There they were. Little ruby treasures buried in the dirt. Potatoes!

Last year, Big Papa and I tried our hand at garbage can potato farming. Our first crop yielded eighty-one potatoes, which by our estimation qualified as a successful venture.  Potatoes are one of those mystery crops that develop out of sight, underground. You never really know how you’re doing until you harvest. Since we were first-timers, it was a pleasant surprise to dump out the can and find so many.

We’re at it again this year. With our Rose Fingerling “seed potatoes” and a thirty-gallon plastic garbage can at the ready, we’ll roll out the start of our 2010 crop today, March 17.

St. Patrick’s Day is a convenient reminder that potato season is with us once again. I’ve heard that the Irish say to “get yer potatoes in the ground before St. Paddy’s.” The exact time may vary a bit, but early spring is potato planting time. The earliest you should plant seed potatoes is two weeks before your last anticipated freeze date of 28 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. In Seattle, where I live, we’re ‘Zone 8’ for gardening, which means the time is now to get those spuds sprouting.

Folks may wonder why in the world anyone would want to grow potatoes in a plastic garbage can. Well let me tell you, potatoes grow deep, and digging them out is no picnic. Potatoes are also fond of soft, well prepared soil where they can easily take root. And, they hog space, eating up precious planting real estate in the garden. Last, but not least, potatoes should never be planted in the same place year after year because they infect their own soil and cause next year’s crops to get blight (remember that little potato famine that took its toll on the population of Ireland?).

For those of us who don’t have much space in our gardens (like Big Papa and I), garbage can potato gardening is the way to go. So if you want to till some ‘taters, here’s what you need:

• Clean 30-gallon plastic garbage can
• Drill with a 1/2 inch bit
• Seed potatoes (available from your local garden/nursery) – Note: potatoes bought at the grocery store are frequently treated to keep them from sprouting
• 3 cubic feet or 1 large bag of good quality, well draining potting soil or straw
• Organic vegetable fertilizer with low nitrogen content (nitrogen causes the leaves to grow fast and big but your potatoes end up being teeny weenie). Look for a 5-10-10 ratio
• Compost

When you get your potato making “kit” together, here’s what you do:

Step 1: Turn your garbage can upside down and drill several holes in the bottom of the can. Add a few around the outside wall, 3 to 6 inches up from the bottom. It’s really important to have good drainage or your potatoes will rot.

Step 2: Good soil is the key. Dump 2/3 of your bag of potting soil in the can. Mix in 1 cup of your fertilizer and set aside.

Step 3: Small seed potatoes can be planted whole. Larger potatoes should be cut up into pieces with no less than 3 “eyes” per piece (“eyes” are the brown dimples that the roots grow from). Let your potatoes dry out on the cut side before you plant them.

Step 4: Once your cut potatoes have dried, plant them in your can 5 inches apart and cover with the remaining soil. You’ll only need 4 starts to a can. Set the can in an area that receives 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight.

Step 5: Water thoroughly and keep the soil moist but not soggy during the growing season. Don’t let the soil dry out or you’ll end up with misshaped potatoes. On the hot summer days, your potato garbage can might need to be watered daily (you can move the can to a slightly shadier location on the hottest days).

Step 6: As the plants start to grow in the can (about 6 inches above the soil), mound up compost or straw around plant stems keeping the leaves uncovered. Keep adding compost or straw as they grow. You’ll eventually fill up the entire can with compost by the end of the growing season. Keep it watered.

Step 7: Your plants will start forming flowers.

Step 8: Fall harvest. At harvest time, you can wait for the flowers to start to fade and grow what looks like berries. Harvest a few potatoes now, by reaching into the soft soil and picking a few, then covering everything back up with compost. These early potatoes are “new potatoes” and they spoil quickly, so eat them right away.

For bigger, storing potatoes, wait to harvest after the green plants have turned yellow to brown and have dried up or died back. Dump the entire can over (onto a tarp) and pick out your potatoes. The soil can be collected and added to a flower or herb garden or put into yard waste. You don’t want to plant potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, or eggplant in the “used” potato soil because it likely harbors insects or disease from this season’s crop.

Step 9: Eat ‘em! We roasted ours with some olive oil and kosher salt. Yum. Store your potatoes in a cool, dry place and keep on eating them!

Our potatoes were divine and it was a huge thrill to dump out the garbage can and count our “loot.” I told Big Papa I thought this would be a great annual tradition. I can’t wait to compare our potato haul from year to year. And I look forward to sharing the fun and the ‘tatos with our kiddo.

It is easy to halve the potato where there is love.
~Irish Proverb

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