Growing potatoes in bags and boxes

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Rodent If wishes were horses then beggars would ride. Joined Aug 2001 Posts 26835 EE 100% (10) NH, USA	Posted: 4/14/2024 3:41:42 PM EDT This year’s experiment: Attached File
	"You can ignore reality, but you cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality." Ayn Rand

deerranger NOT tired of winning yet! Joined Oct 2014 Posts 14091 EE 0% (0) CT, USA	Posted: 4/14/2024 8:06:28 PM EDT [#1] Oh cool, I have seen alot of.videos on that, looks pretty cool. I never tried it because of time and potatos used to be cheap.
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Rodent If wishes were horses then beggars would ride. Joined Aug 2001 Posts 26837 EE 100% (10) NH, USA	Posted: 4/14/2024 9:09:14 PM EDT [#2] Quote History Originally Posted By deerranger: Oh cool, I have seen alot of.videos on that, looks pretty cool. I never tried it because of time and potatos used to be cheap. View Quote "Regular" potatoes are still pretty cheap; I grow odd varieties that aren't common in grocery stores. These are fingerlings that are purple inside, called "Magic Molly".
	"You can ignore reality, but you cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality." Ayn Rand

penrod72 Member Joined Feb 2003 Posts 2556 EE 100% (34) NY, USA	Posted: 4/14/2024 9:52:33 PM EDT [#3] I had good success with them in boxes last year - my first year growing potatoes in any way

Whamo Team Member Joined Jul 2008 Posts 10356 EE 100% (6) NJ, USA	Posted: 4/14/2024 10:06:34 PM EDT [#4] I grew some in a 5 gallon bucket.
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Rodent If wishes were horses then beggars would ride. Joined Aug 2001 Posts 26838 EE 100% (10) NH, USA	Posted: 4/15/2024 9:45:13 AM EDT [#5] Quote History Originally Posted By Whamo: I grew some in a 5 gallon bucket. View Quote That's what I did last year, and that was what made me decide to try bags and boxes this year. Largely because Lady Rodent didn't like the look of buckets in our yard; she's okay with the bags.
	"You can ignore reality, but you cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality." Ayn Rand

davidenorth Member Joined Aug 2003 Posts 4130 EE 100% (24) MN, USA	Posted: 4/15/2024 9:53:23 AM EDT [#6] Quote History Originally Posted By Whamo: I grew some in a 5 gallon bucket. View Quote We use food grade five gallon buckets.
	I always knew you had to be willing to die to even do this job. But, I don't want to push my chips forward and go out and meet something I don't understand. A man would have to put his soul at hazard. He'd have to say, "O.K.I'll be part of this world

penrod72 Member Joined Feb 2003 Posts 2558 EE 100% (34) NY, USA	Posted: 4/15/2024 8:41:52 PM EDT [#7] Quote History Originally Posted By Rodent: That's what I did last year, and that was what made me decide to try bags and boxes this year. Largely because Lady Rodent didn't like the look of buckets in our yard; she's okay with the bags. View Quote where are those bags from?

Kitties-with-Sigs

Born with a low tolerance for bullshit

Joined Feb 2007
Posts 52756
EE 0% (0)

KY, USA

Posted: 4/15/2024 9:42:54 PM EDT

[#8]

I have an honest question for everyone.

Why do YOU, personally, choose to grow potatoes in containers rather than in the ground (or in raised beds, built on the ground)?

I'm interested in this. It seems like a really popular thing to do, but I've never understood it.

(I grew up on a farm and we had a big garden. My dad and grandfather raised our potatoes for the year in those gardens, and stored them in bins in our (respective) basements).

Everyone now seems to use some kind of container, and I'd like to know why.

Is this always folks who are not able to garden in-ground for some reason?

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Rodent If wishes were horses then beggars would ride. Joined Aug 2001 Posts 26840 EE 100% (10) NH, USA	Posted: 4/16/2024 7:32:23 AM EDT [Last Edit: Rodent] [#9] Quote History Originally Posted By penrod72: where are those bags from? View Quote The brand is "Root Pouch". I bought them at Lowes or Home Depot, I can't remember which.
	"You can ignore reality, but you cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality." Ayn Rand

Rodent

If wishes were horses then beggars would ride.

Joined Aug 2001
Posts 26841
EE 100% (10)

NH, USA

Posted: 4/16/2024 7:53:36 AM EDT

[Last Edit: Rodent] [#10]

Quote History

Originally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs:
I have an honest question for everyone.

Why do YOU, personally, choose to grow potatoes in containers rather than in the ground (or in raised beds, built on the ground)?

I'm interested in this. It seems like a really popular thing to do, but I've never understood it.

(I grew up on a farm and we had a big garden. My dad and grandfather raised our potatoes for the year in those gardens, and stored them in bins in our (respective) basements).

Everyone now seems to use some kind of container, and I'd like to know why.

Is this always folks who are not able to garden in-ground for some reason?

View Quote

They're easy to move.

Planting is really simple: take them to my buddy's farm, put a potato in the bottom, fill them with compost, and bring them home.

Soil warms up way earlier in containers - I can plant weeks earlier in the spring.

They look nice on the deck and patio.

No tilling, virtually no weeding.

No matter how much it rains, the soil doesn't get waterlogged.

To harvest, I carry the bags to where I want the dirt, and dump them out. Couldn't be simpler.

"You can ignore reality, but you cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality."

Ayn Rand

taliv

Joined Jul 2004
Posts 6233
EE 0% (0)

TN, USA

Posted: 4/16/2024 11:11:13 AM EDT

[#11]

what rodent said, plus the soil on the top of this mountain is teh suq. buying a few bags of soil type stuff and putting it in bags/boxes is just more efficient and concentrates and keeps nutrients around the plants.

plus, i really haven't decided where to put a garden, and i'd like to build a small greenhouse and will prob find it convenient to carry dirt in the bags

mohawk17 Member Joined Feb 2012 Posts 3208 EE 100% (22) TN, USA	Posted: 4/17/2024 6:52:51 AM EDT [#12] I'm trying mine in 7 gallon nursery pots this year.

penrod72 Member Joined Feb 2003 Posts 2560 EE 100% (34) NY, USA	Posted: 4/17/2024 10:21:52 PM EDT [#13] I planted in boxes last year because I have 2 very small raised beds, and not enough room for potatoes and the other stuff I wanted to plant.

Rodent If wishes were horses then beggars would ride. Joined Aug 2001 Posts 26843 EE 100% (10) NH, USA	Posted: 4/18/2024 2:02:02 AM EDT [#14] Quote History Originally Posted By penrod72: I planted in boxes last year because I have 2 very small raised beds, and not enough room for potatoes and the other stuff I wanted to plant. View Quote How did it work out?
	"You can ignore reality, but you cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality." Ayn Rand

passgas55 Member Joined Sep 2001 Posts 9109 EE 100% (7) LA, USA	Posted: 4/24/2024 10:42:54 PM EDT [#15] I planted one time in a 5 gallon bucket for the grandson. It was an easy way to plant at his house.
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Lucifer_Sam

Joined Oct 2012
Posts 8683
EE 100% (8)

USA

Posted: 4/26/2024 8:58:36 PM EDT

[#16]

I tried this last year, I guess it worked fine, was my first time growing potatoes so I don't really have much to compare. I got what I guess was a decent enough harvest for the time of year planted, potatoes used, and my inexperience.

The one minor issue with grow bags is that they dry out a lot more quickly than pots, so you have to keep on top of watering them if youre somewhere hot and dry. Last year I buried a shallow container inside the bottomish area of the large 7 gallon bags to help retain moisture, and that seemed to work ok. Smaller bags I just put in a large plant saucer.

Lucifer_Sam

Joined Oct 2012
Posts 8684
EE 100% (8)

USA

Posted: 4/26/2024 9:01:07 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Originally Posted By penrod72:
where are those bags from?

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Quote History

Originally Posted By penrod72:

Originally Posted By Rodent:
That's what I did last year, and that was what made me decide to try bags and boxes this year. Largely because Lady Rodent didn't like the look of buckets in our yard; she's okay with the bags.

where are those bags from?

You can get them off Lowes and HD, as mentioned. Best bang for your buck used to be buying Root puch in bulk off greenhouse megastore, though I dont know if that still the case. They're worth the trouble to get, they're much better quality then the other bags I've gotten.

Growing potatoes in bags and boxes

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