Harvesting Potatoes

[AKMild]

Last year I grew Maris Piper poatoes in containers and got a good yield. Most had poato scab, which I understand Maris Piper is susceptible to, but that came off with peeling and the spuds were good to eat. However, I stored the usused crop in a hessian sack in the shed and after a few weeks, they were soft, and in some cases mushy, rendering them useless. Any ideas what I might have done wrong or should do in future to prevent this? I'm trying Sharpe's Express and Pentland Javelin this year.

[NazNomad]

"Any ideas what I might have done wrong or should do in future to prevent this?"

Best guesses are ... you never left them out in the air for a while after digging them up and/or the shed was damp.

Soem good tips here ... http://www.allotment....d_Root_Vegetables.php ... obviously you'll not want to be building a clamp, but the rest is quite informative.

[NazNomad]

Some*

[JonnyBoy12]

Don't know, but it sounds to me like you had had your chips!

[237SJ]

My dad grew all is own veg and he always used to store potatoes in a brown paper sack (rather than hessian)

[NazNomad]

Mine too ... still does. make sure to exclude all light to stop 'em going green as well.

[AKMild]

Thanks Naz. I seem to remember washing the soil off them, but because it was cold when I harvested them they were probably stored a bit damp. I thought they'd just dry out in the sack, but obviously not.

[muff13]

I think that potatoes store better without washing them. Just let them dry after lifting before putting them in bags (and if there is too much soil on them at that stage it can be rubbed off) They should keep for a long time. I store mine in empty dog food bags (15k size) which are paper.

[alexanderd]

never use hessian thats why they rotted, always use paper bags and make sure they are dry before you store them

[johnk]

Could it have been the deep freeze we had. I lost a lot of my apples which were stored outside.

[wiltshirewalker]

Always store your spuds with the mud on.

[gingejbee]

I'm no gardener, but seem to remember that root veg keep better stored dirty ie unwashed - but dry.

[gingejbee]

...snap!

[Bromsgrove]

Hello, Just to pick up on the Sharpes Express, it is an early potato and not one for storing. It has a wonderful flavour which I'm sure you will enjoy.

[teedee]

Store your spuds in a cardboard box with plenty of ventilation.
Spuds are better stored at one temperature,preferably in a cool room in the house away from frost,and keep checking for any that are going rotten.

[Maydup]

Sharpes express and PJs are earlies and will need to be used immediately . Try King Edward as a good main crop variety which will come after the otherts and will store well.
Harvest the King Edwards in the morning of a bright dry day. Lay them out in the sun to dry (Don't wash then) and once the sun goes down, put them into a sack.

They need to be stored in a cool, dark, ventilated place. That can be hard to find if its a warm summer. I've had to eat them up in the past when the temperatures are too warm in my shed for storing.

good luck with them and enjoy the new varieties you've bought.