Even though people believe that all vegetables are good for health, many conflicting opinions regarding potatoes exist. This is because potatoes have a high starch content, and they are linked to processed food most of the time. So, people can be somewhat confused as to whether or not they should be consuming potatoes regularly.
There are a few different types of potatoes available in the market. Each type has its unique features, and the method of preparation can also affect the overall nutrients. Some gardeners have recently been wondering about whether or not growing potatoes in a barrel is possible. Let’s briefly discuss how you can grow your potatoes in a barrel.
What You Need to Know About Growing Potato In A Barrel
If you have a large enough barrel, then you can quickly grow potatoes in it. To grow potatoes, you have to start by adding a plastic drainage pipe to your large barrel. This drainage pipe will water the plants and provide other materials to the potatoes at the bottom of the barrel. So, before anything else, you need to add the drainage pipe to the center of the barrel. If you don’t have a drainage pipe, then you can always make one yourself.
Take a plastic pipe and drill holes along the length of the tube. It would be best if you drilled holes on each side of the plastic pipe to make it easier for the water to get to the potatoes at the bottom. After making the pipe, you can then fix it at the center of the barrel. Make sure that the tube is secure in its place to avoid problems in the future. A metal wire can secure the drainage pipe to make it more sturdy in its place.
After you have secured the pipe, you should start by creating the base of the barrel. Most gardeners prefer to use a mixture of compost and the soil to add to the bottom of the barrel. If you don’t have any compost, you will need to buy premade compost from the market. Then you can mix the compost with soil in equal proportions to add to the base of the barrel. After making the base, you can add a few inches of soil to the barrel before adding potato buds.
Now, after you’ve added a few inches of soil to the compost mixture, you can then add potato buds to the barrel. Ensure that the buds are facing towards the top and there is sufficient space between the multiple buds that you add to the barrel. If your barrel is enormous, you might have to use various drainage pipes to encourage the growth of the potatoes. However, in a regular-sized barrel, a single drainage pipe should be enough.
You can add around 5 to 8 potato bugs depending upon the size of the barrel. Once again, make sure that there is enough space between the buds to encourage the growth of new potatoes. Now, you can add the rest of the soil to bury the potato buds. Keep watering the plants according to your local climate, and that should take care of your potatoes. It is not that difficult to get many potatoes from a barrel if you follow this method correctly. Seek help from your local gardeners if you’re confused about a certain step.
To Conclude
You can grow potatoes in the barrel quite quickly by adding a drainage pipe to the barrel. After adding the drainage pipe, you have to create the base with compost mixture and add a few inches of soil. You can now plant your potato buds in this mixture before covering it with more soil. After planting the potatoes, you can then add in more dirt to bury the potato buds completely.
You just have to keep watering the plants and take care of their daily requirements to maximize the barrel. As long as you follow this method, you can even grow potatoes in a smaller container. However, ensure that the drainage pipe you’re using has sufficient holes for airflow and water. Otherwise, you won’t water the potatoes at the bottom of the barrel, and all the water will stay on the top. To avoid this issue, create multiple holes in the drainage pipe before adding it to the barrel.