When it comes to growing potatoes at home, containers are the best choice. I have many containers or pots on my balconies where I grow tomatoes, coriander, leafy greens, radishes, etc.
If you are living in a cozy apartment with a small balcony or patio, or you have a small space in your backyard, I suggest you do container gardening to grow potatoes easily.
Yeah, that’s true. You can grow potatoes in containers with very little effort. That’s why I’m telling you everything in this article step by step. The process of growing potatoes, caring for them, troubleshooting problems, and many other things.
Best Container for Growing Potatoes
To grow potatoes in a container, you have to decide two things. The first is the material, and the second is the size.
If we talk about the size, then you will need at least a 12-inch deep container, which is 14 to 16 inches wide. And that’s the minimum size. You can also increase your container size depending on your needs, but that’s what I personally recommend. The 12 inches deep and 14 to 16 inches wider container will provide enough room for potatoes to develop their tubers and root system.
Now you know how big a container is enough for growing potatoes. Now you have to decide on the container material.
So, there are basically four types of containers you can consider going with. However, they all have different pros and cons. You can choose from the following container options:
- Plastic containers: They are lightweight, affordable, and durable. However, they can trap heat and moisture.
- Grow bags: They are fabric containers, which I also have. And they are excellent for air circulation and drainage, plus they are reusable. And a great option for saving space.
- Terracotta pots: They are aesthetically beautiful and breathable. However, the problem with them is that they can be fragile and prone to cracking because they are made of clay.
- Wooden containers, like cedar or Oak, are also good, especially for drainage and insulation. But they are a little expensive, especially if we compare them with plastic containers. They require maintenance over time.
As I have said before, too, I have growbags or fabric containers. But I am also using a bucket on my balcony, which I had in my home. It is made of plastic, and I made little holes at the bottom to let excess water out.
It is my first choice to use what I already have in my home rather than buying from outside. So you can do that too. If you don’t have extra material that you don’t use (Like I’ve bucketed it), then you can go with any other container material, as I have mentioned.
Best potato varieties for container
There are many different types of potato varieties that you can choose from. For example:
For early-season potatoes, you can choose varieties like Yukon, Gold, and Red Pontiac. Because they are high-yield and compact varieties, they mature very quickly. That’s why it is one of the good choices for containers. And you can harvest them in 90-100 days.
For mid-season potatoes, you can consider going with fingerling varieties. They are finger-shaped. They grow well in containers. So, you can choose varieties like Russian Banana and French Fingerling.
For late-season potatoes, you can choose potato varieties like All Blue or Purple Viking. They are richly colored varieties, but they will take a little more time than mid-season and early-season potato varieties.
I personally have a Yukon Gold variety in my home, which I am growing on my balcony. And they mature in 70 to 90 days. Sometimes, it can even take 100 days, but it all depends on the condition, fertilization, etc. So, you can grow it anywhere in 100 days. Also, they are high-yield potatoes with good texture.
Step-by-step guide to growing potatoes in a container
Now you know the container size, what container material you should choose, and the variety you want to grow. Now, it’s time to understand the step-by-step process of growing potatoes in containers.
Step 1: Preparing the seed
The first and foremost step to grow potatoes is to “Chit” your seed potatoes. This means you have to allow your potato to sprout slowly.
To sprout or chitt your potato, you can set them in a cool, well-lit spot for 2-4 weeks before planting, after that your potato seeds will be ready to sow.
Soil is the most essential thing that you want to focus on when growing any vegetables. So, for potatoes, you will need a well-draining soil mix.
You can look for a blend of compost, peat moss, and a little sand or perlite. This type of soil is suitable for drainage. Plus, it will also provide nutrients and aeration to your potato plants.
Step 2: Planting potatoes in containers
Now, the second step is to place the chitted seed potatoes, which look like sprouted potatoes, at least 12 inches apart and a minimum of 6 inches deeper in your container.
After that, you have to cover these chitted potato seeds with soil. And once the plant grows, you can hill up and add more soil around the seed. By doing so, the plant can develop tubers.
Step 3. Provide water to your potatoes
Potatoes need continuous moisture to grow properly. So you can provide water to your plant about 1 to 2 inches every week. However, water frequency also depends on your region’s weather conditions. So I suggest you check the soil before giving water.
You want to make sure that the soil is never completely dried out. But also it is not waterlogged. After 70 days, the minimum time is when your plant is almost ready to harvest. Then, you can gradually stop giving water to set the skin.
Step 4: Hailing and adding soil
Hailing or building up soil around the base of your potatoes plant is a really important technique for container-grown potatoes.
So when the plant is growing, and you’re able to see stems and some leaves, you want to add a little more soil mix to the container. Lower the stem and leaves.
Because you never want to expose your potatoes to sunlight; it can cause them to turn green and become inedible.
Step 5: Choosing the Best Fertilizer for Potatoes in Containers
Potatoes are really hungry, and they need to be fed with fertilizer. So, you can provide balanced and nutrient-rich fertilizer.
Now you can choose organic, like compost tea or cornmeal, or you can choose chemical-based options that are specially formulated for vegetables. You can apply fertilizer every 4 to 6 weeks to keep your potato plant thriving.
Step 6: When and how to harvest potatoes from containers?
Well, it depends on the variety and growing conditions. In some cases, you can harvest in a minimum of 70 days, sometimes 90 days, and sometimes it can even take 120 days. So, It all depends on variety and conditions.
However, there are some signs which can give you an idea that your potatoes are ready to harvest.
For example, you can watch for the flower, then wait a couple of weeks, and after that, you can dig the soil and check if the potato tubers are mature.
Besides this, If you see your plant’s top 1 or 2 inches start dying back, then it’s a sign your potato is ready to harvest. Now, you can remove the plant from the container.
Common problems growing potatoes in containers
No matter what vegetables you grow, you’ll face problems. Here are some issues and solutions that people face while growing potatoes.
Overwatering
It is one of the most common problems in growing potatoes. Because of that, tuber rot and other diseases can occur.
Other symptoms that you will see in potatoes plants if you are providing too much water is that plants will start turning yellow or wilting leaves.
Besides this, you will also see that the stem of your plant is a little soft or mushy.
The process to tackle this problem is simple. Just don’t provide too much water until the soil is not getting dry.
Also, don’t let the soil dry completely. You just want to avoid providing too much water. Make sure there are holes in your container to escape excessive water.
Pests
Potatoes can also be affected by pests like Aphids, Colorado potato beetles, potato leafhoppers, etc.
If you want to control them organically, you can try handpicking them off, or you can also use insecticidal soap. Besides this, you can also introduce insects, like ladybugs, who actually eat pests present on the plant.
Moreover, you should focus on maintaining good air circulation around your plant.
Disease
Disease like potato blight is another problem that you can face, especially in wet conditions. So you must prevent blight.
So, the first way to stop blight is to choose disease-resistant potato varieties like Yukon Gold.
After that, you should avoid overhead watering. Plus, you want to focus on good sanitation. You can remove any infected leaves, like the one that is dying before the maturity period.
Slow growth
If you see your potatoes are not growing properly even if it’s been 70 to 90 days, then in that case the slow growth reason would be a lack of direct sunlight, nutrient deficiency in the soil, or a problem with soil mixes.
So, first of all, if you want to add fertilizer to the soil, you can choose organic or specially formulated vegetables.
Besides this, you want to provide at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day. If you want only one thing, your potatoes will grow. Don’t worry.
Frequently asked questions about growing potatoes in containers
Here are some very important questions that people ask when they try to grow potatoes in a container or small space.
How many potatoes can I plant in a container?
How many potatoes you can plant in a container depends on the size. Generally, you can have one potato seed per 3 gallons of container space.
For example, if you have a 10-gallon container, you can grow three potato seeds in it. If you have a 15-gallon container, you can grow around five potato potato seeds in it.
How deep should you plant potatoes in a container?
Well, you can generally plant 4-6 inches deeper, and when the plant starts growing about 6-8 inches tall, you want to add more soil because you should never expose your plant to the sunlight. It can cause some problems like it becoming greenish and not tasting good.
That’s why it should be deep enough that it is not getting exposed to direct sunlight.
When to stop watering potatoes in containers?
You can stop watering potatoes around 1 or 2 weeks before you want to harvest them. For example, you want to harvest around 90 days later.
So after 70 days, you should not provide water. It’ll help the foliage start to die back, and the skin gets toughened up.
Can I grow potatoes in containers indoors?
Yes, you can grow potatoes indoors using a container. You just have to provide proper light, at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight. For that, you can place your container near a sunny window. Besides this, you can also grow lights.
What is the best soil for growing potatoes in a container?
The best soil is a loose, well-draining mix. The soil needs to be a combination of some compost, potting soil, perlite, or sand. Besides this, you want to make sure soil is rich in organic matter and allows good air circulation.
How do we maximize yield?
You can use large containers of around 10 to 15 gallons in size. Besides this, you want to do proper hailing. When your plant grows, you want to add more solid or compost around the stem to “Hill” them. Doing so will encourage more tuber formation and protect your plant from direct sunlight.
Do I need to chitt (pre-sprout) potatoes before planting them in a container?
Actually, “chitting” or pre-sprouting your potato is not very important. But it is good to give them a head start.
I also do pre-sprouting when I grow potatoes on my balcony. To sprout your potatoes, you can put them in a cool, wet area for a few weeks until they develop small shoots.
What is the best companion plant to grow alongside potatoes in a container?
If you want to have a companion plant with your potato, you can consider going with beans, marigolds, basil, etc. Beans can provide nitrogen in the soil, while marigolds can keep pests away.
On the other hand, basil can add some extra flavor and also can fight pests, just like marigolds.
However, if you want to keep your potatoes away from tomatoes, peppers, etc.
Should I rotate the container each year?
Changing containers or replacing soil each year is not necessarily important. However, by doing so, you can reduce the risk of soil-borne diseases and pests.
