Sustaining a Potato Crop Year to Year

[897tgigvib]

A person grows potatoes one year and that is simple enough, although I know, some have special ways to grow them, and in different ways.

They are then harvested and some are eaten.

But how are they stored so they do not sprout too soon so that some can be cut up for the following year's garden in order to sustain a potato crop year to year?

Temperatures? Conditions? When to cut?

 

[Smart Red]

I don't have a root cellar. . . yet, but I do manage to keep tender bulbs and some veggies through the winter in the coldest corner of my basement. I cover the corner with 2 inch insulation boards and cover that with darkening fabrics. The exposed outside wall seems to keep the temps pretty low, although I haven't measured the temperature. I do have plants for a small root cellar construction in that cold corner.

Most of the larger potatoes get eaten so my spring garden is usually made up of tiny spuds that don't need cutting.

Last year my baby spuds started sprouting well before spring. When it was time to plant, I just cut off all but the last 1 1/2 inches or so of the roots and planted them as usual. I had a good harvest considering my drought conditions. Last year my biggest potato problem tended to be some of those 'leftovers' from the prior summer growing in with my planted potatoes as well.

As an aside: I've never tried planting potato seeds. Anyone here have suggestions? I have two varieties of seed in my stash that I'd hate to have go to waste.

Love, Smart Red

 

[897tgigvib]

Thanks Smart, I'll be planting them today or tomorrow in my north row which will mainly be my bramble berries, but they'll be on the ends. I also received some variety of golden raspberry in a gallon pot yesterday as a gift from a friend. So, that north row will be getting the first work.

 

[thistlebloom]

So far I've not had to worry about planting in the spring from potatoes I've grown because we eat them all before that can happen.
We eat a lot of spuds even for Idahoans!

Every year I up the poundage I plant, but still haven't achieved the magic number of pounds harvested to carry any over for replanting.

This year I will be planting an early cropper or two, so we can begin eating them before September.

I'm pretty happy with my storage method so far, although I'll have to add another area if I ever do get to the place where we can eat our own potatoes year round. I'd love to have a root cellar. All I have now is an uninsulated attached garage.

I think we made it to April last year before we finished them up, and had no sprouting problems The ones I bring in to the house sprout if they aren't consumed in a few weeks.

I have a large plastic box, approximately 28' x 28' x 60' that was made for horse tack storage, lined it with 2' foam insulation, and keep the potatoes sorted by size and variety in paper grocery bags. So far, so good. It held about 250 pounds of harvest last year. The down side is that the insulation really takes up a lot of room, and since I started using the box we haven't had a really cold winter, so it hasn't been put to the test for sub zero temps.

I'm really thinking seriously about a pit like Steve uses for his carrots....

 

[digitS']

I don't know much.

The U of I says that Russet Burbanks should be stored (ideally) at 45F and 95% humidity. Okay, it is 48 in my basement storage room right now. It was 39 just a couple weeks ago. Two months ago it was 55. Sounds close to what it should be but it isn't.

It is a very good place to store dahlia roots either in peat moss or pine shavings. It is not so good for gladiola corms and potatoes. It is likely to be no where near 95% humidity but may be quite damp with a big snow melt or if we have a rainy few weeks. There isn't much consistency either for moisture or temperature.

Here is some information on a potato clamp:

http://www.self-sufficient.co.uk/Potato-Clamp-Storing-Potatoes.htm

And, a diagram:

I hope this helps but I wouldn't feel at all comfortable with what the information shows regarding insulation for above-ground storage HERE. If the soil freezes down to a couple of feet during a bad winter, no one is surprised. I don't think I'd trust anything less than 3 feet of soil and straw on something that is exposed so much to the outdoor air.

Steve

edited to add: I've even had problems with purchased seed potatoes growing sprouts of 12"+ when I've had them just a couple of weeks in that basement room. Awkward dealing with things like that - altho' you can break off the sprouts and the potato will grow more.

 

[the1honeycomb]

I planted my potatoes last week in bags. This will be my first year for blue and red skin potatoes but I hope to put them outside next weekwe can send all are potatoes last year so I didn't have any spreading problems I bought seats this year am hoping that I'll plan another set of data sets in April I do have some sweet potatoes 2 of them left over from last year but I can't seem to get to sprout another organics that's a whole forum

 

[secuono]

Why would you want to cut sprouts and roots right before planting them? Wouldn't that just slow things down?

I still have my potatoes from last year, some have started sprouting, but they can be eaten as long as the skin isn't green and the sprouts aren't too long.

 

[897tgigvib]

Actually, those pale sprouts tend to fall off. But ya know, I wonder if they would grow if planted after they fall off. I'm going to try that this year.

 

[secuono]

Actually, those pale sprouts tend to fall off. But ya know, I wonder if they would grow if planted after they fall off. I'm going to try that this year.

I read one blog that a lady did pull the sprouts off and grow them. I forget if they were green or pale and I didn't save the blog.

 

[897tgigvib]

It's ok Sec, I'll find out. If they grow, great. If they don't, oh well. I kind of think some might grow, and even if they only make little taters those will be good for planting the year after, or leaving deep to grow.