Planting Potatoes in Containers

There's nothing like a trip out of town to get a girl off her game.  I thought I'd never get anything done.  Between errands and laundry, I accomplished one task.  I planted some potatoes.

My potatoes grow in containers in my upper garden.  This year they are growing in old wash tubs and garbage cans.  I have an abundance of both in various states of decline, either with holes in their bottoms or missing tops.  I am hoping that they will look interesting and not too junky.

How to Grow Potatoes in a Container

Potatoes planted in an old wash tub

1. Choose a container according to potato variety. Potato size will vary with the size of the chosen container; therefore, I plant small variety potatoes, like fingerlings, in smaller containers.  This year’s fingerlings are going in old metal wash bins.  The Yukon Golds will be planted in large metal garbage cans.
2. Be sure that all containers have adequate holes for drainage.
3. Fill the bottom of the container with 1-6” of good soil, depending again on the size of the container.  The edible portion of a potato is not a root, but an enlarged stem, so what is most important is the amount of dirt ABOVE the seed potato.  Deeper containers can accommodate more growth and can afford to have a deeper base layer.
4. Space seed potatoes 8 to 12” apart
5. Cover with 4” of soil and an additional 2” of compost.
6. Water well and often.  Remember that containers dry out more quickly and require more frequent watering.
7. When the potato plants reach 6” in height, it is time to “hill” them.  Do so by carefully adding 2” of soil around the plant.  This will help lengthen the plant stem, thus making more edible portions of the plant.
8. Repeat this process until the entire container is filled to the top.
9. Small potatoes can be harvested after the plant has flowered.  Do so by reaching down into the soil and carefully pulling out the potatoes.
10. The entire crop can be harvest once the plant portion has died back.  The container can carefully be dumped and the potatoes harvested.