Grow Your Own Potatoes With the Best Potato Grow Bags
No matter what cuisine of food you enjoy, chances are potatoes are a major part of it. Packed full of fiber and antioxidants, these vegetables play a major role in lowering cholesterol and improving heart health. With so much to offer, it is no surprise that potatoes have a superior place in any kitchen.
With potato grow bags, you can grow your own potatoes at home easily. You no longer need to worry about clearing out space in your home garden to harvest vegetables. In fact, the best part about these bags is that it lets you grow potatoes from anywhere, including your balcony, porch, or even indoors!
This convenient tool requires only a few simple steps to set up, after which you can reap the benefits of these spuds to your heart’s desire. To help you figure out which potato grow bag is the best fit for you, we’ve put together a list of the best potato grow bags available on the market in 2023.
The Best Potato Grow Bag: A Buyer's Guide
These days, almost anything can be bought pre-cooked and pre-packaged. Although we have to admit that these frozen meals are incredibly convenient, it is also true that they are very processed and unhealthy. By using a potato grow bag to grow your vegetables at home, you can achieve a much healthier diet with a lot less work. Instead of tending to an entire garden, you only need to keep track of the vegetables you have planted in your potato grow bag.
However, deciding what to look for when buying a potato grow bag can be a confusing task. To help you make this decision, we have prepared this comprehensive buying guide highlighting the key features of the best potato grow bags in 2021.
What Is a Potato Grow Bag?
A potato grow bag is a container made up of cloth or plastic in which vegetables can be grown. The bag has enough space to allow produce to spread its roots as well as layer a large amount of soil. It typically features a transparent flap to allow ease in harvesting potatoes once they are ready. Although the name suggests this bag be used to grow potatoes, other salad crops like tomatoes, onions, and carrots can be grown in it as well.
To learn how to use a potato grow bag, you can check out this video from HortTube with Jim Putnam:
Why Should I Use a Potato Grow Bag?
Potato grow bags are much more convenient than a traditional garden setup. They are both portable and universal to any setting, so you can easily move them indoors and outdoors if you desire. They also resist overwatering and root bounding by design. All in all, they are a great time-saving alternative to a traditional garden.
What To Look for When Buying a Potato Grow Bag?
Potato grow bags are relatively simple in design but can come in tons of variations in terms of size, material, and quality of potato grow bags on the market. This can make it even more difficult for a beginner, in particular, to decide what aspects to keep in mind when shopping for a potato grow bag.
In this case, the best thing to do is break down the core features of a typical potato grow bag, studying each category individually before setting out to buy one. Below is a list of the most important aspects to look for to avoid a disappointing purchase.
Material
Potato grow bags are essentially large containers in which vegetables are grown. The material of this container can have a big impact on the experience of growing your plant.
Potato grow bags are typically made up of either Polyethylene, plastic, nonwoven cloth, or even felt. Each material offers different benefits to the user. For example, if you prefer easiness in cleaning, using a potato grow bag made up of PE or plastic is a better choice. However, if you would rather your potato grow bag be eco-friendly, the biodegradable cloth or felt material offers much more.
Capacity
Potato grow bags come in all different shapes and sizes, with one of the most important features being the capacity of the bag. This is typically specified in gallons, with the most common size being about 10 gallons to grow potatoes and carrots. Not paying attention to the capacity of a potato grow bag before buying can lead to unnecessary inconvenience.
Extra features for convenience
Oftentimes people buy potato grow bags as a way to avoid the maintenance and cleaning that comes with tending to a traditional home garden. However, not all potato grow bags offer the extra features necessary to provide this convenience. These features include strong side handles, a transparent flap for harvesting, and ventilated holes on the bottom of the potato grow bag. Being aware of these features before purchasing your potato grow bag can aid you in making the right choice.
What Is the Average Lifetime of Potato Grow Bag?
Depending on its material and quality, the lifetime of potato grows bag can vary greatly. If the potato grows bag is made up of a harsher material like PE or plastic, it can last anywhere between 5 and 10 years. You can reuse the potato grow bag after every season, even using it to grow a different crop each time.
If a potato grows bag is made up of biodegradable material like cloth or felt, however, the lifespan will be much lower. On average, they last about 2 to 3 seasons. This is because the material used in manufacturing the potato grow bag is much softer and can be more difficult to clean and maintain during harsh weather conditions.
Looking at the Top Potato Grow Bags of 2023
ANPHSIN 10 Gallon Potato Grow Bag
– Best Overall
This potato grow bag is a great option for those with bigger families, offering a spacious, good-quality bag at an affordable price. Made out of PE instead of the standard PVC plastic, the bag is both durable and lightweight. This makes everything from cleaning to transport more convenient for the average user. The bag also includes ventilated holes in its design, providing better airflow and drainage of water to sustain healthier roots.
However, one downside to this product is that it causes soil to be dried out very quickly, requiring you to water it much more frequently. You also need to take care to place the bag in an area without direct sunlight, as too much heat can damage the roots.
- Large capacity (up to 10 gallons)
- Includes velcro flap and side handles
- Made up of lightweight PE material
- Dries out soil more quickly
- Temperature-sensitive
HomyHoo 10-Gallon Potato Grow Bag
– Runner Up
If you are looking for an aesthetically pleasing potato grow bag to last you a long time, the Homyhoo 10-gallon potato grow bag may be your best bet. The product is made up of thick, biodegradable material, increasing the life of your bags while simultaneously reducing the impact it has on pollution. It is also quite tall, so you can easily add more dirt or water to your potatoes as they grow over the course of a few weeks. It also comes with a velcro flap to help you harvest your vegetables with ease.
However, because the breathable material is heavier than plastic, the bags can be a little difficult to move around when filled with soil.
- Made up of woven, biodegradable material
- Large capacity (up to 10 gallons)
- Includes velcro flap and side handles
- Heavier than bags made up of plastic
Delxo 7-Gallon Potato Grow Bags
– Honorable Mention
Made up of breathable, nonwoven fabric, the Delxo 7-Gallon potato grow bag is a gardening companion designed to last you several seasons. The product is both sturdy and durable, making sure to neither retain nor restrict water even during a storm to prevent your soil from being flooded. The breathable fabric also contributes to better aeration, so your vegetables can grow without a problem despite fluctuations in temperature and weather.
These potato grow bags also take up less space in your garden and are easy to move around using the built-in handles. However, the velcro window is poorly designed, causing dirt to fall out when opened.
- Made up of durable, breathable material
- Large capacity (up to 10 gallons)
- Includes velcro flap and side handles
- Poorly designed velcro handle causes dirt to fall out
YQLOGY 10-Gallon Garden Potato Grow Bags
– Contender
This product is perfect for beginners new to the world of gardening. The potato grow bag is made up of PE instead of traditional cloth material, causing them to be more lightweight and easy to clean and maintain in any kind of weather. The design of the bag also prevents root-tangling and aids in drainage.
This product can also be bought with a toolset for a small added price, making it even easier for you to start your seeds and harvest your vegetables. The transparent flap is also useful when checking on underground plants such as potatoes and carrots growing in the bag. However, the potato grow bags are smaller than advertised which may be a problem if you have a larger family.
- Made up of convenient PE material
- The improved design prevents root-tangling
- Includes transparent flap and side handles
- Small in size
SCENGCLOS 10 Gallon Potato Grow Bag
– Also Consider
This grow bag is ideal for customers who like to check on their vegetables often during the growing process. The main feature of this potato grow bag is that it features two harvest windows instead of the standard single window found in most other grow bags. This makes observing the growth of your vegetables more convenient and comprehensive. They are also both strong and spacious, perfect for users who want to produce and use tubers and rhizomes.
However, one drawback of these bags is that they do not hold much water. Although the non-woven fabric they are made from keeps the bag breathable, it doesn’t do much for water retention.
- Made up of durable, breathable material
- Strong and spacious
- Includes velcro flap and side handles
- Does not hold much water
People Also Asked
A: Potato grow bags tend to dry out much faster than the soil in a home garden. This is due to the improved water drainage it offers as a result of ventilated holes in its design. To keep the soil in the bag appropriately moist, you will need to water it more than you may be used to. The ideal amount for growing healthy potatoes in a potato grow bag is between 1 and 1 and a half-inch of water every week.
A: A potato grow bag is not limited to growing potatoes. Most salad crops grow quite well within a grow bag, including vegetables like carrots, onions, turnips, and radishes. To decide whether a plant would grow well in a potato grow bag, make sure it has shallow roots and does not grow too tall.
A: As mentioned earlier, potato grow bags are quite convenient in the sense that they are portable and can be used anywhere in your home. If you want, you can even move your potato grow bag indoors and watch your plant grow from close-up. However, you will need to keep track of the location of your growing bag, making sure it is placed in an area with optimal sunlight. A saucer or bowl should also be placed underneath the potato grow bag to catch the excess water seeping out from the soil.
