Whether you’re a beginner vegetable gardener or not, it’s always wise to not make work for yourself. Making vegetable growing easier means that you’re more inclined to do more of it. And that’s the major reason we grow potatoes in bags. For the primary reason that it’s just so easy. Growing potatoes in bags is often seen as the way to get around not having much space (and that’s one reason for growing potatoes in bags), but there are several other benefits that you’ll get by growing potatoes this way. So, in this article, we’ll cover how to grow potatoes in bags, why we think growing potatoes in bags is the best and what you need to look out for too.
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Most people will start growing potatoes in bags because they don’t have much space. We did this. We bought three potato grow bags and grew potatoes in the bag yard in our first year. Not only is it manageable to grow potatoes in bags in a yard, but you can also do it on a balcony or terrace too. Growing potatoes in bags also makes them less susceptible to disease and pests as you’re keeping them away from environments that might have disease or pests and you’re also keeping the potato plants separate. Opting to grow potatoes in bags means that you have a much better chance of success and that’s why we recommend it.
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These fabulous potato growing bags are superb (and not just for potatoes!) they’ll last for season after season, and are really easy to use.
What to Buy to Grow Potatoes in Bags
Growing potatoes in bags is simple, you just need three things
- Seed Potatoes
- Compost
- Potato Grow Bags
Buying Seed Potatoes
Potato plants grow from what’s called “seed potatoes”. A seed potato is one that’s been grown to be replanted and produce a potato plant. Potatoes are “tubers” – so they store energy to regrow the following season. Tubers start to sprout growth from parts of the potato called “eyes”. You’ve probably seen them on potatoes that you leave for too long in the pantry or fridge.
We do NOT recommend that you use these leftover potatoes in your potato grow bags as they can be contaminated with blight or viral diseases. Seed potatoes sold in the UK are guaranteed to be free from blight and disease.
You can buy seed potatoes from around January to April – or order them ahead of time. You’ll want to put 3-4 seed potatoes in each potato grow bag that you buy.
Here are our favourite seed potatoes to grow in bags
First Early Seed Potatoes to Grow in Bags
- Potato Arran Pilot: Excellent new potato or salad potato, resistant to scab and a traditional favourite. > Buy Arran Pilot Potatoes here
- Potato Rocket: Easy to grow and perfect for growing in bags and containers this is a heavy cropper and is quick to grow baby new potatoes. > Buy Rocket Potatoes here
Second Early Seed Potatoes to Grow in Bags
- Potato Charlotte: a reliable variety and a great tasting salad potato – excellent both hot and cold. > Buy Charlotte Potatoes here
- Potato British Queen: This potato is a great option for second earlies . > Buy British Queen Potatoes here
Maincrop Seed Potatoes to Grow in Bags
- Maris Piper Potatoes: These dry floury tubers are fabulous for chips and easy to grow. > Buy Maris Piper Potatoes to grow in potato bags here
- King Edward Potatoes: This classic potato is resistant to scab and slugs and is very easy to grow (and eat!). Buy King Edward Potatoes to grow in potato bags here
Second Cropping Seed Potatoes to Grow in Bags
- Maris Peer Potatoes: These potatoes are ideal for growing in bags for harvesting in autumn and winter. > Buy Maris Peer Potatoes here.
- Nicola Potato: Easy to grow in potato growing bags in the greenhouse or under cover and fabulous to eat for Christmas dinner. > Buy Nicola Potatoes here
Buying the best bags for growing potatoes
And of course, you need a bag in which to grow your potatoes. So here are the details of those bags quickly. They need to have drainage, you’ll likely want a viewing and harvesting flap and yes at a push you can use a regular grow bag, but remember it needs drainage and how hard will it be to harvest?
We’ve written about the best potato grow bags to use, so click here to read that guide, or here’s a synopsis of them
Potato Grow Bags | Highlights | What It Looks Like | Read Reviews & Buy Now! |
---|---|---|---|
Laxillent 33 litre / 9 Gallon Potato Grow Bag | • Eco-friendly fabric • Only 200 grams in weight • Two Handles • Visualization Window • Reinforced drainage holes at the bottom • Service life of 7 years • Pack include FOUR potato grow bags • Size: 33-centimetre height by 33-centimetre diameter | Read reviews and buy now | |
Best non-woven Potato Grow Bag | • 10 gallon in size / 37 litres • Visualization window and flap • Reinforced handles for ease of moving • Made of high-quality non-woven fabric • Size: 29 x 24 x 4 centimetres • Comes in a pack of two potato grow bags | Read More Reviews here | |
Best Felt Potato Grow Bags | • 37 litre / 10 gallon bags • Each bag weighs 400 grams • Comes in a pack of 3 • Superior moisture retention • Superior air circulation • Stursy reined handles • Velcro window and flap | Buy the best felt potato grow bags now |
Buying Compost for Growing Potatoes
You can, of course, use soil from the garden if you have one, but you’ll want to make sure it’s in good growing condition. (There’s a reason long term gardeners fertilize their gardens with manure and other organic matter!). The better the condition of your compost or soil the better your potatoes will be.
We recommend these composts for growing potatoes (or you can read our guide to the best composts which goes into WAY more detail here)
Type of Compost | What It Looks Like | Best for | Read Reviews & Buy Now! |
---|---|---|---|
Best Multi Purpose Compost | • Grows plants twice as big as garden soil) • Feeds for up to six months • Ideal for growing fruit and vegetables • Ideal for use in beds, baskets, pots & containers | Buy the best multi-purpose compost here. | |
Best Organic Compost | • Ideal for seed sowing, cuttings and propagation • Certified seed compost 100% peat-free • Soil Association permitted product • Contains certified organic coir • Germination trials on every batch • No green waste | Get prices for the best organic compost here | |
Best Peat Free Compost | • 100% sustainable, natural & peat-free compost • Specially blended for all types of plants • Feeds plants for up to 6 weeks • Ideal for seeds, containers, fruit & vegetables • BIO3 formulation with No Green Waste | Buy the best peat free compost here | |
Best Mushroom Compost | • Adds humus and plant food to the soil. • Improves yields tremendously. • The formula also breaks down heavy clay and improves capacity of light sandy soil. • Made from 100% organic products | Buy the best mushroom compost here | |
Best Loam Based Compost | • Mature plants, patio areas and final re potting of tomatoes. • High nutrient formula • Traditional loam based compost with limestone and grit sand | Buy the best loam based compost |
The steps to growing potatoes
Growing potatoes is easy, there are a few simple steps to take. And we’ll cover each of them in-depth here.
- Buying seed potatoes
- Buying potato grow bags
- Chitting potatoes
- Planting chitted potatoes in bags
- Feeding and care of potatoes grown in bags
- Harvesting potatoes in bags
- Storing potatoes
Buying Seed Potatoes
The easiest way to buy seed potatoes to grow in bags is to order them online and have them delivered from a reputable supplier. Potatoes are grown at various times of the year and are named for the time of year that you harvest them.
- First, early potatoes are planted from the end of Feb until late May – harvest 10 weeks later
- Second early potatoes are planted from March to late May – harvest 13 weeks later
- Maincrop potatoes are planted from March until mid-May – harvest 20 weeks later
- Second crop potatoes are planted in August – harvest 11 weeks later – in time for Christmas!
Best First Early Potatoes to Grow in Bags
Plant first early potatoes from the end of February until late May and harvest them 10 weeks later. Try these varieties of first early potatoes in potato grow bags.
- Potato Arran Pilot: Excellent new potato or salad potato, resistant to scab and a traditional favourite. > Buy Arran Pilot Potatoes here
- Potato Rocket: Easy to grow and perfect for growing in bags and containers this is a heavy cropper and is quick to grow baby new potatoes. > Buy Rocket Potatoes here
Best Second Early Potatoes to Grow in Bags
Plant second early potatoes from March to late May, you can harvest second early potatoes in about 13 weeks. These are excellent varieties of second early potatoes for potato grow bags.
- Potato Charlotte: a reliable variety and a great tasting salad potato – excellent both hot and cold. > Buy Charlotte Potatoes here
- Potato British Queen: This potato is a great option for second earlies . > Buy British Queen Potatoes here
Best Maincrop Potatoes to Grow in Bags
Plant your maincrop potatoes from March until mid-May. Maincrop potatoes will be ready for harvesting in around 20 weeks. Buy these maincrop potatoes for growing in potato grow bags.
- Maris Piper Potatoes: These dry floury tubers are fabulous for chips and easy to grow. > Buy Maris Piper Potatoes to grow in potato bags here
- King Edward Potatoes: This classic potato is resistant to scab and slugs and is very easy to grow (and eat!). Buy King Edward Potatoes to grow in potato bags here
Best Second Cropping Potatoes to Grow in Bags
Second crop potatoes can be planted in potato grow bags in August, they will be ready for harvesting 11 weeks later. Buy these second cropping potatoes and harvest them in time for Christmas!
- Maris Peer Potatoes: These potatoes are ideal for growing in bags for harvesting in autumn and winter. > Buy Maris Peer Potatoes here.
- Nicola Potato: Easy to grow in potato growing bags in the greenhouse or under cover and fabulous to eat for Christmas dinner. > Buy Nicola Potatoes here
Chitting Potatoes
Chitting is simply another word for sprouting. The word chit comes from an old English term for “small sprout”, its also been used for the “young of an animal” and has even been used to describe insolent young girls since the 17th century.
If you sprout or chit your potatoes before planting then you’re giving them the best chance to grow faster and crop more heavily (and we’re all for that!!). First early and second early potatoes particularly benefit from chitting. Really, I think that you’re letting the new plants establish somewhat before planting them. You don’t need to chit second crop potatoes, you can plant them straight away.
Chitting potatoes is easy.
You’ll need a cool, but bright location that is frost-free, about 10 degrees C is good. Old cardboard egg boxes are great holders for your chitting potatoes. When your seed potatoes arrive they’ll be about the size of an egg, so it works. (if they’re smaller or larger, don’t worry). Sprouts will start from one end of the potato. This is called the rose end. Your seed potatoes will be ready when these sprouts get to be 2.5 centimetres long. Always plant with the sprout or rose end up.

Planting Your Chitted Potatoes in Bags
You can do this one of two ways, both work.
The traditional way to plant potatoes is a similar fashion to how you plant and grow potatoes in the ground.
- You’ll want 3-4 chitted seed potatoes for each potato grow bag
- Quarter to one-third fill a potato grow bag with compost
- Roll down the bag to its just to the top of the compost
- Place the seed potatoes in the compost and cover with more compost.
- Youll need just enough compost to cover the tops of the tubers.
- As the potatoes grow, you’ll want to keep adding compost to cover them over.
- Roll up the potato grow bag as you add more soil
- Your aim is to protect the potatoes from sunlight, which turns them green and makes them inedible.
- Once the compost has got to the top of the bag you can allow the potatoes to flower and then die back

The newer, but equally effective way of growing potatoes in bags is simpler.
- Fill your potato grow bag with good quality compost to about 3-5 centimetres below the top.
- Push your chitted potato tubers into the compost with the shoots or rose end pointing upwards. You’ll want to get each tuber to about 12 centimetres below the surface. Make sure that they’re all covered with compost.
- Be sure to not break off the sprouts, otherwise, your potato plants won’t grow
Looking after and feeding your potatoes
Your potato grow bag should be positioned in a frost-free, bright position. (Grow bags with handles are awesome as it means you can move them around more easily!). We recommend that you water the bags whenever the compost shows signs of drying out. Do NOT overwater or you’ll rot your potatoes. Make sure that there is proper drainage.
Potato plants are generally productive. We recommend using good compost and feeding them every two weeks. However, we have grown potatoes without feeding them and experience good harvests. We’ve also successfully used specific potato fertilizers (try this one ) and tomato food (our standby is always this for any vegetable plant).
Harvesting Potatoes
When the leaves start to yellow and the stems wilt on your potato plants then you should stop watering the plants. About 10 days after this your potatoes should be ready to harvest.
- New potatoes take about 10 weeks from planting
- Maincrop potatoes take about 20 weeks from planting
- Second-crop potatoes will usually be ready from the end of November, but you can leave them in the compost until Christmas.
If you’ve bought a potato grow bag with a window or a flap you’ll be able to see the size of the potatoes quite easily.
One of my favourite recipes for potatoes is this Smoked Mackerel, beetroot, and potato salad – it’s fabulous!
Storing Potatoes
The best place to store potatoes is in the soil, we love leaving them there and digging them or pulling them out when we are ready to eat them. However it’s not always appropriate, so once you’ve harvested your potatoes you’ll want to let them dry for a few hours. This will “cure” the potato skin.
Once your homegrown potatoes have dried store them in paper or hessian sacks. You’ll need to put them somewhere dark, frost-free, and cool. Do NOT use polythene bags as this will make your potatoes sweat and rot.
An alternative is to dehydrate potatoes – this is something the Peruvians have been doing for centuries – our guide to dehydrating vegetables is here.
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The Best Potatoes for Grow Bags
These dry floury tubers are fabulous for chips and easy to grow. They grow REALLY well in Potato Bags.
How to Plant Potatoes in Bags
We wrote earlier that there are two ways in which to plant potatoes in bags (see above). Both are effective. We prefer the traditional method, which I’ll outline again here. We prefer this method, which is often called “earthing up” when you grow potatoes in the ground, as you’re less likely to break the sprouts doing it this way. And I also like to feel as though I’m doing something other than planting the tubers and ignoring them for 3 months or longer!
This is the traditional way to plant potatoes in bags.
- You’ll want 3-4 chitted seed potatoes for each potato grow bag
- Quarter to one-third fill a potato grow bag with compost
- Roll down the bag to its just to the top of the compost
- Place the seed potatoes in the compost and cover with more compost.
- You’ll need just enough compost to cover the tops of the tubers.
- As the potatoes grow, you’ll want to keep adding compost to cover them over.
- Roll up the potato grow bag as you add more soil
- Your aim is to protect the potatoes from sunlight, which turns them green and makes them inedible.
- Once the compost has got to the top of the bag you can allow the potatoes to flower and then die back

When to Plant Potatoes in Bags
When you plant potatoes in bags depends on the season and the type of potatoes that you are growing. Generally
- First early potatoes are planted from the end of Feb until late May
- Second early potatoes are planted from March to late May
- Maincrop potatoes are planted from March until mid-May
- Second crop potatoes are planted in August
When to Harvest Potatoes in Bags
As a rule of thumb when you harvest potatoes depends on what type, when you planted them and how big you want the potatoes.
- First early potatoes are harvested 10 weeks after planting
- Second early potatoes are harvested 13 weeks after planting
- Maincrop potatoes are harvested 20 weeks after planting
- Second crop potatoes are harvested 11 weeks after planting
FAQS on how to Grow Potatoes in Bags
Got questions about growing potatoes in bags? Or want to know something specific about how to grow potatoes and we haven’t answered your questions? Check out our frequently asked questions about growing potatoes below, or ask us yours in the comments.
How many potatoes can I grow in a bag?
We recommend planting 3-4 seed potatoes in a 9-10 gallon potato grow bag. There’s more on potato grow bags here.
How many potatoes will one plant produce?
The number of potatoes each plant produces will depend on the variety. Some potato plants such as the Potato Jazzy guarantee 35 potatoes per plant but have been known to produce up to 80.
What is chitting potatoes?
Chitting is another word for sprouting. Chitting potatoes means encouraging seed potatoes to sprout before they are planted into the compost or soil. It helps with growth and with yield.
Is chitting necessary?
No. Chitting isn’t necessary at all. However, if you chit your potatoes before planting them they will have a head start on growth and with the number of baby potatoes that they produce.
When should I start chitting potatoes?
Start chitting your potatoes 4 to 6 weeks before you plant them. Depending on what type of potatoes you are growing this will be at different times of the year.
- First early potatoes should be chitted from early to mid-January and planted from the end of Feb until late May
- Second early potatoes should be chitted from mid to end January and planted from March to late May
- Maincrop potatoes should be chitted from the end of January and planted from March until mid-May. It’s not always necessary to chit maincrop potatoes though, check details on the variety that you are growing
- Second crop potatoes are planted in August. It’s not necessary to chit second crop potatoes.
How long do potatoes take to chit?
Potatoes will take from 4 to 6 weeks to chit properly.
What temperature do you chit potatoes at?
The best temperature for chitting potatoes is from 7 celsius to 15 celsius – which means that a double-glazed windowsill with no direct sunlight is perfect.
Do you chit potatoes in light or dark?
Potatoes are best chitted in the light. You can chit potatoes in low light or dark, but the sprouts will tend to be spindly, long and easy to break off. We don’t recommend chitting potatoes in the dark.
Can I grow potatoes from potatoes?
Yes. You can grow potatoes from potatoes – however, we don’t recommend using potatoes from the supermarket. Seed potatoes from reputable suppliers like our partners Suttons, Crocus, or Thompson Morgan are guaranteed not to be free from blight and disease.
Let’s Grow Cook Recommends..
Whether you’re buying seeds, seedlings, plants, propagation gear, gardening tools or items for the kitchen, here are our favourite suppliers.
Best for Seeds & Plants
- Suttons: – OFFERS on Seeds, Sets, Plants and Gardening Tools
- Crocus’s – seeds, plants, seedlings and help with propagation
- Amazon – seeds, plants, and growing kits – check options here
Best for Pots, Containers, Gardening Tools & Compost
- Garden Growing Accessories – The latest offers from Suttons
- Crocus – the UK’s largest garden supplier – Crocus – has great deals on pots, containers, tools & compost.
- Amazon – a superb selection of pots, containers, tools & compost – order here
- Waltons – the UK’s best sheds and garden buildings – options here
Best Tools & Gadgets for the Kitchen & Cooking Aids
- Rediscover the simple pleasures of home cooking with SimplyCook – Try your first box for free (just pay £1 postage) – get offer here
Final Words on How to Grow Potatoes in Bags
Using bags to grow potatoes in makes for less work and more enjoyment in my opinion. Not only does growing potatoes in bags mean that you can do it just about anywhere with outside space, but it also means that you can grow potatoes in a very small space. We like that growing potatoes in bags gives us a really easy opportunity to grow different varieties and to manage their environment carefully. It’s easier, in our opinion to have more success growing potatoes in bags than by starting growing potatoes in the ground, and we’re all about making it easy!
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