A ton of potatoes from one hundred square meters. How to grow a potato crop
Is it possible to grow a ton of potatoes from one acre?
There is nothing impossible.
To get a large potato crop, you need a lot of good soil, healthy tubers and compliance with some agricultural practices.
Each potato grower has his own way of obtaining big harvest potatoes.
I have mine. I live in Siberia Kemerovo region. Before, like everyone else, he planted potatoes in a public field. For the last 10 years I have been planting a hundred potatoes in the country, and this is enough for a family of 4 people.
On average, from 1 hundred square meters, I collect up to a ton of potatoes, it all depends on weather conditions.
The land in the country is fertilized, in addition, in a shady corner garden plot I have a collar with plant remains, in which worms of the Prospector breed live. These tireless workers very quickly process organic matter into biohumus and multiply.
Biohumus - ecologically pure fertilizer, which has a positive effect on the yield of all horticultural crops. Potatoes are no exception.
In autumn, I roughly dig the ground for potatoes without breaking lumps.
In the spring, I loosen the earth with a rake, do not allow moisture to evaporate through cracks in the soil and fight the first weeds in the state of cotyledon leaves.
When the earth warms up enough, and these are usually the numbers of May 15 - 20, I start planting potatoes.
I use the Belarusian variety Lasunok. Miracle, not potatoes! Variety Lasunok is similar to the President of Belarus - the same powerful, healthy and prolific.
I plant potatoes on a cord. You can laugh. Two pegs, between them - a cord. I stretch, and I lead the landing along the cord.
I make holes - as usual, to the depth of a shovel bayonet., The distance between the holes is 30 cm. In each hole - a large 300 g mug of biohumus and sprouted potatoes. I move the pegs 70 cm and continue on.
Making holes in the 2nd row, I fall asleep the 1st row of potatoes, etc.
Until the potatoes rise, I process with a rake upper layer soil - I loosen and remove newly appeared weeds.
When the potatoes grow to 10 cm in height, I do the first weeding, then the second. I do not spud potatoes in principle.
After hilling, intensive growth of tops occurs, and not tubers. I need it?
Many summer residents have a different opinion on this matter. To each his own.
Regularly rarely, but plentifully water the potatoes. Water is supplied to the garden from a warm channel. At the end of the watering hose is a regular store nozzle.
I do top dressing 3 times a season, at intervals of 14 days. Approximately 10 g of nitroammophoska under a bush. Top dressing should be combined with watering.
If the tubers begin to come to the surface, I mulch the aisles with straw, we have enough of this stuff.
I dig as follows: I go to the hole, dig a bush with a small pitchfork and pull it out. I choose the tubers and put them around the hole to dry. I don't use a scraper. I extract all the tubers from the nest with a pitchfork. There are no small things, therefore, the potatoes do not fly through the pitchfork.
And so I go through the whole landing. I rest for 30 minutes. During this time, the potatoes dry out. I take a bucket and choose seed potatoes. This must be done after digging.
Since autumn, I have been painstakingly selecting seed tubers for planting. I put off the tubers rigidly of the 1st type, and they must be healthy and of medium size. I keep the planting one that was used in the cellar at a temperature of plus 1-3 °. The safety of the potato will increase if it is sprinkled with a finely chopped leaf of reddish mountain ash. On top of the mound I put 2 layers of table beets - it takes away excess water.
Closer to spring, I start vernalization of tubers. In April, I sort out seed potatoes, put them in a solution for feeding and disinfecting tubers for 30 minutes. I prepare the solution according to the recipe: for 10 liters. water I put 60 grams of superphosphate, 40 - urea, 5 - blue vitriol, 10 — boric acid, 1 g - potassium permanganate. This is all, in addition to potassium permanganate, first dissolved in hot water.
After feeding and disinfection, I cut large tubers lengthwise. After any cutting, I lower the sharp "narrow knife" into a strong solution of potassium permanganate.
I germinate tubers for a week at a tmp-re. Although sprouts have sprung up, I take out the tubers in boxes to a clear loggia. To give the sowing material stability to late blight, I spray the tubers with copper sulfate (2 grams per 10 liters of water). You can also spray with boric acid. Processed tubers not only increase the yield, but also accelerate the arrival of a new potato to the table by 15-20 days. In a vernalized potato, the sprouts must be thick, greenish, 3-4 centimes long.
It is possible to accelerate the vernalization of seed tubers in another way, by referring to the so-called wet method. To achieve the desired result, before laying vernalized and heated tubers in peat, they are soaked for an hour in a solution prepared according to the recipe: 10 liters. water add 40 grams of urea, 40 - superphosphate, 5 - copper sulfate, 2 - boric acid and a few grains of potassium permanganate.
I carry out germination on a bed of peat, its thickness is at least 15 centimes, on top of the potatoes I fall asleep with a layer of peat 10 centimes. I lay the tubers upside down, cover with peat, water. I conduct germination at a tmp-re. With all this reception, in addition to sprouts, a root lobe will also appear on the tubers. Such a planting that was used sharply takes on power, and the stubble bushes are formed earlier than usual. I plant potatoes at the time of birch leaves blooming. Naturally, potatoes are harvested exclusively in properly cultivated areas located on the sunny side. Wonderful fertilizer for short potatoes - a mixture of dry bird droppings (3 huge doses) with sifted peat (20 huge doses).
At the beginning of May, on a base dug up and harrowed with a rake, I make a furrow with a depth of 20 centimes with a manual cultivator. I loosen the bottom of the furrow with a ripper, Then I plant the seed potatoes. The scheme of disembarkation is 30X30 centimes. And at a distance of 60 centimes. 2 strong squash bushes will grow. First, I fall asleep the tubers with prepared fertilizer, on both sides I fall asleep potatoes with a rake, as a result I get neat ridges. I arrange them from south to north. It can be useful for the potato grower not to forget that actually unripe new manure in the base promotes the development of scab on tubers. Therefore, you need to make only humus.
The distance between the ridges is 60 centimes, when this distance is narrowed, then the land between the rows is not enough for hilling the plants.
In early summer, the gardener is worried about frost. The death of the tops can be avoided to some extent by watering (small spray). Rescue tops and hilling. Experience gives a hint: you can’t plant sunflowers, tomatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers next to short potatoes. You do not need, among other things, the neighborhood of raspberries, cherries and apple trees. Potatoes get along with onions, carrots, lettuce, dill and cabbage. From my point of view, these cultures, among other things, inhibit the formation of late blight on potatoes.
Growing potatoes experience the greatest need for nitrogen, ...
Spring is the time of planting the main crop - potatoes. Many gardeners have the opinion that potatoes - an unpretentious culture, no matter how planted - will grow, but this, of course, is not the case. If you plant somehow, then you will get a meager harvest.
Amateur potato growers are proactive people, everyone knows their own. Up to a ton of potatoes are received from a hundred!
With some of the most rational methods of growing potatoes, allowing you to get high yields, we want to introduce you.
First of all, let us recall the generally accepted method of growing potatoes. Since autumn, manure has been brought in - 600 kg. on a hundred and dig up the earth. In the spring they dig up again, level and make holes in rows at a distance of 30 cm from each other. 70 cm are left between rows. Tubers weighing 50-70 g each are selected for planting.
If the manure has not been scattered since autumn, then in the spring already rotted or semi-rotted manure is brought into the holes. It will take 200-300 kg. per hundred. The same amount is recommended at this time to add ash and 5-7 g (teaspoon) of nitroammophoska. Sprouted tubers are laid out to a depth of 6-8 cm. The earth is leveled after planting. Before germination, the earth is loosened again to remove the crust. Twice a season, after rain or heavy watering, planting.
22-30 kg are spent on one hundred square meters. potatoes or 435 tubers. Harvest - about 200 kg. weave.
The technology of Vladimir Petrovich Ushakov, who works in the Solnechnogorsk district of the Moscow region, is based on the use of manure processed into biohumus and a particularly careful attitude to soil organisms, which he calls "living matter".
At the beginning of March, V.P. Ushakov breaks holes in piles of manure with a crowbar to the very ground, and by the end of April he receives a semi-rotted mass containing many earthworms and microorganisms.
Vladimir Petrovich begins cultivation of the land quite late, from April 28 to May 15, when at a depth of 10-12 cm the earth warms up to 8-10 °. He does not make a bed. The soil is loosened to a depth of 15 cm with a pitchfork without turning over the layer, leveled and evenly marks the holes over the entire surface. Each hole is located in all directions from neighboring holes at a distance of 45 cm (according to the principle of an equilateral triangle). He makes them wide enough and 15 cm deep. About 700 g of rotted manure with worms falls asleep in each and covers the top with a layer of soil of 2-3 cm. 8 cm. It covers the top with soil taken when digging the next hole, without turning the layer over. When the tops of potatoes grow to 20-25 cm, they carry out circular hilling only once, leaving the top 5-8 cm of tops uncovered.
No further care, including watering, is required. V. P. Ushakov harvests potatoes no later than the second half of August.
According to this technology, in the illuminated area, fertile soil and under favorable weather conditions, the variety "Belarusian Rose" gave a record result - 1150 kg. from a hundred! Variety "Sineglazka" in the same conditions - 700 kg. On poor soils, potato yields grown according to the Ushakov method are reduced by 2 times, and if the site is not very well lit, then by 4 times.
Spends V.P. Ushakov per one hundred square meters 40-50 kg. potatoes or 550 tubers.
The American vegetable grower Dr. Mittlider grows potatoes, like other vegetables, on narrow ridges 0.45 m wide and 9 m long with passages of at least 75 cm. 2. After fertilizing, the soil is dug up and forms ridges with sides. Sprouted tubers weighing 50-70 g are planted at a distance of 30 cm from each other with inside sides. When shoots appear, it starts top dressing - 4 times with an interval of 4-10 days. For this purpose, he pours 450 g of mixture No. 2 in a narrow strip in the center of the ridge and dissolves with the help of watering. In dry weather, continue to water even after the end of top dressing. Watering is especially important when buds are collected and during the flowering period.
Mittlider potatoes do not loosen and do not spud, some of the tubers are sometimes close to the surface and may turn green. Therefore, during the budding period, it is recommended to mulch the plantings by 2-3 cm.
On a hundred square meters, Mittlider places 8 ridges, spends 25-35 kg. potatoes or 490 tubers. From each ridge receives 70 kg in the fall. potatoes, harvest per hundred square meters 550 kg.
A resident of the Tula region, Viktor Alekseevich Bulanov, developed his method for 8 years. In autumn, for each hundred square meters, he contributes 600-800 kg. manure and dig up the earth on a spade bayonet (to a depth of 25 cm). In the spring before planting makes the main mineral fertilizer. Scatters 5 kg on the soil surface. nitroammofoski (marked 17-17-17) and again digs to a depth of 15 cm.
The plot levels and divides into strips of unequal width. Behind the 20 cm strip is a strip 80 cm wide, then again 20 cm, and so on. The direction of the lanes is strictly from north to south. Sprouted potato tubers are laid out along the borders of 20 cm strips directly on the soil surface at a distance of 30 cm from each other. On the resulting double rows of tubers lying on flat ground, it scoops up the ground from wide strips so as to cover the tubers by only 2-3 cm.
As the tops grow, the potatoes spud at least three times (in the spring, in case of a cold snap, it is recommended to spud the young tops high).
Top dressing V.A. Bulanov starts at the beginning of summer after the onset of a steady warm weather. Three times per season, with an interval of approximately 10 days, contributes to running meter a double row of 50 g of nitroammofoski - in a hollow between the rows. Fertilize before rain or combine top dressing with watering. To prevent the fertilizer solution from draining, when breaking up the plot at the ends of the rows, it makes bumpers from the ground.
When the tops close, top dressing stops, and the tops of neighboring rows heaps on top of each other and spuds so that a flat mound is formed without a hollow in the middle. Since that time, it only periodically weeds, and in dry weather waters (sprinkling).
Shortly before harvesting, the tops are rolled with a log and left in this state for about a week. After that, she mows it at a height of 15-20 cm, and after a few days she digs up the potatoes.
On a hundred V.A. Bulanov spends 30-40 kg. potatoes or 590 tubers weighing 50-70 g. Harvest 600-700 kg. from a hundred. You can get up to a ton from a hundred!
The second year he grows potatoes according to the new two-tier method proposed by Oleg Yuryevich Georgiev from Krasnodar Territory, experienced gardener with great experience Marina Yanovna Stein. She breaks the area for potatoes into strips 30 cm wide with intervals of 60-70 cm between them. For every 3.5 m, she brings in 8-10 kg. humus and 0.5 kg. . It digs and along the edges of the strips on both sides makes grooves 8 cm deep.
In the first furrow, potatoes the size of egg lays out at a distance of 30 cm from each other, and in the other at the same distance, but retreating from the edge of 15 cm. Thus, the potatoes in the second furrow are staggered in relation to the first. Ridge falls asleep and starts planting the second tier of potatoes. Departing from the beginning of the first furrow 15 cm, she lays out the tubers at the same distance of 30 cm from each other, but already on the surface of the soil.
In the second furrow opposite side tubers are also located on the surface of the soil, but in a checkerboard pattern. From above, rows of potatoes fall asleep to a depth of 3 cm with earth from the tracks. So, in each furrow, two vertical rows of planting are obtained. One at a depth of 11 cm (8 + 3 cm) and the second at a depth of 3 cm, with one tuber shifted relative to the other by 15 cm.
When the potato grows to 10-15 cm, Marina Yanovna spuds it to a height of 20 cm only once per season. Land for hilling takes from the tracks. As a result, each ridge takes the form of a trapezoid with four rows of potatoes - two rows at a depth of 31 cm and two others at a depth of 23 cm. Each of the two rows does not interfere with the other, being in vertical plane. Waters and, if necessary, feeds the plantings of M. Stein only until flowering. The tops are cut off two weeks before harvesting, leaving stumps 7-10 cm high.
The potato growing business idea is profitable even in the leanest years if used special technologies. Potatoes are always in demand food product and are in constant demand. And the yield indicators of 50 tons per hectare make us consider it from the perspective of business ideas. After all, it is one of the most effective ways get the maximum profit from the minimum plot of land. That is, to use the sown area as efficiently as possible.
In this article, we will consider in detail the concept of a business idea. Dutch technology for high yields of potatoes. And also not whimsical cultivation of potatoes under straw. To create a break-even business, it is also worth considering long-term crop storage technologies.
High yielding potato varieties
The best potato varieties of the 21st century in terms of yield are Radonezhsky and Ryabinushka. The tubers have been tested by the state variety test. In practice, both varieties met expectations for disease resistance. Varieties yield up to 4.8 tons per hectare! The result is more than three times the commercial yield of different industrial varieties.
The mid-early "Ryabinushka" begins to be harvested as early as 80-90 days after planting. Tubers are oval with small eyes. The skin is smooth and red. The starch content does not exceed 18%. Has a trade dress to 97% of a crop. During long-term storage, no more than 5-7% of the total crop volume is lost.
Early variety "Radonezhsky" - high productive variety, having a high presentation up to 94%. The mass of a tuber reaches 140 g. The number of tubers in a bush is 10-15 pieces. When to plant early potato varieties - Radonezh? The variety is excellent, with intensive early accumulation of the crop, therefore it is suitable for early and even winter cultivation. But when landing in warm February or in early spring increases the risk of lower yields. But it becomes possible to harvest 2 crops per year from one piece of land. It has excellent keeping quality. Tubers are creamy oval with pinkish spots. Small red eyes.
Dutch technology for growing potatoes
Potato growing business idea minimal cost- Dutch technology. Her distinguishing feature- when leaving, use a minimum machining. The Dutch focus on aerating the soil - they carefully loosen it, place the potatoes in ridges, leaving wide gaps between the rows. As a result, up to 2 kg of powerful tubers are obtained from the bush, which easily tolerate long-term storage.
Soil aeration is the cultivation of soil in order to create maximum air ventilation soils so that soil air (mainly carbon dioxide) mixes well with atmospheric air(mainly oxygen). Carbon dioxide in soils is formed due to natural organic decomposition, and the free flow of oxygen accelerates intrasoil processes associated with the oxidation of mineral components and the decomposition of organic components.
In dense or waterlogged soils, plants do not develop well due to a lack of oxygen. The soil itself suffers from this. But in loose soils you can get high yields.
In practice, it has been proven that for the Dutch technology it is not necessary to choose Dutch varieties of potatoes. It is important that the tubers comply with certain rules: they have at least five eyes, they are large (40-50 mm). In our case, these are Radonezhsky and Ryabinushka. Selected potatoes must be heated in a bright room at a temperature of up to +180 until sprouts form. Then you need to reduce temperature regime to +8 and wait until the sprouts reach a height of 2cm.
Before planting, each vegetable is best divided in half. This will increase productivity. Planting should take place as early as possible, as soon as the soil is already well warmed up during planting.
Planting potatoes under straw
The technology of growing potatoes in straw is much simpler and gives its high yields compared to traditional way cultivation. The secret of the success of the technology lies in the around-the-clock preservation of coolness and moisture on the soil, which is very important for potatoes. After all, at an air temperature of +22, potato tubers stop growing. Straw with their own thermal insulation properties does not allow the temperature to rise, and the condensate formed due to the temperature difference maintains cool moisture, creating ideal conditions for potatoes. Straw isolates the soil from rising temperatures without interfering with gas exchange processes. And under the straw, weeds do not develop well. In autumn, the straw is ground during soil cultivation, it makes an excellent fertilizer.
Planting potatoes under straw is carried out according to the following sequence of actions. Potatoes are planted in pre-treated, loose soil at a shallow depth of 7-10 cm. On top of the beds should be sprinkled with the first layer of straw 30 cm. The second layer (15cm-20cm) is laid between the beds when the sprouts have reached 5 cm. And the potatoes do not require any more care. When the tops dry, you can harvest.
How to plant potatoes?
Let's take a look at the steps that contain simple tips for proper fit potatoes.
Rules for the formation of beds
It is important to form the beds from north to south for uniform full coverage of the bushes. Great importance the Dutch pay row spacing - 75 cm. Domestic farmers save land, so they leave only 40-50 cm, which makes hilling with loose earth difficult, developing roots are cut off. This inhibits the growth and development of plants. Insufficient hilling exposes tubers. Do not neglect the dimensions specified by the technology: the row spacing and the width of the beds should be about 0.75 m. The holes must be dug 8-9 cm deep, leaving a gap between them of 30 cm.
Planting and caring for potatoes
Seeds should be placed in the holes with the sprouts up. With tubers, it is advisable to fill up a pinch of ash or onion peel for pest control. From above, you need to make a mound about 10 cm high. No more than 600 potatoes should be planted per 100 m2.
After the appearance of sprouts, the embankment must be increased, and so repeat according to the growth of the bush. Further care- this is weeding, watering. Watering is required three times:
- the first time - at the first sprouts;
- the second - before flowering;
- the third is after.
No more watering required economical way cultivation, the least expensive. From the Colorado potato beetle, it is better to process the tops before flowering.
Timely harvesting: early August - for seed, late August - for food purposes. Important: first remove the tops, after 10 days - harvest. As a result of this technique, the tubers have a strong peel, excellent safety.
Yield Secrets
The main secret of the productivity of the Dutch technology is that the vegetable is not buried deep in the ground, it is covered with loose soil from above, which allows it to breathe. In addition to this fact, the yield is increased by the fact of dividing the tuber in half.
There are many technologies for growing potatoes, however, as practice shows, the Dutch method is the most effective in terms of yield.
For the cultivation of potatoes according to the technology of Dutch manufacturers, a milling tool for loosening the soil is needed. For this, domestic walk-behind tractors equipped with working milling bodies are suitable. For loosening and leveling, motor cultivators are needed that are capable of hilling and removing weeds.
Long term crop storage
A favorable environment for storing potatoes has a temperature of +5 degrees and an air humidity of 85–90%. Such conditions can create a dry and cool room, protected from sun rays. The annual potato storage cycle is divided into 3 phases:
- After harvesting, potatoes are stored at a temperature of +17 for two weeks.
- Fruits are stored for another 2 weeks, but already with a temperature reduced to +12. During these periods, fruit damage created during harvesting heals.
- The main period temperature +5 humidity - 85%.
To control the temperature and humidity in potato storage, it is better to use two sensors. One at the door at a height of 30cm, the second in the center of the room at a height of 150cm.
It is important to note! You can not overdry the air, because due to low humidity, the potatoes will turn green. This is the result of the production process of the alkaloid saponin (toxic substance). Green potatoes are planting, but they should not be eaten.
Sales of products
The average payback for a Dutch technology growing business idea is two seasons.
The main distribution channels for the crop:
- trade networks;
- fairs, food markets;
- wholesale customers;
- vegetable stalls;
- grocery stores;
- processing companies.
Income depends on the buyer and the period of sale:
- It is necessary to solve the issue of storing potatoes so that they can be sold in winter at a bargain price.
- An important factor is the issue of environmental friendliness. If the cultivation process takes place at a distance from industrial enterprises lands, previously untouched lands, not overfed with pesticides, inorganic fertilizers, the price of grown products can increase several times, as well as the demand for it.
Potato is a plastic, fertile culture. The low yield of domestic farmers is due to ignorance biological features, sowing random vegetables of low reproduction, unscrupulous cultivation.
non-compliance technological process fraught in any industry. When growing the most common food product, do not break the rules! Your profit is in your hands!
Potatoes are the main ingredient in most dishes around the world. Its juice has healing properties(heals ulcers, burns, gastritis), useful in cosmetology. Growing at correct methodology, good choice varieties are a lucrative business.
A TON OF POTATOES FROM WEEK! **************************************** Be sure to save it in your notes, very useful information **** ******************************* Our interlocutor today - Mikhail Grigorievich VERKHOV - on his personal plot he receives record harvests of all vegetable crops, including potatoes. - 500-600 kilograms of potatoes per hundred square meters is the dream of every gardener, many get much more modest results. What is the yield of this crop? - From a ton and above. Such a high result is achieved due to many factors: healthy fertile land, high-quality seeds, strict observance of all the rules of agricultural technology. Why does not every farmer get high yields? Everyone's dachas are old, plots, as a rule, were allocated for inconveniences, everything is littered. In addition, we ourselves “dirtied” them with all sorts of fertilizers, spraying from diseases and pests. And therefore, in order to get a decent potato harvest, you must first put the land in order, that is, improve it. Healthy land is the basis of yields for any crop, whether we grow cucumbers, tomatoes or potatoes. On my site, the land has a high agricultural background. I have been trying to achieve this, of course, for more than one year, I have been working with potatoes for 15 years. AT last years switched to new technology. What does it mean to put the earth in order? I am not a fan of chemical fertilizers. In recent years, the only fertilizer on my site is compost. Nevertheless, I get a stable harvest. It is necessary, firstly, to bring at least 5-6 kilograms to the area where you will grow potatoes good compost, 100-200 grams of ash for each square meter. This is the first thing you can do with the ground. Second, to get high yield you need to have good seed material, at least the first or second reproduction, and even better, elite. - Mikhail Grigoryevich, please tell me, what kind of potato do you think is the best? - There are a lot of varieties of potatoes, and I find it difficult to give an unambiguous answer to this question. You need to be aware of the purposes for which you need potatoes. Let's say such a wonderful fruitful variety as Rosara, I "serve" for certain purposes. Rosara makes wonderful fried potatoes with straws, it is ideal for salads, vinaigrette. The tubers have a low content of starch, and they do not boil soft. What is good about the medium-late variety Itessa? His tubers boil medium, they make delicious mashed potatoes. I don't like it when so-called "soap" potatoes are used for soup, borscht or mashed potatoes. Early maturing variety Arosa is distinguished by the fact that its tubers, in addition to other advantages, have a high presentation. They are especially good for frying and salads. The universal variety Fellox has excellent qualities. Its tubers are good in any form - for frying, and for salads, and boiled, seasoned with herbs. I work with varieties such as Arosa, Rosara, Zekura, Itessa, Red Lady, Sprint, Miranda, Fellox. ***************************************** *********** ****************************** - The agricultural technology of growing potatoes, in general, is well known. And yet, each of the potato growers brings something of their own to this process. And what “highlights” do you use when planting and caring for it? - As for the landing method, there are three types. The most commonly used method is the so-called solid landing. Another way is landing in the ridges. And the third one, which I prefer, is planting potatoes on the ridges. Each of these methods has its pros and cons. When planting according to generally accepted technology, it is difficult to care for potatoes (weeding, spraying against the Colorado potato beetle) at a time when the bushes close. Landing in ridges is good where the ground is very heavy. I will dwell in more detail on the merits of my method. In the ridge I have two rows, the distance between the ridges is 1 m. I plant potatoes in two paired rows in a checkerboard pattern. It turns out the so-called landing in a triangle. I adhere to the rule: where a plant is planted, a human foot should not set foot, I process potatoes, stepping along wide aisles. When I spud bushes, a groove forms between two rows. It is very convenient to water and feed the plantings along these grooves: they put a hose between the rows - and there are no problems with watering. It is convenient to approach the rows when collecting the same Colorado potato beetle. – What are the other benefits of planting on ridges? - All gardeners, of course, noticed that the extreme bushes of any plants, including potatoes, are always more productive, since they are more sunlit and receive large area nutrition. When planting potatoes on the ridges and always in a checkerboard pattern, all the bushes turn out to be extreme. They are equally illuminated by the sun, and each bush has the same feeding area in the triangle allotted for it. And the more food, the higher the yield. A thickened landing leads to its great loss. The potato harvest is 40 percent dependent on seeds, the remaining 60 percent depends on the human factor, that is, on how you take care of it. You need to clearly know when potatoes especially need watering, and when - in top dressing. I water potatoes twice during the growing season. Simultaneously with watering, I do top dressing. The first time during budding, and the second time after the end of flowering - at this time, a strong growth of tubers begins. It is necessary to water the plantings abundantly, so that the earth gets wet at a depth of 30-40 cm - this is the soil horizon in which the tubers grow. SECOND PART - Mikhail Grigorievich, what are you, a supporter of organic farming, feed your potatoes? - I used to actually feed the potatoes good fertilizer- this is Kemira Lux, Kemira Potato, now I use only organic matter for this. Well, let's say I treat him to "compote". I fill a barrel with a capacity of 250 liters by a third with chopped weeds - nettle, quinoa, milkweed and others. In the forest located next to the site I collect medicinal herbs- yarrow, chamomile, tansy, plantain, grind - and also in a barrel. I add half a bucket of ash, the merits of which, I think, everyone knows. You can add two composts to this bucket barrel, and also better than compost prepared by EM technology. Then I fill the barrel with water. The nutrient mixture should be infused for one to two weeks. I dilute the infusion in a ratio of 1:10 and use 1 liter of this “compote” for each bush, which the potatoes really like. By the way, all vegetable crops respond well to such top dressing. Another one in my mind effective top dressing. You know that ordinary baker's yeast is an excellent growth stimulator, just remember the expression "grows by leaps and bounds." In a three-liter jar of water, I dilute half a glass of granulated sugar (instead of sugar, you can use "junk" jam), add 100 grams of yeast, close the jar. This mixture is infused for a week and turns into a mash. I “treat” potatoes with this mash - a glass of mash in a bucket of water and also 1 liter for each bush. By the way, with such a mash you can not only feed all plants under the root, but also spray it as a foliar top dressing. I repeat, yeast is a good stimulant, and you will see how well anyone will react to this top dressing. vegetable crop especially tomatoes. - As you know, potatoes are prone to such a dangerous disease as phytophthora, the Colorado potato beetle "adores" it ... - Let's start with the fact that I do not know what phytophthora is in my area. I am leaving this disease, firstly, due to early planting. The phytophthora outbreak occurs on August 10-15, and at this time I have already removed all the early potatoes. Secondly, two weeks before harvesting, I mow the tops. What does it give? Phytophthora, as you know, begins to infect potatoes from the foliage, and then, with rains, the spores of the disease penetrate the soil and infect the tubers. In addition, the varieties of potatoes that I grow are quite resistant to this disease. I don’t spend a big fight with the Colorado potato beetle, and it also helps early boarding. I plant potatoes on April 20-25, the Colorado potato beetle comes out of the soil somewhere in late May - early June. By this time, I have very powerful bushes that are too tough for the beetle - it prefers tender leaves and primarily attacks weak, diseased plants. And even if, even without any spraying, the pests eat somewhere around 10 percent of the foliage, then this will not adversely affect the potato crop. In addition, it is not difficult for me to walk along my wide aisles and collect beetles. And one moment. By August 20, all potatoes (including mid-season varieties) has already been removed on my site. As you can see, simple but very effective measures allow me to get away from fighting this pest. - Does early harvesting affect the safety of tubers? After all, to collect on time is good to save. Indeed, removing is one thing. I have already said that two weeks before harvesting, I mow the tops - this is not only protection against late blight and the Colorado potato beetle. Potatoes with beveled tops seem to be ripening, that is, in these two weeks the peel becomes rough. Firstly, when harvesting, the tubers are less injured, and secondly, less infection gets into them through a rough peel. And thirdly, before lowering the potatoes into the underground, it is necessary to prepare them for storage. - How it's done? - I never put the potatoes in storage immediately after harvesting. I keep it for two weeks in a dark barn (in the light the potatoes will turn green and will be unsuitable for food). This is the so-called healing period. If the potato is afflicted with any disease, its symptoms will necessarily appear during these two weeks. Lowering the tubers into storage, I carefully examine them. If I notice any deviations, the slightest damage, I put them aside for eating in the first place. And I don’t have cases where I throw out at least some amount of spoiled potatoes. I can give advice to those gardeners who are not sure about the quality of their crop. In no case do not dump it in heaps, it is better to put potatoes in boxes from under grapes or other fruits. Even if in some box (it holds a bucket of tubers) rot begins, it will not spread to the entire crop. Dust the potatoes with a little ash. As a rule, in basements, other storages high humidity, which harms potatoes. Put two or three beet roots in each box - it perfectly absorbs this excess moisture. It is good to shift potatoes with rowan branches - its phytoncides kill all pathogens in potatoes. - Mikhail Grigoryevich, many gardeners ask the question: why is it best to take tubers the size of a chicken egg for planting potatoes? - The question is this: for what purposes are potatoes grown? If the planting is intended for obtaining seed tubers, then I select smaller tubers for this purpose, approximately weighing 30-40 grams. Small tubers, as a rule, are tied up in the second half of summer, firstly, they do not have time to collect big weight, secondly, "collect" less diseases. Good seed material is obtained from such potatoes - there are many tubers in the bush, and they are not large. If I plant potatoes for food purposes, I select larger tubers, weighing 80-100 grams, that is, the size of a chicken egg or a little more. Fewer tubers grow from them, but they are larger in size.
