Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Growing Family

UK home and garden blog sharing ideas, inspiration and tips for busy family life, written by Catherine Hughes

  • Home
  • About
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
  • Garden
    • What to Plant Now
    • Garden Jobs this Month
    • Grow Your Own
    • Gardening with Children
    • Garden Tips
    • Garden Design
    • Houseplants
    • In Season Now
    • Birth Month Flowers
  • Interiors
    • Interior Design Tips
    • Living Room
    • Kitchen & Dining
    • Bedroom
    • Bathroom
    • Family Home
    • Product Showcase
    • Food
  • Exploring
    • Exploring Nature
    • Days Out
    • Travel
  • Craft
  • Reviews
  • Giveaways

How to grow potatoes in bags: easy step-by-step guide

March 10, 2020 by Catherine 27 Comments

seed potatoes

It’s potato planting time!

I think it’s impossible to beat the taste of homegrown new potatoes, and they’re not difficult to grow at all.  In fact they’re a brilliant veg to grow with kids; they’re nice and chunky to handle when planting, the kids get to pile soil on them as they grow, and harvest time is basically a treasure hunt as all those lovely spuds are unearthed!

If you’ve got lots of room in the garden or at an allotment, you can of course grow potatoes in rows and get a really big crop, but don’t be put off if you don’t have a lot of space.  You can grow potatoes very successfully in a container, and using this method is perfect for small gardens or your first efforts at grow your own.  Here’s how to grow potatoes in bags.

potatoes with shovel

Different types of potato to grow

Before you do anything else, it’s worth understanding a bit about the different types of potato you can grow. Potatoes for growing are usually split into three varieties, each named according to the time of year that you plant and harvest them.

  • ‘first early’ varieties will be ready to harvest soonest – around June. First earlies are what we traditionally think of as ‘new’ potatoes.
  • ‘second early’ varieties are also ‘new’ potatoes, but they take a few more weeks to grow.
  • ‘maincrop’ varieties produce potatoes that are best suited to baking, mashing and roasting. They take the longest amount of time to grow, and will be ready for harvesting from late July to September.

What month do you plant potatoes?

March is traditionally the most popular time of year to plant potatoes. Having said that, if you choose the right variety you can plant them in April and May and still have a crop before autumn.

potatoes on soil

How long does it take to grow potatoes in a bag?

The amount of time it takes for your potato harvest to be ready is mainly influenced by the variety of potato you choose. The weather also plays a part.

  • First early potatoes will be ready to harvest around 10 weeks after planting.
  • Second early potatoes will be ready to harvest around 13 weeks after planting.
  • Maincrop potatoes will be ready to harvest around 20 weeks after planting.

It’s really up to you which variety you choose; just decide when you’d ideally like to harvest your potatoes. Once you know this, you can work out which variety is the best option. You can also check the growing times on the bag.

If you’re planting in April or May, it’s a good idea to go for a first early or second early variety which takes less time to grow.

Once you’ve decided which type of potato you’d like to grow, you’re ready to buy your seed potatoes.

seed potatoes

What are seed potatoes?

Seed potatoes are potatoes that have been grown with the specific purpose of being replanted to produce a crop of potatoes. The little shoots that sprout from each potato is where the crop will develop.

It’s definitely a good idea to buy seed potatoes as opposed to potatoes which you’ve bought to eat that have sprouted, because seed potatoes are guaranteed to be free of viruses.

How to make seed potatoes sprout

Your seed potatoes need to have sprouts before you can plant them. To encourage this, you need to put them in a cool, dark place; this is often referred to as “chitting”.

You might find that the seed potatoes you’ve bought are already sprouting, this is fine and has actually saved you a bit of time!  If not, pop them into a plant saucer, shallow tray or old egg box until they look like this:

seed potatoes

How to grow potatoes in bags

When your seed potatoes are sprouted, you’re ready to plant.

All you need is your seed potatoes, some compost and a bag.  You can use any large, strong plastic bag to plant them in, for example, an empty compost bag. Bin bags are a bit too flimsy. If you’d like to limit the use of plastic, you can buy specially designed *potato planting bags, like the one we’ve used in the picture below.  These bags can be reused year after year; as you can probably see ours is a bit faded and battered, but it’s still going strong after a few years of use.

how to grow potatoes in bags

You can also plant potatoes in pots, if you happen to have any spare.

planting seed potatoes in a container

If you do use a plastic bag, you need to make some holes in the bottom for drainage before you start.

Fill your bag about a quarter full with compost; you can roll down the top to make this easier.

growing potatoes in bags

How many potatoes can I plant in a bag?

The number of potatoes you can grow in a bag will obviously vary depending on the size of bag you’re using. For the bag shown in the pictures, I plant 2-3 seed potatoes, depending on how big the potatoes are.

Don’t be tempted to plant too many potatoes in your bag. This will just make more plants compete for the same amount of nutrients, and won’t give you a bigger harvest.

Planting seed potatoes

Next, position your potatoes evenly in the bag, with the majority of their sprouting shoots pointing upwards.

how to grow potatoes in bags

Cover the potatoes with another layer of compost, then give them a thorough watering.  And that’s it! Now you just need to water them regularly and let them get on with growing, until you see leaves appearing on the top of the compost.

Do potatoes need full sun or shade?

Potato plants grow best when they have access to plenty of daylight. A sunny spot is great, but they will also tolerate partial shade.

Earthing up potatoes

When your potatoes have produced leaves, it’s time to earth them up. This is simply adding more compost to cover them up again.  You need to do this for two reasons: to prevent the growing potatoes turning green and poisonous, and to increase your crop by encouraging more potatoes to grow on the buried stems.

Unroll the top of the bag as you add more compost. Keep repeating this process until you’ve pretty much filled your bag with compost. At this point you can leave the plants to grow and flower – but keep watering them regularly.

flowering potato plants

How do I know when my potatoes are ready to harvest?

Your potato plants will produce flowers. They are ready to harvest when the flowers start to die off.

To harvest your potatoes, pull the stem of the plant out of the compost. Gather up any potatoes that are still attached to the roots, then check the compost for any that have been left behind.

You don’t have to harvest all of your crop in one go. You can dig up a few potatoes at a time, coming back for more when you need them.

If you’d prefer to dig all your plants up in one go, that’s fine too. Just make sure you store your potatoes somewhere cool and dark until you’re ready to use them. This will keep them fresh and prevent them from sprouting. You can buy *potato storage bags which are designed specifically for this purpose, but a container with a lid or a cloth drawstring bag will work well too.

potato harvest

And that’s it: follow these few easy steps and you’ll be enjoying amazing homegrown potatoes this summer. They really do taste so much better than shop-bought!

man's hands holding harvested potatoes

Growing new potatoes for Christmas

New potatoes are very much a summer treat, but it’s perfectly possible to grow potatoes in bags for Christmas lunch too!

The method is just the same, but you’ll need to plant your seed potatoes in late summer for a Christmas harvest. Garden centres usually have seed potatoes for sale at this time of year that are specifically suited to this project. You will need to protect your plants and harvest from frost, so move your bags into a sheltered spot or greenhouse when temperatures start to drop.

If your potatoes are ready a bit too early, you can dig them up, re-bury them in soil, and put them in a frost-free place until you’re ready to eat them. It’s not a great idea to leave them in the ground, as they’ll be vulnerable to damage from frost, slugs and general wet conditions. You can also dig them up and store them in the fridge, or in a bag in the shed or garage, but you’ll lose some of the lovely flavour and texture this way.

heart shaped potato on soil

If you’re interested in other ways to grow potatoes, take a look at this post on how potatoes are grown. You might also like to check out this video which covers growing potatoes in bags:

More grow your own inspiration

For more grow your own ideas, you might like to check out these posts:

Quick and easy veg to grow

How to grow a windowsill herb garden

55 easy grow your own tips, ideas and resources

Will you be having a go at growing your own potatoes this year? Do you have any tips on how to grow potatoes in bags or containers?

Pin for later

Think you don't have enough space to grow potatoes? Think again! Check out this easy guide on how to grow potatoes in bags.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • Print

Related

Filed Under: Grow Your Own Tagged With: Allotment, Containers, Crops, Food, Garden, gardening, Grow Your Own, Harvest, Homegrown, Planting, Potatoes, Spring, Top Tips, Vegetables

« Gardening Calendar: What to Plant in April
Win a wireless wildlife camera worth £149.99 – plus discount code »

Comments

  1. Karen Stacy says

    April 18, 2017 at 2:45 pm

    They are super to grow, I do not have a large space for gardening and I found that this is the very best and easiest way to grow potatoes. I encourage anyone who likes gardening and has small space try this. You can reap the joy of planting and eating your own food.

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      April 20, 2017 at 9:54 am

      That’s great to hear Karen, it really does work doesn’t it! Hope you have a bumper harvest this year 🙂

      Reply
  2. Jay says

    April 22, 2017 at 1:48 pm

    Great post, and great pics. I do this too. Works every time. The only cautionary tale I have is don’t plant before the frosts are over UNLESS you have some fleece (or other frost protector) to put over bags. I’ve been caught out this last week with just that very thing.

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      April 23, 2017 at 3:08 pm

      Ah that’s a great tip – thanks! We have frosts forecast this week so I’m definitely going to give our bags some protection, just in case. Hope you haven’t lost too many plants.

      Reply
  3. Whitney says

    November 1, 2017 at 12:35 pm

    How many potatoes will grow when you only plant 3 potatoes?

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      November 3, 2017 at 10:55 am

      That really depends on how big your container is and the variety of potato you choose, but in my experience you can expect to harvest around ten potatoes for each one you plant. The process of earthing up encourages more potatoes to grow on the buried stems, so it’s well worth remembering to do this regularly.

      Reply
  4. Connie says

    March 13, 2018 at 10:49 pm

    We would love to try your potato in a bag idea! But we are wondering where to keep the bag. Do you keep it indoors or outside? Which leads me to the next question of what time of year do you plant the potatoes? It is currently the month of March and we live in Minnesota. We would appreciate any advice you could give!

    Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      March 14, 2018 at 11:09 am

      Potatoes are an outdoor crop, so you should definitely keep the bag outside. Potatoes are usually planted in early spring for harvesting 3-4 months later, so the next few weeks would be ideal for getting started where you live. Happy planting!

      Reply
  5. lorraine says

    April 26, 2018 at 1:07 pm

    I’ve not tried growing them in a bag before, I may give this a go this year!

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      April 26, 2018 at 3:00 pm

      Ooh give it a go, it’s really easy and very low maintenance!

      Reply
  6. April says

    June 11, 2018 at 7:14 pm

    What if my potatoes don’t flower?

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      June 12, 2018 at 10:19 am

      Not all potato varieties flower, and you can also have a good crop of potatoes without any flowers at all. I would wait until the growth looks like it’s starting to die back, then carefully check for potatoes – if you find very small ones it’s probably worth waiting a bit longer before harvesting.

      Reply
  7. gillian says

    July 13, 2018 at 10:23 am

    hello Catherine, first can I say love your site you explain things that I understand, Im trying out for the first time growing veg in my back garden ive grew tomatoes, runner beans, were great now im trying to grow potatoes in growing bags the plants are looking healthy and green but still no flowers on the plants? how long do you think I should wait to see if there is any potatoes under the compost? How long does the flowers comes on the vines? Catherine I know this isn’t about potatoes but I would like to grow mushrooms in growing bags, can you tell me how easy to grow them? people have told me its hard to grow mushrooms out doors? if this is true could I grow mushrooms in growing bag in my spare room where its nice and warm? thank you so much catherine

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      July 20, 2018 at 10:33 am

      It sounds like you’re really enjoying growing your own! Not all potato varieties flower, so I think the best thing to do is wait until the foliage starts to turn yellow and die back, then check carefully for potatoes. If you know which variety of potato you planted you can also look up the typical time they take from planting to harvest. I’m afraid I haven’t ever grown mushrooms so I’m not much help with that one! I did find this article over at Thompson & Morgan which might be useful though: https://www.thompson-morgan.com/how-to-grow-mushrooms Happy planting 🙂

      Reply
  8. Martina says

    April 5, 2020 at 4:33 pm

    Hello like to try this with some ikea bags how many wholes I have to punch?

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      April 5, 2020 at 8:06 pm

      I would say around 6-8 holes would provide enough drainage – hope you get a bumper crop!

      Reply
  9. Pauline says

    April 26, 2020 at 2:19 pm

    Hi. Do I have to use black bags? Is the size of a 12.5kg rubble bag right for 3 potatoes or does it need to be bigger?
    Compost. Multi one or does it HAVE to have soil as well.?
    Stay safe. Kind regards
    Pauline

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      April 27, 2020 at 9:03 am

      You don’t have to use black bags, any plastic bag will do as long as it isn’t too flimsy. 3 seed potatoes sounds about right for the bag you describe. Multi-purpose compost is ideal, you don’t need any soil – just the compost. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  10. Pauline says

    April 27, 2020 at 10:47 am

    Thank you. So I can use see through rubble bags?
    Kind regards

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      April 27, 2020 at 11:41 am

      Ah sorry I didn’t realise you were asking about clear bags. I don’t think clear plastic is a good idea, because you need to keep the growing potatoes away from the light. If they are exposed to light they will turn green and be inedible. So if you can find anything that isn’t clear to hold them that would be best.

      Reply
  11. Ian Sanderson says

    June 4, 2020 at 2:46 pm

    Tried this year with advice from some big name nurseries to fill the bags from the start and plant sets half way down.
    What a disaster, just havested after 12 weeks ‘Royal Kidneys’ and there is practically no crop
    Gutted

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      June 5, 2020 at 1:32 pm

      Oh that’s a real shame – how disappointing! I’ve never tried filling up the bags from the start, and based on your experience I think I’ll stick to the usual method. Hope this doesn’t put you off having another go though.

      Reply
  12. Maggie says

    June 8, 2020 at 7:30 pm

    I live in Spain, I only have a small east/south/west balcony so a lot of sun nearly all day.
    I have a strong supermarket bag, would that do ? Could stand it on a tray to catch any excess water. It’s June now so maybe too late for this year.

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      June 10, 2020 at 3:30 pm

      I think a supermarket bag would be OK as long as it isn’t see-through (if the growing potatoes are exposed to the light they turn green and inedible) – make sure you poke some drainage holes in the bottom. You can still plant seed potatoes if you’ve got some, don’t wait too long to do it though!

      Reply
  13. louise says

    August 23, 2020 at 4:29 pm

    Hi, decided to try and grow potatoes for Christmas. It’s only been three weeks and I have already had to earth up to the top, the shoots were coming up quickly! Does that sound ok? Or will they be ready much earlier than Christmas?? Thanks

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      August 25, 2020 at 9:43 am

      I think you’ll be fine – if your potatoes are ready a bit too early (they’re ready when they have flowered and the foliage starts to die back), you can dig them up, re-bury them in soil and put them in a frost-free place until you’re ready to eat them. It’s not a great idea to leave them in the ground, as they’ll be vulnerable to damage from frost, slugs and general wet conditions. You can also dig them up and store them in the fridge, or in a bag in the shed or garage, but you’ll lose some of the lovely flavour and texture this way. Hope you get a bumper harvest!

      Reply
  14. Louise says

    August 25, 2020 at 9:51 am

    Thank you! Sounds like great advice 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome!

I’m Catherine, mum, wife, writer and fan of wellies. We love exploring, creating and growing things and my blog shares ideas, inspiration and tips for making the most of busy family life, indoors and out.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Get blog posts to your inbox

Instagram

Pinterest

VuelioTop10Badge2020
CandideTop10Badge2019

HIBS100 Index of Home and Interior Blogs
HIBS100
BRAMBLECREST GARDEN FURNITURE

Connect

Catherine Hughes is a home & garden blogger sharing ideas, inspiration & tips for making the most of busy family life, indoors and out.
Learn More

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

pink rose flowers
bedroom with canvas wall art

AMAZON ASSOCIATE

 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright Growing Family 2015. Design by Stacey Corrin.

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.