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In reply to the discussion: What is the best way to store potatos? [View all]PufPuf23
(8,767 posts)Their root cellar was a small cement enclosed basement that was packed with ice before electricity was available.
During my life (actually childhood in 1950s and early 1960s) the root cellar was used to store canned (jarred actually) goods and store apples and hang game before butchering and freezing. Potatoes then were bought and used relatively fast.
I buy potatoes at Costco or Winco and in 10 day to two weeks they sprout and start to go bad, the pattern maybe varying by variety.
I have about half left of a ten lb sack of Alaska yellows purchased maybe 6 weeks ago at Costco. Once I bumped off sprouts and washed and now there are more sprouts and some bad areas extending in from eyes. I kept them (and potatoes in general) hanging in a closet in a utility room with no heat, this time of year temperature is 30 F to 50 F at night (so no light aerated and dark) but put them in refrig drawer after the one refreshing and they sprout in the refrig.