Content
There are many different ways potato planting. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. You can choose the appropriate method based on the recommendations of experienced potato growers. Having given preference to the new method, it is advisable to use it first on a small area.
Landing "under the shovel"
Another name for the method is smooth landing. The simplest and most common way to plant potatoes. Holes are made in the ground to a depth of 20 - 25 cm, humus, rotted manure and ash are filled in. A distance of at least 50 cm is left between the beds so that you can freely care for the bushes. In advance germinated and the processed potatoes are placed in the hole and covered with earth. The ground is leveled using a rake.
Advantages of this planting method:
- Ease of use;
- Does not require additional materials;
- There is no need for additional technical devices.
Disadvantages of this method:
- Relatively low yield;
- Labor-intensive process of planting and care;
- Potatoes are not protected from adverse weather conditions;
- Not suitable for heavy clay soils.
Caring for potatoes consists of timely watering, hilling, and pest control.
Some vegetable growers fill the holes with water during planting.
Landing according to Mittleider
A relatively new way of planting potatoes. Suitable for all types of soil.
Advantages of the potato planting method:
- Saving time when preparing the soil;
- Opportunity to get a good harvest;
- Care during the growing season is minimal;
- The soil structure improves.
Disadvantages of this method:
- Be sure to use crop rotation;
- It is necessary to monitor the mulch;
- Removal required weed in the aisles.
For this method of planting potatoes, narrow beds are made with a large distance between them. The width of the bed is 70 − 80 cm, row spacing is at least a meter.
The beds are dug up in the fall, cleaning from weeds. They do not dig between rows, only remove weeds if necessary. When digging, fertilizers, humus and ash are added to the ground.
Many summer residents are mistaken in believing that with this method, maintaining row spacing and removing weeds is not necessary. This is not true; perennial weeds develop very quickly and, as a rule, have a branched, massive root system. Weed roots quickly spread into the potato bed, robbing the potatoes of nutrients. In addition, many roots can grow through the tubers, significantly reducing the quality of the crop.
You can control weeds in the following ways:
- Treatment with herbicides;
- Manual weeding;
- Mowing the grass.
Treatment with herbicides is the easiest and simplest method, but many do not accept it, considering the use of chemicals harmful and dangerous.
Weeding by hand is quite difficult and requires a lot of time and effort.
Mowing grass is relatively easy; using an electric mower greatly speeds up the process. Weed clippings can be left in place to discourage new weeds from growing.
In the spring, holes are made for planting. The depth should be about 30 cm, the distance between them should be at least 40 cm. The holes are placed in a checkerboard pattern. After planting potatoes, the soil is mulched.
Most often, permanent beds are used for this method; to understand how to arrange it, you can watch the video.
Plant care consists of timely watering of potato bushes and treating the tops from harmful insects.
Chinese way
This is a relatively new way of planting potatoes. With this method, all possible methods of stimulating potato yield are used simultaneously.
Advantages of the Chinese method:
- High yield;
- Space saving;
- The ability to quickly propagate the variety;
- Potatoes do not suffer from heat;
- Can be used on any soil.
Disadvantages of this method:
- Labor-intensive process of planting and growing;
- Not suitable for northern regions;
- Requires a high level of agricultural technology;
- Cannot be used in wet areas.
The soil for planting potatoes is prepared in advance. In the fall, they dig holes for potatoes, measuring one meter by one meter. Organic matter is placed at the bottom of the pit - food waste, leaves, potato peelings, hay, cut grass. Add 2 to 3 cups of ash to each hole. The excavated soil is left in mounds.
In the spring, when the soil thaws, the holes are inspected; if they are covered with earth, they are deepened.For planting, the soil must warm up to 7–8 degrees. Before disembarking, it is necessary to apply anti-mole cricket remedies.
For planting, choose a large, healthy tuber weighing at least 200 grams. A cross-section is made in the middle of the tuber, after which it is treated with a disinfectant to avoid rotting of the tuber. This activates the dormant eyes, resulting in 2-3 times more sprouts.
Potato tubers are germinated in the light for 2 weeks; when the sprouts reach 10 cm, they are planted. The tuber is placed at the bottom of the hole and covered with prepared soil on top. To do this, soil from the garden is mixed with humus, sand, rotted manure and wood ash. The layer of soil above the potatoes should be at least 30 cm.
When the sprouts appear, they are treated with potassium fertilizers and again covered with fertilized soil to a depth of 30 cm, the procedure is repeated until the hole is completely filled. Treatment with potassium and magnesium fertilizers is repeated weekly, alternating them.
Nitrogen fertilizers should be applied carefully. An excess of nitrogen in the soil causes plants to grow green mass to the detriment of tubers.
After the hole is filled, the potato sprouts are allowed to grow up to 30 cm, after which they are carefully bent to the sides, secured and buried. The lower leaves on the stems are removed. The mound above the sprouts is sprinkled as the bushes grow. Fertilizer spraying continues.
In the northern regions, it is difficult to get a good harvest using this method; the soil at a depth of 80–90 cm does not warm up well, and numerous tubers grow small.
Square nest method
The basic principle of the square-nest method of planting potatoes is that the potato bush is given a large space for nutrition and development.
The advantages of this method of planting potatoes:
- High nest productivity;
- Suitable for any cultivated soil;
- Does not require hilling;
- The bushes do not shade each other.
Disadvantages of this method:
- Weeding required;
- A large amount of humus is required;
- Frequent watering is required;
- Bushes take up a lot of space;
- Not suitable for untreated soil.
The plot is divided into squares, the width of the sides is about 70 - 80 cm. Holes measuring 40 by 40 cm are dug in the corners of the squares. Each hole is filled with humus, and one or two potatoes are planted.
When the sprouts reach 20–30 cm, they are carefully spread to the sides, forming a nest; humus is poured into the middle of the bush to form a hill. As the bush grows, the dusting is repeated three times.
Humus does not retain moisture well, so you need to carefully monitor the soil moisture.
Planting in a barrel
For this method of planting potatoes, it is advisable to choose a barrel without a bottom to avoid stagnation of water. If there is no such barrel, be sure to make good drainage.
Advantages of the potato planting method:
- Saves space;
- Provides an opportunity to get an early harvest;
- Plants are protected from many pests;
- There is no need to fight weeds.
Disadvantages of the planting method:
- Not suitable for summer cultivation in southern regions;
- Planting and care require a lot of manual labor;
- There is a danger of over-watering the roots.
Particular attention should be paid to soil preparation. If there are not enough nutrients for the potatoes, you should not count on a good harvest. A good soil should be light, have good air permeability and be resistant to compaction. In heavy clay soil, you must add sand and humus.
20–30 cm of drainage is poured into the bottom of the barrel, which is covered with 30 cm of prepared soil. The potatoes are placed in a barrel and covered with 20 cm of soil. As it grows, sprinkling with soil is repeated until the barrel is full.
Care consists of watering and treating against pests.
Landing on ridges
An old, proven method of planting potatoes, recommended for the northern regions, since those planted in ridges potato tubers receive more heat and oxygen. In the southern regions there is a danger of overheating of the potato root system.
This planting method has many variations, which are often called new methods. They differ only in the distance between the rows, the use of mulching, and the different timing of fertilizer application.
The advantages of this method of planting potatoes:
- Can be used for wet soils;
- Suitable for heavy clay soils;
- High yield;
- Harvesting does not require digging;
- Opportunity to get an early harvest.
Disadvantages of this planting method:
- Not suitable for southern regions;
- Planting and care require manual labor;
- Requires a well-cultivated area.
The soil for planting potatoes is prepared in the fall by digging the soil to a depth of 20 cm. During digging, the necessary fertilizers are added.
In the spring, the beds are marked out. The distance between them should be at least 70 cm. If the bed has two rows, the space is increased by 10 cm.
Potatoes are sown in spring on dry soil. Wet soil is difficult to form into ridges.
Potatoes are laid out in rows and treated with insecticides if necessary. Cover the potatoes with soil, forming a small ridge. To cover potato tubers, most summer residents use a hoe. Sometimes a shovel or plow is used.
When the potato sprouts grow, hilling is carried out, lifting the soil from the rows up to the ridge. This procedure is repeated three more times until the ridge reaches 40 cm. The video shows the process of forming the ridges.
To save space, potatoes are often planted in two rows. To do this, the tubers are laid out in a checkerboard pattern, at a distance of 20–25 cm. The rows are united by a common ridge.
Landing under black film
The method is suitable for various types of soils, except those on which moisture can stagnate.
The soil is prepared in the fall, dug up and fertilizers are applied. Be sure to choose a dry, sunny area. Can be used in areas significantly overgrown with perennial weeds. The black film does not allow them to develop; most of them will die during the season.
The main advantages of the potato planting method:
- Does not require complex care;
- No soil crust is formed;
- The soil is freed from perennial weeds;
- Suitable for regions with dry summers.
Disadvantages of the planting method:
- Poor soil aeration;
- The film is easily damaged;
- Requires financial investment;
- The need for drip irrigation.
In the spring, beds are laid out, along which tapes for drip irrigation are laid. The places where the tapes are located are marked outside the site.
The film is laid out on top of the tapes, its edges are added dropwise or secured. To plant potatoes, cuts are made crosswise in the film, about 30 cm long. A hole is dug in the resulting hole, a tuber is placed in it, and covered with dug up soil or humus. The edges of the film should be slightly curled into the hole. The distance between bushes in a row is 20 cm, between rows is 40 cm.
Care consists of treatment against pests.
Different methods of planting potatoes require different approaches to care and fertilization. To get a good harvest and not be disappointed, you need to soberly assess your strengths and capabilities.
