News

Nov 29, 2023

People and plants: Growing potatoes in a bag

Recently, I was corresponding by email with a friend who lives in a warmer

Recently, I was corresponding by email with a friend who lives in a warmer climate than ours. She mentioned she had planted her potatoes. When I received the email, there was snow on the ground here. I couldn't help but feel a little envious.

I shared that I wouldn't be planting much of anything for a while, much less potatoes because we had switched to container gardening a few years ago. Lo and behold, she replied that she grows her potatoes in bags. Am I the only one who did not know about this?

The University of Maryland Extension shares step by step instructions on using fabric grow bags for potatoes. It is from their Project Spudnik that teaches youth gardening skills. go.umd.edu/418zl7x.

First, pick a sunny location. Next, purchase 12-gallon fabric grow bags. They recommend the container depth and diameter be 16 inches. You will need about one and one-half cubic feet of potting mix to begin and more later on. Be sure to thoroughly moisten the growing media before placing it in the bag.

Once you have purchased your certified seed potatoes, plant them whole or cut them into pieces. Each section should have at least two "eyes." Place potting mix in the bottom of the bag at a depth of 4 inches. Lay three to five seed potatoes on top of the mix spacing them accordingly. Then, cover with 3 inches of growing media and fertilizer.

Once the potatoes are about 8 inches in height, add another 4 inches of growing media and fertilize. You will repeat this process every time the potatoes grow another 8 inches. This is known as "mounding" potatoes.

Check the soil moisture regularly, because they can dry out quickly. Also, if you want to try using grocery store potatoes and not seed potatoes, it may not work. These potatoes are often sprayed with a growth inhibitor.

How do you know when the potatoes are ready to harvest? The plants will begin to turn yellow and fall over. At this point, wait yet another week or two before dumping the entire contents of the bag into a wheelbarrow or onto a clean tarp.

Despite some bad press, potatoes can be a healthy food option, according to UC Davis Health. They become unhealthy when they are fried in oil or covered with butter and sour cream. Potatoes contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, potassium and vitamin C. bit.ly/402ok6q.

Arianna Kelley Rawlsky has a M.S. in horticulture and is the director of Bringing People and Plants Together, an organization dedicated to bringing horticulture education and therapy to the community. For more information: [email protected] or follow us on Facebook.

Sign up for email newsletters