Any Potato Tips?

[Woody]

I have a bunch of fair size potter plants stacked in the backyard. I usually cut them up for recycling but thought that I might try some different things since my box garden is small. So I thought that I might try potatoes and saw bags of them at Home Depot today. I kind of read up on burying them, and then doing layers as they grow above the soil.

Any tips? Will they grow in a smaller planter?

[MightyThor]

I grew Yukon golds in 5 gallon planters last year for the first time. Bury the seed potato with the best eye facing up, with about 8 inches of soil (4 below, 4 above). As greens emerge continue to add soil - they’ll develop roots and more potatoes if you keep building up the depth.

The tricky part for me was knowing when to harvest. You actually need to let the tops go brown and die off - I thought I had lost my potatoes to disease but I found a healthy crop below the soil!

[Snowshoe]

I like Yukon Gold, they are what I plant. They aren't as productive as other types but I like them best. You need to suberize them before planting. Hah! Now, with the internet, you can find out what this means but when I first heard it +30 years ago there was no internet and even our local Ag. Rep, who comes from a potato growing family herself, had to look it up. It just means if one potato has enough eyes you can cut it, you must let the cut surface heal over before planting, up to three days I just read. YG seem to be more tender than other varieties and that applies to the ones you buy in the store as well. Don't let the teller bang them around, they can bruise, just like apples.

I tried the layers a couple of times but it didn't work for me.

[POPTOP]

Have planted all types of potatoes over the years though not in pots. Prepped the soil deep. Buried about 4 inches down, eye up. A seed potato with more than 4 eyes can be divided, two eyes per potato set. As the plant grows gradually add soil on top, a little at a time, so you kind of end up with a hill. Always had good yields.

[Woody]

Thanks for the tips. The pots I have are a little smaller than I thought but I am going to give it a run anyways. I was thinking of trying a few different things out this year.

[Jollymolly]

Lol I planted potatoes in a pot two years ago and gut a bumper crop all under my paving in my back yard. You def can grow them in a large pot.

[Woody]

I have a bunch of these lying around that I was going to recycle.

Do you think they are big enough to do some potatoes out of?

What else could I use them for?

[Jollymolly]

Id say my pot was about as large I planted 1 potato and I ended with 6 or 7 in the pot