How to properly plant potatoes under a shovel and prepare the tubers before planting. Unpretentiousness and ease plus a generous harvest: planting potatoes in ridges is an effective way to grow them. Preparation of planting material

All residents grow potatoes rural areas and most summer residents. Private sector lags behind agricultural holdings in total area beds by 20%. With such popularity, potatoes remain a rather labor-intensive crop.

Planting, weeding, hilling, cleaning - most of these operations can be performed faster and more efficiently not with a shovel and hoe, but with means small mechanization. Using walk-behind tractors with replaceable mounted implements It has long been common practice when processing garden plots. Mechanization of the process and high productivity - best advertising for the potato growing method.

The technology of mechanized cultivation of potatoes on ridges came from Holland and was linked 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 elevated above the general level of the bed: excess moisture quickly disappeared, side surface The ridge warmed up well.

During the growth process, the ridge from the soil is filled with tubers - potatoes produce very high yield. There is a simple explanation for this: high hilling of the bush (ridge) promotes 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-Western region has been used since the time of Peter the Great and allows one to obtain high yields in conditions that are poorly suited to potato culture:

1. Growing local varieties of potatoes on ridges allows you to double the yield compared to traditional way planting under a shovel.
2. The soil on raised ridges warms up much faster flat surface traditional beds, which allows you to start planting much earlier.
3. Areas with heavy clay soils and a close 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 means allows you to process potato plantings much faster.
5. During the growing season, the potato bush is ventilated and illuminated from all sides: the risk of late blight and other fungal diseases is reduced. Productivity increases, harvested tubers without signs of disease are stored much better.

The ridge method has one significant drawback: the soil in the ridges dries out very quickly.

IN southern regions Without regular watering, it is impossible to grow potatoes on ridges. For the same reason, it is impossible to use the method in areas with loose sandy soils: water drains through the sand instantly, 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.

Pre-planting site preparation

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

1. Loosening the top layer of soil to a depth of 10-12 cm (1/3 of a shovel) and then leveling the surface of the bed.
2. Apply fertilizers, mineral or organic, in reasonable measures so as not to burn the roots of the plants and not cause outbreaks of late blight from excess nitrogen in the soil. The main emphasis should be on phosphorus and potassium - these elements regulate fruit formation and resistance to unfavorable factors. The most commonly used are potassium nitrate, double superphosphate, bone meal and wood ash.
3. Removal of weeds and plant debris.
4. Pest control. Soil treatment against wireworms, mole crickets, and larvae chafer 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: nightshade crops have common diseases and pests, and crops of this family can be returned to their original place only after 3-4 years.

How to prepare tubers for planting using the ridge method

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

The safest thing to plant is elite varieties: they hardly get sick and are less damaged by pests. In terms of taste, the elite is superior to ordinary varieties.

“Adretta”, “Naiada”, “Pushkinets”, “Zhukovsky early”, “Impala” and other varieties early date give a high yield of tubers in the North-West region.

For planting, select tubers the size of egg. Approximately 1 month before the expected planting date, potatoes are brought into warm room for vernalization. Germinating tubers speeds up the emergence of seedlings by at least 1 week.

During vernalization, it is necessary to prevent rot and fungal diseases: treat with a weak solution copper sulfate(1 tsp per 1 l hot water) with a regular spray bottle.

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 stimulant the day before. Affordable and very effective drug, which has a universal purpose - succinic acid. Application, according to the instructions on the package, accelerates metabolism: enhances the growth of the above-ground part and the development of the root system.

It is better to plant tubers with short shoots; long shoots take root less well. root system form slowly.

Forming the ridges correctly

To obtain a rich harvest of tubers, it is necessary to form a ridge a certain shape. Cross section it should be 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 special devices and mechanisms.

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

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

• cuts combs;
• lays the tubers;
• covers them with soil.

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

Walk-behind tractors with replaceable attachments are used not only when planting potatoes, but also for cultivating row spacing: the cultivator does not just loosen the soil - it is an effective replacement for weeding.

Planting potatoes in ridges - how it happens

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

Classic way

The good thing about this method is that 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 you should bring in potatoes from the cellar for germination. For the first 2 weeks it should be kept warm (15-18°C). After the sprouts appear, the tubers must be taken to a cool place (8-10°C) for hardening.
2. When will they allow weather, the area for potatoes must be shallowly dug up to 10-12 cm (1/3-1/2 of a shovel) and the rows must be marked in the north-south direction, so the plants will receive maximum illumination. The rows are marked with stretched twine - the distance between the rows is 80-100 cm.
3. The stretched rope is the middle of the future ridge. Sprouted tubers are laid out along it at a distance of 30 cm from each other.
4. Using a regular hoe, a ridge approximately 10 cm high with a base width of 30-35 cm is formed over the potatoes laid in a row.
5. After the emergence of seedlings (after about 2 weeks), the ridge is formed so that in the section a trapezoid with a height of approximately 25 cm is obtained, the lower base is 75 cm, the upper base is 15-17 cm.

The wide row spacing allows an adult to move around the area with tools and care for potato bushes.

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

Dutch technology

All agrotechnical operations Dutch technology potato cultivation is aimed at maximum yield, therefore, it is necessary to strictly fulfill all points:

1. Deep plowing of the site in the fall with the application of a complex of fertilizers.
2. In spring, the area is harrowed and rows are marked at a distance of 70-90 cm.
3. Sprouted tubers are laid out in furrows 4-6 cm deep at intervals of 30 cm.
4. The surface is leveled until shoots emerge.
5. After the emergence of seedlings, the first 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. 2 weeks before harvesting, mow the tops. This operation accelerates the ripening 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 potato varieties in ridges and shares advice on which tubers are more suitable.

Potatoes planted in ridges: what next? Features of care

The method of growing on ridges greatly simplifies all operations for caring for a potato bed. Preliminary preparation site involves clearing weeds. There is no need to loosen the area - on the contrary, the crumbled 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 best prevention late blight and other dangerous potato diseases.

Behind growing season 4 waterings are carried out, intensive growth of tubers occurs and water is simply necessary.

Features of harvesting

When the outflow of nutritious 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 top part of the bush must be cut off and removed from the site. After 2 weeks, the tubers are completely ready for harvesting: the peel is completely hardened.

You can harvest without tools by sliding the top of the ridge with your hand. No physical effort required. The tuber skin remains undamaged, which contributes to long-term storage potatoes without rot.

Autumn soil preparation

The highly efficient method of growing potatoes in ridges depletes the soil. After harvesting, measures must be taken to restore balance nutrients in one of 2 ways:

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

Green manure not only enriches the soil with nitrogen, it improves the structure of the soil layer and feeds 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 northern latitudes on heavy damp soils.

Experienced summer residents have long appreciated the method and have been collecting record harvests for many years minimum costs energy and time.

Potato - most valuable product nutrition. Almost every garden owner grows vegetable crop, applying various methods planting root crops. Potatoes are planted under a shovel throughout for long years. The planting method is quite labor-intensive, but as a result the gardener receives a hefty harvest. Information on how to plant potatoes under a shovel can be found below.

Planting root crops under a shovel is considered a common method. Almost every summer resident plants crops in this way.

Sprouted potatoes are laid out in pre-prepared holes. It is very important to pay attention to the location of the sprouts. They should be facing up. Using a shovel, the holes are dug in. The soil surface is leveled with a rake.

Maximally leveled furrows make it easier further process care associated with hilling and harvesting. The distance between the holes should be within 20-25 cm. The distance between the rows can reach 45-60 cm.

The main advantage of the method of planting vegetables is considered to be reliability and proven effectiveness for decades. However, the method has many more disadvantages:

• a large number of the time spent by the gardener preparing the soil and planting tubers;
• if the bushes are planted too densely, difficulties arise associated with eliminating the main pest of the potato field - the Colorado potato beetle;
• increasing the risk of damage to the root system of bushes when hilling.

Note! Before you start planting, it is important to familiarize yourself with the information on how to plant potatoes under a shovel correctly.

How to choose a landing site

The first step is to select an area that is ideal for planting vegetables. It is worth giving preference to areas located on the south side. The soil should be slightly acidic and moisture-permeable.

If the soil is acidic, experienced agronomists advise liming. For this purpose, a small amount of chalk, lime and ash is added to the site.

Important! In order to check the reaction of the soil, it is enough to pay attention to what kind of weed grows on the site.

With an abundance of birch and thistle, we can talk about the neutrality of the soil, but a large amount of buttercup or plantain indicates an acidic soil. It is worth considering that only black soil can nourish potatoes required quantity nutritional elements.

Soil preparation

Soil preparation is an important stage that should not be ignored. At the end of October the fields are plowed. It is introduced into the soil organic fertilizer type:

• manure;
• bird droppings;
• humus;
• ash;
• compost.

During the spring months, the gardener should till the soil shallowly using a cultivator. They are brought into the ground mineral fertilizers two ways:

• continuous method;
• in rows (directly into the hole/ridge).

Preparation of planting material

To plant vegetables, root crops should be used good quality. It is also important to pay attention to the variety and yield level.

Root vegetables should be prepared in two stages:

1. IN autumn period. Small and damaged potatoes should be discarded at this stage. On days 14-21, selected planting material is taken out into the air to dry. However, you should avoid exposing the tubers to direct sunlight.
2. During the spring months. A couple of weeks before planting root crops, tubers are checked for diseases and pests. Planting material is carried out in the spring for 5-7 days in cool and wet room, the door from which is better to open.

Note! Before you start germinating potatoes, each tuber must be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate, which helps to increase resistance to diseases and accelerate plant growth.

Immediately before the day of planting the tubers, the planting material must be treated with one of the complex preparations:

• Prestige;
• Celeste Top;
• Maksim.

Methods of planting under a shovel

How to plant potatoes under a shovel? Planting work can be carried out during the period when the threat of night frosts has passed.

As a rule, it is ideal to plant potatoes around the 20th of April. It is worth considering that planting tubers too late will negatively affect crop yields, but soil that is not sufficiently heated will completely destroy the planted root crops.

The area chosen for planting is dug up with a sharp shovel. In order for the beds to be level, it is recommended to drive pegs into the ground and pull the rope.

For reference! Each dug hole should be buried 10-12 cm.

Among the main methods of forming beds, it is worth highlighting:

• Honeycombs in which the holes in open ground should be staggered. Each subsequent row should move one bush to the side.
• Squares. The landing zone is divided into cells. A hole is dug inside each cell.
• A two-line scheme in which the planting area is divided into long beds. The holes must be staggered. Double rows should have a common ditch into which fertilizer and water can be applied. The width of the passage reaches 90-100 cm. It is quite easy to maintain order in the beds located in this way.

Note! The shovel for planting potatoes must be sharp.

How to care after planting

After planting, the area is systematically watered abundantly. Weeds are promptly removed, and the soil is loosened to eliminate excess moisture and preventing tuber rotting. Weeds contribute to thickening of the soil, which causes various diseases.

Note! During periods of prolonged rains, it is better to avoid moistening the soil. As practice can show, waterlogging often causes tubers to rot.

Hilling and fertilizing are carried out every 4 weeks. With the onset of flowering, the bushes need more frequent application of fertilizers. Before you start applying the drug to the soil, you should water it abundantly, which will avoid burns of the root system by chemical agents.

Harvesting

Picture 5 High-yielding method of planting

Harvesting activities are carried out in dry weather. 10 days before digging up potatoes, the tops are cut off, which allows the roots to accelerate ripening and the skin to become stronger.

Using a sharp shovel, holes are dug and the soil is turned over. The tubers are collected in buckets. The harvest dug up in this way can be stored for about 30 weeks.

By controlling the process of crop rotation and observing agricultural techniques for growing crops, you can grow healthy vegetable bushes, which will subsequently delight the owner of the plot with a hefty harvest.

Potatoes can be planted under straw, in the ground under a shovel, under film, in bags and in other ways. Traditional and most simple method is planting in holes made with a shovel. Before planting potatoes under a shovel, you need to properly prepare the soil and planting material.

Preparation of planting material

Recommendations on how to plant potatoes correctly are not limited directly to the principles of planting. The preparation of tubers and soil is carried out long before the start of the season: the first stage of work occurs in the fall, and the second in the spring, several weeks before planting.

How to prepare tubers for planting:

1. Blank planting material starts in autumn. Potatoes need to be carefully sorted, discarding spoiled, damaged and too small tubers. To increase germination seed material, it is necessary to keep it in the light for 2-3 weeks. Green quality tubers can be stored in a dark, dry and cool place.
2. In early spring, prepared potatoes should be inspected, rotten and spoiled tubers should be removed again. The mesh with the remaining material should be immersed in a weak solution for 15-20 minutes. boric acid or potassium permanganate.
3. Prepared potatoes must be laid out in 1 row in a bright, humid and well-ventilated room. The air temperature must be at least 10°C. When indoor humidity is low, planting tubers should be regularly sprayed with water. Planting begins in mid-spring, so you need to lay out material for germination no later than the end of March. The germination period is 20-40 days. In chaff, sawdust, warm peat or humus, potatoes germinate twice as fast - within 15-20 days.
4. If there is not enough space for placement, you can germinate the tubers in bags, after moistening the tubers with water. Holes must be cut in the bags. When germinating in bags, you need to more carefully monitor the condition of the planting material: immediately after the sprouts appear, it must be taken to a cool place.
5. After the sprouts appear, the potatoes are ready for planting. The sprouts should be small, because large and long ones are easily damaged during planting. Sprouted tubers can be stored on the balcony or in a cool, dry place for 1-2 weeks. 2-3 days before planting, you can treat the tubers with biostimulants (Albit, Mikon, Poteytin, etc.). Treatment with stimulants can be carried out before germination. To protect plantings from scab, gardeners treat tubers with a solution of ferric chloride
6. To increase starchiness, potatoes should be dusted with ash at the rate of 10-20 g of ash per 1 kg of root vegetables.

Large tubers are cut into pieces: this allows you to increase the number of seedlings. There should be sprouts on every piece of potato. The cut should be dried for 1-2 days.

Soil preparation

Well-lit areas with low level groundwater (at least 5-6 m from the surface). It is advisable to plant potatoes where sunflowers, beets, cucumbers, corn or pumpkins grow. After planting potatoes, it is recommended to take a break of several years.

Root crops grow well in soil with a pH of 5.5-7.0. A sign of suitable acidity is a large amount of dandelions, clover and wheatgrass.

Before planting, the land should be prepared

1. In the fall, the area needs to be dug up and fertilizers (manure, superphosphate, potassium sulfate) applied. Instead, you can plant green manure plants (rye, phacelia, mustard) on the site. At low pH, you need to deoxidize the soil with ash, dolomite flour, lime or other reagent. You can also apply fertilizers in the spring: superphosphate, compost, humus, etc. are used for this.
2. Spring cultivation depends on the method of preparing the land in the fall. When using green manure, 2 weeks before planting, you need to mow the plants on the site and dig up the soil to a depth of 10-15 cm, introducing stems rich in microelements. With another method autumn preparation you can loosen the soil with a pitchfork to a depth of 10-15 cm. Wet or clay soil loosen. Then they dig up and level before planting.

After preparation using a walk-behind tractor or tractor, the soil should stand for at least 2-3 days.

Scheme of planting potatoes under a shovel

The basic principles of planting that planters argue about are what depth to place the tubers, how to arrange the beds and how to distribute the seed.

With a continuous planting method, there is a high risk of tops closing, which complicates care and harvesting. It is advisable to plant potatoes in ridges or beds.

Depending on the size of the plot, preferences and other factors, you can choose one of the following planting schemes:

• two-row according to Mittlider (the distance between pairs of rows is 1 m, between rows in a pair is 30-50 cm, the gap in a pair is used as a watering ditch);
• checkerboard pattern (tubers in the rows are offset relative to each other, the distance between the rows is 50-60 cm);
• square-cluster scheme (the plot is divided into squares, in the center of which 1-2 tubers are planted, the distance between the rows and bushes is 60-70 cm).

The landing is carried out as follows:

1. Make holes 10 cm deep.
2. Pour a handful of humus, compost or other fertilizer into the hole, carefully lay out the tuber, and fill the hole.
3. Form a bed. After planting, level the ground with a rake.

Caring for potato seedlings

1-1.5 weeks after planting, you need to weed the area to remove weeds. Before the bushes appear, you need to regularly loosen the soil to provide the roots with oxygen and water.

When the potato tops grow to 20 cm, you can begin hilling - raking soil from the rows under the bushes. This procedure is performed with a hoe or flat cutter once every 2 weeks. When the bushes grow, hilling can be stopped.

A month after planting, the potatoes are fed with fertilizers. The second and third times, fertilizing is carried out after flowering and after flowering of the plants. The seedlings should be moistened before fertilizing. Watering is done 1-2 times a week.

2 weeks before harvesting, stop watering and cut off the tops.

After a week, water your plantation and remove weeds. Regular loosening removes excess moisture and prevents the tubers from rotting. Weeds thicken the soil, making it airtight, which becomes an excellent breeding ground for infectious diseases. If the weather is rainy, then additional watering is unnecessary. Remember: do not overwater the potatoes, but hydrate as needed.

Two weeks before harvest, gardeners cut off all the tops. Now the plant stops wasting energy on growing greens and accelerates the ripening of root crops and thickens the peel. Such potatoes are perfectly stored for 8 months and are not affected by rot and infections.

Now you know how to properly plant potatoes using the proven method under a shovel. By following our recommendations, you will receive excellent harvest at minimum investment strength and means.

You can plant potatoes under a shovel in continuous planting, in ridges or on beds. With continuous planting, subsequent plant care can be difficult due to the closing of the tops in the last stages of the growing season.

This most common planting method is not suitable if the soil on the site is heavy. It is better to give preference to planting potatoes in ridges.

In lowlands or areas with high groundwater levels, potatoes are planted in ridges that are approximately 15 centimeters high. With a standard planting under a shovel, a distance of 50 centimeters is left between the ridges.

At least 2 people take part in planting potatoes under a shovel. One of them digs holes, and the other puts potatoes in them. Tubers are placed with their sprouts up or lying down, and when cut, they are placed cut side down on the ground.

When adding fertilizer to the holes, be sure to mix it with the soil. The soil dug for the holes of the next row covers the holes of the previous one. A third participant can use a rake to level the ground after planting.

To obtain even rows, you need to pull a rope between pegs driven into the ground.

You can form beds using various methods:

1. Chess. The potato holes are arranged in the form of a honeycomb. Each subsequent row for this purpose begins with a shift between plants by half a distance.
2. Two-line (according to Mittlider). The two rows are located very close to each other. The distance between the holes in a row is approximately 30 centimeters. Between every two lines a gap of up to 1 meter wide is made for passage. The space inside between the lines is used as a groove for applying fertilizers and watering. In two joint lines, the holes are placed in a checkerboard pattern or shifted by half a distance.
3. Square-nested. The entire area is sort of divided into squares, each of which contains a hole for a potato bush. There should be a distance of 50-70 centimeters between the nests.

It is best to place the beds from south to north: this way the illumination of the plants will be maximum. A hole is dug 10-15 centimeters deep. First, a handful of humus is poured into it, and then a potato tuber with sprouts is placed, which you must try not to damage when planting.

You can throw a bush bean seed into each hole along with the potatoes. This way you will not only be able to get a double harvest, but also enrich the soil with nitrogen.

Regardless of the planting method, potatoes require standard care.

A week after planting, it is necessary to water the potato plantation and remove weeds. Regular loosening removes excess moisture from the soil and prevents the tubers from rotting. Weeds make the soil impervious: this is an excellent environment for the emergence of infectious diseases. After the tops reach a height of 18-20 centimeters, hilling is carried out.

About a month after planting, the potatoes need to be fed for the first time. Eco-friendly clean products promotes the use of natural fertilizers.

It is recommended to use wood ash and humus for fertilizing. Potatoes respond well to bird droppings, the application rate of which is 200 grams per 1 square meter. It is important to take into account that with excessive addition of organic matter to the detriment of the quality of tubers, potato tops may grow excessively.

Mineral fertilizers can also be used to feed potatoes. On average, 1 square meter requires 20 grams of superphosphate, 10 grams of urea and 10 grams of potassium chloride or sulfate, which are recommended to be dissolved in water for irrigation.

If irrigation is organized along a furrow, dry fertilizers can be scattered between rows in a separate furrow made at a distance of at least 12 centimeters from the row. If the tops of the potatoes have grown very quickly or they are too lush, it means that there is already an excess of nitrogen, urea and ammonium nitrate should not be entered.

After the plantation blooms, the tubers are fertilized a second time, doubling the dose. The potatoes must be watered before adding the substances so that chemicals did not burn the root system. The third time it is fed after flowering.

In addition to the main fertilizing, it is advisable to carry out additional feedings at least a couple of times. foliar feeding: spray the tops with a 2% solution of a mixture of potassium fertilizer, superphosphate and Bordeaux mixture. In addition to feeding potatoes, they will provide them with protection from pests and diseases.

2 weeks before harvesting, all tops must be cut off. Without wasting energy on growing greens, potatoes thicken their skins and speed up the development of root crops. For 8 months, such potatoes will be perfectly stored without being affected by rot and infections.

The tubers will have enough moisture in the soil before they emerge. With the emergence of seedlings, potatoes need watering. It should be remembered that it cannot be filled, but only moistened as necessary.

During the entire growing season, 3 main waterings of potatoes are carried out: after the appearance of the first shoots, during budding and after flowering. Additionally, it is recommended to water it once a week, and in dry summers - 2 times a week. Stop watering 2 weeks before harvest. In rainy weather, additional watering will be unnecessary.

Today, planting potatoes in the garden is facilitated by the use of equipment both for planting and for cultivating the plot.

What to do if the area is small and the use of technology on it is impractical, or there is no approach for it - we will figure it out in this article.

Among the many options for planting potatoes, the most popular is planting under a shovel. This method can be called classic. It is applied on small areas with predominantly loose soil. On clayey areas This scheme for planting potatoes is impractical due to the complexity of further processing of seedlings. Let's talk in more detail about how to plant potatoes under a shovel.

It is necessary to start planting potatoes when the night air temperature reaches 10 degrees. There is no point in planting earlier - the first shoots will appear after the soil has warmed up well.

There are two ways to plant potatoes under a shovel:

1. Linear landing - the holes are located on the same line;
2. Staggered landing.

The distance between the holes must be at least 30 cm. When planting linearly, it is necessary to maintain an interval between rows of 60 cm. The soil between the rows will be required for hilling potato seedlings. U late ripening varieties Potato tops are thicker, so the distance between rows must be at least 70 cm.

The hole in which the seed potatoes are placed should not be too deep. In the lower layers of the soil the ground is much colder; therefore, deep planting increases the time of emergence of seedlings. The optimal depth is 10 cm.

If you decide to plant potatoes at a later period, when the weather is warm and dry enough, reduce the depth of the hole to 4 cm. The same depth is necessary when planting tubers in clay soil. Its dense structure does not allow heat and moisture to pass through well and increases the time for the first shoots to appear.

After we have decided on the planting pattern and distance, we proceed directly to the planting work. We dig a hole and place the potatoes in it so that the sprout faces up. We cover it with earth. We plant the rest of the potato tubers in the same way.

If you use a linear fit, then to facilitate the work process, you can use a board. To do this, measure the width of the bed and select a board of the appropriate length plus 10 cm. The width of the board can be arbitrary, but you must take into account: a board that is too narrow can break from the weight of your weight, and a board that is too wide is inconvenient to work with.

Using a board for linear planting of potatoes has its advantages. The ground is not trampled down during work; the holes are located on the same line. As a result, you will get even potato rows.

After the potatoes are planted, it is necessary to level the surface of the ridge. This is done using a rake. This will give your garden a more well-groomed appearance and prevent excessive evaporation of moisture from the soil.

After the first shoots appear, it is necessary to follow them proper care. In addition to watering and systematic weeding, it includes hilling.

Hilling of potatoes is carried out once every two weeks. Using a hoe or a large flat cutter, the soil from the rows is raked up to the potato tops, forming piles around it. Hilling has a beneficial effect on the formation of potato tubers and also protects seedlings from late frosts.

Among the many options for planting potatoes, the most popular is planting under a shovel. This method can be called classic. It is used in small areas with predominantly loose soil. In clay areas, such a potato planting scheme is impractical due to the complexity of further processing of seedlings. Let's talk in more detail about how to plant potatoes under a shovel.

Preparation of planting material

Potato tubers are prepared for planting in the fall. At the same time, rotten and damaged root crops are excluded. At this stage you should remember: strong, healthy potatoes will bring big harvest. In turn, rotten tubers can contaminate the soil and cause rotting of root crops in neighboring holes.

To increase the resistance of tubers to diseases in the fall, they are kept under sun rays. At the same time, the tubers acquire green tint and are no longer suitable for consumption. Planting potatoes put away in a dark, cool place until spring.

In spring, potatoes are taken out and transferred to bright room for germination. Immediately before planting, all tubers are inspected for rot. Sick root crops are disposed of.

Potatoes are considered ready for planting when sprouts are present. They should be strong, but not long. Otherwise, the sprouts may be damaged during planting.

Potatoes for planting should be medium in size. Large tubers can be cut in half. In this case, there should be a sprout on each half of the potato. The sections must be well dried to avoid rotting of the planting material. After this, the sections are processed wood ash. This method allows you to reduce potato consumption and is quite popular among experienced farmers.

Soil preparation

In autumn, potato beds are plowed and humus is added. In the spring, before planting potatoes, the soil is plowed again, disinfected and fertilized. Ash, compost, urea or saltpeter are used as fertilizer. Fertilizing the soil allows you to increase productivity.

If the soil on your site is clayey, but you plan to plant potatoes under a shovel, take care of high-quality and abundant fertilizing of the soil. Fertilizer application not only increases productivity, but also directly affects quality characteristics soil, making it lighter and looser.

Potatoes have good germination and yield rates if they are planted in beds previously sown with sunflowers, beets or pumpkins. Also you can plant potatoes after cucumbers and corn. The area chosen for planting potatoes should be well lit and accessible for watering.

Scheme of planting potatoes under a shovel

It is necessary to start planting potatoes when The night temperature will be around 10 degrees. There is no point in planting earlier - the first shoots will appear after the soil has warmed up well.

There are two ways to plant potatoes under a shovel:

1. Linear landing - the holes are located on the same line;
2. Staggered landing.

The distance between the holes must be at least 30 cm. When planting linearly, it is necessary to maintain an interval between rows of 60 cm. The soil between the rows will be required for hilling potato seedlings. Late-ripening potato varieties have thicker tops, so the distance between rows must be at least 70 cm.

The hole in which the seed potatoes are placed should not be too deep. In the lower layers of the soil the ground is much colder; therefore, deep planting increases the time of emergence of seedlings. The optimal depth is 10 cm.

If you decide to plant potatoes at a later period, when the weather is quite warm and dry, reduce the depth of the hole to 4 cm. The same depth is necessary when planting tubers in clay soil. Its dense structure does not allow heat and moisture to pass through well and increases the time for the first shoots to appear.

After we have decided on the planting pattern and distance, we proceed directly to the planting work. We dig a hole and place the potatoes in it like this: so that the sprout looks up. We cover it with earth. We plant the rest of the potato tubers in the same way.

If you use a linear fit, then to facilitate the work process, you can use a board. To do this, measure the width of the bed and select a board of the appropriate length plus 10 cm. The width of the board can be arbitrary, but you must take into account: a board that is too narrow can break from the weight of your weight, and a board that is too wide is inconvenient to work with. We place a suitable board on the ridge similar to the line where the holes are located. Standing on the board, start digging holes. After digging one row of holes and placing potatoes in them, move the board to a distance equal to the row spacing and fill the holes with soil. Make the next row and repeat.

Using a board for linear planting of potatoes has its advantages. The ground is not trampled down during work; the holes are located on the same line. As a result, you will get even potato rows.

After the potatoes are planted, it is necessary to level the surface of the ridge. This is done using a rake. This will give your garden a more well-groomed appearance and prevent excessive evaporation of moisture from the soil.

Caring for potato seedlings

After the first shoots appear, it is necessary to take proper care of them. In addition to watering and systematic weeding, it includes hilling.

Hilling of potatoes is carried out once every two weeks. Using a hoe or a large flat cutter, the soil from the rows is raked up to the potato tops, forming piles around it. Hilling has a beneficial effect on the formation of potato tubers and also protects seedlings from late frosts.

After the potato tops grow and become strong enough, hilling can be omitted and limited to watering. Watering should be done once or twice a week. Two weeks before harvesting, watering should be stopped. If you plant potatoes according to the rules, following the advice of experienced farmers, the harvest will delight you with abundance and large, healthy root crops.