food preservation

My neighbour piles fresh soil over his potato rows in the middle of August, and it’s not to help them grow

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My neighbour piles fresh soil over his potato rows in the middle of August, and it's not to help them grow

That August soil pile isn’t about growth—it’s about survival. As rain settles potato hills and summer heat cracks the soil, dangerous tuber moths find their way to your crop. Your neighbor knows a two-inch buffer is all that stands between a clean harvest and tunneled, rotting potatoes.

I lifted my potatoes as soon as the tops flopped over just to beat the rain: when I opened the crate in December, it was already too late

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I lifted my potatoes as soon as the tops flopped over just to beat the rain: when I opened the crate in December, it was a...

A gardener harvested potatoes before rain, only to find them rotting by December. The culprit wasn’t bad luck—it was skipping the curing process. This essential two-week step allows potato skins to thicken and wounds to heal, preventing the soft rot that spreads silently in sealed containers.