How to Grow Abundant Potatoes in Your Urban Acre Bag!

Growing your own delicious potatoes is incredibly rewarding, and with an Urban Acre Bag, it's easier than ever, even in small spaces! Our durable, eco-friendly grow bags provide the ideal environment for a thriving potato harvest, complete with a convenient side window for easy access.

Follow these simple steps to cultivate your own spuds:

What You'll Need:

• Urban Acre Grow Bag: Pick the bag best suited for your situation.
• Seed Potatoes: Certified disease-free potatoes from a garden center (not supermarket potatoes, as they may be treated to prevent sprouting). Varieties like Yukon Gold, Russet, Kennebec, or Red Pontiac are popular.
• Potting Mix/Compost: A good quality, well-draining potting mix or a blend of potting mix and compost. Avoid heavy garden soil alone.
• Watering Can or Hose
• Sunlight!

Step 1: Chitting Your Seed Potatoes (Optional, but Recommended for Faster Growth)

• What is Chitting? This means pre-sprouting your potatoes before planting. It helps them get a head start.
• How to Do It: Place your seed potatoes in a single layer in an egg carton or tray in a cool (around 50-60°F / 10-15°C), bright, but not sunny, location. In 2-4 weeks, small, sturdy green or purple sprouts (called "chits") will emerge. Aim for sprouts about 1/2 to 1 inch long.

Step 2: Setting Up Your Urban Acre Bag & Initial Planting

1. Unfold Your Bag: Unfold your Urban Acre Grow Bag and place it in a location that receives at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day.
2. Add Drainage Layer (Optional): Some gardeners add a couple of inches of pebbles or gravel at the very bottom for extra drainage, though our PE bags are designed for good aeration.
3. Initial Soil Layer: Add about 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) of your potting mix/compost to the bottom of the bag.
4. Place Seed Potatoes: Arrange 3-5 chitted seed potatoes (depending on the bag size – usually 3 for a 7-10 gallon bag) evenly spaced on top of the soil. If your seed potatoes are large, you can cut them into pieces, ensuring each piece has at least 1-2 "eyes" (sprouts) and allowing the cut sides to dry for a day before planting to prevent rot.
5. Cover Gently: Cover the potatoes with another 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) of potting mix/compost. Gently water.

Step 3: Hilling – The Key to More Potatoes!

• What is Hilling? As your potato plants grow, you'll progressively add more soil or compost around the stems. New potatoes form along the underground stem, so adding soil encourages more potato development.
• When to Hill: Once your potato plants are about 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) tall above the soil, add another 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) of potting mix/compost around the stems, leaving just the top few inches of foliage exposed.
• Repeat: Continue this process every 2-3 weeks, or whenever the plants grow another 6-8 inches, until the soil level is about 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) from the top of the bag. This fills your Urban Acre Bag almost completely.

Step 4: Watering & Care

• Watering: Potatoes need consistent moisture, especially during flowering and when tubers are forming. Water deeply when the top 1-2 inches of soil feel dry. Don't let the bag dry out completely, but also avoid waterlogging. The breathable PE material of your Urban Acre Bag helps with drainage.
• Sunlight: Ensure your bag remains in a spot with plenty of direct sunlight.
• Fertilizing (Optional): If your potting mix isn't nutrient-rich or you want an extra boost, you can use a balanced liquid fertilizer (lower nitrogen, higher phosphorus/potassium) every few weeks, following product instructions.

Step 5: Harvesting Your Delicious Potatoes!

Potatoes are typically ready for harvest 70-100 days after planting, depending on the variety. Look for the plant's foliage to start yellowing and dying back.

• "New" Potatoes (Partial Harvest): About 60-70 days after planting (or 2-3 weeks after flowering), you can start gently reaching into the side window of your Urban Acre Bag! Carefully feel around for small, tender "new" potatoes. Harvest a few, then close the window, and the plant will continue producing. This is a huge advantage of your Urban Acre Bag!
• Full Harvest: Once the foliage has completely withered and died back (usually 2-3 weeks after it starts yellowing), your main crop is ready.
1. Simply open the side window and tip the bag over onto a tarp or tray.
2. Carefully sort through the soil to find all your potatoes.
3. Allow the harvested potatoes to "cure" in a cool, dark, well-ventilated area for a few days to toughen their skins before storing.

Step 6: Post-Harvest & Re-use

• Once harvested, empty the old soil (you can compost it!). Rinse your Urban Acre Bag, allow it to dry completely, and fold it for compact storage. It's ready to be reused for many seasons to come, making it an incredibly economical and sustainable choice!

Happy planting and happy harvesting with your Urban Acre Bags!