Harvesting & Storing Potatoes

[SandyMom]

We've never had this many potatoes before!
The plants (rows and rows of them) are finished - laying over and done flowering etc.
Should I dig them up now or leave them in the ground?
Also, what's the best way to store harvested potatoes so they'll keep longest?
I'm guessing in a dark space?
Is it better to clean them first or leave the dirt on?
TIA!

[CarrieMF]

Leave the potatoes for now, they'll store fine in the ground for a while. They'll also keep getting bigger.

We store ours in the cold storeage room - a dark room in the basement with a small slot to the outside for air circulation. In the spring/summer it isn't that cold in there, but in the winter it gets quite cold & any drinks we store in there stay cold.

After you dig the potatoes, leave them on the ground for a few hours to dry off. If there are chunks of dirt brush them off. Don't wash the potatoes until you're ready to use them.

[birthgreeter]

Some types of potatoes keep better than others, so If you have more than one type planted, keep them separated when you store them. That way if you find one type is not keeping as well, you can use them up first...makes things easier.

I need a cold room like you described CarrieMF

[onthemove]

what is the best bag/container/box to store them in?

[CarrieMF]

I have a potato bin which is nothing but a plywood box with slots in the bottom. However I place the potatoes in cardboard boxes as some are small enough to fall into the slots & then there's dirt that falls into the slots too.

[SandyMom]

Thanks for the great ideas ladies!
I need a cold room too!
I have several varieties so I will take the advice on keeping separate.
I just hope the bugs don't eat them if I leave them in the ground too long.
Or mold?
Thanks again!

[CarrieMF]

We're eating our potatoes now. They're inbetween a full size & a baby/new potato. We don't dig all fo them until the 1st-2nd week of October & they're not eaten or attacked by mold or anything. We only grow red potatoes.

[Autumn Mama]

We are growing German fingerlings! : I have harvested some, and the rest are still in the ground until we get around to digging them to store. No hurry, since they can keep a bit. I like the tip about leaving them to "dry" for a few hours.

We plan to put them into a box too. In our garage or the pumphouse on our farm where the temperature is cool and controlled.