Storing/preserving tatties up north

[Hillbilly]

Northern/cold places SSF'ers - what method do you use for storing potatoes over winter? Was considering making a clamp this year but really don't want to risk losing the entire lot so thought it prudent to ask which method you have found works best first.

Jo

[ina]

Don't think my method is very scientific - had them in boxes, lined with newspaper, in my spare room (aka the walk-in fridge during winter). I ate the last in March; a bit wrinkly, but still ok.

[Hillbilly]

Your method should work ok here too then - its only this last year that i figured out that i needed to clean out the thing behind the fire in order for the radiators to work off the logfire until then we'd frozen LOL!...GIVE ME AN AGA ANYDAY! much simpler

Does it have to be dark? under a certain temp?

[ina]

Frostfree and dark - I just covered them with newspaper. Don't know whether there's a temperature above which they don't keep - should be able to find out: What temperature do they start sprouting at?

[danchamp]

Like Ina we keep them in cardboard boxes lined with newspaper, but in our garage, plus some in hessian sacks. They will sprout if it's light, but otherwise will store well into the next year.

Meant to say it's obviously important to let them dry well first! I take most of the soil off of them, and leave them spread out on newspaper on the garage floor for a couple of days before storing.

[ina]

Garage is not a good idea here - I kept my seed potatoes there, and the mice got at them!

[danchamp]

We keep them off the ground, and we've got 3 cats to guard them. 8)

[ina]

Don't mention the cat! When I discovered that I'd lost quite a few of the tatties, she was sitting right next to the box, looking rather bored... And the box was off the ground, too - but I'm always amazed at how those beasties get into the feed bags and wherever else they want to go. I don't mind them eating a bit of barley, but not my precious seed potatoes!