Back when I had a small garden, I didn’t need to worry too much about the end of the season. By the time the temperatures dropped and we were solidly into the sideways rain of autumn, I was done. Now that I have more garden space, I am trying to figure out just how long I can delay harvesting my root vegetables.
Unlike most gardeners, I tend not to dig all my potatoes at once because the back of my boat is too damp — potatoes turn into mush. However, if you have a cool, damp place, then you can harvest them all together.
This time of year, you’ll notice the potato plants are starting to sag and become listless. This indicates that the potatoes have stopped growing and the skins are getting thicker. Cutting down the potato vine before you harvest also triggers the formation of thicker skins.
Wait until it’s been dry for a few days before you dig them up. Leaving them on the ground for at least a half an hour gives them a chance to seal in moisture and prevent rot. It is better to do this on a cloudy day, as the sun can cause greening in the potatoes. Then, store them in a place with adequate ventilation and temperatures between 35 and 40 degree.
As with any vegetable, eat the ones that you’ve accidentally spiked or damaged in some way. This holds true for potatoes, but also for other root vegetables. Beets don’t store as well. They can tolerate a light frost, but then they’ll need to be harvested.
Carrots and parsnips do well in a root cellar. There are many designs that you can use that take up a relatively small space in your basement. The basic idea is to create an insulated box and then layer the root vegetables, either using sand or sawdust, to absorb moisture and prevent them from rotting.
As you harvest the carrots and parsnips, cut off the top because the greens will create rot. Harvest on a dry day and let them sit in the sun to kill off the root hairs, which tend to grow during storage.
Now, if you are like me and don’t have those storage options, then the question remains of just how long it’s possible to wait. Potatoes and the other root vegetables will do well through a light frost. It can freeze, but as long as it warms up, they will be fine. Our average first frost date is Sept. 15.
Frost will help trigger the change from starch to sugar in the carrots and parsnips, so keeping them in the ground a little longer can be beneficial. However, there are some down sides to this plan. Slugs, which usually don’t bother with root vegetables, seem to turn to them if everything else is gone. Mice and voles become more problematic if you leave them in the ground when their other food sources are reduced.
In the end, the question becomes one of risk taking. Do you hold out for another month of fresh produce, or do you make friends by giving them the bounty that you can’t store? For me, I think I might make a lot of friends as the gardening season closes.
• Corinne Conlon is a freelance writer based out of Juneau. She can be reached at dirtgirlgardening@gmail.com.
