Yesterday I planted my "bag potatoes." Yes, potatoes can be grown in bags! In fact it is so much easier to grow potatoes in bags than in the ground. Instead of having to dig them up at the end of the season and risk damaging them with the shovel, you simply dump the bag and pick up the potatoes. It is so easy! Lets go through this method step by step.
Step 1 - Prepare Your Potatoes
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Take about 4 potatoes (more if you plant to plant more than 3 bags) and place them in a warm, dry place like on top of your refrigerator. When they start to sprout, about a week, cut the eyes off, leaving a generous portion of the potato attached to it. Spread the potatoes out on a tray and let them dry for two days, until the cut portions are dry.
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Step 2 - Get One or More Bags
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Dirt Pot
You can use many different kinds of bags. Personally I prefer to use a bag made especially for this purpose. They are relatively inexpensive, around $8, and work great. They are light and drain well and have handles, which make moving it easier. I have had mine for three years and they are still in great shape. |
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Plain Canvas Tote
Any inexpensive canvas tote works perfectly well for this purpose. However it if has a plastic lining, you should cut drain holes in the walls and bottom, or better yet, remove it completely. I would recommend a dark color, as the soil will stain a light color over time. |
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I prefer fabric or canvas bags since they breathe and drain well. They also are reusable season after season if you empty and wash them at the end of the season and hang them up for the winter.
In a pinch you can use a plastic bag, but make sure that it is fairly thick and can take the weight of the dirt without ripping. Make sure to punch many holes in it for drainage.
In a pinch you can use a plastic bag, but make sure that it is fairly thick and can take the weight of the dirt without ripping. Make sure to punch many holes in it for drainage.
Step 3 - Fold Down the Sides and Add Soil
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Fold the sides of your bag down as low as you can. Place about 4 inches of dirt in the bottom and smooth it down flat. |
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Step 4 - Place Potatoes
Place the potatoes, sprout side up on the soil and press down. Cover them with about 3 inches of dirt, mounding around each one and pat down gently. Water thoroughly.
Step 5 - Adding Dirt As They Grow
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When the sprouts come up, about 4 to 6 inches, add another 3 inches of dirt, mounding it up around each plant, up to the bottom leaves. Then when your plants grow another 4 to 5 inches, add another 3 or more inches of dirt, mounding it up to the bottom leaves of each plant.
Keep doing this as the plants grow, until your bag is completely unrolled and filled to the top with dirt. |
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Step 6 - Harvest Time
When the leaves on your plants start to turn yellow and die, it is time to harvest! I take my bags and turn them upside down in a wheel barrow. Shake until the bag is empty, and sift through the soil to find your prizes! Trust me, you will find more potatoes than you will believe!
After emptying my bags, I turn them inside out and spray them clean with a hose. I leave them inside out and hang them on nails in the garage, clean and ready for next year. Potatoes mature in a little over 2 months, give or take a week, so you can make a second planting, if your growing season is long enough.
After emptying my bags, I turn them inside out and spray them clean with a hose. I leave them inside out and hang them on nails in the garage, clean and ready for next year. Potatoes mature in a little over 2 months, give or take a week, so you can make a second planting, if your growing season is long enough.
I hope that you will try this method of growing potatoes. It is great for balcony or rooftop gardening, if you live in an urban environment and also for suburban gardens whose soil is not soft enough to grow root crops.
I wish you success and prolific potatoes!
Jade :)
I wish you success and prolific potatoes!
Jade :)
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