How To Grow Potatoes, It's Easy! πŸ₯”πŸ₯”πŸ₯”πŸ₯”


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June 3, 2025

Time for Q&A
​HOW TO GROW POTATOES

QUESTIONS??

If you have a burning gardening question, or a topic you'd like for me to write about then email me at jangardener@gardenease.org

I'll do my best to find answers for you!

Hi Reader!

This week I got a question on how to grow potatoes in containers so I thought I'd write about it.

Why does growing potatoes seem like something everyone should know how to do? Maybe because it's a staple food, like rice. Most of us will never grow rice but growing potatoes is easy. Let's investigate!

In this edition:

  • Recent Potato History
  • Why grow potatoes
  • Grow potatoes in containers
  • Potato varieties

Education:

Apparently, the humble potato has a very long history going back to several million years, so it's said. Here, I am only interested in the recent history of the potato; it's journey in America and Europe.

Here is a summary of the potato's history if you are interested:

πŸ₯”πŸ₯”The History of Potatoes πŸ₯” πŸ₯”

Why Grow Potatoes??

Like I mentioned previously, I wanted to grow potatoes for two reasons, first to simply learn the process and, second, because it's a staple food. There are other good reasons too:

  1. You don't need special and/or expensive seed potatoes to start growing your own. You can buy a bag of your favorite variety from the grocers, cut them up and plant them.
  2. They are a good 'survival' food. They are high in calories and it will only take a couple to fill you up and keep you going.
  3. They are very easy to store in multiple ways... freeze, dehydrate, can, or store in root cellar.

​

Application:

So, how do you get these potatoes growing.

I've seen multiple YouTube videos on the various ways to grow potatoes. Since I have a smaller sized garden growing them in containers is ideal. I've seen people grow them in cardboard boxes, laundry baskets, grow bags, 5-gallon buckets, even in a pile of straw/hay!

Potatoes don't seem to care! I've even seen people leave them in the ground overwinter and dig them out as needed, even in Canada!

GROW POTATOES IN CONTAINERS:

I grow potatoes in 10 gallon grow bags. You can use any container though; cardboard, plastic container, laundry basket, etc. Here's how.

  1. Gather your potatoes.
  2. If it's a good size potato then cut it into chunks with each piece having a potato eye or two on it.
  3. Let the chunks sit on the counter a day or two so the cut sides heal over a bit and reduce the chance of rotting in the soil.
  4. Grab your container and place 3 to 4 inches of soil in the bottom. Mix in a balanced fertilizer that is high in potassium and phosphorus.
  5. Place the cut pieces of potato in the soil covering the surface, then cover the potatoes with more soil to cover them up.
  6. Water thoroughly.
  7. Over the next few days you will start to see green leaves poke through the soil. When you do, cover the leaves again.
  8. You will do this until you get to the top of the container, then stop and continue watering as needed.
  9. Hit it with a bit more fertilizer a few times during the process.

It's that simple using a container! CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW BY HOMESTEAD HEART for details.

As the plant develops you will see lots of greenery, and then you'll see beautiful purple flowers.

When the green leaves and the flowers turn yellow and die then it's time to flip the container and pull out your new potatoes.

My mature potato plant:

​

It seems like a lot to do for such a small harvest but it as plenty for me. If you have a larger bag or decide to plant in a larger container to get more. These were some of the best mashed potatoes and French fries ever. Try it!

Here is a video on how to grow potatoes in a Laundry Basket.

Another video on how to grow potatoes in a cardboard box.

...and... another in boxes by Homestead Heart (love their videos). Also, what when they harvested them! Nice results!

​

πŸ₯”3 Mistakes to avoid so you get large potatoes, if that's your goal!πŸ₯”

​

Selection:

Potatoes, like corn, come in a lot of varieties. Like I said, you can use any potato you get from your local grocer.

The chart below shows the main types of potatoes and what they are best used for:

FACTS:

Interesting potato facts.

I was walking through the grocery store once and noticed that the potatoes looked green. I didn't learn until recently that a greenish looking potato (not due to St. Patrick's Day) could be a sign that it is toxic at the most or cause digestive issues at the least.

What causes green potatoes?

Read more here to find out:

πŸ₯”GREEN POTATOES: HARMLESS? OR POISONOUS? πŸ₯”

πŸ₯” πŸ₯”πŸ₯” πŸ₯”πŸ₯” πŸ₯”πŸ₯” πŸ₯”πŸ₯” πŸ₯”

QUESTIONS??

If you have a burning gardening question, or a topic you'd like for me to write about then email me at jangardener@gardenease.org


That's all I have for this edition. Feel free to write me at jangardener@gardenease.org if you have any questions or comments.

Forward this newsletter to anyone you think would be interested in gardening information and to SUBSCRIBE HERE.

I'll see you in the next edition!

JanπŸ€—


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Each week I share tips on how to grow, maintain, protect and eat from your garden. I'm an artist, writer, and vegetable gardening enthusiast.

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