Earlier, I wrote about how to properly store the potatoes through the winter. Today I want to talk about the most common mistake made by gardeners for storage of root crops. Each error can cost you the whole harvest.
To my regret, each of these errors, I allowed myself once. And from personal experience a feel for what it means to lose a crop due to improper storage. Today I want to tell you about these errors that they no longer repeated.
1. Not just dug potatoes
I used to always digging potatoes when it becomes suitable for food. Part was eaten immediately after harvest, and some I sent for storage. It was one of the major errors.
The thing is that for storing potatoes need not to dig when it came, and at a certain time. it is different, but there are basic principles for each class.
1.1 It is impossible to dig potatoes
The young potatoes very thin skin, which does not allow him to be stored for a long time and resist the external environment. Therefore, the storage of no good. Will begin to deteriorate in a few weeks.
1.2. You can not over-ripe potatoes
Overripe potatoes is also not suitable for storage, because it can already start to deteriorate. In addition, the fall of the rains, so the roots can not absorb too much moisture.
It is said that soft, overripe potatoes easily damaged, but it is also a negative impact on shelf life.
2. Wrong selection of applicants
If you carelessly treat the selection of applicants for storage, you can lose your entire crop within 1.5-2 months. After all damaged and diseased roots begin to infect healthy and ultimately spoil everything.
Even the slightest damage to the fetus, the potatoes need to remove and avoid to storage. I would advise to keep separate all suspicious roots and pay special attention to them - not started if some of them go bad.
3. The lack of "test of time"
Before sending the potatoes on a long-term storage, be sure to check the time. Suffice it to 1-2 weeks to identify hidden damage and disease.
To do this, all the potatoes selected before sending a week stored in a damp and cool room. If some fruits are infected or are damaged, they will begin to deteriorate and we will be able to select them.
This is a mandatory procedure, as immediately identify sick and damaged potatoes will not work. (Prevent dirt, dust, mold features, etc.)
4. unfit storage conditions
To potatoes stored for a long time, it is required to maintain the temperature from 2 to 3 degrees above zero. If the temperature is more roots begin to sprout like spring came. If the temperature drops below zero - harvest just peremerznet. changes in temperature should be avoided, too. Even if short-term cold snap roots may be damaged.
Humidity should stay around 70-80%.
5. The lack of a permanent selection
We can not forget about the potatoes, even after it is sent to storage. It is necessary every week (1.5 weeks) check stocks and selected spoiled roots. If left unattended potatoes, spoiled roots begin to infect healthy and can "die" all the harvest.
Do not repeat my mistakes, treat storage seriously and then you will be able to feast their potatoes through the winter.
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