You Say Potato, I Say Container

Here's something that sounds so fun and easy, I'm going to have my four-year-old try it this summer:

Grow fancy fingerling potatoes!

 

In a bucket!

Or a bag!

Or I could build a "potato condo," but I'm not going to call it that!









Here's the simplest way possible to grow yourself some:

• Go to the grocery store or farmer's market and buy some organic fingerling potatoes.
• Leave a few of them in a cool, dark place for a few weeks.
• When they start to bud, cut them into pieces so that each piece has 1-2 buds.  Let them sit out for a few days until the cut ends are dry and discolored.
• Find a container (see details below).
• Put a few inches of soil into the container and add the potato pieces, bud side up.  Cover with another inch of soil, water thoroughly, and place in a sunny location.
• When the stems are 6-8 inches long, add more soil so that just the leaves are visible.  Repeat as the plants continue to grow.

Supposedly, potatoes will just keep growing up the roots, so that when you finally harvest them, you'll have a whole row of potatoes attached to each leafy stem.  The idea behind the potato condo is, you can remove a slat from the bottom and harvest the oldest potatoes as you need them.  Kind of genius, but I'll stick with a more simple container this first year.

About the container:

You want something with really good drainage.  Potatoes like to stay damp, but not wet.  When you water, you want to make sure you really soak them, but if they sit in water they'll rot.  So, every extra drop needs to find a way out.  If you have to make your own drainage (as with a bucket), simply drill or puncture some holes in the bottom of the container.  Next add a layer or two of rocks, styrofoam packaging material, or broken terra cotta, and then soil.  Ideally you'll use potting soil mixed with a little organic manure, compost, or vermiculture, but take your dirt where you can get it.  They like full sun, but if your container is dark in color you might end up overheating them.  The bigger the container, the better.  A lot of people use burlap bags, garbage cans, buckets, plastic storage containers, big flower pots, or garbage bags.  If you can, keep the container up off the ground by setting it on some bricks.

I saw of few of these wooden bushels at the thrift store the last time I was there.  I wanted to buy them, but didn't think I had any use for them.  I think they'd be just perfect for containing my potato garden!  I'll have to go back and see if they're still there. 

You can harvest the potatoes when the soil finally reaches the top of the container, or once the season draws to a close.  Just tip the container over and your whole crop will tumble out at your feet!