Potato Tower: 3ft sacks 50lbs no digging

To begin, select a sturdy 3ft sack rated to hold 50lbs, such as a woven polypropylene feed sack or a purpose-made fabric grow bag. If using a non-porous sack, ensure you poke several drainage holes in the bottom and a few around the lower sides. Place the empty sack in its final location, which should receive at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily. Moving it after it's filled is extremely difficult. Roll the top edges of the 3ft sack down until you have a cuff about 8-10 inches tall. This makes the initial setup more stable.

For your growing medium, a 50lb capacity sack requires a light, well-draining mix to prevent compaction. A quality mix is one part compost, one part peat moss or coco coir, and one part perlite or vermiculite. Avoid using heavy garden soil alone, as it will compact and suffocate the roots. Fill the bottom of your rolled-down sack with about 6 inches of this soil mixture.

Prepare your seed potatoes by cutting larger ones into pieces, ensuring each piece has at least two "eyes" or buds. Let the cut pieces cure in a dry, airy spot for a day or two to form a protective skin, which prevents rot. Place three to four seed potato pieces on top of the initial soil layer, spaced evenly apart with the eyes pointing up. Cover them with another 4 inches of your soil mix. Water them in well, until you see a little moisture seep from the bottom drainage holes.

The "tower" aspect comes from hilling. Once the potato plants have grown about 8 inches above the soil surface, it's time to add more soil. Gently add your soil mix around the plants, burying the stems until only the top 3-4 inches of leafy growth are showing. As you add soil, you can unroll the sack's cuff a little higher. Repeat this process every time the plants grow another 8 inches. Continue adding soil and unrolling the sack until the soil level is a few inches from the top of the 3ft sack. This continuous burying of the stem encourages the plant to produce new potatoes along its entire length within