In the old days potatoes were stored in a ‘potato clamp’ or ‘potato pie’ - which was a heap of potatoes covered with straw to keep the frost out, then the straw was covered with soil, & sometimes another layer of straw on top. Potatoes inside the clamp would keep to the spring.

Potatoes will not keep well when left in their growing position in the soil in the vegetable garden if they get frosted. So if frost is likely the potatoes are lifted and stored in a clamp or potato pie.

To make a potato clamp or pie:

• choose a dry site
• leave potatoes on soil surface for a couple of hours after digging - to let the skins dry
• place a thick layer of straw on the base of the clamp
• pile the potatoes on top of the straw making a pyramid
• cover the pile with a layer of straw and leave for a couple of days
• cover the straw with a 15cm layer of dry soil - leaving chunks of straw sticking out at the top & around base, to make air channels. The clamp must breathe.
• smooth the soil covering with a spade, so the rain runs off the clamp easily

Potatoes will not store if they are wet or blighty, or damaged.

• handle gently, so that the potatoes are not bruised or cut
• do not drop the potatoes from a height, as this causes bruising
• treat potatoes like eggs

Several small potato clamps can be used in the vegetable garden to store potatoes. This allows small quantities of potatoes to be used from one clamp, without disturbing the conditions of the other potato clamps or pies.

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