Why Grow Potatoes in Planters?
Growing potatoes in dedicated planters and potato bags has become one of the most popular ways to enjoy a homegrown harvest in the UK — and it's easy to see why. You don't need a large garden or even a garden at all. A patio, balcony, or even a sunny doorstep is enough space to grow a satisfying crop of new potatoes. Planters also give you complete control over the growing medium, make earthing up effortless, and allow for a simple, clean harvest with no digging required.
This guide covers everything you need to know to grow great potatoes in containers, from choosing the right planter to harvesting your crop.
Types of Potato Planter
Potato Grow Bags
The most popular and affordable option — a heavy-duty fabric or polypropylene bag, typically 30–45 litres in capacity. Fabric bags are particularly good as they allow air to reach the roots (a process called air pruning that encourages healthy root development) and drain freely. Many have a flap at the base for easy harvesting without tipping the whole bag over.
Rigid Potato Planters
Sturdy plastic or resin containers designed specifically for potato growing. They're more durable than fabric bags and often have a larger capacity, making them suitable for maincrop varieties as well as earlies. Look for models with handles for easy moving and drainage holes in the base.
Hessian and Jute Potato Sacks
Attractive natural fibre sacks that look great on a patio. They're breathable and biodegradable, though less durable than fabric or plastic alternatives. Ideal for a season or two of growing.
Repurposed Containers
Almost any large container can be used to grow potatoes — old dustbins, wooden crates, large buckets, or even stacked tyres. The key requirements are depth (at least 40cm), drainage holes, and sufficient volume (at least 30 litres per 2–3 seed potatoes).
Choosing the Right Potato Variety for Containers
Not all potatoes are equally suited to container growing. Early and second early varieties are the best choice — they mature quickly, produce a good yield in a smaller volume of compost, and are ready to harvest before blight becomes a problem in summer.
First Earlies (ready June–July)
- Rocket — one of the fastest-maturing varieties; ideal for containers
- Swift — very early, good yields, excellent flavour
- Arran Pilot — a classic UK early with great taste
- Casablanca — popular for containers; smooth white skin, waxy flesh
Second Earlies (ready July–August)
- Charlotte — the UK's favourite salad potato; superb flavour
- Nicola — waxy, yellow-fleshed, excellent for salads
- Kestrel — versatile and reliable; good disease resistance
Maincrop in Large Containers
Maincrop varieties can be grown in very large containers (60+ litres) but require more space and a longer growing season. Varieties like Desiree, King Edward, and Maris Piper can work well if you have the space.
Chitting: Getting Your Seed Potatoes Ready
Chitting means allowing seed potatoes to sprout before planting, giving them a head start and bringing the harvest forward by 2–3 weeks. It's particularly worthwhile for container growing.
- Place seed potatoes rose-end up (the end with the most eyes) in egg boxes or trays
- Keep in a cool, light, frost-free place — a windowsill is ideal
- Chit for 4–6 weeks before planting; shoots should be 1–2cm long and dark green or purple
- Start chitting first earlies in late January or February for planting in March–April
How to Plant Potatoes in a Planter: Step by Step
- Add drainage — place a layer of crocks, gravel, or broken polystyrene in the base of the planter to aid drainage
- Add compost — fill the planter to about one third full with a mix of multipurpose compost and a handful of general-purpose fertiliser or potato fertiliser
- Place seed potatoes — place 2–3 chitted seed potatoes on the compost, shoots facing up, spaced evenly
- Cover — cover with 10–15cm of compost
- Water in — water gently and place in a sheltered, sunny spot
- Earth up as shoots grow — as shoots emerge and reach 10–15cm, add more compost to cover all but the top few centimetres of growth. Repeat until the planter is full. This earthing up process encourages more tubers to form along the buried stems
Position and Care
- Sunlight — potatoes need at least 6 hours of direct sun per day; choose the sunniest spot available
- Frost protection — potato shoots are damaged by frost; if a late frost is forecast, move containers under cover or protect with fleece
- Watering — keep compost consistently moist but not waterlogged; containers dry out quickly in warm weather. Water regularly once shoots appear and increase watering as plants grow
- Feeding — once plants are in full growth, feed every 2 weeks with a high-potassium liquid feed (tomato feed works well) to encourage tuber development
When and How to Harvest
One of the great joys of container growing is the ease of harvesting — no digging required.
- First earlies: harvest when plants flower, or when the foliage begins to yellow — typically 10–12 weeks after planting
- Check before harvesting: push your hand into the compost and feel for tubers; if they're marble-sized, give them another week or two
- Harvesting: tip the entire planter onto a tarpaulin or into a wheelbarrow and sort through the compost by hand. Bags with a harvest flap allow you to check tubers without disturbing the whole plant
- New potatoes: eat fresh earlies as soon as possible after harvest — the sugars begin converting to starch immediately, so freshness is everything
Troubleshooting Common Problems
- Green potatoes — caused by exposure to light; ensure tubers are always covered with compost during earthing up. Never eat green potatoes — they contain solanine, which is toxic
- Blight — brown patches on leaves and stems, spreading rapidly in warm, wet weather. Remove and bin affected foliage immediately; harvest tubers as soon as possible. Growing earlies reduces blight risk as they're harvested before peak blight season
- Poor yields — usually caused by insufficient earthing up, underwatering, or too small a container. Use a larger planter and earth up consistently
- Hollow or misshapen tubers — caused by irregular watering; keep moisture levels consistent throughout the growing season
Shop Potato Planters at Selections
Browse our range of potato planters and grow bags to get your potato growing season off to the best possible start.