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From: buls@dataio.UUCP (Rick Buls)
Newsgroups: net.garden
Subject: Re: when to harvest potatoes
Message-ID: <1088@dataio.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 18-Sep-86 14:41:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: dataio.1088
Posted: Thu Sep 18 14:41:09 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 28-Sep-86 00:26:33 EDT
References: <7412LRL@PSUVM>
Reply-To: buls@dataio.UUCP (Rick Buls)
Organization: Data I/O - FutureNet Corp., Redmond, WA
Lines: 18

In article <7412LRL@PSUVM> LRL@PSUVM.BITNET writes:
>When is the proper time to harvest potatoes for storage?  I've heard that
>any time after the tops die is ok, also that you shouldn't leave them in
>the ground too long after the tops have died or they'll rot, and also that
>they're better after a frost.  I live in central Pennsylvania.

Harvest anytime after the tops die, its not necesary to have all tops dead.
In fact it is nice to have the tops still semi-non-dry (is that a word),
but only for ease in digging, ie you can see where the plant was and can
grab the plant and pull up the potatoes as you dig. The important part is
that the spuds dry before you store them. Best to dig in the morning on
a sunny day, let them set on the ground for several hours, turn them once
so the underside can dry. Knock the loose dirt off as you sack them.
store in dark cool place( low humidity). Potatoes will not rot in the ground
unless the have the rot, but then they'll rot in storage. Spuds can be stored
in the ground, deep enough to keep frost away, but in WELL drained ground.
I know that they'll last, I have to pull up hundreds of volunteers each year
from the little spuds of a year ago.