5-7-2017 Potato Experiment day 1
I found a couple of small potatoes in my potato bin that had sprouted a bit. I considered putting them in the edge of the woods for the critters. Since there were only 2, I decided to try something that I wanted to try for years; growing potato plants in a bucket.According to what I’ve read, if you plant a potato in a container that you can add soil or straw around the plant as it grows taller, it might produce a bucket of potatoes. I’m using store bought garden soil because that’s what I have on hand.
These particular potatoes are regular yellow eating potatoes. I’m not sure how well they’ll grow in the buckets, but I think it may be interesting to try. (plus it’ll give me something else to blog about. 😉 )
I’m using a couple of old 5 gallon buckets that I used in years past as planters on the porch. They have holes in the bottom for drainage. I put about 5 inches of garden soil in the bottom.
I cut the part that sprouted off the potatoes.I then placed the potato pieces in the soil.
I covered them with about an inch of soil. I gave each bucket about 4 cups of water.
Now I wait.
I’ll post an update if a potato plant starts growing.
Have you ever grew potatoes by a method like this?
If so, did the potatoes grow and produce very well?
I hope you all have a lovely day!
edited in:
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I bet you will get potatoes. I have grown them in a big potato sack – basically a felt bucket. just keep adding dirt as the plants grow. and they get pretty white flowers, too. 🙂
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Thanks SalPal
I hope you’re right. I’d love to grow at least a few.
I’m not familiar with growing them in a sack. I think I’ll look that up. It sounds interesting.
I think potato flowers are charmingly beautiful. 🙂
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It’s much like a bucket, but more porous. I think I will try that again this year..
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Good idea Salpal
I hope you’ll post updates about it. 🙂
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If it is ever warm enough to plant, I will!
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Hey SalPal
I apologize for not replying sooner. I hope you’ll take pictures of your potato sack as it grows. That’s such a neat idea. 🙂
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If I get it planted, I will. We are getting close to our no more frost date… yea!
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🙂
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I would think they would grow….! It will be interesting to read your updates.
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Thanks Dianna,
I hope you’re right. It’ll be fun to see how they do. 🙂
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I have only grown them in a large potato bag too and I look forward to seeing how your potatoes will do in a bucket ☺🌱🍀
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Thanks WW
I’m not familiar with growing potatoes in a bag. It sounds interesting.
I look forward to sharing my potatoes progress with you. 🙂
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I have never grown potatoes at all. It’s one of those things I have wanted to grow but never seem to get to it for some reason. I might have to try this method, if you find it works well, since space for a garden is going to be very limited at my new home.
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Hi CW,
I enjoy growing potatoes. If we hard a place to successfully store them, we’d probably still be growing them in the garden. I’ll be glad to keep you updated on their progress.
Salpal1 and Whippetwisdom commented about growing potatoes in a sack. That may be something you might want to check on too.
I’m so happy for you and your new place. I wish you the very best. 🙂
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Yes, I will have to look into growing them in a sack! The remainder of this year will be focused on finishing the interrior work that needs done, then hopefully next year I can focus on outside stuff and get a little garden put in. I’ll need to build a little postage stamp garden. I’m looking forward to it!
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Hey CW
Having plans for next year is a good idea. A postage stamp garden can produce a lot of veggies sometimes. You have a lot of hard, but yet rewarding, work ahead of you. I wish you much success on getting your home in order. 🙂
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I have grown them before in a traditional garden and have had to battle potato beetles the whole season. Are you going to have the buckets outside at all to get sun once the plant/flowers come out?
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Hi HstoneYarnCraft,
Welcome to my blog.
I know what you mean. When we grew potatoes in the garden, fighting potato bugs was a constant battle. It’s one of the reasons that we don’t grow them anymore.
I keep the potato planters on the back porch. I don’t plan on keeping them in my house.
Thanks for visiting and leaving me a comment.
I hope you’ll visit again sometime.
🙂
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My husband likes the idea of growing a bucket of potatoes!
I always grow 5 to 10 hills in the garden. I dig my planting holes at least a foot deep. Planted that deep, I never have to hill them!
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Hi Margy
I like your method of planting potatoes, it takes a lot of the extra work out of gardening by not having to make those hills.
So far my potatoes in the buckets are doing well. My husband has been enjoying watching their progress. He looking forward to seeing how many and what size of potatoes they’ll produce. 🙂
edited: I apologize I spelled your name wrong, so I edited it to make it right. 😉
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