How to plant potatoes under a chopper. Unpretentiousness and lightness plus a generous harvest: planting potatoes in combs is an effective way to grow them

In early May, earlier in the southern regions, vegetable growers everywhere are busy planting potatoes. They try to perform this procedure in such a way as to save space on the site for other crops and get a decent harvest of tubers. To achieve these goals, there are many ways to plant potatoes: under a walk-behind tractor, under straw and hay, in ridges and other interesting options, which we will talk about in this article.

Landing preparations

Potatoes in Russia are grown on any soil composition, but it is better to plant them on light, pre-fertilized, water- and breathable soils. If the area is clayey, it is recommended to add sand for digging. The area reserved for potatoes is recommended to be fertilized in advance. It is imperative to add manure and potassium sulfate for the main processing (autumn digging).

Predecessor choice

Having figured out how to fertilize the land, you need to choose the right predecessor. You can not plant potatoes in one place for several years in a row. Bad predecessors for him are representatives of the Solanaceae family, to which the potato also belongs. This is due to the fact that various pathogens and pests of this family overwinter in the soil and in early spring immediately attack young potato sprouts.

The optimal predecessors for potatoes are:

• virgin soil;
• legumes;
• rye;
• rape;
• mustard;
• cucumbers;
• carrot;
• beets.

Important! It is highly undesirable to place potatoes after cabbage.

Soil preparation

Planting is started when the soil at a depth of 10 cm warms up to +7 degrees. If the soil temperature is 2 degrees below the optimum values, early varieties can be planted with germinated tubers. Preparing the soil for planting potato seeds implies its technological ripeness. She must be:

• loose,
• have a low density
• air and water permeable.

Planting time in the Middle lane, Moscow region falls on the first decade of May. In other areas, the timing may vary depending on the weather. More fertile areas are planted earlier. At an earlier date, potatoes are planted on elevated places and southern slopes.

Landing consists of the following steps:

1. tillage depending on the method of planting;
2. preparation of potato tubers (treatment) before planting, including the selection of the required size of tubers, germination and treatment from late blight;
3. direct landing work.

Tuber preparation, sprouting

Tubers must be properly prepared before planting. You need to know how to choose tubers. First of all, this means a careful selection of tubers according to:

• size,
• cleanliness
• health.

Preparation of potato tubers involves their germination. This technique is not mandatory, but it accelerates the ripening period of potatoes after planting.

Germination is carried out for about 3 weeks in a bright place, at a temperature of 13-15 degrees above zero. Tubers are also processed there.

How to treat tubers before planting? They are treated with fertilizer solutions and growth stimulants. Sometimes preventive treatment of potatoes from phytophthora is performed before planting.

How long potatoes grow from planting to harvest depends on many factors:

• from the variety
• on how well the potato seeds and soil are prepared,
• potato care.

Traditional and new landing methods

For a long period of cultivation of potatoes, various options for planting this crop have been invented and put into practice, various devices for planting have been made.

Of the old, but still used methods, it should be noted:

• square nest method,
• landing before winter
• in the ridges
• combs by hand.

Over time, new technologies for planting seed potatoes began to be applied. The most popular were:

• under the motoblock,
• into the straw
• Dutch method.

Numerous methods are based on principles aimed at providing tubers with optimal conditions:

• providing heat;
• sufficient aeration of the soil;
• provision of irrigation regime;
• feeding system;
• protection from pests, diseases.

Under a shovel

This ancient method has been used since time immemorial. Summer residents are captivated by simplicity and reliability, which is why modern gardeners use this method.

The scheme for planting potatoes under a shovel is as follows:

1. In a pre-dug area, every 0.3 m holes are made with a depth of 5-10 cm.
2. Place one potato tuber in the hole. Tubers before planting should be warmed up in the sun so that they form sprouts.
3. When planting in the hole put fertilizer for potatoes - humus or compost. If there is no organic matter, you can use nitroammophoska.
4. Fill up the hole. The distance between rows when planting should be 70 cm.
5. At the end of the procedure, you need to level the area planted with potatoes with a rake.

Into the ridges

Many amateur vegetable growers have adopted this planting option, as it is possible to get a good harvest of tubers, even on depleted soils, with minimal effort. With this method, there is no need for loosening, hilling plantings.

The width of the beds is arranged in different ways, more often they tend to narrow ridges. Work progress:

1. the area where the ridges will be formed must be cleared of weeds;
2. level the surface of the earth;
3. mark the location of the beds.

In the southern regions, on narrow ridges, 2 potato crops are harvested per season.

The size of the ridges is taken as follows:

• width - 45 cm;
• the length is arbitrary, which will allow placing 2 rows of plants on the ridge;
• between the ridges, you need to leave paths 80-90 cm wide to care for the crop.

Into the trenches

This method is suitable for sandy soils that dry out quickly after wetting. The following work is required:

1. In autumn, trenches are dug on the site to a depth of 30 cm, the distance between the trenches is 80-100 cm.
2. A ten-centimeter layer of wet hay is laid in each trench, sprinkled with manure on top.
3. Add a little ash, urea, onion peel to scare away the wireworm.
4. During the winter, this entire composition will begin to rot, compact and settle. In spring, the thickness of the compost layer will be no more than 5 cm.
5. Planned planting potatoes in May. Tubers in trenches are laid out with a distance of 30 cm between them, sprinkled with earth.

Advantages of this option:

• heat is released from the decaying compost, tubers sprout faster, seedlings withstand slight frosts;
• less watering is required because the compost retains moisture;
• there is a lot of food in the trenches, top dressing is not required;
• method gives a high yield.

Obvious disadvantages of the method:

• in excessively damp soil, tubers may rot;
• the time and effort spent digging trenches and mowing hay.

Attention! If for some reason it was not possible to dig trenches in the fall, this can be done in the spring. But then it is necessary to lay rotted compost with a layer of 5 cm.

In combs

Ridge planting deserves great attention. The so-called Dutch method has become widespread. The essence of the technology is as follows:

• tubers are planted in raised ridges;
• rows are arranged with orientation: north - south;
• planting step is taken from 30 cm, between rows stand 70 cm;
• holes are dug on high ridges and fertilizers for potatoes are laid in them - 3 kg of humus and a handful of ash;
• cover the tubers with soil on both sides, forming ridges.

Important! With this planting option, high yields are achieved, potato rows are easy to care for.

Deep landing - the American way

US scientist Mittlider has developed an innovative method of deep planting potatoes, which allows to increase the yield of tubers by almost 2 times. In this variant, the seeds are planted with a lower planting density, and the yield will certainly increase.

Planting potatoes according to the Mittlider method goes like this:

1. beds 40 cm wide are formed;
2. the distance between them is 90 cm;
3. mark the site, dig up the ridges without affecting the row spacing;
4. germinated tubers are planted in the garden in a checkerboard pattern in 2 rows to a depth of 10-12 cm;
5. maintain an interval in a row between tubers equal to 35 cm;
6. in the holes, along with the tuber, put a little compost, ash, onion peel and bird droppings;
7. fill the hole with earth;
8. earthen sides are made along the edges of the ridge.

Pros of the method:

• landings do not need hilling;
• almost no weeding is required;
• excellent yield.

Important! This method requires a lot of labor and time.

In bags, barrels, boxes, tires

Planting potatoes in barrels, bags or boxes is less common than traditional methods, but it has its adherents.

In bags

Potato growers like this method for its mobility and space saving. If the need suddenly arises, the bags can be relocated to a more optimal place at any time. From each hundredth, it turns out to collect 100% more tubers.

Bags should be small, made of strong, breathable fabric. The edges of the bags are wrapped and filled with soil mixture with a layer of 20 cm. Then 4-5 potatoes are placed on the surface of the soil and covered with a twenty-centimeter layer of soil.

Bags are installed in a lighted place. During the growing season, you only need to water the crop and periodically pour soil into the bag.

Important! Early ripening potato varieties are well suited for this technology.

In barrels or tires according to Gülich

With this method, a multi-tiered potato bush is grown in a high barrel without a bottom, from time to time pouring soil into it. The barrel can be metal or plastic. If there are no barrels, several car tires can be stacked vertically. The walls of the barrel are perforated to improve air access to the roots and remove excess moisture.

The container is placed in a vertical position. Pour a mixture of compost with soil and lay out 3-5 tubers around the circumference. The tubers are covered with a layer of soil. When the shoots reach a height of 3 cm, they are sprinkled again and such actions are repeated several times. Caring for such plantings is greatly simplified, it is enough to water and feed the potatoes during the growing season.

Attention! Individual gardeners are not limited to planting a single layer of tubers. As the soil is poured, to increase the yield, a couple more layers of potatoes are laid out.

In boxes

Instead of barrels for planting tubers, tall boxes can be used. They knock out the bottom before laying the soil mixture. The technology for growing potatoes in boxes is identical to that for barrels.

Chinese way

When planting potato tubers in Chinese style, you can get an unprecedented harvest of tubers in the fall. An increase in yield according to the Chinese method is provided by an unusual technology for preparing tubers for planting and preparatory work on the site.

The fact is that the Chinese use a rather large seed material. If in our country a large tuber is cut in half, then the Chinese make a cutout in it and as a result two halves of the tuber are obtained, fastened with a core. The tuber gets a waist, thanks to which the maximum number of buds wakes up on both halves of the tuber.

The landing process proceeds as follows:

1. We dig a trench 50 cm deep.
2. In the trench we make recesses 70 cm wide and 70 cm long, the depth of the hole is 40 cm. The holes are placed every 25 cm.
3. Fall asleep in each hole:
   • 1 st. l. ash;
   • 1 glass of fertile soil;
   • 1 st. l. superphosphate.
4. Slightly loosen the composition and put 2 tubers with sprouted eyes there. Sprinkle with soil to form a mound.
5. The result is a trench in which there are tubercles. Finally, you need to mulch the area with straw, which will retain moisture.

original methods

Unlike the usual methods of growing potatoes, original methods are used.

Without digging

Experiments conducted by amateur vegetable growers show that potatoes can be planted on a plot without digging and get good yields.

To do this, markup is performed on a flat area and determine how the potato beds will be located. At the same time, they do not pay attention to weeds. In order to make it easy to take care of the plantings during the growing season, a two-row planting is used, where the distance between the beds is 70 cm, between the rows in the tape - 50 cm, between the bushes in the row - 40 cm.

Holes 10 cm deep are dug carefully, without destroying the soil structure. A little mulch is laid in the recesses, a tuber is placed on it, seedlings up. Then pour a little water into the hole and bury it without forming a mound.

At the end of the work, the plantings are mulched with straw. The mulch layer during the growing season needs to be increased, as the mulch rots and settles.

Into the grass

For this method, you will need a shovel, a piece of land and grass. Under the grass layer, the following varieties grow well and bear fruit:

• Red Scarlet;
• Karatop;
• Zhukovsky.

If you are developing a new weedy area, it is reasonable to get the first crop on it by planting it with potatoes. The method does not require preliminary preparation, the sequence of actions is as follows:

1. at the zenith of May, on the virgin soil, they mark out where the beds will be held;
2. from south to north, with an interval of 40 cm, stretch two lines of twine - these will be 2 lines of one bed;
3. along the rows, after 30 cm, holes are made with a shovel 5 cm deep;
4. put one tuber in the hole;
5. then add 40 g of compost and 1 tsp. ash;
6. the bed is covered with pre-harvested, fresh grass.

Important! Grass layer - 20 cm. During cultivation, they constantly monitor that the thickness of the mulch is this. To do this, you will have to add mulch to the beds several times.

Under hay or straw

Of the original methods, the option of planting potatoes under hay (straw) has found the greatest distribution. Seed tubers are laid out in rows according to the accepted scheme, directly on the grass, without any preliminary soil preparation.

Then the tubers are covered with a layer of straw or hay. During the growing season, the cover layer will begin to rot, decompose, decreasing in volume. It will be necessary to add little by little on the site of hay or straw. In the summer, you need to water the potatoes.

Advantages of the method:

• ease of execution;
• high yield;
• large size of tubers;
• harvest is easy to harvest;
• there will be no adhering dirt on the tubers.

Cons of the method:

• hay does not retain moisture well, it will be necessary to increase the number of waterings;
• mice can settle in the straw, part of the crop will be spoiled.

In sawdust

Planting in sawdust is identical to planting seed potatoes under hay (straw). Only, instead of hay or straw, sawdust is used. Fresh sawdust is unacceptable for this technology. As they decompose, they absorb nitrogen from the soil. Potato plantations that are on a starvation ration will die.

Sawdust must first be prepared by composting. They are laid for several months in layers, each layer is soaked with a solution of carbamide. If this work is started in the fall, next spring the sawdust will be ready for planting.

How many days does it take for potatoes to germinate after planting? This largely depends on the temperature:

• at +10 degrees, seedlings should be expected in 25 days;
• at +20 degrees it will take 2 weeks;
• shoots can be obtained from a germinated tuber in 1 week.

Under cardboard

1. In the spring, after the snow melts and the earth warms up, they begin to prepare the site.
2. It is covered with cardboard, without doing any other preliminary work. If the soil is not sufficiently moist, before laying the cardboard, it should be watered.
3. In cardboard, every 30 cm, an X-shaped incision is made and a germinated tuber is placed in them. The edges of the cardboard above the tuber are closed. The seed tuber remains under the cardboard, where it takes root and sprouts.
4. As the shoots grow, it is necessary to mulch the potatoes 3-4 times with a twelve-centimeter layer of straw. To prevent the wind from blowing the straw, it is covered with lutrasil from above.
5. In rainy summers, such potatoes require minimal watering.

The collection of tubers grown by this method is as easy as possible. This will require:

1. collect tops and straw;
2. remove cardboard from the ground;
3. collect potato tubers from the surface of the earth.

The advantages of this method:

• no need for weeding,
• the amount of watering is sharply reduced,
• the yield of tubers is quite decent.

Motoblock cascade

When planting a Cascade walk-behind tractor with a hiller, you must first prepare the soil on the site. With a cutter or a plow, they plow the ground by 14-15 cm. Then, manually or with the help of special devices for the walk-behind tractor, they loosen and level the soil on the site.

A walk-behind tractor with a hiller consists of the following units:

• bunker;
• conveyor;
• furrower;
• distributor;
• hiller.

The landing process occurs according to the following scenario:

1. Metal wheels are installed on the walk-behind tractor - they will cut furrows.
2. Pre-prepared seed potatoes are poured into the bunker. Before planting, seed tubers should be selected by size and it will not be superfluous to pickle the potatoes with a fungicide against fungal diseases.
3. During operation, the tubers are moved from the bunker to the recesses in the ground with the help of a conveyor and a distributor. The walk-behind tractor should be driven exactly in a straight line, otherwise it will be difficult to perform inter-row processing later.
4. When the distribution of seed tubers along the furrows is completed, these furrows must be filled with earth. To do this, metal wheels are replaced with rubber ones to prevent damage to tubers lying in the furrow. Then a walk-behind tractor with a hiller re-pass through the rows. Okuchnik fills the furrows with earth.

Important! Planting with a walk-behind tractor is available to every gardener, the unit is inexpensive.

Growing in a greenhouse

This technique involves a significant amount of preparatory work, which should be started in the fall. It is necessary to carefully prepare planting material, bring in humus, peat, compost and ash. The greenhouse needs to be heated, the temperature regime must be controlled.

The essence of the work:

1. the soil layer is removed from the greenhouse (30 cm);
2. lay a layer of peat on the ground (10 cm);
3. fertile soil is laid on peat with a layer of 20 cm, with the addition of ash, humus;
4. include heating;
5. after 4 days, the soil in the greenhouse warms up and is ready for planting;
6. carry out planting with sprouted tubers according to the scheme 65 by 25 cm;
7. planting depth of potato tubers should be 8-10 cm;
8. maintain the air temperature at +22 degrees;
9. when sprouts appear, the temperature is lowered to +18 degrees;
10. carry out watering with water of the same temperature, at the rate of 1.5 liters per bush, preventing the soil from drying out;
11. over time, the watering rate is increased to 10 liters per bush;
12. care consists in maintaining a temperature of +22 degrees and carrying out loosening with weeding.

How to germinate potatoes? It is germinated in boxes, at a temperature of +24 degrees. When the eyes appear on the tubers, the boxes are transferred to a bright room with a lower temperature and kept there until the skin of the tubers turns green. Green potatoes with sprouted eyes are used for planting.

Landing under the film, agrofibre

This method is chosen by vegetable growers seeking to grow an early harvest. Potato tubers are planted under the film. After planting, the soil surface is leveled with a rake, covered with a film. The edges of the film are fixed.

The ground under the film warms up faster, moisture is retained, the seedlings are reliably protected from frost. However, this method has disadvantages:

• the film does not let air through;
• plants can overheat;
• it is necessary to constantly monitor the temperature under the film;
• plantings should be regularly ventilated.

Gardeners often use modern covering material - agrofibre - white and black. Unlike polyethylene film, spunbond is breathable. White agrofibre is used by analogy with a film.

Black spandbond is used differently:

1. it is spread on a flat piece of land;
2. fix the edges;
3. according to the landing scheme, markings are made on the agrofibre;
4. in places where tubers should be placed, cross-shaped cuts are made;
5. put seed tubers in the cuts.

Important! Black agrofibre prevents the germination of weed seeds, does not interfere with the passage of moisture during irrigation, and the penetration of air.

As you can see, modern vegetable growers widely practice old-fashioned, time-tested methods of planting potatoes and the latest technological developments, the existence of which they did not know before. It is argued that the use of innovative methods reduces the period of maturation of tubers and gives unprecedented yields. To confirm or refute such judgments, it is necessary to place potato plantations next to the traditional plantings, where the new method is applied. With the arrival of autumn, it will be possible to compare the yields from both sites and draw the appropriate conclusions.

How to make ridges and plant potatoes in them manually, a description of the technology, depth, sowing method, the pros and cons of this method of planting potatoes, tips from experienced summer residents and gardeners in Russia are presented in this article.

Each home garden grows several rows of potatoes, and gardeners often try new methods. One of the ways that increases the yield of a crop is the formation of ridges. Especially successful experience if it is used on heavy soils and in cold regions where natural precipitation is frequent.

Culture information

Potatoes begin to be prepared for planting in the first month of spring. They buy new varieties in specialized stores or take tubers prepared last summer, with greenery on the peel. Planting material is taken out of the basement for a month, so that healthy light shoots form on it. All tubers are sorted out and only those where there are no damages and foci of the disease are left. Spread in boxes in 2-3 layers and leave in a bright and warm room. Already germinated tubers are planted when the ground temperature rises to 7-8 °C, and the air warms up to 14-15 °C. So the culture in the garden develops faster.

For potatoes, choose a plot where nightshade did not grow in the previous year, but carrots, beets, beans, peas or cereals grew. Early potatoes are planted first, followed by mid-season and late varieties. Shoots should be protected from recurrent frosts, hilling them as soon as the first shoots appear. Mandatory care - removing weeds, weeding, hilling, watering and protection from diseases and pests, guarantees a bountiful harvest at the end of the growing season. Depending on the variety, the tubers ripen at different times - from 60 to 110 days.

Advantages and disadvantages of the method

The advantages of this method are recognized by gardeners whose plots are located in areas where it often rains, relatively short summers and heavy soils.

Advantages:

• Increasing yields by creating favorable conditions for the development of tubers, including better access to solar heat to the potato nest;
• The ability to start harvesting potatoes a week or two earlier due to a shift in planting dates, since the top layer warms up in spring faster than the soil thickness up to 6-8 cm;
• The roots of the plant develop faster, since the access of oxygen to them is facilitated;
• Frequent rains only slightly compact the soil in the embankment, simply contributing to the mass of tubers, but do not cause the spread of putrefactive diseases;
• Facilitation of manual labor - a small depth of loosening the site in the spring, fewer hillings, easy planting and harvesting of potatoes.

Planting potatoes in ridges is indeed a productive method, but only under specified conditions. The method pays little if it is used by gardeners from the southern regions, where there is not enough natural precipitation and a light soil structure.

Disadvantages:

• The need for frequent abundant watering, as the soil dries quickly;
• Sandy and sandy soils settle under the wind and hot sun, lose their fertility, and require frequent fertilizers;
• The root system and tubers may be exposed due to natural erosion.

How to make combs for planting potatoes: instructions

The plot for potatoes is plowed in the fall, making the necessary amount of fertilizer:

• 10 kg of manure, humus or compost per 1 sq. m;
• 60-70 g of superphosphate.

In the spring, the earth is cultivated with a cultivator to become even and loose. Soft soil makes it easier to form ridges.

Mineral complex fertilizers or individual substances are immediately applied:

• 20 g of potassium sulfate or 200 g of wood ash;
• 30 g of superphosphate per 1 sq. m;
• as an option, 40 g of nitrophoska and 20 g of ammonium nitrate.

With the establishment of a suitable temperature for planting potatoes, ridges begin to be made. They are created using a chopper, using a manual hiller or walk-behind tractor.

Additional Information. Planting potatoes in ridges pays off on wet and heavy soils, as well as in regions with a harsh climate. Light soils are not suitable for this method.

If no technique is used on the site, choosing the method of planting potatoes in the ridges manually, they dig up the earth with a shovel to a depth of only 1/3 bayonet. Then the beds are leveled, large clods of soil are broken.

Instruction:

• Rows oriented in the north-south direction are marked with a stretched twine at a distance of 70-75 cm;
• Stepping back from the twine 30-35 cm, they draw a furrow, a future path;
• Then cut the ridges with glanders or a shovel. The earth is not dug out of the paths, the embankment is formed from the top layer of soil, which has already warmed up;
• A comb is formed in the form of a trapezoid, where the narrow side is the top, its size is up to 15 cm;
• The height of the embankment is 20-31 cm;
• The surface of the ridge is not even, where a potato bush grows in summer, there is a small depression relative to the plane of the embankment.

Note! If potatoes are planted in ridges in raised fenced beds, traditionally up to 120 cm wide, the rows are made every 40 cm.

Many gardeners have purchased mini-equipment, which greatly facilitates planting and caring for a potato plot. With the help of a cutter-cultivator, the ground is easily loosened, and using a plow-hiller, you can quickly make ridges, as well as correct them in the summer.

About the method of landing in the ridges

The method of planting in ridges significantly increases the yield of potatoes on clay soils that retain moisture for a long time. The compacted soil prevents the young tubers from developing freely. Prerequisites are also being created for the emergence and spread of phytophthora. Loose earth in the embankment provides good conditions for the development and growth of tubers.

Tuber preparation

Tuber preparation

Tubers with sprouts are ready for planting. The sprouts should not be allowed to stretch if the weather is still cold. In this case, reduce the temperature in the room with planting potatoes. Before planting the tubers, they are treated with growth stimulants as desired and sprayed with approved fungicides and insecticides.

Landing algorithm

To grow an expectedly high yield of potatoes in ridges, pay attention to the correct planting:

• light seedlings of seed tubers - up to 5 mm;
• planted at a depth of 4-8 cm;
• holes are easy to make by hand, moving part of the soil, then also covering the tuber with soft soil;
• the distance between potato nests is 30-35 cm.

There are two technologies for the ridge method of growing potatoes: classical and Dutch. Accordingly, the planting material is laid out along the row marked with twine on the soil surface after 30 cm, then a mound is raked over the tubers. According to the Dutch tradition, the tubers must first be planted in ridges very densely, one next to the other, and left to germinate. When 5-6 eyes appear, the potatoes are dug up and reviewed again, discarding those that have not sprouted and with visible damage. Double planting is used for careful selection of seed material and a consistent high yield.

Important! Planting potatoes in ridges provides soil enrichment with oxygen 70 percent higher than with the traditional method - in deep furrows.

culture care

After 15-17 days, the first shoots appear on the ridges. So that they get stronger and do not suffer from recurrent frosts, they carry out the first hilling, raising the embankment to 30 cm. Before that, the aisles are loosened, removing weeds. Over time, the earth settles, the soil is periodically raked up so that the shape of the embankment is maintained and the growing tubers do not protrude. The procedure is carried out with a hoe or mechanically, with a motoblock hiller.

Potato yield

If necessary, the potatoes are watered, especially if there is no rain in the bud formation phase and after flowering, when the ovaries are formed.

Even when fertilizing in autumn and spring, potatoes need summer top dressing:

• thin, weak shoots are fed with mullein or chicken manure, preparing solutions, respectively, 1:10 and 1:20;
• 2 g of ammonium nitrate are poured under each bush;
• during the period of bud creation, fertilize with a mixture of 40 g of superphosphate and 200 ml of mullein dissolved in 10 liters of water: 500 ml per bush;
• they are also fed with infusion of 50 g of wood ash and 5 g of potassium sulfate per 1 running meter;
• when the potatoes are already fading, foliar top dressing is carried out, insisting for 2 days one tablespoon of superphosphate in a bucket of water: 1 liter is spent per hundred square meters.

Adhering to modern technologies, 7-10 days before harvesting, green potato tops are mowed. For tubers, this serves as a signal to build up the peel in order to increase the shelf life.

The ridge method of planting potatoes is effective, you just need to follow the recommendations of experienced gardeners, where it is best to use it. The culture will mature earlier and yield a larger yield. Competent care will also play a role.

Planting potatoes is hard work. It takes a lot of time and effort. To facilitate the work of gardeners, Russian companies have developed a wonderful technique - a walk-behind tractor. The most famous and popular brands are Salyut and Neva.

They are easy to operate, used for a long time and rarely break. But there are some rules that must be observed when planting potatoes. This article will tell you about the correct fit and the nuances in using a walk-behind tractor.

Methods for planting potatoes

There are two ways to land. They differ in the tools used:

• Okuchnik with regulator
• Mounted potato planter.

Both options are equally popular with summer residents. It's just that the first option is used for a small area, and the second for a large one. But the first option is also cheaper. Good for those who like to save money. So, let's take a look at each of them.

Motoblock with hiller

Its design consists of the following elements:

• Conveyor - a conveyor that delivers seed.
• Furrower - makes furrows.
• Distributor - with its help, tubers are planted in a strictly specified period of time.
• Okuchnik - loosens the soil and covers the crop with earth.

This tool works in the following way. Before starting work, metal wheels and a special hopper are installed on the tool. The wheels create furrows. They should be even, then the growing process will be simplified.

Potatoes are placed in the bunker, which, when moving, will fall into the holes. After that, the wheels are replaced from lugs to rubber ones and set according to the track width. This will prevent damage to the root crop.

Hinged potato planter

Before using a potato planter, you will have to carry out a preparatory stage for planting. First you need to plow the land. Then carry out harrowing so that the crop receives the necessary amount of water and oxygen. After that, you need to moisten the soil (if possible).

This type of walk-behind tractor has the following design:

• furrowers;
• special bunker;
• disk device for backfilling potatoes with earth.

The structure of the motoblock-hiller allows you to plant potatoes in one go, as the tool simultaneously makes furrows, pours tubers and covers them with earth. Before use, you need to attach special wheels for capturing soil and an additional nozzle - a potato planter.

How to plant potatoes with a walk-behind tractor

Pre-landing preparation

Before planting, it is imperative to cultivate the land: plow it and harrow it. Due to this, the soil will be saturated with oxygen, and it will dry out a little. This is done using a plow or a special cutter.

The beds are crushed (harrowed) in two ways: using a manual rake or a walk-behind tractor. The choice of tool depends on the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe site and your own desire. But the second option is preferable. After all, some tools when planting loosen the ground very well. At the same time, the depth of loosening reaches 20 centimeters.

It is better to process the site from the edge. First you need to plow 2 meters. After that, you can plow the rest of the area. In order for the depth to be the same everywhere, the plow needs to capture part of the cultivated bed.

After that, the marking of the rows is done. In order for potatoes to grow better, you need to make free aisles. The average distance between them should be 60-70 cm. The distance of the rows depends on the variety of potatoes. Having worked the land, you can start planting potatoes under the walk-behind tractor.

landing technique

Regardless of how the work will be done, one rule should be followed. The planting depth should not be less than 10-15 centimeters, and the distance between the tubers (seeds) should be 20-30 cm. For ease of orientation, you can pull the rope. Potatoes will germinate better if the soil is fertilized after loosening.

Work with the hiller. First, it is attached to the walk-behind tractor. Using the Neva apparatus, you will have to move the dumps to increase the wingspan. This is necessary for the correct placement of potatoes in the holes. When working with "Salute" you do not have to do this procedure. Grouser wheels are attached to the unit.

The track width of the walk-behind tractor for planting potatoes is 60 centimeters. The tops should be planted at the same distance. After sowing, it is necessary to remove the metal wheels and install rubber ones. In this case, the width should remain the same. Wings stand at maximum distance. Now you can cover the crop with earth.

With a large area, it is more convenient, cheaper and faster to land using a walk-behind tractor with an attached hiller. He simultaneously plants potatoes and covers them with earth.

There is another option for using a walk-behind tractor - use it under a plow. Metal wheels and a plow are simultaneously installed on the apparatus. When planting in this way, it is worth throwing potatoes even at the stage of creating a furrow. This must be done immediately, since the tool, when creating a new furrow, fills up the seeds in the already created one with earth.

Below you can watch a video on how to make a landing with a plow walk-behind tractor.

The scheme of planting potatoes with a motor cultivator

Before planting potatoes, the earth must be loosened and, at the same time, furrows must be created. You need to plant potatoes at a time when the soil temperature reaches 8-9 degrees. At a depth of 10 centimeters. Furrows should be made as even as possible, and the distance between them should be about 60 centimeters. This is done so that when loosening the soil, do not touch the planted tubers.

Having finished cultivating the land, the potatoes are manually placed in the holes. The distance between the tubers should be 30-50 centimeters. After that, the field is again processed by a motor cultivator to fill the potatoes with earth.

The advantage of this planting method is that it produces a good harvest. With the help of a motor cultivator, loosening the soil is much better than with an ordinary shovel.

At the same time, it saves a lot of effort and energy. All work and planting by the cultivator is carried out automatically. Hands will have to work only when harvesting.

If the site is located near groundwater, then the future crop should be protected from excess water. In this case, planting potatoes can be done directly in the ridges. The ridges are formed by a walk-behind tractor 20 centimeters high. But this method of growing potatoes will only help where the soil is well moistened.

Harvesting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor

Hilling

A month after planting, the first shoots appear. Now, with the help of a walk-behind tractor, you need to spud potatoes. It is worth starting this process when the height of the shoots reaches 15-20 centimeters.

In itself, hilling is a replacement for loosening the soil and its weeding. At the same time, this procedure protects the crop in the spring from recurrent frosts. It happens that by the time the shoots appear, the temperature can drop a little below zero. A layer of soil covers the fruits, warming them and letting them survive the bad weather.

Usually spud 2 times: the first time as the sprouts appeared, the second - after three weeks. But you need to know that if:

• The nest begins to grow in breadth, across the crest;
• Tubers peek out from under the ground and turn green in the sun

It will be necessary to spud a third time. There are times when you have to spud potatoes 4 times per season. But then it turns out a good harvest.

For this procedure, any hiller is suitable - with one, two or three rows. If necessary, an additional nozzle is installed on the walk-behind tractor and the soil is fertilized with its help.

You can see how the two-row hiller works in this video.

Hilling secrets

Many gardeners spud potatoes in the summer in the heat. But it's not right. So you can damage the shoots or the root crop itself. The plant may wilt because of this. In addition, the procedure negatively affects health.

Yes, and hilling wet earth is much easier, since wet earth does not crumble. Wet soil, poured to the base of the stem, stimulates the development of new shoots. And this leads to an increase in yield.

Harvesting

A walk-behind tractor is convenient not only for planting potatoes, but also for harvesting them. This is done in early autumn (September-October) in dry weather. To do this, an additional nozzle is installed on the unit - a plower. Sometimes it is called "potato digger".

You can see how the crop is harvested with a ploughshare in this video

But it is not necessary to use it. It is enough to use a single-row hiller. He will raise the ground, and the potatoes will fall on the edge of the garden. It remains to go around the site and collect the ripened crop.

In order to avoid germination of potatoes, after harvest, it must be placed in a dark, cool place. There he should lie for 2-3 weeks. After the potatoes need to be sorted by size. And only after that send to the cellar.

Planting and harvesting potatoes (video)

The motoblock helps gardeners quickly and efficiently plant potatoes, saves energy and saves time. The video below shows the entire process of planting and harvesting potatoes using a walk-behind tractor. Here it is shown and described in detail how this is done on the Neva and Salyut.

Do you use a walk-behind tractor in your garden when planting potatoes?

Many gardeners use the shovel planting method to grow potatoes in their backyards. This is the basic option for sowing tubers, since all the work can be done manually without using special equipment. What is the essence of this method, and how to plant potatoes correctly, we will find out further.

The essence of the method

If you want to plant tubers in small beds, many gardeners use the "under a shovel" planting method. This means that potatoes, when planted in open ground, are planted almost to the depth of a spade bayonet.

This planting method is often used on light and loose soils, where groundwater is quite deep. After such a planting of potatoes, many gardeners create small earthen mounds around the stems of the plant, because the bulk of the productive trunks are located deep in the ground, and there is no need to rake a lot of land on the plant.

Choice of landing site

Before choosing this planting method, you need to make sure that the site is acceptable for growing this vegetable crop:

• Soil character. Chernozem soils are great because they will supply the plant with all the nutrients it needs. In addition, such soils are characterized by good water and air permeability. You can also plant potatoes on clay and sandy soils. To improve the quality of clay soil, it is worth supplementing it with sand or peat, but sandy soil can be improved with peat.
• Soil reaction. If a ranunculus or plantain grows on a bed of weeds, then the soil is acidic, and if a birch or thistle is neutral. Acidic soil must be turned into neutral, and for this it is enough to add chalk, ash or lime from a ratio of 1-2 kg per 1 sq. m.
• Antecedent cultures. Potatoes should be planted in a plot where crops such as sunflowers, beets, corn, cucumbers or pumpkins previously grew. If potatoes previously grew on the site, then it does not need to be planted in this place for another 4-5 years. If this rule is violated, the potato will be susceptible to disease, and may also be affected by wireworms.

In general, the site should be small, since this planting method is classified as labor-intensive. It is desirable that it is well lit by the sun's rays and is available for irrigation. In addition, it is recommended to choose a place near which groundwater does not accumulate, and there are no other reasons for stagnation.

How to prepare the soil?

To plant potatoes, you first need to prepare the ground, which can be done in two ways. In any case, preparation is carried out in the fall, since the potatoes themselves are planted in the spring.

Continuous fertilization

Gardeners scatter manure, bird droppings or compost over the bed, and then dig up the ground and loosen it with a rake. At the same time, it is recommended to remove the roots of weeds found on the site.

To prepare an excellent fertilizer for potatoes, you can use this method:

1. Remove all unnecessary mass from the garden in the form of various plant residues, weeds, roots and other plant components.
2. Put all this in a compost heap or pit - a specially designated place where the collected compost will overheat.
3. Over time, you will get excellent fertilizer.

There is another way to get organic fertilizer - plant green manure crops on the site in the fall, and mow everything in the spring and manually bury it in the ground. Soon, the crops will begin to rot, fertilizing the ground, so after 2 weeks you can plant potatoes with a shovel.

If it was not possible to prepare organic compost, you can use mineral fertilizers, which are sold in stores.

Applying fertilizer in rows

If you need to dig up the earth and apply fertilizer at the same time, you can apply this method:

1. Just dig up the area with a bayonet shovel, removing all weed roots so that they do not germinate further, otherwise it will take a lot of time to weed in the summer.
2. Apply fertilizer to the dug row, spreading everything evenly with a shovel so that there are no gaps.
3. When digging the next row, cover the first one with earth so that the fertilizer remains in the garden, and not on the surface, and nourishes the potatoes during their growth and germination.
4. In the spring, when digging the site, mix everything well again.

To ensure the active growth of potatoes, you can use a mixture of fertilizers, for the preparation of which mix 5 kg of manure and no more than 30 g of potassium phosphate.

Planting material preparation

The yield of potatoes depends entirely on which tubers are planted in the spring. So, you should purchase good plant varieties, and then proceed to the processing of tubers, which is done in three stages:

1. autumn. Sort out planting material, removing tubers that are small or damaged. After pouring the potatoes in one layer and hold for 2-3 weeks in the light, but not in direct sunlight. The tubers will soon turn green and disease resistant. At the same time, it must be remembered that planting one hundred square meters will require from 500 to 700 tubers.
2. spring. 1 month before planting, review the tubers and remove those that show signs of decay or disease. Move good potatoes to a cool, damp place where the sun's rays penetrate. If the humidity is low in the room, the tubers should be moderately sprayed with water. They can be kept outside if the air temperature is not lower than 10 degrees.
3. Just before boarding. Potatoes can be kept for 20 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate or boric acid, which will make it more resistant to pests. To stimulate plant growth, tubers can be sprinkled with biostimulants.

Popular methods of pre-sowing processing of potatoes can be found in the table:

Before planting, large tubers can be cut, but in any case, they should have strong and not too long sprouts that will not break off during planting.

Time and methods of landing

As a rule, potatoes are planted in the ground in mid-April. Depending on whether early or late spring, planting time may shift to the beginning or end of the month. In this case, you need to focus on the air temperature at night - it should be more than 10 degrees.

Potatoes can be planted in three ways:

• Square-nested. The bed is "broken" into squares, in the center of each of which a hole (nest) is made for a potato bush. The distance between the holes is from 50 to 70 cm.
• Chess. The holes are arranged like honeycombs, that is, each next row must be started with a shift of half the distance between the bushes.
• Two-line (according to Mittlider). Two rows (lines) are dug out, and close to each other. Holes are made in each row at a distance of about 30 cm. Between each two lines, you can arrange a gap of up to 1 m for the passage. The holes of two joint rows must be staggered, as in the previous scheme.

Square nest method of planting potatoes

Chess method of planting potatoes

Two-line method of planting potatoes according to Mittlider

The bed should be located from south to north in order to achieve maximum illumination of the potato, because this way it will warm up and develop faster.

Regardless of the chosen scheme, potatoes under a shovel should be planted according to the following instructions:

1. Drive pegs into the ground and stretch a rope or cord between them to dig even rows.
2. It is desirable that at least two people are engaged in planting: one should dig a hole, and the second should plant potatoes. The optimal depth of the hole is 10-15 cm. Initially, you need to pour a handful of humus into it, and after that lay out the tuber with sprouts. Some gardeners resort to such a trick - along with potatoes, they throw a seed of bush beans, because this way you can not only enrich the land, but also increase the yield of the plant. When working with potatoes, you need to be careful not to damage the sprouts.
3. With the earth dug for the holes of the next row, bury the holes of the previous one. If there is a third assistant, he can level the ground with a rake after planting, which will reduce moisture loss.

In general, it is worth maintaining at least 50 cm between rows, and from 20 to 30 cm between holes, in order to provide each plant with an optimal feeding area. Of course, the distance between rows and holes can be adjusted according to the potato variety and soil fertility.

If there are large tubers, deeper holes can be prepared for them, and the optimal distance between them is from 25 to 35 cm.

potato care

To harvest a good harvest, you need to competently approach the care of the plant, from watering to top dressing.

Watering

The plant is watered during the growing season:

1. When the first shoots appear. As a rule, this happens a week after planting. Prior to this, watering is not required, since the tubers have enough moisture contained in the soil.
2. At the stage of budding.
3. After flowering.

Potatoes are watered quite rarely: once a week, and in dry times - 2 times. If enough rain falls, watering can be canceled. It is completely interrupted 2 weeks before harvest.

In no case should the plant be allowed to overflow, since the soil should remain slightly moist and loose.

loosening

10 days after planting the potatoes, the first loosening should be carried out, since it allows you to remove excess moisture and prevent rotting of the tubers. It is important to remove weeds along with the roots, as they thicken the soil, make it breathable and prone to infectious diseases. In addition, weeds prevent the full development of potatoes. Loosening should be done regularly.

Hilling

During the season, it is necessary to carry out 1-2 hillings, since this provides normal conditions for the formation of tubers - it helps to get rid of the earthen crust, saturates the soil with air, allowing the plant to "breathe", and protects it from frost.

The first hilling is carried out after the potato tops grow to a height of 10 cm, and the second - after a week, when the height of the tops is about 40 cm. For manual hilling, you need to use a chopper with a long handle, a hoe or a ripper. When hilling, you just need to raise the soil from the bottom up to the potato sprouts, gradually forming grooves.

Fertilizer

For the entire period of maturation of the plant, it is enough to make 2 top dressings according to the following scheme:

1. The first time - a month after landing.
2. The second time - as soon as the potatoes bloom, the portion of fertilizer should be doubled.

Before applying top dressing, you need to water the potatoes so that the root system is not burned by chemicals. Of course, it is worth using natural fertilizers, as they allow you to get environmentally friendly vegetable products. So, humus and wood ash are perfect as dressings. At the same time, it must be remembered that an excessive amount of fertilizer can lead to excessive growth of the tops, which can damage the tubers.

Potatoes are grown by all rural residents and most summer residents. The private sector lags behind agricultural holdings in terms of the total area of ​​beds by 20%. With such popularity, potatoes remain a rather labor-intensive crop.

Planting, weeding, hilling, cleaning - most of these operations are performed faster and better not with a shovel and hoe, but with small-scale mechanization. The use of walk-behind tractors with interchangeable attachments has long been commonplace in the processing of garden plots. The mechanization of the process and high yields are the best advertisement for the method of growing potatoes.

The technology of mechanized cultivation of potatoes on ridges came from Holland and was tied to local realities. The method of growing potatoes on ridges has long been used on heavy soils with close standing groundwater. Furrows were dug by hand, and tubers were planted shallowly on the tops of the ridges.

The bush was formed raised above the general level of the bed: excess moisture quickly left, the side surface of the ridge warmed up well.

In the process of growth, the comb from the soil is filled with tubers - potatoes give a very high yield. There is a simple explanation for this: the high hilling of the bush (comb) contributes to the development of the root system and the formation of a large number of stolons with tuber embryos on them.

Pros and cons of technology

The method of planting in ridges in the North-West region has been used since Peter the Great and allows you to get high yields in conditions that do not correspond well to potato culture:

1. Growing potatoes of local varieties on the beds allows you to double the yield compared to the traditional method of planting under a shovel.
2. The soil on raised beds warms up much faster than the flat surface of a traditional bed, which allows you to start planting work much earlier.
3. Areas with heavy clay soils and a closely spaced groundwater level are suitable for growing potatoes - excess moisture from the soil raised to the ridge quickly goes into the ground or erodes.
4. The use of small-scale mechanization makes it possible to process potato plantings much faster.
5. During the growing season, the potato bush is ventilated and translucent from all sides: the risk of late blight and other fungal diseases is reduced. Productivity increases, collected tubers without signs of disease are stored much better.

The disadvantage of the ridge method is one and significant: the soil in the ridges dries out very quickly.

In the southern regions, it is impossible to grow potatoes on the ridges without regular watering. For the same reason, it is impossible to apply the method in areas with loose sandy soils: water leaves instantly through the sand, and the loose comb does not hold its shape.

An automatic or other irrigation system significantly increases the cost of grown tubers, so the method is used only in areas with wet soil.

Site preparation

Even before cutting the ridges in the area under the potato bed, it is necessary to prepare the soil. All work should be done on time so as not to be late with planting potatoes.

1. Loosening the top layer of soil to a depth of 10-12 cm (1/3 bayonet of a shovel), followed by leveling the surface of the bed.
2. Fertilization, mineral or organic, in reasonable measures so as not to burn the roots of plants and not cause late blight outbreaks from excess nitrogen in the soil. The main emphasis should be placed on phosphorus and potassium - these elements regulate fruit formation and resistance to adverse factors. Most often, potassium nitrate, double superphosphate, bone meal and wood ash are used.
3. Removal of weeds and plant debris.
4. Pest control. Soil treatment from wireworms, bears, Maybug larvae should be carried out strictly according to the instructions, not exceeding the specified concentration.

All these measures will not give the desired result if crop rotation is not observed on the site: solanaceous crops have common diseases and pests, it is possible to return cultures of this family to their original place only after 3-4 years.

How to prepare tubers for planting in a ridge way

Seed material, planting potatoes, should be purchased only from sellers with a proven reputation or harvested independently. From the entire range, only zoned varieties should be selected. There is a great risk that the imported variety of southern potatoes with high yields will not have time to ripen and will show very mediocre results.

It is most reliable to take elite varieties for planting: they almost do not get sick, pests spoil them less. In terms of taste, the elite is superior to ordinary varieties.

"Adretta", "Nayada", "Pushkinets", "Zhukovsky early", "Impala" and other varieties of early maturity give a high yield of tubers in the North-West region.

For planting choose tubers the size of a chicken egg. Approximately 1 month before the expected planting date, potatoes are brought into a warm room for vernalization. Germination of tubers accelerates the emergence of seedlings by at least 1 week.

In the process of vernalization, it is necessary to carry out the prevention of rot and fungal diseases: treat with a weak solution of copper sulfate (1 tsp per 1 liter of hot water) with an ordinary spray gun.

When the sprouts reach a size of 5-10 mm, the tubers are ready for planting. It is advisable to treat the tubers with a growth stimulator the day before. An affordable and very effective drug that has a universal purpose - succinic acid. Application, according to the instructions on the package, accelerates metabolism: enhances the growth of the aerial part and the development of the root system.

It is better to plant tubers with short shoots, long shoots take root worse, the root system forms slowly.

We form the ridges correctly

To obtain a rich harvest of tubers, it is necessary to form a comb of a certain shape. Its cross section should be an isosceles trapezoid with a height of 15-17 cm, bases 75 cm lower and 25 cm upper.

This configuration is given either manually (with a hoe, hoe), or with special devices and mechanisms.

The use of technology somewhat changes the sequence of operations when planting tubers. When using a hiller, planting potatoes stretches for 3 days.

It is more convenient and faster to plant potatoes in ridges using a mini-tractor with a mounted potato planter. This is a universal unit that performs operations in 1 pass:

• cuts combs;
• stacks tubers;
• fill them with soil.

Some models also apply fertilizer at the same time. The height of the combs is easily adjustable: just change the angle of attachment of the cutting discs.

Motoblocks with interchangeable nozzles are used not only during planting potatoes, but also for processing row spacings: the cultivator does not just loosen the ground - it is an effective replacement for weeding.

Planting potatoes in ridges - how it happens

This method of growing potatoes is popular with gardeners whose plots are located on clay soils, as well as in the case of high groundwater levels. There are 2 very similar methods of growing potatoes on ridges.

Classic way

The method is good because it does not require a significant investment of time and effort. The use of technology allows you to process the bed quickly and efficiently:

1. When planning to plant potatoes on a specific date, 4 weeks before that, potatoes should be brought from the cellar for germination. The first 2 weeks it should be kept warm (15-18°C). After the appearance of sprouts, the tubers must be taken out to a cool place (8-10 ° C) for hardening.
2. When weather conditions permit, the area for potatoes should be dug shallowly by 10-12 cm (1/3-1/2 spade bayonet) and mark the rows in the north-south direction, so the plants will receive maximum illumination. The rows are marked with a stretched twine - the distance between the rows is 80-100 cm.
3. The stretched rope is the middle of the future crest. Sprouted tubers are laid out along it at a distance of 30 cm from each other.
4. With an ordinary hoe, a comb about 10 cm high with a base width of 30-35 cm is formed over a potato laid in a row.
5. After the emergence of seedlings (after about 2 weeks), a comb is formed in such a way that a trapezoid about 25 cm high is obtained in the section, the lower base is 75 cm, the upper base is 15-17 cm.

A wide aisle allows an adult to move around the site with tools and take care of potato bushes.

All further care of the bed consists in watering as needed and restoring the shape of the ridges with a hoe.

Dutch technology

All agrotechnical operations according to the Dutch technology of growing potatoes are aimed at the maximum yield, therefore, it is necessary to accurately fulfill all the points:

1. Deep plowing of the site since autumn with the introduction of a complex of fertilizers.
2. In the spring, the plot is harrowed and rows are laid out at a distance of 70-90 cm.
3. Sprouted tubers are laid out in furrows 4-6 cm deep with an interval of 30 cm.
4. The surface is leveled before the emergence of shoots.
5. After the emergence of seedlings, the 1st hilling is carried out to a height of 10 cm.
6. After 2 weeks, re-hilling up to 20 cm.
7. Watering is carried out at least 4 times: before flowering and immediately after it, watering is required.
8. Tops are mowed 2 weeks before harvesting. This operation accelerates the maturation of the tuber. Potatoes are harvested for storage in late August - early September.

In the video, the author shows how she plants one of the varieties of potatoes in combs, shares advice on which tubers are more suitable.

Potatoes planted in ridges: what's next? Features of care

The method of growing on ridges greatly facilitates all operations for caring for a potato bed. Preliminary preparation of the site involves cleaning from weeds. There is no need to loosen the site - on the contrary, the crumbling edges of the ridge should be restored.

High-quality planting material that has undergone pre-planting treatment is only slightly prone to fungal infections. Freely growing bushes are well ventilated and translucent - this is the best prevention of late blight and other dangerous potato diseases.

During the growing season, 4 irrigations are carried out, intensive growth of tubers occurs and water is simply necessary.

Features of harvesting

When the outflow of nutrient juices from the green part of the bush into the potato tubers begins, the tops begin to turn yellow and dry out, starting from the top of the bush. At this time, the upper part of the bush must be cut and removed from the site. After 2 weeks, the tubers are completely ready for harvesting: the peel is fully strengthened.

You can harvest without tools by sliding the top of the comb by hand. Physical effort is not required. The peel of the tubers remains undamaged, which contributes to long-term storage of potatoes without the appearance of rot.

Autumn soil preparation

The highly efficient method of growing potatoes in beds depletes the soil. After harvest, you need to take action to restore the balance of nutrients in one of 2 ways:

1. Under plowing, add humus at the rate of 5-10 kg per 1 sq. m.
2. Sow the area with green manure (mustard, oilseed radish, legumes).

Green manures not only enrich the earth with nitrogen, they improve the structure of the soil layer, feed soil microorganisms, which has a beneficial effect on fertility.

Conclusion

The advantages of planting potatoes in ridges clearly outweigh the minor disadvantages. This is the only way to get not just an early, but a high yield of tubers in the northern latitudes on heavy wet soils.

Experienced summer residents have long appreciated the method and for many years they have been collecting record yields with minimal effort and time.