Potatoes are a dish that no holiday table can do without. In many families, it is consumed once a week, and even more often.
Storage conditions of this vegetable are quite simple, do not require special costs and do not take much time. The main thing is to follow certain rules and then fresh potatoes will delight you until spring.
In this article we will tell you about the storage characteristics of early and late potato varieties. And also we will tell you in what conditions to keep this vegetable, what to do if it spoils, and how to choose the right storage room.
How much can you store?
It is known that in potato there is a lot of starch, which after the expiration of time begins to decay, respectively, the vegetable itself deteriorates. For long storage of potatoes, it is necessary to prevent factors that contribute to the premature breakdown of starch. The time frame of preservation depends on the degree of ripeness of the vegetable, variety and storage conditions, range from 1 week to 10 months.
Features for early varieties
Fresh potatoes go on sale since the beginning of summer. These varieties must be kept in a cool place, such as in a pantry or in a refrigerator. The main thing is that the sun rays do not fall on the vegetable.
Root crop remains tasty and healthy for 10 to 20 days.
Important! Fruits of early species may be suitable until the first winter months, because for 3-4 months the vegetable loses its elasticity, usefulness and taste.
Late potatoes
The storage period for late and mid-season potato varieties is determined by GOST. On average, storage duration ranges from 4 to 7 months at a storage temperature not higher than + 6º. There are varieties that do not lose useful properties for a long time - about 7 months at a temperature of + 5º:
Petrovsky;- Friendly;
- Gatchinsky 1;
- Dining Room 19;
- Favorite;
- Leader;
- Start.
Petrovsky;In order for a potato to be consumed before spring, it must be properly sorted by size, degree of maturity and variety, separated damaged or germinated. It is important to dry the vegetable, because the moisture contributes to the breakdown of starch.
In order for the fetus to remain fit in accordance with the terms of suitability, you need to follow the following rules.
Potato storage rules:
- Wash the potatoes before storage is not necessary, it will trigger the mechanism of decomposition.
- As much as possible from the ground.
- It is not recommended to store together different varieties of this vegetable. During the process of decomposition of one variety, the others deteriorate.
- Storing potatoes with other vegetables is undesirable.
- If there is a lot of potatoes, then it needs to be turned over and revised periodically in order to remove vegetables in time with traces of pus.
- Undesirable storage of the fruit in the refrigerator.
- Storage temperature should not exceed 7º, humidity no more than 75%.
- When sprouts appear, you need to remove them.
Key recommendations
It is known that potatoes can remain edible up to 10 months, for this you need to follow the rules. The storage room must be cleaned, ventilated and dried two weeks prior to storage. The best place for these vegetables is a wooden box with holes.
If you put the apples on top of the potatoes, they will prevent germination, but this method is recommended only in the first 6-8 weeks. It is important to extract germinated or rotten fruit in a timely manner.
Attention! If the tubers are wet, but not wrinkled, they should be decomposed and dried.
Conditions of detention
To prevent potatoes from spoiling for a long time, you need to create certain conditions.:
- air temperature 3-4 ° C, during the warming period should be lowered to 1-2 °;
- humidity in the room is not more than 80%;
- air ventilation (if the air in the storage room does not circulate, the tubers begin to lose useful properties, become soft and blacken);
- storage room should be dark;
- constant inspection and fingering.
We wrote here about the temperature at which potatoes should be stored, and from this article you can find out what conditions need to be created for storing vegetables in the winter.
Choosing the right room
The main path to long storage is the choice of premises. Not everyone has their own basement, many store potatoes on the balcony. Despite this, it is possible to create conditions under which this vegetable does not germinate, does not turn black, and does not wrinkle for a long time. It is important that the storage room is a thermometer and a device for measuring humidity.
Cellar. It is necessary to fall asleep potatoes no more than a meter and cover with sacking. It is undesirable to put the potatoes on the floor. The temperature in the basement should be reduced gradually. It is advisable to sort once a month, choosing sprouted or rotten vegetables. It is important to have ventilation or periodic airing.- Pit. In order to store potatoes in the pit, you must first select a place and do it correctly. The land should not be wet and viscous, important are groundwater, they should be as far as possible. The depth of the pit should be 1 meter, width 1.5 - 2 meters.
At the bottom of the pit you need to place the straw, then the potatoes and again the straw, put the boards on top and then bury them with earth for 20 centimeters. When cold weather increases the layer of earth to 70 centimeters.
- Balcony. To store vegetables for a long time, just put them in a wooden box and wrap them in blankets. It would be better to build a vault in the form of a box with a lid of ordinary boards.Reference! In order to prevent moisture, it is advisable to paint the box. Also an excellent storage can serve as a broken fridge. It is necessary to put it lid up and cover with burlap during the period of severe frost.
Cellar. It is necessary to fall asleep potatoes no more than a meter and cover with sacking. It is undesirable to put the potatoes on the floor. The temperature in the basement should be reduced gradually. It is advisable to sort once a month, choosing sprouted or rotten vegetables. It is important to have ventilation or periodic airing.Read more about where to store potatoes, read here.
What happens if you delay?
If the potato is rotten, wrinkled, etc., then it should be thrown away. In the spoiled product there are no useful substances and vitamins. Eating an expired vegetable is fraught with gastrointestinal upset and poisoning..
Signs of expired potatoes:
- green rind;
- rugosity;
- processes (more than 2 on one vegetable);
- wateriness;
- black inside;
- the presence of rot.
About why the potatoes during storage can turn green, turn black, germinate and undergo various diseases, we told in a separate material.
Everything has its time. As for potatoes, the observance of simple storage rules allows you to feast on dishes from it all year round. The main thing is to observe the integrity of the vegetable and not to use it in a spoiled form. Be healthy!
