So why not grow your own? A bag of seed potatoes cost about $5 and will yield about 50 lbs. of potatoes. You can even save a few of those store spuds and replant them, saving even more. We are not going to cover growing the potatoes just yet because we wanted to focus on ways to plant them.
Of course you can plant the directly in the ground, though the preparation of the soil to keep it loose and good quality can be a daunting task. Then there is the bucket, a five gallon bucket works well for fingerlings and small spaces and early season potatoes, same is true for planter potatoes. Then there is the trash can potatoes, an excellent choice if growing late season potatoes but often difficult to harvest without dumping the whole thing out. Paper bag and general bag potatoes are also an option. The one we like the most is the stackable bin. For a cost of lumber or even scrap lumber you can build two for about $50 and they will last up to 10 years.
(One bin)
4 - 2x2x8 pine boards
4 - 1x6x8 pine boards
1 cardboard box for weed barrier
4-8 bags of garden soil (make sure each bag is 2 cu ft. for each layer)
1 bags of late season seed potatoes
36x36 inch piece of chicken fence to cover bin and keep squirrels out from stealing the seed potatoes.
Box of 2" deck screws
You can use cedar, maple, oak or hickory for the lumber, all will last different lengths of time but all have a higher cost. DO NOT USE PRESSURE TREATED LUMBER. We have also used pallets for this project, just make sure they are stamped HT (Heat treated) anything else usually contains pesticides or preservatives that can be toxic if ingested.
Step one - Cut that wood
1. Take the 1x6x8 and cut into 24 inch lengths (4 per 8 foot board)
2. Take the 2x2 and cut those into 6 inch lengths
That is it for cutting now lets assemble
Step two - Assemble
1. Take four 1x6x24 and four 2x2x6's for the base.
2. With one 2x2 and two 1x6 set your first corner. Using the deck screws attach the 1x6 to the 2x2. If using Pine it is advised to pre-drill your holes to prevent splitting. Be sure to offset the 2x2 2" above the top of the base. This will create the pegs for the second layer to sit on top of the first and subsequent layers. Follow this process until all four sides are assembled.
3. Follow the same process for the second layer except build it assembled on top of the base. This will help keep the corner 2x2's at the correct height for the next level. Continue this process for the remaining layers. When completed you will have one bin 24" deep. Remove each layer and leave just the base.
Step three - Planting
1. Put the base on level ground where the planter will get full sun.
2. Line the bottom with cardboard to keep the weeds under control.
3. Fill the base with soil, just to the top. Install the second layer but do not fill with anymore soil.
4. Plant your seed potatoes per the planting instructions. Late season potatoes take up to 90 days to grow and this method works best for those. Early season should be planted using another method such as the 5 gallon pail.
5. Water and place the chicken wire over the top. We secure ours with roofing nails and stretch the fence tight so the bushy tails can't get under or pull off. We have also used bricks at the corner to hold it down. Use whatever method works best for you.
6. When the plants get to about a foot high, add more dirt. cover all the leaving about four inches of the plants about the soil. What this will do is allow those buried leaves convert to roots for additional potatoes to grow. Do this right up to the last level. At that point the chicken fence can be removed, the squirrels tend to avoid areas with dense vegetation. Once the leaves turn brown, the potatoes can be harvested.
We recommend only harvesting what you need, because the bin, if not saturated with water will store the potatoes for some time. We have left them and periodically harvested through out the winter, by covering the bin with boards to keep water out so the soil does not freeze. Each bin usually will work well for about 50-100 lbs of potatoes.
