:strip_icc()/BHG-Potatoes_7QlNA1M5apmBgl_pf7-7cv-539e8796965e4754822d6394ff84e68c.jpg?ssl=1 "Do These 3 Simple Things After Harvesting Potatoes So They’ll Keep for Months")
Key Takeaways
- To speed up the curing process and prevent spoilage, do not wash potatoes after harvest.
- Cure potatoes in a warm, dark, and humid place to thicken skins.
- Russet and other potatoes with thicker skins last longer in storage than thin-skinned varieties.
Unlike most other homegrown vegetables, potatoes need to be cured after harvesting. Whether you grew potatoes in your garden or in containers, curing them is a must if you want homegrown potatoes to last in proper storage conditions through winter. Curing or drying potatoes thickens their skins, allows minor cuts and abrasions to heal, and makes spuds less likely to rot or shrivel in storage.
If you want to keep your homegrown potatoes fresh for several months, this step-by-step guide will teach you how to cure potatoes and store your harvest for the long haul.
Potato Harvesting Tips
Curing is one way to extend the shelf life of spuds, but when and how you harvest potatoes also influences how well potatoes last in storage. Before we get into the curing process, here are a few harvesting tips to help you gather the perfect storage potatoes.
- Know when to harvest. Storage potatoes are typically harvested in the fall, or about 120 days after the seed potatoes were planted. You’ll know the spuds are ready when the plant’s leaves turn yellow and the stems begin to die away.
- Reduce watering. As harvest time approaches, dial back on your watering schedule and allow the soil to dry out. Potatoes are easier to harvest when the soil is dry, and dry conditions also make potato skins a little thicker.
- Harvest a test tuber. Dig up a plant or two before you harvest the entire potato crop, and check how the tubers are developing. If the potato skins are still delicate and easy to rub away with your fingers, let your plants grow a little longer.
- Dig carefully. Use a gardening fork or shovel to gently loosen the soil beneath the tubers and lift the potatoes by their stems. If the potatoes are hard to pull, use the shovel to carefully lever them out of the soil.
- Handle gently. When digging, be careful not to cut through the tubers or bruise the spuds with rough handling. Damaged potatoes don’t store well.
- Avoid sun. As you work, keep the harvested potatoes covered with cardboard, a lightweight sheet, or a piece of burlap. Too much sun exposure turns potatoes green and makes them inedible.
How to Cure Potatoes
After you dig up your homegrown potatoes, bring the harvest indoors or into another sheltered area where your potatoes can cure undisturbed for a few days. Potatoes cure best in warm, dark locations with good airflow, high humidity, and a temperature range between 45°F and 60°F. A potting shed, covered porch, garage, or basement is the perfect spot for curing.
1. Remove the Soil
Don’t wash potatoes after harvesting, as extra moisture slows down the curing process and makes potatoes spoil faster in storage. Instead, use your fingers or a soft brush to gently remove excess soil from the potato skins.
Letting potatoes dry for a day or two before wiping them clean makes it easier to remove soil.
2. Check for Damage
As you clean your harvest, check the potatoes for signs of damage, like worm holes, large cuts, scrapes, or significant bruising. Minor cuts and abrasions aren’t cause for concern, but major damage causes tubers to spoil faster in storage. Set aside any damaged potatoes and use them right away, or dispose of any badly damaged, inedible ones in the compost.
3. Find a Warm, Dark Place
Spread out clean and undamaged potatoes in a single layer in a warm, dark, and sheltered spot and allow them to cure for one to two weeks. Placing potatoes on open shelving units increases air circulation and helps them dry faster. If you’re curing potatoes in a bright location, drape a lightweight sheet or burlap over your spuds so they don’t turn green.
Russet potatoes with thick skins typically need to cure a little longer than thin-skinned varieties, but most potatoes should be dry and fully cured within two weeks. After curing the potatoes, pick through them once more and remove any potatoes with obvious signs of damage. The rest of your undamaged harvest is now ready for storage.
How to Store Potatoes
Potatoes are ready to be eaten immediately after harvesting, but you can store cured potatoes for months to use throughout winter. For the best taste and longest storage, keep them in a cool, dark root cellar with high relative humidity (above 95 percent) and temperatures between 40°F and 45°F. Cooler temperatures make potatoes dark and oily, while warm temperatures lead to sprouting and early spoilage.
Store potatoes in cardboard boxes, perforated bags, or well-ventilated bins, crates, and baskets. If needed, drape a lightweight covering of newspaper, cardboard, or burlap over the storage containers to block out light and keep the potatoes from turning green.
With proper storage, most potatoes will last for about two to three months in a root cellar, but some late-season russet potatoes stay fresh for an impressive seven to eight months.