I got an e-mail from a reader, Karen, who passed this along to me. I thought it was such a great idea I wanted to share it with all of you. I've never tried it before, but I'm planning on doing it this year - planting potatoes in a trash can!! Here is how you do it:
Things you need:
30 gallon plastic garbage can
Drill with a 1/2 inch drill bit
Seed potatoes (available at your local nursery)
1 lg bag of good quality, well draining potting soil
Organic vegetable fertilizer (look for a nitrogen content of 5-10-10)
Compost
On the bottom of your garbage can, drill several holes in the bottom of the can. Add a few on the outside wall, about 3 to 6 inches up the can.
Dump about 2/3 of your potting soil in, then add 1 cup of your fertilizer.
Plant potatoes in the can about 5 inches apart, and cover with remaining soil. You will only need 4 potatoes starts per can. Place the can in an area that will get between 4-6 hours of direct sunlight per day.
Water thoroughly and keep the soil moist but not soggy.
As the plants start to grow, mound up compost and put around the stem of the plants.
When it's time to harvest, dump the entire can over onto a tarp and pick out your potatoes. The soil can be collected and added to your flower garden.
Sound simple enough? This is a great idea, especially if you don't have a lot of room to plant a garden. Anyone else want to try this out with me this summer? I will keep you updated on my progress. :)
Thanks, Karen, for sharing this idea with us!
Also, thanks to GreenGardenChic, for the helpful pictures and info!
Here's some ideas on what to do with all those potatoes!
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