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Growing potatoes in containers as opposed to the ground has several benefits. In addition to saving space in little gardens, container gardening allows easier control over growth conditions and shields plants from animals that might otherwise devour them, such as voles.
Between 8000 and 5000 BC, the potato was the earliest cultivated vegetable in what is now southern Peru and extreme northwest Bolivia. Although potatoes may have been cultivated in South America for 10,000 years, they are difficult to identify because they do not retain well in the archaeological record.
The oldest potato tuber remnants confirmed by archaeology date to 2500 BC and were discovered at the seaside location of Ancón in central Peru. The potato appears in the Peruvian archaeological record as a design impact of ceramic ceramics, frequently in the form of containers, in addition to actual remains. Since then, the potato has increased globally and is now a staple crop in most nations.
Find out how to produce potatoes in pots with ease.
How To Grow Potatoes Easily In Pots?
When To Plant?
Plant potatoes in containers About two weeks before your area's final frost. Because container soil warms more quickly than ground soil when exposed to sunlight, you might be able to plant a week or so earlier. But if a late spring frost is forecast, be ready to cover or move your potato pots inside.
If you can provide them with enough heat and light, potatoes can also be grown indoors in containers during the winter.
Potato Hilling In Containers
"Hilling" or progressively burying the stems by piling more soil around the plant as it grows higher is necessary whether growing potatoes in pots, grow bags, or on the ground.
Start by applying just enough soil to the seed potatoes. Fill the container with more soil as the plant grows, piling it around it at regular intervals. Additionally, by burying the stems, the potatoes are shielded from light, which causes them to turn green.
How To Cultivate Potatoes In A Container?
Put nutrient-rich, well-draining potting soil in a container. To hill the crop later, leave a few inches at the top of the container.
- Plant the seed pieces 10 to 12 inches apart with the eyes facing up.
- Spread 3 to 4 inches of potting mix over the seed pieces that have been planted.
- Throughout the growing season, water often keeps the soil uniformly moist.
- Your container should be placed in a sunny area.
- Start hilling by spreading fresh dirt around the stems once they are between 6 and 8 inches tall.
- Repeat the procedure two or three times at intervals of two to three weeks during the growing season.
Watering
It's crucial to inspect the soil of container-grown potatoes every day because they require frequent watering. Watering potatoes regularly will keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy. Put your finger into the soil of your potatoes to determine when they need to be watered. It's time to remove the hose or watering can if the top 1 to 2 inches of soil feels dry. Installing a drip irrigation system is an additional choice.
Applying fertiliser
Every few weeks, add a small amount of liquid organic fertiliser to your potatoes' water. For instance, an emulsion of fish or kelp offers a combination of essential nutrients.
When and How to Harvest These Potatoes?
After they flower, which normally happens in mid to late summer, potatoes can be picked at any time. Depending on the type, this could happen three to four months after planting. Pull the largest tubers out of your containers and reach down to harvest just a few potatoes.
Or wait a few more weeks until the entire potato plant dies back and turns yellow. For even simpler harvesting, you can carefully remove the entire plant from the ground or drop the entire container onto a plastic tarp. It will be easy for the tubers to separate from the plant. After that, you can rinse them out and include them in your preferred potato recipes.
Around the world, potatoes are a staple food. It contains a lot of complex carbs and starch. Potatoes can be divided into hundreds of farmed types in terms of taste, texture, colour, size, and shape. A vegetarian meal would be impossible to envisage without potatoes.
