Potatoes are a popular crop for backyard gardens, but they can take up a lot of space. In this video, Tony O’Neill from Simplify Gardening shares his tips for growing 235 pounds of potatoes in just 200 square feet without any watering. He shows how he sowed 48 containers of five different potato varieties in a small space and harvests one container to give viewers an idea of what to expect.
Throughout the video, O’Neill shares his tips for growing potatoes in a small area, including container size, the number of seed potatoes to plant, chitting potatoes, sowing potatoes, placing the containers, preventing water loss, and supporting the foliage. These tips are helpful for anyone who wants to grow their own nutrient-dense foods in a small space.
Key Takeaways
- Use containers that are approximately 30 litres in size for the best results.
- The number of seed potatoes to plant in a container depends on whether the variety is determinate or indeterminate.
- To prevent water loss, use a mulch and support the foliage with a suspended cattle fencing.
Tips for Growing Potatoes in a Small Area
Growing potatoes in a small area can be challenging, but it is possible to achieve a decent crop with the right techniques. Here are some tips from Tony O’Neill, the host of Simplify Gardening:
- Container Size: Aim for a container size of approximately 30 litres or 8 to 10 US gallons. This size provides enough space for the potatoes to spread and grow to a decent size, while not costing a fortune in compost and feed.
- Number of Seed Potatoes: The number of seed potatoes you plant in a container will depend on whether the variety of potato is indeterminate or determinate. Determinate potatoes grow on a single level, so the upper two-thirds of the container is not utilized by the potatoes. This allows the gardener to sow a second level and to maximize the crop and use the available compost. These potatoes usually grow quite small in size. Due to this fact, the medium in the container is able to support four plants. Indeterminate potatoes, on the other hand, grow on multiple levels of their stem. So if you plant two seed potatoes in the bottom third of the container, these seeds will produce tubers throughout all levels of the compost. Indeterminate potatoes also grow much larger than their determinate counterparts, therefore the medium in the container is unable to support more than two plants. When sowing determinate potatoes you can use up to four seed potatoes in these containers. When sowing indeterminate potatoes you should only provide two seed potatoes in the container.
- Chitting: When growing potatoes, chitting them allows you to decide whether you want to grow small potatoes or large potatoes. To grow smaller potatoes simply allow all shoots on the potato to grow. This will produce more tubers overall but they will be much smaller in size. If you would prefer larger potatoes for jackets spuds or fries, then reduce the chits or sprouts on the potatoes to just two sprouts. This will produce fewer potatoes but they will grow much larger in size.
- Filling the Container: When sowing the potatoes it’s not necessary to just cover the tops of the potatoes then come back when they’ve grown through to earth up further. This is the traditional way of growing in the field or in trench methods. It was done to prevent the tubers pushing through the surface and spoiling when the sun turned them green. You’re much better to completely fill the container with your chosen medium to within half-inch of the tops of the container.
- Placing the Containers: Placing the containers is important. As a rule, you need to be in an area that has eight to ten hours of sunlight. Not too windy and near a water source. Bury the containers about a fifth of their depth in the soil. Or do what Tony has done by placing them in the soil and surrounding them in wood chips. This helps them to keep the root area cooler and absorbs any water and feed that escapes out of the holes in the bottom. This can then be reabsorbed by the container should it be required by the wicking process.
- Mulching: Now the containers are in place we need to prevent them from losing water to evaporation. To do this, we use a mulch. Tony is a big fan of rapeseed straw, this comes from the equestrian or farm store. It is used as animal bedding. Simply place a good layer on top of the container. Do not be afraid to push this down as it will be able to pass water from the straw to the soil much better.
- Support System: The potatoes are now all planted and in the location where we want them to grow. They are mulched on the top and at the base to reduce water loss. Is there anything else we can do to help? Yes. There are two more things we could do to ensure we make our lives easier and get better crops. The first of those is a support system for the foliage or tops of the plant. If you’ve ever grown potatoes before in a container, you will know the challenges of the growing tops of the plants. They sprawl all over the place especially if we have a storm. This is counterproductive for us as gardeners though. We have to fight our way through them as in a small space like this they will flop over the pathway. A way Tony tested this year is to support the growing tops, was to use a suspended cattle fencing on some cut sticks in the ground approximately 18 inches away from the container. This allowed the foliage to grow up and through the fencing and then spread out in a more controlled manner.
By following these tips, you can grow a decent crop of potatoes in a small area.
Chitting Potatoes
Chitting potatoes is a technique that allows gardeners to decide whether they want to grow small or large potatoes. By allowing all shoots on the potato to grow, more tubers will be produced overall, but they will be smaller in size. On the other hand, reducing the chits or sprouts on the potatoes to just two sprouts will produce fewer potatoes but they will grow much larger in size.
When growing potatoes, it’s important to aim for a container size that’s approximately 30 liters or 8 to 10 US gallons in size. This gives enough space for the potatoes to spread and grow to a decent size, while not costing a fortune in compost and feed. The amount of seed potatoes planted in a container will depend on whether the variety of potato is indeterminate or determinate. Determinate potatoes grow on a single level, so if two seed potatoes are planted in the lower third, the upper two-thirds of the container is not utilized by the potatoes. This allows the gardener to sow a second level and to maximize the crop and use the available compost. These potatoes usually grow quite small in size. Due to this fact, the medium in the container is able to support four plants. Indeterminate potatoes, on the other hand, grow on multiple levels of their stem. So if two seed potatoes are planted in the bottom third of the container, these seeds will produce tubers throughout all levels of the compost. Indeterminate potatoes also grow much larger than their determinate counterparts, therefore the medium in the container is unable to support more than two plants. When sowing determinate potatoes, up to four seed potatoes can be used in these containers. When sowing indeterminate potatoes, only two seed potatoes should be provided in the container.
When sowing the potatoes, it’s not necessary to just cover the tops of the potatoes then come back when they’ve grown through to earth up further. This is the traditional way of growing in the field or in trench methods. It was done to prevent the tubers pushing through the surface and spoiling when the sun turned them green. It’s much better to completely fill the container with your chosen medium to within half-inch of the tops of the container.
Placing the containers is important. As a rule, the containers should be in an area that has eight to ten hours of sunlight, not too windy, and near a water source. Burying the containers about a fifth of their depth in the soil or surrounding them in wood chips helps them to keep the root area cooler and absorbs any water and feed that escapes out of the holes in the bottom. This can then be reabsorbed by the container should it be required by the wicking process.
Now that the containers are in place, it’s important to prevent them from losing water to evaporation. To do this, a mulch can be used. A good layer of rapeseed straw, which comes from the equestrian or farm store and is used as animal bedding, can be placed on top of the container. It can be pushed down as it will be able to pass water from the straw to the soil much better.
To support the growing tops of the plant, a suspended cattle fencing on some cut sticks in the ground can be used. This will prevent the growing tops from sprawling all over the place, especially during a storm.
Sowing Potatoes
In this video, Tony O’Neill from Simplify Gardening shows how he was able to grow 235 pounds of potatoes in just 200 square feet without any watering. He sowed 48 containers of five different varieties of potatoes in a small space. He explains that some of these are determinate and indeterminate varieties, and the full potential of this space hasn’t been achieved. Despite not watering the potatoes due to ill health, they have had enough natural rainfall to thrive.
To grow potatoes in a small area, Tony recommends using containers that are approximately 30 liters or 8 to 10 US gallons in size. This size allows for enough medium and space for the potatoes to grow to a decent size while not costing a fortune in compost and feed. Larger containers can lead to diminishing results, while smaller containers can limit the growth of the potatoes.
The amount of seed potatoes to plant in a container depends on whether the variety is indeterminate or determinate. Determinate potatoes grow on a single level, so if two seed potatoes are planted in the lower third, the upper two-thirds of the container is not utilized by the potatoes. This allows the gardener to sow a second level and maximize the crop. Indeterminate potatoes, on the other hand, grow on multiple levels of their stem, so planting two seed potatoes in the bottom third of the container will produce tubers throughout all levels of the compost.
Chitting the potatoes allows the gardener to decide whether to grow small or large potatoes. To grow smaller potatoes, allow all shoots on the potato to grow, while reducing the chits or sprouts on the potatoes to just two sprouts will produce fewer potatoes but larger in size.
When sowing the potatoes, it’s recommended to completely fill the container with the chosen medium to within half an inch of the tops of the container. This is different from the traditional way of growing in the field or in trench methods, where the tops of the potatoes are covered, then earthed up further when they grow through.
Placing the containers is important, as they need to be in an area that has eight to ten hours of sunlight, not too windy, and near a water source. Burying the containers about a fifth of their depth in the soil or placing them in the soil and surrounding them in wood chips helps keep the root area cooler and absorbs any water and feed that escapes out of the holes in the bottom.
To prevent water loss to evaporation, use a mulch such as rapeseed straw on top of the container. Supporting the growing tops of the plant with suspended cattle fencing on cut sticks in the ground helps prevent them from sprawling all over the place, making it easier for the gardener to harvest the potatoes.
By following these tips, gardeners can successfully grow potatoes in a small area and maximize their crop yield.
Placing the Containers
To grow potatoes in a small space, container gardening is an excellent option. When placing the containers, there are a few things to consider to ensure a successful harvest.
Firstly, it is important to choose a container size that is approximately 30 liters or 8 to 10 US gallons in size. This size provides enough space for the potatoes to grow and spread to a decent size, while not costing a fortune in compost and feed. It is also important to note that the larger the container, the diminishing results you get.
Secondly, the amount of seed potatoes you plant in a container will depend on whether the variety of potato is indeterminate or determinate. For determinate potatoes, which grow on a single level, you can plant up to four seed potatoes in a container. However, for indeterminate potatoes, which grow on multiple levels of their stem, it is best to provide only two seed potatoes in the container.
Thirdly, chitting the potatoes allows you to decide whether you want to grow small or large potatoes. To grow smaller potatoes, simply allow all shoots on the potato to grow. This will produce more tubers overall but they will be much smaller in size. If you would prefer larger potatoes for jackets spuds or fries, then reduce the chits or sprouts on the potatoes to just two sprouts. This will produce fewer potatoes but they will grow much larger in size.
When placing the containers, it is important to choose an area that has eight to ten hours of sunlight, is not too windy, and is near a water source. Bury the containers about a fifth of their depth in the soil or place them in the soil and surround them in wood chips. This helps to keep the root area cooler and absorbs any water and feed that escapes out of the holes in the bottom. This can then be reabsorbed by the container should it be required by the wicking process.
Lastly, to prevent the containers from losing water to evaporation, a mulch should be used. The recommended mulch is rapeseed straw, which comes from the equestrian or farm store. Simply place a good layer on top of the container and push it down to allow it to pass water from the straw to the soil much better.
By following these tips, gardeners can successfully grow potatoes in a small area using container gardening.
Preventing Water Loss
Growing potatoes in containers can be a great way to save space and produce a bountiful harvest. However, it’s important to prevent water loss to ensure the plants have enough moisture to thrive. Here are some tips to help prevent water loss when growing potatoes in containers:
- Container size: Aim for a container size of approximately 30 liters or 8 to 10 US gallons. This size provides enough space for the potatoes to grow to a decent size while not costing a fortune in compost and feed.
- Seed potatoes: The number of seed potatoes you plant in a container will depend on whether the variety of potato is indeterminate or determinate. Determinate potatoes grow on a single level, so if you plant two seed potatoes in the lower third, the upper two-thirds of the container is not utilized by the potatoes. This allows the gardener to sow a second level and to maximize the crop and use the available compost. Indeterminate potatoes, on the other hand, grow on multiple levels of their stem. So if you plant two seed potatoes in the bottom third of the container, these seeds will produce tubers throughout all levels of the compost.
- Chitting: Chitting allows you to decide whether you want to grow small potatoes or large potatoes. To grow smaller potatoes, allow all shoots on the potato to grow. This will produce more tubers overall but they will be much smaller in size. If you would prefer larger potatoes for jacket spuds or fries, then reduce the chits or sprouts on the potatoes to just two sprouts. This will produce fewer potatoes but they will grow much larger in size.
- Filling the container: It’s not necessary to just cover the tops of the potatoes when sowing them. Instead, completely fill the container with your chosen medium to within half-inch of the tops of the container. This will help prevent water loss and ensure the plants have enough moisture to thrive.
- Placement of containers: Place the containers in an area that has eight to ten hours of sunlight, not too windy, and near a water source. Bury the containers about a fifth of their depth in the soil or place them in the soil and surround them in wood chips. This helps them to keep the root area cooler and absorbs any water and feed that escapes out of the holes in the bottom.
- Mulching: Use a mulch to prevent water loss. A good option is rapeseed straw, which can be obtained from an equestrian or farm store. Simply place a good layer on top of the container and push it down to allow water to pass from the straw to the soil.
- Support system: Use a support system for the foliage or tops of the plant to prevent them from sprawling all over the place, especially during a storm. A way to support the growing tops is to use suspended cattle fencing on some cut sticks in the ground.
By following these tips, you can prevent water loss and ensure your container-grown potatoes have enough moisture to thrive and produce a bountiful harvest.
Support System for Foliage
When growing potatoes in containers, the foliage or tops of the plant can present challenges to the gardener. The tops tend to sprawl all over the place, especially during storms, which can be counterproductive in a small space like a container. To address this issue, a support system for the foliage is recommended.
One way to support the growing tops is to use a suspended cattle fencing on some cut sticks in the ground, approximately the same height as the container. The fencing can be bent to create a hoop shape, which is then placed over the container. The tops of the potato plants can then be trained to grow up through the fencing, which will help to keep them upright and contained.
This support system is particularly useful for indeterminate potato varieties, which grow on multiple levels of their stem and can become quite large. By providing support for the foliage, the gardener can help to maximize the crop and use the available compost effectively.
In addition to providing support for the foliage, there are several other tips that can help to ensure a successful potato harvest in a small space. These include using containers of approximately 30 liters in size, planting the appropriate number of seed potatoes depending on the variety, chitting the potatoes to control their size, filling the container completely with medium, placing the containers in an area with eight to ten hours of sunlight, mulching the top and base of the container to reduce water loss, and burying the containers about a fifth of their depth in the soil or surrounding them in wood chips to keep the root area cooler.