How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
Growing potatoes in containers is a great option if you have limited garden space. Follow these simple steps for a successful harvest.
6+ hours sun
Direct sunlight daily
30 to 70 litres
Container size
Evenly moist
Never waterlogged
10-20 weeks
Until harvest
Step 1: Prepare your seed potatoes
If your seed potatoes haven't started sprouting yet, place them in a cool, bright, frost-free spot for 2–4 weeks before planting.
This process, called chitting, encourages short, sturdy shoots to develop and can help the plants establish more quickly once planted.
Step 2: Fill your container
Add 10–15 cm (4–6 inches) of compost to the bottom of your container.
Plant your seed potatoes as follows:
- 30–50 litre container: Plant 1–3 seed potatoes.
- 50–70 litre container: Plant 3–5 seed potatoes, spacing them evenly.
Cover the seed potatoes with another 10 cm (4 inches) of compost.
Step 3: Position the container
Place the container in a sunny location that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day.
Step 4: Water regularly
Keep the compost evenly moist throughout the growing season, but avoid letting it become waterlogged.
Containers dry out much faster than garden soil, so check the moisture regularly, particularly during warm or dry weather.
Step 5: Earth up the plants
When the stems reach 15–20 cm (6–8 inches) tall:
- Add more compost around the stems, leaving only the top few centimetres of foliage exposed.
- Repeat this process as the plants continue to grow until the container is almost full.
Earthing up protects the developing potatoes from sunlight. Potatoes exposed to light turn green and produce compounds that make them unsafe to eat.
Step 6: Feed the plants
Once the container is full and the plants begin to flower, feed them every 1–2 weeks with a high-potassium fertiliser, such as a tomato feed.
This encourages the plants to produce a larger crop of potatoes.
Step 7: Harvest your potatoes
First Early Potatoes
- Harvest 10–12 weeks after planting, usually when the plants begin to flower.
Second Earlies and Maincrop Potatoes
- Wait until the foliage has turned yellow and died back, typically 14–20 weeks after planting.
To harvest, simply tip the container onto a tarp or sheet and collect the potatoes from the compost.