Things You'll Need:
- Potato Bucket
- Tarp, blanket, sheet
- Paper bags
-
Step 1
Once you are ready to harvest the potatoes in a bucket, set a sheet, tarp, or blanket next to your potato bucket. Your potatoes are ready to be harvested when the plant turns brown.
-
Step 2
As gently as possible, turn the potato bucket onto its side to pour the soil and potatoes out of the bucket onto the sheet, blanket, or tarp. You may be surprised at the amount of potatoes you have been able to grow in such a small space!
-
Step 3
Pick the potatoes out of the potting soil and wash them gently. You can wash them in the kitchen sink using your hands to gently rub the dirt off the potatoes. Don't use a brush, as the skin on the potatoes is not thick at this point.
-
Step 4
After washing the potatoes, carefully inspect them for signs of disease or damage. The potatoes may have been damaged in harvesting them by having skin ripped. If the potatoes have black spots or green spots, throw them away. Black spots indicate disease. Green spots indicate the potato itself was exposed to sunlight. Exposing potatoes to sunlight causes the starches within the potato to turn to poison. Green potatoes are not edible and must be thrown out.
-
Step 5
Place the potatoes in single layers in brown paper bags to dry for up to 2 days in a dark, cool, dry place.
-
Step 6
After taking the potatoes out of the brown paper bags, carefully inspect them again for signs of damage, disease, or mold. Again, bad potatoes must be thrown out. Place the good potatoes in a dark, cool, dry place for long- term storage for up to 6 months. Do not store in the refrigerator.
Comments
GreenMomma said
on 6/30/2009 great tips! one of these days I have to do this!
joanhaines said
on 6/23/2009 It really makes sense to grow and harvest potatoes this way.