My nephew very kindly dug up some main crop potatoes for me in the autumn - so quickly that I was suspicious he must have left some in. Sure enough, I dug that patch out yesterday for planting leeks in, and found about 10lb of good big potatoes in half the patch - still have to dig the rest of it.
My point is that these Sarpo Mira potatoes, apart from sprouting a bit (not as much as you'd expect), were in MUCH better condition than the ones kept over the winter in sacks in a cool dark garage. Firm and moist, where the garage ones are soft and wrinkled (good to eat, though).
It makes me wonder if the old method of keeping potatoes in an earth clamp might be better, if less convenient? Or if the ground could be spared, just leave them in it and dig up as required.
Any views?
don't know about your land, I'd worry about slugs ;D
saying that, the volunteers we have dug and eaten this year were not touched ???
I usually leave a half row of late potatoes in the ground for use in the Spring. I take precautions by adding 20 cm soil on top, sprinkling slug pellets and covering the lot with black polythene.
Hi Artichoke, Hi all :)
I store my root veg in secure (rodent proof) metal or plastic bins with damp earth
in my potting shed where they keep well until it gets too warm around easter.
Col