There seems to be more interest in growing potatoes in a garbage can this year. I have seen several garden bloggers doing it. I don't remember them all, but my friends Tracy at Outside and Gina at My Skinny Garden both have good starts of potatoes in a can growing.
I am very pleased with the progress of my can-o-taters so far. The plants have reached the top of the can.
It has been easier this year because I had another can of good compost, peat and soil ready ahead of time. Last year I was always scrounging for some good growing medium. Soon I will add the rest of the soil mix and the can will be completely full. It will be good timing because the potato plants are beginning to bloom.
With this method, it is hard to rob the plant of "new" potatoes early in the season like I do with other planting methods.
With the garbage can potato method, I'll wait for the plants to die back, dump the can over and harvest a whole lot of spuds!
After the can is full of soil, the only thing for me to do for the rest of the summer is to be sure they stay well watered. Then its time for baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, home made french fries, scalloped potatoes, potatoes au gratin, hash brown potatoes .....
I have grown potatoes in a black plastic rubbish bin (I'm English!) for a number of years now. You have to use maincrop potatoes and not earlies because they earth up in a different way. The results are fantastic but they tend to get very dry very easily. Even if you give them a good watering it is difficult to get the water right to the center of the bin where it almost always remains bone dry!
Posted by: June 23, 2008 at 10:16 AM
Can-o-taters, I really like that name. You should get that guy from the infomercials to do one about the incredible Can-o-taters. Act now and receive a bonus Bag-o-compost while supplies last. :)
Posted by: Anthony | June 23, 2008 at 02:26 PM
I do mine with a small roll of wire and 4 garden stakes. Fill with straw, place potatoes, small amount of soil and a load more straw, makes it easy to bandicoot (an aussie expression i think meaning take small ones for gourmet dishes) them when you want:)
Blessings:)
Posted by: June 23, 2008 at 08:48 PM
What a fantastic idea! Did you poke holes in the bottom of the can for drainage?
Posted by: Anonymous | June 24, 2008 at 03:21 AM
Oh I saw the previous post where you drilled holes in the bottom of the can. I am going to try this next year! Great idea!
Posted by: Tim | June 24, 2008 at 03:24 AM
marc - did i mention that i planted one garbage can-o-sweet-po-tatars and sombody left me a comment on my blog that sweet potatoes wont grow like that? i cant remember why. either way, i have zero growth so far. i dont think i did it right...
Posted by: June 24, 2008 at 06:00 AM
I can't wait to see how much you harvest from this trash can!
Anthony over at Compost Bin also did a post about them, as did someone else recently.
Posted by: June 24, 2008 at 07:07 AM
...tater-tots, potato salad, fried tater sandwich, potato chips, potato soup...
"
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Posted by: June 24, 2008 at 09:05 PM
I'v grown my potatoes in my square foot garden this year (actually a bad idea it would have it, so won't be doing that again), and also in some large pots I could find, as I had some spare potatoes chitting.
These have been refilled with compost three times now, and are looking quite healthy. I'm looking forward to the 'tip' so I can harvest them!
Posted by: July 05, 2008 at 11:44 PM
Be prepared for a lot of tubers from those cans. See what I made from one seed potato and a small tub: http://square-footing.blogspot.com/2008/07/look-what-i-made-mummy.html
Posted by: August 14, 2008 at 11:34 PM