The first freeze blackens the leaves, which soon dry out and fall. The large woody tops must be removed first from the plants. The conventional potato-harvesting machinery is inadequate and no efficient harvesting on a commercial scale at low cost has been devised yet. Turning out the tubers with a plow leaves many in the soil. Hand-digging with forks yields the largest percentage of the tubers in the soil but is laborious and expensive.
Tubers are small, and picking proceeds slowly.
Tubers are difficult to store because of the thin skin which permits shrinkage and injury that leads to decay. They keep perfectly if left in the soil until needed, freezing does no damage. Although they cannot be harvested from frozen soil, tubers for spring planting are best left in place until spring. They should then be harvested and handled promptly before they sprout appreciably. Tubers should not be left in poorly drained soil.