Grow potatoes in an opaque pot that drains, about 10 to 15 gallons, filled with potting mix rather than garden soil. Add mix as the stems grow, then dump the pot to harvest.
Grow them in a draining 10- to 15-gallon pot, not a tall tower
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Pot | Opaque, food-safe, with drainage holes; about 10 to 15 gallons and two to three feet tall | Do not use a clear bin, which greens the tubers, or a tower so tall the top dries while the bottom stays wet |
| Mix | Half soilless potting mix and half compost | Do not fill with garden soil, which packs and can carry disease |
| Plants | About five gallons of mix per seed piece | Do not layer a second set of seed potatoes halfway up the pot |
| Water | Moist mix; water when the top inch or two feels dry, until a little runs out the holes | Do not leave the pot soggy, which rots tubers at the bottom |
potato will fill a patio pot if the container drains and the mix stays moist, not soggy. Plan on at least six to eight hours of sun, the same open light the bed crop wants. [1] A 10- to 15-gallon barrel, tub, or grow bag is enough. Taller than about three feet is harder to water evenly. [2] Containers work. Tall potato towers usually do not, because the stack dries at the top and stays wet at the base. [3] A grow bag still needs depth so tubers stay covered and dark. [4]
What size pot do I need?
About 10 to 15 gallons, opaque, with drainage holes. Plan on about five gallons of mix per seed piece.
Add mix as the stems grow, then dump the pot to harvest
Start with four to eight inches of moist mix. Set seed potatoes about a foot apart, eyes up, and cover with a few more inches. When the stems are several inches tall, add mix so most of the stem is buried and the top leaves stay out. Repeat until the pot is nearly full. When the tops yellow, stop watering for about a week, then tip the pot onto a tarp and pick the tubers. Handle them gently, keep them out of the light, and brush off dry mix. Curing and the cool store stay on Harvesting Potatoes.
- Fill the pot with four to eight inches of moist potting mix and compost.
- Set seed potatoes eyes up, about a foot apart, and cover with a few inches of mix.
- When stems are several inches tall, add mix to bury most of the stem. Repeat until the pot is nearly full.
- When the tops yellow, stop watering for about a week, dump the pot, and pick the tubers out of the mix.
Can I grow them on a windowsill?
They want six to eight hours of direct sun. A bright patio is the usual home. A dim indoor sill makes weak stems and a thin crop.
If the mix stays soggy at the bottom, the pot is too tall or the holes are blocked. Use a 10- to 15-gallon pot you can water evenly, and dump it when the tops yellow.
FAQ
Do potato towers work?
Usually not. A very tall stack dries at the top and stays wet at the bottom, so tubers rot. Use a 10- to 15-gallon pot you can water evenly.
Can I use garden soil in the pot?
No. Garden soil packs in a container and can bring weeds and disease. Use potting mix and compost.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] University of New Hampshire Extension -
https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2020/03/what-best-way-grow-potatoes-containers - [2] Penn State Extension -
https://extension.psu.edu/potatoes-in-the-garden-and-the-kitchen - [3] University of Maryland Extension -
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-potatoes-home-garden - [4] NC State Extension -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/solanum-tuberosum/
This note is part of Potato Guides.
More container notes by plant live in Container Growing Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors