I have an unusual purple potato that I would like to plant in next year's garden. How do I prepare and store the potato until next spring?
By Nicki from MI
Traditionally the best method for that is to store them in an unheated basement room that does NOT have concrete, but a dirt floor.
A concrete walk in the center is OK, but the sides, where the wooden potato bins are, should be dirt floor with some loose wood to keep the bins from touching the dirt.
There should be a window a crack open, so that you don't get "dead air".
If you do it this way, the potatoes won't rot and will have well developed eyes at planting time.
However, if the potatoes are store-bought and have been in refrigerated storage and then gas "finished", all bets are off. In that case they will probably sprout in 3 weeks, no matter what you do.
The good news is that they probably have lots of the same potatoes in refrigerated storage, and will continue "finishing" batches every week. In that case, just get some bags of them in spring.
Have FUN
DearWebby
webby.com/
Storing the potatoes for extended use will allow you to enjoy them for many months to come. The best environment for storing potatoes is a cool, dark place with plenty of air. Slat crates are much better than solid boxes or bins. Good luck.
