Maybe you’re simply interested in growing a potato plant without dirt in the middle of a concrete jungle, just to say it can be done.
Or, perhaps you are interested in how to grow your own potatoes in an emergency survival situation, just in case the soil is no longer able to be cultivated for food.
No matter the reason that brought you here, the idea of growing food without soil is pretty neat, isn’t it?
I dare you to try out the incredibly easy, cool DIY project below and report back to us on your own personal results; just be prepared to enjoy a tasty meal as a result!
I also recommend this as a fun, indoor potato growing experiment during the colder winter months, while the garden is dormant.
No Matter How You Cut It, Growing a Potato In Water Is Hydroponic Gardening!
Welcome to hydroponics: whether you’re intending to practice the simpler, more primitive styles of hydroponic agriculture, or a small state-of-the-art, in-home set up.
Hydroponics involves raising plants (in many cases, food plants) in a small soil-free medium, generally rock wool, with the roots reaching for nutrient-rich water. This water has a perfectly balanced nutrient ratio that provides the plants with everything they need. In addition, it is filtered to give the roots oxygen, prevent fungal contamination among the plants, and eliminate blockages of algae within the closed system.
Now that we got that out of the way, here’s the exciting part:
You don’t need a lot of money, know how, or complicated equipment to try this out. You can do this at home, and you may already have most of the equipment that you need!
Can a Potato Grow Without Soil?
The simple answer here is yes- a potato can grow without soil. However, you still have to provide all necessary nutrients, water, and sunlight to the potato plants in order for them to thrive.
You will need to have a basic understanding of hydroponics in order to grow the plants, as you cannot place a seed potato into a cup of water, put it on a sunny windowsill, and hope for the best. This will not work, unfortunately.
One of the easiest and lowest investment methods of hydroponic gardening is the Kratky Method. This system does not use water filtration, air pumps for adding oxygen to the water, or any other electronic component. This is the method I recommend, and this video is a wonderful experiment for you to try at home.
Please note: his mistake during this growing experiment was that he allowed the tubers to access the light. This led to solanine production and leafy growth from his tubers; thus, his harvest was ruined. He had a small yield, but he mentioned very, very hot weather, which potatoes do not thrive in.