Jeff Favelle November 5th, 2022
Fresh potatoes from the garden…is there anything better? If there is, its unbeknownst to me! Every year I look forward to fresh, tasty potatoes from my own garden, so much so that I wish it could last all year.
And it can, sort of.
While potatoes are a tropical plant and you’ll only be harvesting when the weather is warm enough, properly cured and stored potatoes are nearly as delicious as the fresh picked ones. But, to lock in that flavor and keep them viable long term, we have to set them up right.
Potatoes are harvested at two different times in their life cycle. Once early on as fingerlings, baby, or new potatoes (they are all names for the same thing). These are my favorite and they are the ones available early on, right at the surface in the first part of late spring.
Unfortunately, these ones can’t be frozen in time and stored long-term. So we dig ‘em and eat ‘em!
For storage potatoes, also called “main crop” potatoes, we wait until the foliage of the plant begins to fail before harvesting. The potatoes are then carefully dug up, already in a semi-cured state.
Right after harvesting, brush off any loose dirt, but keep the potatoes dry. Do not wash them. Be careful with the potatoes at this time because their skins are still thin and delicate. Any with deep bruises or cuts should be eaten right away as they won’t be suitable for storage.
Keep them in a dark, dry, warm place at around 60F (15C) for 2 weeks. Fully cured, the potatoes can then be stored in a dark, cool location at around 40F (4C) for up to 4 months.
With proper timing and diligent storage, you can enjoy homegrown potatoes nearly year-round!