This post may seem pretty self-explanatory – but every time I google “growing potatoes in a container” I feel like I get a bunch of options to buy expensive bags or “DIY potato boxes with windows” or even some regular overpriced pot that has the keyword potato in the title.
So even if you already know this, I want to make more available resources on how to make a cheap garden.
What you need
- Well-draining soil
- 5-Gallon buckets
- Drill + bit
- Sprouted potatoes
Using potting mix or a sandy soil is best for potatoes, so they don’t start to rot. Potatoes are “tubers“, which basically means they grow off the roots of the potato plants. Since they are underground, making sure they aren’t constantly soaked is always good.
Also, sprouted potatoes are easy to come by! Store-bought potatoes left in the pantry too long, will start to grow “eyes”. That is your potato sprouting and they can be used to grow a potato plant.
How-to
When to plant potatoes: 2-4 weeks before your last frost, in spring. I live in Maine, so I planted mine in the end of April.
- Drill enough holes into the bottom of your 5-gallon bucket that you will have the best drainage.
- I used a 1/2″ spade drill bit to make approximately 6-10 holes per bucket
- Fill the bucket half way with soil, and plant your sprouted potatoes 1/2″ under the soil line
- Once your potatoes have around 6″ of green foliage popping out of the soil, fill the 5-gallon bucket up the rest of the way with soil (don’t worry they will sprout out again!)
- When your potatoes are ready to harvest, pour out the soil onto the ground and sort them out!
These potatoes were free from my pantry and I already had the 5-gallon buckets. I was able to have 12 containers of potatoes, for the cost of the soil to fill the buckets
Harvest timeline
Recently, I have started harvesting my potatoes growing in the front yard. I don’t have any good way to cure them currently, so I have been harvesting the potatoes and trying to used them that week.
You can tell when the potatoes are done, because the foliage dies back! This will take about 10-14 weeks depending on the type of potato.
My recent harvest gave me just over 1 pound of potatoes.
Follow for more gardening tips/money saving options while gardening Also, check out my garden for 2024!
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