Growing sweet potatoes in 5 gallon buckets has become an increasingly popular gardening trend. The compact size makes them perfect for small spaces and allows you to easily move them if needed. But an important question is, how many sweet potatoes can you yield from each bucket? In this article we’ll look at the factors that determine potato harvests, and provide tips to maximize your bucket potato production.
Sweet Potato Yields Per Bucket
On average you can expect to harvest 5-10 medium sized sweet potatoes from one properly cared for 5 gallon bucket. However yields depend on several factors
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Sweet Potato Variety – Some varieties naturally produce more or larger tubers. Ask your local nursery for prolific varieties good for container growing.
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Slip Spacing – Only plant 1-2 slips per 5 gallon bucket, with 6 inches between slips. Overcrowding limits yields.
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Sunlight – Sweet potatoes need at least 8 hours of direct sun daily. More sun equals more photosynthesis and energy for growth.
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Temperature – Keep soil and ambient temps 70-90°F Cooler temps slow growth Move buckets indoors or use row covers if needed,
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Watering – Underwatering causes small potatoes. Overwatering promotes foliage over tubers. Find the right balance.
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Fertilizer – Use a balanced organic fertilizer, and side dress with extra potassium mid-season for best tuber production.
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Curing – Curing helps develop sugars and seals skins for storage. Don’t skip this important step!
Follow best practices, and you can get up to 2 pounds or more of sweet potatoes from each bucket.
Tips for Maximizing Sweet Potato Yields
Here are some key tips to get the highest yields from your 5 gallon bucket sweet potato patches:
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Select early maturing, compact varieties optimized for containers like Vardaman, Hernandez, or Regal.
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Plant only 1-2 strong slips per bucket, spaced well apart. More will crowd tubers.
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Situate buckets where they’ll get maximum sunlight, at least 8 hours if possible.
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Maintain consistent soil moisture. Water when top few inches become dry.
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Side dress with a potassium-rich fertilizer midseason to size up tubers.
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Cover plants on cool nights to retain warmth and extend your growing season.
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Cure harvested potatoes for 7-14 days in 80-85°F and high humidity before storing.
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Try staggered plantings every 2-3 weeks for a continuous harvest.
Follow the basics, choose great varieties, and provide optimal care, and you can reliably get bountiful harvests of homegrown sweet potatoes, even from a 5 gallon bucket garden. With just a few buckets on a patio or deck, you can grow all the sweet potatoes your household needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do sweet potatoes take to grow in buckets?
Sweet potatoes usually take 90-170 days to reach maturity in buckets. Time to harvest depends on the variety and your climate conditions.
What size sweet potatoes will I get?
With proper care, expect medium sized sweet potatoes 5-8 inches long. Larger 10+ inch tubers are unlikely in a 5 gallon container.
Can I grow regular potatoes in buckets too?
Yes! 5 gallon buckets work well for compact, early potato varieties. Yield will be less than sweet potatoes.
How many slips can I plant per bucket?
Only plant 1-2 slips per 5 gallon bucket, spaced at least 6 inches apart. More will overcrowd and limit yields.
Can I grow sweet potato vines as ornamentals?
Absolutely! Let vines trail over edges of buckets or trellises. Just don’t expect edible tubers without proper cultivation.
Conclusion
When grown under optimal conditions, you can reasonably expect 5-10 medium sized sweet potatoes from each 5 gallon bucket you plant. Following best practices for fertilizing, watering, sunlight, plant spacing, and variety selection will ensure your container sweet potatoes reach their full potential. With just a few buckets, you can grow plenty of delicious homegrown potatoes anywhere.
How to Grow Sweet Potatoes in Containers or Raised Beds
Im a big fan of container gardening. Containers help to expand your garden space. You can create a vegetable garden where you dont even have dirt by using containers.
Im also a fan of using whatever you have as containers. Ill share some suggestions and some unusual containers Ive used further down in this article.
Why grow sweet potatoes?
Sweet potatoes are a crop worth growing for their nutritional value. Very high in vitamin A, sweet potatoes are also a good source of fiber, rich in potassium, and low in calories.
The plants are also extremely pretty. Often grown as ornamental plants, the vines make a sprawling cascade from containers. The leaves and flowers are also edible.
Sweet potato plants love summers heat. They are extremely frost-tender and cannot stand cool soil or cool temperatures.
| You can grow sweet potatoes in containers (yes, even a cardboard box). |
Youll find more warm-weather plants to grow in your backyard garden in this post.