When buying potatoes at the grocery store, you have to know how to pick them correctly. The plant should be green when picked, and the tubers should not be cut or pierced. In addition, you need to avoid buying potatoes that are rotten or sprouted. Fortunately, there are some tips that will help you avoid these problems.
Harvesting potatoes while plants are still green
Harvesting potatoes is easy if you know the right times to harvest the plants. It’s best to cut off the foliage as soon as it starts to die, but you can wait until the plant is fully dead before harvesting. It’s also best to wait about two weeks before digging the potatoes, since this will give the tubers enough time to harden off and develop a thicker skin, which will help them last longer in storage.
To harvest potatoes, start by turning the pot on its side and gently loosening the soil around the plants. Using a fork, gently dig up the potatoes. You should start about 12 to 18 inches from the stem, and be careful not to spear the potatoes. Damaged potatoes cannot be stored.
Harvesting potatoes while plants are still green is easier if the tubers are not bruised or damaged. Also, be sure to keep them out of the sun – it can turn potatoes green. Harvesting potatoes while plants are still green allows you to save more potatoes from the same patch. You can also harvest more than one plant at a time.
After harvesting, store the potatoes in a cool, dark place. Remember that potatoes turn green easily when exposed to sunlight, so you can’t just eat them right away. Store the potatoes in a plastic bag and take them to the grocery store later. But be sure to check them frequently to ensure they are not green.
Harvesting potatoes is simple if you follow the proper steps. The season for harvesting potatoes is shorter when they are small. If you’re not sure when to harvest the potatoes, you can check out the size of the potatoes by poking around the base of the plant. If the plant is flowering, harvesting before flowering will lead to small potatoes and damaged plants.
Planting potatoes in the spring can be challenging. The growing season for potatoes typically lasts from March to May-June. The growing season depends on the variety of potatoes. In spring, weeds are growing in the ground, which can interfere with the growing process. For best results, plant seeds a few weeks earlier.
Avoiding piercing or slicing the tubers
Whenever picking potatoes, it is very important to avoid piercing or slicing them. These actions can cause them to dry up or die. They may also turn green, releasing a noxious compound called solanine that is toxic to humans. It is best to pick them in the early morning hours, before the sun rises. After harvesting, keep them in a dark place away from light.
Using a digging fork is a good way to avoid piercing and slicing the tubers when picking. It is best to insert the fork six to twelve inches into the soil and gently rock back and forth to lift and separate the tubers. You can then work your way around the entire row, making sure to sift the soil so that no good spuds are left behind.
After harvesting potatoes, store them in a dry, cool place. During winter, it is advisable to store them in a root cellar to avoid freezing. Cut them into small pieces to prevent damage during storage. To plant them in the garden, wait until the last threat of frost has passed and the soil temperature is at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
After harvesting potatoes, you should dry them out for at least 30 minutes before peeling them. Store them out of direct sunlight, as light can turn them green and toxic. Good Housekeeping provides more details about the proper way to handle potatoes. When picking potatoes, try to avoid piercing or slicing them.
After harvesting, place them in a cool, dark place. Avoid stacking potatoes, as this encourages rot. Instead, use bushel baskets, cardboard boxes, and brown paper bags. Moreover, place them in a place with good air circulation and humidity.
Avoiding buying sprouted potatoes
Avoiding buying sprouted potatoes at the grocery store is an important step to take in preventing foodborne illness. Although chlorophyll is harmless, potatoes that are green or sprouted may not be safe to consume. This happens when the starch within the potato turns into sugar, allowing the sprout to grow. While potatoes that sprout are safe to eat, you should avoid them if the sprouts are long, wrinkled, or shrunken. In addition, avoid purchasing sprouted potatoes with green skin or discolored skin.
Firm sprouted potatoes retain the most nutrients. When they sprout, the starch inside breaks down into sugar, which feeds a new potato plant. Be sure to remove the soft spots from the seed before buying. This will ensure that the sprouts don’t spoil the taste of your potatoes.
Sprouting potatoes can also be prevented by storing them in a cool, dark place. Store them separately from other foods and avoid storing them in plastic bags. Potatoes shouldn’t be stored near onions, which release ethylene, which accelerates the sprouting process.
Commercially grown potatoes are sprayed with a sprout retardant to delay the process. If the sprouted potatoes you buy have sprouts that are longer than 3/4 inch, discard them. This prevents food waste. A healthy and organic sprouted potato will sprout within three to four months.
Avoiding buying sprouted potatoes at the grocery store is not as difficult as you may think. When the potatoes have sprouted, they will have more chlorophyll than normal potatoes and may turn green. During this process, the starch in potatoes is converted into sugar, which is needed by sprouts. As the sprouting process continues, the potato will begin to shrivel and wrinkle, losing more of its nutrients and not being very palatable.
Although sprouted potatoes are generally safe to eat, they may contain dangerous chemicals that can cause serious health risks. Potatoes contain high levels of glycoalkaloids, which can be harmful in high doses. These chemicals can cause stomach upset, birth defects, and even death. Some people can reduce their glycoalkaloid intake by frying or peeling the potatoes. This technique may reduce the toxicity of sprouted potatoes.
Avoiding buying rotten potatoes
To avoid buying rotten potatoes, check the skin and smell. Raw potatoes with blemishes and bruises are not fit to eat. Potatoes with a musty or rotten odor are also bad. They can look fresh, but they will have a foul smell and should be thrown away. Potatoes with mold will have colored spots and fuzz.
When storing potatoes, avoid placing them in containers without ventilation. These conditions will encourage growth of bacteria and mold. A good place for potatoes is an out-of-the-way kitchen cabinet. They need to be kept dry to avoid spoilage. They shouldn’t be washed until they are ready to be cooked, because washing them will add moisture to the food, which can encourage fungus growth.
Another symptom of rotten potatoes is light-struck potatoes. A potato with light-struck skin will have a light green color under the skin. The potato’s chlorophyll will react with light and turn it green. This is a natural reaction for potatoes, as they’re a plant. However, a green potato still contains toxin, but the amount is minimal and shouldn’t cause health problems.
Using the best storage techniques can help prolong the shelf life of potatoes. Potatoes should be stored in cool dark places without direct sunlight. Potatoes should also not be left exposed to light during transportation. Moreover, rotten potatoes are not edible if they’ve been exposed to water.
When buying potatoes at the grocery store, check the label for signs of rot. They may be pitted or have brown centers. They may also have visible injuries. If a potato is damaged, it will spoil faster than it should. Additionally, potatoes with sprout inhibitors will last longer on the grocery store shelves.
