Growing Potatoes in Buckets

Intro: Growing Potatoes in Buckets

New, fresh potatoes is a treat. Why not grow them yourself? You don't need a whole field, just a couple of buckets.

You'll need:

2 black buckets (potatoes dislike sunlight!)

a sharp knife

a speedmarker

something to make holes in the bottom of the buckets (I used a soldering iron)

soil

potatoes

STEP 1: Preparing the Buckets

First you'll make some holes in the bottom of both buckets in order to drain the soil. It's important because potatoes can rot if there are too much water around them. Once done set one of the buckets aside. You don't need to do anything more with that bucket. This one will be the outer bucket.

STEP 2: The Inner Bucket

I divided the bucket rim in 3 parts, 120° each. Then I draw a line vertical down the bucket (a). Then I draw 2 lines parallel to the first line 5 cm (2 inch) on each side of these (b). Then I meassured 5 cm (2 inch) from the top and the bottom and made 2 lines between the b-lines. On the picture I call them c-lines. Now cut out the rectangle made from the b- and c-lines. Finally you'll have a bucket with 3 windows like the one on the third picture.

STEP 3: Planting Potatoes

Before I made the buckets I started sprouting the potatoes. First I place the inner bucket in the outer bucket. Then I fill the buckets half with soil. Now I place one potato right in front of each window half the way from the middle to the side of the bucket. Then I fill the buckets with soil, taking good care of the fragile sprouts. Finally I give the potatoes a good amount of water. The soil will pack around the potatoes, so it can be necessary to add more soil. Remember, potatoes must not get any kind of light, they'll turn green and become poisonous (produce solanine). Place the buckets in a light spot, but avoid direct sun. Give the potatoes enough water but don't let them soak.

STEP 4: Harvesting

When the potato plant begin to bloom the first harvest is ready. Remove the inner bucket from the outer bucket and take the amount of potatoes you want. Spare the soil that falls out of the bucket. When finished, place the inner bucket in the outer bucket and place the soil back on top of the surface where you took the potatoes. The soil will repack around the rest of the potatoes. It can be necessary to add more soil, avoiding sunlight to the potatoes.

You can continue harvesting potatoes from the same plants until late autumn/early winter.

Comments

[midget5656]

i would have left the flap on and that would keep more of the soil in, tip it out and put the flaps back up and you're rockin again. by the way, this works great.

[Pothuset]

I'm happy to hear it works for you. Keeping the flaps on is definitely an option, too.

[StevenK14]

In growing potatoes in buckets once they are grown do you pick the potatoes from the bottom or the top and how big do the leafy tops get should they be about the size you were showing in your pictures

[Pothuset]

It depends on the variety and climate. Start harvesting when the potatoes are in bloom. When lifting the inner bucket, just take the nearest potatoes. Remember to lay the soil back on the surface.

[Jeanettlc]

Hej
Super gode råd
Jeg vil gerne vide hvad blandings forhold du vil anbefale mig

Bruger plantemuld og hestegødning i mine kartoffel spande men ved ik om det ville være godt at blande noget fint grus i ???

Jeg har 5cm legakugler i bunden og 6cm blandings jord

Er der noget gødning eller andet du også vil anbefalede mig at bruge???

Tak for gode råd
Jeanett

[Pothuset]

Jeg bruger almindeligt jord fra plantesække og jeg bruger ikke lecanødder hos kartoflerne. Grus skader aldrig, da kartofler gerne vil have løs jord. Jeg har ingen erfaring med hestegødning, men gå lidt varsomt til værks da kartoflerne vist nok kan risikere at få noget der ligner skurv hvis der overgødes.

[Happymacer]

Woohoo, we did it! In Aus it's probably too late for growing potatoes but what the heck. How deep should we plant the potato? Thanks for the idea!

[ilostmycrayons77]

you can grow them indoors also and... the plant is pretty

[MichaelAtOz]

No, not an ideal time in Oz, if you're in a frost area keep them indoors and you may get a crop.

[Pothuset]

1/2 to 2/3 from the bottom of the bucket

[Trina RR]

What is the recommended time to wait for first harvest? 6-8 weeks??

[Pothuset]

I wait until the potato plants blossom. You can try looking after 6 weeks.

[AllanE13]

Remember you have to use food grade Buckets https://ertmania.dk/blog/207-dyrkning-af-kartofler-i-spande

[Pothuset]

Yes, if they are available in your country. But not all countries in the world have these buckets. And honestly I don't think it is that important.

[David Catriel]

Very cool instructable, and would like to try it out myself. Can you elaborate some more on the sprouting part, though? You don't say much about it. Thx.

[CarolynW2]

All you have to do is let the potatoes sit in the dark, they will sprout all by themselves... I usually just save some from the last potatoes in the store bought bag. When you go to plant, just slice the potatoes with a couple of sprouts/eyes on each piece. By the way, you can also cover over the soil with straw or newspaper as the soil compacts to keep the light away.

[AllanE13]

Repeat repeat

[Pothuset]

Well, in the late winter the potatoes I use to consume start sprouting. I take the potatoes with the most vigorous sprouts and place them in old egg punnets and close the lids. In the dark the sprouts will develop, growing stronger until they are ready to plant.

[CarolynW2]

All you have to do is let the potatoes sit in the dark, they will sprout all by themselves... I usually just save some from the last potatoes in the store bought bag. When you go to plant, just slice the potatoes with a couple of sprouts/eyes on each piece. By the way, you can also cover over the soil with straw or newspaper as the soil compacts to keep the light away.

[DarlaJ2]

Would this work with sweet potatoes too?