Reuse Your Cardboard Boxes To Reap A Hearty Crop Of Potato Plants

If you're constantly ordering products online and getting them delivered in cardboard boxes, pretty soon you'll end up with a whole stack that you probably don't know what to do with. Although these are perfect for creating a no-dig garden, what if you don't have a lot of outdoor growing space? Before you resort to throwing the boxes into your recycling bin — stop — there is a way you can reuse them to produce a healthy supply of potatoes. While you might think cardboard boxes won't work because they'll disintegrate when they get wet, you'll be surprised to learn that these will last just long enough for you to grow a decent crop of spuds.

You can even use those single-walled Amazon boxes that you've got piled up in your garage as long as you remember a few tips. Firstly, you want to place your box on a flat surface, such as your patio floor or maybe a concrete path outside your back door. Put it where you intend to leave it for the entire growth period and won't be tempted to move it because that's when you'll run into problems. If the box is left undisturbed, it should hold together for the duration of the season, as most potatoes take around 80 to 115 days to grow to harvest. This is one reason why so many people plant potatoes on St. Patrick's Day.

To grow potatoes in cardboard boxes, YouTuber James Prigioni lines the base of each container with dead leaves to hold some moisture and protect the material. You could use a layer of straw instead, but don't be tempted to use plastic, as you don't want water to pool around the roots of your potatoes. Excellent drainage is important to prevent the tubers from rotting. You also want to fold in the flaps of the box to help stop the sides from collapsing.

Make sure each box is at least 10 inches tall so you have enough space to hill up more soil around the growing plants. This is the secret to getting a bumper crop. Place your seed potatoes on top of about 4 inches of soil, and cover them with another 4 inches of the same. As the plants grow, keep adding more soil around the base until the plants start flowering. Cover the top with more soil or mulch to stop light from reaching the tubers, as this turns them green and makes them toxic.

With this method, you don't need a lot of space to grow a great crop of potatoes. You can just reuse cardboard boxes or any other suitable container that you can cut drainage holes into, such as Styrofoam boxes, plastic tubs or buckets, or even a laundry basket. If you're keen to give this a try, you might be interested in tips on how to start your seed potatoes.