Content
- 1 Features and advantages of the method
- 2 Disadvantages of planting potatoes in ridges
- 3 Site preparation
- 4 Preparing tubers for planting
- 5 Planting potatoes in ridges using Dutch technology
- 6 Care and harvesting
- 7 Planting potatoes in ridges in the classic way
- 8 Harvesting and site preparation
- 9 Conclusion
- 10 Reviews
Grebnevaya Planting potatoes quickly gained popularity. Even beginners in gardening can master this method. Planting this way saves time and does not require expensive equipment. Many gardeners have been planting potatoes this way for a long time, and are very pleased with the results. But in order to properly plant, you need to know some of the features and nuances of this method. With the help of this article, we will learn how to plant potatoes in ridges, learn all the advantages and disadvantages of this method, and also see how to properly care for the beds.
Features and advantages of the method
Planting potatoes in this way requires a special method of preparing the soil. Manually or walk-behind tractor The ridges are prepared into which the potatoes are planted. They should rise above the ground. This allows the tubers to grow well, resulting in a more generous harvest. During normal planting, the soil compresses the potatoes, which prevents full growth. That's why landing Racking potatoes into ridges is considered a more productive method. Of course, it has both pros and cons.
The most important advantages include increased productivity and ease of tillage. Due to the fact that the soil does not squeeze the potatoes, the tubers can grow without obstacles. This greatly affects the amount of harvested crop.
It has also become much easier to process the beds. Since planting is more superficial, the soil does not need to be deeply plowed. You can simply loosen the top of the soil, and then use a sap to cover the tubers with soil. This method is especially valuable for planting potatoes on heavy and wet soil. Since it is difficult to work by hand, a ridge planting will be just right. Moreover, if potatoes can grow freely in loose soil, then in heavy soils there will not be enough space for them. To prevent potatoes from getting late blight, they need a sufficient amount of light. The ridges heat up much better, and thanks to this the potatoes will grow healthy and strong.
Disadvantages of planting potatoes in ridges
One disadvantage is that the soil in the ridges dries out very quickly. Especially in regions with hot climates, this can cause some inconvenience. In such cases, you cannot do without regular watering. And since potatoes are usually planted more than other crops, this will require a large amount of water. This nuance does not allow residents of the southern regions to use the ridge planting method. It is most often used in areas with wet soil or in cold regions.Of course, if you have the opportunity to water frequently, you can plant potatoes this way in warm places. Industrial enterprises can equip an automatic irrigation system.
Soil that is too light and crumbly is not suitable for this method. It will be very difficult to form ridges from it, because the soil will constantly crumble and erode. Another reason is that such soil dries out even faster, and the tubers can simply burn in the sun.
Site preparation
For planting to be successful, the soil must be properly prepared. This preparation involves several stages:
- Loosening the soil.
- Fertilizer.
- Removal weed and plant remains.
- Destruction of pests.
All these points are very important. Only by completing them can you achieve a good result from your work. It is also important to meet the deadline so as not to start planting potatoes too late. Or, conversely, start preparing very early, when the soil has not yet dried out and cannot be processed.
Tillage begins by loosening it. With this planting method, only the top layer of soil needs to be loosened. If you dig a garden by hand, then you only need to deepen the shovel 1/3 of the entire length of the bayonet. After this, the soil is loosened and leveled. Choose those places in the garden plot for planting tubers where legumes, such as peas, soybeans, and beans grew last year.They enrich the soil with substances necessary for potato growth.
The next step will be fertilizing the soil. For these purposes, you can use both mineral and organic fertilizers. In this matter, the main thing is to know when to stop. Excess organic matter can lead to late blight, and excess mineral fertilizers can burn the roots of plants. The main components of fertilizers should be phosphorus and potassium. Choose fertilizers that contain these substances in specialized stores. You can use superphosphate, potassium nitrate, wood ash and bone meal.
Before planting tubers, you need to get rid of pests and diseases that may appear in the future. The most dangerous disease for potatoes, as for many other vegetables, is late blight. Soil treatment with fungicides and pesticides can eliminate this and other dangers. It is very important to use these chemicals as directed to avoid contaminating or damaging the soil.
Preparing tubers for planting
Before planting, the tubers must be removed from the cellar and carefully sorted; all rotten potatoes must be thrown out. Only tubers without cracks or flaws are left for planting. They should not be lethargic or sprouted. Choose only the best varieties that have high yields for planting in your garden plot. Such preparation is very important, because if you plant unsuitable potatoes, you will simply waste time and space on the site.
Planting potatoes in ridges using Dutch technology
There are different ways to plant potatoes using the ridge method. There is classical and Dutch technology. Dutch way requires more effort, however, is considered more productive. Planting using this method will increase potato yields. To do this, it is necessary to observe the planting time and harvest time of potatoes. It is also very important to prepare the tubers for planting in a timely manner and carry out other preparatory work.
When the site has already been prepared, you need to get the tubers for planting and plant them in the ground. Moreover, the potatoes are placed very thickly, on 1 m2 there should be up to 35 tubers. When 5–7 eyes appear on the tubers, they are dug up and those suitable for germination are re-selected.
The tubers can be sprouted or simply left in a warm place. Enough sunlight will speed up the growth process. Plant sprouted potatoes to a depth of about 4 centimeters. Leave up to 35 centimeters between bushes. The distance between the rows should be at least 80 cm. After this, the soil between the rows is poured onto the tubers manually or with a walk-behind tractor. The height of the ridges should be from 20 cm to 30 cm.
Care and harvesting
This planting method makes it easier to care for the beds. Preliminary preparation ensures that in the future you will not have to spend a lot of time in the garden. The area does not need to be weeded or treated with insecticides or fungicides. The only thing the garden bed needs is timely watering.
When the time comes to harvest the potatoes, the ridges are torn apart and the ripened tubers are removed.The soil must then be leveled so that it is prepared for further processing. Don’t forget that, like planting by other methods, you can plant potatoes using the Dutch method in one place only once every 3-4 years.
Planting potatoes in ridges in the classic way
This method is often used by gardeners whose plots are located on moist clay soils. Such dense soil does not allow potatoes to grow normally, and also threatens the development of late blight. As you know, this disease can completely destroy the crop. Therefore, the ridge planting method in this case is a real salvation.
To begin with, rows are marked on the site. This is done using twine. It is stretched where the middle of the row should be. Each subsequent rope is pulled at a distance of at least 1 m from the previous one. Then the tubers are laid out along this rope at a distance of about 30 centimeters. Cutting the ridges for planting potatoes is done using a regular sap. This method does not require the use of expensive equipment, so it is accessible to absolutely everyone.
The height of the ridges should be about 25–30 cm, and the width between the rows should be about 65 cm. Further care consists of regular watering as needed. From time to time it will be necessary to restore the ridges, simply returning them to their previous shape with a hoe.
Harvesting and site preparation
Potatoes are harvested by hand by simply moving the top of the ridge and collecting the tubers. Thanks to this method, you can harvest potatoes without much physical effort.
Next, the ridges are leveled and grass and leaves are laid on the ground.Having rotted over the winter, they will become an excellent fertilizer. Next year it is better to plant various legumes in this area. This will restore soil fertility.
Conclusion
The advantages of this method of planting potatoes clearly outweigh the disadvantages. Therefore, many gardeners have been using it on their plots for many years. Having seen all the technology and features of this method, you can see from personal experience how much the potato yield will increase and how easy it will be to care for it.
Reviews
