Growing potatoes in different ways

Container potatoes – lots of bags available, or solid built containers,
or even old tyres.
Top up soil or compost as the leaves grow. Water regularly and heavily.

Earth up – requires dug beds in ground. Earth soil up around stems as
they grow to protect them from the frost and ensure the potatoes don’t
get light on them and turn them green. Put on as much muck as you can.

Mulch method – don’t dig the bed, but put mulch layer of newspaper
down first. Put potatoes on and cover up with compost or soil. Cover with more
soil or manure as they grow.
Some people like to put the potato in the ground a few inches and then heap
materials on top. Straw can be used as a mulch but will maybe require more watering
than you’d like.

Potatoes are often seen as a good first crop on new land. They don’t
have magic powers about clearing weeds but the traditional earthing up process
helps eliminate many weeds. The addition of lots of manure also helps break
down the soil. I have found that growing potatoes in this way can transform
soil but it is still hard work!