Effective methods and technologies for planting potatoes. Planting and caring for potatoes - the secrets of successful plant cultivation

The most important task of every gardener is to ensure a solid supply of potatoes for the winter, which is planted annually. big square summer cottages. Introduced to middle latitudes from countries South America culture perfectly adapted to local conditions and became a universal favorite.

Despite the unpretentious nature of the overseas vegetable, it is possible to get a rich harvest of tasty, crumbly tubers only with appropriate agrotechnical measures.

Landing dates

When determining the time of planting potatoes, it is important to remember that both too early planting of tubers in insufficiently warmed soil, and delaying the timing can lead to a decrease in yield. Work should begin when the soil at a depth of 10 cm warms up to a temperature of + 7 ° C, that is, in late April-early May. As a rule, the time of planting potatoes coincides with the appearance of a light haze of blossoming leaves on the birch trees.

Landing area treatment

For planting potatoes, open, maximally sunlit areas on well-fertilized soils with a light and medium mechanical composition are considered the most suitable. The culture tolerates soil acidity well, however, areas with excessively high pH values, as evidenced by plants growing there (fireweed, horsetail, sorrel), are recommended to be alkalized with lime (10-15 kg / 100 m?).

Due to a number of common diseases, potatoes cannot be planted after tomatoes. The optimal predecessors for it are cucumbers, lettuce, table and fodder beets, spinach, cabbage. In addition, it is highly undesirable to cultivate potatoes in one place for several years in a row, especially if in past years there have been cases of infection of the culture with fungal infections. If it is impossible to transfer the "plantation", the soil is enriched with increased doses of organic matter. However, virgin lands are most fertile for potato cultivation, where you can get a rich harvest of tubers even without top dressing. The main thing is that the site should not be swampy, but the underlying The groundwater did not approach the surface closer than 40-60 cm. The moisture capacity of overdried sandy soils is increased by adding peat, sod land, lake and pond silt.

To autumn processing the planting area is started immediately after harvesting the predecessor crops. The soil is plowed or dug up manually in large layers to a depth of 20-25 cm, rain grooves are dug to drain excess moisture. In the lowlands, on dense soils, it is recommended to fill in ridges about 2 m wide and 15-20 cm high at a distance of 30-35 cm. This technique contributes to the early drying of the soil after the snow melts.

In the spring, repeated digging is carried out to a depth of 15-20 cm. To increase the friability of the arable layer of heavy soil during planting, an effective agricultural technique is used - sanding, in which 0.5 buckets are poured into each planting hole river sand. It is very useful to combine sanding with humus top dressing.

Selection and preparation of seed material

The use of quality seeds is one of the most important conditions for obtaining a solid harvest. To do this, during the autumn sorting of excavated tubers, healthy, well-developed specimens of medium size (60-80 g) are selected without signs of mechanical damage. Tubers with cracks, growths, traces of rot, conical or spindle-shaped, fused or too small are not allowed for planting. Depending on the purpose of cultivation, it is necessary to rationally select the material of early-ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening varieties that are most adapted to the soil and climatic conditions of a particular region.

Before planting, seed tubers are prepared in any suitable way:

• drying- carried out 3-4 weeks before the intended landing in the ground. The material in 1-2 layers is scattered on the dry floor of a bright, insulated utility room or placed in low wooden boxes, where they contain the potato “eyes” until the potato “eyes” are fully awakened, while preventing the seedlings from being strongly stretched. Losing 10-15% of their own moisture, the potato resumes physiological processes. After the tubers partially turn green and give small sprouts, you can start planting. When conducting preparatory event in an unheated room, planting potatoes are covered with burlap for the night, nonwoven fabric or old wallpaper to prevent it from freezing.
• dry germination- this technique allows you to speed up the timing of the harvest by 2-3 weeks. Tubers intended for planting are laid out 5-10 kg each in small boxes or narrow perforated polyethylene bags. The packaged material is placed in a greenhouse or greenhouse, where it is kept for 5-6 weeks at a temperature of +14 ° C until powerful seedlings about 10-15 mm long appear.
• Wet germination- thanks to this method potatoes arrive for planting not only with sprouts, but also with developed rudiments of the root system. In the process of germination, the tubers are kept in moist humus or peat soil at temperatures from +12° C to +15° C. Potatoes prepared in this way give the earliest and most friendly shoots.

To increase the germination rate, it is allowed additional processing tubers - dusting with wood ash, spraying with weak (0.01%) solutions of copper sulfate or boric acid - 0.15 l/10 g.

Landing technology

The method of planting potatoes directly depends on the characteristics of the soil on the planting site:

• Rows "under the shovel" - the most common method, suitable for areas with a flat, well-lit surface, on which planting holes are formed in even rows. A tuber or two is placed in each hole, 2-3 handfuls of humus, after which the hole is sprinkled with soil.
• In combs - this way preferred for waterlogged places or sites on heavy clay soils. Over the entire planting area, with the help of a tractor or a hoe, bulk soil ridges 12-15 cm high are formed, into which potatoes are planted. Thus, the tubers will be reliably protected from soaking. However, the ridges hold their shape well only on structural moisture-intensive soils. On loose sandstones, they easily slip during heavy rain or wind, exposing root crops.
• In trenches - the best way for sandy and sandy soil. If in the previous case the plantings rise, then in this case, on the contrary, they deepen, which allows protecting the tubers from overheating and drought. Planting in trenches is not allowed with dense, moist soil, since stagnant moisture and poor air exchange will provoke the development of fungal infections and the subsequent death of the entire crop.

The recommended scheme for planting early-ripening varieties is 25-30 cm? 60 cm, medium and late-ripening - 30-35 cm? 70 cm. The optimal depth of tubers touching on light soils is 10 cm, on dense clay soils - about 6 cm. Large specimens are embedded 2-3 cm deeper.

Watering

During dry periods, planting potatoes needs regular, uniform soil moisture. As long as it falls required amount rainfall, additional watering is not necessary, however, during dry periods and hot windy weather, an adjusted soil moisture regime is needed for good growth and development. The procedure is mandatory at the following stages of growth:

• 2-2.5 weeks after planting, when the height of potato sprouts is 5-10 cm.
• During the period of budding, which is a sign of the beginning of the formation of tubers.
• In the first half of August, when the potatoes begin to gain mass.

It is recommended to carry out the procedure in cool evening hours in order to scorching sun did not turn the wet surface of the soil into a caked crust and did not burn the tops. In extreme heat, plantings are watered once every 4-5 days, at moderate temperatures - every 7-8 days. Early ripe potatoes consume water most intensively, so drying out of the soil under bushes of early varieties is undesirable. Determining the “thirst” of a plant is easy - just immerse your hand in the soil to the depth of your fingers. If your hand stays dry, it's time to water the potatoes. The rate of irrigation water consumption is 6-12 liters per bush in the first stages of development and up to 20 liters during the period of tuber growth.

Correctly organized watering allows you to increase crop yield by 20-30%. At the same time, one should not forget that irregular, spasmodic soil moisture leads to deformation of the tubers and the formation of deep cracks on them.

To save irrigation water and maintain the required level of soil moisture, it is useful to use the “dry irrigation” method, as soil mulching under plantings with natural materials is often called - mowed green manure grasses, peat, straw or aged sawdust. In the summer heat, the mulch shelter provides potato bushes with a comfortable coolness, retains moisture in the soil and condenses it from the air, and serves as additional top dressing as it rots.

top dressing

When planting potatoes in well-fertilized, nutritious soil, fertilizing can be successfully dispensed with. However, if the pre-sowing fertilization was skipped for some reason, and the bushes in the depleted areas grow stunted and lag behind in development, a carefully balanced “diet” is needed:

• 2-3 weeks after germination, the bushes are sprayed over the leaf with a solution of carbamide (urea), thereby satisfying the plant's need for nitrogen, as a result of which the rate of potato development is significantly improved.
• During the period of budding, potatoes are fed with a complex solution mineral fertilizers, including 2 g ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride, 20 g of superphosphate and 0.01 g of copper sulfate per 10 liters of irrigation water. Spraying with this solution activates the processes of culture development, and also prevents the development of fungal diseases.
• After flowering, to increase productivity and improve the taste of tubers, the bushes are treated with universal manganese-boron fertilizer.
• A month before harvesting tubers, it is recommended to scatter superphosphate granules over potatoes. The introduction of phosphorus at this stage can significantly increase the yield.

Foliar top dressings provide invaluable assistance in the cultivation of potatoes, however, their improper use can adversely affect the condition of the plants, so several important points should be taken into account before processing:

• Foliar top dressing is shown to potatoes no earlier than 2-2.5 weeks after planting.
• Do not spray in dry, hot weather - the plants will receive serious thermal burns.
• Spraying plants in the rain will not bring desired result- absorption of nutrients takes about 2-3 hours.
• If frosts are observed at night, it is advisable to postpone the procedure for several days.

Competently carrying out the procedure and observing the necessary dosages allow you to start important processes vital activities that accelerate the growth and development of plants. In addition, the introduction of leaf nutrition contributes to the development of the natural immunity of the potato, which allows the bushes to successfully resist fungal infections.

Hilling specifics

During the growth season, potato bushes are spudded with moist soil at least 2-3 times. This procedure stimulates tuberization, protects roots from exposure to sunlight, improves aeration and warming up the soil. When determining the terms of hilling, they are guided by the following indicators:

• For the first time, potatoes are spudded at an early stage of growth, when the bushes grow to 8-12 cm in height. If the threat return frosts preserved, the bushes are completely covered with a layer of soil, under which they will be reliably protected from the cold.
• The repeated procedure is carried out before flowering, 15-20 days after the first hilling.
• For the third time, plantings are spudded as needed, when the average height of the bushes reaches 20-25 cm. In this case, the plants are not carefully dug, but simply thrown a little soil into the middle of the bush.

In the future, selective hilling of individual bushes is allowed. Root crops protruding to the surface can serve as a signal of the need for it, which is unacceptable. In contact with the sun's rays, the tubers accumulate the harmful alkaloid solanine, which is deadly to the human body.

Pest control

An effective preventive measure against many pests is considered to be planting along the perimeter of a potato plant. ornamental plants with spicy aroma (calendula, marigolds).

Disease protection

Fungal infections can cause serious damage to potato plantings and stored tubers. To save the crop from death, it is necessary to quickly respond to the manifestation of the disease and take appropriate measures.

• late blight- the most common potato disease, manifested by the formation of numerous brown spots, which, actively spreading throughout the bush, spread to neighboring plants. Infectious agents penetrate tubers by contact with infected tops and soil. As a treatment for potatoes at the first symptoms of the disease, treatment with copper-containing solutions is indicated. When mass destruction vegetative mass, it is recommended to mow the tops before harvesting.
• Black leg (rhizoctoniosis)- an infection that affects all parts of plants. Dark warty formations or weeping spots appear on the surface of the tubers. Infection can be prevented by observing agricultural practices, using high-quality seed potatoes, applying high doses of potash fertilizers and regularly changing the planting site. As preventive measure potato tops after harvesting the tubers must be burned.
• common scab- the spread of infection is facilitated by the high content of lime in the soil and the excessive introduction of organic matter during planting. It affects tubers, on which ulcerative and warty growths appear. Prevention of the disease is a competent cultural substitution and planting varieties resistant to this infection.
• Dry rot- spreads due to the laying of diseased or damaged tubers for storage. In places of infection, soft to the touch fleecy brown spots appear. The disease spreads rapidly in soils supersaturated with nitrogen. To reduce the incidence, only healthy tubers are selected for storage.
• Wet rot is a sure sign of violations of storage standards (sudden temperature changes, high humidity in warehouse, lack of ventilation), as a result of which the tubers turn into an unpleasantly smelling mushy mucus. preventive measures - favorable conditions storage of healthy tubers.

In addition, potatoes are vulnerable to infections such as macrosporiosis, mottling, gothic, banded mosaic, ring rot.

Harvest and storage

The readiness of potatoes for harvesting depends on the maturity of the cultivated variety.

• Early ripe varieties are harvested 50-65 days after planting.
• Medium early potatoes are ready for harvest in 65-80 days.
• Medium-late varieties ripen in 95-110 days.
• Late-ripening potatoes grow the longest - more than 110 days.

For better preservation of the crop, harvesting is recommended to be carried out in dry, clear weather. The tubers are dug out of the ground and laid out in the sun to dry. On loose sandy soils, it is more convenient to dig up tubers with garden pitchforks; on black earth and loamy soils, a shovel is most often used. Potatoes are stored for another week in a dry, ventilated room at a temperature of +15 ° C, after which they are sorted and stored for long-term storage.

Traditionally, tubers are stored in dark, cool, frost-free cellars at a temperature of +2°C to +4°C. Under the influence of low temperatures, the starch in the potato is converted to sugar and the tubers acquire an undesirable sweetish taste.

The first thing to do. In the fall, after the previous plant crop has been harvested, with the help of ropes and pegs, the site must be marked out for the upcoming planting of potatoes. Markup is done in the following way: leave 40 cm from the edge, then dig a ditch about 25 to 30 cm wide, the depth of the dug ditch should be 40-45 cm (about 2 bayonets of an ordinary shovel). Then, after 55-60 cm, we make another ditch (trench) and continue to do so until the end of the section. The earth that is dug between our trenches is laid out in mounds (ridges), it must be taken into account that the location of the trenches is only from north to south and nothing else.

AT autumn period, trenches need to be filled with plant residues and weeds (plants with large stems must be crushed before), you can also fill with kitchen waste (but in no case should you put tops from potatoes or tomatoes there, as there is a risk of contamination of the soil with phytophthora). Fall asleep with a layer of fallen leaves fruit trees and shrubs (but it is best to take birch or walnut), this is done already late autumn. In no case is it necessary to compact or tamp plant masses in trenches made, only in cases of dry autumn, you can lightly water a layer of leaves in order to speed up the process of biological decomposition.

spring preparation

In early spring, when the layers of plant masses in the trenches prepared since autumn have settled (on average, thicker), you need to add already rotted manure in an even layer, the calculation should be approximately 1 bucket of manure (5-6 kg) for every 5-6 linear meters of one trench. After that, you need to dig the ground with a chopper (sap), as if throwing the soil of their hills between trenches (about 4-5 cm high). we take 1 tablespoon of wood ash, and pour it into each trench every 30-35 cm, sprinkling it with earth a little at a time.

Planting Potatoes

You need to plant potatoes with vernalized sprouted tubers, this is done quite early in spring, as soon as the weather allows. For such a planting, it is best to choose high-yielding mid-season or mid-late varieties, and generally ideal if a scab-resistant variety is chosen. The tubers need to be covered with soil dropped from the mounds, by about 10-12 cm. The soil from the mounds will be almost all used up, after the first hilling of the seedlings, thereby completely leveling with the surface. The following hilling should be done with the beginning of the flowering of potatoes (it is best to do this after rain), flowering usually occurs in mid-June at the beginning of July. After these hills, mounds will appear above the trenches, which will correspond to the rows of planted potatoes. Between the rows, where even in the spring there were mounds, shallow trenches will appear like races in reverse. In dry summers, potatoes can be watered 1-3 times, and weeds must be regularly fought.

Harvesting and preparing for the next season

We clean the potatoes with garden pitchforks, in the process we try not to destroy our mounds.

In the autumn, after the potatoes are harvested, it is necessary to restore the previous trench layout, we begin to dig and prepare the trenches in a new way, but already slightly shifting by 40 cm. Then the last autumn actions are repeated, that is, we fill the trenches with weeds from the garden, foliage etc. To grow potatoes in the same place, you need to use varieties that are resistant to diseases, and even in this case, potatoes should not be planted in one place for more than 5-6 years. Need new plot for landing. A sharp increase in yields (up to 1 ton per "hundredths"), as a rule, begins most often after two years of planting potatoes in one place. A site that can be called “old” is best used the first year after the cult was changed there, as if for the prevention of potato diseases.

We grow potatoes in the country

To carry out garden potato care, loosen the soil and level the site. The first loosening is done with an iron rake or usually with a hoe, loosening is done at a depth of 2-3 cm. This procedure must be done after each watering, this will help ensure quick shoots of potatoes, increase oxygen supply, and also destroy the earth crust for one and destroy weeds.

This procedure must be extremely careful so as not to damage the sprouts and not pull the tubers to the surface of the soil. To protect young potato sprouts from frost, you can cover them with something, or make a smoke screen, which helps a lot. After that, you can do deeper loosening, with the help of a hoe and spud seedlings. The earth to the ascended tops must be pulled up with a hoe or a device called (motoblock hitch), this must be done in such a way that the earth creates a small mound near the bush. It must be remembered that in very dry, hot weather, potatoes should not be loosened and hilled, so as not to allow the necessary moisture to evaporate from the soil. In such cases with the weather, you can do a little processing, between rows 5-6 cm deep. And, after it rains, hilling should be regular.

You can start hilling potatoes after the sprouts reach a height of 12-15 cm. It is recommended to water the potatoes in the evening, if watering is done manually, then you should use 1 watering can with water for 2-3 potato bushes. Hilling, promotes fast flowering potatoes, as well as tuberization. In order for tubers to form, they need an average temperature of 18 - 22 ° C. When the temperature is lowered, tuber formation begins to slow down, when the temperature per revolution is increased, there is also a slowdown, or even a complete stop in the development of tubers. When potatoes have a growing season, they usually do all kinds of top dressing.

If the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe plot where potatoes are planted is more than a hundred square meters, top dressing is done using dry fertilizer: to accelerate the growth and development of potato tops, half a teaspoon of urea and 200 g of humus should be poured under each bush. In order to slow down growth, you need to pour a solution of superphosphate proportions (3 tablespoons per bucket of water) 0.4 liters under each bush.

During the budding period, you can add 1 tbsp under each potato bush. spoons wood ash adding half a teaspoon of potassium sulfate. The main problem for every gardener is pest control. In our climatic conditions, the most dangerous pest it is believed that this is the Colorado potato beetle, which damages not only potatoes, but also eggplants, peppers and tomatoes. The Colorado potato beetle, for the winter period, digs in and hibernates in the soil at a depth of up to 70 cm. In spring, when the soil warms up to about + 14 ° C, the Colorado potato beetle rises to the surface of the soil. As races at this time, the first shoots of potatoes appear. The beetle feeds on fresh potato shoots, and the beetle also lays 40 eggs on 1 single leaf with reverse side. Only one female Colorado potato beetle is able to lay up to 2000 eggs.

The development of the larvae of the Colorado potato beetle occurs on average in 2-3 weeks, these larvae are distinguished by their voracity, it is they who sometimes cause irreparable harm to plants, such that it leads to the death of the plant. A little later, the larvae pupate, this happens in the soil at a depth of 5 to 15 cm, and after only some 10-15 days, the Colorado potato beetles of the young generation are born. The most common method for combating beetles and larvae on summer cottages is manual collection. The collected beetles and larvae are put in a jar of kerosene or a concentrated solution. table salt. If you plant potatoes early, do weeding in a timely manner, hilling this will help prevent large reproduction of the beetle and larvae. During the growing season of potatoes, it can be treated with special chemicals against the Colorado potato beetle, these drugs are sold in specialized stores.

It is necessary to spray several times, arranging an interval of 6-8 days. Most often, such drugs are slightly toxic, but precautionary measures still do not need to be violated. More harm to potatoes can be caused by a disease such as phytophthora. Mass distribution and the timing of its appearance, directly depends on weather conditions. Late blight spreads quite quickly and strongly at low temperatures, such as + 13 ... + 18 ° C high humidity for 75%. In order to save potatoes from late blight and any other fungal diseases, the tops of plants must be sprayed with a mixture consisting of 3-5% solution of copper sulfate (30 g per 10 liters of water) 1% sodium chloride solution or 10% urea solution (1 kg of urea per 10 liters of water).

For a large potato crop, soils with good air and water availability are suitable. The dug up soil layer must be deep for proper root development.

The richest harvest is harvested from floodplain, soddy-podzolic and sandy loamy soils with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction.

Experienced gardeners

Do not place potatoes in shady areas as this will result in small tubers.

It is necessary to plant potatoes only if the soil warms up to 8 ° C. Stick to a planting depth of 9-10 cm.

Smooth way

Plant the vegetable by spreading the potatoes in the furrow. At the same time, fertilize everything that is planted.

The proximity of potato plantings depends on the variety and size of the seeds. Most best height potatoes are noticed when the distance between the bushes is 65-70 cm and the aisles are wide.

Loosen the aisle and spud a week after planting. Loosening is carried out in clear weather - then destroy up to 85% of weeds.

Harrow twice to germination with an iron rake. When leaves appear, work the soil for potatoes with a hoe on both sides at a depth of 10 cm between the bushes. The wet layer should not come out to the surface.

Comb method

Cut the ridges with a tractor cultivator or walk-behind tractor. Comb parameters: height - no more than 12 cm, bottom width - 65 cm.

Place potatoes on loamy soils by 8 cm, on sandy soils - by 11 cm. Calculate from the top of the ridge to the tuber.

potato care

Monitor the condition of the soil. It should be moderately moist, loose and free of weeds.

Potato hilling is carried out when the plant is 15-17 cm in height. Pour loose soil from the row spacing. On light soil, the hilling depth is 14 cm, on heavy soil - 11 cm.

With slow development of plants, do not forget to feed them and water them regularly. Weak development can be recognized by the state of the tops:

• If not enough nitrogen- thin stems, small leaves. The plant is light green.
• Few potassium- the ends of the lower and middle leaves are dark brown in color and the surface is bronze in color.
• When there is a shortage phosphorus- the leaves are dull, dark green in color. The lower shoots turn yellow.
• Lacks moisture in the soil - potatoes grow poorly, leaves and roots do not develop.

Finish each watering by loosening the soil. The following signs will serve as indicators: if the soil sticks to the hoe, it is too early to water, and if it starts to dust, it is too late to loosen.

In light soil, water the potatoes often, but in small doses. On heavy - water less often, but do not allow puddles to appear. Keep the watering can close to the ground. The temperature of the water during irrigation should be greater than the temperature of the soil.

For potatoes the most valuable organic fertilizers. They contain nutrients, which provide high yield(phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, nitrogen, calcium).

Not completely rotted manure is valid for 2-4 years. Manure that has decomposed to humus is 4 times more saturated with nitrogen than fresh manure. It is better to feed potatoes with rotten manure than with fresh manure.

Beginner gardeners

Low temperature and high soil moisture are necessary for correct formation tubers. If your climate does not have such conditions, then artificially irrigate and plant germinated tubers early.

Prepare planting material

1. Purchase pure-sorrel tubers weighing from 55 to 100 grams. If you bought small tubers, plant them in 4 pieces.
2. Warm the tubers to room temperature for 3 days, then spread on the windowsill, in low boxes or on the floor near the window. Tubers should be slightly illuminated by daylight.
3. Carry out vernalization: germinate the seeds at a temperature of 15 degrees for a month. Any room will do.

Helps process potatoes blue vitriol(3 tsp per 9 liters of water). Do this before sprouting. After 3 days, in turn, with an interval of 5 days, spray the nodules with stimulants, improving germination.

• 1st sprayer- dilute to 6 liters. water 2 capsules of the biostimulator "Energen".
• 2nd sprayer- dilute to 6 liters. water 6 g of the biostimulant "Buton" and 1 tbsp. "Effecton O".
• 3rd sprayer- dilute to 6 liters. water 2 tbsp. l. biostimulator "Agricola Vegeta".

The fourth and fifth spraying is done as follows: they alternate "Energen" and "Bud". Carry out the procedure in the morning or afternoon.

If the tubers have thick, strong and short sprouts, they can be planted. Cut large potatoes with a knife so that the weight of the cut parts is at least 50 grams and at least 2 sprouts are located on them. Dry them for 2 days and then proceed to planting.

Growing early potatoes

Sprout healthy tubers in the manner indicated above. After germination, fill the boxes with 13 cm of rotted peat mixture and plant the tubers sprouts up at a distance of 4-5 cm from each other. Cover the potatoes with the same mixture by 5 cm.

Pour with a solution of "Kornerost" (2 tablets per 10 liters of water). Put the boxes in a bright place. 21 days the seedlings will grow: during this time, feed once after the emergence of shoots with a height of 3 cm. In 20 l. water add 4 tbsp. l. "Effekton" and 2 tbsp. l. nitrophoska.

Planting site processing

The landing site should be sunny and always open.

On the acidic soils the fruit quickly deteriorates - consider this before planting potatoes. Diseases and pests strike instantly.

With the onset of autumn, dig up the area and deoxidize the acidic soil (lime and dolomovita flour will help - 8 tablespoons per square meter). Leave the site in this form until spring and fertilize with the onset of heat.

Do not add fresh manure under the potatoes, otherwise the tubers will be tasteless and watery, the tops will be affected. The best fertilizer for potatoes - rotten manure.

After fertilizing, dig the area to a depth of 30 cm. Remove weed roots and pest larvae from the soil.

Plant early varieties with both seedlings and sprouted tubers in early May. After watering, potato seedlings 10 cm in size are placed in holes along with tubers at a distance of 27 cm. Make a distance of 50 cm between rows. Determine the depth by eye, but let a third of the tops remain above the soil.

Potatoes are an important part of the Russian diet. This vegetable has long earned the respectful name "second bread". Him to personal plot grown by almost all gardeners. However, many believe that potato care is limited to planting tubers in the ground. This is absolutely not true. To obtain bountiful harvest, he needs to devote a lot of time and effort, just like the rest horticultural crops. There are interesting growing methods that save space on the plot, and agricultural practices that help improve potato yields and tuber quality.

Suitable soil for potatoes

As a rule, a place for potatoes is allocated according to the residual principle, when the best areas are already occupied by other crops. Meanwhile, it is also worth listening to its “requirements”, because getting a bountiful harvest is possible only in a bright area well warmed by the sun, protected from cold winds.

The soil is best suited fertile, fairly light, permeable to air and water. A good option is chernozem, podzolic or loamy soil, forest gray soil. Acid-base balance - within 5.5–7.5. Potatoes do not categorically tolerate an alkaline substrate.

If a ground water approach the surface closer than 1–1.5 m, look for another place or build high beds. Waterlogged soil is strongly compacted, tubers are formed in it small and watery. For the same reason, lowlands are not suitable, where cold, moist air, melt and rain water stagnate for a long time.

Garden preparation

A plot for planting potatoes has been prepared since autumn. The soil is dug up to a depth of one bayonet of a shovel, choosing stones and rhizomes of weeds. Large clods of earth are not broken, the bed is not leveled. At the same time, fertilizers are applied - rotted manure or humus (7–10 kg / m²), superphosphate (30–35 g / m²) and potassium nitrate (10–15 g / m²). Instead of chemicals, you can take wood ash ( liter jar per 1 m²). 2-3 weeks before planting potatoes, the bed is dug up again or deeply loosened. An alternative is planting green manure plants before winter. In spring, the greenery is mowed and embedded in the ground to a depth of 8-10 cm.

In the process of preparing the beds, you can correct certain soil imperfections:

• The introduction of dolomite or bone meal, wood ash, crushed chalk will help to lower the acidity, and sawdust, fresh manure, peat will increase it.
• You can loosen heavy soil with sand, perlite, vermiculite. Powdered clay is added to a light substrate.
• You can increase fertility by scattering manure on a dug-up bed and lightly sprinkling it with sand or peat chips (a layer 3–5 cm thick). It will attract earthworms that process organic matter into useful humus.

Video: proper preparation of potato beds

Outdoor cultivation

The method is well known to any gardener, but has its own nuances. Planting material must be disinfected and planted. All tubers are rejected, where the slightest traces of damage by diseases or insects are visible.

The landing itself can be:

• Trench. The best option for warm southern regions, especially if the soil is light, sandy. The depth of the trenches is 10–15 cm, the distance between them is 70–75 cm. 35–40 cm are left between the tubers. In autumn, a “pillow” of organic matter is laid on the bottom of the trench - straw, shavings, sawdust, plant residues, rotted manure. As it decomposes, it warms the soil, so potatoes can be planted 10-15 days earlier than usual.
• smooth. The easiest option. A layer of earth rises, a potato is placed in the hole with sprouts up and covered with soil.
• Grebneva. The only option for areas with heavy wet soil - clay, silt, peat. The minimum comb height is 10–15 cm.

In any case, potatoes are planted in moist soil. The depth of the hole is from 4–5 to 10–12 cm. The lighter the soil, the deeper it is.

During the summer, potatoes are watered three times - 12–15 days after germination, during flowering, and 18–20 days before the expected harvest. More often it is not recommended - the tubers can rot. Preferred Method- drip or sprinkling. Watering is carried out in the evenings, then the soil between the rows is well loosened and mulched.

An important part of plant care is hilling. The first time - immediately after germination, the second - before flowering. Ideally, it should be carried out every time after rain or watering.

On fertilizers, mineral or organic, potatoes react positively. He especially needs nitrogen and phosphorus. Three top dressings per season are enough. It is important not to exceed the dosage recommended by the manufacturer.

Under a film or covering material

Growing potatoes under a film helps to get an ultra-early harvest already at the beginning of summer, and in the northern regions and regions with a temperate climate, it also helps protect plantings from very likely return frosts. In the southern regions, it is planted in the first decade of March, in the rest - after 3-4 weeks.

Among the advantages of the method is the absence of the need for weeding, the acceleration of all phases of plant development, the formation of a more powerful root system. Potatoes ripen for 15-20 days ahead of schedule, blooms before mass reproduction of Colorado beetles. The method is not without certain drawbacks. First of all, this is a high risk of rot development, difficulties with watering and the need to use only early varieties. Suitable, for example, Impala, Zhukovsky, Minerva, Riviera, Luck, Bullfinch, Vyatka, Forget-Me-Not.

For planting, only large tubers are used. They are germinated for 35–40 days in the light, maintaining a room temperature of 12–15ºС. Once every 5-7 days, the potatoes are sprayed.

A week and a half before the proposed planting, the tubers are buried in boxes with peat, which are placed in a dark room with good ventilation. The air temperature is the same.

A place is chosen well warmed by the sun and protected from the wind, where the snow melts first. Before planting, the bed is shed with a nutrient solution. For 10 liters of water, 30 g of potassium sulfate, 60 g of simple superphosphate and 1 g of copper sulfate are taken.

Potatoes are planted in the usual way, the depth of the hole is 8–10 cm. Then arcs 50–70 cm high are installed above the bed, onto which a film or other covering material is stretched. Although, in principle, you can simply lay a bed with them, gently pressing along the edges.

Until the sprouts appear, the structure is not touched, then you can open the row for a day. When the bushes reach a height of 20–25 cm, holes with a diameter of 8–10 mm are made in the film with an interval of 10–15 cm in a checkerboard pattern. Potatoes should be watered and nitrogen-containing fertilizers applied 2-3 weeks after germination. You can completely remove the film in the second decade of May. Further care is normal.

Video: growing potatoes under a film

In the greenhouse (including in winter)

In a greenhouse for eight months a year, you can successfully grow not only traditional potatoes, but also sweet potatoes (yam). Planting care is minimal, productivity is consistently high, the appearance harmful insects practically excluded. Early maturing varieties are best suited for growing in a greenhouse. There is only one drawback - high price maintenance of a large heated greenhouse.

Potatoes are planted in late summer or early spring. If this happens in November-December, it will also take artificial lighting. Preparing potatoes for planting is the usual. Leave 20–30 cm between tubers, 50–60 cm between rows. The depth of the hole is 5–7 cm. Large tubers are not cut, increasing the distance between them.

After planting, the beds are covered with a film, until the emergence of shoots they do not ventilate and do not water. It is very important to maintain optimal temperature during different phases of plant development. For a period of active growth it is 18–20ºС, during budding 22–25ºС, for tuberization - 16–18ºС. Potato care is normal. At the slightest sign of the development of fungal or viral diseases, suspicious bushes are immediately removed. In the greenhouse, they spread instantly.

In principle, potatoes can also be grown in an unheated greenhouse if planted in early spring (at least 10 hours of daylight). The structure should be oriented from west to east and have a gabled roof. After planting, the soil is covered with spunbond or lutrasil.

Growing potatoes in a greenhouse

Other methods

Many unusual methods of planting potatoes can significantly save space on the site. This issue is especially relevant for the happy owners of the traditional six acres.

in the hole

The depth of the pit is about 50 cm, the diameter is 85–90 cm. A layer of humus 8–10 cm thick is poured onto the bottom, and 2–3 potato tubers are placed at a distance of 25–30 cm from each other. Then they are covered with a mixture of the same humus or compost with ordinary soil (1: 1). Layer thickness 8–12 cm. As the leaves grow, you need to constantly add the substrate until the pit is filled to the top. Then regular watering is very important. Productivity - a bucket of potatoes from one pit.

Hill or mound

Circles with a diameter of about 2 m are drawn on the bed. Holes are located on them at intervals of 30–40 cm. A handful of ash is poured onto the bottom, 10–15 g of superphosphate and potassium sulfate each, then a tuber is placed. The hole is covered with earth, as the tops grow, a mound of earth 40–45 cm high is formed. At its top is a recess for watering. The root system of such plants is very powerful, so the harvest is plentiful.

in a barrel

A high barrel is cut across into 2-3 parts, placed in a sunny place. It is filled with a mixture of fertile soil, humus and compost. 3-4 tubers are planted in each half. Regular watering is very important, as the metal gets very hot in the sun. Productivity - a bucket from one barrel. Instead of barrels, you can use bags, the principle is the same. Only they must make holes for ventilation.

Checkerboard

Potatoes are planted in double rows in a checkerboard pattern. The distance between tubers is 25–30 cm. On the same area, 1.5 times more potatoes are placed than when planting in the traditional way. Significant drawback method - difficulties in caring for the garden.

There are other methods that positively affect the yield:

• Mikhailov method. Shoots that have grown to a height of 30–35 cm, with the exception of two or three, are bent in different directions from the center and sprinkled with earth so that only the tops remain on the surface. They give new roots and, accordingly, new tubers. The very first potatoes increase significantly in size. During the summer, the procedure is repeated several times. The disadvantage of the method is the problematic care of the bed, especially if it is large.
• Gülich method. The bed is drawn into squares with a side of 1 m. In the middle of each, 3-5 liters of rotted manure are poured out, a tuber is planted on top, sprinkled with earth. Soil is added to each shoot, as a result of which they deviate from the tuber, like rays. The substrate is also poured into the center, because of this, additional underground shoots are formed. From such a "multi-tiered" bush, subject to frequent loosening of the soil and proper care, you can get 12–16 kg of potatoes.
• Pinto method. Suitable for heavy soils. The tubers are located at the crosshairs of the lattice that appeared after the beds were drawn along and across with lines at an interval of 60–70 cm. Potatoes are slightly pressed into the soil, they are not covered from above. After the emergence of seedlings, they are sprinkled with soil, but do not spud.
• Mittlider method. Potatoes are grown in boxes without a bottom, about 20 cm high. The length and width are 3.5–4 m and 1.2–1.5 m, respectively. The boxes are filled with a mixture of sawdust and sand (1: 1) with the addition of dolomite flour(1 kg), the usual fertilizers for potatoes are applied. The soil is fertilized further care comes down to fertilizing and watering. There are practically no weeds in such boxes, the crop ripens 10–15 days earlier than usual.

An ancient method is growing potatoes in straw. In autumn, the bed is covered with a thick layer, in the spring it is raked, the tubers are planted, sprinkled with rotted compost, and again a layer of straw is on top. Instead of hilling, it is renewed several times over the summer. The advantages of the method are saving time on weeding and feeding, the almost complete absence of wireworms and the Colorado potato beetle, heat from compost accelerating the development of tubers, very clean potatoes due to the fact that they do not come into contact with the soil. The disadvantage is that mice are very fond of settling in straw, and it is difficult to get it in large quantities.

Video: unusual potato planting methods

Growing mini tubers

Elite mini-tubers are quite expensive, and planting material tends to degenerate. Every 5-6 years, the yield and quality of tubers are sharply reduced. There are several ways to get them at home:

• From ordinary tubers. In the spring, the most healthy and beautiful tubers are selected from the planting material. They are left in the cellar or basement for the whole summer, spraying every 3-5 days. By autumn, they will form developed roots, at the ends of which small potatoes will appear. The following spring, they are planted in the ground, harvesting the “super elite” category crop at the end of the season.
• From cuttings. Cuttings - pieces of the middle part of the stem 2–5 cm long with at least one leaf. They are taken after flowering only from healthy bushes. For disinfection, they are immersed in a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate for 4-5 hours, then planted in a garden bed somewhere in the shade. The cuttings are placed vertically, deepening the place of attachment of the leaf by 1–1.5 cm. After 15–20 days, the leaf will wither, but a mini-tuber will begin to form in the bosom. After a month, they are dug up, washed, dried, landscaped and put away for storage until spring.
• From the tops of the tubers. High-quality healthy tubers are selected from autumn. In the spring, their upper third with a growth bud is cut off. It is placed cut down in wet sawdust. After about 3 weeks, the potato will sprout and roots. It is planted in a garden bed, deepened by 4-5 cm. Mini-tubers will form by autumn.
• From sprouts. They are carefully twisted out of the sprouted tubers, trying not to damage the roots that have begun to form, and planted in the ground, leaving no more than 1 cm on the surface. By autumn, tubers will form.

Video: planting material update

How to get a big harvest

The yield of potatoes directly depends on the competent care of the crop. "Fight for the harvest" begins with the preparation of selected tubers for planting and ends with the placement of new planting material in storage.

Preplant treatment of tubers

Disinfection of planting material is very important. The tubers are sprayed several times or soaked for 2–3 hours in a solution of garlic gruel (1 kg per 10 l of water) or potassium permanganate (0.5–1 g per 10 l). If copper sulfate (3–5 g) is added to the latter, and boric acid(12–15 g), it will turn out effective remedy against most fungal diseases. And with urea (35-40 g) and superphosphate (50-60 g) - also good nutrition.

You can spray only tubers that do not yet have sprouts. If they have already appeared, potatoes for 7-10 days (until receiving green shade) is left in the sun, and the concentration of substances in the solution is halved.

Two days before planting, tubers with sprouts (without them - a day) are treated with a special nutrient solution. This increases the yield by 10-15%. 40 g of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash fertilizers are taken per liter of water. The tubers are placed in the liquid for 15–20 minutes.

Another 10-15% yield will raise the incision on the tubers in the right place. The procedure, however, will take quite a lot of time. It is carried out before the appearance of "eyes", about 6-8 weeks before disembarkation. After each incision is made, the knife is dipped in a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate.

• Deep transverse incision. The tuber seems to be divided along the axis in half, but not completely, leaving a "jumper" about 1 cm thick. As a result, sprouts are formed not only on the upper part, but also in the middle and at the bottom.
• Ring cut. The tuber is incised around the circumference to a depth of about 1 cm. With a transverse incision, the flow of nutrients is redistributed more evenly, the lateral and lower buds are stimulated. With longitudinal, all nutrition is directed to the apical sprouts.

Video: preparing potatoes for planting

Watering and fertilizing

If possible, potatoes are watered abundantly 2–4 times per season, spending 25–30 liters of water per 1 m². It especially needs water during flowering. This procedure increases the yield by 5-10%, the tubers ripen earlier.

Three top dressings per season are enough. For the first time, fertilizer is applied under bushes that have reached a height of 12–15 cm. They are watered with infusion of nettle or dandelion leaves. An alternative is the distribution of a mixture of humus and urea (15–18 g / l) over the bed. A liter of fertilizer is enough for 3-4 running meters one row of potatoes.

The second top dressing is carried out during budding. 0.5 l of wood ash and 50 g of potassium nitrate are distributed over the bed in dry form (the mixture is enough for 10-12 m row) or diluted in 10 l of water. Organics are not introduced at this time - you can provoke an outbreak of the disease or a sharp growth of weeds.

To stimulate tuberization, 40 g of superphosphate and potassium nitrate and 15 g of Nitrophoska are dissolved in 10 liters of water. For each bush spend 0.5 liters of fertilizer.

Pest control

Insects that attack plants greatly weaken them, which cannot but affect the yield. Of course, chemicals can be used to control pests, but their use is excluded 20-25 days before the expected harvest and is limited to the flowering period.

It is useful to add crushed powder to the wells when planting. eggshell and onion peel. This will scare away many pests, for example, a bear.

Small containers are dug around the perimeter of the potato bed so that upper edge was level with the ground. They are filled with bait - pieces of carrots, beets, potatoes. Such traps are effective against wireworm, nematode, Colorado potato beetle.

You can plant around the perimeter and between the rows, if they are wide enough, any plants with a characteristic pungent odor - spices, marigolds, nasturtiums, calendula, wormwood. Many of them are good honey plants, attracting the natural enemies of most pests - ladybugs.

Useful "grandfather" tricks

There is a secret discovered over a century ago. After 2–3 weeks after flowering, the shoots break at a height of 10–15 cm from the ground so that the stem remains intact, but does not rise. At the same time, the tops do not fade, the process of photosynthesis is going on normally, but the nutrients, having reached the place of the break, are redirected back to the tubers. But it is worth practicing this only on healthy bushes.

With the dominance of the Colorado potato beetle, such a procedure will only damage the plants, they will remain defenseless against a pest that was not yet known in Russia when the method was developed.

Early varieties of potatoes with a growing season of 45-60 days can be "used" twice. When harvesting, only large tubers are selected. Small and underdeveloped ones are left on the plants, immediately digging the roots back into the ground. If it is good (5–7 l of water) to moisten the substrate in the hole, the bush will take root in about a week, and in the fall it will be possible to harvest a second crop.

Some gardeners advise picking off the buds and flowers of potatoes. But as practice shows, this does not entail a special increase in productivity. But you can seriously injure a bush, the “meaning of life” of which is to give flowers and “berries”. Tubers for him are just a by-product of life.

Planting potatoes before winter

Planting potatoes before winter is a strictly regulated procedure that requires you to strictly follow certain rules. Otherwise, the planting material will simply die.

The optimal time for disembarkation is any relatively warm (8-10ºС) day from late October to early November. It is important to choose the right variety. It should be high-yielding, cold-resistant, undemanding to the quality of the soil, early or medium early. Suitable, for example, Nevsky, Sante, Slavyanka. Fortress, Margarita, Adretta, Volzhanin, Impala, Everest. Potatoes are planted for the winter in a heap, leaving 20 cm between tubers, and 45–50 cm between rows.

The selected bed is dug deep (it is even better to harrow it with a tractor), while introducing rotted manure or humus (7–10 l / m²) and the usual phosphorus and potash fertilizers. After 2–3 weeks, the soil is loosened deeply (by 25–30 cm). It is advisable to plant potatoes on a gentle slope so that the tubers do not rot due to possible heavy autumn rains.

The depth of the hole is very important. The usual 8-10 cm is not enough at all. Even in moderate cold weather (about -15ºС), the soil freezes by 12–15 cm. But 25–30 cm is already a lot, large tubers will not form under a thick layer of soil. Accordingly, the optimal depth is 17–20 cm.

Sprouting tubers for winter planting it is not necessary, it is absolutely impossible to cut, but gardening in the sun for two weeks is very useful. Half an hour before planting, they are sprayed with a solution of Aktara (4–5 g) and Fundazol (8–10 g) in 10 liters of water to protect them from pests.

After planting the tubers, the bed is mulched with a layer of straw 8–10 cm thick. It is best to carry out this procedure after rain. As soon as the snow falls for the first time, it is covered with any breathable material - spunbond, lutrasil.

In early spring, the shelter is removed. Seedlings should appear in 1.5–2 weeks. The crop is harvested about 35–40 days after that. To speed up ripening for another 7–10 days, as soon as shoots appear, the bed is watered with warm water and arcs are installed above it, on which the film is pulled.

How to choose green manure plants

Green manure - plants that positively affect soil fertility and productivity. They are sown before winter, after harvesting, or in early spring, before planting the main crop. Greenery that has grown to a height of 10–15 cm is mowed and embedded in the ground. Decaying young plants enrich the substrate with potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus.

Potatoes need the last two most of all, so any Legumes are suitable for it - beans, peas, alfalfa, vetch, lupine. Rye and wheat are, on the contrary, an unfortunate choice. They improve the texture of the soil, but at the same time attract the wireworm. Plants from the Cruciferous family (rapeseed, colza, white mustard), on the contrary, repel him. Flax is effective against the Colorado potato beetle, clover is effective against the nematode. On average, 1.5–2 kg of green manure seeds are consumed per 100 m².

Properly using these plants, you can level out many soil imperfections:

• Legumes saturate the soil with nitrogen;
• Cruciferous in combination with cereals prevent mineralization and acidification;
• Legumes and Cruciferous along with clover, nasturtium, other flowering plants protect against weathering, help fight weeds;
• Rape and rapeseed increase the percentage of organic humus;
• Legumes and leafy mustard remove excess phosphate;
• Oilseed radish "retains" useful macro- and microelements in the soil;
• Legumes and Cruciferous plants improve soil aeration.

Video: useful properties of green manure plants

Terms and favorable days for planting potatoes

Often, gardeners, when determining the timing of planting a particular crop, are guided by the lunar calendar. But this is not always correct, because in different regions spring comes somewhere earlier, somewhere later, respectively, and the soil does not warm up at the same time. In addition, you can find different versions of the calendar that contradict each other.

Experienced gardeners agree that planting potatoes during the waning moon has a positive effect on productivity.

Do not rush, planting potatoes before everyone else. If the temperature drops below -3ºС, the tubers will certainly die. The substrate at a depth of 10 cm should warm up to at least 6-8ºС. You can focus on the flowering of dandelions, birch and bird cherry.

The landing time also depends on the region. In the south of Russia, you can start from the second decade of March, in the European part of the territory - from the end of April, in the Urals and Siberia - from mid-May. In temperate areas, it is too late to plant potatoes after May 25th. This contributes to a sharp deterioration in productivity.

A specific day is chosen based on the following:

• the average daily temperature during the past week is not lower than 8–10ºС;
• soil moisture by more than 75% (the earth compressed in a fist crumbles into clods, but not dust).

It is hardly possible to find a garden plot where potatoes would not be grown. After reviewing the recommendations for caring for this crop, you can get a bountiful harvest of delicious tubers without even spending money on elite planting material. New growing methods can significantly reduce the area of ​​​​the beds.

Caring for potatoes after planting is not very difficult. It is not for nothing that many today call potatoes the second bread. Potatoes are second in popularity after bread. dining table. The time has come and you have planted potatoes. Most amateur gardeners do not stop there, hoping that they will reap a "rich harvest." In order for the planted potato to give the expected result, it needs timely care no less than during the planting process. Not all gardeners, especially beginners, know how to properly, and most importantly, when to care for potatoes. The right approach to this business throughout the prosperous period is simply indispensable for the final receipt of a good harvest.

Caring for potatoes after germination

• When the potatoes are planted and seedlings are already visible from the ground, you must begin to care for the trampled soil. To do this, we simply loosen it in time with a chopper or other garden tools. You will not only be able to take care of potatoes in this way, but also destroy the first potato enemy that did not have time to grow - a weed that, everywhere and always, in any weather in the yard, will surely rise faster than potatoes.

It is worth noting that weeds during the period of potato growth are easily removed, and even if the root part remains in the soil, it immediately dies. Important role in the process of loosening the soil, timing plays. If you tighten and wait until the weed is higher than the potato shoots, and then start loosening, then after harvesting the weed, it will most likely not die and will grow again, interfering with the potatoes.

• The most expedient and so it will be more useful for the harvest - this is the first pre-emergence loosening of the soil. We advise you to carry out the procedure no later than the first week after planting potato tubers in the ground. Loosening or the first harrowing is allowed to be carried out with any type of rake. It is necessary to work with a tool, loosening the soil strictly diagonally to your beds, in order to avoid accidentally cutting potato tubers. Early harrowing (before germination of potato tops) will not only help you with annoying weeds, but will also improve soil aeration, as well as retain moisture reserves for the crop. Let's continue to consider how potatoes are cared for after planting.
• The hilling procedure is a special kind of care for potato tubers. Hilling will help not only save potato bushes from insects, but also from frost, for example, if your potatoes are late or vice versa, planted very early. Under the weight of the earth, the tops of potatoes will not bend, and diverge in different directions. Young stems will remain intact and will grow even more intensively, subsequently forming best harvest. In addition, hilling potatoes will help you somehow get rid of such an insect as. After this procedure, the first laying of eggs will immediately die.

Potato care hilling watering top dressing

Hilling must be carried out several times during the season, even when you have planted early or very early varieties of potatoes in the soil. Hilling, remember, has never harmed a potato crop, but you should not be zealous with powdering potato tops with earth either. This method will help you increase your harvest several times over. If the hilling procedure is not carried out, then all grown-up potato bushes will “give” all their strength to the tops, and will not be able to form the required number of fruit tubers.

Potato tubers will not experience such problems as: the accumulation of corned beef, landscaping, if you only spud it on time, and preferably the first time after planting. It is necessary to take care of potato tubers even before the start of budding of potato tops. It is worth noting that the soil during hilling must be moist, so that the result will meet all your expectations and bring the necessary harvest.

Watering potatoes and top dressing

The irrigation procedure is one of the most important procedures in the process of potato growth and crop fertility. If the summer turned out to be not dry, then it will be enough for you to spend no more than three times watering. This must be done correctly, and most importantly, on time.

Watering potatoes immediately after planting is not worth it, as the earth will still hold moisture after digging. But when the tops of the potato begin to grow, it becomes larger, then about 15 days after the first shoots, the plant needs to be watered, it needs additional moisture.

In the process of flowering potato tubers, the future crop also needs to be watered so that the first formation of potatoes in the soil begins.

The third watering of potatoes will primarily depend on how dry the soil is and this is checked as follows. We take the soil in our hands only not from the surface, but after about 10 cm from it, and if it does not knead well in the hand, this indicates that it is dry and definitely needs additional moisture.

It is important to know!!! After the third watering, depending on the drying of the soil, after about a couple of days, it must be loosened, and how, it is written at the beginning. In the form of top dressing on the soil surface, you can scatter mulch, it will not only help maintain moisture in the soil, but also improve the yield.

Only proper care for potatoes after germination will allow you to get good harvest. All measures taken to care for potato crops will depend on the climatic conditions of a particular region, as well as on the plant variety, its development and soil fertility.

Try to carry out all the above procedures for the entire potato season - this is loosening, hilling the tops, top dressing and be sure to water. Plant nutrition can only be done with natural useful substances, avoid all chemicals, even if you grow potatoes for sale. Caring for potatoes is also considered the destruction of harmful insects, which we also talked about above.