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How to Grow Potatoes in a Trash Bag
comments (18) March 17th, 2012
I’d been gardening for many years before I tried growing potatoes because I didn't have space in my garden. But even if you’re short of garden space, you can grow potatoes by planting in a container like a 30-gallon trash bag. I’ve also seen potatoes grown in burlap bags, bushel baskets, and even a pair of old jeans.
Here's how to get started:
Plan on planting potatoes about 2-3 weeks before the last spring frost in your area.
To plant a potato crop you’ll need a 30-gallon trash bag; a loose soil mix like compost and potting soil; seed potatoes or store-bought organic potatoes.
- Prepare potatoes by letting them sprout several days before planting. Cut large seed potatoes into smaller pieces that have several sprouts in each piece.
- Place the trash bag in a sunny place in your garden, patio or other growing spot.
- Roll down the sides of the trash bag.
- Cut holes in the bottom of the bag for drainage.
- Fill the bottom of the bag with soil mix.
- Plant potatoes about 2-3” deep in little hills with sprouts facing up.
- Cover potatoes with soil mix and water.
- Mulch with dry leaves or straw.
- Keep plants watered, but not wet.
- When the leafy shoots are about 6-7” tall, roll the trash bag up a bit and add soil mix to cover all but the top few leaves.
- As the plants grow, repeat this process, keeping the potatoes buried and mulched; keep soil watered, but not soggy.
- When the leaves on the plants turn yellow and the foliage starts to dry, stop watering so the potato skins can dry.
- To harvest potatoes, carefully cut the side of the trash bag and remove potatoes.
posted in: potatoes
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Comments (18)
Posted: 10:48 pm on May 22nd
I still sometimes use sprouted food potatoes, but in pots or bags--and then I dump that particular soil in the flower beds, not the veggie garden.
Posted: 2:55 pm on May 22nd
• Potatoes are heavy feeders, so you really need at least EIGHT inches of soil in the bag before you cover your seed potatoes with two or three more inches of soil.
• Yes, compost with worms makes a great mix to add or use for these potatoes.
• Most potatoes, in a temperate climate, form the majority of their crop just barely above the seed potato. That business of rolling the bag up and up and up turned out to be nonsense for me.
• No, do NOT crowd the seed potatoes in the bags. Ten is ludicrous (sorry). I put only one in my re-cycled dog food and chicken feed bags (20-30 lbs). Even putting two in cut my yield size to teensy little marble-sized potatoes. For your 30-gallon bags, I'd say your maximum seed potatoes should be TWO, not TEN.
Happy potato growing!
Posted: 2:52 pm on May 22nd
Posted: 5:09 am on March 23rd
Posted: 4:45 pm on March 15th
Posted: 10:44 pm on January 7th
Posted: 7:23 pm on April 20th
Posted: 12:38 am on April 11th
Posted: 5:21 pm on March 26th
Posted: 9:56 am on March 22nd
Sorry to hear you're feeling frustrated...I hope this information will help. In the Potato Growers guide from the Potato Garden, the recommendation is to "plant strong seed pieces 6 to 8 inches apart." Just open a trash bag and do a rough measure for the number of seed potatoes--maybe 10 or so? I don't think it will be a problem if they're a little crowded. In fact, you may get a larger yield.
Good luck--and please keep us updated through the season.
Posted: 9:53 am on March 21st
Posted: 3:10 am on March 21st
Frustrated grower in NC,
GrowMoore
Posted: 5:31 pm on March 20th
Why not try growing sweet potatoes in a trash bag as a gardening experiment and let us know how it grows!
Posted: 5:51 pm on March 18th
Posted: 5:43 pm on March 18th
Posted: 12:32 pm on March 18th
Posted: 11:45 am on March 18th
Posted: 9:18 am on March 18th
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