Home and garden owners can easily plant potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) themselves in the garden. Sowing is possible from April. Growing potatoes in pots is popular. Here you get instructions for easy harvesting.

In a nutshell

  • germinating the plants accelerates growth and maintains health
  • two plastic pots are ideal to build a special potato pot
  • Windows in the inner pot make harvesting the tubers easier
  • regular watering and fertilizing is required for the potato to thrive

time for planting

Potato plants should only be grown when the soil temperature has reached at least seven degrees Celsius. Depending on the type of potato plant, you can plant them in early or late spring.

Notice: Potato plants need different nutrients. Consequently, you should optimize the soil with fertilizer in the fall. In addition, an organic fertilizer in spring promotes the growth of the potato plants.

For a particularly early harvest, it is worth pushing the individual potato plants forward at the end of February / beginning of March. This offers three advantages:

  • earlier harvest
  • less susceptible to disease
  • higher yield
Plant potatoes in pots

The piling up

As soon as the first sprouts of the potato plants are 20 centimeters high, we recommend piling up the potatoes with potting soil. The tubers do not grow out of the ground and remain edible. In addition, the plants can draw more nutrients from the larger surface and thus grow faster.

grow potatoes

There are precise instructions so that everything goes according to plan when growing the potato. This increases the chance of an easy harvest. With the construction of a special pot, you can grow potatoes on the balcony or in the apartment yourself.

Pre-sprout potatoes

When planting Solanum tuberosum, specimens with eyes are recommended. At a later point in time, shoots appear on the eyes of the potato. Pre-germination is preferable before planting out. If necessary, the harvest can be shifted forward because the plants grow faster.

Tip: Place the potato tubers in dark and cool rooms for several weeks. The Solanum tuberosum drives out over time. You can easily recognize this. You can then plant the specimens properly.

Appropriate Varieties

However, no specific varieties of the potato are required for pot cultivation. In principle, you can grow any variety that you like. However, there is an example list here:

  • Annabelle
  • Charlotte
  • Princess
  • Stella
  • Agria
  • security
  • Bamberg croissants
  • vitelotte

build planters

With the right materials and tips for the process, you can grow potatoes in pots.

The utensils

First you need the right tools. In addition to the potato, soil and fertilizer, only two plastic pots are required. These should have a capacity of between 10 and 20 liters.

cut pot

The next step is to prepare the future home of the potato. To do this, cut out three large windows on the sides. The bar between the individual windows should not be too thin so that the pot remains stable in the future. The prepared plant pot is then placed in a complete flower pot.

planting

Now plant the vegetables. Green or sprouted specimens are ideal for this. Alternatively, seed potatoes from the garden market are also an alternative.

Tip: If you can no longer use green or sprouted specimens in the kitchen, you should continue to use them to grow potatoes in pots.

care and fertilization

Regular watering is recommended so that the potato harvest is worthwhile. Fertilizer and compost can also improve the growth of vegetables.

harvest potatoes

The perfect time to harvest depends on the potato variety. There are basically early, middle and late potato varieties. As soon as the foliage dries up and wilts, the tubers are ripe. From now on you should no longer soak the plants with water, otherwise the tubers will rot.

Tip: Move the potato plants to a new location that is sheltered from rain. After loosening the soil, you can pick the tubers according to your needs.

When the potatoes are ripe in the pot, this is start or harvest time. You can harvest tasty and delicious potatoes until autumn. To do this, simply remove the inner pot from your own planter. The harvest is now possible with little effort. Finally, you can simply pull out the prepared flowerpot with the windows. You can harvest the potato tubers through the windows without having to dig up the plants and tubers. Then simply put the planter back in and wait until the next harvest.

Warehousing

Many people choose to store potato tubers in the basement. However, the warm temperatures can mean that durability suffers. Preferably the tubers are outdoors. If dry and packed with soil, the tubers will last through the next winter.

frequently asked Questions

Can I plant potatoes in a raised bed?

Planting the potato plants in raised beds is not the best solution. The potato plant has comparatively deep roots, so you won't find all the tubers. The effort is enormous, the benefits manageable. When harvesting in the planter, you always have an overview.

Which maintenance measures are recommended?

As soon as the seedlings of the potato plants reach 10 centimeters, refill them with soil. Repeat this process until several layers of potato plants form. The potting soil must not dry out at any time. A plant fleece offers protection against frosty nights.

Which soil is ideal for the potato?

The potato plants prefer warm and dry soil that has been supplemented with compost. It is usually worth improving the soil with compost and sand. The earlier you start doing this, the better the soil is for growing vegetables.

Category:

Vegetable garden