Preserving whole potatoes What is the best way to preserve potatoes for a long time with minimal loss of nutritional values?

I tried freezing, but the potatoes lost their taste and were unsuitable for cooking.

I tried cutting and drying, but the result was again tasteless.

When I just put the potatoes on the shelf, sometimes they remain good for a long time, but sometimes they rot. How can I lengthen their shelf time, and what is the maximum shelf lifetime I can hope for?
The ideal storage for potatoes is approximately 42 to 50 F /  5.6 - 10.0 C in a dark space, with good humidity.  This is historically what root cellars were for.  With proper storage you should be able to get them from one harvest to the next&mdash;but ideal storage is rare at home.  Nonetheless, at least a few weeks is more than reasonable.

Burying them in clean sand can be effective.

For more information than you ever wanted to know, see this article from Options for Storing Potatoes at home (PDF) from the University of Idaho extension.