Green Potatoes!

[Suzee]

Hey, I would love feedback on what I may be doing wrong with my potatoes. I cure them in the garage, covered with a tarp. I bag them asap. They turn green no matter what I do! These are a Yukon Gold type. They come out of the ground fine. I use a lot of mulch to make sure they don’t get sun on them while growing. I’d love to figure this out.

 

[heirloomgal]

Hey, I would love feedback on what I may be doing wrong with my potatoes. I cure them in the garage, covered with a tarp. I bag them asap. They turn green no matter what I do! These are a Yukon Gold type. They come out of the ground fine. I use a lot of mulch to make sure they don’t get sun on them while growing. I’d love to figure this out.

I'm not sure @Suzee, that is unusual. There are potatoes varieties that have been bred for earliness which are very prone to this, some have even been taken off the market because of that tendency in storage. Lenape and Magnum Brown were I think. If they are not being exposed to light, this shouldn't happen. Were your seed potatoes from a good source?

eta: Here's a fairly good article about it, looks like a genetic factor to me

Glycoalkaloids in Potato Tubers

Potatoes — part of the diet of about a billion people worldwide — accumulate glycoalkaloids when exposed to light. This greening of the tuber can have health effects. Growers can minimize glycoalkaloids.

extension.oregonstate.edu

 

[flowerbug]

make sure they are completely dark, perhaps enough light is still getting to them to cause that to happen.

 

[Suzee]

Looks like I need to change up my seed. I just moved to the Helena area after gardening for 35 + years in western MT. Never had a problem like this before. Very weird. Thanks everyone!