Growing Potatoes in Containers
Choose the right potato variety for your garden. Select varieties that will mature at different times to ensure a harvest all season long. Look at their culinary uses (some are better for baking, others for mashing or frying), and if you are planning to store them, source out long-keeping varieties. Potatoes can be planted from mid-March to late May; any later and they may not mature on time. Though any variety can be grown in containers, Earth Apples carries a wonderful assortment.
- Choose your container. The container should be a minimum size of 18” (45 cm) wide and deep and have sufficient drainage.
- Fill bottom of container with 4” (10 cm) of container soil mix (avoid compost or ‘rich’ soil additives, these can cause potato scab).
- Add tubers (use 3-4 tubers per 18” (45 cm) wide pot). • The tuber may be planted whole or cut into egg-size pieces. When cutting, ensure that an “eye” remains with each piece, and allow cuts to heal for two days before planting.
- Cover with 3” (7.5 cm) of soil. Water and place in a full sun location.
- Check containers daily for moisture, especially on hot, dry days. Allow soil to dry between watering, but when in bloom, plants will appreciate a consistent source of moisture to avoid scabby tubers.
- Hill plants – when tuber sprouts are 8” (20 cm) high, bury the sprouts in container soil mix, leaving the top 2” (5 cm) exposed. This will prevent light from reaching the tubers and stop them from turning green. Allow plants to grow to top of container before filling up container with soil.
- In early fall when foliage turns yellow, cut off foliage and allow your potatoes to sit for three days without water. Then gently dump out the container contents and harvest.
- Store your potatoes in a cool, dry environment with little light. Do not store damaged, scabby or blemished potatoes; one bad potato could spoil the bunch.