Seedling potato planting method
Young potatoes are an essential part of the spring diet. Its excellent taste allows the product to be consumed after minimal heat treatment. However, before planting potatoes with seedlings, you should choose the right seed and potting soil.
Seedling potato planting method
The beneficial properties of these potatoes make them the market leader. But growing a crop requires specific conditions.
Characteristics of the seedling method
Dignity
Planting potatoes using seedlings has a number of undeniable advantages. These include:
- increase in yield by 40%;
- early ripening of fruits;
- strength and good taste of potatoes.
The seedling method can be used not only for an early harvest. Some farmers prefer to plant potatoes with sprouted tubers throughout the season.
disadvantages
Despite its positive qualities, the method has a number of disadvantages. Among them are:
- it is not recommended to grow late varieties with the help of shoots;
- improper germination can lead to a small crop, which becomes known only during harvest;
- strict adherence to terms and conditions.
Species such as Scala and Latona are best suited for the seedling method. These varieties are early maturing.
It should also be remembered that temperatures can be unstable in spring. The slightest cold snap will lead to the death of the crop, therefore, it is recommended to plant shoots in open soil at an average daily temperature of at least 15 ° C.
Preparatory process
Before you start growing seedlings, you need to carry out a number of preparatory work. They are aimed at choosing the optimal conditions for the growth of potatoes.
Strong seedlings
The whole process of growing seedlings takes an average of two months. Of these, three weeks will be required for germination and gardening of fruits. Seedlings can be planted after 24 days of growth in a box if the spring is warm.
Germination of seed material
Before planting, the tubers must be carefully checked for disease and damage. Fruits should not weigh less than 75 g. Small tubers are suitable for late harvest. It is recommended to take imported varieties from the southern regions, since their degeneration slows down in cold climates.
Rinse the potatoes under running water. After that, the choice of fruits is soaked:
- in Fundazole solution for 15 minutes;
- in a solution of copper sulfate at proportions of 35 g per 10 liters;
- in Bordeaux 1% mixture.
If the solution contains copper, then the tubers should be left in it for 40 minutes. After soaking, the potatoes must be washed.
Next, the fruits are planted for two weeks, keeping them in a cool place in the light. It is important that the temperature does not exceed 15 ° C, otherwise the tubers may dry out. Then for a week and a half, the seed should be kept in a dark place at 20 ° C. The sprouts should be moistened with water two to three times a day so that the shoots do not dry out.First of all, the eyes germinate, and then the lower buds of the tuber. To speed up the germination process, you can make longitudinal notches in the fruits with a knife. It is recommended to treat the incisions with succinic acid. For this, a solution is prepared in the proportions of 2 tablets per 2 liters of water.
Many budding farmers immediately plant the fruit in boxes of peat soil. This method reduces the waste of time and can also yield a good harvest.
However, gardening gives fruits immunity to many diseases. Such potatoes are less affected by pests. In addition, with the help of landscaping, viral seed can be collected. These tubers produce minimal yields and infest the surrounding seedlings. They can be distinguished by their threadlike shoots.
Selection of soil and capacity
The soil for home germination should be as rich in nutrients as possible.
It is best to purchase soil from specialized stores. If this is not possible, then you can mix loamy soil with ash and peat. The soil must be loose.
Suitable containers are wooden boxes and peat pots. If you plan to plant potatoes in early spring, you can purchase small pots. In a cold spring, it is better to buy containers of 7x7 cm. In them, seed material grows for a long time without damage to the root system.
Planting
We plant it correctly
Planting potatoes using seedlings is conventionally divided into two stages. First you need to germinate potatoes at home.
After the shoots are planted directly into the ground. The amount of the harvest directly depends on the observance of the conditions of maintenance and the rules of agricultural technology.
Planting in a pot
When planting potatoes in a container, make sure that the sprouts come out to the surface of the soil by a third. Seedlings pressed against the ground develop slowly. If the shoots are overgrown, it means that they have been kept warm for too long.
This does not affect the amount of the crop. However, such seedlings are more difficult to transplant into the soil, since the risk of breaking off long shoots increases.
The soil must be well watered with settled water. After a week, the seedlings should be fed with ammophos in a proportion of 40 g per 10 l of water. After planting, the pots are placed on a windowsill or loggia. Make sure the sprouts have enough sunlight and warmth. The minimum temperature for germination is 20 ° C.
Bedding
Planting in the soil is carried out after the temperature has stabilized. Seedlings should not be planted until the threat of frost has passed. The planting pattern may vary depending on the site and the capacity of the seedlings.
It is recommended to plant large bushes 40 cm apart. Small plants can be placed 25 cm apart. The row spacing is usually 70 cm.
Before planting, the soil must be enriched. For this, nitrofomosk and 200 g of ash are introduced into the wells. The fertilizer should be covered with soil 10 cm so as not to burn the root system.
Potatoes must be buried. The top of the stem with two leaves should be visible on the surface of the soil. Seedlings that have outgrown should be planted obliquely in a row. When harvested, these potatoes will grow more densely, so there is an increased risk of chopping the fruit when digging up.
A week after planting, the potatoes should be watered with warm water. Better to do this in the evening.
Conclusion
Many farmers prefer to plant home potatoes with seedlings, as this allows you to get a harvest within a couple of months after planting. In addition, this method significantly increases the amount of potatoes when harvested.
Those who have used this method of growing argue that seedling potatoes are less affected by pests and diseases. The time spent on the germination of seed compensates for the beneficial qualities and strength of the fruit.