potato planters

[hippy chick]

I'm considering planting potatoes for the first time this year. I haven't got a great deal of space in which to do it, so I thought I would buy a potato planter. However, I've read that these can be made very easily... has anyone made one with any success... if so, would you be willing to share how and from what?

Thanks

[Thomzo]

Hi
You just need a reasonably large container. I used a dustbin very successfully for a few years - the sort we all used to have before wheelie bins. Make some holes in the bottom for drainage. I've also used large plastic bags (such as compost bags). They worked quite well but started to disintegrate after a season. Car tyres can also be used as you can pile them up as the potatoes grow. You could make a container out of old wood or pile up some bricks.

Cheers
Zoe

[MuddyWitch]

An other idea, if you can spare the space, is one of thoses 1m square bags (that you often see in skips), that gravel etc is delivered in. I fit four plants into one for new spuds, two for main crop, earthing up as they grow, (so only half fill to start with). I just use garden soil too, but it is good stuff as its been worked for nine years now.

MW

[Odsox]

If you want an early (or late) crop of new potatoes then those big black builders buckets are good.
You won't get quite as many spuds as bigger containers but you have the benefit of being able to start them off indoors and move them in and out as the weather dictates.

[BonnieT]

Helloo,

For first earlies, I had great sucess last year by buying ten of those cheap black (though not sure if the colour made much difference) rectangular plastic storage boxes, that you often see in pound shops etc. I planted two potatoes in each and left them under the greenhouse benches.

Come late April, I had a really really good crop. It seemed to work better in large rectangular boxes than the large flower-pots I have tried in the past.

Worth a go! The planters I have seen look a bit flimsy and not as good as you can make for next to nothing.

BonnieT

[TheLancsLass]

We have used buckets, bins and bags lol cheapy boxes from our local poundshop worked the best, not as many spuds as the bags but at least my dog cant chew threw them ;)

[devonblacksmith]

I used an old plastic water tank part filled with soil then filled more as the plants grow worked very well.