Keep potatoes, big and small: review of boxes for storing root vegetables

The problem of choosing containers for storing potatoes is faced not only by owners of their own gardens, but also by city residents.

Many lovers of this healthy root vegetable buy potatoes for several months at once.

You can properly preserve ware potatoes only by placing them in a suitable container. We’ll talk about potato storage boxes in the article.

Types of containers for potatoes

Potatoes intended for food are kept in a variety of containers. They have several qualities in common:

• ease of maintenance (washing, moving containers to another place);
• breathability;
• durability;
• affordable price.

Let's look at the pros and cons of each of them.

Plastic container

A common type of container for storing vegetables and root crops. Its advantages:

• easy;
• inexpensive;
• can be washed using disinfectants.

Minuses: Plastic is fragile, especially in the cold.

The industry produces a huge variety of models of different capacities and strengths, with and without lids. But all boxes must be equipped with perforations - holes for free air circulation. In tightly closed boxes with blank walls, potatoes quickly become sweaty, get wet and begin to rot.

Wooden box

Before the widespread use of plastic containers, all vegetables and root vegetables were stored in wooden boxes.

The advantages of such packaging:

• low cost;
• the wood “breathes”, so condensation does not form inside the box during storage;
• You can make such a container yourself.

Minuses:

• heavy;
• wood is an excellent environment for the development of fungi and rot;
• wooden boxes are difficult to clean.

Metal box

Due to its high cost, metal is rarely used to create containers for storing vegetables and root crops.

The material has the following advantages:

• not afraid of moisture;
• durable;
• The metal box is easy to clean and disinfect.

Minus - Expensive. Containers for food products are made of stainless steel. This material is not afraid of corrosion and does not oxidize.

Wicker basket

Baskets, chests and chests made of wicker, jute or other natural material have the following advantages:

• the walls allow air to pass through;
• are light in weight;
• look stylish.

Minus – a wicker basket is difficult to wash.

Special chest for vegetables

Typically, food storage chests are made of wood (plywood) impregnated with an antifungal agent, but there are models made of stainless steel. The chest is equipped with a tight-fitting lid.

Advantages of this type of container:

• large internal volume;
• tight lid;
• The walls can be insulated and the chest can be kept on the balcony.

Minus – takes up a lot of space, heavy.

A temperature sensor built inside the container controls electrical heating, maintaining a comfortable temperature for vegetables inside.

Clay pot

In rural areas you can find large clay pots in which potatoes and other root vegetables are stored.

Their advantages:

• do not be afraid of moisture;
• the walls of a clay vessel breathe;
• easy to do with your own hands.

Minuses:

• heavy;
• may break.

Fabric bags

A regular canvas bag can be used to store small quantities of potatoes.

Pros:

• the fabric is breathable;
• you can sew the bag yourself or buy it inexpensively;
• After use, a dirty bag can be easily washed.

Minuses:

• the bag does not hold its shape,
• allows moisture to pass through.

Cardboard box

A cardboard box of a suitable size can be purchased completely free of charge at any store. Potatoes feel good in it, since the cardboard walls allow air to pass through.

Cardboard is fragile and susceptible to moisture, but, for a short period of time, a cardboard box can become a container for storing root vegetables.

Which is better to use?

Depending on where you store potatoes, you should choose different containers.

In the apartment (in the kitchen, balcony)

For living spaces, choose boxes that look aesthetically pleasing and can be easily moved to another location if necessary. Potatoes turn green in the light, accumulating solanine, and become unsuitable for food.

Therefore, for storage in an apartment or on a balcony choose boxes with lids and opaque walls:

1. Plastic containers with lids and wheels.
2. Wooden and metal chests.
3. Wicker baskets.
4. Carton boxes.

In the cellar

There is always high humidity in the cellar, so containers made of plastic, clay, and metal are placed there.Many people store potatoes in the cellar in simple bags or simply “in bulk” on a layer of sand or a wooden pallet.

How to do it yourself?

A container for potatoes can be made simply and quickly from plywood or OSB sheets. In addition to sheets of plywood, you will need to buy:

• a wooden block for the frame, with a cross-section of at least 4 by 4 cm;
• self-tapping screws;
• hinges for the lid (optional);
• impregnation for wood.

Tools you will need:

• saw,
• drill,
• screwdriver,
• roulette,
• brush,
• pencil.

Having decided on the dimensions of the box, a diagram of the entire structure is drawn on paper. At this stage, it is important to calculate everything as accurately as possible in order to purchase the required amount of material.

Step by step procedure:

1. A frame is assembled from a wooden beam. The bars are attached to each other with self-tapping screws, in a groove with glue or with nails.
2. The bottom and walls are attached to the frame. Drill holes for air circulation.
3. Attach the hinges and lid. You can simply put the lid on top.
4. Impregnate the product from rotting.

You can make the structure lighter and cheaper if instead of plywood for the walls you use a wooden strip, no more than 5 mm thick and 30-40 mm wide. The rail is stuffed onto the frame at a distance of 2-3 cm, resulting in a convenient lattice box.

DIY potato storage box, video instructions:

How to choose a ready-made one?

You can purchase ready-made boxes in construction and hardware stores. for storing vegetables and root crops. They are made of environmentally friendly materials, easy to use, and have an attractive design.

Rating of the best products

According to customer reviews, these models have optimal parameters for storing potatoes.

BranQ Laconic

Box Made from durable translucent polypropylene, equipped with a lid with a latch.The volume of the container allows you to load several kilos of root vegetables into it. There are no perforations in the walls, so you cannot store potatoes in such a box for a long time. The price of the box is 500 rubles.

GRAND BOX

Universal box. The container is made of transparent plastic and has a tight-fitting lid with a comfortable handle. The container is easy to clean. There is no perforation in the walls. .

Econova

A suitable model for long-term storage of potatoes is a basket with a volume of 18 liters, with perforated walls and a lid. Containers available in black and white.

Deluxe

Very convenient and beautiful plastic containers with lids, different sizes and colors. The through pattern on the walls of the box gives the model grace and allows air to circulate freely.

The price of a box is from 225 to 560 rubles, depending on the volume.

How to use it correctly?

Before storing root crops, the container is checked for contamination, presence of foreign odors, mold. If necessary, wash the box using laundry soap, soda, mustard or other non-chemical products.

Wooden boxes can be burned with a blowtorch. By the time you load the potatoes, the chest should be completely dry. In an apartment, boxes with potatoes should be placed in the coolest corner, but away from drafts.

Based on this, home potato storage boxes are not made too large. Usually they mix no more than 10 kg of root vegetables.

Conclusion

Of the existing types of containers, plastic or wooden boxes with mesh walls are more suitable for storing potatoes at home and in the cellar.

They are inexpensive, convenient and allow you to create optimal conditions for the breathing of root crops. “Balcony cellars” with electric heating are very popular among city residents.