How to organize the storage of potatoes in the winter so that they lie until spring. Proper equipment for cellars and cellars for storing potatoes

How to store potatoes in the cellar: in boxes or in bulk. In winter, potatoes are expensive, so they should be stocked up for the entire cold period, if possible. Most often, a cellar is used to store potatoes, but in order for the tubers to be stored for a long time and not deteriorate, they need right conditions indoors and preparation before storage. How to store potatoes in the cellar in winter will be described later in the article.

Preparation of potatoes before laying in the cellar

After harvesting potatoes, they must be dried well. If potatoes for storage were bought and not grown, they must also be dried before storage. Drying lasts 1-3 weeks. To do this, potatoes are scattered on the floor or any flat surface in a dry, cool room. Bright light from a lamp or direct sunlight should not fall on the tubers, otherwise they will turn green. It is desirable that the room is dark (garage, barn, pantry).

After the vegetable has dried thoroughly, it must be sorted out. Since it will take more than one month to store potatoes in the cellar, you need to minimize the risks of infection of healthy tubers, and this can be done only by sorting them out. Green, rotten, damaged ones should be put aside in a separate box - they are consumed first of all, since they simply will not lie for more than a few weeks.

After harvesting potatoes, they must be dried well.

Important! Most often potatoes rot ahead of schedule if it was not sorted out before laying in the cellar. Damaged tubers quickly infect "neighbors" and this leads to the complete destruction of stocks.

Boxes with spoiled tubers are set aside, from good stocks. You can transfer them immediately to the kitchen, this is even recommended, since even the slightest contact with healthy vegetable may lead to infection.

Good potatoes are packed in 2 boxes. In the first, medium-sized tubers are selected, they are stored the longest, and in the second, large and small, they lie about a month less.

How to prepare the cellar for storing potatoes?

Before storing potatoes in the cellar, the room is thoroughly prepared. This should be done in the summer, since closer to autumn you may not have time to do everything.

Important! Low temperatures, up to +2 degrees can lead to frostbite of potatoes. And at a temperature of +5 ... +7 degrees or more, it will begin to germinate.

In a good cellar for storing potatoes, the temperature should be + 2 ... + 3 degrees, humidity 80%, good system ventilation, no unpleasant odors, mold.

How to store potatoes in boxes?

One of the common options for storing potatoes in the cellar in winter is boxes. This is a very convenient, practical option. Such containers can be arranged in tiers, on shelves, on wooden stands, they are also easy to sort through.

Storing potatoes in crates

Before laying, the boxes are washed, dried, and can also be disinfected with a solution of lime. The vegetable is laid so that the boxes are full, then each box must be covered from above thick cloth(an old warm jacket or something like that will do). Straw or sawdust can be poured over the fabric - this material will absorb all excess moisture.

Bins can be an alternative to boxes. Potatoes in them fall asleep at 1-2 meters. They have good ventilation, the design itself is reliable, it is easy to wash and disinfect. If it is too cold in the basement, the bins are simply covered over the potatoes with an old blanket or thin mattress.

About once a month, potatoes need to be sorted out to identify any rotten, spoiled tubers, or frostbite. They are removed, the rest of the potatoes, as before, are folded and left for further storage.

How to store potatoes in bulk in the cellar?

Since ancient times, potatoes have been stored simply on the floor. But how to store potatoes in bulk in the cellar correctly? To begin with, on the floor you need to make a good “litter” of river sand calcined on fire. Only after the sand is ready. You can get right down to business.

Storing potatoes in bulk

Sand is poured on the floor, about 15-20 cm.
Potatoes are poured onto the sand in 1-2 layers (can be staggered).
Sand is again poured over the potatoes, and so on in several layers. At the same time, it is better to make all subsequent layers smaller, so that in the end you get a slide up to a meter in height. Then the ventilation will be better.

Important! Storage in bulk in sand gives poor results if the temperature or humidity is not properly adjusted. Potatoes quickly rot, rot.

Everything is clear how to store potatoes in the cellar, recommendations will be given in the same subparagraph on how to make storage the most effective.

Video: how to store potatoes in winter

Recently, the understanding has come that it is necessary to consume as much as possible. good potatoes, best grown by hand on your own suburban area. At the same time, it is significant that the problem of crop preservation is of the greatest interest. And if you want the potatoes not to germinate, rot and not become infected with all sorts of diseases, then first you need to properly prepare it, and then strictly follow all the storage conditions.

Preparing potatoes for storage

Naturally, first you need to first dig up the potatoes and slightly dry the tubers right in the garden under the sun.

Should you wash potatoes before storing them?

To wash or not to wash potatoes before storage? is a rather interesting question. Some summer residents note quite significant advantages of such a procedure, while others highlight the disadvantages that are decisive for them.

The main benefits of storing washed potatoes are:

on clean tubers, namely on the peel, it is easier to see possible defects, the beginnings of diseases and to reject substandard potatoes;
a minimum of debris and dirt;
as stocks are used up, you can easily assess the condition of the remaining tubers;
great marketable condition.

The main disadvantages of storing washed potatoes are:

too much long preparation to storage, waste of valuable time.

Note! It is clear that washing 50 buckets of potatoes is not realistic, but in this case it is quite possible to wash the seed material. However, like smaller amounts of potatoes.

if you do not dry the tubers enough, then there is a very high probability of their rotting during winter storage.

Advice! You can always conduct your own experiment. Just remember that the main thing- this dry the washed potatoes well.

Video: wash or not wash potatoes before storage

By the way! If you still decide to wash the potatoes, then it is very good (according to gardeners) to process it in a weak solution of brilliant green or other means, which will be described later.

Sorting and preparation of tubers

Only the healthiest and highest quality tubers should be sent for storage. There should be no damage, scratches, marks, spots or other flaws on the potato. One diseased potato will be enough to destroy a large part of the crop.

It is advisable to sort the tubers by size. It is noteworthy that medium nodules are stored best and longest, small and too large ones are worse, they need to be eaten as soon as possible.

Important! Separately sorted seed potatoes. For planting next year, you should choose the strongest bush with the most exemplary tubers.

How to properly prepare and store planting material, read on.

After such as you slightly dry the dug tubers still in the garden, and then sort them, do not rush to carry them immediately to the cellar. It is desirable that the potatoes pass before storage rehabilitation or preparatory period(sometimes also called curative), the undeniable advantages of which are the following points:

During this time, the tubers will dry out completely, their peel will become tough and compact enough so that the potatoes can be stored for a long time.
Slightly damaged tubers will "heal" all their wounds (they will dry out and heal).
If during the culling you missed suspicious tubers, then even during the preparatory period you will most likely notice signs of the manifestation of the disease.

So, spread the tubers in one layer on a dry litter under a canopy, for example, in summer kitchen or in the attic, or put them in boxes or mesh bags. At the same time, it is important that the temperature is kept in the region of + 18 ... + 13 degrees (with a gradual decrease), and the humidity is at least 85-95%.

In this way potato tubers should lie down for about 1.5-2 weeks (although some summer residents advise holding it for a month). Such a treatment period will significantly increase the chances of longer storage.

Recommendation! When you dig, wash, dry, sort, process and store - do everything carefully and do not damage potato tubers, only whole specimens will be stored for a long time.

Processing before storage

Protective treatment of tubers will help to avoid premature rotting and spoilage of potatoes, which means that it will significantly extend the shelf life.

One of the most proven means for processing potatoes is a solution blue vitriol (2 grams per bucket of water), which need to be sprayed abundantly on the tubers, and then dried well.

For the same purpose, you can use herbal infusion, for the preparation of which you will need to pour 350 grams of wormwood, 150 grams of goutweed and 50 grams of tobacco leaves with 1 liter of water and let it brew for a day. Spray the tubers (consumption - about 50 ml per 10 kg).

By the way! If you spread phytoncidal plants between potato tubers (mint, wormwood, goutweed, rowan, elderberry and tobacco leaves, pine or spruce branches), then this can also protect them from various rot and other diseases. On average, 10 kg of crop will require about 100-200 grams of phytoncidal herbs.

Perhaps such a long and thorough preparation seems too laborious, but it will definitely be rewarded by the longest storage period for your potatoes.

How to Prepare and Store Seed Potatoes

IN general differences a little, except that the future planting tubers should be “greened” at the preparation stage (keep longer in the sun, but still preferably under diffused sunlight), in other words, solanine should be produced in them, which will make them unsuitable for human consumption , but the same toxic substance will protect potatoes from putrefactive infections, moreover, such tubers will definitely not be gnawed by mice.

If the tubers that will be eaten should be processed at will, then it is recommended to sprinkle the seed tubers, and such a drug as “Maxim Dachnik” is ideal for you. Then dry thoroughly and store in a separate place.

Video: processing and storage of seed potatoes

Optimal storage conditions for potatoes

In order for potatoes to be stored for a long time, the following conditions must be met in the room:

air temperature - +2..+5 degrees;
air humidity - 80-90%;
good ventilation, air should not stagnate;
the room should be dark.

Note! If the temperature is below normal, then the potato will freeze, if it is higher, it will begin to germinate. excessive high humidity(above 90%) - rotting will begin, below - it will dry out and wrinkle. Storing the tubers in the light will cause them to turn green, that is, they will produce such a toxic substance as solanine and they will become unfit for food.

Video: how to store potatoes

Where and how to store: ways to store potatoes

Of course, the best place to store potatoes in winter is a cellar or basement. But you can save potatoes without a cellar, that is, at home, namely on a balcony or loggia, or right in the apartment in the pantry under or next to the window.

As for the specific methods of storing potatoes, depending on the containers and structures used, it can be:

in bulk in containers (special boxes) or container (bulk) method;
on the shelves;
bags (mesh);
in separate boxes.

How to store in a cellar or basement

As mentioned earlier, it is best to store potatoes in the cellar, because it is “underground” that the necessary constant is maintained throughout the storage season. temperature regime. Now it remains to determine in what it is preferable to store the tubers, which container to choose.

For storing potato tubers, it is optimal to choose exactly wooden boxes, and they should have small gaps between the crossbars so that air can easily pass inside. It is also good that the box has a lid (also with holes or gaps between the boards).

Advice! After you put the potatoes in boxes, it is advisable to sprinkle it with sawdust on top, which absorb well excess moisture.

Quite often practiced storage of potatoes on special racks when the tubers are laid out in just one layer. So it will be easier to follow them and select spoiled ones in time.

In addition to wooden boxes, potatoes can be stored in plastic boxes(mesh), as well as in mesh bags and bags made of burlap. The main thing is that the container "breathes", in other words, it contains ventilation holes.

By the way! Before you put potatoes in a container, you should treat the storage container itself, for example, with potassium permanganate, and then dry it.

Do not place boxes or pile potatoes directly on the bare floor. It is recommended to strew it with sawdust or cover it with boards. Boxes can be placed on the same substrate of boards or bricks. Even better if you have shelving in the cellar.

Before storing any vegetables and fruits, including potatoes, the basement or cellar must also be carefully processed and disinfected. Also, do not forget that ventilation should function properly in the basement, but in any case, you should periodically additionally ventilate the room.

How to store in an apartment on a balcony or loggia

If you are a city dweller growing potatoes in the country, you can use a balcony or loggia, or a mini-storage (pantry) under the window to store it.

Potatoes should be stored on a glazed loggia only in double wooden boxes insulated (styrofoam, sawdust), painted or upholstered with linoleum to protect them from excess moisture. Moreover, the cover should also be double and insulated.

But if your balcony is not insulated, then you will need to make a thermal box, for example, according to the following scheme:

Better yet, watch a video about the experience of creating such a home-made vegetable store.

Video: thermobox (chest) for storing potatoes on the balcony in winter

How to store in a pit (ground) or piles

One of the most ancient ways storing potatoes until spring is burying the tubers in the ground. However, the specific preservation technology can vary quite a lot.

Someone is building above-ground piles, for example, according to this scheme:

Video: storage of potatoes in the winter in the garden - in the pile

Others dig a fairly deep hole 1-2 meters (and depending on the degree of freezing of the soil in your area and the occurrence ground water), then lay out potato tubers and cover with a 15-20 cm layer of dry sand, and then with ordinary earth. Additionally, it is good to cover the underground storage with straw from above.

Video: how to store potatoes in the ground

Why potatoes are poorly stored: the main mistakes

It often happens that you seem to have harvested the crop on time and correctly, prepared it and put it in the cellar or on the balcony for storage, but for some reason part of the crop has deteriorated.

To prevent this from happening next time, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with possible mistakes. At least that way you won't have to learn the hard way by losing some of your harvest.

So, the most common mistakes and mistakes that can be made in the process of laying potatoes for winter storage:

Wrong variety (early ripe)

Not all varieties are suitable for long-term storage. Early varieties are intended exclusively for consumption or for a short stay in the cellar (1-2 months). Whatever conditions you create, all the same, early ripe potatoes will begin to germinate, and at the same time lose their taste qualities.

Thus, only late and mid-late varieties, maximum mid-ripening, should be chosen for storage. Super-early, early and mid-early - for consumption only.

Poor quality tubers (damaged and diseased)

When storing potatoes for storage, you should be very careful about the process of sorting and sizing. A few diseased tubers are enough to infect the entire crop. It must be remembered that only healthy potatoes can lie all winter.

Important! Tubers with slight damage (any slight scratches or cuts obtained during digging and sorting) are to be stored (albeit for a short time, they must be consumed first), but they should lie apart, separately from the whole ones.

Storage with other vegetables and fruits

Often, to save storage space, inexperienced vegetable growers put all the vegetables in one box, but in the case of potatoes, this is not worth it.

You can and even need to store potatoes only with beets, which should be laid on top of the tubers. Such a neighborhood will benefit both vegetables, since the beets will take in all the excess moisture, thereby protecting the potatoes from rotting.

By the way! About ways long storage read beets.

Non-compliance with storage conditions

The consequence of violation of the requirements for the premises (its temperature, humidity (ventilation) and illumination) will be damage to the crop.

The potatoes have started to sprout

Advice! If you have problems with air circulation (the most common problem), try to at least ventilate the room in a timely manner.

If it is not difficult to observe these conditions in the cellar or in the basement, then storing the crop in the apartment - on the balcony or on the loggia, it will be much more difficult to do this. Therefore, if you decide to store potatoes without a cellar, then you should follow all the recommendations for home storage.

Rare preventive examinations of tubers

If you don’t want to come one day and find that half of the potatoes are rotten, then periodically you need to carefully examine and sort out the tubers, rejecting the spoiled ones and those that lay next to them (perhaps the disease simply has not yet manifested itself on them).

Note! Even despite the fact that appearance it seems that everything is in order if it comes from potatoes bad smell(rotten aroma) or fly around small flies(Drosophila) are clear signs that a rotting tuber is hiding somewhere, and it needs to be found and removed from storage as soon as possible.

Video: 5 mistakes when storing potatoes

We hope that now you have a clear understanding that sorting and preparing tubers, processing them before laying, as well as maintaining optimal storage conditions for harvested vegetables will help improve the quality of stored potatoes.

Video: how to store potatoes in winter

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Growing potatoes requires quite a lot of labor, so all summer residents want to save as much as possible harvested crop during the winter. To prevent vegetables from rotting during storage, you need to provide them with an optimal level of temperature and humidity. As a rule, cool basements and cellars are used to store potatoes, but, if desired, you can leave the crop in the garage or on the balcony. The main thing is to create exactly those conditions under which the tubers will not freeze, rot or sprout.

This article describes in detail the basic conditions for winter storage of potatoes in the basement, as well as the main preparatory measures that need to be carried out with the tubers and the room itself to extend the shelf life of vegetables.

How to store potatoes in the cellar in winter

Even in a dry and cool basement, it is far from always possible to keep tubers until spring without loss (Figure 1). Partial loss of crop, as a rule, is associated with violations of the conditions for vegetables in the room.

Note: There are a number of requirements that a storage facility for vegetables must meet. Firstly, it should be dry and dark there so that the tubers do not throw out the sprouts ahead of time. Secondly, the cellar must have a stable level of temperature and humidity.

Potatoes, like other vegetables, have certain temperature requirements. Indicators of +2 + 4 degrees are considered comfortable for storage. If this figure is higher, the tubers will begin to throw out sprouts, and then wither. Accordingly, they lose their presentation and taste. When the temperature drops, the tubers may freeze slightly. As a result, when cooked, they acquire an unpleasant sweetish aftertaste.

Figure 1. Storage of crops in a cellar or basement

Another important indicator successful storage potato in the cellar is the humidity. The optimal indicator should remain at the level of 80-85%. If the humidity is higher, fungi will appear on the surface of the tubers, and the vegetables will begin to rot and become moldy. In a room with reduced humidity, the tubers quickly lose moisture, dry out and become unsuitable for sale or consumption. To determine how the microclimate of the cellar meets the requirements, it is advisable to install a thermometer and a humidity meter in the room, with the help of which it will be possible to adjust the necessary indicators in the future.

You can set the optimum temperature and humidity in one of the following ways:

To reduce the temperature, in winter, you can open the air vents or place jars of frozen water around the storage. By thawing, the liquid will lower the overall temperature in the room.
If it is too cold in the cellar and you are afraid that the tubers may freeze, you can cover them with a warm blanket, sprinkle with sawdust or dry sand. Raise the temperature in the room will help bottles with hot water laid out around the perimeter of the vault.
To reduce humidity, you need to place containers with slaked lime or cover potatoes with burlap. Beets spread over potatoes will also help absorb excess moisture.
It is much easier to increase the humidity level: it is enough to spray the walls of the storage with water or arrange jars of liquid room temperature by room.

To avoid wasting time on artificial creation comfortable conditions storage, it is better to immediately build a cellar in such a way that the optimum temperature and humidity are constantly maintained inside. To do this, during construction, it is imperative to take into account the level of groundwater occurrence, and outside the cellar itself must be insulated with heat-insulating materials.

Storage depending on the variety

As a rule, potatoes are grown in vegetable gardens. different varieties, but not all of them are equally stored in winter. For instance, early varieties, which begin to be harvested already in the middle of summer, are completely unsuitable for long-term storage and should be eaten first.

Note: If the varieties for storage were chosen incorrectly, the tubers may rot even if the room was maintained at the optimum temperature and humidity.

There are a few tips to help you store correct varieties potatoes (Figure 2). For example, early and mid-early species (Rocco, Aurora, Hostess, etc.) can be stored for no more than two months. Late varieties (Atlant, Chaika, Slavyanka) do not create any special problems during storage, and the tubers remain dense and tasty until the next harvest.

Figure 2. The best varieties for storage: 1 - Atlant, 2 - Seagull, 3 - Slavyanka, 4 - Scarlett

except correct selection varieties, there are a number of other factors that affect storage:

Growing and harvesting during the rainy season can lead to severe storage losses, so be sure to dry the tubers when digging.
Vegetables grown on sandy soils store much better than tubers grown on heavy soils.
An increased content of potassium and a reduced level of nitrogen in the soil will help increase the keeping quality of potatoes.

In addition, it is necessary to process tubers against diseases in time, since the crop affected by pathogenic microorganisms is stored much worse. In some cases, storage losses can be as high as 70%.

Storage of potatoes in the cellar in winter

Despite the fact that potatoes can be stored in a garage, on a balcony, or even in a city apartment, the most suitable premises a cellar is considered in which it is much easier to create conditions suitable for saving tubers from the moment of harvest until spring.

However, for storage to be successful and yield losses to be minimal, it is necessary to properly prepare the tubers themselves and create conditions under which they will not rot, dry out or throw out sprouts. We will consider the main nuances of winter storage of tubers in winter below.

Training

The preparatory stage of storage concerns not only the tubers themselves, but also the room in which they will be located in winter.

First you need to properly prepare the cellar itself. The walls of the vault must be disinfected to kill fungal spores and other pathogens that can cause crop loss. To do this, it is enough to whitewash the walls with a solution of slaked lime and copper sulfate (for 10 liters of water you will need 2 kg of lime, 1 kg of vitriol and 150 grams table salt). After whitewashing, you need to carefully ventilate the room.

Note: If you have previously noticed that the crop is affected by fungus and mold, it is better to whitewash with lime twice, with an interval of a week.

Separately, you need to process and disinfect shelves and boxes for storing vegetables. If possible, they should be taken outside, treated with a strong hot solution of potassium permanganate and dried in the sun.

In addition to preparing the premises, attention should be paid to the tubers themselves. First, they need to be dried in the sun for several hours, and then transferred to the shade for two to three days, leaving them to fresh air for ventilation. Before laying, all tubers must be inspected: damaged, rotten, or specimens with signs of disease should be removed, since during storage they will deteriorate in the first place and can lead to rotting of other vegetables.

Figure 3. Sorting potatoes before storage

It is also recommended to sort potatoes by variety (Figure 3). In the far part of the cellar, the varieties that are stored the longest are laid, and the species with the minimum shelf life are laid last, since they should be eaten first. In addition, it is necessary to sort the potatoes by size: small ones can be poured into one box, regardless of the variety, medium specimens can be left in a separate box for planting in next year, sorted by type, and set aside large ones for their own consumption.

Temperature regime and terms

In winter, the tubers enter a period of vegetative dormancy and, in order to prevent their early awakening, special conditions of temperature and humidity should be created.

So that the potatoes do not begin to germinate and retain their density and taste, you need to take into account the following nuances:

Illumination: the cellar should be dark, because when exposed to light, solanine begins to be produced in the tubers and the vegetables become unsuitable for consumption.
Temperature: in this case, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the recommendations of specialists, since with an increase in the optimal indicators, fungi begin to develop on the surface of the tubers, and with a decrease, freezing of the tubers may begin. The best indicator is the temperature from +2 to +4 degrees. To accurately control the temperature, it is advisable to install a thermometer in the room.
Humidity: should be between 75 and 85%. Regardless of the deviation of these indicators, the tubers become unsuitable for food: when the humidity decreases, they become flabby due to moisture loss, and when they increase, they begin to rot.

If you are not sure that the indicators described above in your cellar do not correspond to the norm, we recommend that you periodically inspect the harvest laid down for storage. This will allow timely removal of damaged tubers and prevent the loss of the rest of the crop.

spring sprouts

The dormant period lasts on average until March. With the advent of spring, the tubers will inevitably begin to awaken and throw out sprouts. As a rule, the timing of their formation depends on the variety. early potatoes covered with sprouts already in February, and the late one can remain unchanged until April.

Figure 4. Formation of sprouts on tubers

If the planting time has not yet come, and the tubers have already begun to be covered with young sprouts, such shoots should be removed mechanically, and the room temperature should be reduced to +1+2 degrees (Figure 4). In addition, bottles or containers with ice can be laid out in the room, which will help create an optimal cool microclimate.

Beginning summer residents are often interested in the question of directly placing potatoes in the cellar. Most ancient way- just pour potatoes on the dirt floor or wood flooring cellars. This method is very simple, but has one significant drawback. If you store large quantities of a crop and dump it in a large pile, a few damaged or rotten tubers will be enough to destroy most of the crop.

If you want to maximize your harvest or grow your potatoes for sale, it's best to store them in large containers or cloth bags. In the first case, containers can be bought or made independently from wooden planks. Such containers must have ventilation holes, and the boxes themselves can be stacked on top of each other or arranged in rows around the perimeter of the storage (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Ways to store potatoes in the basement

Storage in bags is also considered very convenient. Firstly, in such a container, the tubers are ventilated. Secondly, they are stored in small batches, so the risk of rotting a large number of tubers is excluded. In addition, a small crop can be stored in ordinary wooden boxes stacked on top of each other.

To extend the shelf life, tubers can be sprinkled with plants that produce phytoncides: spruce or pine branches, fresh rowan leaves. Wormwood and gout can also be used for this purpose.
If you are storing potatoes in boxes or bags, place an elderberry or fern sprig in each container. These plants are also excellent at preventing tuber rot.
Can be poured into boxes with potatoes onion peel. It will absorb excess moisture and prevent the vegetables from rotting.
If you notice that the tubers have begun to germinate prematurely, simply cover them with fresh mint leaves. The same function is performed by half fresh apple placed in a box.

Using these people's councils, you will be able to successfully store the tubers until spring, even if the temperature and humidity in the basement are not completely up to standard.

Arrangement of a cellar for storing potatoes

Successful storage of potatoes in a cellar or basement largely depends on the preparation of the room itself for planting vegetables (Figure 6). If your cellar is a separate building, it is imperative to build a tomb above it. Such a small building will act as an air cushion, and a stable temperature will be maintained inside the storage, regardless of environmental factors.

Figure 6 Interior arrangement cellars

Inside the room, it is imperative to equip ventilation openings that will help maintain the optimum temperature and humidity in the room. If the storage facility is located in an area with a high groundwater level, waterproofing of the premises should be provided for even at the construction stage. If the cellar has already been built, containers with slaked lime can be placed in it, which will absorb excess moisture.

In addition, immediately before laying vegetables, the room must be disinfected. The easiest way is to whitewash the walls and ceiling with slaked lime and blue vitriol. But for better processing, experts recommend using a sulfur bomb, the smoke from which destroys absolutely all pathogens. Regardless of the method of disinfection chosen, after treatment, the cellar must be thoroughly ventilated and dried.

More useful advice on winter storage of potatoes in the basement is presented in the video.

At what temperature to store potatoes so that they do not deteriorate and germinate is an urgent issue for the owners of cellars and cellars. The following conditions are considered optimal: air temperature +2 - +3 degrees and humidity 70-80 percent. If the storage is warm in winter, the potatoes will “smell the spring” and begin to sprout. When the temperature drops to zero, the starch contained in the tubers will turn into sugar. If the thermometer drops to minus, the potatoes will simply freeze and disappear. How to ensure optimal conditions for storing potatoes in the cellar or basement, we will talk further.

Cellar preparation

Storing potatoes in a cellar or vegetable store is not an easy task due to the high content of starch and water in the tubers. These factors significantly complicate the process, setting a strict temperature range, as well as requiring a constant level of humidity.

So that the cellar does not freeze and does not overheat, you need to take care of its isolation from external environment. Think about it even before harvesting. If you have a separate cellar, then overheating in winter does not threaten it, rather the opposite. Cold will come from the surface of the earth covered with snow.

If possible, build a cellar over the cellar - a small covered superstructure that will protect upper part cellars from direct contact with environment. Thus, the temperature in the storage and outside will not differ too much.
The cellar hatch must be insulated with foam or any other heat-insulating material. It must be hermetically sealed.
If sufficient, equip a second hatch at some distance from the first. An air cushion between the hatches will protect the room from the cold.
Cellar ceilings can be insulated with polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam.
For additional heating, you can equip the cellar with several lamps in different angles premises. You can manually turn on the lamps if you notice that the temperature is dropping, or you can install a temperature sensor. Lamps intended exclusively for heating are painted over with dark varnish.

With good heat and moisture insulation of the cellar, potatoes will lie perfectly until next harvest.

In the event that the cellar is located under the house and, on the contrary, it is too warm for storing potatoes, a split system can be equipped inside it. However, this option involves financial costs. A cheaper analogue is a compressor from an old refrigerator.

A good ventilation system will help save the crop. Cold air from the street will not allow vegetables to begin to germinate ahead of time.

To protect the cellar from moisture, carry out waterproofing treatment of the room, place containers with quicklime or special preparations that absorb water from the air.

To properly store potatoes in the cellar in winter, you need to equip a special box or make bins. Read on for how to do this.

Potato preparation

Preparation for storage of potatoes begins immediately after harvest. It is worth mentioning here that the crop does not need to be left in the ground for long time. There is an opinion that lying in the ground, potatoes will be better stored. As soon as the potatoes are ripe, they must be harvested, otherwise they will absorb more moisture and spoil faster.

It is not necessary to wash the tubers before storage.

Preparation for storage includes several stages:

Land clearing. Gently scrape the lumps of earth that have stuck to the tubers with our hands. It is not necessary to wash the potatoes before laying them in the cellar.
Drying. Dug out tubers should be scattered in one layer in a dry, ventilated area or under a canopy. Potatoes should not be exposed to direct sunlight.
Sorting. We sort through the crop, sorting the potatoes by size and setting aside separately the sick, eaten by pests or tubers damaged in the process of digging. If you grow potatoes, and do not buy in the fall, do not forget that part of the crop must be separated and saved for planting.
Collection. We collect the scattered potatoes in bags and move them to the cellar.

Bookmark in the cellar

You need to lower the potatoes into the cellar carefully, avoiding bumps.

Root crops are sensitive to environmental conditions, so potatoes should be stored in specially prepared boxes or bins. Just pouring it on, we risk losing a significant part of the crop. Containers intended for storing potatoes should also not stand directly on the floor and touch the walls. build for them wooden coasters 10-15 centimeters high or place bricks under the bottom.

Wooden bins are an ideal place for winter storage of potatoes.

Bins should have additional holes in the sides for air circulation. The height of the edge of the box should not be too high so that you, bending down, can easily get the tubers from the bottom.

Before laying vegetables, the containers must be dried and disinfected.

Root crops lying in the cellar undergo a respiration process, due to which moisture and carbon dioxide are released into the air. Moisture condenses on the walls and ceiling of the room, and from there it can again fall on the vegetables. To prevent this from happening, regularly ventilate the room. You can build an additional canopy made of polyethylene under the ceiling.

To reduce the humidity in the basement, you can additionally pour a layer of lime and sand on the floor.

It is very good to store beets in the same box with potatoes. It is desirable to pour it in a thick layer on top of the potatoes. The beetroot pillow will protect the potatoes from the cold and absorb excess moisture. For beets, it will be even better.

Periodically check the condition of the crop in the cellar and remove damaged or rotten tubers. It is better to postpone all vegetables that come into contact with them separately - in quarantine. If you did not find any signs of damage to vegetables, but Drosophila flies appeared in the vegetable store, it is likely that the lower layers of the potato began to rot. If in addition to this there is an unpleasant smell in the cellar, it is better to sort out all the potatoes.

Protect the cellar from mice. Rodents like to nest in hay or sawdust.

Potato stocks stored in the basement should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Therefore, if the basement has ventilation or light windows, cover the vegetables with a thick cloth, burlap or a wooden cover. When exposed to sunlight, potato eyes begin to sprout, and the toxic substance solanine is formed in the tuber itself.

If the tuber has sprouted, it is better not to eat it, as solanine is formed under the skin, which is harmful to health.

Potato storage boxes

In order to properly store potatoes in the cellar, you need to prepare special boxes or, as they are also called, “bins”.

simple bins

Calculate how much potatoes you plan to store in the winter and, based on this, mark the place.
Build the base of the box from thick boards or timber. The bottom of the structure should be raised above the floor by 10–15 centimeters. And the height of the sides of the future container should not exceed 1–1.2 meters, so that it is convenient for you to get the tubers from the bottom. From the walls of the cellar, the box should stand a few centimeters.
Next, the base must be sheathed with plywood or thinner boards. If using plywood, drill holes in it for ventilation. Do not fill the boards closely, but at intervals of a centimeter, as is usually done in boxes for vegetables.
At in large numbers potato box can be made long and divided by partitions.

The bins are ready. You can add potatoes.

Wooden box design.

You can sheathe the box not only with boards, but also metal mesh. The mesh must be galvanized or painted with oil paint.

The easiest option in terms of labor costs is to use ready-made plastic or wooden boxes for vegetables. They usually have holes for ventilation. You can't put boxes on the floor. Build a special podium for them or use bricks. Individual boxes can be stacked on top of each other, making sure that about half a meter remains. This will improve airflow.

Sealed heated box

If your basement is cold and it freezes regularly, you can make a special sealed box with good thermal insulation for storing potatoes. Such a box with a volume of 1 m3 includes about 320 kg of potatoes.

The design of the box itself is quite simple. We need to take two containers, one should easily fit into the other. It’s better to knock down these boxes yourself from boards or thick plywood - it’s easier to guess with the sizes.

Scheme of the construction of an insulated storage for potatoes. Click to enlarge.

We cover the bottom of the larger box with foam or fill it with any other insulation. You can pour a layer of sawdust.
We put the second box inside and also fill the empty space between the walls with insulation.
We knock together a lid for the container and insulate it.
To control the temperature, we put a thermometer inside the box and mount a couple of small 15-watt light bulbs. Light bulbs are painted with dark varnish. As soon as the temperature drops, turn on the lights. A more advanced option is to put a temperature relay in the box.
We paint the outside of the box to protect it from moisture.
We cover the potatoes poured inside the box with a dark cloth.

Such a container keeps the potatoes well from the cold, but prevents air circulation. Therefore, the crop must be ventilated several times during storage.

Varieties of potatoes for long-term storage

For winter storage, it is desirable to choose medium- and late-ripening potato varieties with yellow flesh. If you have potatoes of different varieties in your cellar, distribute them in different boxes. Early ripe potatoes will not store well, even if you create the right conditions for them. In the cellar, it will quickly begin to germinate and become unfit for food.

It should be noted right away that storing potatoes in the cellar is the most best option. If the preparatory measures are carried out qualitatively, then we can guarantee with confidence that the tubers will be perfectly preserved until the next harvest. Preparation will not take much time, everything necessary work are quite simple.

Advice! To achieve the best result, it is necessary to store potato varieties that are most suitable for these purposes. If you are self-cultivating, you can choose the desired variety when buying seed material. If you buy tubers, it is best to do this in the fall, as late varieties lie the longest.

As you know, in order to achieve the best result and preserve the maximum amount of the crop, it is necessary to create optimal conditions. Annually you need to do the complex preparatory activities To reduce the risk of disease and rotting, the cellar for storing potatoes must meet a number of conditions.

Room processing

At this stage it is necessary to carry out the following work:

First of all, it is checked ventilation system. It tends to get clogged and poorly cope with its functions, which leads to dampness and mold.
In the cellar it is best to equip supply and exhaust system ventilation. It will allow you to ventilate the room all year round without the danger of freezing the room. Unlike
safe.

should be well ventilated if possible. As an option, extend the exhaust pipe to the floor and place candles under it, constantly replacing them as they burn, this will ensure good air flow, and the cellar will dry out completely in 2-3 days.
When asked how to properly store potatoes in the cellar, many will advise whitewashing the room and will be absolutely right. This requires 2 kg of slaked lime, 1 kg of copper sulfate and 150 gr. salt, all this is diluted in 10 liters of water and the room is treated with a solution. Whitewashing is done twice with an interval of 6-8 days.

During processing, all wooden pallets and boxes, if any, must be taken outside and dried thoroughly. After drying, it is desirable to treat them several times with a solution of potassium permanganate, after which they can be returned to storage.

Preparing compartments for storage

If you care about how to store potatoes in the cellar as efficiently as possible, then you should think about making special containers - bins.

The process of making them is quite simple, but you need to stock up the following materials and tool:

Wooden blocks of different thicknesses or boards, it all depends on the chosen modification.
Nails are also suitable for fastening, but wood screws are better. They fix the structure more reliably.
From the tool you will need a hacksaw for wood, a screwdriver or a hammer, fastening materials, a tape measure and a construction pencil.

The process of making bins, in which potatoes are stored in the cellar, is quite simple, you can easily do everything with your own hands:

First, a specific modification of the box is selected, it can be an instruction from the Internet or a book, or just a photograph - as a rule, even using it it is easy to understand the features of the work.

If you chose the option as in the picture above, you will need 4 racks, they can be either triangular or square or rectangular.
Two crossbars of the required width are attached from below, you should not make them more than a meter - it will be inconvenient.
After that, slats are cut into the walls of the tank and the bottom, and the structure is assembled.

With this option, you only need bars and slats. First, the bottom is assembled from a bar and slats, the price of the structure is very, very low.
Next, a frame is assembled for the upper edge, after which the structure is fastened with vertical slats.

This is one of the simplest and effective ways how to store potatoes in the cellar with minimal losses.

In this case, several important conditions must be observed:

There should be 2-3 cm gaps in the bins for constant ventilation.
The distance from the bottom of the box to the floor should be 15-20 cm, for this you can make legs or substitute bricks.
Indentation from the wall is also necessary, it should be at least 30 cm.
There should also be a space of at least 60 cm from the potatoes to the ceiling.
It is also better to leave a space of 10 cm between the drawers.

Ready-made wooden boxes that can be stacked on top of each other are also suitable for storage.

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