How to plant potatoes in a pot on the balcony

Planting potatoes on the balcony might sound like a pretty crazy idea for our grandparents. But in recent years urban gardening has become very creative. Actually, there is no problem for potatoes to develop in the middle of the city.

This is what potatoes need on the balcony

Potatoes are hardy and adaptable plants. They don’t need a big field. As long as the location is right, they can get along with the limited space on your balcony. These conditions are the ones that must be met for the potatoes to thrive on the balcony and the harvest to be successful:

Sufficient sunlight: potatoes grow best in a bright, warm place. However, direct sunlight is not absolutely necessary. Sufficient nutrients: Potatoes need a fair amount of nutrients, although less than other members of the vegetable family. Therefore, mix the soil with mature compost and then use organic fertilizer so that your potatoes are well cared for. Sufficient water: Potato plants need a lot of water, especially while tubers are forming. They usually draw water from their deep roots. Since this is not possible on the balcony, you have to water the potatoes every day. However, it is essential to avoid waterlogging, as otherwise the roots and tubers will easily start to rot. Enough space: of course, space is an important issue if you want to grow potatoes on the balcony. Potatoes are very adaptable. If they don’t have room on the sides, they just keep growing downwards. For the harvest to be worthwhile, the planter must have a volume of at least ten liters and a height of about 40 centimeters.

Potatoes in pots: the right containers

When it comes to choosing a suitable pot for balcony potatoes, you have numerous options. Here are some ideas to inspire you:

Cubes: Large buckets are very suitable for planting potatoes on the balcony. You can also recycle old paint buckets or similar containers. Another option is to give a new use to the old children’s bathtubs or laundry basins. tubs: Black mason tubs for making mortar are a good size for potato plants. Wooden boxes: You can create wooden boxes for your potatoes out of old pallets or boards. You can adjust the size individually. Sacks: Strong jute sacks are also suitable for planting potatoes on the balcony. You can also easily turn the big blue shopping bags from the famous Swedish furniture store into a planting bag. There is also the possibility of purchasing specially made planting bags at well-stocked garden stores.

To avoid waterlogging, You should poke a hole or some slits in your container before filling it, this allows excess water to drain out.

If you have a large balcony or a little more space, for example your own terrace or a small garden, then a potato tower could also be a good option for you.

Pre-sprout potatoes in March

If you want to grow potatoes on your balcony, you need to get seed potatoes from a garden store or buy them from a reputable farmer. Then you must let them germinate. The best way to do this is to store the potatoes in a box so that they do not touch each other.

Put them in a dark and cool place. The ideal temperature for pregermination is between 12 and 15 degrees. The process takes about four weeks. Then you can plant the sprouted potatoes in the planters on your balcony.

Step by step to plant potatoes on the balcony

From April you can plant the potatoes. No matter which container you have chosen, This is how you should proceed if you want to plant potatoes on your balcony:

Make sure that your container is big enough and have enough holes. Fill a drainage layer of gravel or expanded clay as a background to avoid waterlogging. Then Pour in about 6 inches of nutrient-rich, peat-free soil on the drainage layer. Place the pre-sprouted potatoes at a distance of 15 to 20 centimeterss in the pot and then cover them with soil. Now wait until the sprouts have reached between two and four inches before covering them with another layer of soil. It is best to do it at night, when the tips of the leaves point upwards. Potatoes form side shoots on which more tubers can grow. Repeat this process until your container is filled to the brim. Make sure that the low potato sprouts also get enough sunlight so that the plants can develop well. Also make sure that the soil never dries out and has enough nutrients. You can enrich it with mature compost or organic fertilizer.

Potatoes on the balcony: the harvest

A great advantage of planting potatoes in closed containers is their easy harvest. Instead of searching for the tubers with the shovel, you can simply empty the pot. Before the time comes, potato flowers will beautify your balcony.

Potatoes are ready to harvest about 100 days after planting. The more space they have, the greater the harvest. The performance on the balcony is logically less than on a bed or in the field, but in good conditions, you can count on about a kilo per plant.