How to Store Potatoes in Peat Moss

Potatoes can be stored in peat moss.

Potatoes are a relatively simple crop to grow, and the harvest can be abundant. Enjoying fresh, garden-grown potatoes until the next harvest is a great benefit of growing your own potatoes. It is important to store all root crops properly after they are harvested, however. There is no sense in letting all that hard work go to waste, after all. Potatoes can store for up to six months if they are stored properly. That is six full months of enjoying home-grown potatoes.

Things You'll Need

• A Box
• Peat moss
• A cellar, basement or cool location

Instructions

1. Harvest potatoes when they are dry and after the plant has died down. Harvesting them wet can spread disease, and the moisture causes them to rot easily.

2. Rub the dirt off without damaging the potato's skin. Always handle the potatoes gently so they are not bruised in the process, because this will dramatically reduce their storage time and capability.

3. Cure the potatoes in the dark at 45 to 60 degrees F for two weeks in a box.

4. Fill the box with two inches of peat moss, lay the potatoes in, and fill the rest of the way with peat moss. Placing peat moss around the potatoes will regulate the moisture and prevent the potatoes from growing sprouts or rotting quickly.

5. Place in a cool, dark place where the temperature is between 35 and 40 degrees.

Tips & Warnings

• If sprouts appear on the potatoes, the temperature is too high. Remove the sprouts and reduce the temperature.

• Harvest firm, healthy fruit for the best, longest-lasting crop.

• Harvest potatoes early in the morning so that the potatoes are not hot before they go into cool storage.

• A garage refrigerator can also be used for storage if no suitable place can be found.

• Do not let the potatoes get too cold. Freezing the potatoes will cause them to rot faster.

• Be sure to keep the potatoes away from areas where rodents and other critters can get to them.

• Avoid damaging the potatoes during the storage process or while they are in storage.

References

• Yukon Science Fiction Writer: How to keep garden veggies fresh all winter
• CBC.ca: P.E.I. Potatoes rotting in storage
• University of Vermont: Vegetable storage at home
• SignOn SanDiego.com: Potatoes a good fit for containers
• The Valley Table: Root Cellars