For most people, nothing beats the taste and satisfaction of their own garden crops. In the past, many gardeners have been put off growing their own potatoes because of the space - and the heavy work - involved. Nowadays, a bag of multi-purpose compost, a few seed potatoes and a barrel or bag are all you need to enjoy a crop of delicious home grown potatoes at any time of year from even the smallest garden with very little work. With a bit of ingenuity you can even have your own new potatoes at Christmas.
Choosing a Container
There are a number of purpose designed potato bags or barrels on the market, some simple and functional like those from Haxnicks while others have access flaps or doors for easy harvesting. There are also ornamental models like the Victorian Potato Tub from companies like Primrose London, and many garden centres, if you want something that will look smart on the patio.
But you don’t have to have a specially designed one. Any free standing wooden or plastic container or bag about 18-24 inches across and 30-36 inches high will do. However, cut or drill a few holes around the bottom to make sure you get good drainage.
Normal grow bags aren’t really suitable as they’re too shallow.
Seed Potatoes
- It’s possible to use ordinary greengrocers’ or supermarket potatoes, but specially grown seed potatoes will give the best results and a choice of varieties.
- If you’re only growing one or two crops a year, it’s best to concentrate on "new" or early potato varieties.
- Small plump tubers with one or two “eyes” or buds are best. Slice any larger ones in two with a sharp knife, and dust the cut face with sulphur powder.
- “Chit” them straight away, by setting them out in an old egg tray, “rose” side up (that’s the end with most buds), and putting them in a cool but frost-free, light room (but not in direct sunlight) to sprout.
- On early varieties rub off all but the two or three best sprouts on each tuber as soon as they appear.
Planting and Cultivation
- From March onwards (or February if you have a cool greenhouse), put 6 inches of compost in the bottom of the barrel or bag.
- For a bumper crop, mix a little high potash fertiliser in with the compost.
- Set 3-5 tubers on top of the compost,shoots upwards.
- Cover with another 4-6 inches of compost, and water.
- Keep the compost moist at all times, but don’t overwater.
- After 2 or 3 weeks the shoots will appear through the compost. When they’re about 5-6 inches high add another layer of compost so that just the tips are showing.
- Keep adding layers of compost until you almost fill the bag.
- After about 10 weeks for early varieties, or when the first flowers appear, your potatoes should be ready for harvesting. Carefully dig away a bit of soil to check.
- Having lifted your crop, you can grow another crop, such as salads, in the bag in the same compost, or use the compost as a garden mulch.
- Don’t reuse the compost for another potato crop, and before using the container for more potatoes disinfect with something like Jeyes fluid to prevent disease.
If you plant up several different bags in succession, moving them into a cool greenhouse before the first frost, you can harvest your potatoes for most of the year. In fact you can even have your own Christmas potatoes.
Alternatively, if you want to produce even more potatoes, why not grow them in a raised bed, or in the open ground under plastic, bot of which are easier than the traditional method.
Tony Allen - In 2004 I began my "fourth career" as a freelance writer. In my first career, after training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, I ...
