potatoes in the garden

Becky P
by Becky P
Has anyone ever tried planting potatoes in straw or bags of potting soil? I have never tried planting them, and I don't really have room in the veg garden unless I try something space saving. I am more of a tomato, green bean, onion planter, but this year I want to try some new stuff.
  22 answers
  • 360 Sod (Donna Dixson) 360 Sod (Donna Dixson) on Jan 29, 2013
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDpSZ2UmZZw Here is a way to add potatoes without too much space. I created this youtube about a year ago.
  • Becky P Becky P on Jan 29, 2013
    thanks @360 Sod (Donna Dixson) that was interesting!
  • Amelia Amelia on Jan 29, 2013
    Thank you for the information, I purchased a bag for growing potatoes and will give this a try.
  • Shannon O- Junkflirt Shannon O- Junkflirt on Jan 29, 2013
    I too am wanting to try this- this year
  • Dick Clark IV Dick Clark IV on Jan 29, 2013
    I had great luck stacking 4-5 old tires. As I filled them with soil I added the seed potatoes. At the end of the growing season I would pull one tire over at a time and harvest my crop. I live on the coast in very northern California with max summer temps of 65-75 sand they grew great!
  • 3po3 3po3 on Jan 29, 2013
    @Dick Clark IV did you do anything to the tires to keep the chemicals in the rubber out of your food?
  • 360 Sod (Donna Dixson) 360 Sod (Donna Dixson) on Jan 30, 2013
    @ , I posted that very same question to an organic farms group yesterday So far no answers, will let you know if anyone provides any good data. They only thing so far was a post about using an old baby pool, the hard plastic kind, for growing vegetables. They apparently poked holes in the bottom of the pool for drainage.
    • See 2 previous
    • Judy Judy on May 15, 2015
      @Kathy Larsen I need to get it off the ground because it hurts to bend......
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Jan 30, 2013
    Great video, 4S.
  • Becky P Becky P on Jan 30, 2013
    ya, I was wondering the same thing about the tires. We have plenty stacked around here due to my son and his car obsession. (I personally don't think that sounds safe....tires stink!)
    • Judy Judy on May 03, 2014
      @ Tried the tire thing once. They grew fine & tasted fine but getting them out of the tires was a real stinker.
  • Mel Short Mel Short on Jan 30, 2013
    http://tipnut.com/grow-potatoes/ Grow 100 lbs. Of Potatoes In 4 Square Feet: {How To}
  • Becky P Becky P on Jan 30, 2013
    thanks @Mel Short, pallets sound good, too. I could use my compost to start out the first layer.
  • 3po3 3po3 on Jan 30, 2013
    @360 Sod (Donna Dixson) thank you. keep us posted on what you find out.
  • Dick Clark IV Dick Clark IV on Jan 30, 2013
    No. I guess if you were worried about that you could line it with a thick plastic tarp.
  • 3po3 3po3 on Jan 30, 2013
    Good point. Thanks for the reply, @Dick Clark IV
  • Jayme Jayme on Feb 11, 2013
    I experimented with growing potatoes in different containers last year. I had most of my potatoes planted in 20 gal black plastic buckets last year and I had a couple plants planted in a "growing" bag (woven, breathable fiber bag). When the season was done and it was time to harvest we found out some interesting things. The potatoes grown in the buckets we very mis-shaped and some started to rot. The potatoes grown in the bag were very nice...properly colored and shaped. The soil in the buckets was very warm and quite wet. The soil in the bag was well drained and much cooler to the touch. The other thing that we were told and also experienced...no potatoe bugs when grown above ground (as in a container).
  • Becky P Becky P on Feb 11, 2013
    good to know! can't wait for spring.
  • Ron Anderson Ron Anderson on Feb 12, 2013
    I bought me one of these bags last summer, but have not tried it yet, as I too wanted to try something new, and planted me about 10 or so potatoes in my hard. I ordered the bag later in the summer, but won't be using it until this summer. From reading up on it, it seems that it should, and would work nicely. I'll see. http://www.amazon.com/Bosmere-P575-Potato-Deck-Patio-Planter/dp/B0029SWSZG
  • Christine Z Christine Z on Feb 15, 2013
    I planted 2 different types of fingerling potatoes last year in my garden, and I was harvesting until October! They were sooo good, and took no time at all to cook. The planting area for these fingerlings was about 4' x 8' so they really didn't take up that much space in my 10' x 15' plot. Great production per plant!
  • Tudyrunningwater Tudyrunningwater on Apr 05, 2014
    can I grow sweet potatoes in containers?
  • Tudyrunningwater Tudyrunningwater on Apr 07, 2014
    Thanks Douglas Hunt, your rock .... Tudy
  • Bonnie LeBlanc Bonnie LeBlanc on Sep 30, 2015
    Don't know if you like green onions, but you'll never have to buy them again. I bought a bunch from the grocery, cut about an inch off the top. Cover the bottom roots with water and within a few days you'll have long roots. THen, plant in your garden. As they grow, they throw off an entire new plant. I planted some last year and had enough to supply the neightborhood so they could have their own plants and I still have my own plants left, too.
    • Becky P Becky P on Oct 01, 2015
      @Bonnie LeBlanc I love green onions. My husband swears by planting them sideways.....they have a longer white area than if you plant them correctly. lol
  • Linda Linda on Apr 21, 2016
    I asked an expert about planting in a bag of soil. They said it would be to wet. My friend uses an old garbage can. Put soil in, put potato starts on soil and cover with 3" of soil. When see growth put 3" soil on, and one more of this. After body browns out dump on tarp and spray with water. The balance of unused can acts as a grow house with the warmth. I'm trying it this year in a very large pot and drilled holes in sides and bottom.