You can store carrots with potatoes, but it’s not the best idea if you want your carrots to stay fresh for long.
The two vegetables actually have very different storage needs, and putting them together can cause one or both to spoil faster than they should.
If you’ve been wondering whether you can store carrots with potatoes, the short answer is yes, you technically can.
But there’s a catch you should know about before you toss them into the same bin.
In this post, we’ll look at why storing carrots with potatoes isn’t ideal, what happens when you do it, and how to store each one properly so they last as long as possible.
Let’s dig in.
Why Storing Carrots With Potatoes Isn’t Ideal
When you store carrots with potatoes, you’re basically putting two vegetables together that want completely different things.
Here’s why that creates a problem.
1. Potatoes Release Ethylene Gas
Potatoes naturally give off ethylene gas as they sit in storage.
This gas is harmless on its own, but it speeds up the ripening and aging process of nearby produce.
Carrots are sensitive to ethylene, and when they’re exposed to it for too long, they start to develop a bitter flavor.
So if you store carrots with potatoes, your carrots can turn bitter and lose their sweet, crisp taste much sooner than expected.
2. They Need Different Humidity Levels
Carrots love high humidity, ideally around 90 to 95 percent, to stay crisp and firm.
Potatoes prefer a drier environment, usually around 80 to 90 percent humidity, and they need good ventilation.
When you store carrots with potatoes, one of them is going to be unhappy.
Either the carrots dry out and go limp, or the potatoes sit in too much moisture and start to sprout or rot.
Either way, you end up losing part of your harvest.
3. They Need Different Temperatures
Potatoes store best at around 45 to 50°F, while carrots prefer things a bit colder, around 32 to 40°F.
If you store carrots with potatoes at the potato-friendly temperature, your carrots won’t last as long.
If you drop the temperature to keep the carrots happy, your potatoes can develop a sweet, off flavor and dark spots.
There’s really no temperature that keeps both of them perfectly content, which is another reason you can store carrots with potatoes but shouldn’t.
4. Moisture Buildup Encourages Rot
Potatoes breathe and release moisture as they sit.
In a closed container, that moisture builds up and creates a damp environment.
Carrots sitting in that same space soak up the extra dampness and become slimy or moldy.
This is one of the biggest reasons storing carrots with potatoes leads to spoilage so quickly.
The moisture that’s bad for the potatoes is even worse for the carrots.
How to Store Carrots and Potatoes Separately
If you want both vegetables to last for weeks, keep them apart and give each one the conditions it actually needs.
Here’s how to do it right.
1. Storing Carrots Properly
Cut the greens off your carrots before storing them, since the leaves pull moisture from the roots.
Don’t wash them until you’re ready to use them.
Place the carrots in a container with a lid, or wrap them in a damp paper towel and put them in a plastic bag with a few holes for airflow.
Keep them in the coldest part of your fridge, and they’ll stay crisp for weeks.
If you’re storing a big harvest, a root cellar with high humidity and near-freezing temperatures works great.
2. Storing Potatoes Properly
Keep your potatoes in a cool, dark, dry spot with plenty of ventilation.
A mesh bag, cardboard box, or paper sack works well, but skip the sealed plastic because it traps moisture.
Never store potatoes near onions either, because they have the same ethylene problem in reverse.
Keep them away from light, since light makes them turn green and produce solanine, which isn’t safe to eat.
If you can store carrots with potatoes in separate bins in the same cool room, that’s fine, as long as they’re not touching.
3. Watch Out for Sprouting and Soft Spots
Check your stored carrots and potatoes every week or so.
Remove any that are soft, moldy, or sprouting, because one bad vegetable can spoil the whole batch.
This is even more important when you store carrots with potatoes in the same area, since problems spread fast.
A quick weekly check saves you from losing your whole stash.
So, Can You Store Carrots With Potatoes?
You can store carrots with potatoes, but it’s not recommended if you want them to last.
Potatoes release ethylene gas that makes carrots bitter, and the two vegetables need different humidity and temperature levels to stay fresh.
Store them separately, give each one the conditions it prefers, and both will keep for weeks instead of days.
Now you know the truth about whether you can store carrots with potatoes, so you can plan your storage the right way and waste less of your harvest.