How to use potato growing bags
How to grow potatoes in a bag: everything you need to know
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Learning how to grow potatoes in a bag will open up a whole new world of gardening potential. An extremely easy vegetable to grow, potatoes offer a high-yield for very low output - they're a great choice if you're new to growing your own vegetables. Find out how to grow potatoes with our step-by-step guide – perfect for your vegetable garden ideas.
Potatoes are also best grown in containers due to their propensity to spread into all the soil available to their tuberous roots. They are also difficult to harvest in raised beds or borders, often leaving behind unwanted 'volunteers' that will start their own unwanted potato plant the following year.
Therefore, knowing how to grow potatoes in a bag offers one of the best options for growing your own, both in terms of ease of harvest and versatility. 'You can even have potatoes in a tiny rented plot. Grow them in a potato bag or sack and you’ll be able to move house without unearthing your sack of spuds,' says Amateur Gardening magazine's Tamsin Westhorpe.
How to grow potatoes in a bag – preparation
There are three things that you will need before starting to learn how to grow potatoes in a bag for your kitchen garden. These are: chitted seed potatoes; compost; and a bag.
Chitting potatoes helps to accelerate the growth of your potatoes. Stand the seed potatoes in egg boxes and place in a light and cool, but frost-free, place. Light is vital so a windowsill in a porch or outside in a glass greenhouse are an ideal place to place your potatoes to chit.
'Keep an eye on your potatoes whilst they chit and wait for strong, short green shoots to appear (4-6 weeks) about 2-3cms long from the eyes of each tuber,' says plantswoman Sarah Raven ,
'If you want to maximize the size of your potatoes, rub off all but three or four of the shoots at the top end of the tuber before planting out. If you leave all the shoots intact, you’ll end up with lots of small potatoes.' Once you've got shoots, your seed potatoes are ready to plant out.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
If you're working out how to grow potatoes in a bag then you also need to think about the soil. Potatoes grow best in 'well-drained, light, deep, loose soil, high in organic matter,' says the experts at Cornell University . Potato plants also 'perform best in acid soil with pH 4.8 - 5.5'. So, by growing your potatoes in a bag, rather than a raised bed or in the garden, you can curate the perfect soil conditions for the potatoes.
The final consideration for learning how to grow potatoes in a bag, is the bag itself.
'The important thing is that the bags need good drainage, so with re-used plastic bags do ensure that you make lots of extra holes in the bottom,' advises Bob Flowerdew in Amateur Gardening Magazine . 'Nearly as important is that the sides must exclude light – black bags are better. Hold them up to the light, and if any comes through then try doubling up or line the bags with several sheets of newspaper.'
Alternatively, purchase a dedicated potato bag that will be designed for the task.
Some varieties even have a flap that helps you check on your potatoes while they're growing.
Traditional DIY method for growing potatoes in a bag
- Opt for a large sturdy rubble bag, hessian or jute sack, or a specific potato bag – around 8 to 10 gallons are the most popular sizes. Prick a few small holes into the bottom to prevent the bag becoming waterlogged.
- Fill the bottom of the bag with about five inches of compost.
- Roll the sides of the bag down to the level of the compost so that it stands by itself.
- Plant three or four chitted potatoes – roots facing down - into the compost and then cover with a few inches of additional compost – unrolling the first folds of the bag if needed.
- Place in a light, bright, frost-free position and water well.
- When the potato plant starts to grow green shoots , unfold the edges of the bag until it reaches the top of the shoots and then cover with soil.
- Continue to do this every time shoots are visible or until the bag is full.
- Watering is vital but only water when the top few centimetres of soil feel dry to the touch. 'If the tubers dry out while they are developing, they won’t develop into potatoes, resulting in a smaller harvest,' advises Deborah Miuccio, product research and testing coordinator at Gardener’s Supply Company . On the other hand, overwatering can cause the tubers to rot which will also reduce the quantity and quality of your harvest.
- When there is no more bag to unroll, then let the shoots grow.
- Once the leaves and stem have started to die back, harvest potatoes by cutting through the plastic bag or tipping out jute, hessian or fabric sacks on a sheet of tarp and collect your harvest. The compost can then go into your compost heap – just make sure there's no rouge potatoes left in the compost.
(Image credit: Future)
Quick and easy way to grow potatoes in a bag
If you would like a lower-maintenance method for learning how to grow potatoes in a bag then consider opting for this alternative method from Sue Sanderson, horticulturalist at Thompson & Morgan .
- Fill a two gallon potato or rubble bag (that has small drainage holes punched into the sides) with multipurpose compost to about an inch below the rim.
- Then plunge one chitted potato tuber 5 inches into the compost before covering with more compost.
- Place the bag in a bright, frost-free place, water and feed regularly and wait for the potatoes to grow.
- Let the potatoes continue to grow, rather than covering when the leaves appear, and then harvest potatoes in the same way as above when the leaves go yellow and limp.
- Be sure to store potatoes correctly to ensure their freshly harvested taste is retained.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
How to grow potatoes in a specific potato bag
While growing potatoes in a bag that you've repurposed is a great low-cost way to grow your own harvest of potatoes, a specialist potato grow bag can maximize the quantity and quality of your crop.
'As the roots grow and reach the side of the pot, the fabric causes the roots to stop growing, essentially killing the tips of the roots.
This is called air pruning or root pruning. Roots that aren’t air pruned will instead continue to grow and circle around the containers, which leads to root-bound plants,' advises Deborah Miuccio, product research and testing coordinator at Gardener’s Supply Company .
'Air pruned plants encourage new roots to form from the center, which is the best root structure for container grown plants. A strong root system is essential for a bountiful harvest, especially for potatoes.'
You can even get grow bags that have a sealable pocket so you can check on potato growth and readiness.
If you opt to grow your potatoes in a specific potato bag, then you can follow which ever of the above methods works best for you.
How to grow potatoes in a bag sustainably
If you want to make sure that your method of growing potatoes in a bag is sustainable then there are a few things to consider.
Plastic sacks – like those used to sell compost - are a great option in which to grow potatoes.
Reusing the bags in this way will recycle them and give them a life beyond their original usage. They will also still be able to reused for several years.
Hessian sacks or coffee bags can also be recycled and will even biodegrade when no longer usable.
Opting for organic potato seeds and avoiding the use of chemical fertilizers or pest-control will ensure that you produce a completely organic crop.
Finally, peat-free compost is a must. Peat compost contributes to greenhouse gas levels and its harvest eradicates the habitats of rare wildlife; there have been many calls to ban it due to the environmental cost. If you want to make your gardening even more sustainable, then you can use the compost from your compost heap. Our guide to how to make compost has helpful information on this.
(Image credit: RHS/Paul Debois)
How many potatoes does it take to grow in a potato bag?
It only takes one potato to grow in a potato bag. Each chitted potato - whether a whole potato or part of a larger potato – will produce one plant.
The number of chitted potatoes needed depends on the size of the bag being used. As a general rule each potato plant needs about 2.5 gallons. Therefore a 10 gallon bag will support four potatoes while a 5 gallon bag will accommodate 2 potato plants.
If you want to grow a large number of potato crops, it is best growing them in separate bags rather than one huge bag. Splitting your crop between different bags means that you can harvest them at different times so you can have a more continuous supply, rather than a sudden glut.
How to grow potatoes in a bag in time for Christmas
'If you want to grow some potatoes in time for Christmas you best get to it, time is of the essence,' says Leslie Vincent, Horticulturalist & Gardening Expert at Atkins Garden Shop . Start planting your potatoes from mid-September to early October, for a December harvest. If you have your heart set on eating your own potatoes on Christmas Day, then stagger your planting – starting from the end of August through to the start of October.
Leslie takes you through the steps:
- 'Fill your bag with a decent multi-purpose compost about two thirds of the way full, lightly compact the compost.
- Lay three seed potato tubers on the surface, space them out around 20-30 cm apart
- From here, you’ll want to nicely soak your compost and give it adequate time to drain.
- If the watering has uncovered the tubers, add a bit more compost to cover.
- Place your bag in a greenhouse and wait for your shoots to appear, when they do throw in another layer of compost to keep them covered, repeat this process until the bag is full.
‘It's worth noting too that potatoes are cool weather crops and thrive best in the spring and fall, so if you miss planting them before Christmas, you can plan on planting them early and harvesting them for Easter,’ advises Shelby DeVore, animal expert, avid gardener and founder of Farminence .
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Having graduated with a first class degree in English Literature four years ago, Holly started her career as a features writer and sub-editor at Period Living magazine, Homes & Gardens' sister title.
Working on Period Living brought with it insight into the complexities of owning and caring for period homes, from interior decorating through to choosing the right windows and the challenges of extending. This has led to a passion for traditional interiors, particularly the country-look. Writing for the Homes & Gardens website as a content editor, alongside regular features for Period Living and Country Homes & Interiors magazines, has enabled her to broaden her writing to incorporate her interests in gardening, wildlife and nature.
How to grow potatoes in bags and pots: easy step-by-step guide
How to grow potatoes in bagsIt’s potato planting time! If you’d like learn how to grow potatoes in bags, this guide covers everything you need to know. As well as a guide to growing potatoes in bags and pots, there’s an explanation of the different potato varieties and tips on the best potatoes to grow in containers.
Growing potatoes in bags and pots
I think it’s impossible to beat the taste of homegrown new potatoes, and they’re not difficult to grow at all.
In fact they’re a brilliant veg to grow with kids; they’re nice and chunky to handle when planting, the kids get to pile soil on them as they grow, and harvest time is basically a treasure hunt as all those lovely spuds are unearthed!
Can you grow potatoes in bags?
If you’ve got lots of room in the garden or at an allotment, you can of course grow potatoes in rows and get a really big crop, but don’t be put off if you don’t have a lot of space. You can grow potatoes in pots and bags very successfully, and using this method is perfect for small gardens or your first efforts at grow your own. Container grown potatoes taste just as good as those grown in the ground too.
Here’s how to grow potatoes in pots and bags.
The best potatoes to grow in bags
Before you start planting potatoes in bags, it’s worth understanding a bit about the different types you can grow.
There are three main varieties of potatoes for growing.
The name of each reflects the time of year that you plant and harvest them.
- ‘first early’ varieties will be ready to harvest soonest – around June. First earlies are what we traditionally think of as ‘new’ potatoes.
- ‘second early’ varieties are also ‘new’ potatoes, but they take a few more weeks to grow.
- ‘maincrop’ varieties produce potatoes that are best suited to baking, mashing and roasting. They take the longest amount of time to grow, and are ready for harvesting from late July to September.
What month do you plant potatoes in bags?
March is traditionally the most popular time of year to plant potatoes in pots and bags. Having said that, if you choose the right variety you can plant them in April and May and still have a crop before autumn.
How long does it take to grow potatoes in a bag?
The amount of time it takes for your potato harvest to be ready is mainly influenced by the variety of potato you choose.
The weather also plays a part.
- First early potatoes are ready to harvest around 10 weeks after planting.
- Second early potatoes are ready to harvest around 13 weeks after planting.
- Maincrop potatoes are ready to harvest around 20 weeks after planting.
It’s really up to you which variety you choose; just decide when you’d ideally like to harvest your potatoes. Once you know this, you can work out which variety is the best option. You can also check the growing times on the bag.
If you’re planting potatoes in bags in April or May, it’s a good idea to go for a first early or second early potato variety which takes less time to grow.
Once you’ve decided which type of potato you’d like to grow, you’re ready to buy your seed potatoes.
What are seed potatoes?
Seed potatoes are potatoes that have been grown with the specific purpose of being replanted to produce a crop of potatoes.
The little shoots that sprout from each potato are where the crop will develop.
It’s definitely a good idea to buy seed potatoes as opposed to potatoes which you’ve bought to eat that have sprouted, because seed potatoes are guaranteed to be free of viruses.
How to make seed potatoes sprout
It’s a good idea to let your seed potatoes sprout before you plant them. This gets the growing process started sooner, which gives you an earlier harvest and can also increase yield.
How do I encourage potatoes to sprout?
To encourage your seed potatoes to sprout, you need to put them in a cool, frost-free, light place. This is often referred to as “chitting”.
You might find that the seed potatoes you’ve bought are already sprouting. This is fine, and has actually saved you a bit of time! If not, pop them into a plant saucer, shallow tray or old egg box until they have grown shoots.
The shoots should look nice and strong, and be reasonably short, with a green or pink colour to them.
If your seed potatoes don’t get enough light they will produce long, white shoots that are more fragile.
How to grow potatoes in bags
When your seed potatoes have sprouted, you’re ready to plant.
All you need is your seed potatoes, some compost, and a potato bag.
Potato containers: a few options for growing potatoes in pots and bags
You can use any large, strong plastic bag as a potato container. For example, you can make your own potato grow bag from an empty compost bag. Bin bags are a bit too flimsy as containers for growing potatoes.
To limit the use of plastic, you can grow potatoes in hessian sacks (also known as burlap sacks), or buy specially designed *potato grow bags like the one we’ve used in the picture below. These bags can be reused year after year; as you can probably see ours is a bit faded and battered, but it’s still going strong after a few years of use.
Growing potatoes in containers
You can also have a go at planting potatoes in a pot, if you happen to have any spare.
The one *pictured below is specifically designed for growing potatoes in containers, and has an inner pot with openings that allow you to check on your crop. You don’t need anything this fancy, but it definitely makes growing potatoes in a pot more fun!
If you do use a plastic bag, make some holes in the bottom for drainage before you start.
Fill your potato grow bag about a quarter full with compost; you can roll down the top to make this easier.
How many potatoes can I plant in a bag?
The number of potatoes you can grow in a bag will vary depending on the size of bag you’re using. For the bag shown in the pictures, I plant 2-3 seed potatoes, depending on how big the potatoes are.
When planting potatoes in pots and bags, don’t be tempted to plant too many in each container. This will just make more plants compete for the same amount of nutrients, and won’t give you a bigger harvest.
How to plant potatoes in bags
Position your potatoes evenly in the bag, with the majority of their sprouting shoots pointing upwards.
Cover the potatoes with another layer of compost, then give them a thorough watering. And that’s it!
How often do I water potatoes in a bag?
How often you need to water your potatoes in containers will depend on the weather and their location. Check them regularly, and water if the top of the soil feels dry. This is all you need to do until you see leaves appearing on the top of the compost.
Do potatoes need full sun or shade?
Potato plants grow best when they have access to plenty of daylight. A sunny spot is great, but they will also tolerate partial shade.
Earthing up potatoes
When your potatoes have produced leaves, it’s time to earth them up. This is simply adding more compost to cover them up again. You need to do this for two reasons: to prevent the growing potatoes turning green and poisonous, and to increase your crop by encouraging more potatoes to grow on the buried stems.
Unroll the top of the bag as you add more compost.
Repeat this process until you’ve almost filled your bag with compost. At this point you can leave the plants to grow and flower, but keep watering them regularly.
How do I know when my potatoes are ready to harvest?
Your potato plants will produce flowers. They are ready to harvest when the flowers start to die off.
To harvest your potatoes, pull the stem of the plant out of the compost. Gather up any potatoes that are still attached to the roots, then check the compost for any that have been left behind.
You don’t have to harvest all of your crop in one go. You can dig up a few potatoes at a time, coming back for more when you need them.
If you’d prefer to dig all your plants up in one go, that’s fine too. Just make sure you store your potatoes somewhere cool and dark until you’re ready to use them. This will keep them fresh and prevent them from sprouting. You can buy *potato storage bags which are designed specifically for this purpose, but a container with a lid or a cloth drawstring bag will work well too.
And that’s all there is to growing potatoes in bags. Follow these few easy steps, and you’ll be enjoying amazing homegrown potatoes this summer. They really do taste so much better than shop-bought!
Growing new potatoes for Christmas
New potatoes are very much a summer treat, but it’s perfectly possible to grow potatoes in containers or bags for Christmas lunch too!
The method is just the same, but for a Christmas harvest of potatoes grown in a bag you need to plant your seed potatoes in late summer. Garden centres usually have seed potatoes for sale at this time of year that are specifically suited to this project.
You will need to protect your plants and harvest from frost, so move your bags into a sheltered spot or greenhouse when temperatures start to drop.
If your potatoes are ready a bit too early, you can dig them up, re-bury them in soil, and put them in a frost-free place until you’re ready to eat them. It’s not a great idea to leave them in the ground, as they’ll be vulnerable to damage from frost, slugs and general wet conditions.
You can also dig them up and store them in the fridge, or in a bag in the shed or garage, but you’ll lose some of the lovely flavour and texture this way.
If you’re interested in other ways to grow potatoes, take a look at this post on how potatoes are grown. This video also covers growing potatoes in bags:
More grow your own inspiration
For more grow your own ideas, you might like to check out these gardening posts:
10 easy vegetables to grow in pots
Quick and easy veg to grow
How to grow a windowsill herb garden
55 easy grow your own tips, ideas and resources
I’ve even got lists of potato puns and potato jokes, vegetable puns and vegetable jokes, and fruit puns and fruit jokes to get you giggling.
Are you having a go at growing potatoes in pots or bags this year? Do you have any tips on how to grow potatoes in bags or containers?
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planting technology, step-by-step instructions and other features, video
The method of growing in bags is of interest to many gardeners, since there is not always enough land to plant potatoes as well. Traditionally, this crop is cultivated in the field, far from home. Therefore, planting in a bag is an opportunity to get new potatoes next to your summer home.
Contents
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1 The essence of growing potatoes in bags
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1.1 Good experience (video)
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1.2 Advantages and disadvantages of the method (table)
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2 Choosing and preparing containers
2.1 How to use a bag with a valve (video)
4 Caring for potatoes
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4.1 Potato nutrition
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4.1.1 About the role of macro- and microelements in potato nutrition (video)
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4.2 Prevention of the settlement of bags with ants
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4.3 Carbon from the bag (video)
The essence of potato cultivation in bags
The method has more negative reviews, since many applies the originally a bluntly growing scheme. It consists in the fact that the seed tubers are placed at the bottom of the bag and, as the stems grow, they constantly sprinkle the ground until they are completely filled.
In a similar way, they try to grow potatoes in barrels. The result of such cultivation is peas at the bottom. The potato is not allowed to turn into a fruit-bearing bush, it spends its strength on the stems, which all summer long to no avail reach the light.
Positive experience (video)
To get a good harvest, you need to create conditions for plants that are as close to natural as possible. And since the bag is a limited space, you need to take care of potatoes even better than those that grow in the field. So, the earth will dry out more often, there will be less nutrients in a limited volume. However, the method is worth it to be adopted by vegetable growers who have small plots of land or none at all. Bags can be placed at a country house, in revenge, in a courtyard or front garden.
There are recommendations to grow potatoes on the balcony. But it is worth considering that in the fall, the bags will have to be turned over or cut to harvest. In any case, the earth will be on the floor and on the lower balconies. In addition, such a volume of land (from all the bags) will need to be removed somewhere and somehow.
Potatoes in bags require even more attention than in the field
Advantages and disadvantages of the method (table) buy
Selection and preparation of containers
Bags must be taken strong and capacious.
Of course, paper and fabric ones will not work, they will quickly get wet and rot. The most common are polypropylene wicker, they are strong and breathable. If you use solid plastic bags, for example for garbage, then pierce them in several places with an awl. Even small openings are able to pass water and air. The most diligent vegetable growers sew special containers with a valve or remake existing ones. The valve is made at the bottom of the bag, it is needed for early harvesting. You can open, get large tubers and close again so that the bush continues to grow.
How to use the valve bag (video)
If several sacks of potatoes are placed close to each other, moisture will be better retained in them, but the material will begin to rot at the points of contact.
Leaving a small distance will improve the aeration of the roots, but you will have to water more often. By the way, under the influence of the sun, polypropylene also collapses - crumbles. Therefore, initially choose whole and strong bags that can withstand 3-4 months of operation in adverse weather conditions.
Potato growing area should be sunny and well ventilated. If you are not installing on the ground, then you will need containers to collect water flowing out after irrigation. Basins, plastic or iron boxes, pallets are suitable. Proceed to boarding at the usual time. In the middle lane - this is the middle of May. But if there is a desire and an opportunity to transfer packages from the street to the room and back, then you can lay the future harvest 1-2 weeks earlier.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Planting Potatoes
- Fill a bag one-third full with compost, humus, semi-rotted leaves, black soil, or store-bought vegetable soil.
- Place one germinated tuber in the center.
Some put 2-3 evenly spaced. Try both options in different bags. - Cover with loose soil, no more than 5 cm thick.
- Water and mulch with hay or straw.
The bag is placed on absorbent soil, the ground is mulched with straw
Potato care
The principle is similar to that used for indoor or balcony flowers and is familiar to everyone: water as it dries, feed, keep the soil clean and loose. But we grow potatoes not for beauty, but for food, so he needs natural top dressing, and hilling is also added - sprinkling.
Growing history
- From planting to harvest, even when kept under mulch, keep an eye on the condition of the soil. It should be moist to the very bottom, but not soggy. For irrigation, use sun-warmed, settled water.
- When seedlings emerge, let them grow 15-20 cm, feed and cover the seedlings at half their height with loose and fertile soil.
- After two weeks, add fresh soil again.
- When the beginnings of buds appear, feed and sprinkle for the last time.
The maximum filling with earth by this moment is to a height of no more than 50–60 cm. - Give the last third top dressing during flowering.
- At the end of the season, when the leaves begin to turn yellow, you can start harvesting.
The tops are turning yellow, it's time to harvest
Positive feedback was received by the technology, according to which the first hilling is combined with planting 1-3 more tubers in the same bag. That is, next to the seedlings, they put more seed potatoes and sprinkle them with earth, burying them and at the same time spuding those already growing. But this method is applicable only for early varieties.
Potato dressings
All dressings should be done on damp ground. Pour half a bucket over a bag of any of the following solutions, then spray a small shower over the top with a strainer to clean the leaves and soil surface.
Natural nutrition for potatoes:
- "Green" fertilizer.
In a bucket or other container, collect juicy grass without seeds. Use any greens: tops, nettles, celandine, burdock, dandelion and other weeds with roots and earth so that bacteria get into the total mass. You can add onion peel, a handful of hay and last year's leaves. Fill with water and infuse for 7-14 days, stirring occasionally. The fertilizer is ready when a foul-smelling brown mass forms in the bucket, and only the coarse parts of the weeds remain. On a 10-liter watering can, take 2 liters of this solution, add water and water. - Infusion of bird droppings. Fill the bucket a quarter with litter, top up with water, leave for 5-7 days. In a bucket of water, dilute 0.5 liters of infusion and pour over.
- Infusion of mullein (cow cakes). Preparation is the same as from litter, but for 10 liters add 1 liter of infusion.
- Ash top dressing is additional to organic, but it needs to be applied 5-7 days after them. Alkali (ash) reacts with nitrogen contained in the above infusions.
As a result, ammonia is formed, which evaporates. Potatoes are left without top dressing. Scatter half a glass of ash on the surface of the earth in a bag and loosen. Can be added to water for the next watering: pour a glass of ash into a watering can, shake and water.
About the role of macro- and microelements in potato nutrition (video)
Prevention of ants colonization of bags , which closed the young shoots of zucchini. Bags of loose soil exposed to the sun will certainly be considered by these insects for housing. Ant-infested bags will spoil all the fun of growing. It is very difficult to evict such tenants. Therefore, it is better to resort to prevention and create unbearable conditions for ants:
- Sprinkle anti-ant medicine, eg Anteater, around the bags.
- Sprinkle the earth with ashes, ground pepper, mustard.
- Loosen, water, move the container.
This place should not seem quiet and cozy to the ants.
Harvest from a bag (video)
The method is good not only for lack of land, but also for those gardeners who want to use the potential of the site to the maximum. Bags can be placed on asphalt, virgin soil, barren and littered land. The main disadvantages are: constant monitoring of soil moisture and rapid wear of the bags, that is, using the same bags for many years will not work. But, most importantly, in bags, you can really grow a good crop of potatoes. The method is already actively spreading in Russian gardens.
- Author: Marina Volkova
I live in Siberia. I have my own house and my own plot) I share my experience in articles, I learn something myself with you)
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Potatoes in sacks, barrels, bags and boxes - a harvest for the lazy.
Growing features. Photo - Botanichka Vertical cultivation of potatoes in the West is a fairly common occurrence among gardeners. By planting a dozen tubers in several bags, large bags, boxes or barrels, you can end up with a crop of several buckets of potatoes. We are still new to this method. We are accustomed to calling potatoes the second bread and growing them in much larger quantities: so that we have enough for ourselves, our relatives, and for feeding animals. But today more and more summer residents refuse to grow potatoes in general, they say, it costs a penny, and there is enough trouble with it for the whole summer. If you also think so, but at the same time do not want to forget the incredible taste of your young potatoes, try growing it in a bag, box or barrel - the result will surely please you.
Potatoes in bags, barrels, bags and boxes - a harvest for the lazyRead also our article 5 reasons why I no longer plant potatoes.
Advantages of growing potatoes vertically
It is this method that allows you to get the fastest harvest (of course, when choosing early-ripening varieties), because the mobile "beds" warm up the fastest.
Eliminates the need for hilling potatoes and weed control - the dream of every lazy gardener! This method of growing potatoes is also suitable for those who have a small area. Barrels and boxes of potatoes will help give the site an original look.
When growing potatoes in bags and barrels, the root system of the plant grows much longer than when planting potatoes in the usual way. And since the number of roots depends on how many tubers are formed, the harvest will always be excellent.
And the most interesting - potatoes in buckets and large flower containers can be successfully grown not in the garden or in the garden, but at home - a sunny loggia or balcony will do.
In addition, vertical-bed potatoes:
- easy to plant;
- can be economically watered and fertilized;
- no need to dig up the crop (formed tubers are simply poured out of the containers along with the ground).
And it's also a matter of reusing materials (waste containers, old bags, sacks, barrels), which means taking care of the environment.
At the same time, vertical beds for potatoes can be very diverse. For example:
- plastic, metal, wooden barrels;
- old tires from wheels;
- fabric and synthetic bags;
- large black garbage bags, oilcloth bags;
- large flower pots;
- old buckets.
How are potatoes grown in barrels?
Over time, all barrels deteriorate. It is no longer possible to pour water if, for example, the bottom of the barrel is leaky. Basically, this applies to metal containers. But plastic can suffer due to mechanical damage.
If the metal barrels are old and untidy, then it makes sense to paint them before planting the potatoes. At the same time, you can show creativity and imagination by creating beautiful pictures or original ornaments on the outside of this container.
If there are few holes in the bottom of the metal barrel, make them with a nail and a hammer. For such an impact on a plastic barrel, you can use a drill with a drill or heat a nail and carefully make holes in the bottom of the barrel with it.
If for growing potatoes you will place the barrel horizontally, then make holes for water drainage on the side of the barrel, and on the other hand - larger ones to plant potatoes.
At the bottom of a vertical container, drainage is covered with a layer of 15-20 cm. These can be medium-sized stones, broken bricks (for horizontal "beds" this and subsequent layers should be of a lower height).
Grass cuttings, chopped straw, fallen leaves, compost can be placed on top of the drain to a height of 30-50 cm. Then light fertile soil is poured into the barrel with a layer of approximately 15 cm.
The soil is well watered from a watering can. For 5 liters of water, it would be good to add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of potassium humate. You can also spill this vertical bed with water and a universal liquid mineral fertilizer.
On the surface of this layer of soil lay the tubers eyes up at a distance of 15 cm from each other. From above, the potatoes are covered with earth - 15 cm.
When the shoots are 2 weeks old, the first "hilling" is performed. To do this, simply pour the earth under the bushes. Then they do the same two or three more times. As a result, the potatoes will be well covered with earth, which stimulates the formation of additional roots and tubers, while the roots do not turn green.
Since the barrels are limited in size, it is important to water them in time, because the earth here will dry out quickly. It is better to install such mobile beds in advance where something obscures them so that the soil does not overheat. In this case, the seedlings must be in the light.
Large oilcloth bags, bags of flour, sugar, large and dense garbage bags are suitable for growing potatoes. © Antonov SadGrowing potatoes in bags, bags and bags
All recommendations for planting and growing potatoes in barrels are also relevant for potatoes in bags and bags. Large oilcloth bags, flour bags, sugar bags, large and dense garbage bags will do.
These containers do not take up much space, they can be placed in a free area, where the summer resident wishes.
To make it easier to "dig" the potatoes planted in this way, you can cut a rectangular hole in the bottom of the bag or bag. Velcro is attached to this flap, paired elements are sewn around the cut hole. Then it will be possible sometimes to see if the crop is ripe, and if necessary, take a few large potatoes, leaving the bush to grow further.
See also our article Potatoes under straw.
Tires from the machine - "beds" for potatoes
If it is possible to use tires from wheels, they also make an excellent vertical bed for potatoes. You can immediately install several pieces one on top of the other, or build such a "Leaning Tower of Pisa" gradually, as the potatoes grow.
First you need to dig up the earth to the diameter of the wheel, add fertilizer or compost to the soil. Then plant the potatoes with their eyes up.
Now you need to put a tire around it and fill it to the top with light soil.
When the seedlings have grown to a height of 15 cm, a second cover is placed on top of the first cover. The earth is also poured into it, this will also be “hilling up” at the same time.
You can stop there, but it is better to use 1-2 more tires and add more soil as the potatoes grow. Harvest will certainly please you.
If it is possible to use tires from wheels, then they will also make an excellent vertical bed for potatoesPlanting potatoes in buckets, large flower pots
This method will allow you to get your potatoes even in a city apartment. If you have two large plastic pots that are slightly different in size, then cut rectangular holes on the sides in a small one. Then it will be easier to collect potatoes as they ripen (large tubers are removed first, and small ones are left to grow further).
Potatoes can also be planted in ordinary large capacity flower pots.
