My Journey To Growing Potatoes In Buckets

My Journey To Growing Potatoes In Buckets

My earliest recollection of growing potatoes was in my back garden of the home I lived in when I was 7 helping my Dad. We did the traditional digging a trench spacing potatoes out at 100mm - 150mm centres (well 4" - 6" as we had not gone metric then) in rows, and then as they started to grow, "Earthing Them Up" piling soil 120mm - 200mm ( 5" - 8") high around the stems to encourage tuber growth and prevent sunscald. The mounding increases the underground stem area, boosting yields and is traditionally done 1 - 2 times, stopping when plants flower.     

Originally back in April 2013 my first year on an allotment, I decided not to grow potatoes in the traditional way i.e. trench cover and earth up.

I marked up a 2.4m timber with the centres for the potatoes, 240mm and used the Auger to dig neat 75mm holes 150 - 200mm ish deep - and handful of compost and then popped the potatoes into holes, covered with compost then a layer of native soil.

I then racked up the soil as we had a frost the previous night, as I had read that some people pre mound their spuds and I thought it may offer a little more protection.  

So on the back of the photograph you can see the four potato beds in June 2013, but in amongst the potato Haulms, the stems or potato foliage above ground were lots of weeds. It was during this first year that I mentioned to a work associate that I had an allotment and he informed me that he had been a plot holder for many years and sent me photos of his weed free spuds grown through weed membrane as he hated dealing with the weeds.

So I decided the have a bash at it in 2014 and decided to make a sheet a bed size 2.4 x 1.2m and cut the holes for planting the spuds and for the Haulms to find there way out of the ground. Potatoes are not stupid the foliage wants to find the fastest way to the surface which is straight up. The weed membrane keeps the moisture from evaporating too quickly in very hot weather and the sun beating (OK it's the UK) occasional shining on the soil via the hole in the membrane, it draws the foliage to the surface and the hole in the membrane.

So that second year 2014, I decided to use the same configuration in the weed membrane as I had the first when planting without membrane. That's the layout on the left, the hole diameter is 100mm as I have a soil hand Auger that is 75mm dia and I needed a little tolerance. last year I created the weed membrane layout on the right for second early where the recommended distance was less and the three holes with crosses had pop bottles with pin holes sunk in the ground head first, so that I could water at depth. Its easy to extend the height of the pop bottles by cutting them off at the bottom and stacking them upside down as the Haulms get taller.

As my soil is clay based, I use the Windowed Auger head below. I only have this bit of kit as I use it for taking soil samples for work as a structural engineer, my neighbouring plot holder uses a long handle bulb planter to plant his spuds

The biggest mistake I made the first year using weed membrane was in cutting the weed membrane with scissors. 

This is the amount of fraying that took place in a single year, and I decided to trim and fix the sheets by using a soldering iron, from that day on I have cut all my new sheets using the soldering iron as it seals the edges and you don't end up with shaggy weed membrane. See my post Planting Membrane

Short Video

So here was the potato beds in 2014, I had managed to acquire quite a lot of plastic trim from the window replacement company that was moving to make way for the housing development behind the allotment. 

I replaced the green lawn edging to the beds, that went brittle in the second year with plastic trim and I also used it along the length on the edge of the membrane placing soft bricks, i.e. milk bottles filled with sand on it to stop the weed membrane blowing away. That's pallet wooden slats either end of the bed, and some scrap timber in the middle.

The soft bricks weren't a good idea it turned out as the plastic went brittle and decomposed under sunlight, and I ended up emptying all the sand and putting the milk bottles in the recycle bin.

Using the weed membrane on spuds, I would say worked very well for me, for a long time. I very quickly made specific sheets for Sprouts, Cabbages, Cauliflower, Sweet corn, and in 2014 I also used them for Onions, Spring Onions and Beetroots, the less weeding I have to do the more I love my allotment.

In 2016, I had upgraded two of the bed edgings to recycled timber joists. Once again I used the soil Auger and planted through the weed membrane.  

In 2017, I again had four beds of spuds in the ground planted via weed membrane, however, I also undertook The SoilFixer SF60 Potatoes in Buckets Experiment which was planned way back at the end of 2016 when Tony Callaghan the Managing Director of SoilFixer asked me if I would be interested and like to trial some. 

Now if someone wants to provide me with free products to trial, it would be rude to refuse wouldn't it? As long as they understand that I will be impartial and give an honest review and opinion of the product when I blog about it. 

I'm happy to give anything gardening and allotment related a try. I especially like the SoilFixer kind of trial because the facts and results will speak for themselves. 

SoilFixer SF60 Potatoes in Buckets Results

Marshalls also started to sell their potato buckets, and got wind of the fact I was going to undertake the experiment and offered me to trial them, so I did as part of the experiment. 

They were obviously not a good seller as Marshalls dropped the product a few years ago. They can still be found if you do a google search for them, but they are a bit of a gimmick.  

I did try making my own version using the flower buckets when Morrisons were selling flower buckets 8 for 99p for a contribution to Charity. I melted the holes in one and then tried putting it into another, but they were a bugger to get apart and I dropped that idea.  

Having a friend who worked for TESCO he got me a number of their square flower buckets and for a while I started to grow the First Earlies in them 

I then made the decision that all the potatoes would be grown in Buckets I even bought more buckets to make that magic happen. The eight short square flower buckets of first early potatoes in the photo above were sown a couple of weeks before I caught covid.

The rest of the potatoes were sown into the Heavy Duty 30 Litre Plastic Container Pots / Tubs with Handles that I purchased from Elixir Gardens in February 2022 at £36.39 for 10 with Free Delivery to add to the similar pots I bought a few years ago.

The mesh baskets over was to stop the foxes from digging the spud out.  

In 2022, I completed mixing up the soil, compost Coir and fertiliser with the 600mm Power Planter and the Ryobi Drill and placed 4 Main Crop Java seed potatoes in each bucket.

Two Java main crop spuds at a 1/3 depth

Then two more added at 90 degrees to the first two at 2/3 depth finally topped up and then taken to bed 1 which is where I placed them this year. As the potatoes are harvested the contents of the buckets was placed on a bed that needed topping up. 

Bed 1 with the main crop java spuds in buckets, I really needed my sister to cut her grass and donate the grass to me for mulch on top of the spuds in buckets.

I have used a NPK Concentrated Potato Fertiliser, and worked out the average area of the pots to establish how much to use in each bucket.  

In June last year 2025, I bought 10 number 30 Litre Heavy-Duty Plant Pot with Handles when they were on offer for £30 with free delivery from Oakland Gardens Ltd which was cheaper than the 10 that I got from Elixir in February 2022 at £36.39 for 10

I have found that the 30 Litre Heavy-Duty Plant Pot with Handles – Durable, UV & Frost-Resistant Plastic Planter from Oakland Gardens look and proved to be better engineered and manufactured than the ones from Elixir that have a flat base to them.

The Oakland Garden 30L Plant Pot with Handles have been designed and manufactured with a dual-tier base system and drainage holes to prevent waterlogging and promote excellent drainage and thus healthy root growth, plus it stiffens up the base of the pot. I guess its the ex R&D and Structural Engineer in me that notices these kind of things.  

I have used these pots for larger plants, Potatoes and other vegetables, and small trees, in the past.

I've lost a few of my old plastic tugs when the handles split, so I now use these plant pots with handles instead of plastic garden tugs, as they are made of Heavy-Duty Plastic, which is UV-stable plastic, frost-resistant, and impact-proof plastic that won’t crack, fade, or become brittle in tough weather, and I don't have to make holes in them to let the water drain away.  

They are ideal for storing woodchips, I had half a dozen pots squirreled away for nine months as I wanted to make sure I had some mulch worth woodchips. 

At the moment I have half a dozen filled with cut raspberry canes that I will be burning when I can get to the allotment an hour before dusk when it's dry and we can have incinerator fires.  

As my tugs are depleting I have a few full of weeds 

I do recommend that you sign up for the Oakland Gardens Newsletter so you receive notifications on news and special offers, as there is bound to be one on 30 Litre Heavy-Duty Plant Pot with Handles in the next in March  

These type of pots are very popular with allotment plot holders, because they are so useful, and I did have a few that were, how would one say nicely, borrowed without an intention to return or consent. As a result of this experience, I ended up branding the handles of those that I had left with my trusty soldering iron.  

Now I'm installing raised beds as I can no longer get on my hands and knees to sow or weed due to my mobility issues, following my cancer treatment. I have many 30L pots with handles that I'm decanting the soil from the framed beds into.

I backfilled the excavation and the first level of the raised bed constructed from scaffold boards, with tree trunks and branches and woodchip  

I then add compost greens, coffee grounds and leaves, then decant the soil back into the top level (width of the second scaffold board) of the raised bed.   

I had another 20 of The Oakland Garden 30L Plant Pot with Handles delivered Thursday afternoon, as I will soon need to use them for my potatoes once the last frost date has come and gone for my allotment.

To find the Last Frost Date Based On Your Postcode for your garden or allotment use the hyperlink.  

When its time to harvest the potatoes from the buckets/ pots I have a large garden tray that was gifted to me as the corner was damaged by a company that uses them under water tanks to capture any leaks. I place the tray on one of the raised beds, then lift the pot with handles and empty it on the tray and then dig in and extract the potatoes. 

The potatoes on the left have been brushed off with a wide paint brush and the spuds go home clean. 

I'm glad I made the transition to growing all my potatoes in buckets, not just the first earlies. 

No Allotment Today

I went to see my Daughters and my grandson this morning for lunch, and this afternoon I was waiting in for my delivery of 20 number Oakland Gardens Heavy Duty 30 Litre Pots with Handles to arrive.  

Oakland Gardens now use DX Express that let you see how far away the delivery vehicle is from your delivery address. now that's what I call tracking, better than companies that just inform you of a date and give no delivery time window. 

Tip Of The Day

 

Tip of the day from Keith Wheeler of Allotment Life For Beginners UK 

Bed H1

Bed H1 with the weed membrane removed

Digging and turning the soil and exposing the bindweed and mares tail roots

I try to loosen the soil so that I can pull out as long a length of root as possible

The roots add up really quickly, in fairness the last time this bed was used was 2023 when I found out I had cancer and my treatment started and I could not get down to the allotment. 

Bending double to weed and digging out the soil makes me breathless quite quickly so I took a number of mini breaks and started to fill up two 30 Litre pots with handles

One can never really see the depth of excavation in these photographs

Bed H1 covered using two of the garden trays and a potting up tray as I want to keep the soil dry as its easier to dig, decant and weed.

As the garden tray has been used to cover H1, I added some scaffold boards to Bed 16A to keep the foxes off it.

Bed 14 & 14A covered with a tarp to try and keep it dry as its on the list to be worked on, either after H1 unless I decide to do Bed H2 next

Fools Spring

 

It's sunny and the temperature is at 13C today and 15C is forecast for tomorrow for Surrey in the South East of England, meanwhile in Scotland and up north they have been having snow.  

I have a medical appointment this morning, but I will be going to the allotment this afternoon. Its nice to see a few dry sunny days in the 10 day forecast. 

The Greenfingers Charity

 

The Greenfingers Charity builds on a year of completed gardens as major new hospice projects take shape for 2026

 

The Greenfingers Charity is preparing for a significant year ahead, announcing further details of its hospice garden programme for 2026, following the completion of five new therapeutic gardens across the UK in 2025.

 

Gardens completed in 2025

During 2025, Greenfingers opened five new bespoke hospice gardens, each carefully designed to support children with life-limiting conditions, their families and the professionals who care for them. New gardens were completed at The Nook (East Anglia), Chestnut Tree House (Arundel), Hope House (Shropshire), Acorns (Walsall) and Bluebell Wood (Sheffield).

 

These gardens are already being used as vital outdoor environments where children can experience nature safely, feeling fresh air, colour, texture and seasonal change, often for those whose medical needs limit their access to the outdoors. For families, the gardens provide rare opportunities to be together away from clinical spaces, while hospice staff benefit from restorative areas that support wellbeing.

 

New Greenfingers gardens planned for 2026

Building on this momentum, Greenfingers is now progressing three new garden projects for 2026. Each will be delivered as a bespoke, highly specialist space, shaped around the specific needs of its hospice community.

 

Naomi House and Jack’s Place, Winchester

The new garden planned for Naomi House and Jack’s Place will be Greenfingers’ 75th garden, marking an important milestone in the charity’s work across the UK. Designed by Helen Elks Smith, with early design stages already underway, the project will transform existing lawned areas into a welcoming, inclusive outdoor space for children, siblings, parents and hospice staff alike. Carefully shaped to support both play and quiet reflection, the garden will give families a place to step outside together, to breathe, connect and create precious memories away from the pressures of indoor care.

 

 

This garden will also be the focus of Greenfingers’ 2026 Kilimanjaro fundraising challenge, with trekkers taking on the climb to help fund the creation of this very space. Their efforts will play a direct role in bringing this garden to life, turning extraordinary personal challenges into a lasting legacy for the children and families who will use it for years to come.

 

Little Havens, Essex

The 2026 project at Little Havens will see Greenfingers return to the hospice to deliver a major refresh and redevelopment of the existing Grow Your Own garden. The new design will focus on improving accessibility and sensory engagement, enabling children with complex needs to interact safely with planting, textures and the natural environment. Designed to support everyday hospice life, the garden will provide space for play, therapy and rest, while offering families precious opportunities to spend time outdoors together in a setting that feels calm, supportive and human.

 

Haven House, Woodford Green

At Haven House, Greenfingers will deliver a thoughtfully designed memorial and reflection garden within the hospice grounds. The project will be delivered by Baylis Landscapes, with the space carefully shaped to provide families with a calm, dignified outdoor environment where they can pause, reflect and remember. A central feature of the garden will be a Corten steel memorial tree, supplied by Caltef Designs, alongside screened seating, connected pathways and sensitive planting. Together, these elements will create a space that offers privacy, comfort and a sense of peace, supporting families through some of the most emotionally challenging moments of their lives.

 

 

Neil Sewell, Operations Director at Greenfingers, said: “Every unique Greenfingers garden starts with listening to the hospice teams, to families, and to what children need most in that moment. These are not decorative spaces; they are places where children can experience fresh air, colour and a sense of freedom, sometimes for the only time. As we move into 2026, we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve delivered so far, and deeply aware of how vital continued support is to help us create more of these life-changing gardens.”

 

Looking ahead – creating gardens that change lives

As Greenfingers looks towards 2026, its focus is firmly on turning ambition into action – creating highly specialist hospice gardens that meet complex needs and change daily life for children and families. These spaces take months of careful design, sensitive construction and long-term commitment to deliver, and they simply cannot happen without continued fundraising and support. Every penny raised plays a vital role, helping to transform bare or underused spaces into safe, welcoming gardens where children can experience the outdoors, families can spend precious time together, and memories can be made when they matter most.

 

To find out more about the Greenfingers Charity, discover how to support its work, or get involved through fundraising, partnerships or volunteering, visit www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk.

You can also follow the charity’s latest updates on Instagram and LinkedIn @GreenfingersCharity, Facebook facebook.com/Greenfingerscharity, and X @GreenfingersCha.

Oakland Gardens - Garland 28 Cell Deep Root Success Kit

Oakland Gardens have sent me the Garland 28 Cell Deep Root Success Kit - Seed Tray & Propagator with 120mm deep cells, and ventilated lid to trial during this growing season. 

I have to say having had a deep root system previously, this one knocks spots off the one I had (I wish I could remember the make and manufacturer), as the plastic modules are better formed and not as micky mouse as my previous unit, where the cells were formed on one piece and didn't last as long as I would have liked, with the plastic of the cells becoming brittle and splitting within two to three years.     

Professional range products are generally cheaper to produce and buy and will typically only last you 2 - 3 seasons of use. Garlands Premium Range products are more expensive to make and to purchase, but many items come with a 10 year guarantee making the premium range better value for money in the long run.

As can be seen in the photo above the Garland 28 Cell Deep Root Success Kit comes with a 10 year guarantee. The product looks and feels robust and durable and likely to last a minimum of 10 years if looked after and stored correctly when not in use. 

This brough a smile to my face, the packaging suggests that "Cells can be easily cleaned & sterilised in a dish washer after use" I am our dishwasher, and if my wife was still alive and we had a fitted dishwasher I would not be allowed to clean my gardening regalia in it at all!. 

There is a warning on the bottom of the section on Tips & Growing Advice that "The clear propagator lid is NOT suitable for a dishwasher.   

• Size Check (assembled): 38cm (15”) Long x 23.5cm (9.25”) Wide x 20cm (8”) High

Key Features

• 🌿 28 Deep Cells (12 cm each): Perfect for plants like beans, sweet peas, and young vegetable plants.

• 🌱 Innovative Split-Cell Design: Easily monitor and remove seedlings without disturbing delicate roots.

• 💧 Superior Drainage & Airflow: Central drainage hole and four side vents per cell for healthy, air-pruned roots.

• 🌤 Adjustable Ventilated Lid: Maintain perfect humidity and airflow for faster germination and root development.

• ♻️ Eco-Friendly Build: Made in the UK from 100 % recycled and recyclable plastic.

I like the fact that the product is produced in the UK and that it's made from 100% recycled and recyclable plastic. IMHO there are too many gardeners who are anti-plastic and I'm always happy to purchase plastic gardening items that are heavy duty, robust and durable, that will last many years. 

Description

Uniquely designed "split cells" allow easy inspection of root development and zero root disturbance when plants are removed for transplanting.

Deep cells (12cm) feature internal ridged sides to encourage healthy downward root development.

Each cell features a central drainage hole and 4 side ventilation slots ensuring excellent drainage and beneficial air pruning of the root system.

Ideal for all plants with deep root systems such as beans and sweet peas but equally good for raising cuttings.

Long life injection moulded plant cells and base tray give years of repeated use.

Cells can be easily cleaned and sterilised in a dishwasher after use.

 

Instructions For Use

The 28 cell in the are pre-assembled ready for use but before using, please check that none of the cells have become disengaged in transit.  

1. Fill the cells with moist sieved compost, You can remove each set of 4 cells from the outer tray and fill them individually or you may prefer to keep all the cells in situ within the outer tray and fill them together. If you do the latter, excess compost will fall into the outer tray and this excess compost should be removed, prior to planting. There is no need to press the the compost down in each cell. Once cells are full, lightly tap the base on a flat surface which will cause the compost in each cell to lightly compact. Add more compost to the cells as required.

2. If growing from seed, create a hole for each seed. A dibber is a useful tool for this purpose but a finger works too! Plant the seed at the depth recommended by the seed supplier. Back fill the planting holes containing the seed with compost.   

3. If planting cuttings, select healthy stems with at least 6 leaf nodes and cut just above a leaf node. Strip the leaves from the lower half of the stem. It is considered good practice to bury at least half of the cutting, ensuring that the leaf nodes from the lower part of the stem are below the surface. Dipping the base of the cutting in a hormone rooting powder prior to planting is likely to increase the chances of successful rooting.  

4. After planting, water the cells with a fine spray watering can. 

5. For newly planted seeds and small cuttings, place the clear humidity cover on top of the unit. You can regulate the humidity using the dial ventilator. Excess humidity on the inside of the cover is a good indicator that the ventilator should be opened.  

6. Place the unit in an area benefitting from good natural light but be wary of locations receiving strong direct sunshine as this can be damaging to young plants. 

7. Water regularly using a fine mist sprayer ensuring the compost remains moist rather than wet, If the cells do dry out, you can add water to the mase tray to ensure a fast uptake of water.

8. If growing from seed, remove the lid when seeds germinate. For cuttings, the lid can be left in place for longer as prolonged humidity will encourage root development. 

9. Some seedlings such as sweet peas and beans can benefit from "pinching out". This means literally cutting the top the central stem above the topmost leaf node which will further encourage good root development. You can do this only when 3 sets of leaves have developed. This is best achieved using a clean set of gardening snips or can be done by hand. Be careful not to damage thee leaf nodes.  

10. Monitor the root development of the plants by lifting the cells from the tray periodically. You can split the cells if required to inspect root development. Once the roots are visible at the base of the cells, the plants are ready are ready for transplanting. If roots become visible at the base of the cell before the plant's leaf growth has sufficiently developed for transplanting, remove the cells from the base tray which will allow improved air circulation to air prune the roots. The planted cells will stand up independently of the base tray on an even surface. 

11 To remove the plants first disengage the 2 nibs at the top of each set of 4 cells (see Pic 1). Ensure the are positioned to the outside of each slot on the opposite cell moulding. Then gently prise away one half of the cell to fully expose the root system (see Pic 2). Each plant can them be transplanted with zero disturbance to its root structure. Prior to removing the plants from the cells, it is recommended leaving them un-watered for 48 hours as this will ensure that the compost around the root structure is less likely to crumble when the plants are removed.       

Tips and Growing Advice 

Watering 

Over watering can be as damaging as underwatering. Always look to maintain moist rather than wet compost. When using the clear cover , heavy condensation on the inside of the cover is a sign that compost is too wet. If this happens allow the compost to dry by reducing the watering frequency.  

Positioning

Greenhouses provide ideal light conditions, but windowsills can work equally as well. Avoid areas with strong, direct sunshine.  

Temperature 

Most Seeds and cuttings benefit from temperatures of between 19C and 23C. In colder months, consider positioning the unit on a heat pad which can provide gentle, beneficial warmth.   

Re-Using & Storage 

The cell mouldings and base trays should be washed thoroughly with warm soapy water to remove dirt from the surfaces and sterilise for future use. Alternatively, the cell mouldings and the base tray can be cleaned in a dishwasher. when washed at a cycle less than 50C (120F).  The clear propagator lid is NOT suitable for a dishwasher. Store the entire unit away from direct sunlight when not in use to minimise UV damage.     

Incredible discount offer for readers of manvslug.uk 

The nice people at Oakland Gardens have created two special discount codes MVS1 and MVS2 that will get you discounts when buying one or two of the Deep Root Trainer Success Kits.

This is a limited offer and I don't receive any commission as a result of you using these codes.  

I do recommend that you sign up for the Oakland Gardens Newsletter so you receive notifications on news and special offers.