I am trying something new this garden season. I am growing potatoes in pots.
I am using some bushel baskets that I placed along the edge of the main garden.
I have some smaller pots of potatoes on the deck. I am creating a kitchen garden on our deck. I am planting all my herbs in pots. I am planting a variety of cucumber that does well in a pot, peppers and tomatoes too.
This is the first year I am trying this.. stayed tuned.
A few tips for Potato Container Gardening:
The best potatoes to use for container gardening are those that mature early.
There is a wide range of potato garden methods and mediums. Most potatoes are grown in garden soil but any well drained medium is appropriate. Even perlite can be used to grow potatoes in a pot.
Heavy burlap bags make ideal containers because they breath and drain. Whatever type of container you choose, make sure there is room to build up the soil as the spuds grow. This encourages the formation of even more tubers in layers.
Full sun conditions ( six to eight hours of light) is best for growing potatoes in containers. You may choose to grow potatoes on the deck in order to have quick access to the smallest new potatoes.
Cut the seed potatoes into 2 inch chunks that have several eyes on them. Small potatoes can be planted as they are. Plant the chunks 5 to 7 inches apart and cover them with 3 inches of moist soil. Cover container potatoes with more soil after they grow 7 inches and continue to cover the small plants until you reach the top of the bag. Container potatoes should be kept well watered but not soggy.
Well this is interesting. I can't wait to see how it goes. We do a lot of containers and we only grow flowers and the occasional tomato plant. I'd love to try something new. I'm pinning it. xo
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see your first potatoes! My TG loves to grow a vegetable garden but has not been able to do so since we moved to this house in 2005. The other day he announced that he had put in some tomato plants on the far side of the garage where there's lots of sun. I have not walked over to see those yet but he was so excited to finally be growing food again. Hmmmmm ... when we had been married for a few years and I was expecting our Audrey, he grew broccoli and tomatoes in the back yard. He would bring the broccoli inside on stifling hot summer afternoons (no; we had no A/C, haahaaa) and put it in the sink to soak in salt water so as to kill the little green worms that lived on it (they would die, then let go and float in the salt water). I cannot tell you how bad that broccoli smelled, and how many times it made me retch. But no matter how much I complained, he still did it. I tell you, if men had to be the ones who got pregnant and bore the children, things would be different, haaahaha! xoxo
ReplyDeleteGood luck. Let us know how they turn out as I never heard of growing potatoes like this. Janice
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of such a thing. It will be so much fn to watch!
ReplyDeleteThis is neat! It's fun to try new ideas. I will look forward to seeing your results.
ReplyDeleteLast year, I added the square foot garden in the back, and that has been a success. But a lot of the same plants ended up dominating, but still better than in the irrigated garden beds. I was going to build another square foot bed with the grid but then I saw a permaculture one, where we dig down 12 to 24 inches, and build dirt mounds around it. Sounds neat. My spouse says it won't work though, the ground is rock. It's rock everywhere really, but we are at a foothill of the mountain. So maybe just another bed with a square foot watering grid. But we will build that over the summer so it is ready to go in the autumn again.
My mother in law does this and has great luck with them in bushel barrels. I love your kitchen garden on the deck, I should do that!
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of doing potatoes this way, Carla. Sounds interesting! Jim is just starting his veggie garden now. xxoo
ReplyDeleteI have heard of this and seen success. Also, I have seen those who plant using the rectangular bales of straw. I would love to get a bale and try to do the herbs in them. My courtyard plants are in containers (bottomless stock tanks aka Firerings) and they are doing very well. I can't wait to see how this all turns out for you with your new Potted Garden!
ReplyDeleteWow Carla this is so interesting. I cannot wait to see how this all goes for you. What a great way for people with limited outdoor space to have fresh veggies too. I like you idea of using bushels. Keep us posted on the outcome. Happy Wednesday. xoxo
ReplyDeleteFunny story: I'm a country girl married to a city boy. We planted sweet potato vines in two of our large planters a couple of years ago, and when it was time to pull everything out and plant pansies (here in the South we enjoy pansies all winter), my city boy was shocked that we had sweet potatoes when we pulled up the vines, LOL!
ReplyDeleteKeep us posted on your gardening. I hope you inspired lots of folks with your speech last night! I'm going to email you our front garden plan later today because I'd like your feedback.
I'm looking forward to seeing how well your pot culture turns out. I have started sweet potatoes in pots and I'm discovering that there are some silver metallic colored bugs making holes in the leaves. They are shaped like Lady Bugs. I'm planning in planting them in the ground as soon as the temperature is warm during the nights as they don't tolerate any cold.
ReplyDeleteI've planted my potatoes at the farm last week but haven't gone to see if they are poking out yet.
Hugs, Julia
I hope your potatoes do well growing in the pots, Carla. I was just telling my son yesterday how much I love potatoes. They are a main source of food, and are filling as well. You are so good at gardening, Carla. I wish you were here to plant a rose bush outside. I look forward to seeing how your potatoes do, my friend. : )
ReplyDelete~Sheri
Those baskets sound interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing your garden grow. Thank you for the information on growing potatoes. Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteI've heard that potatoes do really well in bags! I've never tried it, but have given a bit of thought to it. I will be interested to hear how you think your harvest goes. I know dumping out the bag of potatoes will be easier than digging for them, ha! I hope you are doing well, and enjoying a lovely weekend :)
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing them grow :)
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Excited for updates on how your containers do!
ReplyDeleteI'm always so impressed with your green thumbs. Looking forward to following the speedy spuds.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
I never knew you could grow potatoes in pots, but just read your other post and see you got a nice harvest. That's so impressive, and goo to know.
ReplyDelete