Potatoes are a daily necessity in the kitchen. The quality of our food depends on its freshness and taste. In the conditions of a city apartment, a juicy tuber quickly spoils, sprouts, and withers. This forces us to buy it little by little, which is not always convenient. How to store potatoes in the apartment, so that their quality remains unchanged as long as possible?
Many people manage to preserve root crops until the new harvest without a basement or special storage facilities. How? There are few factors for successful storage:
- Temperature;
- humidity;
- illumination.
We will use these criteria to determine how best to store potatoes in the apartment.
Optimal conditions for storing potatoes
Temperature
Root crops are best preserved at temperatures between 2 and 5°C; they do not freeze or sprout. At low temperatures, the starch turns to sugar and the potatoes become sweet, unusable. If the temperature is higher than optimal, the root crop begins to sprout and germinate, which over time makes it sluggish, tasteless.
Humidity
The drier the better. Make sure the tubers are dry and undamaged before putting them in storage. There is no need to wash them, just shake off the soil.
Important! The best containers for long-term storage of vegetables made of natural materials. For potatoes, these are cloth bags, wooden boxes that allow air access.
Exposure to Light
In light, potatoes begin to produce the poisonous substance solanine, which can be seen by the appearance of a green coloration. Such green tubers will have to be trimmed or thrown away entirely. Keep the tubers out of the light for all storage methods.
So, we’re looking for a dark, cool, dry place where the potatoes will store well but not get in the way. There aren’t many such corners in the apartment.
A place for potatoes in the apartment
Refrigerator
Not the best option. The volume is limited, taking up most of it with potatoes is pathetic. Lack of ventilation leads to accumulation of moisture, and long storage leads to hypothermia and a sweet taste. A refrigerator is good for storing small quantities that will be used quickly.
Warning. Do not use plastic bags for storage. Vegetables will dry out and spoil faster in this packaging.
Pantry
If there is one, we have found the perfect place. Here it is better to use boarded drawers. This will provide ventilation, the potatoes will not be moistened and overheated. It’s easier to sort through the tubers and take out the bad ones. Boxes stacked one on top of the other or on a rack take up less space.
Tip! Experienced vegetable gardeners claim that if potatoes are overlaid with rowan leaves or overlaid with dried mint, it will noticeably delay their germination.
Balcony or loggia
A traditional place to store potatoes. If the balcony is glazed, it is the best solution. It’s worth keeping an eye out for approaching cold weather. If the temperature is close to zero, you can wrap the potatoes with an old blanket, when the persistent frosts come, it will not be enough. You will have to evacuate the root crops to the apartment.
If you intend to store potatoes on the balcony all winter, it is better to make a special box that maintains the temperature. The design is any, the main criteria are several:
- The container must be two-layered;
- put insulation between the layers;
- The insulation can be Styrofoam or sawdust.
Put a thermometer in the box to monitor the temperature.
Corridor
In a cool corridor you can successfully store potatoes in cardboard boxes, having previously poured sawdust on the bottom or laid newspapers, to absorb moisture. In any case, the tubers will have to be picked from time to time, removing sprouts that have sprouted.
Interesting! Potatoes are often put in storage with beets, such neighborhood benefits both products. The moisture released by the potatoes is absorbed by the beets, allowing them to stay juicy. Potatoes do not like to be stored with other vegetable crops.
Even in a small apartment, a diligent owner will find a place to store potatoes. The apartment will be kept in order and the products will be at hand.
