had a lovely crop of potatoes this year, dug them, dried them and placed in old "sugar bags" and then stored them in the darkest place I could find. Well what's happened is,,,, they have grown shoots as long as your arm! and some of them have gone soft. I am so disapointed as it was such a good crop and they taste just like potatoes used to!
Where have I gone wrong? too late now to reverse the action but maybe some tips to save what's left and put me right for next season.
Thanks.
wasgonna,
May 14, 7:55am
Yep. All the "expert" advice on storing potatoes didn't work for me either. I seem to remember there was a powder that was sprinkled over the stored spuds that inhibited sprouts but have no idea if this is still available.
rainrain1,
May 14, 8:02pm
All spuds do that if you leave them too long don't they?
kaddiew,
May 14, 8:30pm
Were they one of the early crop varieties? If so, I thought those ones weren't for long storage.
ebygum1,
May 14, 8:47pm
We have just finished this years crop of Jersey's and Rocket,they have been kept in buckets covered with newspaper in the garage. They last few were beginning to shoot and go soft,but all but one spud was still edible.I now know why I grow spuds,a small bag just cost me $8.95 at PNS.
lythande1,
May 15, 3:45am
They do that. you didn't do anything wrong. Sooner or later, dark or not, they sprout. Dark just keeps them from going green and makes thin spindly shoots. doesn't stop the process really. They're still edible, just not "waxy" anymore. They'll make good chips.
cantabman1,
May 15, 3:58am
xx
quiz3,
May 15, 4:47am
Thanks everyone, looks like a spring crop going in and next time may do things differently. Love the message board, people are so helpful. Cheers.
cleggyboy,
May 15, 6:28am
It was called Dormatone,(sp) but I don't know if it is still available.
bluefrog2,
May 16, 2:19am
I've had similar problems storing potatoes in paper wrapping and dark cupboards. Now I wrap small bundles in newspaper and stick them into my fridge. Some will still go soft - I think some varieties simply don't store well. But they keep longer in the fridge than in a dark, cool corner of the garage.
brocton,
May 26, 10:12am
keep them in old fashioned hessian sacks, mine are usually all used after 5 months no probs with shoots. I grow rockets early, Agria, and several others. Its the sack that does it,
summerlady,
May 29, 6:48am
Can someone tell me when it is time to plants potatoes? I have never grown them before and thought I would give it a go. Any advice gratefully received. :)
macandrosie,
May 29, 7:06am
Gee I dried mine out & threw them into an old urea bag, they're on a concrete floor out of the weather but plenty or air circulation & are fine at this stage. Get yourself some seed potatoes as soon as they appear in the shops. I sit them in 1 dozen size egg cartons in my porch & in the sun shine. You need to get them growing strong sprouts over the winter. Really as soon as the soil conditions are good you can plant. I live in Southland & if the weather has been ok in August I will have some early ones planted by the end of August. A lady told me that she plants a few potatoes every week over the spring & summer so she has an ongoing supply, rather than doing a couple of main plantings. Thought I might try it next season. If you plant around early January you should have some new potatoes around Easter (depending when it falls of course!). Throw down a handful of blood & bone under each spud as you plant. Also if you want the more gourmet size coming up to Christmas - plant each spud a little closer, then mound up slightly.
redhead96,
May 29, 9:18am
I thought I'd cleaned out the soil I put my spuds in but now I have potatoe plants coming through.
lythande1,
May 29, 6:36pm
Depends where you live. Generally spring. Potatoes die from frost. In areas where you have frosts and snow, then spring and summer. But elsewhere - for instance here in Auckland I have had potatoes growing all year. slowly in winter but they grew!
summerlady,
May 29, 10:02pm
Thanks for that, I'll prepare the potato bed now then. All ready for Spring!
summersunnz,
Dec 27, 2:43pm
I grow them year round here in Whakatane, maybe the same is possible in Gisborne?
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