They must be installed on pallets or laid out on shelves, covered with any thermal protection on top to prevent freezing.
Already immediately before sending the potatoes for storage, it is necessary to check all specimens of tubers again and discard the diseased and damaged ones.
Beets are able to absorb moisture well, which evaporates potatoes.
It is advisable to put a layer of beets on top of the container filled with potatoes. Beets are able to absorb moisture well, which evaporates potatoes. Thus, the potatoes will be additionally dried, and the likelihood of fungal infections will be significantly reduced.
In addition, it is advisable to put 2-3 apples in a box with potatoes. Substances secreted by these fruits slow down the germination of tubers
If potatoes are stored in a large container or simply stored in bulk, the height of their “layer” should not exceed 1.5 m. etc.). This measure will protect the potatoes from emergencies that can lead to frostbite.
Storing potatoes in crates
During storage, it is recommended to inspect the tubers every 1-1.5 months and, if possible, sort them out in order to remove diseased, rotten and green potatoes from the total mass
Early potatoes that remain after November should be stored as planting material. You should not be afraid that these tubers will wrinkle or dry out a little. Although they will not be edible, they will retain the ability to germinate for quite a long time. In general, storage conditions for planting potatoes are no different from food potatoes.
Read also: Cooking simple, delicious potato dishes: 18 recipes with photos and descriptions Conclusion
Storage of potato tubers is a relatively simple process, but it requires maintaining the constancy of the necessary conditions.
In addition, it is necessary to regularly inspect the repository and conduct revisions of the stored material.
Despite the fact that the selection of tubers is a rather long and painstaking task, it is necessary to ensure the required shelf life.
With the right approach to storage organization, potatoes can be stored without a significant loss in taste quality until May of the next year.
VIDEO: How to store potatoes
![[Instruction] Storing potatoes: a description of simple methods](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
How to store potatoes
[Instruction] Storing potatoes: a description of simple methods
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