Anyone have any luck growing them in bags or buckets? Are there any concerns you would have verses doing them in the ground?
These are the ones I got. Thanks everyone for your help / ideas!
ps. I planted 3 bags of Norland Red if that helps.
-
from the blind
- Full Member
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 5:46 am
Any have any luck with potatoes in bags?
I would love to run long rows of potatoes as they are one of my personal favorite meals but sadly there is just not room for it.
Anyone have any luck growing them in bags or buckets? Are there any concerns you would have verses doing them in the ground?
These are the ones I got. Thanks everyone for your help / ideas!
ps. I planted 3 bags of Norland Red if that helps.
Anyone have any luck growing them in bags or buckets? Are there any concerns you would have verses doing them in the ground?
These are the ones I got. Thanks everyone for your help / ideas!
ps. I planted 3 bags of Norland Red if that helps.
-
jal_ut
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 7447
- Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:20 pm
- Location: Northern Utah Zone 5
I have never tried to grow a potato in a bag or container.
I do know that the roots of a potato will go outward in all directions up to 3 feet, and as deep as 4 feet. The roots of one plant will ramify around 20 cubic feet of soil when planted in the ground.
Now think about that many roots trying to abide in a bag?
I don't know what you think, but I am seeing a terrible handicap placed on the plant. It may be fun to try it though. Have fun.
If you have a spot of real earth even two feet square, you can devote to a potato plant, try planting one in the ground as a test too so you can see if there is a difference. Whatever you try, I recommend cutting a piece of potato with two eyes on it to plant. This usually gives several nice sized taters, where if you plant a whole potato, you end up with a lot of small potatoes, like marbles.
I do know that the roots of a potato will go outward in all directions up to 3 feet, and as deep as 4 feet. The roots of one plant will ramify around 20 cubic feet of soil when planted in the ground.
Now think about that many roots trying to abide in a bag?
I don't know what you think, but I am seeing a terrible handicap placed on the plant. It may be fun to try it though. Have fun.
If you have a spot of real earth even two feet square, you can devote to a potato plant, try planting one in the ground as a test too so you can see if there is a difference. Whatever you try, I recommend cutting a piece of potato with two eyes on it to plant. This usually gives several nice sized taters, where if you plant a whole potato, you end up with a lot of small potatoes, like marbles.
-
from the blind
- Full Member
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 5:46 am
I've grown them in bags, both construction grade trash bags and old potting mix bags (the big ones). Six or eight inches of potting mix and some holes in the bottom of the bag, and then ten inches or more of leaves in the bag instead of hilling to cover the spuds. I did it when I ran out of room and needed to grow potatoes for seed tubers. You need a soft touch with containter gardening to keep up with watering etc. I got what I needed from the bags, but it wasn't near what a plant in the garden would produce.
If you have no ground to work with, it is a way to grow potatoes, but potatoes are the world's highest yielding crop so it is more efficient to grow them in good soil in the ground. IMO.
If you have no ground to work with, it is a way to grow potatoes, but potatoes are the world's highest yielding crop so it is more efficient to grow them in good soil in the ground. IMO.