# Storing Uncooked Potatoes and Yams With No Refrigeration



## charito (Oct 12, 2013)

How do you go about storing *store-bought* potatoes and yams for long term?

How long will they keep?


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

No experiance with yams but potatoes store well in a cool, Dry, dark place. Root cellars and the right basements can work well.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Canning.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Root cellar .


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Root cellar ~35 oF. If they sprout they are still edible, or plant them in spring.


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## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

And if you don’t have a cellar/basement like us folks in TX?


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## No Body (Feb 8, 2017)

My mom suggested I store mine under the house in boxes. I'll probably try that this year. You can also precook them halfway through and freeze them depending on what you want them for.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Piratesailor said:


> And if you don't have a cellar/basement like us folks in TX?


I've always wondered? Unless water table prevents it, why don't many southern homes have cellars?

Seems like an ideal place to hide from the heat and you won't need AC. Will need a dehumidifier. I set up a cot here in the basement for the days we get hot/humid in summer, it stays ~65-70 oF when in the 90s upstairs.

In winters it seldom gets below freezing.


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

No Body said:


> My mom suggested I store mine under the house in boxes. I'll probably try that this year. You can also precook them halfway through and freeze them depending on what you want them for.


If you do pack them in boxes...&#8230;..try to space them apart and layer with straw all around......that way if one goes bad, it won't take the others with it.


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

Mad Trapper said:


> I've always wondered? Unless water table prevents it, why don't many southern homes have cellars?
> 
> Seems like an ideal place to hide from the heat and you won't need AC. Will need a dehumidifier. I set up a cot here in the basement for the days we get hot/humid in summer, it stays ~65-70 oF when in the 90s upstairs.
> 
> In winters it seldom gets below freezing.


Yes, that's a good question. I can only say that in New Orleans they're below sea level and they don't even bury their dead but place the coffins (?) Mausoleums above ground. But as for the rest, maybe someone can answer.


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

charito said:


> How do you go about storing *store-bought* potatoes and yams for long term?
> 
> How long will they keep?


Rodents love sweet potatoes, I am (sadly) here to tell you. I keep mine in a lobster pot. Otherwise, canned.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

No Body said:


> My mom suggested I store mine under the house in boxes. I'll probably try that this year. You can also precook them halfway through and freeze them depending on what you want them for.


One word, rodents.


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

charito said:


> How do you go about storing *store-bought* potatoes and yams for long term?
> 
> How long will they keep?


I do have a sweet potato that I grew last year, still in my tater box in the kitchen. It has sprouted, but still no signs of rotting.

As others have said, potatoes (and probably sweet potatoes/yams) will keep for months in a cool dark spot and any growth cut off when you use it.

You can also make your own mini root cellar by digging a deep hole in the ground big enough to fit a metal or plastic garbage can or heavy duty tote or insulated cooler, with tight fitting lid, layer in straw with taters or apples or carrots or?? Then secure the lid against moisture & rodents, then pack more straw around it, then cover it all with dirt. IIRC about 6-12inches of each straw & dirt. I don't know if it really works, but had read about it years ago and have always wanted to try it, but I am not going to try to dig into the hard rock around here.

I have some potatoes that I bought before Covid mess started (bought 4 bags on sale and still have 1 left) that I've kept in the house in the closet (away from extreme temp fluctuations, heavy moisture and is dark) and so far, they're still good to eat. They are starting to soften & wrinkle a bit and some are sprouting...&#8230;.but still very edible. 
I've also stored potatoes in our outside shed and they do best if laid out in single layer during winter and the only time I've had a problem is when we've had an extended hard freeze and they froze and I picked thru & had to toss many.

You can can them, or cook & dehydrate too......just not going to have bakers


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

One other thing on potatoes. They will survive under ground. I get "volunteer " plants popping up each spring from taters I missed or tossed aside for defects.

But a mound/stash needs to be covered and protected from rodents. Straw/leaves will insulate the mound. Have not tried to protect as such from vermin

I do know a few years I was late digging up some nice potato hills, they had been full of taters, but were then a mouse rookery. I got about zero usable taters and stomped or clubed dozens of mice with the potato fork.

Edit: College days and no money. 50 lbs potatoes were $3. You can do a lot with potatoes: baked, boiled, fried , homefries, leftovers.......

We put the 50 lb paper bags in cellars coldest room, inside a new/clean garbage can with top off. That works good too. Top on taters will rot, they need to breathe. Don't store them in store brought plastic, transfer to paper shopping bags.

In my root cellar now, I sort potatoes for storage by variety and "grade". Then they go into labeled paper shopping bags on the shelves. Shopping bags are ideal storage, they breathe and block light. I eat up low grade stuff that might spoil first, save the best for next springs seed potatoes


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## No Body (Feb 8, 2017)

Mad Trapper said:


> One word, rodents.


Yeah I've thought about that. Maybe I can set traps up around the boxes. Also thought about using 5 gallon buckets with small holes in the lid and the bottom of the bucket.

I read somewhere can't remember where that one person was going to leave theirs in the ground where they planted them. Thought about experimenting with that to. I actually have hopes for that one. When I went to till the garden in march I actually found one potato in it. I think it was just barely covered with dirt and the chickens found it since it was half gone but still in good shape otherwise and no I didn't eat it.:tango_face_smile:


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## charito (Oct 12, 2013)

No Body said:


> Yeah I've thought about that. Maybe I can set traps up around the boxes. Also thought about using 5 gallon buckets with small holes in the lid and the bottom of the bucket.
> 
> I read somewhere can't remember where that one person was going to leave theirs in the ground where they planted them. Thought about experimenting with that to. I actually have hopes for that one. When I went to till the garden in march I actually found one potato in it. I think it was just barely covered with dirt and the chickens found it since it was half gone but still in good shape otherwise and no I didn't eat it.:tango_face_smile:


Would squirrels be a problem? They love to dig looking for buried stash. Observing them, they seem to have a very good sense of smell. Not only that, they seem to pass the word around - when I throw out bread with peanut butter, it doesn't take long and you see them coming.
Would they go for potatoes?


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## charito (Oct 12, 2013)

Annie said:


> Rodents love sweet potatoes, I am (sadly) here to tell you. I keep mine in a lobster pot. Otherwise, canned.


We have a dark room in the basement, and we've never had rodents in the house. We got 4 cats.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

charito said:


> Would squirrels be a problem? They love to dig looking for buried stash. Observing them, they seem to have a very good sense of smell. Not only that, they seem to pass the word around - when I throw out bread with peanut butter, it doesn't take long and you see them coming.
> Would they go for potatoes?


Squirrels can be problems.

I have the most issues with chipmunks and red squirrels. They get into buildings a eat and chew things. One chewed through gas cans and plastic fuel tanks on equipment. Why? Who knows......must like my 2-stroke pre-mix fuel.

Grey squirrels mostly outside produce and fruits, they are bad in an orchard. But they taste good :tango_face_wink:

They will dig, stealing each others buried nuts. I've not had too many problems with them in garden with root crops, mice/voles are much worse. If I see them in the garden, it's trouble.

Chipmunks are worse on blueberries than birds. I'll be plinking them all soon with my air rifle.


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

charito said:


> We have a dark room in the basement, and we've never had rodents in the house. We got 4 cats.


We never had rodents, either. Until we did. :tango_face_wink:


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

charito said:


> We have a dark room in the basement, and we've never had rodents in the house. We got 4 cats.


+1 on cats. Treat them well and keep them vaccinated for rabies. Their litter/poop will repel rodents, but not nice in the garden.

Dogs are great too. With both it's like being a parent to your kids. Be good to them, as they will to you.


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## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

To answer your question about basements in part of the south, in south Texas it’s the water table. Probably Florida’s too. Where I live I can dig down a few feet and easily hit water. Not well water mind you but water none the less. Also in many parts of the south we have a type of clay that expands and contracts and would crush a basement. We also have a difficult limestone bedrock in many places that is hard to dig through where in northern locations it’s mainly “dirt”. 

As to the north having basements, you need all those pipes below the frost/freeze line (about 6+ feet).


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

charito said:


> We have a dark room in the basement, and we've never had rodents in the house. We got 4 cats.


That dark room may be your best place to store things like potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, pears, onions, cabbages, etc that are long keepers. Just spread them out on a table or shelf so there's plenty of space/air flow. The cooler & somewhat stable temps year round, should be ideal for storing.

As for rodents, especially rats.....you'll find out quick enough if you have a problem. The produce will probably have chew or scratch marks, little 'raisins' (droppings) laying around and tunnel holes in or under the walls/floors/doors....depending on the materials used in your basement build. If it's concrete, you'll have less to worry about.

And yes, rats can and do tunnel underground, but only for short distances 2 or 3 feet, I think......but can also use mole tunnels as well.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Piratesailor said:


> To answer your question about basements in part of the south, in south Texas it's the water table. Probably Florida's too. Where I live I can dig down a few feet and easily hit water. Not well water mind you but water none the less. Also in many parts of the south we have a type of clay that expands and contracts and would crush a basement. We also have a difficult limestone bedrock in many places that is hard to dig through where in northern locations it's mainly "dirt".
> 
> As to the north having basements, you need all those pipes below the frost/freeze line (about 6+ feet).


Hundreds of years ago you'd not build on water soaked ground, now it's building code here.

We have best limestone here, it's either quarryed or crushed, dolmitic limestone, high in Mg.


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## Joe (Nov 1, 2016)

Different varieties of potatoes will store better than others. If you want a great potato that stores well plant the Kinnebec variety.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Joe said:


> Different varieties of potatoes will store better than others. If you want a great potato that stores well plant the Kinnebec variety.


Kennebecs are good, but have several varieties in garden. They will vary in ripening, bug/disease resistance, and storage. Keep your best for next years seed (or Thanksgining or Christmas dinners). :tango_face_smile:


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## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

I've seen online where people buried a old deaf fridge or chest freezer in the ground and cover with about 18" of straw. But there is no air circulation so the moisture gets too high. So later they ran a 4" diameter plastic pipe out the side and up above ground level with a cap to keep the rain out but allow some air flow.

Not as good as a root cellar but better than storing inside the house.


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