# How to grow 100lb. of potatoes in 4 sq. ft of space



## Tate

I have limited space in my suburban raised bed garden. I am currently around 600 square feet and planning on adding another 100 - 150. I was thinking the other day I wish I had some additional space for potatoes. I saw this.

http://www.irisheyesgardenseeds.com/growers1.php

Has anyone tried this? Is is too late to start potatoes now? What types do you grow? If I don't get this built in time this year. I will try it in the Fall or next year.

Tate


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## w_r_ranch

Not too late at all, in fact we are almost to prime potato time. We plant ours between Feb. 21st - 27th. although we plant ours in the ground.

If you want to try growing them in a 'container': Jumbo-Potato-Grow-Bag At least these would drain properly...

















As far as that links claims go, I personally don't believe it at all. Potatoes are formed in the top 9 - 12 inches, so there is absolutely no reason to have 24 - 30 inches of soil. I call BS on this sites claims...


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## Meadowlark

Double BS call. I'm with W_R_
...but maybe Tate will prove us wrong.

Planting time in my area is NOW until about Feb. 14. The feed stores have the seed potatoe now. We like the red taters and usually grow enough to last year around. Potatoes are one of the easiest veggies to grow....we normally have zero problems growing them.


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## Hooked

Oh boy.............I could spend a couple hours compiling a description of growing potatoes in those upright containers.......lol 
I'll keep it short though and just say don't use those huge truck tires cuz they're expensive to get rid of.......after you discover you don't have any taters.


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## Tate

Thanks for the feedback guys. I doubt I will be trying it - at least this year anyway. I got too many projects going on. I might try some in some mollasses tubs though. Those potato bags look good, but kind of pricey for maybe 2 years of use.


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## w_r_ranch

Tate, my take on growing potatoes 'above ground' is to not waste your efforts. It's too warm here and potatoes like it cool. Bear in mind that molasses buckets are usually black so if they get any sun, the soil will be even hotter. Plus being plastic, they don't 'breathe' or drain well. Worst case scenario is the potatoes will rot... best case is they will be steamed & ready to be eaten right out of the ground.

I do use molasses buckets for peppers & fall tomatoes because they like it warm/moist. I should note that they are kept on the north side of the house to limit their exposure to full sun.

Just my 2 cents... Good luck!!!


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## Tate

Thanks Ranch! I got some old tubs that were originally red, but bleached out white now by the sun. I drilled a bunch of holes in the bottoms so they drain okay. If I do try some this year I will try a small sample to see how it goes. I am adding 100 - 150 square feet to my garden so maybe I will still have some extra room too.


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## Blue.dog

*Potatoes in Buckets*

I never thought about trying red potatoes in these buckets.
I have a total of 15 and have had a lot of luck with tomatoes.
The buckets have holes drilled into them for drainage and I have a water system for each bucket that runs off a timer. They drain very good.
Won't hurt to try a few. Now, I just need to get my seed potatoes.
B.D


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## V-Bottom

Plant potatoes in March if its NOT TO WET TO PLOW!!


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## V-Bottom

Cut potatoes up for the SEEDS.......plant in March


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## peelin' drag

Love that setup bluedog. Are those 5 gal buckets? If you would do potatoes in those buckets, how many seed taters would work? I may try a couple.


Blue.dog said:


> I never thought about trying red potatoes in these buckets.
> I have a total of 15 and have had a lot of luck with tomatoes.
> The buckets have holes drilled into them for drainage and I have a water system for each bucket that runs off a timer. They drain very good.
> Won't hurt to try a few. Now, I just need to get my seed potatoes.
> B.D


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## RiverRat1962

Hard to grow taters in containers. Same with raised beds.. Taters are a root crop that need to be planted in fresh tilled soil with plenty of fertilizer. Too much heat and the container grown taters will grow beautiful tops with no tubers. OTOH sweet taters do well in containers.


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## w_r_ranch

I have always grown my taters in a raised bed... my entire garden is raised 2 foot high in fact.


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## RiverRat1962

Boy that's a lot of hand tillage work you got going there Sam. I couldn't get my tractor in there with a middle buster to dig tators so I can't garden like that.. :0)


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## w_r_ranch

I use a large tiller, I simply run it up a ramp in front of the gate. I always harvest them by hand though... 300-350 lbs usually takes a day.


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## reeltimer

w_r_ranch said:


> I use a large tiller, I simply run it up a ramp in front of the gate. I always harvest them by hand though... 300-350 lbs usually takes a day.


Dang that's a patch of taters and 350lbs!You storing them in a root cellar or what?


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## w_r_ranch

We store ours in bread trays (for circulation) in the guest house (aka 'the Bomb Shelter"), LOL!!!


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