How to Grow Potato Plants From Buds
- 1). Turn the garbage can or plastic storage bin upside down. Drill a number of holes on the bottom of the can about 2 inches apart as well as a several holes on the sides of the can, up to 6 inches from the bottom. You don't need to drill holes if you are using a wooden crate.
- 2). Turn the container right side up. Fill the container about halfway with potting soil. Wear garden gloves to protect your hands and use a spade or shovel to help distribute the soil.
- 3). Cut the seed potatoes into small 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces right before planting them. Each piece should have at least one eye, or bud, on it.
- 4). Place one or two potato buds in the container on top of the potting mix. Space them so they are about 10 inches apart. You can plant a third potato bud if there is room. Cover the potatoes with a few inches of potting mix. Water the potatoes so that the soil is moist, but not soaking wet.
- 5). Add potting soil to the container to cover and build a small hill around the plants as they grow. Continue to add soil until the plants reach the top of the container. Since container mix usually has fertilizer, you won't need to worry about fertilizing during the growing process, though you can mix equal parts of potting mix and compost and use that to hill the potatoes.
- 6). Water the soil in the container so it is moist at all times. Don't overwater the potatoes, though. If you notice pools of water under the container or on the top of the soil, cut back on your watering.
- 7). Harvest the potatoes after the vines have died back, usually toward the end of summer. Use a spade to dig up the potatoes from the dirt.
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