Where to store potatoes in the kitchen. How to store potatoes in an apartment and cellar: useful tips and secrets. Cons of tambour storage

It would seem that growing potatoes is the most difficult stage in obtaining good harvest. However, the issue of storage is no less important, since as a result of incorrect actions, a significant part may deteriorate, and all work will be in vain. The opinion that root crops do not need special conditions is erroneous. Knowing a few tricks on how to store potatoes can significantly reduce stock loss.

Location selection

Undoubtedly, the most suitable place for storing potatoes is the cellar. But for everyone who lives in a city apartment, this option is not suitable. Therefore, you can find another cool place, for example, a pantry, a corridor or a balcony. In a warm room, potatoes will be stored for no more than 3 months, but tubers can lie on the loggia for up to 4-5 months. Naturally, subject to the necessary standards and storage conditions.

On a glazed balcony, the tubers will retain their freshness better than in the pantry, where they begin to deteriorate quickly in the heat. However, in this case, the boxes must be insulated from the outside so that they can withstand frosts down to -10°C…-15°C. To do this, use lining or foam. And if you adapt a chimney and lighting in the form of a 40-watt light bulb, you can create good conditions For long-term storage harvest.

If you are using a container that is designed for 500 kg, consider a ventilation system. As a rule, such boxes should have slots or holes.

Preparation

It is important to dry potatoes before storage.

Before storing potatoes, they must be properly prepared. If you intend to harvest your own harvest, then you should consider the following features:

In order for the tubers to be stored for a long time, after digging out of the ground, they must be left in place for 1-2 hours to dry. It is not recommended to keep longer, as the peel will get burned under the sun. This will affect the subsequent storage in the most unfavorable way.
After the tubers are dried at the digging site, they must be transferred to a canopy protected from rain. They should be kept there for 14 days. This will avoid damage by microorganisms, as at this time the skin will tighten and dry out.
After such a “healing”, all tubers must be removed to a cooler place, gradually lowering the temperature. Ideally, the reduction should occur daily by 0.5ºС-1ºС. This stage usually takes 15 days. When the temperature reaches +2°С…+-4°С, all physiological and biochemical processes in the tubers stop, and they are ready for a long wintering.

From the moment the potatoes are dug up until they are stored, the crop should not be soaked.

Potatoes should be carefully sorted before storage.

If you just purchased potatoes in bags and plan to keep supplies in the apartment, then you must follow the sorting requirements. By selecting spoiled tubers from those suitable for consumption, you can increase the percentage of safety of the entire stock of vegetables. Sorting begins with the fact that the tubers are separated "for food" and for planting. Seed potatoes should be greened under sunbeams within 3-4 days to make it more storage-resistant and unattractive to rodents. But the tubers intended for human consumption must be selected according to this principle:

the largest are selected for the average duration of storage. They will lie until the middle of winter, after which the taste may change and voids will appear;
medium-sized potatoes, without any damage, set aside for long storage;
small tubers, as well as cut, injured by pests and other root crops, should be set aside "for now", that is, they will be first in line for cooking.

All sorted potatoes for medium and long storage must be whole, dry, mature, without sprouts or damage.

Basic rules for storage at home

Keeping potatoes fresh and healthy for several months is not an easy task, but feasible. Subject to right conditions, your harvest will delight with excellent taste all winter. Consider the features and storage rules in more detail.

In winter

Winter storage is the most important stage

Winter is the time when tubers are in a state of deep dormancy. Usually this stage lasts until February, sometimes until March. At this time, you need to direct all your efforts to provide the potatoes with the maximum correct mode safety. Namely, observe the conditions of humidity, light and temperature.

illumination

The room where the storage of potatoes is planned must be dark. If this condition is neglected, then solanine will be produced in the tubers, making them unsuitable for human consumption. When storing potatoes in a cellar or basement, this requirement is met by itself, but in a city apartment you will need to constantly monitor the level of illumination on the loggia.

Temperature

Temperature at which potatoes can be stored maximum for a long time, is due to the boundary when aggressive microorganisms slow down their vital activity, germination is excluded, but the death of the eyes does not yet occur. For most varieties, these figures range from +2°С to +4°С.

Research results show that not all varieties of potatoes are suitable for the same temperature regime. In particular, the following was found:

Varieties Northern rose, Berlichingem, Epron, Priekulsky early and Falensky potatoes are stored at +1.5°С…+2°С.
Ogonyok, Loshitsky, Skorospelka, Temp, Agrotechnical, Foran need a temperature of + 1.5ºС ... + 3 °С.
Table potatoes, Lorch, Start and Razvaristy are stored in warmer conditions, namely + 3 ° С ... + 5 ° С.

With more high temperature potatoes deteriorate, and low ones begin to sprout.

In addition, when potatoes are stored at 0 ° C, the starch contained in the tubers begins to be processed into sugar. As a result, the taste of the crop is lost.

Temperature can be controlled in several ways. Initially, you need to install a thermometer in storage in order to take accurate readings. Then, to lower the degrees, you can do the following:

open a window or window so that the winter air cools the room;
place near bags or boxes of potatoes plastic bottles with ice.

To raise the temperature and save stocks from frost, you can do the following:

cover the tubers with clean burlap or straw;
arrange the bottles hot water near boxes;
open balcony door into the room so that the room is ventilated with warm air.

Humidity

In the room where potatoes are stored, it is necessary to maintain air humidity within 85% -90%. When overdrying, the tubers intensively lose moisture and change their structure - they become soft, lethargic and flabby. With an increase in humidity, sprouts are formed, and the conditions are conducive to the reproduction of microorganisms. As a result, the tubers rot. In any case, the shelf life is significantly reduced.

To increase humidity levels, you can:

hang a damp cloth on the balcony;
to spray air from a spray bottle 1-2 times a day;
use an electric humidifier.

You can downgrade by doing the following:

regularly ventilate the room;
use a dehumidifier;
place cans of quicklime in the corners of the balcony;
cover the boxes with potatoes with hygroscopic material (for example, bags ½ filled with sawdust).
put beets on top of the potatoes, which will absorb excess moisture.

In the spring

Potatoes don't last long in spring.

After a long wintering, root crops come out of a state of deep dormancy. For early varieties, this period begins at the end of February, for the rest - in March. At this time, special storage conditions must be provided.

As soon as the potatoes begin to “wake up”, in order to prevent their germination, you need to lower the temperature in the storage. To do this, you need to open the vents and the window, pumping cold air indoors until the temperature reaches +1.5°С…+2.0°С.

Sometimes stocks are stored until the moment of warming. If the temperature environment higher than the tubers, then you need to place ice bottles around the boxes or bags. They should be changed as they thaw.

Little tricks will help keep the harvest longer

You can extend the shelf life of potatoes by observing a number of simple rules. These include the following aspects:

You can protect the tubers from rot by laying layers of dry plants of goutweed and wormwood. Also, for this purpose, you can put elderberry or fern in bags.
Flora that releases phytoncides helps to keep potatoes longer. To do this, you can shift the roots with fresh rowan leaves, spruce or pine branches.
Onion peel promotes long-term storage of tubers. Summer residents advise pouring it into all boxes with potatoes.
Mint delays the germination process. Add fresh leaves to bags.
You can reduce the risk of rotting by sprinkling the tubers with crushed garlic. For 100 kg of stocks, 100 g of garlic will be enough.

Mistakes

Storing potatoes is a responsible task

There are several key mistakes that lead to spoilage of potato stocks. These are the aspects:

Not all varieties of potatoes are suitable for long-term storage. This is the most common misconception. Having bought the cheapest potatoes on the market and thrown them on the balcony, many believe that they will remain fresh until spring. Early ripe varieties are not suitable. They will be able to lie until November at most. After that, the tubers become lethargic, germinate and lose their qualities. Choose potatoes of medium and late ripening.
Spoiled potatoes are not allowed. Succumbing to a fleeting temptation, many store tubers of dubious quality, acting in order to save money. Believe me, this is a serious mistake that will lead to large losses of stocks. Potatoes must be carefully separated, leaving exceptionally healthy and dry tubers for long storage.
Potatoes need to be constantly sorted out. Having separated bad frozen root crops once, many believe that the work is over. This opinion is wrong. During winter storage, tubers should be sorted out periodically, as infectious diseases, rot, etc. can appear in it. When separating potatoes, it is necessary to remove from storage not only spoiled root crops, but also those that came into contact with them in a box.

Video: a master class on building a box for storing vegetables on the balcony

As you can see, it is not so difficult to save the potato crop during the winter. But it is necessary to approach this task responsibly: choose a variety that is suitable for long-term storage, provide optimal conditions for tubers and carefully monitor the condition of root crops. Subject to simple rules, your crop will lie until spring.

Potatoes are actively used in cooking for the preparation of various dishes. To enjoy tasty and nutritious food throughout the year, it is important to know how to store potatoes in an apartment or cellar. The secrets to saving a vegetable are quite simple - choosing the right kind, tuber preparation and creation favorable conditions. Following the recommendations presented in our article will help keep potatoes until spring or a new harvest.

Proper organization of potato storage will save tubers until the next harvest.

Collecting and preparing potatoes for storage

Start harvesting potatoes should be in late August - early September. By this time, the vegetables ripen, stop peeling and are ready for long-term storage.

Do not delay harvesting, as digging during the rainy season will negatively affect the keeping quality of the product. High humidity will lead to rapid deterioration and rotting of tubers.

Period potato preparation to bookmark for storage is divided into the following mandatory steps:

"air-solar bath". Duration - 1-2 hours. It is done immediately after digging so that the skins of root crops dry out. If the day is very sunny, the procedure is stopped as soon as possible so that the tubers do not get a sunburn;
"healing". Potatoes should lie under a canopy, scattered in a thin layer. During this period, the tubers actively "breathe", while increasing the thickness of the skin and maximizing its protective properties. Small lesions heal on the peel; it accumulates substances that prevent the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms. Duration - about 2 weeks at an optimum temperature of +13 ... 18 ℃ and a humidity of 90-95%. If the weather is cooler, this stage is extended to 3 weeks;
"sleeping". In the next 10-15 days, the temperature under the canopy, where the potatoes lie, should gradually decrease to + 2 ... 4 ℃ (in a normal autumn, this is how it happens). During this time, the tubers gradually fall into a state of complete dormancy. All active biological processes in them stop.

Ideally, the period from digging to storage takes about 4 weeks. It is necessary to ensure that during this time the tubers never get wet. If there are prolonged rains, the potatoes are covered with clean burlap or straw.

Further selected seed potatoes. These are the best, even and beautiful tubers of medium size and a little smaller. Before storing them, they are kept in the sun for several days so that the peel accumulates solanine. For people, it is poisonous, but it protects root crops from rodents, promotes better storage and more active germination after planting.

Other tubers must be sorted by size. Medium-sized root crops store best and last the longest. Large ones are recommended to be used up before the middle of winter: with longer storage, their taste deteriorates, and voids often form inside. Therefore, when stored in bags or boxes, containers with large tubers are placed in the cellar closer “to the exit”. For the nearest use in the fall, potatoes are left small or damaged during digging.

For long term storage choose potato varieties with high keeping quality, and recommended by experts as canteens (Lorch, Nevsky, Red Scarlet, Tuleevsky and others).

In addition, it is important to understand that the condition of the soils on which they were grown greatly affects the success of the storage of root crops. Therefore, novice summer residents should sometimes take into account the opinion of their more experienced neighbors and buy for storage not another advertised variety from the “super-fashionable”, but “local” seed potatoes, which have proven themselves in this sense.

For potatoes, the concepts of "early" and "late" do not refer to the duration of storage, but to the possibility of early (for middle lane- at the end of July) or later (at the end of August) to obtain root crops suitable for consumption and corresponding to varietal parameters. The possibility of long-term storage is determined by the concept of "keeping quality". It depends not so much on the timing of reaching technical ripeness by root crops, but on the content of starch and other components in their pulp, and in the skin - substances that increase its protective properties.

Optimal storage conditions

To keep potatoes until spring, it is important to create a favorable microclimate for them. The optimum storage temperature is +2…4 ℃, and air humidity is 80-90%. In such conditions, the potato does not freeze, does not wither and does not germinate. The tubers remain whole and healthy, and also retain their taste. At high temperatures, the potato begins to germinate, and at high humidity it rots and becomes covered with mold fungi.

To save maximum amount harvest, sort potatoes once a month. Remove spoiled and rotten tubers so that negative processes do not spread to a healthy crop.

Storing potatoes at home

In a city apartment, you can store potatoes on a balcony or loggia. As a container, use sealed boxes with a double bottom and walls. To protect against freezing on a cold balcony, insulate the container from the inside with foam. Cover the top of the box with a lid or a dark, warm cloth to protect the tubers from light.

To avoid rotting and sprouting, place on top of potatoes rowan leaves or mint. Such plants not only help maintain optimal humidity, but also destroy pathogenic microorganisms due to the released phytoncides.

From rotting tubers will also help: onion peel , dried gout grass, wormwood, fern, elderberry leaves.

You can shift the tubers with coniferous paws or store potatoes in boxes made from fresh spruce or pine boards.

It is very useful to keep potatoes nearby and ginger root(both are better preserved).

Store potatoes at home in the summer in the pantry or under the sink in the kitchen. To do this, put the vegetables in a wicker basket, plastic box or perforated bucket. The shelf life of potatoes in such conditions is 14 days.

There is an opinion that it is impossible to use for storing potatoes plastic bags or polypropylene bags (they do not allow air to pass through, which leads to rapid decay and deterioration of products). But if the potatoes are prepared for storage in accordance with all the rules, then the average number of tubers (up to 20 kg) can be kept for 3-4 weeks at room temperature in a plastic bag. Conditions: The bag must be tight, dark and very well tied (eg garbage bags). The main thing is not to open the package “in between” and not to disturb it at all.

Storing potatoes in the refrigerator

Many housewives are concerned about the question: is it possible to store potatoes in the refrigerator? Refrigerated supported optimum temperature and air humidity, so it is suitable for storing potatoes. However, remember about the significant drawback of this method - limited space does not allow you to save a lot of crops.

To store potatoes in the refrigerator, put the tubers in a paper bag and place it in the vegetable drawer. Under such conditions, it can last up to several months. The refrigerator is ideal for storing ready-made potatoes - boiled, baked in their skins or stewed. This allows you to prepare for the morning or for several days.

How to store potatoes in the freezer

The potato is perhaps the only vegetable that not recommended to freeze raw. Under influence low temperatures starch turns into sugar, which affects the taste of the product.

Wash and clean tubers well.
Cut the potatoes into strips 1-1.5 cm thick.
Put the raw materials in a colander and rinse with water to get rid of the starch.
Dip the potatoes for 3 minutes in boiling water, and then in ice water.
Dry the workpiece paper towel and fold into freezer bags.
Send the potatoes to the freezer. In this form, the vegetable can be stored for as long as possible.

The main rule of freezing is the creation of portioned blanks, since potatoes cannot be re-frozen.

You can also store already cooked potatoes in the freezer: boiled mashed potatoes, fried or baked slices. Cook potatoes in your favorite way, cool and place in plastic containers or freezer bags. Put the products in the freezer, and you will always have a ready-made workpiece for lunch or dinner at hand.

How to store potatoes in the cellar

The best place to store potatoes is a cellar, a basement of a private house or a special vegetable store. In such rooms, a suitable temperature and humidity are maintained, and they are also completely protected from sunlight.

Before storing potatoes for storage, prepare the room:

dry the cellar well and insulate it if necessary;
disinfect the premises, destroy rodents and other pests;
hang a thermometer and hygrometer to monitor temperature and humidity and maintain a favorable microclimate.

To bookmark potatoes for storage, it is important to choose the right container. Perfect option – wooden boxes or mesh (woven or "sugar" bags are not recommended). You can also store potatoes simply in bulk up to 1.5 m high.

You can store potatoes next to the beets - it will absorb excess moisture and prevent rotting of the product. But putting potatoes next to cabbage is not recommended, as this will lead to rapid deterioration of vegetables.

How long can potatoes be stored in the cellar? Subject to all recommendations and the creation of a favorable microclimate, the vegetable is stored for 8-10 months.

Video

Watch the video to understand the nuances of storing potatoes in a city apartment and in a cellar:

Do you know that:

Natural toxins are found in many plants; no exception, and those that are grown in gardens and vegetable gardens. So, in the bones of apples, apricots, peaches there is hydrocyanic (hydrocyanic) acid, and in the tops and peel of unripe nightshade (potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes) - solanine. But do not be afraid: their number is too small.

Tomatoes have no natural protection against late blight. If late blight attacks, any tomatoes die (and potatoes too), no matter what is said in the description of the varieties (“late blight-resistant varieties” is just a marketing ploy).

Oklahoma farmer Carl Burns developed an unusual variety of colorful corn called Rainbow Corn. Grains on each cob - different colors and shades: brown, pink, purple, blue, green, etc. This result was achieved through many years of selection of the most colored ordinary varieties and their crossing.

From varietal tomatoes, you can get "your" seeds for sowing next year (if you really liked the variety). And it is useless to do this with hybrid ones: the seeds will turn out, but they will carry the hereditary material not of the plant from which they were taken, but of its numerous "ancestors".

Freezing is one of the most convenient methods for preparing a grown crop of vegetables, fruits and berries. Some believe that freezing leads to a loss of nutrients and useful properties herbal products. As a result of the research, scientists found that the decrease in nutritional value Freezing is practically non-existent.

In Australia, scientists have begun cloning experiments on several cold-weather grape varieties. Climate warming, which is predicted for the next 50 years, will lead to their disappearance. Australian varieties have excellent characteristics for winemaking and are not susceptible to diseases common in Europe and America.

The novelty of American developers is the Tertill robot, which performs weeding in the garden. The device was invented under the guidance of John Downes (the creator of the robot vacuum cleaner) and works autonomously in all weather conditions, moving on uneven surfaces on wheels. At the same time, it cuts all plants below 3 cm with a built-in trimmer.

Both humus and compost are rightfully the basis organic farming. Their presence in the soil significantly increases the yield and improves the taste of vegetables and fruits. In terms of properties and appearance, they are very similar, but they should not be confused. humus - rotted manure or bird droppings. Compost is the rotted organic remains of the different origin(spoiled food from the kitchen, tops, weeds, thin twigs). Humus is considered a better fertilizer, compost is more accessible.

Humus - rotted manure or bird droppings. It is prepared like this: manure is piled in a heap or pile, interbedded with sawdust, peat and garden soil. The collar is covered with a film to stabilize the temperature and humidity (this is necessary to increase the activity of microorganisms). Fertilizer "ripens" within 2-5 years - depending on external conditions and the composition of the feedstock. The output is a loose homogeneous mass with a pleasant smell of fresh earth.

" Potato

The way vegetables are stored determines their taste and shelf life. Can potatoes be stored in the refrigerator? It is believed that the refrigerator spoils the taste of potatoes, and also affects the breakdown of starch.

Consider how to properly store potatoes.

In a refrigerator

Keeping potatoes in the refrigerator is not very convenient. because the vegetable takes up a lot of space.

But if it so happened that potatoes are bought in several kilograms and stale for a long time, you can put it in the refrigerator, observing a number of rules:

the most important thing is that the potatoes are not next to the freezer;
it is important to monitor t in the refrigerator, the norm is +3 +6;
vegetables are stored in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator;
tubers should be kept in paper bags (potatoes rot in polyethylene);
keep as many potatoes in the refrigerator as needed for the next 10 days. Longer storage is not desirable.

If t in the refrigerator falls below 2 degrees, then the potatoes acquire sweet taste, and carcinogens are formed in the tubers.

in the cellar

The best place to store potatoes - cellar. However, even here it is necessary to take into account the rules in order to protect root crops from rotting and the risk of getting sick.

First you need to treat the walls of the cellar room with table salt.

To do this, prepare a mixture: table salt 200 g, slaked lime 2 kg, vitriol 1 kg, water 10 l. With this solution, you need to wash the walls of the cellar 2 times a week.

The room must be ventilated or ventilation. Potatoes are stored in wooden boxes, which are previously recommended to be wiped with a potassium solution.

Temperature control is important. In summer t + 5-7C, and in winter + 2-4 C.

The best place for potatoes is a cellar with ventilation

In the hallway or entryway

Tubers should be stored in the corridor or entrance in cardboard or wooden boxes, with holes for ventilation.

To prevent them from turning green and black, cover the boxes with a blanket or other dark cloth.

Room temperature +15C. To prevent the vegetable from sprouting, you should put mint, wormwood and rowan leaves in boxes.

On the balcony

In addition to the refrigerator, there is another cold place in winter - a balcony. If the balcony is insulated, then it is equivalent to a cellar.

There you can keep the temperature in the region of + 5 + 10 degrees during the cold weather.

To start you need to prepare a box filled with heaters: sawdust, warm cloth. From above, boxes with potatoes should be closed with a lid and maintained in them at a comfortable temperature for the vegetable, not lower than + 5C, humidity above 85%.

In the apartment

If you are going to keep potatoes in the apartment, you need to choose the coldest place. It is forbidden to place boxes and bags with root crops close to the batteries.

In the summer, early potatoes can be stored in the apartment, but you should remember that they need to be eaten quickly. Exactly at early varieties most vitamins, but they are not intended for long-term storage.

Late varieties are best stored in cooler places.: pantry, balcony or refrigerator.

Preparing for storage

When harvesting, it is very important to respect the timing. This directly affects the keeping quality of potatoes. After harvest it is important that the potatoes lie in the sun, the process is called light processing.

To do this, the potatoes are decomposed in direct sunlight for several days. Then they are sent for storage to the chosen place.

Potatoes should be prepared immediately after harvest. For this some recommendations should be followed:

clean the tubers from the soil (no need to wash);
dry the tubers under the sun or in a well-ventilated dry room;
select healthy fruits and discard infected, cracked, rotten ones;
place in a storage container.

How to keep potatoes in the apartment

Storage in an apartment involves choosing a place where the potatoes will be most comfortable. There are 3 places:

In the hallway or closet. It is cool in the entrance or pantry and vegetables are always at hand, but there is a drawback: depending on the season, a different t mode is supported.
On the balcony. The tubers feel comfortable on the balcony, subject to the t regimen. The main thing is to place wooden boxes so that there are no gaps between them, they need to be insulated.
In a refrigerator. t not lower than 3C. Store potatoes for no more than 2 weeks.

Preservation in the apartment involves placing the vegetable in the coolest and darkest place. However, the root crop will not be able to lie at room temperature for a long time.

If there are no other places, then you can consider storing potatoes in the refrigerator.. There is a condition - to store no more than 10-14 days, observing the t regimen.

Which varieties keep best

It is best to postpone late or mid-season varieties for the winter. Varieties endowed with good keeping quality: Asterix, Atlas, Volat, Dolphin, Lad, Scarlett, Saturn.

Diseases and their causes

If stored improperly, potatoes can affect diseases:

late blight. Hard spots appear on the tubers, in which the pulp is affected. Appears if one of the fetuses has already been infected;
dry rot. A white moldy coating appears on the peel. Occurs if the tubers were moistened, transmitted with adhering soil. It is recommended to wash potatoes before storage;
black scab. A fungus that infects the flesh of the tuber. It is also transmitted through the soil, with the wrong t regime it quickly spreads to other potatoes;
freezing potatoes. Occurs if the vegetable is stored at t below 2C.

When harvesting, you need to be careful and carefully sort out the root crops.

Correct temperature, containers

Comfortable t mode +2 +3 degrees, and humidity 70-80%. Optimal temperature conditions: t +5+10C.

If it is warm in winter, the potatoes will begin to sprout. And with a constant decrease in t, it becomes sweet due to the conversion of starch into sugar.

It is better to store vegetables in wooden boxes. which are called "bins". To prepare the boxes, you need to calculate the volume of the crop.

The bottom of the boxes should be raised above the floor by 15 cm, the height of the sides is 1-1.5 meters. The gaps between the boards are 1-2 cm for ventilation. The boxes are topped with a lid.

Features of storage at different times of the year

There are 4 periods of keeping potatoes:

Therapeutic. Immediately after harvesting, it is necessary to create conditions for the maturation of tubers, the treatment of mechanical damage. During this period, you need to leave the crop at t12-18C for ventilation for 8-10 days.
cooling. Ventilate the tubers with night air up to t 1C. Ventilation takes place within 2-3 weeks.
The main one is the dormant period.. Folded in a room where the temperature regime is maintained 2-4C. Once or twice a week, the room should be thoroughly ventilated for half an hour.
Spring- after the beginning of the germination of potatoes. In February, when there is a risk of potato germination, it is necessary to arrange stress hardening for it, reduce t to 1-3C. So you can save the tubers until May.

If you follow the rules, you can significantly extend the keeping quality of the root crop.

The potato is considered unique garden culture, there are hundreds of dishes and folk recipes with its application. The main problem after the harvest, the question of ensuring its safety becomes. For some summer residents, despite the long storage period, the tubers do not lose their quality characteristics, taste and external qualities. To get the result, it is important to know how to properly store potatoes in the apartment.

To store potatoes at home, it is necessary to prepare the tubers well for wintering. For collection choose sunny weather without precipitation. Half of the success in storage depends on the quality of drying and selection, which removes damaged and defective tubers. To reduce the level of humidity after backfilling, potatoes are sprinkled on top with a slight layer of ash.

5 sure ways to keep the potato crop in the apartment

Potato storage is carried out not only in a cellar, but also in an apartment, which does not require spending time on the road to the garage. Today, there are several options, each of which allows you to save the crop until the next harvest season.

Storage of potatoes in the cellar

Storage of harvested potatoes in the cellar is the most common for Russian citizens. The advantage of this method is the ability to provide a constant temperature in the room in the region of 2-4 C. This temperature in the storage room is considered optimal for tubers. Humidity in the cellar should range from 70% to 85%.

It is necessary to exclude the ingress of light, otherwise corned beef, harmful to humans, will be produced.

Before laying the tubers, it is recommended to treat the room 2 times with an interval of 1 week with a solution of salt or lime. Purchased plastic boxes are used for storage, or do-it-yourself potatoes are placed in a box made by yourself. At the base of the container, it is necessary to provide small slots ranging in size from 4 to 6 cm, which will contribute to better ventilation. Before reuse, the boxes must be treated with a solution of manganese and dried thoroughly.

A common option is to place tubers in boxes without a lid. In this case, it is necessary to fill the tubers to a depth of no more than 1.5 m. If there is a problem with high humidity, it is recommended to lay out the floor in the cellar with sawdust, if desired, lay it with bars or a floorboard.

In the hallway or entryway

The crop stored in this way does not take up space in the apartment and is always within reach. For this, a box is made in which potatoes are poured. The temperature in the entrance is always cooler than the house and warmer than the outside temperature, which improves the quality of the tubers and the duration of their use.

The disadvantages of the method are the following points:

temperature volatility, which periodically rises and falls;
short duration of time;
the likelihood of theft;
possible conflicts with neighbors.

This method is used if you need to leave the crop until the beginning of spring. Appearance and taste remain unchanged until the end of February or mid-March. Optimal for gardeners who do not have a cellar and are considering organizing a place for potatoes in the stairwell as an alternative.

In a box on the balcony

Do-it-yourself box for storing potatoes on the balcony can be made from ordinary boards that are attached closely. Two “matryoshka” products are made, with a difference in the distance of the walls of about 5 cm. The resulting cavity is insulated with foam, sawdust or other material with similar properties. The lid for the container is also made double and insulated.

This method is suitable for storage in a glazed loggia and allows you not to lose harvested crop even in cold winters.

Often they use a special household cellar purchased in a store. It is a thermal container made of modern materials and is electrically heated. What temperature the potatoes can withstand depends on the model and manufacturer, there are options for ambient temperatures down to -40 C. Stores sell cellars with a volume of 100, 180 and 300 liters, which corresponds to a quantity of 1 to 3 bags.

Small stock in the fridge

Storing potatoes at home in the refrigerator is suitable for a small number of tubers, and the correct storage temperature should range from 3 to 5 C. The convenience and simplicity of the method is associated with several pitfalls. The following factors are considered the main points:

it is not clear in which container it is better to choose storage: in plastic bag does not give access to oxygen to the tubers, they begin to sweat and rot, and in the mesh the dirt spills out;
it is impossible to store a large amount of potatoes;
long-term storage in the refrigerator begins the process of converting starch into sugar, which negatively affects the taste and appearance potatoes.

In connection with such features, several kilograms of potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator. It is recommended to make a supply of no more than a week, and during this period it is necessary to eat it.

Storing potatoes in an apartment

The houses store stocks that are planned to be consumed in the near future. The average temperature in a standard apartment varies from 20 to 25 C, which is not suitable for storing potatoes. It is important to place it in a well-ventilated area, otherwise it will rot and cause flies. The most common options are:

pantry;
kitchen elements, furniture;
built-in wardrobes.

Often people tend to develop the interior design of the hallway so that in Everyday life provide places for storing crops and other items.

What varieties of potatoes store best

Potatoes with early term ripening deteriorates quickly, so these varieties are not used for long-term storage. For these purposes, species with an average or late harvest time are used.

Potato varieties description and characteristics:

Asterix is a premium European variety, has a medium-late ripening period and belongs to the canteen category, has a red skin and yellow flesh, the average weight of tubers varies from 65 to 110 g;
Atlant - a variety with a late ripening period, has a rough yellow peel and light yellow flesh, the average tuber weight is from 90 to 199 g;
Skarb - a kind of potato of the Belarusian selection, has yellow peel and pulp, average weight from 150 to 200 g.

The duration of storage of potatoes depends on many factors, and the same variety of potatoes can feel great on the balcony and does not deteriorate at home. Recommended to try various options and experiment with different ways, temperature and choose the most optimal method.

Potato storage requires compliance with a number of rules, ignorance of which will bring all efforts to grow the crop to naught. A fundamental factor in the success of storage is the choice of the right variety of potatoes. Tubers with an early ripening period cannot be chosen for long-term storage, even if all the rules are followed and “ideal” conditions are created, the crop will remain the largest until November, while significantly losing its original qualities.

Some of the most common potato handling mistakes include:

the choice of low-quality raw materials - only healthy and selected potatoes have a chance to survive for a long time;
placement separately from other vegetables - when stored with beets, moisture is naturally absorbed and tubers are prevented from rotting, which has a positive effect on the result;
the use of natural conditions - potatoes require a special temperature regime and humidity, so the conditions of the apartment do not suit him;
neglect of the sorting procedure - as a result of storage, the tubers rot, manifestations of infectious diseases are possible, which ultimately increases the risk of infection of healthy potatoes, only mechanical sorting can get rid of such a problem;
content in bags - the method does not allow for high-quality sorting of tubers and does not involve air access, which inevitably leads to their deterioration.

During control sorting, not only infected tubers are removed from the storage place, but also those that come into contact with them. The appearance of a putrid odor and small flies indicates the onset of decay and the need to sort out the crop.

Potatoes are always placed in a cool room, otherwise they will begin to germinate quickly. Great importance has a state of the environment. High humidity and air temperature are main threat, so the fruits begin to deteriorate, germinate or rot.

Potatoes are essential in the kitchen every day. The quality of our food depends on its freshness and taste. In a city apartment, a juicy tuber quickly deteriorates, germinates, and withers. This forces you to buy it little by little, which is not always convenient. How to store potatoes in an apartment so that its quality remains unchanged for as long as possible?

temperature;
humidity;
illumination.

According to these criteria, we will determine how best to store potatoes in an apartment.

Optimal storage conditions for potatoes

Temperature

Root crops are best stored at a temperature of 2 to 5 ° C, they do not freeze and do not germinate. At low temperatures, starch turns into sugar, the potatoes become sweet, unusable. If the temperature is above the optimum, the root crop begins to wake up and germinate, which eventually makes it sluggish, tasteless.

Humidity

The drier the better. Before storage, make sure that the tubers are dry and undamaged. It is not necessary to wash, it is enough to shake off the earth.

Important! The best container for long-term storage of vegetables from natural materials. For potatoes, these are fabric bags, wooden boxes that provide air access.

Exposure to light

In the light, potatoes begin to produce the poisonous substance solanine, which can be seen by the appearance of a green color. Such green tubers will have to be cut off or thrown away entirely. In any storage method, protect the tubers from light.

So we're looking for a dark, cool, dry place where potatoes will keep well but won't get in the way. There are not so many such corners in the apartment.

Place for potatoes in the apartment

Fridge

Not the most the best option. The volume is limited, it is a pity to occupy most of it with potatoes. Lack of ventilation leads to the accumulation of moisture, and long storage to hypothermia and the appearance of a sweet taste. A refrigerator is good for storing a small amount that will be used quickly.

Attention! Do not use plastic bags for storage. In such packaging, vegetables dampen and deteriorate faster.

Pantry

If there is one, then we have found the perfect place. It is better to use wooden boxes here. This will provide ventilation, the potatoes will not be moistened and overheated. It is easier to sort it out, remove spoiled tubers. Drawers placed one on top of the other or on a rack take up less space.

Advice! Experienced gardeners they say that if potatoes are shifted with rowan leaves or sprinkled with dry mint, this will noticeably delay its germination.

Balcony or loggia

The traditional storage place for potatoes. If the balcony is glazed, this The best decision. It is worth watching the approach of cold weather. If the temperature approaches zero, you can wrap the potatoes with an old blanket, this will not be enough when persistent frosts set in. We'll have to evacuate root crops to the apartment.

If you intend to store potatoes on the balcony all winter, it is better to make a special box that maintains the temperature. Any design, there are several main criteria:

the container must be double-layered;
place a heater between the layers;
Styrofoam or sawdust can serve as a heater.

Put a thermometer in the box to check the temperature.

Corridor

In a cool corridor, you can successfully store potatoes in cardboard boxes, after pouring sawdust on the bottom or laying newspapers to absorb moisture. In any case, the tubers will have to be sorted out from time to time, to remove the sprouts that have appeared.

Interesting! Potatoes are often stored with beets; both products benefit from such a neighborhood. The moisture released by the potatoes is absorbed by the beets, which keeps them juicy. Neighborhood with others vegetable crops doesn't like potatoes.

Even in a small apartment, a zealous owner will find where to store potatoes. The apartment will be kept in order and food at hand.