Can You Store Potatoes and Onions Together?

Onions and potatoes can be stored together if they are used within a few days. To keep potatoes and onions fresh after months of storage, they must be stored separately. When stored together they emit a gas that causes both to spoil. Different types of potatoes and onions have different storage requirements.

Things You'll Need

• Panty hose
• Baskets
• Brown paper bags

Instructions

1. Store onions in a dark, dry space because humidity and light are enemies of onions and potatoes. One method of storing onions is to use a basket or a brown paper bag, fill with onions and store in a closet or dark space. The basket and brown paper bags allow air circulation, which will prevent spoiling. Onions that are good for long-term storage are yellow and white cooking onions and red onions. Do not store onions in the refrigerator, as the humid environment will cause mold and spoilage.

2. String up onions in a dark place. Used, clean panty hose with the panty removed work well for storing onions. Put the onions in the panty hose legs and hang from a hook or ceiling in a dark, dry place.

3. Refrigerate green or spring onions. Do not wash the onions before refrigeration. Spring onions should keep about one week in the refrigerator.

4. Store potatoes in a dark, dry cupboard. Do not store apples or onions near potatoes because gases will cause spoilage. Potatoes that are good for long-term storage include Russet, white, Yukon and sweet potatoes. Stored properly, potatoes will keep for months without sprouting or wilting. Use a basket or brown paper bag to allow for air circulation. Do not put potatoes in the refrigerator or they will spoil.

5. Use new, red or white potatoes within a month of harvest. New potatoes, the first of the spring, do not keep for months. To keep them fresh, store new potatoes in a dark, dry place in baskets.

Tips & Warnings

• If a potato is green it is not fully ripe. Place the potato in storage.

• Cut off all sprouts before eating a potato.

• If a potato or onion sprouts, do not use; instead, toss in the compost pile.

Resources

• How Not to Waste Food
• Storage and Cooking Tips for Vegetables