Vegetable storage

Hi,
I will be harvesting some potatoes, carrots and onions soon. What is the best way to store them over winter. I have read that potatoes and carrots can be stored in sand, some people say dry others say damp!
If this has been discussed previously please point me in the right direction.

Thanks, Kev.

 

Don't do potatoes any more but our carrots are left in the ground and harvested when we need them. The onions are pulled when their leaves die back and then hung in our old summer house which is open on one side. They last for many months unless I have used them up!

 

For potatoes I lift them, let them dry if soil is damp then put into sacks. I store the sacks in a cool dark shed. Do Not wash them. Alternatively you can put them in soil clamp, make a shallow depression in the ground put down a thick layer of rough straw, pile the spuds onto the straw and cover with more straw. Then cover the whole thing with soil. The biggest risk with this method is slug damage and rotting if the Autumn/ winter is very wet like last year. Carrots will keep in just damp sand, but you will get fine roots growing by spring, but these can just be scraped off.

 

Check that potatoes have matured so that the skins are set.'New' potatoes, such that the skins come off with a thumb nail, will not store so should be used asap.
Potatoes for storage should be dry and ideally clean. Place them in trays and allow to dry naturally. Check that all tubers are free from rot, slug damage and spiking from fork etc. Place the trays in an airy, cool, place in darkness, perhaps by covering with paper sheets. Alternatively, obtain paper sacks. (these can be obtained (free !) from chip shops if you ask politely the day before) Its worth checking stored potatoes after a few weeks to ensure all are sound, remove and discard as necessary. Ensure the store remains dry and frost free into winter. Check for rodent issues.
Green potatoes should not be eaten, but can be stored for use as 'seed' next season if they are sound and free from diseases.

 

I only really store onions these days, I just dry them off in the greenhouse for a week or so, remove any skins and, remaining top that comes away easily and hang up in net bags in the garage.
Potatoes I used to dig and spread out for a few days to dry off excess moisture then put in paper potato sacks in an out house, I agree you dont want any damaged ones amongst them.

 

I agree about the potatoes being ok left in the ground as I find usable missed ones when digging in early spring, but with my clayey muddy soil it would be a nightmare trying to dig them out over winter.

 

Many thanks for all of the advice, it is all very welcome. If stored in paper sacks would the potatoes be okay in an unheated garage/shed, I live in the far north of Scotland and as you can imagine it can be quite chilly during winter! This is why I was thinking of using sand, perhaps better insulated.

Thanks, Kev.

 

The potatoes need to be cold but frost free, not sure how easy that will be for you.