Potatoes are our second bread, so every gardener, even on a small plot, tries to grow it. To do this, go all the materials at hand: straw, bags and even barrels. Consider growing potatoes in a barrel and from seed.
Table of contents
- Pluses planting potatoes in a barrel
- Potatoes in a barrel: the process of growing
- Alternative growing methods
- Seed Potatoes
- Features of growing from seeds at home
- The difference of growing from seed and from seed to seedlings
- What is the elite and super elite potatoes
- The difficulty of growing potatoes from seed
- Features care seed potatoes
Pluses planting potatoes in a barrel
This method growing potatoes quite simple and therefore arouses a lot of interest.
- this method of planting requires less physical strength during care: the need for loosening, weeding and hilling disappears.
- Yields increase.
- Water is significantly saved, because moisture penetrates straight to the roots.
Potatoes in a barrel: the process of growing
To plant potatoes, we need a barrel, the volume of not less than seven liters, but not more than 100 liters. The bottom of the barrel is desirable to remove or drill more holes.
In the walls of it we drill holes in 2 cm and at a distance of 20 cm from each other, not reaching the top of the barrel 20 cm (for the convenience of watering and sprinkling the soil, as it will settle).
We put the barrel where you like, in the light but not in the sun. As a drainage, it is possible to use small branches (pruning from the garden), leaves (but not tops), rotten boards and compost.
- There is a filling of the first layer of the earth (10 cm). It requires the addition of rotted manure (1: 1) and ash;
- A layer of straw or grass is being laid, so it is possible to avoid soil compaction and fill it with additional nutrients;
- Done again filling of a thin layer of earth;
- If the barrel is high, then it is necessary to place a tube with holes in it, but it must be with a plugged end in order to supply watering and power.
Expected yield
With the observance of the cultivation technology in a barrel, the harvest can be very good, it all depends on the size of the barrel and the quality of the planting material.
Advantages and disadvantages of the method
pros:
- reduction of the area for digging, hilling, weeding leads to a decrease in the effect of pests on plants
Minuses:
- you need to constantly monitor the soil moisture in the barrel,
- keep the green mass from appearing until the barrel is filled with soil
Alternative growing methods
There is several methods:
- growing in bags
- in the straw
- in a barrel
- in the greenhouse
- on dutch technology
Growing potatoes in bags is similar to growing in barrels, but you need to make more holes in the bottom of the bag and side.
Growing in straw
Grow potatoes in the straw is easyyou don’t need to dig the soil, it is loosened, watered and laid healthy tubers right on the ground, you can in the pits or grooves, fall asleep with a thick (15cm) layer of straw.
After the emergence of sprouts, again sprinkled with a layer of straw at 10 cm, and so several times with the appearance of sprouts, only a layer of straw is not higher than 40 cm.
Further care is not required. Crop harvested raising straw.
In the greenhouse
There are several advantages to this method of growing potatoes:
⦁ You will get an early and greater yield than when grown in open ground.
⦁ crops will be less to be invaded by various insects.
⦁ you will receive an environmentally friendly product.
In the spring you need to select the tubers and germinate them in a warm and lighted place. It is best to take the early varieties. As soon as sprouts appear, they should be planted at a distance of 30 cm. After a week, the earth should be filled up again with a small layer of organic matter and earth.
Planted tubers do not need to be watered for three weeks, covering the planting film. As soon as shoots appeared, it should be removed.
Lack of greenhouses - air and soil dry up in the heat. Therefore, it is required to carry out moistening of the entire greenhouse surface. Vaporizing water will cool the air and nourish the plants with moisture. Often it is necessary to ventilate and process pests.
According to the Dutch technology
A feature of this technique is the aeration of the earth. In order for the soil to breathe, the Dutch make it loosening, leave a considerable distance between the rows, and try to plant the potatoes themselves in the ridges.
Strict growing technology:
- only varietal material
- soil fertilizer
- tillage in autumn and spring
- application chemical fertilizers and herbicides
- germination
- spring dressing with urea
- ridges should be strictly located from north to south, at a distance of 75cm
- depth of seal 6cm
- in the wells need fall asleep, then sprinkle it with a small layer of soil
- Slicing potatoes in the wells so that the sprout was at the top
- formation of ridges up to 10 cm
Should be watered 3 times per season:
- before flowering begins
- during flowering
- 10 days after completion of flowering
Seed Potatoes
How to prepare seeds for planting
Before sowing, seeds should be soaked in water, with potassium permanganate. So that they sprout faster, they are heated in a humid environment, at a temperature of 42 ° C - 10 min, or at a temperature of 35-37 ° C - 6h. And also hardened on the bottom shelf of the fridge.
Growing from seed: a step by step process
Gardeners often turn to seeds, which will cost less to buy elite tubers. It is possible to store seeds anywhere, their shelf life is about 10 years.
Purchase of seeds
Seed collection
When the potatoes ripen and berries are formed on the bush, the fruits need to collect and decompose into ripening. Ripe berries become soft. They are crushed, left for a couple of days, then washed on a sieve and dried. Keep the seeds in a dry place.
Seedless way
Berassadnaya method used mainly in the South. The soil is well loosened. Rows are prepared at a distance of 70cm, well watered. Depth of seeding is 0.5 cm-1 cm.
When 2 true leaves appear and close together, the seedlings thin out and leave a distance of 20 cm from each other. When the seeds germinate, they are loosened, watered, fertilized and mulched.
Their very carefully dig upso as not to hurt. Small tubers - sets, left for planting next year.And if you properly care, you can get 250kg - 350kg weave 5 years.
Seedling method
Growing seedlings is the same as in seedlings of tomatoes and peppers, only the seeds of potatoes are smaller and the seedlings are very fragile, so they try not to swoop down the seedlings.
Planting in open ground
In May, the seedlings are planted in open ground, at the age of the month. A week before disembarking, it is necessary to feed nitrogen with nitrogen (20g - 30g of urea, a matchbox without top, for 10 liters of water).
Features of growing from seeds at home
The resulting planting material is usually healthy, but young seedlings may be subject to disease and be damaged by pests. For this reason, it is required to protect the potatoes.
Diseases Dangerous to Seedlings
Of the diseases often affect fusarium, phytophthora, scab, cancer, root and tuber rot and etc.
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- Fusarium
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- Late blight
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- Scab
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- Root rot sample
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- Tuberous rot
Pests Dangerous to Seedlings
Of the pests are especially dangerous Colorado potato beetle, Medvedka, fluorimea and others. Aphid, in addition to damaging the tops of potatoes, is also considered to be a carrier of viruses for which no cure has been found.
- biological preparations for diseases: trichodermin, phytosporin, rhizoplan. Last it is possible to carry out processing of a plant for a couple of days before harvesting.
- biological products for pest excretion: bicolance, fitoverm, agravertine and others.
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- Colorado beetle
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- Medvedka
Cleaning
After the tops have dried, proceed to harvesting sevka. Potato sevok small, for this reason it is necessary to carefully dig it. Even 10g of material can provide an excellent harvest in the coming year.
Dug tubers we dry in the consecrated place (barn, garage, carport, etc. utility rooms) for five days, sorted by fractions, placed in paper bags and bookmarked for storage in the basement.
So laborious and troublesome, but also pleasant, if everything is done correctly and on time, is the work of a home breeder,the result of which will be good potato yields for the next 6-7 years.
The difference of growing from seed and from seed to seedlings
The difference is in the following points.
Weather
When grown in seeds in seeds, there is a danger that the seeds due to cold or hot weather, heavy rainfall or drought just will not rise, or will rise very rarely.
Pests
Saplings need constant control from pests.
Diseases
Again constant controlBut not from pests, but from diseases that lie at every step, it is also Fusarium, blight, scab, rot, viral diseases, etc. It is necessary to properly select and use drugs.
- proper use of fertilizers and dressings to not harm
- proper care and watering
- harvest correctly, dig so as not to damage the nodule
Landing
Virtually everything listed in planting seeds in the ground also applies to planting seeds by seedling.The only difference in planting seeds is not in the ground, but in boxes that are more protected from weather conditions, because are indoors, or in a greenhouse, but not outdoors.
What is the elite and super elite potatoes
What is the elite tuber? Large seed firms have their own laboratories, where specialists cultivate micro tubery that are free from any diseases.
For 5 years carried the passage grade five stages of formation. From the elite, you can get a harvest several times larger than the usual varietal.
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- Elite Potatoes
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- Varietal Potatoes
The difficulty of growing potatoes from seed
It is worth listing the main difficulties and features in growing potatoes from seeds:
- seed germination. Seeds up to 2 years old are more likely to germinate.
- poor root formation
- without constant use of biological products, shoots may die
- seedlings are small and fragile, their transplanting should be done very carefully.
Features care seed potatoes
Selected rinse seed potatoesto remove pests. After several washes, dry the tubers in a dark place and leave for 2 weeks, preventing germination.
Storage temperature, humidity are considered an important factor when storing seed potatoes. The temperature in the basement should be within 2-4 C until February. And from the end of the month, the temperature is increased to 12-15 ° C, humidity 70-80%
Temperature change shortens the rest period, and tubers are able to germinate faster.
Potatoes are stored in separate boxes or boxes. Compliance with the storage conditions of seed material contributes to high yields!
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- Solanine is dangerous to human health
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- Crop storage is allowed in separate containers.
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- Growing different varieties will show clearly which one suits you best.
Cultivation of potatoes by seeds provides an opportunity to make their own selection and select the potatoes with the highest yields, resistance to diseases and pests.