Growing Potatoes in Feed Bags: A Creative Gardening Hack

For gardeners short on space or funds, growing potatoes in repurposed feed bags is a fun and productive solution. While unconventional, this gardening hack allows you to grow a hearty crop of potatoes with minimal effort. Feed bag gardens are great for small spaces, container gardening, or adding extra planting room when your beds are full.

Why Use Feed Bags?

Feed bags, especially the large woven polypropylene sacks that pet food and livestock feed come in, make excellent DIY planters. Here’s why:

• Free and plentiful Feed stores are often happy to give away empty bags they’d otherwise recycle Ask neighbors with horses, chickens, goats, etc to save bags.

• Durable Thick woven plastic stands up to weather and lasts for years Avoid burlap bags as they deteriorate quickly,

• Good drainage: The fabric weave allows excess water to drain out while keeping soil in. Poke extra holes if needed.

• Portable: Built-in handles make it easy to move bags around to catch sunlight.

• Washable Just hose them out between uses to reduce disease transmission

• Reusable: Feed bags can be repurposed season after season if cared for properly.

With a bit of creativity, these farm byproducts become building blocks for bountiful backyard potato harvests!

Preparing Feed Bags for Planting

Getting empty feed bags ready for potatoes takes just a few simple steps:

• Cut several drainage holes in the bottom with a knife. At least 10-12 holes ensures adequate drainage.

• Roll down and fold the top edge over by 12-15 inches. This prevents soil from spilling out.

• Place bags in a sunny, well-draining spot. Elevate on gravel, pavers, or a grate to prevent waterlogging.

• Optional: Line the inside with landscape fabric to prevent soil from escaping out holes.

Once prepped, it’s time to fill ‘er up!

How to Plant Potatoes in Feed Bags

Planting potatoes in feed bags follows the same principles as traditional hilled row planting:

• Fill bags 2/3 of the way full with quality potting soil. Compost and manure will boost fertility.

• Place 1-2 certified seed potatoes every 12 inches, burying 6 inches deep.

• When sprouts reach 6 inches, unroll bag tops and add more soil/compost to cover stems and leaves.

• Continue adding layers of soil as plants grow to develop potatoes along the buried stems.

• Stop hilling when bags are full. Potatoes form tubers best in cool, dark conditions underground.

• Water when the top few inches become dry. Excess moisture can lead to rot and disease.

That’s the gist! For a continuous harvest, stagger planting dates every 2-4 weeks into midsummer.

Growing Other Crops in Feed Bags

Beyond potatoes, the planting flexibility of feed bags lends itself to all kinds of vegetables:

• Bush beans, peas, radish – Plant around perimeter.

• Carrots, beets, turnips – Sow seeds directly into soil. Thin for proper spacing.

• Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant – Insert transplants into bag centers. Cage or stake tall varieties.

• Leafy greens – Fill bags partway and scatter seeds across. Harvest leaves as needed.

• Herbs – Doorstep garden! Bags by the kitchen offer snipping convenience.

Get creative with companion and rotational planting to maximize yields over an entire growing season.

Harvesting Potatoes From Feed Bags

Harvest time arrives once potato plants start dying back in mid-to-late summer. Here’s how to collect your feed bag spud crop:

• Carefully dump out bag contents onto a tarp. Loosening the soil makes finding potatoes easier.

• Search through soil and remove all tubers, leaving stems attached. Take care not to nick or cut tubers.

• Use a hose to spray off remaining soil. Allow to dry fully before storing.

• Cure potatoes in a dark, cool spot for 1-2 weeks. This toughens skins for long-term storage.

• Store cured potatoes in baskets or mesh bags in a cool (40-50°F), humid location like a basement.

Don’t be surprised if you miss a few sneaky spuds on the first go-through. Just refill bags with soil and enjoy bonus potatoes on the second harvest!

Maintaining Feed Bag Planters

With proper care, feed bag planters can be reused season after season:

• Wash bags thoroughly before storage to remove soil and residue.

• Make any repairs needed like resealing holes or reinforcing seams.

• Optional: Apply UV protectant spray to exterior to prolong bag life.

• Dry bags fully before storing flat to prevent mold or mildew.

• Label bags to remember what grew best in each one. Rotate future crops accordingly.

Feed bags decomposing naturally in the soil pose no environmental concerns. But maintaining reusable bags reduces waste and saves money.

Going Vertical for More Planting Space

Short on ground space? Grow more potatoes and other veggies by stacking feed bags on end:

• Use strong poles or posts to build vertical supports like a teepee.

• Skewer bottom and top of stacked bags with sturdy stakes to keep in place.

• Add horizontal framing between posts to increase rigidity if needed.

• Option: Wrap poles in fabric or landscape plastic for a neater finished look.

• Follow usual planting rules – add soil and hilling layers as plants grow upwards.

Vertical gardening multiplies planting real estate. Make the most of small patios or yards!

Give Feed Bag Gardening a Try

Growing potatoes and other vegetable crops in farm feed bags recycles these resources into abundant gardening productivity. The durability, drainage, and portability of feed sacks makes them ideal DIY planters for large root crops like potatoes. Follow simple planting and care instructions for success. Let your imagination run wild when designing fun vertical stacks or unique container gardens using humble feed bags. With minimal investment and care, you can harvest an impressive amount of homegrown goodies.