How to organize the storage of potato tubers and provide them with the right temperature in the cellar and on the balcony. What temperature and humidity is needed for storing potatoes

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 details the basic conditions for winter storage of potatoes in the basement, as well as the main preparations 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 marketable condition and taste qualities. 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.

Install optimal 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 example, early varieties, the harvest of which begins to be harvested in the middle of summer, are completely unsuitable for long-term storage and they 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 blue vitriol(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: it should be dark in the cellar, because when exposed to light, solanine begins to be produced in the tubers and the vegetables become unsuitable for eating.
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 temperature regime, it is desirable 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 wake up 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 indoors, 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. These containers must contain 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 conventional wooden boxes placed 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. She will absorb excess moisture and prevent 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. We will talk further about how to provide optimal conditions for storing potatoes in the cellar or basement.

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 rigid 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 the 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.

Help save the harvest good system ventilation. 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 during the digging process. 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 rotted 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, the cellar contains bad smell, it is better to sort out the whole potato.

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 with a 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.

Many gardeners on own experience we were convinced that it is important not only to harvest, but also to keep it in a state of safety for health as long as possible. This is especially true for crops grown and harvested in a season in which rainy weather prevailed. a place with almost ideal conditions to store this vegetable is a cellar. However, this kind of storage must be carefully prepared and equipped before food supplies are placed there.

Harvest preparation and premises before storage
Before placing potatoes in the cellar, you need to do some manipulations:

Leave the dug out potatoes in the sun for 2-3 hours, then dry them under a canopy (1-2 days).
To detect "unhealthy" tubers that have been damaged by digging, place the potatoes for ten days in a warm room, then sort them carefully.
Before harvesting (about 2-3 weeks in advance), periodically open the cellar to ventilate and dry it well; do this procedure only in warm, dry weather.
If moisture from the cellar cannot be removed by ventilation, use lime, which must be placed in containers throughout the room with the calculation of 1 kg of lime per 1 m3. Tanks can be made of any material except iron. Change the wet lime to dry and so on until all the moisture has evaporated.
Clean the basement of rubbish and small debris, disinfect the room if there are rats, get rid of them yourself or with the help of special services.
To prevent mold, whitewash the walls with the following solution: add 2 kg of slaked lime, 1 kg of copper sulfate and regular salt 100 gr.
Take the boxes in which the crop will be stored outside, dry them well, then treat them several times with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Compliance with the rules of long-term storage of potatoes in the cellar
The shelf life of vegetables depends on correct location them indoors. The following guidelines will help you correctly place the potatoes in the cellar:

between the boxes for storing crops and the walls of the cellar there must be a space of at least 20 cm; also, the boxes cannot be placed on the floor, make special stands for them that will separate the potatoes from the floor by 15-20 cm;
put a maximum of 20 kg of crop in each box;
store different varieties separately;
the optimum storage temperature for seed potatoes is +2 - +3 degrees, food - +4 - +5 degrees, as you can see, it is slightly different, so if possible, place them in different rooms.

The crop in the basement must be observed throughout the storage period. Periodically check the room for humidity, it should not exceed 90%. When the outside temperature is less than zero degrees, close the hoods so that the potatoes do not freeze. Do not forget to ventilate the cellar when the air warms up from vegetable "breathing".

Do not let the crop rot, remove spoiled potatoes in time, and sprinkle the rest with ashes or chalk.

A good neighbor for potatoes in the cellar will be red beets, which will draw excess moisture from the air. Pine or spruce branches, fresh rowan leaves and onion peels also have a good effect on crop storage.

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 observe all 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;
excellent trade dress.

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 the probability of their decay during winter storage is very high.

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 landing on next year it is worth choosing 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 a single layer on a dry bedding under a shed, for example, in a 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%.

Thus 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

AT 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 temperature is maintained throughout the storage season. 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 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 has 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 (with foam plastic, 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 of 1-2 meters (and depending on the degree of freezing of the soil in your region and the occurrence of groundwater), then spread the potato tubers and cover it with a 15-20 cm layer of dry sand, and then 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 on 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-ripening potatoes will begin to germinate, and at the same time lose their taste.

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 an unpleasant odor (rotten smell) comes from the potatoes or if they 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 observing optimal conditions storage of harvested vegetables.

Video: how to store potatoes in winter

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In order to preserve the harvest until the next season, it is best to lay potatoes in the fall in a cellar arranged in a summer cottage, or in a city or city basement. country house. At the same time, it is necessary not only to properly equip the room itself and create a suitable microclimate, it is very important to choose the best storage method so that the potatoes do not rot.

The cellar is most often a separate separate building. In order to maintain a constant positive temperature inside, the storage is covered with a thick layer of earth from above. The type of cellar is chosen depending on how high the ground water Location on.

There are three types of cellars:

underground;
half buried;
ground.

Before starting construction, it is necessary to determine the value of the maximum high level groundwater in the area. Usually, the administration of the locality has this data.

Underground cellar. The building is located underground, on the surface there is only a gable roof with wide overhangs. It is thermally insulated from the inside, covered with a layer of earth at least 50 cm thick from the outside. Entrance door located on the gable of the roof. This modification is chosen when groundwater is low.

Rice. 1. Underground cellar
1 - bins; 2 - drainage ditch; 3 - roof slope; 4 - shelves; 5 - floor.

To avoid flooding, the bottom of the cellar is arranged at least 50 cm above the groundwater level. At the same time, the height of the room is 2–2.5 m. groundwater into storage wells, supply and exhaust ventilation maintains air exchange inside the cellar.

Fig. 2 Underground cellar with a cellar

For ease of use and the creation of a stable microclimate in the cellar, an above-ground part is often built - a cellar. It is built from wood, brick, stone or concrete blocks. In the cellar, where the entrance is made from the cellar, it is cooler inside in summer than outside, and in winter the temperature is low, but positive. An additional room is used for storing dry herbs (they do not need a special regime) and working tools.

The cellar is half buried. If groundwater in spring and during the period of prolonged rains rises higher than to a depth of 2.5–3 m, a cellar is built that is only half buried in the ground (by 1–1.5 m). There are also needed drainage system and ventilation.

Rice. 3 Brick cellar, half buried
1 - waterproofing with bitumen; 2 - concrete pad; 3 - compacted area, covered with rubble and soil.

Such a structure, if desired, becomes an element landscape design. The ground part of the cellar, finished with wild stone or brick, looks picturesque.

Fig.4. Ground part of the cellar

Ground cellar. On clay and loamy soils, where groundwater comes too close to the surface, it is impossible to build underground structures. The best solution in such a situation, it will become a ground free-standing cellar. To save money, the building is attached to finished wall at home or summer kitchen. The entrance to the cellar is located inside the room, so reinforced thermal insulation of the door is not needed.

Fig. 5 Ground cellar:
1 - a platform covered with a sand-gravel mixture; 2– gable roof; 3 - floor made of bricks laid on edge; 4 - blind area 5 - clay castle; 6 - waterproofing; 7 - thermal insulation; eight - ventilation window; 9 - door.

Differences between cellars and cellars

If a cellar for potatoes is built on a site on purpose, then basement in a city or rural house it also has other functions. Cellar area is usually 2–6 square meters, the basement takes up space, equal to the area at home, and reaches a height of 2–2.5 m (if hydrogeological conditions allow). There are often plumbing and heating pipes, costs equipment. To store vegetables in the basement, you have to equip a special compartment.

The waterproofing of the premises is carried out during the construction of the house, but additional ventilation is usually needed for the vegetable store. Forced air exchange is organized with the help of fans.

Another option for citizens is to store potatoes in the basement of the garage, which also serves as a car repair shop.

Arrangement of a basement or cellar for potatoes

Regardless of how the cellar or basement is built, where the storage for vegetables and home canned food is equipped, the following conditions must be observed:

Purity. The room does not allow clutter, accumulation of debris, the presence of rodents and insects.

Fire safety. Do not store gasoline or other flammable or explosive liquids.

Waterproofing- to protect against flooding, dampness, the growth of mold and pathogenic fungi.

Ventilation- to maintain the microclimate in the room. Root crops stored for storage breathe and emit carbon dioxide, they need a constant supply of air. Gas contamination is dangerous both with carbon dioxide and marsh gas penetrating through the walls. AT large quantities(from 10%) both are harmful to health.

To check if there is enough oxygen in the cellar, a match is lit. If it does not burn, you should urgently ventilate the room: open the door and turn on the fan.

thermal insulation – necessary condition maintaining a constant indoor air temperature. Suitable storage conditions for potatoes: temperature +2–5°C, relative humidity in the range of 80–95%.

Lighting- in the cellar and basement it is unacceptable to use open fire (candles, kerosene lamps). Electricity needs to be installed ceiling lamp and make a switch at a height of at least 1.5 m from the floor.

Control devices– It is useful to install a thermometer or psychrometer to know the temperature and relative humidity.

Security. It is undesirable to go down to the cellar one by one. If the room is cramped, then it is necessary that someone stay outside and come to the rescue if necessary.

If the relative humidity in the cellar has become more than 95%, you need to install a box with dry sawdust or coarse salt in the room, which absorb excess moisture. The contents of the box are occasionally dried outside.

Too dry air is moistened with a box of wet sand or pieces of cloth moistened with water are hung up.

In the cellar, it is advisable to arrange metal or wooden shelving (assembled with bolts). Periodically they are treated with antifungal agents. Metal racks are painted with enamel to protect against corrosion.

Approximate rack dimensions:

shelf length - no more than 1 m;
depth - 50–60 cm;
board thickness - at least 30 mm;
the distance between the shelves is 50–60 cm;
the lower shelf from the floor level is not lower than 20 cm;
top shelf at least 50 cm from the ceiling.

Preparing storage for vegetables

Work on preparing the storage for the new season begins a month before the harvest:

the remains of old vegetables are taken out of the cellar and the floor is swept;
inspect the walls, floor and ceiling, close up cement mortar or sheet metal openings through which rodents enter the cellar;
caps are put on open sections of ventilation pipes metal mesh with small cells;
collapsible racks and boxes are taken out into the street, washed with soapy water and dried in the sun;
walls and ceiling are whitewashed lime mortar(in 8–10 liters of water, 2–3 kg of slaked lime and 100 g of copper sulfate are diluted);
the storage is left open to dry for several days.

Ways to store potatoes

Potatoes are stored in boxes on racks. The shelf holds 1-2 drawers. They are located at a distance of at least 50 mm from each other and at least 30 mm from the wall.

You can store potatoes in the cellar, scattered in boxes, and on pallets. The main thing is that the distance from the floor should be at least 15 cm and air should pass freely between the boxes on all sides.

Use lattice boxes with slots between the planks of about 4 cm, made of wood conifers. There should be at least 60 cm from the edge of the top drawer to the ceiling. The gaps between rows of drawers should be 10 cm.

The traditional way to store potatoes is in canvas bags. The method is good because the tubers breathe, do not overcool and do not become damp. The bags are placed in rows on wooden pallets 150 mm high.

Nets with potatoes are also stacked on pallets, but they must be covered with straw or old warm clothes to prevent freezing.

Bins are built in the cellar for potatoes - large lattice boxes. The height of the bins is made no more than 1 m, so that it is convenient to get the tubers. The boxes are moved 30 cm from the wall.

The disadvantage of this method of storage is an uncontrolled change in temperature deep inside the box, which can lead to the development of diseases. Several times during the winter, the tubers need to be sorted out and the sick removed.

They also store potatoes and just in bulk. The tubers are piled on pallets (it is desirable that the height does not exceed 1.3 m). The disadvantage of this method is the same as that of storage in the bins - poor air exchange.

Laid beets on top perfectly absorb excess moisture from potatoes

Potatoes, beets and carrots are stored together. If you lay a layer of beets on top of the potatoes, then it will absorb excess moisture. With this method of storage, the potatoes will not become damp, and the beets will not dry out, both root crops will retain their freshness and presentation for a long time.

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