Lifting and Storing Maincrop Potatoes in October
October is harvest time for maincrop potatoes—those big, starchy, storage-friendly tubers that feed you through winter and into spring. Digging and storing your potato crop properly means enjoying homegrown spuds for months, free from rot, sprouts, or loss of flavor. Here’s your step-by-step October guide for lifting and storing maincrop potatoes like a pro.
1. When Are Maincrop Potatoes Ready to Lift?
- Foliage has fully yellowed and died back, and the weather is dry.
- Potatoes left in the ground too long may rot if the soil gets waterlogged—best to lift in October even if frost hasn’t struck.
2. How to Lift Maincrop Potatoes
- Choose a dry day.
- Cut off the dead foliage (haulms) and wait a few days if possible to allow skins to set.
- Use a fork—dig from outside the row to avoid spearing tubers.
- Lift gently, feeling through the soil for hidden tubers.
- Sort as you go: Use any damaged, scuffed, or green potatoes first; only perfect tubers get stored.
3. Curing Potatoes for Storage
- Spread freshly dug potatoes in a single layer
- Use a greenhouse, porch, garage, or covered shed.
- Keep them out of direct sunlight, wind, and rain but in a well-ventilated place.
- Cure for 1–2 weeks
- Skins toughen up and minor cuts/seals “heal,” making them last longer in storage.
4. Storing Potatoes for Winter
- Once cured, brush gently to remove excess soil (do NOT wash).
- Store only perfect, unblemished, and undamaged potatoes.
- Choose a dark, cool but frost-free and well-ventilated space:
- Ideal temperature: 4–10°C (40–50°F)
- Use slatted crates, paper/hessian (burlap) sacks, or boxes—not plastic, which traps humidity and encourages rot.
- Stack no more than 30 cm (12in) deep for airflow.
- Monitor regularly: Remove any soft, sprouting, or moldy tubers to protect the rest.
5. Bonus Storage Tips
- Never store with apples, onions, or pears: These give off gases that cause potatoes to sprout or decay.
- Green potatoes: Exposure to light causes greening (solanine) and should not be eaten.
- Early frost warning? Get potatoes out asap. Even a light ground frost can damage tubers close to the surface.
Wrapping Up
With careful harvesting, curing, and storage, your maincrop potatoes from October will feed you for months—perfect for roasts, mash, soups, or any cold weather comfort food.