In this article, we are gonna explain How to grow potatoes in a bucket but first, let’s know about potatoes a bit more if you do not want to use the “Table of Content” to know how you can grow potatoes in a bucket.
Potatoes are one of the most grown and important crops worldwide. Potatoes contain large amounts of starch, minerals, and vitamins, particularly B1 and C. They are 20.6% carbohydrate-rich, 2.1% protein-rich, 3.3% fat-rich, 1.1% crude fiber-rich, and 0.9% ash-rich. Leucine, tryptophane, isoleucine, and other essential amino acids are also significant.
Potatoes are readily available at an excellent price, but nothing compares to the flavour of a freshly harvested potato you have grown by yourself. Although potatoes are a crop for temperate climates, they can grow in various climatic conditions. If you want to grow tomatoes at home but don’t know how then we will help you grow potatoes in a bucket at home quickly. Growing potatoes in a bucket are similar to growing potatoes in a pot or container.
You can grow potatoes in pots, containers, buckets, or any other place where the basic requirements are met to grow potato plants. Now let us start growing potatoes in a bucket.
Things you will need to grow potatoes in a bucket.
Some basic things you will need to grow potatoes in a bucket are:
- Buckets with a volume of more than 20 liters.
- Soil that has nutrients needed by potato plants.
- Water from time to time when needed.
- Natural seed potatoes.
You are ready to grow potatoes in buckets if you have all these.
bucket
It would be best if you did a few things before starting to grow potatoes in a bucket. Please ensure the bucket size is large enough to grow potatoes. You can grow potatoes in a bucket or container more prominent than 5 gallons, or about 22 liters in volume. For the potatoes to grow well, there must be a good depth in the bucket.
You can easily purchase a 5-gallon bucket to grow potatoes from a nearby market or online from any e-commerce website such as Amazon.com. Make sure that the bucket you choose to grow potato plants in is food grade and has never been used for purposes like storing paint, paint thinner, or something like it.
Flip the bucket upside down and check the recycling number at the bottom to see if it is food grade. You can use it if the recycling number is 2, 4, or 5.
Another way to tell is if you see the words “Food Grade Plastic” next to a cup and fork symbol.
Proper drainage is essential to growing any plant, including potato plants. Always check drainage holes because proper water drainage should be present to grow potatoes in a bucket.
To provide proper drainage to your potatoes planted inside the bucket, you must drill some holes at the bottom. Drill 8 to 10 holes with the help of a drilling machine, soldering iron, or any other tool you have to do the job.
Now you can grow potatoes in the bucket you have.
Soil
All soil types, except for saline and alkaline soils, are suitable for growing potatoes. It is preferred to use naturally loose soil because they possess the least resistance to tuber growth. Potatoes grow best in soils that are loamy and rich in organic matter, with proper drainage and aeration. An ideal soil is thought to have a pH range of 5.2 to 6.4. You should add Organic matter and micronutrients to the soil by adding manure or compost.
Useful Info: How To Dry Out Soil In a Pot
Watering
Potatoes require varying amounts of water at various times for the best possible yield. Potatoes typically require 1-2 inches of water per week, which can be supplied by rain events or by you to cover the difference.
Your potatoes in the bucket will require varying amounts of water throughout their life, roughly speaking.
| 30-day planting | Not urgent or high need for water. |
| 30-60 days of planting | Water is essential for early tuber formation and vegetative growth. |
| 60-90 days of planting | For tuber bulking, water is essential. |
| 90–120 days of planting | Tops start to turn yellow and wither. Water is required before harvest, but not in excess. |
Make sure not to over-water your potato plants.
Natural potato seeds
Since it isn’t a seed, the name “seed potato” is a little deceptive. Seed potatoes are tubers. We propagate potatoes vegetatively, except for plant breeders; potatoes of the same type are genetically similar to their parents. Because of this, the “seed” you use to plant potatoes resembles a potato.
However, there are a few notable distinctions between seed potatoes and those found in grocery stores.
First, most potatoes in grocery stores have been treated with a sprout inhibitor, which stops the development of the potatoes’ eyes. In contrast, they are being stored and displayed on supermarket shelves. Sprout inhibitors are NEVER applied to seed potatoes. This alone may determine whether potatoes are successfully grown or not.
Next, ensure that any seed potatoes you purchase are CERTIFIED DISEASE FREE. Before being granted a government-issued “disease-free” certificate, potatoes intended for seed sales must pass a panel of tests for several diseases. Inconclusive seed lots are not certified and cannot be sold. Without this guarantee, you risk unintentionally introducing long-lasting diseases into your soil and crop.
So, if you enjoy growing potatoes, avoid taking a chance by using seeds from dubious sources because you never know what else you might plant. You can buy seed potatoes from gardening shops, nurseries, or e-commerce sites.
You might want to know the qualities to look for when choosing a quality seed potato if you plan to purchase seed potatoes in person. Pick a potato that is firm and has an even, pleasing color. Search for any indications of rot or illness.
Ensure the sprouts are healthy if the potatoes have already sprouted. Nice, thick sprouts are what you want. The potato may not still develop into a healthy plant if the sprouts are thin and pale, but they will probably separate when the potato is buried.
Choosing good seed potatoes is very important as newly grown potato plants are identical to their parent plants, and you don’t want your newly grown potatoes in the bucket to be defective and rotten.
Growing potatoes in buckets
It is simple to grow your potatoes inside a bucket, but it does take some time. The yummiest mashed, roasted, or steamed sides you’ve ever had are waiting for you if you follow the instructions below.
Chitting potatoes
Having chits on your potatoes encourages faster plant growth, which results in an earlier harvest. To grow potatoes in a bucket, pots, or containers, ensure that the seed potatoes must be left on a sunny windowsill for a couple of weeks or until the chits (also known as shoots or eyes) are about 3/4 of an inch long.
Your seed potatoes will most likely need to be divided into smaller pieces for planting after the chitting process is complete. The potato you plant should, as a general rule, not be more significant than a golf ball.
Each piece of the potato should have a few chits on it after cutting. When you cut into the flesh, it will be wet; you must scab it over, so it is dry for planting. The potatoes must be kept in a cool, dark place for several days to accomplish growing potatoes in a bucket.
Planting the potatoes In a Bucket
- Now it is time to start planting potatoes in a bucket. Potato planting is simple. You must start by adding 4-6″ quality soil to your bucket, pot, or container. Water to moisten it evenly.
- Then, arrange the appropriate number of potatoes in each container (five in a 10-gallon, three in a 7-gallon, and two in a 5-gallon), spacing them out so that their eyes are up and about 8″ apart.
- Add a few inches of soil over the potatoes. Tubers’ health and yield will suffer if exposed to the sun. Make sure that direct sunlight does not fall on tubers.
- Add some bone meal on top of the mulch and soil. Make sure to thoroughly water the tubers, giving them an inch and a half of water each week.
- You’ll see the plants start to grow within a few weeks. Refill the buckets with additional soil and mulch once the stems are about 8″ tall, leaving only the tops exposed. Allowing them to grow once more; keep adding soil until the bucket is nearly complete.
Great job! Now you have successfully planted your potatoes in buckets.
Maintain regular watering after the containers are full. Use a product with more phosphorus and potassium when fertilizing on occasion. Fertilizer with NPK value 5-10-10 is considered suitable for potato plants.
Potato harvesting
Here comes the best part: The time of harvesting potatoes depends on the variety of potatoes planted. The plants will usually flower and then die back after about 2-3 months, at which point the potatoes will be ready for picking.
Once the potato plants begin to bloom, you can harvest “new” potatoes. If you want the main crop, you shouldn’t dig them all up. Put on your gardening gloves and dig up as many new potatoes as you like by feeling beneath the soil. Let the others continue to develop.
Since they have a thin skin and aren’t meant to be stored so, consume those potatoes immediately.
You won’t be nicking your potatoes with your shovel because you won’t have to dig them out of the ground.
Always choose a good, dry day to harvest your potatoes. After all your hard work, the last thing you want is rotten potatoes, which will result from moisture.
Collecting the potatoes grown in a bucket is simplest:
- Empty the bucket onto a cloth or the ground.
- Brush off most of the dirt, but don’t clean them off yet.
- Leave them to cure in the air for half an hour.
As the growing season progresses, keep an eye on the plant because it will give you hints about when the main crop is prepared. You can harvest your potatoes a few more weeks after the plant dries up.
Storing Potatoes For Longer use
You may be questioning how to store all of these delicious potatoes at this point. Well, we can also assist you there. but keep in mind new potatoes taste best when eaten soon after digging.
- For a week or two, keep main crop potatoes in the dark, dry place between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity level of 85 to 85%.
- After two weeks, move the potatoes you want to keep for the winter to a much cooler-35° to 40°F-dark room or basement.
- Pick potatoes that are firm and free of soft spots if you plan to store them for a long time—up to eight months. Tubers will sprout and shrivel at temperatures higher than 40°F.
- Regularly inspect potatoes that have been stored; if sprouts appear, remove them with your hands.
Frequently asked questions
Should I fertilize my potatoes?
Potato crops benefit significantly from fertilization, given their high maintenance nutrient requirements. Throughout their life span, they require fertilization from four to five times, and many gardeners and farmers use a different fertilizer mix each time.
Should potatoes be watered daily?
Potatoes typically require 1-2 inches of water per week, which can be provided by rainfalls or by you to make up for the difference.
How many potatoes can you grow in a bucket of 5 gallons?
According to people who have calculated the yield for potato buckets, you can anticipate an average yield of one and a half pounds of potatoes per bucket.
Conclusion
You need to know everything about growing potatoes in a bucket. Although potatoes are readily available in the market at a low price, growing potatoes in a bucket, container, or pot can be a pleasant gardening experience for you.
Growing potatoes in a bucket are simple when you know how to grow potatoes in a bucket correctly.