Potato is the second bread. So say the people. And for good reason! This culture is loved by everyone, and every day we eat it in fried, boiled, baked form, in soup and salad. Therefore, many summer residents know how to grow potatoes. Today we devoted our conversation to beginner gardeners.
Create conditions for growth
So how to grow large potatoes? This requires good seeds and proper care. But first of all, you need to create conditions for the normal growth of this plant. In order for the tubers to sprout well, it is necessary that the earth warms up, and its temperature is stable above zero, and in the afternoon the thermometer column was kept at 15-20 degrees. As a rule, this weather is already set in mid-April. This culture loves the soil light loamy, chernozem, sandy; alkaline reaction - neutral. Choose a sunny, open, and well-blown landing site. It is recommended to change it every 4 years. Provide the soil with humus. In the fall, you need to dig a plot, fertilize with minerals and organics, and in the spring - with nitrogen. Remove weeds before planting.
Choose seeds
How to grow potatoes to harvest a rich harvest? The first step is to prepare good seed material. If you have not done so since last year’s gathering, then you need to purchase it in specialized stores or from experienced gardeners. "Is it profitable to grow potatoes?" - you ask. After all, you have to spend money on seeds, fertilizers and still have to look after him all summer. Of course, you will have to make a lot of effort and spend some amount of money, but it's worth it. Think for yourself, with 6 acres of land you can collect 5-6 bags of potatoes (and this is the worst case!), Which is enough for a small family for the whole year. Now imagine how much you spend money on the same 5 bags, buying potatoes in the store. We think the question of the profitability of growing potatoes has disappeared by itself. So, back to the topic of our conversation. Own planting material is prepared in the fall. The tubers should be intact, rounded, without damage and no visible signs of the disease. Dry the seeds, sort it out again in the spring and germinate about a month before planting.
Plant
There are many options for growing potatoes, that is, which planting method to choose. Potatoes are usually planted in rows in wells - this is the most common way. Although some do it in the beds, some use the trench method. Whatever method you choose, maintain a distance between future bushes of at least 20 cm, and plant the tubers no deeper than 10 cm. It is recommended that fertilizers be applied at the same time.
Take care and process
Potato care is as follows:
• loosening of the soil from the moment of emergence of shoots and further - after watering or rainfall in the form of rain;
• hilling (for all the time you need to do this at least twice);
• top dressing with mineral, nitrogen, potash, organic or phosphorus fertilizers in dry or liquid form (it is better to use natural raw materials - manure, chicken droppings and ash);
• plentiful watering, especially during the formation of buds and flowering (at least 5 times during the summer) in the evening;
• treatment of plants from pests and disease prevention.
Eat and enjoy
We told you how to grow potatoes and how to care for them, now the only thing left is to wait for spring, pick up a shovel and go to the cottage. And there to put soul and strength into the earth, in order to get large and tasty root crops in the fall!