๐ฅ National Mashed Potato Day: Grow Your Own Spuds in Containers
October 18 is National Mashed Potato Day โ and what better way to celebrate than by dreaming of fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes made from your very own harvest? The good news: you donโt need a farm field to grow potatoes. With just a container and a little know-how, you can raise a crop of spuds right on your patio, balcony, or deck. ๐ฑ ๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ? * ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ: Containers let you grow potatoes even in small spaces. * ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ฌ๐ญ: Just tip over the pot or dig through the soil for your fresh spuds. * ๐
๐๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ: Container growing helps reduce problems like wireworms and soil-borne diseases. * ๐
๐ฎ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐
๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฌ: Kids love the โtreasure huntโ of digging up potatoes! ๐ชด ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ โ A fabric grow bag or large bucket (at least 10โ15 gallons). ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐จ๐๐ฌ โ Cut into chunks with eyes, let them cure, and plant. ๐๐จ๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ โ Begin with 4โ6 inches of soil, plant your seed pieces, and cover lightly. ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ โ Add more soil or straw as plants grow taller, leaving leaves exposed. This Hill as They Grow encourages more tuber production. ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ โ Keep soil evenly moist, but not soggy. ๐๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ โ Once plants yellow and die back, dump the container and enjoy your homegrown potatoes. ๐ด ๐
๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ The reward for your container potato crop? The freshest, creamiest mashed potatoes youโll ever taste. Add butter, cream, garlic, or herbs straight from your container herb garden for the ultimate garden-to-table side dish. ๐ Have you ever grown potatoes in containers? Share your potato-growing storiesโor your secret to the perfect mashed potatoes!