My grandmother would wrap them in brown paper, place them in a cardboard box and keep them behind her wood cook stove in the winter, in NC. As I recall, 60 yrs later, they stayed there until we ate them. I have never had a sweet potato since then that was that good.

Hmm. How about the bathroom? Or in a closet or shed with a humidifier running?

l was also going to mention the barthroom but you can use a place near furnace that is warm.

Here is a link that might be useful: Storing-Sweet-Potatoes

They are not as tempermental as some articles would have you believe. They do need to be cured. Use to lay them out in the barn or corn house. When curing they shed their excess water, so it is important to have them spread out, with good air movement to carry off that water. After that just keep them above 50 degrees in wooden baskets, paper bags, boxes etc. Just avoid plastic which will sweat. I don't keep but a couple of bushels anymore so I just keep them in the computer room. Don't have a pantry here.

Phew...there's a lot of bad information on that gardening-tips-idea.com site. Clicking around there was "interesting."

There's confusion about mega-production/processor information vs. home gardener in some articles. There's some bad info/assumptions in others.

As far the sweet potato humidity requirements in the link, that's just ideal and rarely possible. Try to have at least 50-ish+% humidity and you should be fine, but it will take a little while longer. Once you get the important things covered (healing of wounds and a more sturdy skin) the potatoes are okay to start thinking about that storage stage.

The article linked has a problem with commercial best production practices vs. what we as home gardeners would shoot for.

I have found that 8 days with high humidity and 88° will start sprouts on some of the potatoes!!....not good

In Missouri I just leave them on the ground right beside the spot where they were dug. Then pick them up after about a week. It's important not to wash them off until ready to use. I store them in a laundry basket in a warm dry place.

james,
Why is it important not to wash them?

I cure mine in plastic bins lined with towels and with ventilation holes drilled on the top lid and drainage holes in the bottom. That controls the humidity well enough but for warmth I put the bins in my basement on the heated seedling mats I use in the spring. I get perfect sweet potatoes almost every time.

l_james
I'm in MO too, first time grower of sweet potatoes. When do you dig them? Is it OK to mow the vines down before digging?
Thanks
Ed

Yes you can mow the vines down prior to harvest which is what is done on fields in commercial production. If you have enough to mow, you should know that the vines make excellent livestock feed.