Content
The main ingredient of Slavic cuisine for many centuries has been potatoes. Usually, the largest part of the land is left in the garden for planting. The traditional method of growing potatoes takes a lot of time and effort, even for experienced gardeners. This is due to the fact that preparations for planting need to begin in the fall.
So, you need to apply fertilizers and dig up the soil for the fall. Dig up the soil in the spring and level it. And this is just the beginning. Then you need to dig holes for the tubers, carry out hilling during the growing season, etc. A simpler, but very effective method, invented by peasants back in the 19th century, is planting potatoes under straw.
From the pages of history
In different regions of Russia and Ukraine in the century before last planting potatoes under straw was the main way to grow everyone's favorite root crop. Not only straw, but also hay, etc. could serve as a covering material.
The fact is that the peasants did not have much free time, and watering, hilling and caring for the crop required a lot of time. That is why enterprising peasants found a new and very effective planting method.You will learn about the advantages and features of growing crops under hay by reading this article and watching the corresponding video material.
Potato yield under straw
Harvesting begins in the fall, after the tops have already dried. Before deciding on a method for growing potatoes, it is important to understand what the yield is when planting potatoes in hay. According to gardeners from a plot of 10 m2 you can collect about 5-6 buckets.
To get a harvest in early summer, you can plant tubers in late winter. But this is only possible if you live in warm regions of the country. To prevent the planted tubers from freezing, the covering layer is doubled.
A good result is achieved due to the fact that planting potatoes under straw in the garden provides the tubers with the necessary temperature. This is very important, since at temperatures above 22oC crop growth stops. Due to the high yield, you can reduce the amount of planting material.
Benefits of planting in straw
The main advantage of planting technology is high yield, but there are some other advantages that are worthy of attention:
- Preservation of temperature balance. Straw and hay maintain a certain temperature, so the tubers will not burn out or stop growing prematurely.
- Straw and hay are loved by many so-called predators that feed on Colorado potato beetles, so you will hardly need to apply fertilizer.
- Growth slowdown weed. Weeds are unlikely to grow through a thick layer of straw, so the need to weed the beds is also minimized.
- You don't have to dig up the soil before planting potatoes under hay.
- The harvesting process is simplified. For this you will need a rake. By removing the top layer of hay, you can collect the tubers from the surface of the ground. Since clearing the soil is not required, after harvesting the potatoes, they only need to be dried and sorted.
What to do if there is nowhere to get straw
If you find it difficult to get straw and deliver it to the site, then you can use an alternative option. If you have a large plot of land, then you can grow straw on it yourself.
To do this, you need to divide the area that you have allocated for planting root vegetables in half. On one half you will plant potatoes, and on the other, immediately after the snow melts, you should plant a mixture of vetch, oats and peas. In this case, you will not have to dig up the soil before planting.
Oats should be left for the winter. So, in the spring you will have a nice, even layer of straw on your plot. You will plant potatoes right along it. To do this, dig shallow holes through the straw and sprinkle with a 5 cm layer of earth or humus.
On half the land on which potatoes grew last year, you need to sow peas, vetches and oats using the method already familiar to you. This way you will prepare the straw for next season. As a result, crop yield will increase and labor costs will decrease.
When to start planting
Agronomists recommend implementing methods of planting potatoes under straw when the air temperature reaches +8OC. People believe that the best time for planting is when the bird cherry blossoms. We can say that potatoes are planted in slightly moist, warmed soil.The planting technique allows you to grow a crop with minimal care.
If it rains frequently in your area, the wet straw will need to be replaced. Since wet covering material promotes debate. Conversely, if you live in a hot, dry climate, the crop will need to be watered from time to time.
Planting potatoes
To begin with, the soil needs to be slightly loosened to a depth of 5 cm. The soil should be moist when planting. But if this is not the case, then to activate the growth of sprouts, after planting you need to water the ground.
The thickness and density of the covering material is very important, since if you lay it in a thin layer, the soil will dry out and the crop may disappear. And too thick a layer of straw will not allow the sprouts to break through in time. A compacted dense layer will lead to disruption of gas and water exchange, which will lead to a decrease in the amount of yield or the complete death of tubers.
One of the planting options is to form shallow trenches about 10 cm deep. Then potatoes are placed in them and lightly sprinkled with loose soil, and covered with straw 15 cm thick on top. Thanks to faster heating of the soil, seedlings will appear faster. After the seedlings emerge, a layer of straw of 15–20 cm should again be laid between the plants. It is important to ensure that the sprouts are not damaged. That's all you need to care for potatoes. The temperature difference in the soil forms condensation, which promotes the development of healthy and useful tubers.
We also invite you to watch a video on how to properly plant potatoes under hay, because it is better to see once than to read many times:
Pest Control
After sowing, pests, most often slugs, can hide under the straw from the heat. They can ruin your harvest, so it's important to become familiar with slug control methods. They do not tolerate sharp objects, so the ground near the potatoes should be sprinkled with crushed shells. For these pests, shells are equivalent to broken glass. This way, you can save the amount of potatoes planted.
Slugs in general do not like rough surfaces. Therefore, you can spray the soil with lime or fine gravel. Mulch made from husks or sawdust will also make it difficult for slugs to reach plants. Another effective barrier is copper wires. Garden centers have copper self-adhesive tape or covering material that has a copper coating.
Collect slugs by hand. The easiest way to destroy them is in a solution of soapy water. You can place traps near plants using flat stones or pieces of cardboard. Check traps every morning and remove slugs. This is the easiest way to control pests.
A non-toxic product that can be used as food for slugs is iron phosphate granules, which have a wheat scent. Once eaten, the slugs dry out within a few days. However, the feeding procedure should be repeated from time to time.
Conclusion
So, whether to plant potatoes under hay or in the traditional way is up to you. This article provides comprehensive information on the issue of planting crops in straw. It is worth noting that if you have little time for the garden, then this technique is suitable for you.You can try it for at least one year, so you can evaluate the technology in practice.
