storing potatoes not going good

15 years ago

My potatoes are rotting. I dug them, left them there a couple days. Brought them on and put them in a dark cupboard. They were laid out in single layer and the temp is 78. This it what I have done in the past and potatoes lasted several months. Now in 2 to 3 weeks at least 1/3 are rotting. There are 3 different varieties and all doing the same except the reds might be a little worse but no much.

What might be the problem?

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Comments (7)

terrybull
15 years ago
to wet or to warm
digdirt2
15 years ago
And likely not dried nearly enough before storage. It can take a couple of weeks of dry air aging before they are ready for storage. And only late varieties are good for storage anyway. Early varieties never store well no matter what you do. Depending on where you live you might do better to replant some now for fall harvest and storage.

Dave
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User
15 years ago
Did you wash the potatoes and check them over before storing? If you have fire ants where you live, they make small holes in the potato and can cause them to rot pretty quick. 78 degrees might be a little warm for storing more than just few weeks.
KMKacan
15 years ago
Are they stored with onions? Onions have a bad effect on potatoes so what ever you do DO NOT store onions and potatoes in the same area.

Happy Gardening,
-Kristina K.

Here is a link that might be useful: Urban Farm Wife
m_lorne
15 years ago
Agree with all of the above. Storage potatoes should be left in the ground as long as possible into the fall, and then cured outside in an airy, cool, dark space. Then, and only then, are they brought in and stored in 60-85% humidity minimum and ideally 36-40F. This is after they have been inspected, dirt brushed off (not necessary to wash them), damaged ones used immediately.
ldj1002
Original Author
15 years ago
I have read about the storing temp. I don't believe it. I live in Central Texas and as a kid folks used to store them under house crawl space and it ain't no temps that low in Tx in summertime. Heck even in winter temps are higher than that Recently I have stored them and again temp not that low. I have some kind of a problem and it isn't temp. I'm pretty sure folks in the north don't have summertime temp that low. Saw where Maine had upper 90's a couple weeks ago.
digdirt2
15 years ago
I'm pretty sure folks in the north don't have summertime temp that low.

True but then as already indicated most people don't try to store potatoes in the summertime.

Late season, storage potatoes aren't even dug up till late fall and then air dried well (you only did a couple of days you said) and only then stored in as cool a location as possible. Even in Texas in the winter the crawl space lar under the house would be cool enough because of the ground temps. The air temps there could easily be 20 degrees lower than the air temperature.

But you grew early and/or mid-season varieties, dug them early, didn't dry them nearly long enough, and are now trying to store them in a hot humid environment. It won't work.

Take your potatoes and either freeze or can them for winter use. Those are the only ways they will keep.

Dave