Easy Grow Potatoes In Boxes

By

blackbess

What a brilliant idea. I'm going to try this, this year. Jan UK

By

Debbie-Jenn

My mother used to do this in the ground. She had a small place on the south side of a building and that is where she kept her potaotes. Covered with a little dirt and leaves. She had "new potatoes" almost year round.

Debbie J

By

Cathy S

We did this last year and it was fun. We used storebought potatoes, cut into pieces with at least one eye each, and regular old yard dirt in an 18 by 24' box about a foot deep. The box was out in the yard in full sunlight and rain and it held up very well. We got lots of potatoes a little larger than golf balls before the kids got hasty and wanted to dig them up while they were still green. Im sure if we'd put more time and effort into it we'd have gotten a better crop for eating, but for learning purposes I considered the venture a success. Neat idea!

By

maleesh

I'm currently growing potatoes in plastic storage containers. Fill the container with about 6 inches of soil, plant spuds. Add soil as the plants grow, keeping about 6 inches of foliage above soil line. When leaves turn brown, dump over and gather up the taters. Usually you can't use store bought potatoes because they are sprayed with an inhibitor to keep them from sprouting. Try any kind of potato from a healthfood store or buy them at a nursery.

By Lynda (Guest Post)

Since my mother cooked/ ate potatoes for every single meal all of her life, i got a little tired of potatoes. However, now that research indicates they aren't so bad for us, i would love to try to grow some organic ones of my own. Here's one idea i might try that i heard about, too: instead of "regular soil", purchase the cheap bags of composted humus, and use exactly as soil. It's cheap because there's not much to it, but it does grow plants because a huge plot of raised beds were overflowing when i asked the owner/gardener what she used to plant them in, and that's what she told me. I believe i will also "amend" the soil by adding whatever potato growers recommend for
fertilizer, otherwise, i will use my bunny droppings as i have for everything else in the yard m o s t successfully.

Will all potato growers p l e a s e speak up and help us out with more information to better guide us instead of having to filter through all the hit/miss internet info?
Often i have found information there to be incorrect.

I'd like to buy several varities of potato to grow, when i have any extra money. It makes sense to me that those several that are from idaho, colorado, and cooler climates
must be something required for best potatoes.

In west Texas, where my friend lived, the small red "new"
potatoes have been growing for years in their "transitional" soil of part black clay, sandy loam, and enriched by landscaper's mix. Anyone have more info about soils for Texas? Ireland is mostly wet with lots of peat moss bogs. Does it take a lot of water to grow potatoes? Is there a lot of leaf growth and root system?

By (Guest Post)

I have done this with big pots. Be sure to mound the dirt around the tops as they grow (for more potatoes). I usually put a potato with at least two or three eyes (I have even cut a sprouted potato from the store)on a few inches of soil, cover, and wait for it to grow. as it grows cover with more soil until it reaches the top. I also have read that you can just cover it with straw....haven't tried that. I like the fact you can just dump them out without damaging them with the shovel! If anyone is interested, do a google search on growing potatoes and you will get lots of interesting links. This is a fun project to do with kids!

By Mamajude (Guest Post)

This sounds interesting. I think, if I were going to grow potatoes in boxes, I would take big black garbage bags, cut them at the side seams and duct tape them to the box, making sure there were holes in the bottom for drainage. Make sure you have enough soil that, when the plants start growing, you can add more soil to them.

By Cariboo Lady. (Guest Post)

Have you tried old tires. Start with one tire fill with soil place potato in. Depending how big the tire you can plant a few more. Water and take care of the weeds as you see the leaves stack another tire on top. repeat with soil and water. Maybe about 3 or 4 tires high. Support with an old broom or hockey stick to keep tires in place if needed. When ready to harvest remove tires and reap the potatoes that have grown. Takes up little space.

By lindacamello (Guest Post)

Won't the boxes become soggy and collapse with all the dirt and taters growing in them, especially after it rains? Please answer...thanks!

By Deb (Guest Post)

Awesome now to find some seedling potatoes. Thanks for the tip I bet that would work for watermelon and just about anything else.

By Paula Jo Carr Mebane, NC (Guest Post)

I would love to know just how many "eye's" can be planted? I would love to do this but am unsure of how many to plant PLUS isn't it too late in the season to plant potatoes OR can they be planted all throughout the year (weather permitting?)

I will be anxiously waited to hear from you on this. HOW EXCITING even us city slickers that rent our homes can plant potatoes!

By

micksgirl

how many can you plant in one box?