by K. Russell

Created on: April 26, 2010   Last Updated: April 27, 2010

Potatoes are one of the most heavily treated crops when it comes to fungicides, pesticides, and herbicides. You can protect yourself and your family when providing healthful nutrients and delicious meals by growing your own potatoes, even if you live in an apartment.

Potatoes are surprisingly easy to grow and the flavor is profoundly better than the grocery store potatoes that have probably been sitting in a warehouse for several months before arriving in your pantry or shopping cart.

The simplest way to grow your own potatoes is to find a good container at your local thrift store, building supply store, or gardening shop. You can also find containers online, but the shipping costs generally make it too expensive. As always, the best place to buy things like this is at your local yard sale. Prices are always negotiable and significantly lower than everywhere else.

Many people opt to use old tires as containers, since they offer heat absorbing properties, but one has to wonder about the chemicals leaching into the soil. Wooden barrels and ceramic containers are easy enough to find and they look far better on your porch.

The only other thing you'll need is dirt and a few potatoes. Potatoes are grown from the "eyes" that sprout from your potatoes when they sit too long. Commercial growers use "seed potatoes" but you can just cut up a half dozen potatoes, making sure that each chunk has at least one "eye" form which roots can grow. 

Put a layer of rich, organic soil in the bottom of your container and then add a few potato chunks. Cover those with another layer of soil and then add more potato chunks. Continue the layering process until all of the potato chunks are safely and snugly resting in dirt and top off the container with the rest of your soil or use it elsewhere.

Avoid over-watering your potatoes, as they are susceptible to rot. Potatoes make lovely patio plants and they thrive in full sun. The leaves, which are actually a toxic member of the nightshade family will grow quickly, providing you with a lush green, decorative plant to enjoy while your potatoes are developing underground.

As temperatures fall, the leaves on your potato plant will wilt and turn brown. If you have a yard, the best way to harvest your potato crop is to turn your potato container over on the lawn and sift through the soil, hunting for your tuber treasures.

Children can easily be coaxed into seeing this as a fun, white-washing task. Of course, you can harvest your potatoes at any time and then just return the plants themselves back to the container to grow more potatoes.

Once you have tasted the rich flavor of freshly harvested, organic potatoes, you may never buy another grocery store potato again. There is just no comparing the two. Fresh organic potatoes look, taste, and are better for you.

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