I find myself with about 40 kg (90lbs) of sweet potatoes, these are the
white-fleshed ipomoea sort. Last year I tried to keep them in a cool dry
place in the shed through winter but they didn't last. The shed would have
been 0-15C (32-60F) mostly. I will give away a fair amount while they are
fresh but still want to keep some. What is the best way to keep them? How
do they go if frozen? Any special tips on freezing?

David

David Hare-Scott said:


I find myself with about 40 kg (90lbs) of sweet potatoes, these are the
white-fleshed ipomoea sort. Last year I tried to keep them in a cool dry
place in the shed through winter but they didn't last. The shed would have
been 0-15C (32-60F) mostly.

Probably was too cool and too dry, but I'm no expert.

How do they go if frozen? Any special tips on freezing?

Like winter squash, best cooked and mashed/pureed for freezing.

Can then be used to make pies, breads, soups, or served straight up
with a bit of butter, nutmeg and cinnamon and maybe a bit of red
or black pepper.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

"Vegetables are like bombs packed tight with all kinds of important
nutrients..." --Largo Potter, Valkyria Chronicles

email valid but not regularly monitored

Before storing the sweet potatoes, I dry them as much as possible. There is no other way to avoid the loss of potatoes than drying them properly. I lose four to five potatoes in a barrel every year. Just dig them on a dry day, take away all dirt from them, leave them to dry for two or, three days. then keep them on a barrel. The ideal temperature is 39 to 55 F, ensure that the temperature is over freezing point.

growing vegatbles

On Tue, 18 May 2010 12:54:06 +1000, David Hare-Scott wrote:

What is the best way to keep them? How do they go if frozen? Any
special tips on freezing?

The same way you would potato, pumpkin, etc; par boil sort of.
Pot of water at bubbling boil, drop in for a few seconds, take out,
drain, dry and freeze.

In truth, we just tend to cut to the chunks we want to used them
(roasting mainly) and just freeze them, but we do not keep them for max
freezer time.

In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

I find myself with about 40 kg (90lbs) of sweet potatoes, these are the
white-fleshed ipomoea sort. Last year I tried to keep them in a cool dry
place in the shed through winter but they didn't last. The shed would have
been 0-15C (32-60F) mostly. I will give away a fair amount while they are
fresh but still want to keep some. What is the best way to keep them? How
do they go if frozen? Any special tips on freezing?

David

We used to have them down in the basement near the oil burner. None
were allowed to touch and a small fan was on for additional air
circulation. Never had over two bushel so the scale was small.

This site near the end has some info you may incorporate in your
preservation efforts.


http://www.tifton.uga.edu/eng/Publications/sweetpotato.pdf

--
Bill S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden
What use one more wake up call?

http://www.thesunmagazine.org/

Bill who putters wrote:
In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

I find myself with about 40 kg (90lbs) of sweet potatoes, these are
the white-fleshed ipomoea sort. Last year I tried to keep them in a
cool dry place in the shed through winter but they didn't last. The
shed would have been 0-15C (32-60F) mostly. I will give away a fair
amount while they are fresh but still want to keep some. What is
the best way to keep them? How do they go if frozen? Any special
tips on freezing?

David

We used to have them down in the basement near the oil burner. None
were allowed to touch and a small fan was on for additional air
circulation. Never had over two bushel so the scale was small.

This site near the end has some info you may incorporate in your
preservation efforts.


http://www.tifton.uga.edu/eng/Publications/sweetpotato.pdf

thanks good gear.

D

wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

What is the best way to keep them? How do they go if frozen? Any
special tips on freezing?
I don't know about "the best" but I know what works in the hot
humid southeastern US. IME in U.S.A. supermarket sweet potatoes should
be considered "fresh-dug". Do you know whether yours were properly
cured after digging and are ready for storage?

They were not as I grew and dug them and I don't have the right conditions
to cure them. Apparently they want 85F and high humidity. I've got 40-70F
and variable humidity.

Assuming that they
were, they then should be "root cellared", in darkenss, at
temperatures of 45°-85°(F), in well ventilated containers packed so
as not to touch each other in a light absorbent medium such as
shredded wood "excelsior", straw, pine straw, shredded paper, etc.
Properly cured and stored sweet potatoes shrink somewhat, get more
leathery-skinned and considerably sweeter with age.Temperatures below
40-45°(F) reduce quality and shorten storage life.

We don't have a root cellar or anything like one. I will probably put them
in the house which is closer to the correct keeping temperature than
outside.

David

In article ,
wrote:

"David Hare-Scott" wrote:


I don't have the right conditions to cure them.
Still, you may as well have a go at extending their storage life.
Nothing to lose, and all....

We don't have a root cellar or anything like one.
Sorry; didn't mean that literally! Any dry indoor relatively
undisturbed place will do such as pantry, closet, storage room, etc.

I used to store Tahitian Squash under my bed for about 6 months. Aug to
Jan. A wonderful squash sort of like a very big sweet carrot . 10 to
15 lbs with some 25. Heavy feeder and a sun lover.

--
Bill S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden
What use one more wake up call?

http://www.thesunmagazine.org/

On Wed, 19 May 2010 16:32:32 +1000, "David Hare-Scott"
wrote:

wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

What is the best way to keep them? How do they go if frozen? Any
special tips on freezing?
I don't know about "the best" but I know what works in the hot
humid southeastern US. IME in U.S.A. supermarket sweet potatoes should
be considered "fresh-dug". Do you know whether yours were properly
cured after digging and are ready for storage?

They were not as I grew and dug them and I don't have the right conditions
to cure them. Apparently they want 85F and high humidity. I've got 40-70F
and variable humidity.

Assuming that they
were, they then should be "root cellared", in darkenss, at
temperatures of 45°-85°(F), in well ventilated containers packed so
as not to touch each other in a light absorbent medium such as
shredded wood "excelsior", straw, pine straw, shredded paper, etc.
Properly cured and stored sweet potatoes shrink somewhat, get more
leathery-skinned and considerably sweeter with age.Temperatures below
40-45°(F) reduce quality and shorten storage life.

We don't have a root cellar or anything like one. I will probably put them
in the house which is closer to the correct keeping temperature than
outside.

David

My grandparents used to keep the sweet potatoes in the guest bedroom,
which as long as it was not being used, had the heat vents closed and
stayed cool.
--
USA
North Carolina Foothills
USDA Zone 7a

wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:


I don't have the right conditions to cure them.
Still, you may as well have a go at extending their storage life.
Nothing to lose, and all....

We don't have a root cellar or anything like one.
Sorry; didn't mean that literally! Any dry indoor relatively
undisturbed place will do such as pantry, closet, storage room, etc.

That is where they will end up. It amuses some of our guests to see our
lounge room which has a long teak wall unit filled with books, treasures and
knick-knacks. At certain seasons the top is festooned with pumpkins.

David

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
I find myself with about 40 kg (90lbs) of sweet potatoes, these are the
white-fleshed ipomoea sort. Last year I tried to keep them in a cool dry
place in the shed through winter but they didn't last. The shed would have
been 0-15C (32-60F) mostly. I will give away a fair amount while they are
fresh but still want to keep some. What is the best way to keep them? How
do they go if frozen? Any special tips on freezing?

David

We eat what we can and what we can't we can.


basilisk