Are you looking for an easier way to grow potatoes? No matter how large or small of a crop you need, potato grow bags are the answer!
If you’ve never tried using potato grow bags, then you are missing out on the many benefits they bring to your vegetable gardening process.
Next up, I not only review the top three best potato growing bags but explain why you need them, what to watch out for, and answer frequently asked questions.
Once you finish with this buying guide, you’ll be ready to give potato grow bags a try!
What I Look For In A Potato Grow Bag:
| Material | Needs To Be Breathable And Tough |
| Price | Budget Friendly |
| Portability | Easy To Move |
| Door | Needs Easy Access To Grown Potatoes |
Top 3 Best Potato Grow Bags
Best Overall
FarmUnion Potato Planter Bags (10 Gallons)
Reasons To Buy
- Handles are reinforced to safely allow for easy harvest and transport
- Ample size for growing any variety of potato or root crop
- Access door increases ease of harvesting produce or for checking root development
- Fabric is waterproof, lightweight, and durable for long wear
- Dimensions are ideal for optimal plant growth, which increases crop success
Reasons To Avoid
- Fabric of the bag doesn’t allow air to flow through the sides
- Some people may find the plastic look of the bag unattractive
The 10-Gallon Potato Planter Grow Bags by Farmunion are a great size for creating a bountiful potato harvest when you don’t have suitable soil or space for traditional vegetable gardening.
The bag is made of a lightweight Polyethylene material that is easy to clean and store when the growing season is over. The fabric is able to withstand years of use without degrading, and the convenient access flap and handles make harvesting and moving even full bags simple.
I appreciate the waterproof fabric of these bags, which eliminates leakage out the sides. Small holes located at the bottom of the bag allow for proper drainage, which is also easy to contain in a tray if necessary for indoor use.
I give these grow bags high marks for their overall construction and versatile size. This set of potato grow bags are best for homeowners who want larger crops but also need the ability to easily move the bags when necessary.
Best For Getting Started
GROWNEER Grow Bags (7 Gallons)
Reasons To Buy
- Perfect size for easy mobility, even full most people can lift them up to switch locations for growing or harvest
- Access door is large, which makes for easy removal of potatoes
- Fabric holds water yet is breathable, perfect for healthy root growth
- Three-pack is budget-friendly
Reasons To Avoid
- Pots may be too small for those wanting to grow large amounts of potatoes
GROWNEER 7-Gallon Grow Bags combine all the features you need for an enjoyable indoor and outdoor gardening experience.
The bag is a durable non-woven material with quality sewing at the seams that should hold together for plenty of seasons. The design holds its shape beautifully, while the sturdy handles allow you to move the bag with ease. The material is breathable and allows excess water to drain while retaining an ideal soil moisture level.
I like the roll-up access flap that velcros in place as you directly pull potatoes or other root crops out from the bottom of the bag, without having to dump out or dig out the dirt and plant to reach the produce.
The GROWNEER 3-Pack of 7 Gallon Grow Bags deserve the high ratings they receive for their top-notch construction and ease of use. This GROWNEER set is best for homeowners who want smaller potato grow bags that are easier to move about and also like keeping their container garden looking tidy.
Best For High-Yields
Viagrow Plastic Grow Bags (30 Gallons)
Reasons To Buy
- Super-tough material can handle the weight of plants and soil without tearing
- Great size for growing and harvesting a large number of crops
- Color option for better soil heat control in different climates
- Drainage holes keep roots from getting waterlogged
- Extremely affordable for large gardening operations
- If you’re careful, the bag is reusable for several seasons
Reasons To Avoid
- No access door for easy removal of mature tubers
- No handle makes them very difficult to move after filling
The Viagrow 30-Gallon Plastic Grow Bag is for the serious gardener looking to grow an abundant variety of crops.
The bag is a dense plastic that provides UV protection and holds up to the rigors of planting and harvest without wear and tear. The square-bottom bag holds its shape and won’t tip over during high winds. Pre-punched holes drain water to keep soil moisture at a safe level.
I like that the bags are reversible with white on one side and black on the other, so you can select which color will work best to control soil heat for your climate (or a color that fits your home or garden color scheme). You can easily roll the edges of the bag down to suit the planting-depth need of any vegetable you’re growing.
The Viagrow Grow Bags get high marks for their size and design and is best for gardeners looking for an economical way to grow lots of potatoes and other vegetables above ground. Growers with drip-irrigation greenhouse systems find these bags work fantastic in that application as well.
Do You Really Need Potato Grow Bags?
As a long-time gardener who has been using potato planter bags for several seasons, I can attest that they can transform your vegetable-growing experience.
Growing bags make it very easy to plant, grow, and especially harvest your potatoes by offering these benefits over planting in-ground or with plastic pots:
Reduces Physical Labor
Growing bags eliminate the need to dig up and prepare garden beds. This feature is especially helpful when the soil in your region isn’t conducive for gardening without the addition of compost and soil or soil that is is very sandy or rocky.
When it comes time to harvest the potatoes, you only need to open the access door (if your bag has this feature) or dump the bag out to locate the produce.
If you dump the bags inside a wheelbarrow or other container, you can easily pull out the spuds and reuse all the dirt for another grow bag crop.
Builds Stronger Root Systems
Growing bags allow potato roots to grow naturally downward. Once they reach the bottom of the bag, you can use the access flap to trim off the excess.
Keeping roots healthy increases the vitality of your plants and eliminates problematic root circling that is common in plastic or ceramic containers.
Helps Regulate Soil Temperature
Most growing bags are of a breathable material, which allows healthy airflow within the bag that keeps soil microbes happy and your plant roots cool through a water evaporation process.
A bag that is black will absorb more heat, which helps if you live in a cooler region. Grow bags with a white exterior will reflect heat, which is helpful when you live in very hot and sunny locations.
Allows For Garden Maneuverability And Crop Versatility
Gardening grow bags come in a variety of sizes, so go smaller if you like the idea of moving your “garden” around on your property. Most bags offer handles to make lifting easier.
Potato grow bags are also versatile for use on patios, balconies, other small spaces for growing just about any vegetable, especially other root vegetables like carrots, beets, onions, and radishes.
One of the best things about using grow bags is the ability to start your crops much earlier in the season by keeping them in a greenhouse, garage, or shed and moving them outside once warmer temperatures arrive.
Allows For Better Soil Moisture Balance
Most growing bags are made of a non-woven, permeable material that not only breathes but allows excess moisture to drain.
While gravity will drive most moisture to drip out of the bottom of the bag, dense soil may hold too much moisture even toward the top of the bag.
Most grow bags use a material that will allow moisture to also seep from the side of the bag for ultimate soil moisture control, which makes for pleased and hearty plants.
Allows For Easy Harvest And Root Inspection
Many potato growing bags feature an access door near the bottom of the bag that allows you to harvest your potatoes without having to dig or dump out the soil. Using the access door also lets you peek at root development and prune off growth before roots begin to circle.
Potato Grow Bag Features To Consider
Even though potato grow bags tend to be inexpensive, it doesn’t mean they should be of cheap quality or perform poorly. Next up are the features you need to watch out for when buying potato grow bags.
Bag Material And Construction
The best grow bag material is breathable fabric like felt or non-woven fiber that lets air move freely through the sides of the bag. Good soil aeration is crucial for strong plant development and abundant crop growth.
The bag material must also be tear-resistant and be sewn together with sturdy seams and handles that won’t break free, even when moving a bag that is full of damp soil.
A suitable material should also be washable, so you can hose them off and dry them out before storing them for the next growing season.
Adequate Drainage
Potato grow bags made of breathable fabric will automatically drain off excess water, but some bags utilize waterproof material for construction.
While there are benefits to using waterproof-material bags, you need to verify they have enough drainage holes at the bottom to prevent water build-up inside the bag, which will rot out plant roots and cause mildew to grow.
A considerable amount of drainage holes, especially large ones, may let too much water escape the soil, which can lead to thirsty plants and poor development.
Choice Of Sizing
When you find a grow bag with the features and quality you like, you also want it to come in a range of sizes so you can plant all types of vegetables that grow longer or shorter root systems.
Plants thrive when their container is not too small or too large, so having an option in grow bag sizing is helpful.
Another factor is getting a size that isn’t too large for you to move when the bag is full of mature potatoes ready for harvest.
I prefer the 10-15 gallon range for ease of use, even if I need to plant more bags to grow enough potatoes for my family.
Handle Design
Handles for bags under 30 gallons are extremely helpful when it comes time to move them when full. Most larger-size grow bags forgo handles since they would be too heavy to move around once planted.
TIP: I like purchasing grow bags with handles that extend above the rim. This feature allows you to slip a pole (I use my rake handle) through them and use two people to lift and carry heavy bags to a new location easily.
Handles on any bag need to have reinforced stitching and have broad enough straps that won’t dig into your hands while lifting.
Potato Grow Bag FAQs
Do Potato Bags Really Work?
Yes, potato bags really do work for growing potatoes and can be a necessity for many people who don’t have space or adequate soil to grow them in a traditional garden plot. The only downside to potato grow bags over ground planting is the fewer number of seed potatoes you can plant per container, which decreases the overall harvest. Another tendency I have found is that the potatoes that do grow are not as large as the ones coming straight from the ground. I don’t find this issue problematic, just an interesting observation since I prefer cooking with smaller-size potatoes anyway.
What Size Grow Bag For Potatoes Do I Need?
For a good crop of potatoes, grow bags between 10-30 gallons is an ideal size. You can always go with more substantial size, but don’t plan on moving those bags around during the growing season. The variety of potatoes you plant will also determine the size bag you choose. Potatoes that mature into large tubers will require bigger bags to grow in.
How Many Potatoes Can I Plant In A Bag?
The shape and size of the grow bag will determine how many seed potatoes you can plant inside. A general rule of thumb is:
– 5 gallon – 1 to 3 seed potatoes
– 10 gallon – 3 to 5 seed potatoes
– 20 gallon – 5 to 7 seed potatoes
– 30 gallon – 7 to 10 seed potatoes
– 50 gallon – 16 to 20 seed potatoes
Another method to estimate how many seed potatoes to plant in a grow bag is to use one potato for every three gallons of capacity. You can go a bit higher for smaller potato varieties and expect to fit fewer when planting large russet or sweet potatoes
In Summary
Using potato grow bags allows you to enjoy vegetable gardening in just about any location, from an apartment balcony in Texas to a garage in Alaska. Grow bags also eliminate the drudgery of traditional potato sowing and harvesting methods.
I hope this best potato grow bags buying guide clears up any questions you may have about their benefits when you put them to use in the next gardening season.
Grow bags are a fantastic way for beginner gardeners to simplify the planting and care of root crops. Give them a try, and if you’re like me, you will fall in love and incorporate them permanently into your gardening routine!
