Preserving the potato harvest is a problem that is most difficult to solve when living in an apartment.
Residents of the private sector can organize vegetable storage in a cellar or basement. In apartment buildings this is not possible.
To preserve your potato supplies, you need to follow the rules and put into practice the advice of experts.
We will tell you more about how to store potatoes in an apartment in the article.
Content
Ideas on where to keep potatoes at home
The limited space of a city apartment does not allow creating large storage. In addition, certain conditions must be maintained at the place where potatoes are stored.
Very important are:
- protection from light entering the tubers;
- temperature regime – from 3? C to 6? C;
- humidity – about 75%;
- air exchange.
Based on the maintenance requirements and capabilities in a particular apartment, one or more suitable methods are selected. The main task is to maximize the shelf life.
Violation of even one requirement from the conditions for keeping vegetables can lead to damage to the entire supply of potatoes.
How to store potatoes in the refrigerator?
Keeping potatoes in the refrigerator allows you to always have them on hand. To prevent the stock from disappearing, it is advisable to keep the vegetable in a paper bag.
Cellophane packaging is not recommended as a container, as it will impede air movement and cause the potatoes to begin to fog. Potatoes should not be stored without packaging either - they are too dirty for that.
Read more here.
In the kitchen
Potatoes should not be stored directly in the kitchen.. When preparing food in this room, the humidity level and air temperature constantly change.
Therefore, when choosing where to put the box, it is better to find a closed place for it with relatively stable conditions and protection from light. For example, use a cabinet under the sink.
On the balcony
The balcony room can be used for vegetable storage, but with some reservations. The balcony must be glazed and insulated.
If the loggia is open, then the boxes with potatoes must be additionally insulated. But this method is only suitable if the crop is kept until frost.
When the temperature drops below 0? C, there is a chance that the potatoes will freeze, despite additional wrapping.
On an insulated balcony for storage, it is convenient to install a wooden box with a lid or install a heating cabinet. In the latter case, you can control the temperature indicators. Details - in this article.
Cold cabinet
If space allows, you can organize a cold cabinet for storing vegetables, including potatoes. Large reserves cannot be accommodated there, but for current use, this option is quite possible.
If there is no radiator in the pantry, supply boxes will not require additional thermal insulation.If the air is extremely dry, you may need to increase the humidity additionally - for example, periodically hang a damp cloth near the potatoes or place a container of water.
Under the window
Keeping the root vegetable under a window in a closed container can help with storage, but only if there are no heating devices nearby. Otherwise you will have to look for another place.
Such niches can be provided in old buildings. The temperature in them will be higher than outside, but lower than in the kitchen.
Storing cooked vegetables
Cooked potatoes are not intended for long-term storage. If the product has already been cooked or fried, then it is advisable to keep it in the refrigerator. Depending on the method of preparing the dish, its shelf life varies.
Mashed potatoes
The shelf life of mashed potatoes depends on the recipe.
If raw eggs or unheat-treated milk are included in the composition, such a dish cannot be stored.
“Push” with butter can remain in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days in the event that the packaging is hermetically sealed and the proximity to foreign products is excluded. Read more here.
Boiled
Boiled potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator in a covered container, enamel pan, or glass jar with a lid. Duration of lying - up to 2-3 days.
Boiled potatoes, which must be stored in the refrigerator, It’s better not to clean it, but to leave it in its uniform. Details - in this article.
Fried
Fried potatoes have the highest taste immediately after cooking.If you didn’t guess the quantity correctly and there is some leftover, you can put it in the refrigerator for a day.
You can extend the shelf life of potatoes by using vacuum packaging or freezing the finished dish. Read more here.
Selection of containers
Storing potatoes, especially in large quantities, requires convenient containers that meet the requirements for keeping root crops in the winter. Besides, the packaging to be used must correspond to the available free space.
Bags
This storage method is the most common. The bags are inexpensive, protect the tubers from light and provide air exchange. The disadvantage is the large volume.
Grids
It is convenient to carry potatoes in nets. In such packaging it is clearly visible, and damaged tubers can be easily found.
Air access is also excellent. Disadvantages - large volume and lack of protection of the crop from any external influences.
The way out is to add potatoes packaged in nets, for example, in a wooden box on the balcony. An alternative option is to place the nets in the pantry.
Boxes
Wooden boxes are a good option for storing potatoes. Such containers make it possible to compactly store supplies. Plastic boxes can also be used.
If the box is mounted on a balcony, it must provide protection from light falling on the potatoes. Details - in this article.
Boxes and baskets
Wicker baskets and cardboard boxes are a suitable option for maintaining small potato stocks.This option is suitable for storage under the sink, in cold cabinets and pantries. But even this container is not designed for a household refrigerator.
Features for different seasons
Potatoes must be stored in suitable conditions, regardless of the time of year. Each season has its own characteristics of vegetable content.
How to properly preserve crops in winter?
Harvesting potatoes in winter involves preserving the vegetable until spring. Low outdoor temperatures and frost can significantly reduce storage time. Preventing the crop from freezing is the main task.
If a loggia is chosen as a storage location, then increased attention should be paid to its insulation. Additionally, the box for vegetables can also be lined with foam plastic.
In summer
In summer, the freshly harvested crop is stored. Since the air temperature at this time of year is quite high, no additional insulation required.
On the contrary, there may even be a need to cool the storage. High summer temperatures and low humidity can cause potatoes to dry out and even shrivel.
Installing a container of water near the potatoes will help solve the problem. It is also very important to protect the crop from light.
Tuber preparation
The duration of storage depends not only on the conditions created in the storage, but also from other factors:
- variety selection;
- correct harvesting;
- drying;
- sorting.
The harvested potato crop must be dried and sorted by variety, size and condition of the tubers.Root crops with damage are not designed for long-term storage; they are used first.
Rules
Rules for storing potatoes in an apartment include the following points:
- Organizing the storage location in accordance with all the rules and in compliance with the necessary conditions.
- Preparing the container and the vegetable itself before planting the crop.
- Periodic sorting of vegetables.
- Preventing even short-term violations of inventory rules.
Pros and cons of keeping inventory in an apartment
Keeping a stock of potatoes in an apartment has its advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages include:
- convenience - vegetables are always at hand;
- when using the free area of the glazed balcony or if there is an equipped storage room, it is possible to accommodate quite a lot of potatoes;
- financial benefit - buying vegetables during their ripening season will cost less than purchasing them in winter and spring.
There are also disadvantages:
- the volume of storage space is relatively small - much less than the subfloors and basements of residents of private buildings;
- if you need to place a lot of potatoes, then you need to make an effort and invest money in organizing the storage space (making your own or buying thermal boxes, boxes that maintain a certain temperature);
- organizing vegetable storage takes up the usable space of an apartment or loggia;
- raw potatoes are a rather dirty vegetable that can stain the floor in the pantry, the cabinet under the sink, etc.
Errors and their consequences
In the process of organizing a place to store potatoes in the apartment The following common errors are possible:
- Neighborhood of potato storage with other vegetables and fruits. There can be only one exception - beet.
- Storage of unsorted vegetables is mixed - different varieties, and in different conditions.
- Identification of wet or insufficiently dried potatoes in storage.
- The air in the storage area is too dry or too humid.
- Violation of the temperature regime for keeping vegetables. For tubers, either a lower temperature than recommended or a higher temperature is not desirable.
- Violation of air flow, which can lead to fogging of tubers and, as a result, spoilage.
- Light exposure to potatoes, including artificial light, can lead to greening of vegetables. In this case, it becomes unsuitable for food and must be disposed of.
- Adding new crop potatoes to those left over from last year. Unused potatoes should be removed from storage.
Conclusion
Storing potatoes in an apartment, even in small quantities, requires compliance with all the rules and features of the product, taking into account existing conditions.
If it is not possible to store other vegetables, it is recommended not to stock more of them than the improvised storage can accommodate, since, otherwise, some of the products may be damaged.
