I’ve had such a great time growing vegetables this summer. I didn’t grow enough potatoes to make a meal worth sharing, but we made it work! The plant itself was what was so great. I’ve wanted to do an article on how I went about doing a potato tower and then it just kind of became bloated because I had too much to say. So, now I’m going to turn it into several separate articles that you can use on your own potato tower project!
They are called potato towers, potato stacks, and ground beds. They don’t require chemicals or irrigation, they’re no-fuss, and they’re very rewarding when you produce a bumper crop of early potatoes in the height of Summer. And even if you don’t manage to harvest early potatoes (this year), you will still harvest tasty salad greens and lots of herbs throughout the Summer.
🛠️ What Is a Potato Tower?
A potato tower is a vertical planting system made from a wire cage, straw, and compost or soil. Instead of spreading outward, potatoes grow upward in layers, improving drainage, airflow, and harvesting ease.
📋 Materials You’ll Need
| Item | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Wire fencing or hardware cloth | Forms the tower structure (2–3 ft wide × 3–4 ft tall) |
| Straw or hay | Layering material for tuber formation |
| Compost/garden soil | Nutrients and growth medium |
| Seed potatoes | Cut into pieces with 2–3 eyes each |
| Optional: interior PVC pipe | For easy watering |
| Zip ties, stakes, gloves | For assembly and safety |
⚙️ Step‑by‑Step Guide
- Build the Tower
- Form a cylinder from wire mesh (18–24″ diameter, 3–4′ high). Stake it securely.
- Add Drainage Barrier
- Line the bottom with straw to prevent soil falling through.
- Plant Seed Potatoes
- Spread seed pieces 4–6″ apart around the edge and slightly in the center. Eyes face outward.
- Layering
- Cover potatoes with a mix of straw and compost/soil (6–8″ layer). As plants grow (~8″ tall), repeat adding layers up to ~4″ below tower top.
- Watering
- Use a central PVC pipe (if used) or water around the edge; keep moist but avoid waterlogging.
- Harvesting
- When foliage dies back, remove or cut tower sides and dump contents—no digging!
💡 Additional Tips
- Variety matters: Indeterminate types (like Russets) work best—some varieties don’t produce tubers on buried stems.
- Soil rotation: Don’t reuse the same spot each year to avoid disease buildup.
- Drainage is key: Cold, wet soil can rot tubers—towers improve drainage but steer clear of soggy sites.
✅ Pros & Cons
Pros
- Grows potatoes in limited space
- Easier on your back—no digging
- Added yield from layered growth
- Faster harvesting and reuses compost from straw
Cons
- Construction takes effort
- Results vary; some gardeners report poor yields
- Needs regular watering and straw can deteriorate yearly
💬 Real User Experiences
- One gardener noted: “A few got only 10 lbs from 3 lbs seed…too low yield.”
- Another said: “Better than buckets—grew 2–3 weeks ahead of schedule.”
Yields vary—success depends on variety, care, and layering technique.
| Materials | Description |
|---|---|
Cedar Boards (2″x6″x8′) | Used to construct the frame of the potato tower. Cedar is resistant to decay, making it a durable choice. |
3/4-inch Thick Plywood | Cut into 2’x2′ squares, these will act as the base for each tier. |
Drilling Equipment | For creating drainage holes in the plywood and securing boards together. |
2x4s | Can be used as additional support or framing for the tower. |
Chicken Wire or Mesh | Wrap around the outside of the tower to protect the potatoes from pests. |
Landscape Fabric or Plastic Sheeting | Used to cover the exterior of the tower for extra pest protection. |
Soil | A quality potting mix suitable for vegetables is essential for healthy potato growth. |
Fertilizer | Use a balanced fertilizer to support the growth of your potato plants. |
Watering Can or Hose | Necessary for watering the potatoes and maintaining adequate moisture levels. |
| Tools | Description |
|---|---|
Measuring Tape | To accurately measure wood pieces and ensure proper dimensions for the tower. |
Saw | Required for cutting cedar boards and plywood to the appropriate sizes. |
Hammer | Used for driving in nails or securing boards together. |
Nails or Screws | For fastening the wooden components together securely. |
Drill | Essential for making drainage holes in plywood and securing screws. |
Gloves | To protect hands while handling wood and tools. |
Safety Glasses | To protect eyes from sawdust and debris during construction. |
| Planting Considerations | Notes |
|---|---|
Spacing | Space plants about 12 inches apart in the tower. |
Timeframe | Plant at least 8-10 weeks before the first frost date to ensure adequate growth. |
Drainage | Ensure adequate drainage in the base and throughout the tower to prevent water pooling. |
Build a potato tower.
The potato tower is a raised garden bed that provides excellent drainage for potatoes and other root crops. It can also be used to grow other crops such as corn, beans, squash and peas. The potato tower is made from landscape timbers that are either pressure-treated or naturally rot-resistant. It’s designed to sit on the ground and not be raised off of it like a traditional raised bed. The timbers are spaced approximately 3 inches apart so that they do not touch each other until you reach the top of the structure. At this point, they are fitted together closely to form a solid wall that will keep out most pests and prevent soil loss through evaporation.
A potato tower can be built with materials you already have on hand or purchased at your local hardware store or home improvement store. A few basic tools including a drill with screwdriver bits, tape measurer, level and hammer are needed as well as some nails or screws for assembly (depending on whether you purchase treated or naturally rot-resistant timbers).
Potatoes can be grown in a variety of different ways, including in the ground and in containers. However, if you’re growing potatoes on a small scale or have limited space, a potato tower is an excellent option.
So what is a potato tower? A potato tower is simply a raised bed that is filled with compost and planted with potatoes. The idea behind this method of growing potatoes is that it helps to prevent disease and allows you to grow more plants per square foot than you might otherwise be able to achieve.
There are several different designs for making your own potato tower. You can use wood or PVC pipes to create the structure of your tower, and then fill it with compost so that it will support your plants as they grow over time.
You can also buy pre-made kits from online retailers if you don’t have time or interest in building your own potato towers from scratch. As long as you follow the instructions that come with these kits, it should be pretty easy for anyone to get started growing their own potatoes indoors without much difficulty at all!
If you’re interested in growing potatoes, then you should consider a potato tower. A potato tower is a great way to grow your potatoes while saving space and making sure that they get enough sunlight.
Potato towers are usually made from wood, but they also come in plastic varieties. The main thing that you should consider when choosing a tower is the size of your garden, as well as how much time you have to devote to gardening.
If you don’t have much time to spend gardening, then it might be best for you to buy a ready-made, pre-built tower instead of making one yourself. If you do have some extra time on your hands, however, then it may be worth building one from scratch.
📌 Quick Summary
- Build a sturdy wire cylinder
- Plant seed potatoes, layer straw & soil as plants grow
- Water consistently
- Harvest by collapsing tower—no spade needed!