How to store potatoes in an apartment at home correctly

Potato is considered a unique horticultural crop, there are hundreds of dishes and folk recipes with its use. The main problem after the harvest is the question of ensuring its safety. 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.

How to prepare potatoes for storage

To store potatoes at home, you need 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 your potato harvest in your apartment

Storage of potatoes is carried out not only in the conditions of the cellar, but also in the conditions of the 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.

Storing 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 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 s alt 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 entrance

The harvest 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 temperature outside, which improves the quality of the tubers and the duration of their use.

The disadvantages of the method are the following points:

• inconstancy of temperature, which periodically rises and falls;
• not duration of time;
• probability of theft;
• probable 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

A box for storing potatoes on the balcony with your own hands 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 the harvested crop even in cold winters.

They often use a special household cellar purchased in a store. It is a thermal container, made of modern materials and has electric heating. 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 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 to be the main points:}

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

Due to such features, several kilograms of potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator. It is recommended to stock up for no more than a week, and during this period you need to eat it.

Storing potatoes in the apartment

Houses have supplies 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 strive to design the interior design of the hallway so that in everyday life they provide places to store crops and other items.

Which varieties of potatoes keep best

Early ripening potatoes spoil 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 European premium variety, has a medium-late ripening period and belongs to the table 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 skin and light yellow flesh, the average tuber weight is from 90 to 199 g;
• Skarb is a variety of potatoes of Belarusian selection, has a yellow skin and pulp, an average weight of 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. It is recommended to try different options and experiment with different methods, temperatures and choose the most optimal method.

Common mistakes

Storing potatoes 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, significantly losing its original qualities.

The most common potato handling mistakes include:

• selection of low-quality raw materials - only he althy and selected potatoes have a chance to last for a long time;
• placement separately from other vegetables - when stored with beets, moisture is naturally absorbed and tuber rot is prevented, which has a positive effect on the result;
• use of natural conditions - potatoes require special temperature and humidity conditions, 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 he althy potatoes, only mechanical sorting can get rid of this problem;
• containment 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, but also those in contact with them are removed from the storage location. The appearance of a putrid odor and small flies indicates the beginning of rotting and the need to sort out the crop.

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

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