How to Grow Potatoes in a Planter On Your Patio or Yard

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By mommyhen42
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several large planters along a walkway that will be used to grow potatoes

Growing potatoes in a planter on your porch, patio or yard is easy. Every potato you grow is one less you have to buy. It is surprisingly easy to grow 5 lbs or more in one container!!!
With this method you are also recycling, no fertilizers are needed, the organic material in the planter breaks down to feed the plants and when you are done you have a wonderful rich potting mix and lots of potatoes!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

large planter or pot to grow your potatoes in
grass clippings or hay
shredded paper
1 bag of potting mix
(optional)1 bag of aged steer stuff (they censored the Man___ word) from your local home improvement and garden center. I used aged Rabbit stuff (Man___)
seed potatoes or potatoes with eyes
(Optional) small container or red wiggler earthworms.

Step 1

First obtain your planters and decide where you are going to put them. Place them where they will stay and gather your materials. Put on your garden gloves to protect your hands from the gardening soils that may contain dangerous bacteria. If planters are going to be on a raised deck or patio you may want to obtain some local earthworms to get and keep the composting process going.
Step 2

feed sack in botton of planter

Place a layer of newspaper or part of a feed sack into the pot to cover the drainage holes. This will hold in moisture in the beginning and invite the earthworms that are a vital part of the composting process that will be going on inside the planter to feed your potatoes.
Step 3

first layer of straw placed into planter

place a layer of grass or hay into the bottom of the planter mash it down well.
Step 4

planter with both potting mix and aged Manure

add a layer of potting mix or aged steer Manure or aged rabbit or horse Manure over the layer of straw. If it is dry, you can use the hose to dampen it a bit with water.
Step 5

Isn't that colorful... LOL all that junk mail finally going to a good use!

The next layer will be shredded paper products, use anything... Junk mail is my personal favorite but you can use any shredded paper products. So called "Slicks" are the shiny paper inserts that come with the junk papers in the mail they decompose more slowly than say newspaper or office paper but any paper will do. I shred everything, paper plates, napkins, newspaper, mail you name it all that goes into my planters or worm bins.
Step 6

Place a layer of dirt over your shredded paper, then
add your seed potatoes to this layer and cover with more dirt.

Seed potatoes are any potato that is capable of growing sprouts known as eyes. You can cut your seed potatoes into sections that each have at least one eye or plant them whole. If you cut your potatoes let them dry out a bit before putting them into the planter.
Step 7

finished planter. As the earthworms work the organics you can add more layers to keep the planter full.

Once potatoes are placed you then alternate layers just like above until the planter is filled to within 2 inches of the top rim. Water thoroughly.
If you are adding earthworms you can do so at this time. If the planter is on the ground earthworms will find the wonderful organic goodies you left in there for them to eat. They eat decaying plant matter so they wont hurt your seed potatoes.
Step 8

It doesn't matter what time of year you set up your planter the potatoes will begin growing long before the plants poke their green tops our of the soil. The actual real growing wont happen till the soil warms in the spring.
Since we are using organic compounds that will break down into wonderfully rich soil you will notice the level in your planter decrease, simply add more layers even if the plants are sprouting and growing.
Step 9

In the fall once the plants have died back to dried brown stalks you simply dump the pot contents and scoop out your potatoes...
Every potato you grow is one less you have to buy for your family and you can rest easy knowing that they were organically grown without any chemicals or pesticides.

Comments

oxymora said

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on 9/9/2009 Of all the things I grown in containers, I've never thought about doing potatoes. Thanks for the instructions, it's something I will try.

alcookie12 said

on 6/23/2009 Never thought it could be so easy to grow potatoes. Great way to recycle as well.

mrhaslam said

on 6/21/2009 I believe that this is good information. We are in a time now where we don't know what is in the food that we buy out of the grocery stores.