OK I am going to jump in here. I am not using 5 gallon buckets but 18 gallon Rubbermaid containers for some of my potatoes. Some of my potatoes are in the ground in a 12 inch deep bed with leaves on top. The Rubbermaid containers are about the same height as the 5 gallon buckets. I set the seed potatoes out until they got some sprouts. I used a sodder pencil to burn holes in the bottom of the containers and on the inside I put some fiberglass window screen in the bottom so the potting mix will not drain out. I put 6 inches of soiless potting mix in the bottom. I mixed HollyTone fertilizer (4 tablespoons) in the potting mix and also 2 cups of worm castings. I put 3 seed potatoes on top of the potting mix and then covered the entire thing with dry leaves from my yard. Approx 12 inches of leaves. The potting mix I used is Miracle Grow. As long as you put about 4-6 inches of a good quality potting mix in the bottom of your 5 gallon bucket and maybe 2 seed potatoes per bucket you should be OK. Straw sounds OK to me. If you want really small potatoes use 3 seed potatoes. I want huge potatoes that is why I only used three in the 18 gallon Rubbermaid. I like Ronninger's Potato Farm for seed potatoes. I planted Maris Piper, Bintje, Yukon Gold and All Blue. The Maris Piper and Bintje are for frying. Yukon Gold is all purpose and All Blue is for my grandson. Cheers, DL

I had 25 or so 5 gallon buckets last year that worked out so well, I am adding more this year. I drilled 9/16 inch holes around the sides at the very bottom of the buckets. I added a piece of landscaping cloth at the bottom that came up the sides of the buckets abount 3 inches or so. I used Sta-Green container soil in all the buckets. I watered with an automated drip irrigation or by hand. Everything that I grew did awesome in the buckets. You can see pictures of the containers and the garden in the link below. I just got out all my buckets from last year and drilled more drain holes for this year. I doubled the number of drain holes. I didn't have any problems with overly wet soil last year but I figured it can't hurt. The holes on the sides worked great. Bugs can't get into the buckets cause of the landscaping cloth. Here is a link that might be useful: My 5 gallon bucket container garden link

I think 1 seed potato per 5 gallon bucket would be fine. I also agree that it should work well -- I would make sure that you use a good potting soil. I would probably only fill the bucket up 1/2 way and plant the seed potato. Then, as the plant starts growing, throw on some rich compost and straw (or leaves) -- just keep the top two sets of leaves above the soil line). Do this until you reach a couple of inches below the top of the bucket. This would increase your harvest as the stem of the potato would continue to root and put out more potatoes :-) Here is a link that might be useful: Ft2Garden.com

I would make sure the bucket has no sticky surfaces. While it could be almost anything, it could remotely, be residue from a curing process. Simply use plain tap water and wipe all surfaces. Make sure the original contents were not petroleum based. No problem with latex. I love those buckets, They are so versitile. I use them for planting, transport, isolation and a bunch of other things. When I buy them I get particular colors for specific uses. Pond buckets are blue. Sandy