Let me tell you about my first attempt at growing potatoes in bags – I nearly gave up when my “harvest” yielded three marble-sized spuds. But after five seasons of trial and error (and a few spectacular failures), I’ve cracked the code to getting grocery-store-worthy potatoes from fabric bags on my tiny apartment balcony.
Why Potato Bags Beat Traditional Gardening
- No backbreaking digging – Say goodbye to sore muscles and hello to simply tipping over a bag
- Foolproof pest control – My bags have never once hosted those dreaded Colorado potato beetles that plagued my old garden
- Space magic – Last summer I grew 15 pounds of potatoes in less space than my coffee table occupies
- The ultimate cheat code – When my neighbor’s in-ground potatoes got blight, mine stayed healthy as can be
Bag Selection: What Actually Works
Through extensive testing (read: buying every type of bag at the garden center), here’s what I’ve learned:
Best performers:
- 10-gallon fabric grow bags (the sweet spot between yield and space)
- Repurposed coffee bean sacks (free from local roasters and surprisingly durable)
- DIY burlap creations (if you’re feeling crafty)
Skip these:
- Cheap plastic “potato bags” from big box stores (they disintegrate by mid-season)
- Anything smaller than 5 gallons (unless you enjoy potato bonsai)
Potato Varieties That Thrive in Confinement
After testing 14 varieties, these are my top performers for bag growing:
Quick Wins (60-75 days):
- ‘Red Pontiac’ – Reliable producer with beautiful pink skin
- ‘Yukon Gem’ – Like Yukon Gold but more productive in containers
For Adventurous Growers:
- ‘Purple Majesty’ – Stunning violet flesh that holds color when cooked
- ‘La Ratte’ – French fingerling that chefs pay premium prices for
Pro tip: Local farm stands often sell seed potatoes better suited to your area than big box stores.
The No-Fail Planting Method
- Chitting is cheating (kind of) – I skip the whole egg carton sprouting ritual. Just buy pre-sprouted seed potatoes if you can.
- The soil secret – Mix 3 parts potting soil with 1 part compost and a handful of used coffee grounds (starbucks gives these away for free).
- Planting hack – Roll down your bag to start, planting just 4″ deep. As plants grow, unroll the bag and add more soil.
- Spacing matters – Three seed potatoes per 10-gallon bag max – any more and you’ll get a disappointing crop of marbles.
Keeping Them Happy (With Minimal Effort)
Watering:
- Stick a wooden skewer in the soil – if it comes out dry, water until it runs out the bottom
- Morning watering prevents overnight fungal parties
Feeding:
- Every 3 weeks, use leftover aquarium water if you have fish (weird but works)
- When flowers appear, sprinkle crushed eggshells for calcium
Sunlight:
- 6 hours minimum
- Rotate bags weekly to prevent lopsided growth
Harvesting Like a Pro
For “new” potatoes:
When plants flower, sneak your hand in to steal a few baby potatoes for dinner. They’ll keep producing more.
For full harvest:
- Wait until leaves yellow and die back
- Stop watering for a week
- Tip the bag over onto a tarp (the most satisfying 10 seconds of gardening)
Troubleshooting Real Problems
Problem: All leaves, no potatoes
Solution: You’re over-fertilizing with nitrogen – switch to a potassium-rich feed
Problem: Green potatoes
Solution: You didn’t hill properly – always keep tubers completely covered
Problem: Mushy mess
Solution: Improve drainage next time and water less frequently as harvest approaches
Why This Beats Store-Bought
Beyond the unbeatable flavor, homegrown bag potatoes:
- Have thinner skins that don’t need peeling
- Make the crispiest roasted potatoes imaginable
- Impress dinner guests when you casually mention you grew them yourself
Final Thoughts: Start Small, Then Expand
My first year I grew one bag. This year I have eight tucked around my balcony, producing nearly all the potatoes we eat. The best part? When the season’s over, I just fold up the bags and stash them until next spring.