Why Trash Can Potatoes Are Appealing to City Gardeners

One of the most versatile vegetables in a garden patch is the potato.

Seriously, nothing bad comes from cooking, frying or mashing a potato. From homefries to tater tots, mashed to baked, and french to waffle, every option is a mouthwatering treat that starts four to six feet deep before ending up on our plates.

Today is National Potato Day, and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to tell you all about my famous "city potatoes."

Now, I know what you're saying: "Gazelle, what the heck are city potatoes?"

The answer is within the name: potatoes that are grown in the city.

The biggest challenge I faced when I moved to New Bedford was figuring out what I was going to do for a garden. It was a toss-up between flowers and vegetables, perhaps a mix. This year, I focused primarily on just growing vegetables rather than planting flowers.

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Among my patch of tasty veggies, I decided I wanted to give potatoes a shot but was afraid it was going to take over the root system since they spread underground aggressively. That's when I decided to grow them out of a trash can. Yes, you read that correctly.

My trash can potatoes have become a smash in the neighborhood (pun intended) and I'm looking forward to seeing how they have progressed over the months.

Here are the items needed, as mapped out by City Roots Organic Farm:

• A 20-gallon plastic trash barrel
• A few bags of potting mix
• Dried-out potatoes that have gone through what's called a "chitting" process.

City Roots further explains the planting of the bulbs, the watering process and, of course, the harvesting of your little russets. You don't need a big yard to nourish your plants, just a sunny area and access to water.

Although my potatoes are still growing, National Potato Day is the perfect platform to recognize hard work and patience when growing city potatoes.