Instructions
Step 1
Lay your potatoes out on newspaper, each one separate from the others, in a cool, dark room (50 F to 60 F). Cover them with another sheet of newspaper and let them sit like this for about a week. This helps them toughen and thicken their skins for the long winter ahead.
Step 2
Place your potatoes in covered baskets, boxes or plastic tubs. If using plastic tubs, drill several holes into the plastic to allow air to circulate.
Step 3
Place the containers in a dark, cool room. A basement or root cellar is ideal, but any room that does not get below 35 F in the winter and not too much above 40 F is suitable.
Step 4
Cover any sources of light. Light causes potatoes to sprout and go bad.
Step 5
Sift through the potatoes occasionally and check for any that are going soft or are sprouting. The old saying about the "bad apple" spoiling the bunch is true about potatoes too. One spoiled potato can cause the whole box to go bad.
