Spring floods often leave potato cellars underwater, creating a serious problem for those storing seed potatoes. Specialists from the Altai Center for Quality Assessment of the Agro-Industrial Complex have provided guidance on how to salvage the situation. First aid involves quickly removing the tubers from the water, rinsing off dirt under running water, and thoroughly drying them in open air. Only after this should you sort through them, removing any rotten, damaged, or softened tubers to prevent infection of the entire batch. However, even potatoes that look healthy may be unfit for planting — water leaches out vitamins and minerals, but more critically, it deprives the eyes (buds) of oxygen. While the tuber itself may remain firm, the buds often die, making germination impossible.
How can you tell if a potato is alive or dead? Experts recommend checking several signs: smell (neutral or slightly earthy is good; sweet, musty, or rotten is bad), firmness (a healthy tuber is firm and heavy for its size), and the appearance of the eyes (thick, light-colored eyes are a positive sign; black, indistinct ones indicate the potato is useless). The duration of submersion is critical: less than seven days in water offers a chance of recovery; eight to twelve days severely reduces seed quality; more than twelve days means the tubers are unsuitable for planting, as they will rot quickly in the soil without sprouting. Spoiled potatoes can be used with caution as animal feed (risk of solanine if fungus-infected) or added to compost, ensuring proper technique to avoid spreading diseases. To prevent future floods, experts advise drying the cellar, treating walls with antiseptics, digging drainage ditches, and applying waterproofing.
