Planting Potatoes In Containers
You want your potato container to get 6 to 8 hours of sun each day.
When To Plant Potatoes In Containers
Plant potatoes in containers about four weeks prior to the last spring frost and up to three weeks after last frost. Crops planted as late as June are for fall harvest and storage but yield may be reduced.
Getting Potatoes Ready for Planting in Containers
There are a few theories on getting potatoes ready for planting. Some people wait for their potatoes to sprout and some people just plant them before sprouts show up. Then there are those people who cut their potatoes and let them "callous over" by leaving them to sit for a couple of days. Some people just cut them right before they plant them. If your potatoes are small, you don't have to cut them at all, and can simply plant them. I let them sprout, then cut and plant on the same day. Pick your own procedure.
If you cut your potatoes, make sure that you have at least two eyes on each piece of potato. They say that each piece should also be at least two ounces; bigger than a golf ball.
Planting The Potato Seeds
Fill the container about one third full with your soil mix. Put your potato sprouts on top of the soil, spaced approximately 6 inches apart, and at least 4 inches away from the sides of the container. Then cover the sprouts with about two to three inches of potting soil. The cooler the climate, the less soil you should put on top.
Mulching The Container Growing Potatoes
It is wise to have a layer of straw mulch or chopped leaves on the surface of the soil mix after planting your seeds. This mulch helps to slow down evaporation of water and in the summer will keep the soil mix up to 5 degrees cooler than the outside temperature. When you start hilling your potatoes, described below, you simply remove the mulch, do your hilling, and then replace the mulch.
