🥔 National Mashed Potato Day: Grow Your Own Spuds in Containers

October 18 is National Mashed Potato Day — and what better way to celebrate than by dreaming of fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes made from your very own harvest? The good news: you don’t 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.

🌱 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬?

* 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫: Containers let you grow potatoes even in small spaces.

* 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭: Just tip over the pot or dig through the soil for your fresh spuds.

* 𝐅𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬: Container growing helps reduce problems like wireworms and soil-borne diseases.

* 𝐅𝐮𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬: Kids love the “treasure hunt” of digging up potatoes!

🪴 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬

𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫 – A fabric grow bag or large bucket (at least 10–15 gallons).

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐞𝐬 – Cut into chunks with eyes, let them cure, and plant.

𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 – Begin with 4–6 inches of soil, plant your seed pieces, and cover lightly.

𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰 – Add more soil or straw as plants grow taller, leaving leaves exposed. This Hill as They Grow encourages more tuber production.

𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 – Keep soil evenly moist, but not soggy.

𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 – Once plants yellow and die back, dump the container and enjoy your homegrown potatoes.

🍴 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐏𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞

The reward for your container potato crop? The freshest, creamiest mashed potatoes you’ll ever taste. Add butter, cream, garlic, or herbs straight from your container herb garden for the ultimate garden-to-table side dish.

👉 Have you ever grown potatoes in containers? Share your potato-growing stories—or your secret to the perfect mashed potatoes!

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