Growing Potatoes in a Cylinder

Begin growing potatoes two to four weeks before the final frost in your section of the country. Choose a flat, sunny spot to grow the potatoes. The size of the potato plot you choose depends on the amount of cylinders you plan to install.

Cut ¼ inch of hardware cloth with a pair of wire cutters. The cylinders should be 24 inches in height and 18 inches in diameter when formed, so cut accordingly.

Form the cylinders by rolling the mesh so that both ends of the length meet. Secure the ends with twist ties. Determine the total number of cylinders you need by the amount of seed potatoes you wish to plant. Plan to use one cylinder for every four seed potatoes.

Stand the cylinders on the soil line and fill with 12 inches of organic planting soil. Drop three to four seed potatoes onto the soil, spaced 6 to 8 inches apart. Cover the seed potatoes with 3 inches of organic soil.

Provide the spuds with at least 1 inch of water every week during the growing period. If rain is plentiful, less watering with a garden hose is necessary. Pressing your finger into the soil helps to determine the soil saturation. If soil feels moist at 1 inch deep, no watering is necessary.

Add an additional 3 inches of soil to the cylinder as the potatoes mature. You know it is time to add more soil when you see potatoes peeking through. Only the leafy greens should be visible at any given time during the growing season.

Harvest the potatoes after the potato flowers have been in bloom for two to three weeks. Either snip the wire to open the cylinders or remove the twist ties. Remove the potatoes from the soil after they fall to the ground.