drying main crop potatoes

[Rosendula]

I've realized I have a bit of a problem. When I lift my maincrop potatoes, the advice everyone gives is to lay them out for a couple of days so the skins can dry and toughen up before storing. If I do that at the allotment, I feel sure they will be eaten by the foxes and other wildlife. Yet if I bring them home and lay them out in the garden my little girl is going to destroy the greenhouse with them . I considered spreading them on the kitchen table and having our meals in front of the TV for a couple of days, but they're just going to get thrown around all over the house. Has anyone else had this problem? Do you think the skins would set if I left them in fabric bags in the shed? Or should I just tie Katie up? (Only joking )

[pumpy]

What we have done,before,is to stick them in the oven,as it cools down.(Having previously cooked something).

[MINESAPINT]

I just pick mine on a good dry, sunny, breezy day in the morning then store them inside in the afternoon. I do not store them in bags. I just put them on the floor in a dry, pest free outbuilding and cover them in straw.

[theabsinthefairy]

Pick a dry breezy day and dig them up first thing, brush off any moist soil and leave lying around for the day and bag up in the evening.

Keep a child handy for rolling them around a couple of times during the day to make sure they dry out evenly.

[Odsox]

I agree, it's only really the drying that is important.
If you store wet the potatoes the chances are at least some will rot, so just make sure they are dry all over.

The maturing bit will happen over time in the bag.
I have grown my own potatoes for more years than I care to think about and I dig them up on a sunny day, turn them at least once and then bag them in the evening ... job done.