Tip of the Week: Growing Potatoes Using the Hugelkultur Method in a Smart Pot

Who doesn’t like fresh potatoes from the garden? Here is an easy way to grow them in a SmartPot (large one about 30-40 gallons). First of all cut up your large potatoes into pieces with about 2 eyes, set them out to air dry overnight; this helps prevent rot. The soil should be about 40°F, if not wait until it is warm enough. Set up your Smart Pot with about a 3’ diameter and put gopher wire on the bottom. Put down a 12” layer of sticks on top of the wire, then add alternate layers of 2-4” of compost, blood meal and bone meal, with the last layer being the compost. Layers should be about 10” deep. Put your potato pieces on the compost at 8-10” apart, cover with 2-4” of compost, then add thick layer of straw on top (especially if in cold zones). Keep watered over the season.