Rules for storing potatoes: can they be washed before storing?

It’s nice to dig up even, large potatoes in the fall. But it’s not enough to grow an enviable harvest. It is also important to properly prepare it for storage in order to preserve it until spring without loss. One of the most common questions gardeners ask is whether they need to wash potatoes before storing them. Some fear that this could ruin the entire harvest.

In this article we will figure out whether it is necessary to wash potatoes before storing them for the winter and which tubers are best stored - washed or unwashed.

Is it possible to wash potatoes before storing them?

There is no fundamental difference whether the potatoes were washed before winter storage or not. The main thing is that the products are dried and stored in optimal microclimatic conditions. Accordingly, each gardener decides independently whether it is necessary to wash potatoes after digging them out of the soil.

Did you know? Boiled potatoes are one of the few products allowed for consumption in the diet of patients with gastritis.
Its consumption helps reduce acidity in the gastrointestinal tract.

Features of the tuber storage box

You don't have to buy boxes. You can make them yourself from shields or wooden boards. To store potatoes better, the boxes should be double, that is, the smaller one is inserted into the larger one. In this case, you can be 100% sure that the tubers will not come into contact with the ground. The bottom and lid of the box should be double. The voids between the drawers can be filled with sawdust or foam.

The outside of the box needs to be upholstered. This can be done with a piece of galvanized steel, linoleum, plastic, or by painting wooden elements. All of these steps will help you protect your potatoes from moisture.

Thermal container

If you live in an apartment and the only place to store potatoes is the balcony, then if you cannot build a box yourself, you can purchase a special thermal container.

This design is essentially a double bag that is made from durable tent fabric. Durable padding polyester is used as insulation. This thermal container also has electric heating, which ensures a constant temperature inside it, varying between +1+7 ºС. This device will fit very well into the balcony interior, as it has an attractive appearance. In addition, this way you can protect your potatoes from freezing even in the most severe frosts.

Advantages and disadvantages of washed potatoes

To understand whether such a procedure is necessary, you need to adequately assess its pros and cons, and also understand whether you can create optimal conditions for high-quality drying of products.

• Benefits of potatoes washed after digging:
• improving the quality of product rejection - defects caused by mechanical damage, pests or diseases are better visible on washed peels;
• improving the presentation of tubers;
• making it easier to work with tubers in the kitchen - clean potatoes do not dirty your hands, they create less dust when storing them at home;
• elimination of fungal bacteria - water washes away most of the bacteria that are part of the soil microflora.

• The disadvantages of the technique are associated with the complexity of its implementation, especially if there are a lot of tubers:
• a fairly large amount of water will be required;
• a large area is required, which must provide drainage to remove excess water, high-quality ventilation and microclimate conditions for drying;
• Harvesting, washing and drying takes much longer than standard preparation for storage.

Based on the information above, washing potatoes before storage is justified only if the crop had to be dug up during the rainy season and there is too much dirt on it, or if the crop is very small. In other cases, standard treatment is sufficient, since the labor intensity and costs of water, as well as maintaining a large room with optimal microclimate conditions do not justify the goal.

Did you know? Potatoes are used not only in the food industry -
they are used to make glue and produce ethanol.

How to wash potatoes

A bathtub or large pan can serve as a container for washing potato tubers. It is advisable that the container used for washing potatoes is not previously used for other household needs, especially for washing.

Then you need to pour the potatoes into the bath and fill it with water at room temperature. Each potato tuber is thoroughly washed without disturbing the integrity of the peel. During the washing process, injured and diseased potatoes are rejected. In addition, at this stage you can sort the tubers - large ones for eating and small ones - for planting next year.

If you wash potatoes in a container, you need to change the water several times until it becomes clear. Or, as an option, you can wash the potato tubers under running water. On a pre-prepared surface, you need to lay out the washed vegetables in one or maximum two layers. A metal sheet, boards, polyethylene or fabric can serve as a substrate for drying potatoes on the ground. The point is that the tubers do not come into contact with damp soil.

If the weather is hot, then 3 hours will be enough to dry the tubers. In this case, you need to turn the potatoes at least three times. In cooler temperatures it may take up to 8 hours to dry. There is no specific time, it is important that the potatoes become dry. Then it can be folded into boxes and taken to a dark place.

After 10–14 days, tuber culling should be repeated. After this, the dry and washed potatoes can be taken to the cellar. It is better to store potato tubers in wooden boxes or bags made of natural burlap.

The best varieties for long-term storage

Not all varieties of potatoes are suitable for long-term storage. Late varieties are best stored.

Several varieties of potatoes with good keeping quality:

1. Picasso - Dutch hybrid of medium late maturation. Potatoes reach physical maturity 140 days after planting. The table variety is characterized by high yield - 200–250 c/ha. The tubers are smooth, weigh on average 100 g. The pulp is cream-colored and boils well. The tubers have good taste. The keeping quality of tubers is 90%.

2. Atlant - representative of the Belarusian selection. Tubers reach physical maturity in 120 days. The average weight of potatoes is 110 g. Productivity is 660 c/ha. The pulp is light yellow, very boiled. The variety is suitable for making purees and baking. It has high shelf life - 95%.

3. Stonefly - Belarusian variety, ripening in 120 days. Productivity is 235-328 c/ha. In terms of use, the variety is universal, suitable for preparing any dishes requiring varying degrees of heat treatment. The weight of a commercial tuber is about 120 g. The pulp is light yellow, boils well, and has an excellent taste. Keeping quality is 94%.

4. Slav - a variety of Ukrainian selection. Ripens in 120 days. The weight of tubers ranges from 90–250 g. Productivity is 200–300 c/ha. The pulp is creamy. Potatoes are suitable for preparing various dishes, including salads. Has good taste characteristics. Keeping quality is 95%.

5. Kolobok - a table variety with good taste characteristics. The tubers are leveled, round in shape, weigh on average 130 g. Productivity is 130–250 c/ha. The pulp is yellow and boils well. Keeping quality - 98%.

How to dry potatoes after washing. How does the potato variety affect the harvest period?

The biological characteristics of the variety have a direct impact on the harvest period. Early varieties should be harvested in late July - early August. Mid-early potatoes are harvested in mid-August. Mid-season and mid-late potato varieties are harvested at the end of August or throughout September.

Depending on when the tubers were planted and the period when potatoes can be dug is determined:

• Mid-season varieties are harvested 90–100 days after planting.
• Medium late variety potatoes are harvested 100–110 days after planting.
• Late varieties - 120 days after planting in the ground.

If prolonged rains are not expected and the bushes have not been infected with late blight, then the harvest period can be postponed for a short time.

Warning! If late blight is present on the tops, then before digging the potatoes, you should mow and burn them.

This event will protect the tubers from infection and speed up the process of crop ripening.

If you decide to leave early and mid-early potato varieties for digging in the fall, then you must remove the tops. This is done at the end of July if the potatoes are early and in the first week of August if they are mid-early. Over the next month, the tubers can still remain in the ground if weather conditions permit.

The stage of potato ripening can also be determined by the condition of the peel. A thin and easily peeled peel indicates that the time has not yet come to dig the potatoes. You can dig up 1 bush for testing; if the peel is not ripe, then you have collected unripe, young tubers. Please try again after 7-10 days.

How to properly prepare potatoes for storage

After the crop is dug up, it is left for several hours right next to the beds.

Then sorting is carried out, laying out separately:

• tubers for seeds - small specimens of the same size;
• damaged copies;
• tubers for long-term storage.

Seed potatoes are left for several days in a well-lit place for gardening, then placed in separate boxes and sent for storage.

Damaged tubers are left for food and livestock feed. These copies need to be used up as quickly as possible.

Did you know? Potato starch is used to create detergents that clean oil wells.
Potatoes intended for long-term storage undergo the following stages of preparation:

• sorting by size - small ones are stored less than large ones, and more voids are formed between potatoes of the same size, which provides better ventilation and reduces the risk of rotting;
• drying in a dark room with good ventilation for a week;
• re-sorting with rejection of low-quality, deformed specimens and removal of excess dirt.

After all the preparatory measures, the harvest can be sent for storage.

How to store potatoes in the cellar. Preparing storage compartments

If you are concerned about how to store potatoes in the cellar as efficiently as possible, then you should think about making special containers - bins.

The process of making them is quite simple, but you need to stock up on the following materials and tools:

• Wooden blocks of different thicknesses or boards, it all depends on the chosen modification.
• Nails are also suitable for fastening, but wood screws are better. They fix the structure more reliably.
• Tools you will need are a wood hacksaw, a screwdriver or a hammer, fastening materials, a tape measure and a construction pencil.

The process of making bins, in which potatoes are stored in the cellar, is quite simple; you can easily do everything with your own hands:

• First, a specific modification of the box is selected, this can be instructions from the Internet or a book, or just a photograph - as a rule, even from this it is easy to understand the features of the work.

One of the storage options

• If you chose the option as in the figure above, you will need 4 racks, they can be triangular, square or rectangular.
• Two crossbars of the required width are attached to the bottom; you should not make them more than a meter long - it will be inconvenient.
• After this, slats are cut into the walls of the container and the bottom, and the structure is assembled.

Option with vertical slats

• With this option, you only need bars and slats. First, the bottom is assembled from a block and slats; the price of the structure is very, very low.
• Next, the frame for the top edge is assembled, after which the structure is fastened with vertical slats.

This is one of the simplest and most effective ways to store potatoes in the cellar with minimal losses.

In this case, several important conditions must be observed:

• The bins should have 2-3 cm gaps for constant ventilation.
• The distance from the bottom of the box to the floor should be 15-20 cm; for this you can make legs or substitute bricks.
• A distance from the wall is also necessary; it should be at least 30 cm.
• There should also be a space of at least 60 cm from the potato to the ceiling.
• It is also better to leave a space of 10 cm between the drawers.

Ready-made wooden boxes that can be stacked on top of each other are also suitable for storage.

Advice! A good option is to place a box of beets between two bins of potatoes; it will draw excess moisture from the tubers, which has a very positive effect on preservation.

Optimal storage conditions for potatoes

To preserve the presentation and taste, it is necessary to create special microclimate conditions:

• lack of light entering the room;
• temperature - +4...+6°С;
• humidity - 75–80%.

To control the temperature in the room, there must be a thermometer. You should also take care of the presence of a ventilation system.

Potato storage methods

There are several ways to store potatoes, depending on which the shelf life of the crop will change.

In the cellar or basement

Basements are an ideal option for storing crops. In such conditions it can be stored in boxes or bags. To absorb excess moisture, the products are laid out in layers of straw and sawdust. To protect against pests and bacteria, herbs are placed in bags and boxes. Tubers can also be hung at a low height in nets if the room maintains a stable temperature throughout the winter.

Important! The only vegetable that can be stored in close proximity to potatoes is beets. It has the ability to absorb excess moisture released by potatoes.

In the basement it is important to provide reliable protection from frost. If in winter the temperature drops significantly, then the containers with products are wrapped in old rags. Heaters are connected if necessary.

Before storing in a cellar or basement, it is imperative to completely disinfect the walls, floor and ceiling. To do this, you can use slaked lime or a 3% solution of copper sulfate. Treatment is carried out 2 weeks before moving the crop for storage. After disinfection, you need to ventilate the room well and dry the walls thoroughly.

In the apartment - on the balcony or loggia

At home, the harvest can be stored on the balcony or loggia. In this case, the period of use of the product is reduced by at least a month, depending on climatic conditions. On an unglazed balcony/loggia, tubers may suffer from frost. To protect containers with products, they wrap them in cotton blankets, but this does not always save the situation. You can also use electric lamps or a hairdryer. These methods will help protect the crop if frosts last no more than 2-3 days, and then a thaw sets in; they are not effective during prolonged cold spells.

The box for storing the harvest on the balcony/loggia must be double-layered. To do this, select 2 containers of different sizes and place the smaller one in the larger one. The gap between the boxes is filled with sawdust or straw. After laying the product, the container is wrapped in a cotton blanket and placed on a hill, for example, a stool or tray.

Read more about how to properly and what is the best way to store potatoes on the balcony.

In the hole

A good option for storing tubers in pits. But it is only suitable for preserving a small amount of produce that is planned to be used in the spring. Another disadvantage is that the product is not protected from rodents.

To store this way you need:

1. Dig a 1x1 m trench of arbitrary length on a hill that will not be flooded when there is a lot of precipitation and snow melts in the spring.
2. Cover the tubers with a layer of 80 cm before the onset of frost.
3. Fill the remaining space in the hole with straw, branches or pine needles.
4. At the first frost, form a mound of soil 30 cm high.

When the snow melts, the products can be dug up and eaten or used for planting.

Which potatoes last longer - washed or unwashed?

There is still ongoing debate about which potatoes keep better and longer. However, it has been noticed that the washed one is stored much better and longer. When washing, you can sort the tubers, removing rotten or diseased potatoes. This will help preserve the rest of the crop, which will not be exposed to bacteria and viruses.

For summer residents, who produce crops in fairly large volumes, washing potatoes is a labor-intensive process. After all, first you need to wash a lot of tubers well, and then arrange effective drying.

To preserve the harvest as long as possible, you should use these tips:

• To protect potatoes from premature rotting, it is recommended to mix dry wormwood with the tubers.
• Some summer residents say that this vegetable is stored better if you put rowan or spruce branches together in the cellar.
• To delay the appearance of rings on tubers, it is recommended to mix mint with potatoes.
• You can store the harvest at home for two to three weeks if you wrap it in a plastic bag.
• If the potatoes rot, then fern or elderberry leaves are placed in the box.

There are some positive aspects and some negative aspects to washing. It is important to follow the recommended rules. And then the potatoes will be preserved until the next harvest.

Why potatoes are poorly stored: possible mistakes

Products can deteriorate during storage for many reasons:

• excessive application of nitrogenous fertilizers during the growing period;
• poor drying after digging;
• neglect of the rules for disinfecting premises before storing products;
• poor-quality potato sorting;
• lack of sufficient ventilation in the room;
• non-compliance with the rules of food proximity - when stored next to other vegetables, potatoes spoil much faster;
• excess or lack of moisture in the room.

Important! During storage under any conditions, it is necessary to periodically
cull diseased tubers, otherwise all the potatoes will become infected and the shelf life of the crop will be significantly reduced.
Before storing, it does not matter whether the potatoes have been washed or not. The main task of the farmer is to dry the crop well and create optimal microclimate conditions.

So to wash or not to wash

Experts have concluded that potatoes can be washed before storage. But only when the tubers were very dirty. For example, potato harvesting work was carried out in rainy weather. Or she had been in the damp ground for the last few days.

In other cases, you can dry the potatoes thoroughly so that there is no soil left on them. Calculating labor costs, the cost of water and preparation of the premises, only summer residents with small plots of land can wash potatoes. They harvest a small harvest and there will be no problems when washing potatoes.