How to Grow Potatoes in Tree Buckets

Try growing potatoes in containers.

Growing potatoes in containers like tree buckets has an advantage: You don't have to dig up your entire garden bed at harvest time. Instead, you can just dump out the tree bucket and pick through the soil for your potatoes. The best part about this process is that you can use it for just about any potato variety. Plant your potatoes from mid to late summer so you can harvest in autumn.

Things You'll Need

• Drill
• Potatoes
• Potting soil
• Perlite
• Tarp

Instructions

1. Drill holes on the sides of the bucket, about 2 inches from the bottom. Make holes all around the circumference of the bucket, leaving 6 inches between each one.

2. Cut the potatoes into pieces so there are three eyes on each piece. Set the potatoes aside on a paper towel while you prepare the planting medium in the bucket.

3. Place the tree bucket in its permanent location. Choose a spot that gets about six hours of full sunlight every day. Fill the bucket with 6 inches of potting soil and perlite mixed in equal parts.

4. Plant two to four potato pieces in the bucket with the eyes facing up. Leave about 3 inches of space between each piece of potato. Pour a few inches of potting soil on top of the potato pieces. Water the bucket until the soil feels like a damp sponge.

5. Water the potato plants as necessary to keep the soil moist. When the plants reach about 3 inches in height, add enough soil to cover the foliage. Repeat this process until the container is about 3 inches from being full.

6. Harvest your potatoes in autumn, when the foliage turns brown. Overturn the bucket onto a tarp and dig through the soil to find all of the potatoes. Rinse the potatoes well and allow them to dry in indirect sunlight.

References

• The Organic Gardener: Potato Bins, Buckets and Potato Grow Bags
• Vegetable Garden Guide: How to Grow Potatoes
• Growing Potatoes: Growing Potatoes in Buckets