Continuous Supply of Garden fresh New Potatoes

[Meadowlark]

Garden fresh new potatoes are one of the great joys of life for us and certainly one of the top rewards of home gardening.

Our spring crop produces well over 200 hundred pounds of new potatoes. Out of that we eat all we "can" , "can" some, store some, and use some as seed for the next upcoming crop. Extras are sent to the local food bank where they are quickly grabbed up.

These potatoes harvested today were from seed potatoes from the 2024 Spring crop...which in turn were seed potatoes from the 2023 Fall crop and so on.

Thus far this fall I've harvested about 125 pounds of new potatoes with another estimated at least 75 pounds still growing in the soil. I grow three kinds of potatoes, each proven to have superior characteristics in my own experiments: Elba, Sarpo Mira, and Red Pontiac.

Today's harvest pictured below with Elba, Sarpo Mira, and Red Pontiac shown respectively. Notice the different colors of white (yellow), pink (rosa), and red respectfully. All harvested potatoes are left "as is" until consumption in order to extend their shelf life.

 

[Ruderunner]

Speaking of storage, we don't often get a big harvest of potatoes so we have to buy throughout the year.

Of course store bought are washed before we get them. What would you recommend for longer term storage? Note, we used to keep them in our pantry and moved them to the garage this summer which did help (darker and cooler than the pantry)

 

[Meadowlark]

@Ruderunner , in my experience once they are washed as in the store, storage is problematic. About the only way for long term storage I've found is to "can" them. They last indefinitely that way and continue to taste good. Thanks for your interest.


p.s. I've searched for a "veggie cooler" in which you'd have individual comparts for storage and temp control, but haven't found one. I'd buy it if I could find it. The ones they make for wine are too small but might try one w/mods sometime.

 

[Ruderunner]

I've tried a broken refrigerator s a cabinet. Punched holes in the side for ventilation, bins with sand for the vegetables. I did the same for the freezer to keep onions and garlic.

Carrots and beets did ok. Otherwise nope.

 

[GFTL]

I have a very cool (45-55) dark area in my basement but for some reason everything I store there (potatoes, onions, etc) sprouts about halfway through winter. I can't think of a better situation for storage.

 

[Meadowlark]

Potatoes need a dark, constant temp 45-50, and relatively high humidity...and there just isn't any such place in East Texas. An old but working fridge I think would work

I have a very cool (45-55) dark area in my basement but for some reason everything I store there (potatoes, onions, etc) sprouts about halfway through winter. I can't think of a better situation for storage.

Onions and potatoes do NOT store well together...onions do not like potatoes and vice versa in my experience. In fact, most anything does not like to be stored with onions.

 

[Kiwi73]

Garden fresh new potatoes are one of the great joys of life for us and certainly one of the top rewards of home gardening.

Our spring crop produces well over 200 hundred pounds of new potatoes. Out of that we eat all we "can" , "can" some, store some, and use some as seed for the next upcoming crop. Extras are sent to the local food bank where they are quickly grabbed up.

These potatoes harvested today were from seed potatoes from the 2024 Spring crop...which in turn were seed potatoes from the 2023 Fall crop and so on.

Thus far this fall I've harvested about 125 pounds of new potatoes with another estimated at least 75 pounds still growing in the soil. I grow three kinds of potatoes, each proven to have superior characteristics in my own experiments: Elba, Sarpo Mira, and Red Pontiac.

Today's harvest pictured below with Elba, Sarpo Mira, and Red Pontiac shown respectively. Notice the different colors of white (yellow), pink (rosa), and red respectfully. All harvested potatoes are left "as is" until consumption in order to extend their shelf life.

View attachment 106013

Looks like a scab problem with those potatoes.

 

[Meadowlark]

Looks like a scab problem with those potatoes.

Absolutely NOT. None whatsoever. I leave them intentionally covered with dirt as harvested for extended shelf life.

 

[Kiwi73]

Sorry looks like scab to me .Regards

 

[GFTL]

Potatoes need a dark, constant temp 45-50, and relatively high humidity...and there just isn't any such place in East Texas. An old but working fridge I think would work

Onions and potatoes do NOT store well together...onions do not like potatoes and vice versa in my experience. In fact, most anything does not like to be stored with onions.

There's plenty of room to separate them. I'll give that a try.

 

[Ruderunner]

Yes separate them. That's why I used the freezer section for allium and the fridge section for roots.

Come to think of it, part of why the broken fridge didn't work so well is the garage gets warm in summer. Might move it to the barn and try again.

 

[gary350]

Cold makes new potatoes go dormmate. New potatoes have an enzyme that keeps them dormmate until enzyme is washed away. People up north have cellars that is very helpful to keep new potatoes dormmate. I live in TN in USA it is 100°f and dry as desert June to Oct here. I keep my new potatoes inside house in AC 72°f. When our weather gets cold Nov seed potatoes go to a shed in the yard. I plant potatoes year round March 1st to Oct 1st most plants are 3 month crops. I often plant my first potatoes crop March 1st April 1st, May 1st, June 1st, July 1st, Aug 1st, Sept 1st, Oct 1st. I think potatoes are more fun to plant a 60 ft row March 1st to grow 350 lbs of potatoes in 1 big harvest but it is a hassle to keep 350 lbs of potatoes in storage so I give some away and sell some. We like white potatoes best but red potatoes are much easier to grow. I stopped growing red potatoes we don't eat them. New potatoes are like tiny hydraulic jacks that need to lift up the heavy soil to make room to grow larger potatoes. I plant whole potatoes with 5 to 8 eyes per potato. I space potatoes so math shows there are 6 potato plants every 6". Do not plant seed potatoes in mud or soil that is too wet other wise they rot. Once you have potatoes too much water is not much of a problem. Our spring weather is rain 6 days a week March to May 10th my plants love that as long as soil has good drainage. I plant my seed potatoes on the soil surface then cover them with 2" of soil that keeps them barely above water level. Once a week I spend 10 minutes hilling soil up on the plants. When soil is hilled up 10" that is good enough rain will wash it down a few inches. I have 1 potato row 25 ft long to dig up after Christmas about Dec 28. It was 34°f this morning potato plant tops have not been frozen off yet. Trick to having a good garden is to learn what each plant likes best then make sure plants get what they like best. I tried to can potatoes in quart jars its too much work, it is easier to plant a 10 ft row of potatoes once a month all summer. My garden often looks like this March 1st seed potatoes do not like this if it says like this too long.