What soil will potatoes grow best in? Preparing the soil for planting potatoes What soil is suitable for potatoes.

Planted 5 buckets of potatoes and harvested 3? Sometimes it happens. The fact is that when growing potatoes, you need to follow some rules so that the yield is high and there is something to store for the winter.

High potato yield is the result of proper soil preparation

Potatoes are the most popular crop and are grown in large quantities. Therefore it is worth knowing:

how to prepare the soil for planting potatoes in the fall;
what fertilizers to apply in the spring;
how to deal with pests.

Now, in order, about all the tricks of planting potatoes.

Choosing a landing site

In order for the tubers to germinate well and not rot, you need to choose the right place. Potatoes do not tolerate excess humidity and stagnation of water. If the site is located on a hill, this is good. If in a lowland where water stands for a long time in the spring, then you need to think about how to drain it. It can be drainage grooves, imported soil to level the area.

Potatoes should grow in the open sunny place, where it is not covered by the shadow of trees, so you need to differentiate between the garden and the vegetable garden

Ideal land for potatoes - loose. These are soils mixed with sand. This is both a plus and a minus, since sandy and sandy loam soils do not hold well nutrients, especially potassium, which the culture needs in large quantities.

The soil for potatoes should be prepared in the fall for several reasons:

time must pass for the soil to rest and the applied fertilizers to pass into an accessible form;
During the winter, harmful microflora can be destroyed with the help of chemicals introduced in the fall;
If you use fresh manure as a top dressing, it will rot over the winter and the nutrients will be available to the plants.

The highest yields can be obtained by developing the site for the first time. The nutrient content in the soil is high and the plants feel good. It is also important that there are no microorganisms in the soil that attack the tubers. The longer a plant remains in one place, the greater the risk of soil contamination by fungal diseases.

When developing a new area for planting, the yields will be high at first

It is not advisable to plant potatoes after:

tomatoes;
bell pepper.

These species share common pests, so the situation will only get worse. You will have to make every effort to cure the soil of pathogens.

Potatoes grow well after:

beans and other legumes;
cabbage;
cucumbers

If you have time and desire, after harvesting you can sow the area with green manure. But not just any kind, but those that not only accumulate nutrients in the soil, but also disinfect it:

white mustard;
rape;
oilseed radish;
rapeseed.

Green manure destroys fungal flora and insect larvae, loosens the soil, and enriches it with useful microelements.

Fertilizers for potatoes - which is better

Timely fertilizing helps to increase the yield three times. During the growing season, tubers tolerate huge amounts of nitrogen, potassium and phosphate fertilizers. Preparing the soil for potatoes begins with the autumn application of potassium-phosphorus mixtures.

Nitrogen may not be used in the fall, since it is a very mobile fertilizer and is quickly washed into the lower layers of the soil. Phosphorus and potassium, on the contrary, remain in the soil for a long time because they do not have mobility. By spring they turn into an easily accessible form.

Video: Expert about autumn tillage

Potassium and phosphorus are available in the form of mineral and organic fertilizers. Which one to choose is a personal matter for each gardener. You can make complex mixtures that contain both mineral and organic additives.

To plant potatoes you can use:

potassium sulfate calculated 2 kg per hundred square meters of land;
superphosphate – double or regular – 1 kg per hundred ;
stove ash obtained by burning wood or branches;
compost based on mullein or chicken manure;
In spring, complex mineral mixtures containing nitrogen are used.

With prolonged use of mineral fertilizers, the acidity of the soil increases. To avoid this, you should alternate mineral supplements And organic fertilizers

If the soil is acidic

What kind of soil is needed for potatoes? Not too acidic and not too alkaline, that is in the pH range from 5 to 6. You can determine acidity using simple ancient methods:

According to availability weeds. If dandelion, coltsfoot, grows on the plot, then you can plant potatoes - the harvest will be good.
Brew the bird cherry leaves. Throw a lump of earth from the intended planting site into the infusion. If the solution turns red, the soil reaction is acidic. If the solution is green - alkaline, blue - the reaction is neutral.

Video: List of fertilizers that need to be applied to the soil in the fall

If there is a need to reduce acidity, then preparing the soil for planting potatoes should begin with the addition of dolomite flour, lime or ash. These substances can be used in compost. The result will be better.

When do potatoes need organic matter?

Organic fertilizers are more beneficial for soil. They improve its composition and increase friability. The soil recovers faster when organic matter is added. The most popular organic fertilizers are:

cattle manure - mullein;
chicken manure, which has the highest nitrogen and potassium content;
green manure plants that are introduced into the soil for digging.

Ash and bone meal are also useful, but they must be added in large quantities, which are not always available. Eg, 5 kg of ash per hectare of land is needed. To to get 5 kg you need to burn 110 kg of rye straw. And this is for one hundred square meters. Considering that rye straw is deficient, it will be difficult to provide sufficient nutrients.

Mullein

Mullein is the most accessible of all organic substances. It can be applied for digging when preparing the soil for potatoes in the fall, so that soil microorganisms process the substance by spring. Another way is to make compost. To do this you need:

organize a place where the compost will ripen - a burst, pit or container;
layer manure, soil, food waste from the kitchen, ash, chalk, weeds;
to speed up ripening, you can add liquid containing beneficial bacteria– Baikal;
wait 8 – 9 months.

Manure can be mixed with compost

The downside of manure is the complete absence of phosphorus, so it is recommended to apply it separately before planting potatoes in the fall.

Fresh manure can burn plant roots. Therefore, either fresh manure is applied in the fall or compost in the spring.

Bird droppings

White mustard

White mustard is planted on the plot after harvesting. The seeds have time to germinate and gain nutrients. The mustard is cut or simply dug up with soil. In addition to mustard, other plants are used - phacelia, vetch. Infusions of green manure are used for foliar spraying against pests.

Mineral fertilizers for potatoes

Mineral mixtures are the most accessible view food that you can buy in the store. The amount of fertilizer must be calculated based on the area of the site and plant species. All information is in the instructions. It is not recommended to exceed the dosage so as not to harm your health.

Superphosphate

Phosphorus is needed when planting potatoes, but it must be applied in the fall. As a last resort - 2 weeks before planting tubers. Typically, summer residents add potassium and phosphorus in the fall, and nitrogen in the spring. This allows you to optimally balance plant nutrition.

Superphosphate is applied in the fall

Potassium

To the question - what kind of soil do potatoes like - we can safely answer: with a high potassium content. It may be noted that potato tubers like peat and sandy soils for their looseness. But at the same time, these soils cannot provide the required amount of potassium.

Therefore, potash fertilizers are applied both in autumn and spring if necessary. If there is a deficiency and the leaves change color, then you need to carry out several foliar sprays of the foliage. Through greens, the plant absorbs nutrition faster.

Nitrogen

In order for the plant to gain good green mass, spring period it is necessary to provide a sufficient amount of nitrogen fertilizers. It can be present in complex mixtures or monofertilizers. Nitrogen can be applied dry or in solution during irrigation. For this add a few granules of dry mixture to each well. How much - read the instructions, since all fertilizers have different concentrations.

Nitrogen is added both in dry form and in solutions

When preparing land for potatoes in the fall, nitrogen fertilizers do not need to be applied, since during the winter they will evaporate or be washed away by rains and melting snow.

conclusions

At autumn preparation soil for planting potatoes, you must first choose the right place, and secondly, provide the plants with the necessary nutrients. And thirdly, to help avoid diseases and damage by pests. These are the main measures that will help increase the yield and maintain the nutritional value of the soil.

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Properly prepared soil is a fundamental success factor when growing any vegetable crop, including potatoes. In order to obtain abundant and sustainable yields of high-quality potato tubers, the entire range of agrotechnical techniques and measures should be used during the cultivation process, which help ensure the most complete satisfaction of the needs of the vegetable crop during the growing season.

Features of soil for potatoes

Potatoes are a very light-loving plant, and the site for them should be sunny and, if possible, protected from drafts. Loose, well-drained and aerated soils are best suited for growing potatoes. fertile soils:

on the territory of Polesie, sod-podzolic and peat soils have such properties;
in areas located in forest-steppes and steppe zones, optimal for vegetable crops are gray forest soils, podzolized chernozems, typical and ordinary.

The most acceptable indicators of soil acidity are pH 5.5-7.5. For such a vegetable crop as potatoes, it is very Negative influence has an alkaline soil reaction. In addition, it is not recommended to plant potatoes in waterlogged and compacted soil, since it is precisely this soil that provokes premature cessation of tuber growth and excessive carbohydrate content of the pulp. Soil looseness indicators improve as a result of the active activity of soil microflora, which must be maintained in optimal condition.

Soil preparation rules

According to the recommendations of experienced potato growers and professional agronomists, it is best to prepare the soil for potatoes in the fall, immediately after harvesting. Besides high-quality processing soil in autumn period, you should pay attention to preparing the soil in the spring in accordance with the requirements of the technology. It is especially important when digging the soil both in autumn and spring to carefully remove all rhizomes of weeds, especially wheatgrass.

How to prepare the soil before planting potatoes (video)

Autumn processing

For vegetable crops of the next year is the most important of all garden work annual cycle. The soil for potatoes is prepared in the fall before frosts.

Currently, gardeners practice two simple ways autumn preparation of a plot for potatoes, which are not inferior to each other in efficiency.

Gentle tillage, deep loosening	Using green manure
Digging up the area using a spade, removing weeds and applying fertilizer. The best fertilizer is rotted manure, which is applied to the soil at the rate of 7 kg with the addition of 35-40 g of superphosphate and 15-17 g of potassium sulfate for each square meter plot	Digging is replaced by planting the area with any green manure crops, which in the spring are mowed and sprinkled with a 10 cm layer of soil, which allows you to significantly enrich the soil with useful elements and nutrients

Spring treatment

In the spring, after the soil has warmed up to +10 ˚C to a depth of half a spade, the main steps are taken to prepare the site for planting potatoes. Here it is also possible to use two methods of soil treatment.

Soil quality improvement technology

For improvement quality composition soils are used the most various methods and substances. Four main soil parameters can be improved: the number of earthworms, pH values, drainage and nutrient content.

Soil quality indicators	Improvement technology
pH level	Improving overly acidic soil with a pH of 4.5-5.5 involves adding calcium carbonate, bone meal or peat ash. Alkaline soil with a pH greater than 7 requires oxidation by adding peat or manure. Neutral soils require standard fertilizing
Drainage and aeration	Heavy soil needs aeration and improved drainage, while light sandy soil needs structural improvement and increased moisture retention. For this purpose, compost, construction sand, perlite, vermiculite and water-retaining polymer crystals are used.
Fertility indicators; earthworms	The application of basic fertilizers helps to increase the nutritional value of the soil, and also makes the soil attractive to earthworms, which eat organic waste and turn them into humus useful for plants.

Fertilizers

The system for improving the soil through the application of fertilizers depends on the condition of the soil on the site. IN mandatory Heavy clay, peat, acidic and sandy soils, as well as solonetzes, require improvement. For heavy clay composition, organic fertilizers based on straw humus, peat, construction sand, composts and turf soil. Good results are achieved by regular application of lightening and loosening components, as well as ash, lime and manure.

sandy ground improve by adding straw humus and peat, and organic fertilizers should be applied more often and mineral fertilizers fast action.

Peat bog land enriched and improved with manure, slurry, compost, sawdust and microbiological preparations. Fertilizers with a high content of phosphorus and potassium available to plants are also applied. To improve the soil structure, sand, compost and clay flour are added.

Sandy loam soils require regular enrichment with peat and compost, and mineral fertilizers are recommended to be applied in small doses, but quite often.

Green manure

Green manures are plants that are grown before planting the main crop and help enrich the soil with useful elements. The use of green manure plants is the best and most in an economical way soil enrichment for personal plot. The most beneficial plant in each specific case should be selected based on the nature of its effect.

green manure plant	Impact on the ground
Legumes	Nitrogen saturation
Cereals + cruciferous vegetables	Nitrogen saturation, prevention of mineralization
Legumes + Cruciferous + Asteraceae	Soil protection from erosion and weeds
Rapeseed and rapeseed	Increasing organic matter
Legumes + mustard	Removal of phosphates not absorbed by plants
Oilseed radish	Preventing mineral loss
Legumes + cruciferous vegetables	Improving structure, loosening
Legumes + Compositae	Increasing nematode resistance

Disinfection

Disinfect the soil under conditions open ground quite difficult for a number of reasons, the main ones being the labor intensity and high cost of such an event. However, there are several methods that allow you to disinfect the land yourself and with minimal costs time and money.

Name	Product type	Usage
Bleaching powder	Chemical	Six months before planting tubers, sprinkle 100–200 g of the drug per square meter
Formalin	Chemical	A month before planting tubers, dissolve 250 ml of a 40% solution of the product in 10 liters of water to treat each square meter of soil
TMTD	Chemical	Immediately before planting the tubers, add 10 liters of solution per square meter
"Iprodion"	Chemical	Add to the holes when planting tubers at the rate of 40-60 g per square meter
"Fitosporin"	Biological	When preparing the soil in spring or autumn, add 6 ml per 10 liters of water per square meter
"Trichodermin"	Biological	Before planting tubers, add 5 g per 5 liters of soil
"Glyokladin"	Biological	Application to a depth of at least 1 cm when planting tubers
"Alirin-B"	Biological
"Gamair"	Biological	Preventive spillage of soil on the site at the rate of 5 liters of solution per square meter

It should be remembered that simultaneous application biological drugs with chemicals when disinfecting a potato area is strictly prohibited.

Potatoes are a demanding crop in terms of placement on the site after other plants. It is advisable to plant it after crops going to green manure. Perennial grasses and legumes are considered a very good predecessor. However, after such plants, the risk of damage to the vegetable crop by wireworm increases. IN vegetable crop rotations Potatoes should be cultivated after cabbage, cucumbers, onions and corn.

Features of using ash (video)

It is not recommended to cultivate potatoes in one area for several years in a row. Replanting potatoes no earlier than three years later reduces the risk of plants being damaged by cancer and nematodes. Planting garlic or marigolds also helps improve the health of the land in an area allocated for growing potatoes. The potato itself is an almost ideal predecessor for most crops, and after it it is not recommended to grow only tobacco and plants from the Solanaceae family.

Fertilizing the soil is not the only condition successful cultivation potatoes. To get high yields, you need to choose the right territory, select the soil and prepare it. Scientists have determined which earth will do for potatoes, where to choose the place with the highest concentration of useful elements and compounds.

The area must be fertilized before planting all crops. Any plant greatly depletes the soil, reducing the supply of useful microelements. For potatoes, fertilizer is applied by spot and continuous method. In the first case, nutritional components are added to each well - the method is effective, but labor-intensive and time-consuming. The continuous method involves applying fertilizer in bulk evenly over the territory.

Method for determining soil type

The quality of the harvest depends on the type of soil. Depending on the mechanical composition of the soil, one or another potato variety is selected. Among the main types are:

Lungs. These include sandy and sandy loam.
Medium-heavy – loamy.
Heavy - clayey.

Gravel or rocky types are sometimes found. Determining what kind of soil is on the site is simple: a handful is moistened with water to the consistency of a thick paste, then the resulting substance is rolled into a cylinder 3-5 mm thick, then the structure is rolled into a ring. This might result in the following output:

The clayey, heavy type is characterized by good rolling, plasticity, the ring is easily formed and retains its appearance.
Loamy soil is difficult to form into a circle and ultimately cracks in places.
The light type crumbles quickly and does not hold its shape.

All types have advantages and disadvantages, provide growth and nutrition of crops with necessary microelements in different ways. In caring for the soil of a particular variety, a different approach is used.

Heavy soils, unlike light ones, are rich in micronutrients, but quickly become compacted, becoming covered with a thick crust after watering or heavy rain. In early spring, melted snow takes longer to melt on such soil, which slows down planting. In clay soil there is a high risk of plant roots rotting. This type also requires frequent loosening. Microorganisms do not work well in such soil, and beneficial elements take a long time to decompose.

The light type does not retain water well, so microelements are almost not retained in such soils. The advantages are that they provide good air exchange and quickly warm up in the spring.

Features of soil for potatoes

What kind of soil is needed for any type of potato? For a rich crop of this vegetable, it is recommended to choose an area for cultivation without shade: the sun nourishes the soil and root crops, and the potatoes grow faster. It is advisable to protect the territory from the north with dense bushes.

It is better to follow the following guidelines when choosing a place to plant tubers:

In areas where eggplants previously grew, bell pepper, you shouldn’t plant potatoes: after them the land loses big number useful components.
It is recommended to plant in an area where cabbage, herbs or beets previously grew.
You should not grow potatoes in the same place for 2 years in a row. If this cannot be avoided, then the soil must be fertilized with manure.

Ideal soil for potatoes

The best place for planting the crop is soft, loose soil, which will be well ventilated and retain moisture. Before planting potatoes on the ground, special preparation is carried out, including fertilizing. Loams, sandy loams, good harvest obtained in peat and black soil areas.

The key to obtaining the expected yield is the choice of tuber breed and its relationship with the type of soil.

Land type	Soil features	Suitable crops
Sandy	Conducts moisture and air well, warms up quickly	Minevra, Rodrigue, Slavyanka
Sandy loam	Absorbs water immediately, but evaporation takes longer	Adred, Early Rose, Sedov
Loamy	Good moisture absorption, oxygen enrichment of crops	Bafana, Colombo
Clayey	Accumulates water in upper layers, characterized by low air permeability, but with proper preparation good fertility is possible	Turquoise, Ideal, Lorch
Peat-swampy	Does not contain large quantity nutrients, plant residues are poorly processed	Climber, Belarusian early
Sod-podzolic	An infertile option in which there is no layer of humus. A hard crust forms after rain	Timo, Rosamunda, Nevsky renovated
Rocky	Structurally it consists of large blocks and small pebbles. Fertility is low due to lack of microorganisms	Altair, Zhivitsa, Breeze

Depending on the type of land, it will be possible to achieve high yields of certain varieties.

Soil acidity

Clay and su clay soils have high acidity. It is determined by measurements of a pH meter, and at home - by the abundant growth of plants such as horsetail and plantain. Soils are characterized by high density and low amounts of organic matter. Crops grow on them for a long time, produce little yield, and are susceptible to disease.

To reduce acidity, dolomite flour, lime or ash is added. The digging depth is about 35 cm, which is equal to the bayonet of a shovel. The amount of mineral fertilizer applied is a bucket per 1 m2.

Soil quality improvement technology

Soil care begins in early autumn (a short period of time after harvesting). It is imperative that preparing the soil for planting potatoes includes collecting water in the garden. The procedure requires the creation of several ditches around the perimeter of the potato beds to drain liquid: this prevents soil oxidation.

You can prevent stagnation of moisture by raising the soil before planting by adding sand. It is better to pour the material not on the beds, but under them. The procedure is carried out according to the following algorithm:

Remove a small layer from the row being processed.
Dig a trench 40-50 cm deep.
Pour sand there to a depth of 13-15 cm.
Place the previously removed soil in the remaining space.

Severely acidified soil requires the above-mentioned manipulations annually, 3-4 times in a row.

Digging the beds is necessary if the soil is rough and contains a high level of moisture. There is no need to break and process the lumps: oxygen will have a destructive effect on them. After digging, the area should be lightly sprinkled with organic matter and be sure to cover the fertilizer with sand or dry soil (the layer should not exceed 5 cm). This will attract worms, whose vital activity significantly increases soil fertility.

All types of soil require a special approach to care. Therefore, work on the soil in the spring for potatoes should correspond to the characteristics of the soil.

Clay/loamy soil. It is necessary to add materials that have a loosening effect: compost, sawdust, sand. You can also add humus, after watering it with water. For the best effect, it is better to use worms on a clayey area (California worms are especially good at loosening).
Sandy soil. It is difficult to “water” this variety, because the water is well absorbed. To improve productivity, complex manure-peat fertilizer is applied. Organics retain moisture, and additional elements feed plants with necessary substances.
Swamp-peat. To increase fertility, the soil is fed with organic matter containing potassium, ammonia and superphosphate impurities. However, if this condition is met, it is better to plant the tubers in warm places. If this is impossible, you need to act according to the algorithm:
- dig a ditch and lay oak bark on the bottom;
- lay humus on top;
- cover the trench with a layer of earth.

Fertilizer for potato growth

It is necessary to fertilize the soil before the onset of cold weather. Manure is the best solution for this task. The dose of fertilizer applied is 7-10 kg per 1 m2. This is enough for subsequent cultivation of potatoes. If the soil is infertile, the amount of material increases to 17 kg. To increase the effect of fertilizing, you can add potassium sulfate and superphosphate to the manure at the rate of 4-5 kg of the mixture per ton of feedstock.

After the soil has completely melted and dried, the area is dug up to a depth of 12-13 cm (this measure will additionally rid the area of weeds). Preparatory earthworks in spring depend on the type of soil:

Preparing sandy and sandy loam soil for potatoes in the spring comes down to loosening without turning the top layer.
Loamy and turfy soils require double treatment:

After drying, loosen by 15 cm.
Before planting tubers, dig up to 30 cm.

Application of green manure

Green manures are plants grown to improve soil quality. They are being seeded in early spring or autumn. There are several ways to use:

Complete - introducing the entire grown mass into the ground with potatoes to a depth of 10 cm.
Mowing - using cut grass.
Otavnoe - plowing in the root base.

Suitable green manure products for potatoes include lupine, oats, mustard, peas, and sweet clover.

Soil protection technologies, disinfection

During crop growth, the following loads are placed on the soil:

Wind.
Aquatic.
Compaction of the earth layer.

Loads are generated during planting and growing. As a result, erosion of earthen ridges, weathering of tops, erosion, etc. is observed. Soil protection methods do not affect the development and growth of fruits. Most often, plowless cultivation is carried out, which helps reduce the load on the ground. This method consists of using mulch - a covering material applied to the soil. Often, plant remains of the previous crop (green manure) are used for this purpose. In areas with a short growing season and poor water reserves, straw is used as mulch.

Soil disinfection includes comprehensive measures to destroy harmful fungi and late blight. For this purpose they use chemicals, not providing negative impact on potato tubers. When using the drug, you must adhere to the following rules:

Follow the dosage exactly.
Consider the type of soil: lightweight structures reduce application rates, and for heavy soils more product is required.
Do not use in extreme conditions weather conditions(drought, rain, strong winds).
Pay attention to the growth phase of the crop and the development characteristics of the variety.

Application of ash

This is an affordable organic fertilizer, which contains a large number of useful components: potassium, sulfur, iron - promoting active growth crops There are several ways to use this fertilizer:

Spring training. Carried out before the start of sowing activities. The ash is brought into the hole along with the turf soil.
Autumn. All land is cultivated after harvest.
Treating bushes with dry ash. Fertilizer is added during the first hilling under each bush in the amount of 1-3 tablespoons. Additionally, the procedure is carried out during the flowering period of the crop.

Loosening the soil in spring

Carried out in dry weather. The soil for potatoes is loosened to a depth of 15 centimeters for sandy and sandy loam soils. Clayey and wet areas are loosened twice: the first time in dry weather, the second time when planting to a full depth of up to 20 centimeters. The measure removes excess moisture and enriches the earth with oxygen.

Preparing the soil for potatoes in the spring is an important event, the correctness of which determines the quantity of the harvest, as well as its quality characteristics.

Potatoes are a widespread crop that, when proper preparation soil and plant care will please a decent harvest. But it is impossible to use the riches of the earth without replenishing the lost nutrients. With annual intensive cultivation, the soil becomes poorer, so it is necessary to restore the yield by applying fertilizers.

Comprehensive site preparation for planting potatoes

But the problem is not only in poor soil; first of all, it is necessary to determine the acidity of the soil. Potatoes do not grow well in acidic soils: the yield will be low, the tubers will be small, and fertilizers will be ineffective on such soils. There are several natural ways to detect pH levels. For example, beet leaves are an excellent indicator:

completely red - the soil is too acidic;
only the veins are red - the reaction is slightly acidic;
the leaves are completely green with red cuttings - the pH level is optimal for most vegetable, fruit and berry crops.

Photo gallery: determining soil acidity levels using beets

Green leaves indicate neutral soil. If the leaf has red veins, then the soil has a slightly acidic reaction. If the beet leaves are red, then the soil is acidic and needs to be deoxidized.

If the soil turns blue with excess moisture, this also indicates increased acidity.

Weeds growing on the site signal the condition of the soil no less effectively.

Table: dominant weeds depending on soil type

If it turns out that the reaction is acidic or slightly acidic, then the earth must be deoxidized. Within one area, acidity may not be the same, therefore, depending on the pH level, a number of measures are taken to restore the balance.

Autumn treatment of the site

The bulk of fertilizers is applied in the spring during the laying of tubers, and all preparatory work with soil are carried out in the fall:

Deep digging of the earth (on a bayonet) without breaking up the clods is necessary so that the roots of the weeds freeze out in winter.
Soil deoxidation with lime, dolomite flour or wood ash. The selected product is scattered on the surface and lightly embedded in the soil. During the fall and winter, a reaction will occur, and the fertilizers applied during planting will not mix with the deoxidizer.
Planting green manure - effective method natural soil improvement. Feed peas, clover, sainfoin, winter rye, annual lupine are planted in September, grow until frost, accumulating essential microelements and nitrogen. And in the spring, before planting the tubers, their remains are plowed together with the soil.
Scattering rotted cow or horse manure by area. This improves the structural composition of the soil, but it should be applied no more than once every 4 years at the rate of 3–6 buckets per hundred square meters. The result of use is visible through long term, therefore, it is correct to incorporate manure into the soil in the fall - over the winter it will dissolve and nourish the soil.

If no questions arise with digging, then the principle of deoxidation should be specifically explained. The strongest reaction is given by slaked lime (fluff) - it is used on acidic soils. You can apply up to 500 g per square meter. On slightly acidic soils there is no need to use potent preparations - dolomite flour or wood ash (from 200 to 500 g per 1 sq. m.) are suitable. Dolomite is an excellent deoxidizer; it will quickly restore the normal alkaline state, and the ash will be an additional source of trace elements.

If the procedure is carried out correctly, then subsequent contributions will be required no earlier than three years later. But you should monitor the condition of the soil and, as a supporting procedure, add ash, dolomite flour or even chalk and eggshells.

Green manure plants accumulate nutrients and then release them into the soil

The use of green manure also has its own characteristics. The point is that you should not allow the crop to grow uncontrollably and leave it to freeze over the winter before digging in the spring. It must be cut off and spread on the surface of the area as mulch. It is important to know when to do this: young green mass contains a lot of nitrogen, while dried grass contains coarse fibers. The optimal cutting period is before the buds appear on the plants. As a result, the roots of green manure will be used to accumulate useful elements, and the mulch layer will stop the germination of weeds by retaining moisture in the ground.

It should be remembered that if the soil is poor in microelements, this will also affect the nutritional value of green manure grown here.

Why do you need fertilizer for potatoes, the result of application

Potatoes have thin thread-like roots, but the plant quickly grows green mass and forms large tubers, so it needs. If you do not apply fertilizer, then when planting one bucket you can remove no more than three. Proper Use fertilizing allows you to get a harvest of ten to one - the advantages are obvious. In addition to organic fertilizers, they are used mineral complexes. The main thing is not to overdo it and not to pour everything into the hole, but to combine them correctly.

It is impossible to single out just one - each is useful. Let's look at the most common means used in spring when planting.

Organic fertilizers

Organics form the basis natural farming, such fertilizers are more natural than mineral ones. With sufficient addition of natural fertilizers, the content of protein, starch, and vitamins in potato tubers increases, which improves the taste of the product. When using fertilizers, you should know the specifics of preparing the material.

Composts– vegetable or combined based on manure with the addition of grass, household waste, peat and straw.

Sawdust– an excellent tool for mulching the soil. If used as a fertilizer, they must first be mixed with urea (one glass for three buckets of sawdust). Or embed rotted ones into the soil.

You should know that sawdust acidifies the soil. Therefore, at the same time, ash or chalk must be added to the soil.

Ash – universal remedy, which can not only be pre-spread over the site in the fall, but also directly applied to the planting holes. Since ash deoxidizes the soil, it can be applied without restrictions only on acidic soils - it will restore the alkaline environment.

When storing ash, you must not allow moisture to get into it and cause it to clump - this will cause the fertilizer to lose its nutritional properties.

Chicken droppings Only fermented and highly diluted can be used. In specialized stores it is sold processed in the form of a highly concentrated product. This can be powder or granules, which should be applied very carefully, strictly according to the instructions, into the soil.

When planting tubers, the droppings should be thoroughly mixed with the ground to prevent it from coming into contact with future roots.

Mineral fertilizers

Single-component or complex mineral fertilizers are a combination of soluble mineral salts. Chemical fertilizers should be applied carefully, without violating the recommendations on the packaging: the concentration specified by the manufacturer must not be exceeded. This can oversaturate the soil with microelements, and, as a result, excess nitrates accumulate in the tubers.

Mineral fertilizers are the most convenient way feed the potato bed

Potassium and nitrogen are the main elements of one-component mineral fertilizers. Potassium chloride, potassium sulfate, potassium salt are highly soluble in water, and their main advantage is that they strengthen plants, reduce the likelihood of being affected by potato diseases, increase productivity, and improve the taste of tubers. The well-known ammonium nitrate is a nitrogen fertilizer. But it will provide more benefits as part of complex preparations that contain potassium and phosphorus. Fertilizers of this group are applied in several doses strictly according to the instructions.

Table: universal mineral fertilizers used when planting potatoes

Name	Compound	Description
Ammophos	12% phosphorus, 52% nitrogen	Universal, promotes the growth of green mass vegetable crops. It contains fast-acting and easily digestible substances. Is optimal feeding phosphorus.
Diammofoska	10% nitrogen, 26% potassium, 26% phosphorus	In granules. Iron, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, zinc enhance the effect of basic microelements. Stimulates the growth and development of tubers. Added to the hole during planting.
Nitroammofoska	16% nitrogen, 16% phosphorus, 16% potassium, 2% sulfur	In granules. The balance of the main components optimally stimulates the growth of root crops, increasing yield.
Nitrophoska	10% phosphorus, 11% nitrogen, 11% potassium	In granules. Powerful classical top dressing, applicable in all climatic zones and on any soil. It is considered the best seed fertilizer, significantly increasing the yield and improving the taste of potatoes.

What products to use when planting

You should not apply fertilizers in a continuous manner on the field - a small part of it will reach the plants themselves. The losses will be noticeable - some will evaporate with moisture, dissolve in the soil and be used by weeds. This problem can be solved by adding the necessary fertilizers directly to the hole before planting. This is agrotechnically more correct - targeted impact will benefit root crops and will be more economical.

It is better to pour any fertilizer directly into the hole.

You can’t put everything under the tuber when planting. It is best to combine minerals and organic matter.

Approximate combinations of fertilizers applied to one planting site:

Nitrophoska - 20÷25 g, bone meal - 100 g.
Dolomite flour - 5 tablespoons, dry humus - half a liter, vegetable compost - 1 liter. Flour can be replaced with ash.
Half a bucket of compost and 2 tablespoons of nitrophoska, and in the inter-row spaces plant 20 g of ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate.

You can combine fertilizers in various variations, but you cannot overdo it, otherwise the growth of the above-ground mass of the bush will prevail over the development of the tuber system.

Video: using compost when planting potatoes

Fertilizers used in the cultivator hopper

Planting potatoes - difficult physical work. If you have a large area, it is advisable to use a potato planter - a device attached to a walk-behind tractor. In addition to a bunker for filling potatoes, it has a fertilizer tank into which only granular preparations can be poured. Through fertilizer sowing devices, granules are poured into rows or holes along with tubers. In this case, drugs are used sparingly, as with manual landing: superphosphate and nitrophoska 65 ÷ 70 g per 10 sq. meters; ammonium nitrate - 50 g per 10 sq. meters.

Video: planting potatoes with simultaneous application of fertilizers

Plants always respond to care. Therefore, if you nourish the soil in the winter and properly apply fertilizer during planting in the spring, then the potato harvest will definitely please you.

- This is one of the most important ingredients of the consumer basket in Russia. The importance of this root vegetable cannot be underestimated, because one of the main advantages is the long shelf life of potatoes, subject to necessary conditions, which allows us to provide this product to the consumer all year round. Growing potatoes is separate science, in which scientists have achieved excellent results. What is fundamentally important for those who grow potatoes? First of all, productivity and new storage technologies. Specialists are constantly working on these, and every year we see new varieties and technologies for cultivation and storage on the market. However, without the right strategy for preparing the soil for growing potatoes, all these excellent results scientists can be reduced to nothing. In this article we will look at the basic principles of preparing soil for planting potatoes and preparing crops for planting.

Preparing the soil for planting potatoes in spring

First of all, you need to understand which soil is most suitable for growing potatoes. Obviously, there are places where, despite all the work and expense, potatoes will not grow. Heavy clay soils with a lot of moisture are absolutely unsuitable. Lowlands where water can accumulate are excluded. The soil in which potatoes will feel “at home” is light, sandy loam, as loose as possible. Peat soil and, naturally, black soil are perfect. It follows that you should choose a dry, level area, but even if the soil is too clayey or acidic, it can still be prepared for planting potatoes by adding wood ash or sand with manure or compost.

If your site meets all the requirements, it is enough to properly prepare the soil for planting potatoes in order to get excellent yields. What is the secret of a good harvest?

good soil composition;
preparing root crops for planting;
productive variety;
proper care.

Loosening the soil in spring

Preparing the soil for planting potatoes- the first step to receiving good result. In spring, the soil needs to be loosened - this is done without turning the soil, preferably in dry weather. Loosening occurs to a depth of 12-15 centimeters for sandy and sandy loam soils. If your soil is more clayey and moist, then it should be processed twice during preparation: first, the usual loosening of 12-15 centimeters in dry weather. The second time, immediately after planting, you should dig up the area to the full depth of the spade bayonet and level it with a rake. This process is necessary to rid the earth of excess moisture and enrich it with oxygen as much as possible.

The earth needs oxygen!

Preparing the soil for planting potatoes in the spring is an important stage in the growing process, one might say fundamental.

There are many ways to grow potatoes, depending on the type of soil. Aeration is a method in which the soil is loosened as much as possible, leaving wide paths between the beds, and the potatoes themselves are planted in special ridges. Thus, the soil is constantly enriched with air naturally.

If the soil is sandy or sandy loam, it is already sufficiently filled with oxygen. For such land, the formation of ridge beds is not necessary. So the method of planting potatoes will depend on the properties of the soil.

How to plant potatoes correctly

When the land is ready for planting, you need to take care planting material. Tubers need to be planted not only in well-prepared soil, but also sufficiently warm and dried, otherwise they may freeze or rot. You can plant a whole tuber or divided in half. Before planting, potatoes should be carefully inspected and rotten or diseased tubers should be removed. Potatoes should look healthy, free from defects, mold and rot. Root vegetables weighing from 50 to 90 grams are ideal. Potatoes should be dried before planting. If you do not have enough material for planting, then the tubers can be divided, but in such a way that each segment has sprouted eyes. Divide immediately before planting.

Proper soil preparation for planting potatoes and preparing crops for planting is, let us remind you once again, the most important stages and this process should be considered in general.

Preparing the soil for planting potatoes

Potato soil loves oxygen. What does it mean? First of all, it is necessary to enrich the soil with oxygen by digging. This is done twice a year - in the fall, after harvesting and thoroughly cleaning the soil from grass and remaining tops, and also in the spring before planting. Preparing the soil for planting potatoes in the spring was discussed at the beginning of the article, but do not forget that in the fall it is also necessary to take care of the future harvest.

In autumn, the soil should be dug up carefully, turning the layer around. They dig to the full depth of the shovel bayonet, that is, 25-28 centimeters. It is very important not to level the soil with a rake during autumn digging, so that all pests and remaining weeds will die in the winter. Leveling the soil should be done in the spring before planting. Important point– after digging, it is necessary to add organic fertilizers to the ground. During the autumn rains and snow melting, they will be absorbed and bring maximum benefit.

Compost experienced gardeners They prepare it all summer and then in the fall, when cultivating the soil for the future harvest, they add it to the ground. Compost is applied to the furrow and then dug in. Manure and brown coal are added along with compost.

If you did not have time to fertilize the soil in the fall, you can do it in the spring, before planting, but practice shows that in the fall it is most effective.

Soil type and how to determine it

An important question is how to determine the composition of the soil? There are many ways and some are very simple. For example, you can take some earth and soak it in water. Next, you need to try to make a ball out of this mass - if one does not work out, then the soil is sandy. If you manage to make a lump, but cannot roll it into a “cord,” then it is sandy loam. If the soil is clay, then when moistened you can sculpt anything from it. Clay and loamy soils are not the best for Agriculture. Especially for growing potatoes. Firstly, it is difficult for crops to grow on it, and secondly, their taste leaves much to be desired. The taste of potatoes directly depends not only on the variety, but also on the soil. Most delicious potatoes grows on sandier and peaty soils. Such soil, as already mentioned, is saturated with oxygen; it does not have an excess of moisture.

Growing rules

The goal of any gardener, whether amateur or professional, is to get a lot of tasty and crumbly potatoes, and for this it is important to follow the rules at every stage of preparation and cultivation. Everyone undoubtedly has their own secrets, based on experience and applicable to specific conditions, but, as you have already understood from this article, there are general rules:

We hope that our tips will help you grow excellent harvest potatoes.