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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: fbgrifter on June 07, 2006, 08:39:12

Title: Storing new potatatoes
Post by: fbgrifter on June 07, 2006, 08:39:12
i'm about to harvest my new potatoes...will they store well and what is the best way to do this?
Title: Re: Storing new potatatoes
Post by: Bodolph on June 07, 2006, 09:18:22
I thought the point was not to store them except internally!  ;D. Seriously though news don't store particularly well and the taste of freshly lifted is what most of us seem to cherish. Can't you just harvest as you need them?
Title: Re: Storing new potatatoes
Post by: supersprout on June 07, 2006, 09:38:50
They do taste best straight out of the ground :P
Can you harvest as you need them rather than harvest all at once?
If not, a tip from my gran:
Get a large bucket with holes in
Put a layer of damp (not wet) sand in
Put in a layer of unblemished new potatoes, then sand, then new potatoes, til the bucket is full, ending with a layer of sand. Make sure none of the spuds is touching each other.
Bury the bucket in the garden, and cover the spot with straw.
At Christmas, unearth the bucket and you will have new potatoes for Christmas :o ;D
Title: Re: Storing new potatatoes
Post by: saddad on June 07, 2006, 12:40:53
That sounds a very sensible bit of advice from gran, I'd make sure you get as much out of her head while you can!
;D
Title: Re: Storing new potatatoes
Post by: keef on June 07, 2006, 13:13:10
Quote from: supersprout on June 07, 2006, 09:38:50
They do taste best straight out of the ground :P
Can you harvest as you need them rather than harvest all at once?
If not, a tip from my gran:
Get a large bucket with holes in
Put a layer of damp (not wet) sand in
Put in a layer of unblemished new potatoes, then sand, then new potatoes, til the bucket is full, ending with a layer of sand. Make sure none of the spuds is touching each other.
Bury the bucket in the garden, and cover the spot with straw.
At Christmas, unearth the bucket and you will have new potatoes for Christmas :o ;D

My dad tried somthing similar one year for Xmas when i was a kid - but the spuds went funny, sort of clear and tasted a bit wierd.
Title: Re: Storing new potatatoes
Post by: fbgrifter on June 07, 2006, 16:02:22
i need the space to plant my squashes and stuff....my partner and i are also on a low carb diet to maintain our wonderful figures (ahem!).  i  have rather a lot to harvest, a 20m row, i guess i got carried away!
Title: Re: Storing new potatatoes
Post by: fbgrifter on June 20, 2006, 07:32:08
...and freezing them has worked out fine
Title: Re: Storing new potatatoes
Post by: tim on June 20, 2006, 07:46:45
Sell some. fb??

But certainly freeze some of the smaller ones if you have room.
Title: Re: Storing new potatatoes
Post by: supersprout on June 20, 2006, 07:48:31
Price here in the fens is £1/kg at the gate ;D
Title: Re: Storing new potatatoes
Post by: tomatoada on June 20, 2006, 18:48:32
I did not know potatoes could be frozen.  Do they have to be cooked first?
Title: Re: Storing new potatatoes
Post by: tim on June 20, 2006, 18:56:14
No!
Title: Re: Storing new potatatoes
Post by: maureen on June 20, 2006, 19:13:47
store new potatoes.?.waited for ever for them to be ready  had little digs from the sides but when really ready ..well praise the lord..love them newies no tatoes left for storage  we have all the children and all the grandchildren..waiting and enjoying the first crops of the harvest..blessed out of our socks..Lotts of best butter and home grown mint.we all love our home grown newies..not for storing just for enjoying,,store your maincrop potatoes..they store really well. we are storing pink fir apple a lovely late crop..but we all have our own choice.. kindest regards Maureen..
Title: Re: Storing new potatatoes
Post by: tomatoada on June 20, 2006, 19:41:42
Thanks Tim..  I am cooking for one so that will be a big help.
Title: Re: Storing new potatatoes
Post by: saddad on June 20, 2006, 19:48:27
Keef, some varieties can take on soapy taste if frosted... sounds like what happened, something to do with starch degradation but OH is round watching the match so she can't enlighten us!
;D
Title: Re: Storing new potatatoes
Post by: fbgrifter on June 21, 2006, 00:06:18
um, i actually cooked mine before freezing following the advice here:

http://gardenguides.com/TipsandTechniques/freezing.htm
Title: Re: Storing new potatatoes
Post by: Squashfan on June 22, 2006, 14:57:50
Really useful link! I have all these broad beans to freeze right now...