To plant potatoes in a bucket, follow these expert steps:
- Chit the Potatoes
Place seed potatoes in an egg carton or paper bag in a cool, dry place for about 2 to 4 weeks until they sprout shoots ("chitting"). When shoots are a few centimeters long, rub off all but the two strongest shoots
- Prepare the Bucket
Use a clean, food-safe 5-gallon bucket. Drill several small drainage holes in the bottom to prevent waterlogging and rot
. Optionally, add a layer of gravel or small stones at the bottom for extra drainage
- Add Soil and Plant Potatoes
Fill the bucket about halfway with good-quality, light compost or a mix of compost and potting soil. Gently place the seed potatoes on top of the soil with the shoots pointing upwards. Cover them with 2-4 inches of soil
- Water and Position
Water the soil well but avoid waterlogging. Place the bucket in a sunny, frost-free spot that receives at least half a day of sunlight
- Hill the Potatoes
As shoots grow out of the soil, add more compost or soil to cover them, leaving just the tips exposed. Repeat this process until the bucket is full. This "hilling" encourages more tubers to form along the buried stems
- Care During Growth
Keep the soil moist by watering every few days, especially in hot weather. Avoid letting the potatoes get exposed to sunlight, as this causes them to turn green and become toxic
- Harvest
When the potato plants flower, you can harvest small "new potatoes." For a full harvest, wait until the leaves die back, then tip the bucket over to collect your potatoes
This method maximizes space and yield by encouraging tuber growth at multiple soil levels inside the bucket
. Using chitted seed potatoes and ensuring good drainage are key to success
