The latest methods of growing potatoes. Features and technology of growing potatoes in bags Planting potatoes in plastic buckets
Have you dug up your potato crop yet? Evaluate the results and think about whether you want to get even more, and so that the potatoes are larger and tastier - a bucket from a bush is not even fantastic. We propose to consider an experiment with potatoes conducted on the site. Since last year, seed material has been collected separately: small, medium, large tubers.
The tubers were also planted separately in order to understand which bushes would give a good harvest. All planting material was grown from seeds and the crop grew like normal potatoes for the second year. In the first year, the harvest turned out to be quite good, so while the planting tubers still retained a lot of vigor, it was decided to conduct several experiments. Having turned over a mountain of material on planting and growing potatoes, we immediately scrapped planting experiments with a hole spacing of 100 cm, 30 cm is enough - practice has long proven that photosynthesis is not disturbed even in closer proximity. But there are still developments that will definitely be used constantly.
It’s a good idea to prepare more mulching material to cover the hole. It didn’t work out, no problem, with proper feeding of the plants, the tops grow quickly and cover the hole so that it does not dry out.
Watering
In hot weather, water once every 4 days. If the sun is very hot, check the soil: wet - do not water, dry - water. It is important to prevent the soil from drying out so that the tubers gain weight and volume.
What to feed
The most effective way is to add green fertilizer to the leaves. The first reproduction is powerful; it does not require much for growth and maturation. Before planting the tubers in the ground, 0.5 buckets of humus and 0.5 liters were placed in the hole. ash.
What happened as a result of the experiment
The largest planted potatoes turned out to be the best in terms of growth and yield - just 1 bucket from each bush. Small and medium planting material produced a slightly smaller volume, but the size and weight of the tubers are exactly the same.
Of course, it depends on the soil and variety. Fertilizers alone are often not enough, since it is possible to collect 5 buckets of potatoes from one bush only using modern technologies. If this is your first time starting to develop a plot, you may be pleased with the harvest in the fall, but in the future the amount of potatoes harvested will decrease.
How to grow a bucket of potatoes from one bush?
What's difficult about growing potatoes? Having dug up a large area, we generously fertilize it with manure. Now we plant good and large potatoes in the ground. With this method, we usually grow a bucket of potatoes per square meter and consider this sufficient. If we discard the spoiled and diseased tubers, then the remainder we get is a completely disappointing figure. Continuing to work the old fashioned way, we break our backs to eat our potatoes only in late summer - early autumn. Meanwhile, a bucket of potatoes from a bush is a completely common thing. The harvest may be greater. There are several ways to significantly increase it.
What does productivity depend on?
First, let's figure out what affects the final result. Of course, we need to take into account some nuances:
- The larger the potatoes, the higher the yield.
- The more root crops set, the more promising the potential harvest.
- You need healthy, undamaged potatoes - the less waste the better.
- It is important to wait a certain time to obtain the harvest. The quantity of potatoes can be large, but some of them are peas, while other root vegetables can be quite ripe. It is important that all the potatoes have time to grow.
Let's look at how to ensure each of these conditions in more detail.
Potato sizes
There are specially bred large-fruited varieties. For example:
- You can find Idaho potatoes in fast food restaurants. This variety produces perfectly smooth, elongated and fairly large tubers. It has an atypical taste, which is why restaurant potatoes are very different from home-cooked food. It is quite possible to get 550 centners of such potatoes from one hectare of land. In Russia it is successfully cultivated, not only for the purpose of selection. The variety is early ripening and disease resistant. Idaho is very nutritious and contains a lot of starch.
- Bellarosa is a Slovak variety, cultivated in Russia, Poland, and Belarus. It has high yield and large size. The variety is highly starchy (up to 19%). It cooks quickly and has crumbly white pulp. The peel is brownish. With regular watering, potatoes can reach 500-600 grams.
- Gala - potatoes grow 400 grams. And there are 5-6 of these on the bush. In addition, the variety is quite early. Up to 80% of all potatoes are large. It is characteristic that nothing seems to say anything about high yields. Outside, Gala is a bush 45-50 cm high.
- Udacha is not only a large-fruited variety, but also a productive one. 25 root crops per bush with an average weight of 180 grams allow you to get a harvest of up to 960 centners per hectare.
- The Rosara variety is also distinguished by its many tubers. You can easily dig up 20-30 pieces. Each is a good size - at least 150 grams. The variety is starchy and disease resistant. The stems are large, but are susceptible to attacks by the Colorado potato beetle.
- Slavyanka is a Ukrainian variety with very large tubers. Potatoes weighing up to one kilogram are a reality. Grows even in poor soils. Contains little starch - 12% strength. It is used as a fodder crop due to its low taste.
The use of high-quality and modern makes growing potatoes much easier. Every village knows how to get a bucket from a bush with a good variety. The cost of planting varietal potatoes is, of course, higher. So why not increase the yield by an order of magnitude?
What determines the number of potatoes on a bush?
On average, two dozen potatoes are formed on a bush, but there can be five or forty of them. Back in the eighteenth century, the Russian agronomist Bolotov counted one hundred potatoes on one bush. If everything is clear with the size of root crops, it depends on the variety and suitability of the soil, then it is more difficult to increase the number of potatoes. Of course, the variety plays a big role. Also, the number of tubers directly depends on the looseness of the soil. In heavy clay, there is simply nowhere for roots to develop.
There is a certain dependence of the number of tubers on the number of trunks in the bush. The more branched and lush the plant, the more active photosynthesis is, the more nutrients it stores in the tubers. For more trunks, more eyes are needed. Traditional methods of selecting and preparing seed material are completely justified in this case.
Potatoes are ripe
Before you grow a whole bucket of potatoes from one bush, you need to choose the appropriate variety. It is advisable to focus not only on yield, but also on the climatic features of your area. Mid-season and mid-early varieties are suitable for the middle zone.
Large root vegetables will take longer to grow. On average, potatoes of mid-season and late varieties are slightly larger than early varieties. Do not expect greater yields if you decide to dig up a potato bush immediately after flowering.
Most often, the ripeness of potatoes is determined by the tops. Agronomists believe that this is not entirely true. Tops can also wither due to a lack of nitrogen or heat. There is also no point in keeping “dried” potatoes. Withering tops will draw moisture from the tubers, and the quality of the crop will decrease.
It is recommended to cut off fallen tops a few days before harvesting. The potatoes will still have time to absorb the juices. You can check the readiness of the crop by digging up one bush. Ripeness is indicated by the firmness of the peel. It should not come off due to friction.
Harvest preservation
Additionally, you need to take care that your entire rich harvest is not destroyed by diseases and pests. As mentioned above, cutting off dead tops before harvesting additionally helps protect the tubers from disease. The main enemy of potatoes is late blight. Almost no varieties resistant to it have been bred. Chemicals are used to protect the plant. It is also recommended not to plant potatoes in one place, using crop rotation. At least 3-4 different crops should precede a new potato planting. Among the predecessors there should not be tomatoes or other plants susceptible to late blight.
Fertilizers
There are many proven folk remedies and tips on how to grow a bucket of potatoes from one bush and not lose the harvest. Hardening the planting material in a special solution gives good results. Usually they use water with the addition of potassium permanganate. The solution should be slightly pink. Boric acid and Bordeaux mixture are also used.
Fertilizing potatoes gives excellent results and significantly increases the yield. A combination of organic and mineral substances is considered to be the best for a plant. In the old fashioned way, potatoes are fertilized with manure, ash, and crushed ash is added. You will find such tips when wondering how to grow a bucket of potatoes from one bush. This is not entirely correct. The benefits of eggshells have not been proven at all. Manure can become a source of disease and excess nitrates. Rotted manure is applied for autumn plowing at the rate of 400-500 kilograms per one hundred square meters of land. Potassium and are added in a 1:1 ratio. The best effect is achieved by fertilizing the soil with organomineral complexes.
Soil preparation, loosening and watering play a vital role in the potato harvest. You will practically not need to dig up the field in the spring if you dug it up before winter. Hilling up will remove excess weeds and prevent the formation of excess moisture in the soil. Regular watering can increase yield. Tubers absorb moisture well, but the quality of the potato and its keeping quality are reduced.
Potato growing experience: 20 bushes - 40 buckets
Experienced vegetable growers know a similar secret. Some may find it quite unusual.
The point is to properly prepare the planting material and then allow the bush to grow as much as possible. For the experiment you will need:
- 20 seed potatoes with eyes. If there are a lot of sprouts, the potatoes need to be cut so that there are 2-3 of them left per piece.
- Mixture for processing planting material. For 10 liters of water, take a glass of ash, 1 teaspoon of boric acid and one tablespoon Soak the seed material in the solution for 15 minutes.
- Throw a teaspoon of Amofoska into the designated holes.
We plant potatoes at a sufficiently large distance. Add some drops lightly. After the sprouts appear, carefully spread them apart, sprinkling each one with earth in a circle.
When the stems grow, the procedure must be repeated, carefully bending the tops. It turns out that we divide the bush into several parts, and each will grow as an independent plant. Well, you already know how to grow a bucket of potatoes from one bush. It is better to dig up such a bush with a pitchfork so as not to damage the tubers. We carefully undermine it from all sides, lifting the ground. There will be a lot of potatoes!
Conclusion
If we add to this method high-quality fertilizers, a good variety, watering and fertilizing, leaving not 2 eyes, but all available ones, then we can get a bucket from each sprout.
Theoretically, you now know, buckets of potatoes from 1 bush. This bush will take about a square meter. That is, the question of whether or not to divide potatoes when planting remains rhetorical. From the same area you will get approximately the same yield. The only thing left is a choice - what do you like more: hilling beds in the fresh air or sprouting eyes indoors.
4 methods: Selection of potatoes and auxiliary materials Sprouting Planting Daily care and harvesting
Potato bushes produce a good harvest, which, under the right conditions, can be grown almost all year round. Planting potatoes in pots minimizes the amount of space needed and reduces the risk of pests and diseases. The main thing you need is a deep, heavy pot, as potatoes grow underground and require a lot of soil.
Method 1 Selection of potatoes and auxiliary materials
Method 2 Germination
Method 3 Planting
Method 4 Daily care and harvesting
Add more growing medium as the plant emerges from the soil. Only the top 2.5 cm should be visible. Continue adding until the medium reaches the edge of the pot. Ideally, the soil will be between 46 and 61 centimeters deep.
Be sure to water the potatoes.
The soil should be moist but not soggy, and should never dry out completely. You can check this with your finger.
- During the summer, you may need to water your crop twice a day, especially if you live in a hot, dry climate.
- During cool weather, most plants only need about an inch of rain per week to thrive, but if there is no rain for an extended period of time, you will need to water the potatoes by hand. Place a rain gauge near your potatoes and determine if the plant is receiving enough rainfall from week to week.
Place the pots in an area that receives equal parts sun and partial shade. Potatoes need sunlight, but exposure to direct sunlight for long periods of time is not good for them.
Check the acidity level (pH) of the soil using litmus paper (light yellow stripes in an alkali solution become bluish, and in an acid solution they become brown) or another special test. This should be done around mid-season, especially if the leaves look yellow or weak. Potatoes grow in soil with a pH of about 6.0.
- Add more compost or manure if you need to lower the pH.
- Use agricultural lime to increase pH.
Fertilize your potatoes every two weeks with liquid fertilizer. Such fertilizing will give a larger, richer harvest.
Watch out for pests. Many pests, such as potato leafhopper, can be collected by hand. Killing others will require the use of organic pesticides.
Monitor plant health. Many diseases, such as late blight, which causes the plant to wilt, drop leaves and stop growing, are contagious, so if you notice such signs, you should immediately move the bush away from others.
Check the soil a few weeks after the bushes bloom. The first few potatoes will be ready by this time and you can pick them or unscrew them from the root. In general, potatoes the size of eggs are already ripe, but before you pick them, check what color they are. Green fruits are unripe and poisonous.
Stop watering two weeks before final harvest. You can determine the maturity of potatoes by observing the leaves. Once the leaves and stems have completely yellowed, your potatoes are ready.
Pull out the dry stems and leaves. Wear gloves to protect your hands. Tear off all the potatoes from the dry branches and dig into the soil to make sure you have picked all of them.
- You can also grow potatoes in a thick fabric bag. The instructions are almost the same as above.
Warnings
- Be careful when using any chemicals, including fertilizers and pesticides. Many chemicals are hazardous to humans, so you should always read the label before use.
What you will need
- Seed potatoes (tubers)
- Big pot
- The soil
- Compost
- Fertilizers
- Pesticides
- Sharp knife
- Shards or gravel
- Watering can
- Litmus paper
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If you have tried freshly dug up young potatoes, then you know that their aroma cannot be compared with store-bought ones. Don't have a summer cottage? And not enough time? We offer you the opportunity to have fresh potatoes for lunch or dinner without leaving home.
Necessary materials
To get an indoor potato harvest you will need:
- information about planting dates, necessary conditions and cultivation rules. We hope that you will find all this in our article;
- capacity volume 7–10 liters. This could be a pot or container with drainage holes, a large enough shopping bag, or a special bag for growing potatoes at home;
- planting material. It's best if these are seed potatoes rather than ones you bought at the grocery store;
- priming. The nutrient medium should be light, fertile, and not compacted. Store-bought peat or garden soil mixed with compost may be suitable. Add here a complex fertilizer (according to the instructions) and a handful of organic fertilizers (granulated chicken manure, bone meal, etc.). You can use old sawdust as the top backfill layer.
Photo gallery: containers for potatoes in the apartment
General terms and conditions
Let's consider the general rules for planting and caring for potatoes in an apartment.
Germination
This is a very important agrotechnical technique that allows you to get strong seedlings and a good harvest. To protect against diseases, soak seed potatoes in garlic infusion before germination (infuse 1 kg of chopped garlic in 10 liters of water) and treat them with a growth stimulator. Place the potatoes in a bright, cool place. Avoid direct sunlight. Spray the potatoes with water periodically and wait for sprouts to appear. The room temperature is +20 in the first days, +15 in subsequent days. The sprouts should be strong, no more than 2 centimeters long. Leave 3-4 of the strongest shoots and remove the rest to avoid crushing the crop.
Landing
- At the bottom of the selected container, make drainage from expanded clay and clay shards. This is necessary to remove excess moisture.
- Add prepared soil to 2/3 of the height of the selected container.
- Place a potato tuber on it so that most of the sprouts are facing up.
- Cover it with earth or old sawdust. The height of the top backfill layer should be about 10 cm.
- After planting, the containers should be placed in a bright place, but not in direct sunlight.
Potatoes should be placed on the soil, which fills the pot 2/3 of the volume.
Watering. Feeding. Protection
Watering should be done as the soil dries out. It should be slightly damp, but not soggy. After sprouting, add the nutrient mixture to the container. Once every 10 days you can fertilize with easily soluble or liquid complex mineral fertilizers. Be sure to inspect the plant for pests and diseases. Take the necessary measures in a timely manner.
Harvesting
The first harvest can be harvested after the potatoes bloom. Full tubers are carefully unscrewed, trying not to damage the plant. Full collection is carried out after the tops have completely turned yellow.
Video: digging potatoes on the balcony
Special conditions for growing potatoes on the balcony and windowsill
What do potatoes need to grow and develop? Oxygen, nutrients, water, light and heat. Our plant will be provided with oxygen both on the windowsill and on the balcony. If you follow the watering and fertilizing regime, it will not need water and nutrients.
When growing potatoes at home, special attention should be paid to lighting and temperature conditions. Both the balcony and the window sill are oriented towards a certain side of the world. Take this into account. Try to place containers with planted potatoes not in direct sunlight, provide them with sun and partial shade in equal parts. Remember that if it gets too dark, the potato tops will stretch out. At soil temperatures of 3-5 and above 31-35 degrees, plant development is delayed, and a temperature of 1-1.5 degrees or 35-40 degrees leads to irreversible damage to the potato. Use blinds; the angle of their slats dispenses sunlight and avoids overheating. Provide ventilation, but try to avoid strong drafts.
How to grow potatoes in winter at home
Potatoes have one feature that can be used to grow them in winter. Given a sufficiently high temperature and lack of air access, potato tubers do not germinate, but divide. Take a fairly deep box (about 40 cm deep) and fill it with compost soil. Place a potato tuber at a depth of 25 cm and place the box in a dark place with a temperature of about +25. Shoots will not appear, but the formation of young tubers will begin. They will not be very large in size, but will retain the taste of young potatoes. The main thing is not to forget to periodically - about once every 10 days - moisten the soil in the box and guess the harvest time.
Renewing the seed fund through growing mini-tubers
If you want to renew your potato planting material and get a really high yield for several years, try using one of the described methods for growing potato sets.
Method of growing potatoes from seeds
Pros:
- purchasing potato seeds will cost you much less than buying elite seed potatoes;
- Potatoes grown using the presented method give a higher yield. It is resistant to many potato diseases, including late blight.
Minuses:
- two-year growing period. In the first year you will receive a set that will yield a harvest of table potatoes for the next season;
- Potato seedlings are extremely capricious. Therefore, picking, transplanting and even watering must be carried out with extreme caution;
- high demands on illumination. With a lack of light, potato seedlings become very elongated;
- seedlings are susceptible to some diseases. The black leg poses a particular danger to them.
Instructions for growing potatoes
This growing method is seedling. Therefore, you will need appropriate containers, soil mixture and a comfortable place on the balcony or windowsill.
Stages and features of cultivation:
- Soil preparation. The soil must be fertile and loose. You can take soil and peat in a ratio of 1:4. To prevent damage to seedlings by blackleg, add the biological product trichodermin to the prepared soil (5 g of the drug per 5 liters of prepared soil). To grow potato seedlings before picking, you can use moistened old sawdust. This soil will promote rapid root growth.
- Seed preparation. It is recommended to soak potato seeds in water for 2 days, and also carry out the hardening procedure for 10 days. To do this, place the soaked seeds in small containers, which are placed in the refrigerator at night at a temperature of +1, and kept at room temperature during the day. Then the seeds are germinated.
Important! Carry out germination on a constantly moistened cloth. Do not use gauze for germination. Potato seeds are small, so it will be difficult to free them from the large cells of this material.
- Sowing seeds. The hatched seeds are placed on moist soil in a container at a distance of 5 cm from each other and lightly sprinkled with a nutrient mixture or moistened sawdust. Then the container is covered with a lid, glass or cling film and sent to a well-lit, warm place on the windowsill.
Important! In order for you to be able to plant seedlings in open ground in the second half of May, sowing the seeds must be done in early March.
- Watering is carried out moderately. It is best to carry it out along the edge of the container so that moisture does not fall on the sprouts. This will reduce the risk of getting dangerous blackleg.
- Fertilizing is recommended once a month with complex fertilizers.
- Potato seedlings are picked 3–4 weeks after planting. The seedlings are buried up to the cotyledon leaves. Do not squeeze the seedlings, because any damage to the roots can cause the plant to rot.
- Seedlings are planted in the second half of May in open ground or a greenhouse. 2 handfuls of humus are added to 10-centimeter holes, watered with water and the seedling is planted so that the top 2-3 leaves are visible on the surface.
- Further care consists of weeding, hilling, watering and fertilizing and, in principle, does not differ from caring for potatoes planted with tubers.
- In autumn you will receive mini tubers weighing from 10 to 40 grams.
- Next year you will be able to get super-elite potatoes from tuber sets.
First year harvest - tuber sets weighing from 10 to 40 grams
Other ways to grow mini potato tubers
There are other ways to grow mini potato tubers. They are based on meristem reproduction. Obtaining a winter potato harvest is based on this feature of the crop. It can also be used to obtain selected seed material. A large potato tuber must be placed in the cellar for the entire summer. By autumn, the tubers will develop a root system, on which mini-tubers will be formed. They are not infected with diseases and viruses. Next year, the first crop of super-super elite may be obtained from it.
A root system has developed on a potato tuber with the formation of mini-tubers
Another fairly simple way to update a variety is to plant the tops of tubers. It is as follows:
- The apical bud with a piece of tuber is cut off from the strongest and healthiest seed tubers.
- The cut part is placed in moistened sawdust and germinated.
- After the first shoots and roots appear (after about 3 weeks), they are planted in the garden.
- The autumn harvest of potatoes obtained using this method are mini-tubers of an updated variety.
For the method of planting with the tops of tubers, use the apical bud of a potato with part of the parent tuber
According to the described scheme, mini-tubers are grown only from sprouts without part of the parent tuber. To do this, seed potatoes are germinated. It is placed in boxes with sawdust, sprayed weekly with water to prevent drying out. If germination occurs in a dark room, then we will get shadow sprouts (long, white), if germination is carried out in the light, then light sprouts will form (green, short). When the sprouts reach a length of 4 cm, they are carefully twisted, separated from the parent tuber and immediately planted. When planting, the top of the sprout should protrude no more than a centimeter above the soil. After a week, the sprouts will turn green and begin to grow. After three weeks, when the plants reach a height of more than 10 cm, they are planted in a permanent place. When planting, you must adhere to the rule: 2/3 of the plant should be buried in the soil. The parent tuber can be used to sprout up to 3 times.
With this method of cultivation, the most important thing is to provide nutrition to the plantings. The plant does not have a parent tuber, so it needs to be fertilized weekly. The best ones are alternating fertilizing with infusions of grass, ash and vermicompost.
This way you can get 25 or more plants from one tuber, which means about 10 kilograms of seed tubers.
All tuber sprouts can be used for planting
Thus, you can use the balcony not only to harvest young potatoes, but also as a mini-breeding site for updating the variety and, accordingly, increasing the yield at your summer cottage.
My name is Ludmila. Higher education, graduated from the Minsk Institute of Culture. I live in Belarus. Rate this article:
Potato yield directly depends on the soil and the selected variety. However, it is not enough to just fertilize the soil. There are various modern technologies that help to significantly increase productivity, improve the taste of potatoes, and protect against diseases. Let's look at how to grow a good crop harvest.
Growing potatoes for a good harvest
This culture is popular and loved by everyone. Therefore, when the question arises of how many potatoes will grow in the country, I want this figure to triple. There are several secrets on how to increase productivity.
A rich potato harvest in a small plot is the desire of many vegetable growers
To get a rich harvest, you need follow certain instructions: prepare tubers for planting, plant correctly and care for them during crop growth. Taking into account all the nuances, you can get a large harvest of root crops.
When to plant potatoes
When to plant a vegetable depends on the selected variety.
The best time to plant potatoes is the beginning or middle of May. However, it is recommended to rely on weather conditions. If the air temperature is above 10C and the soil has warmed up, then this is the most favorable time for planting potatoes.
Before the end of April it makes no sense to plant a crop. It simply won't germinate in cold soil. In the northern part of Russia, it is better to wait until the middle and end of May to plant.
Selection of planting material
The selection of seeds is carried out according to the following rules:
- potato shouldn't be rotten or with cracks;
- you should choose root vegetables that are smooth, hard, without growths and defects;
- For planting, choose potatoes of different ripening periods. Early varieties are left for summer food, and late varieties for storage in winter.
Disinfection of planting material
Treating potatoes before planting will significantly increase yields and protect the crop from pests. It is recommended to carry out a disinfection procedure. This is done a few hours before landing.
Can be cooked home disinfection solution:
- prepare a solution of 1g of potassium permanganate, 10 liters of water, 1 matchbox of copper sulfate;
- sprouted tubers should be poured with the prepared solution for half an hour;
- After this, remove carefully so as not to damage the sprouts and leave to dry in the sun.
Potatoes are ready to sprout.
Bathing in a nutrient solution
Growth stimulants can be used for planting material. Before planting, you should take sprouted tubers a few days before planting. treat them with one of the drugs:
- Protein – 1 ampoule per 1 liter of water;
- Mykon;
- Epin.
Epin
Stimulating incision
In order to make a transverse cut, you need to cut the tuber perpendicular to its axis. Only a small part remains uncut so that the tuber does not fall apart. With the help of a cut, useful substances are evenly distributed over the eyes, and a strong bush is obtained that produces a high yield.
A circular incision is made to a depth of 1 cm in such a way as to encircle the tuber with an incision. In this case, the supply of nutrients comes from the top.
How to prepare seed material
To grow a high-quality harvest, you need to sort out the seed material and remove all rotten, disease-infected, frostbitten, cracked, soft tubers. For planting, it is better to choose medium-sized potatoes 50-70 grams.
There are also the following methods for preparing seed potatoes before boarding:
- heating the tubers in the oven or in the sun;
- germination in the light until sprouts appear;
- disinfection from diseases using potassium permanganate;
- wetting tubers in a fertilizer solution.
How to prepare a site for planting
Before you grow potatoes in your garden, you need to prepare.
Preparing the soil for planting a crop begins with disinfecting it from fungal infections. You can achieve disinfection with solutions that are sold in specialized stores or simply pour boiling water over the soil. You should also mulch the soil.
Proper watering
Potatoes are capricious when it comes to watering. Lack or excess of moisture can affect the harvest. When the seed material falls into moist soil, It is not recommended to water the garden for 2 weeks. In the future, water 2 liters under the bush once a week in hot weather.
Potatoes do not like cold water. Therefore, watering should be slightly lukewarm water.
During the period when tubers begin to form, you should water more actively.
When watering, there is a direct danger of overflow, since planting material does not like active watering
Hilling up potatoes
It is advisable to hill up potatoes twice with an interval of 10 days. The first hilling is carried out after planting, when the potato bush has reached a height of 20 cm. Repeated hilling is carried out after a short period of ten days. Forbidden conduct hilling in dry weather.
Feeding
To get a rich harvest, you need to fertilize in the fall, feeding the soil with organic and chemical additives. However, organic matter cannot be used if the land has previously been heavily attacked by insects or diseases. They contribute additive from humus, superphosphate, potassium sulfate.
Another important procedure is liming. It should be carried out immediately after harvesting. To do this, you need to add dolomite flour or ash to the soil.
When planting tubers in a hole, you need to add 25 kg of humus, 2 kg of ash, 1 kg of superphosphate, and 0.5 kg of ammonium nitrate per hundred square meters.
Harvesting and storage
Harvest time directly depends on the selected potato variety and the timing of its ripening. The harvested crop must be properly stored. The most important thing is that the vegetable does not begin to sprout. Therefore, the following premises are chosen for storage:
- cellar. Ventilation of the room plays an important role to remove excess moisture;
- on the balcony or in the storage room. The main thing is that the storage temperature should not exceed +10C.
It is recommended to store fruits in wooden boxes. Before storing, you need to sort through the potatoes and throw away any damaged or diseased fruits. It is also important that the storage room is not exposed to direct sunlight.
How to control pests
Pests that most often attack the plant: Colorado potato beetle, wireworm, bugs. Insect control is carried out using chemical solutions that can be purchased at Garden/Vegetable Garden stores.
Principles of planting potatoes
The most important principle is to create favorable conditions for growth and nutrition planting material and preserve it from diseases and pests. Vegetables also need: sun, air, moisture, fertilizer. In addition, there are several secrets on how to grow a rich harvest yourself.
How to plant potatoes in the country
In order to get a rich harvest from a small area, you need to carefully approach the choice of potato variety. One of the productive varieties intended for a small area is the “Effect” variety.
It is also important to follow the planting rules. The following methods are suitable for small areas.
Under the trench
Way good for areas where the soil is sandy and is prone to drying out. In autumn, trenches should be dug 30 cm deep at a distance of 1 meter. Lay a 15 cm layer of hay in the trench, sprinkle manure on top, and add a little ash.
Example of a trench for potatoes
During the frost period, the layer is compacted. In the spring, planting material is laid out in the trench and lightly sprinkled with soil.
Advantages: The trench saves potatoes from frost, retains moisture well, and produces a high yield.
Under the holes
Sprouted tubers are placed in a hole at a depth of 8-10 cm with the sprouts facing upward. It is recommended to fertilize the top with compost and ash.
Advantage: The most popular and proven method.
Planting in holes
Under the ridges
If the soil in the garden is clay or unpaved, then planting under ridges is suitable. The height of the ridges is small - 20 cm, distance 80 cm. Combs can be done using agricultural technology. Planting material is planted in depressions located at the top of the ridges.
Advantages: The opportunity to use professional equipment and save time and effort.
Landing on ridges
The secret of planting to get a good big harvest
To get a large harvest there are a few more secrets:
- the best place to plant vegetables is a southern slope without trees nearby;
- It is better to plant several varieties of potatoes at once;
- propagation by sprouts;
- plant in warm soil, watering it with heated water.
How do potatoes grow in the ground?
The sprouted tuber is planted with the sprout facing up. After this, the sprout actively begins to grow and come to the surface. The root system continues to develop in the soil. A root crop begins to form on the roots.
To supply the tubers with starch, flowers appear on the bushes. Root crops begin to grow in the soil, and when the green part of the plant begins to dry out and wither, you can dig up potatoes.
It is not advisable to plant potatoes on soil where the crop was harvested after corn, pumpkin or sunflower the previous year. It is useful to plant vegetables after legumes.
Regular weeding of vegetables will increase the yield. But you can’t start weeding if the potatoes haven’t sprouted yet! There is a risk of damaging the sprouts.
Separate methods of planting potatoes for a large harvest
In addition to the basic methods of planting potatoes, there are the following:
- Mittleider method. The idea is that tubers are planted less frequently, 45 cm wide at a distance of 1 meter. Tubers are planted in a checkerboard pattern;
- Dutch technology. Tubers are planted in high beds 45cm wide at a distance of 80cm. Fertilizers are also placed in the holes. During the maintenance process, the soil is constantly mulched, watered and fed;
- Gülich method. The site is divided into meter by meter squares. In the center of the squares, the ground is mulched and fertilized with compost. Then the tuber is planted sprout down, lightly sprinkled with soil.
After germination, add plenty of soil and repeat this procedure four times. A hill should appear from the soil. The method affects the development of the root system.
Potatoes have been a staple in our diet for many years. In addition to the fact that it tastes good, it also contains many amino acids necessary for the body and quickly fills you up. It is not surprising that many gardeners set themselves the goal of growing a home harvest of this vegetable. And the goal implies the presence of questions. Let's figure out how to grow potatoes at home.
Methods for growing potatoes at home
Growing methods
The first step is to choose a growing method. Today there are quite a lot of options:
- seed cultivation;
- tuberous;
- from parts of the fruit.
Seminal
Planting seeds is a great alternative solution. If you choose this option, it is recommended to buy seeds in specialized stores, otherwise you risk the quality of the harvest.
Seed potatoes sprout a little later than when planted with tubers, but the plants are stronger and the yield of such a plant is much higher.
Tuberous
The most common option is planting whole tubers. Seed material is chosen of medium size; the tubers must be approximately the same in size and must be of high quality (without rot or damage).
From parts of the fruit
When cutting potatoes, you need to leave at least 2 eyes on each half. It is important to ensure that the eyes are fully formed, otherwise the plant will not sprout for a long time and will be more susceptible to cold and disease.
Preparing for landing
Growing potatoes at home is easiest done using the classic method.
It is recommended to prepare the soil in the fall. Before planting, the land is cleared of weeds and pests. Then it is dug up and fertilized with manure, compost or purchased fertilizers with phosphorus and potassium. If you have heavy soil, for a good harvest you need to add ash or lime in the fall.
It makes no sense to use nitrogen fertilizers before spring, since they quickly dissolve. But when plowing in the spring, they are required. Urea can be used as such a fertilizer.
Planting methods and technologies 
Seedlings in a bucket
The abundance of methods for growing potatoes at home allows you to choose the best option for you. The most common method of growing potatoes is hole growing. All gardeners are familiar with it. But it is worth paying attention to other technologies:
Dutch method
This means planting prepared tubers ten cm deep and covering them with soil after sprouts appear. In fact, the method is not very different from the classic one, but this technology better protects the plant from frost, and therefore increases the yield.
In the straw
This method will provide the moisture the vegetable needs, therefore it is optimal for arid areas. Tubers are laid out on prepared moist soil, and a 30-centimeter layer of straw is placed on top. Mice are likely to appear.
Slide
The finished tubers are planted in the form of a circle in holes with fertilizer. An earthen embankment with a depression necessary for irrigation is created on top.
Without beds
It is used when there is not enough space to create full-fledged beds. The hole, 50 cm deep and a meter in diameter, is filled with humus, on which potato tubers are placed. They are covered with compost on top and watered. Periodically you will have to add humus.
Under the film
The entire area allocated for planting potatoes is covered with a thick film with cuts. Tubers are planted in them at a standard depth and watered if necessary.
Without hilling
If you don't have time to properly care for your beds, this method is for you. Seedlings can be grown in cold weather and planted in the ground at the first warm weather. The harvest appears very quickly.
In containers
Methods of growing potatoes in bags, boxes, barrels, and buckets are often used. It is advisable that the container be large enough. The improvised garden bed should be located in a well-lit place.
This method is ideal for city dwellers. Vegetables can be grown in pots or buckets directly on the balcony. The main thing is that the land is light and fertile. You can buy a package of soil at a flower shop.
With this technology, you need to water the plant regularly, but do not overwater it. For feeding, which is carried out no more than 1-2 times a week, it is best to buy ready-made mineral approvals. If the plant lacks nutrients, it will begin to take on an unhealthy color. Pay attention to this.
Garden bed care
Proper care and good conditions are the key to a generous harvest. A few weeks after planting, you need to start caring for the beds. Let's figure out what the benefits of basic procedures are.
| Procedure | How is it carried out? | What is it for? |
| Loosening | With a rake. A couple of cm deep. | Helps destroy small weeds and provides oxygen access. Best done after rains. |
| Hilling | A mound of earth is raked up to the tops. Spray with water and cover with thick material. | The first time should be done when the tops grow by 12 cm. The second time - after 14 days. Helps protect the plant from frost and disease. |
| Watering | Water additionally if there is no rain, or when growing indoors. | The crop needs moisture for good growth. But under no circumstances should you flood the soil until puddles form. |
| Top dressing | Fertilizer is diluted in the correct proportions in water. | For better and faster growth. |
Disease Prevention
Typically, treatment is carried out about five times over the entire period. The first step is prevention, because protecting a plant from disease is easier than curing it. Be sure to carefully monitor the appearance of pests.
The most common problem for gardeners is the Colorado potato beetle. This outwardly attractive insect eats the leaves of the crop, preventing it from growing well, and then completely killing it. Experienced gardeners say that the best way to deal with Colorado plants is to collect them by hand. But this method is not very reliable. You can always lose sight of the bug and then all the work done will be in vain. It is better to carry out chemical treatment, adhering to safety rules.
Wireworm is a pest that you will not encounter if you have been preparing the soil since the fall. Plowing brings the beetles to the surface, and they die from frost.
Useful tips
Despite the huge amount of information on the Internet, many beginning gardeners have questions that we will try to answer.
How to bury tubers
It is important not to throw the tuber at random, but to plant it with the side with the most eyes facing up. The depth depends on the type of soil: if it is heavy, then you should not dig deeper than 5 cm; if it’s light, you can do all ten.
Which tubers are suitable for planting
It is necessary to select beautiful, even fruits. If there is a shortage, you can cut the fruit, but only keeping at least 2 eyes on each part. Before cutting, it is better to moisten the knife in potassium permanganate.
At what distance should you make holes?
Standard planting is done at a distance of 30 cm from each other and approximately 60 cm between rows.
When to start planting
Usually, vegetables begin to be planted in April, when the air temperature warms up to ten degrees Celsius. It is important to monitor whether there will be frosts soon. If frost does occur, hilling helps save the plant.
The secret to growing potatoes faster / A bucket from a bush / How to properly germinate potatoes
Secrets of growing potatoes
Potatoes. From seeds and sprouts. Growing at home. Part 1
Growing potatoes in winter on a window in 60 days.
Conclusion
You may or may not like potato crops, but they are a truly important product in the diet. It is in many ways superior to our favorite vegetables: rich in potassium, which supports the cardiovascular, neuromuscular systems, and proper water balance; it contains a lot of vitamin C and B, as well as various amino acids. With the help of juice you can improve the general condition of stomach diseases.
Fortunately, anyone can have their own harvest of such a vegetable. All you need is a great desire and minimal costs.
It is necessary to hill up the potatoes well, which will increase the underground area of the trunk. And then it becomes clear what is the effectiveness of growing in boxes. Potato stems grow tall. Boxes are constructed, placed one on top of the other, and soil is added, thereby stimulating the appearance of new stolons. Then repeat the process again.
The productivity of this method is very high. If all conditions are met, you can get a bucket of potatoes from one potato.
Pros and cons of the method
The benefits of planting potatoes in boxes:
- High yield.
- Saving land area for potatoes.
- Minimize labor costs: there is no need to weed and hill up.
- Convenient and easy harvesting. It is enough to disassemble the box and collect clean, selected potatoes in a bucket.
- No Colorado potato beetle. Because potato sprouts are underground almost all the time.
Disadvantages of planting potatoes in boxes:
- There is a need for boxes that need to be either purchased or made.
- Garden soil will not work. You'll have to create it yourself.
- Boxes are a breeding ground for slugs.
- It is necessary to properly control soil moisture.
The necessary conditions
Planting material
The following potato varieties are recommended for growing potatoes in this way:
- Belarus.
- Shante.
- Reliable.
- Youth.
- Slav.
- Nevsky.
- Sineglazka.
- Lugovskoy.
- Lukyanovsky.
- American.
The optimal size of tubers for planting is medium, about 50-80 g.
Small planting material will give a small harvest. Large planting material promotes the development of the above-ground part, which will eventually take over all the nutrition, and the harvest will be average.
It is better to germinate the tubers before planting. You need to let them sit in the light until they turn green and sprout small seedlings.
Inventory
The potato box is built from pine bars and boards. If you have pallets, you can use material from them. The stakes need to be driven in on a flat, slightly elevated surface in a lighted area of the site.
In the boards at the places where they are attached to the bars, you need to drill holes for screws so that they do not split. The method can be used for more than one year.
Soil and fertilizers
Ordinary garden soil is not suitable for growing potatoes in boxes. In boxes, the soil is in a confined space; there is no possibility of soil aeration.
The basis for the soil is peat. It has a porous structure. Absorbs moisture well and is able to retain it during dry periods. Peat warms up well in the sun. Also, in peat, plants are less susceptible to diseases, which is important when setting tubers.
To enrich the mixture, sand is added to the peat for better heating of the layer; it makes up about 1/4 of the total volume of soil obtained. Then chalk or lime flour is added: if the peat is wet, then 70 grams will be enough for every 10 kg; if dry, the dose is increased to 75-80 g. What to do if it is not possible to extract peat? You can form a mixture of compost and soil from the site, enriching it with ash.
Soil from under potatoes cannot be reused, as it may contain pathogens of potato diseases. This soil is poured onto the beds, and new soil is prepared for planting.
A place in the sun or partial shade is best for placing boxes.. Shaded areas are not suitable. Potatoes are most affected by late blight there.
How to grow crops in boxes without a bottom: step-by-step instructions
Care
Basic methods of caring for potatoes:
- watering;
- fertilizer;
- hilling;
- protection from pests.
The method of planting potatoes in boxes saves gardeners from hilling. But other elements of potato care are not canceled.
Watering in boxes is difficult due to the confined space, so it is necessary to install (dig) four metal pipes with radial holes into the first layer of soil, which is about 40-50 cm thick.
These holes are made at different heights to supply water to the lower layers of the soil. In addition to watering, they can also be used to feed plants.
It is necessary to apply fertilizers and carry out preventive measures to protect against late blight, Colorado potato beetles and other pests in the same way as with the classical scheme for growing potatoes. To understand whether this technology works, you need to try it yourself. This spring you can try the method in action. To do this, you just need to find some boards. And in the fall you can get a rich harvest from one potato.
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Can you imagine our cooking without potatoes? Of course not! Hundreds of delicious and healthy dishes have been invented by mankind from this wonderful vegetable. What about your garden? And again the answer is no. Nowadays you can hardly find a garden without potatoes. This culture is given a place of honor on every site, and it occupies a considerable area. And your home, balcony or windowsill - are you ready to see our all favorite “earth apple” there? Don't be so quick to say no. Growing potatoes outside of your home is possible. .
Vegetable garden in the house: what and why
A more amazing vegetable from our fields with such a bright and contradictory fate cannot be found. It appeared in Russia not so long ago, only 300 years ago, and did not cause much enthusiasm; on the contrary, at first the new product was received coldly and hostilely. People preferred to eat the usual rye and turnips, but they distrusted the strange tubers growing underground and called them “the devil’s apple.” And even enlightened people considered it alien food, harmful to Russian people.
The government had to take pretty tough measures to spread it among the population. It took almost half a century, but the vegetable still won its place under the Russian sun. One bag of potatoes, once brought by Peter the Great from Holland, turned into millions of tons grown annually throughout the country. And now he bears not offensive, but the most respectful and kind nicknames: “dear potato”, and “nurse”, and, of course, “second bread”.
The love for potatoes may not have been at first sight, but it is forever
Two thirds of potato production comes from private households, and this is not surprising. The story, which began rather sadly, ended with popular love and reverence. And how can you not love them, these potatoes: tasty, crumbly, filling! It is good fried, boiled, baked, in soups and borscht, as a side dish and as an independent dish. All in all, this is a must-have foodie favorite. And it’s no longer a question for anyone whether they need potatoes in the garden or not. Definitely needed!
And in the apartment on the window? On the balcony? Wait, because she will interfere. And it is unwise to store potatoes on the balcony in winter - they will freeze. What if you don’t store it, but grow it?
Before organizing home garden beds, you need to determine for yourself the purpose and reason for this rather serious step. Setting up a garden at home is not exactly a super complicated and troublesome task, but it will take some work, so it’s better to think through everything in advance.
Naturally, the goal of home potato growing is one: to obtain a high yield of excellent, tasty tubers. But there can be many reasons. So, you are thinking about growing potatoes at home because:
- heard about it and became interested in this method of farming;
- you don’t have a garden, but you have a spacious balcony or window sill, and there is clearly empty space there that could be useful;
- you have a passion for gardening combined with a desire for experimentation and everything new and exciting;
- you don’t want to go to the garden when you only need to dig up a couple of kilograms of potatoes for lunch;
- you want to have new potatoes on the table no matter the time of year.
Well, there are good reasons. So it's worth a try.
Select, prepare, plant
Having firmly decided that there should be a vegetable garden at home, we will proceed to choosing the most basic component of the future harvest - the potatoes themselves. It must not only be purchased, but also properly prepared for planting.
Variety selection
Medium and late varieties are not suitable; their place is in open beds. It is worth paying attention to the ultra-early and early ones. The earliest varieties, according to the State Register of Breeding Achievements:
- Capri;
- Colomba;
- Red Sonya:
- Meteor;
- Charoite.
Their ripening period with proper pre-planting treatment is 45–50 days from emergence. But the first three varieties are not yet very well known and widespread, while Meteor and Charoite have already gained popularity and are loved by gardeners for their excellent qualities: excellent taste, early ripening and productivity.
Photo gallery: ultra-early potato varieties
The Dutch variety Colomba received the highest rating for the taste and size of the tubers. Red Sonya is a new German variety with a reduced nitrogen requirement. Meteor is named for its early ripening. Charoite will not disappoint you.
If you were unable to find these varieties, do not be upset. Proven and widely known Zhukovsky early, Ilona, Impala, Red Scarlett, Luck will not let you down, you just need to meet a number of conditions:
- Buy potatoes for home growing only in specialized stores or by mail from reputable agricultural companies. There is nothing wrong with asking the seller for a product certificate that indicates both the name of the variety and its properties. And the seller himself will be happy to give you advice on which potatoes are best to choose for this purpose and offer to buy products for pre-planting treatment and fertilization of plants.
- Don't make random purchases. If you buy a very beautiful and wonderful tuber that you like from an unknown seller, then there are fears that it is not an elite one, but simply an “earth apple” that has grown so impeccable in appearance in its sixth or seventh year of reproduction. But potatoes are prone to degeneration, and the quality of seed material decreases year after year without renewal. Naturally, the risk of degeneration of the “miracle” you bought is very high, and if it gives you a trifle in the harvest, you shouldn’t be surprised.
- Do not purchase uneven, damaged, limp or wrinkled tubers. Unfortunately, these can be found among high-quality elite potatoes, so ask to replace them.
- The size of the potato should not be very large; the best size is larger than a large chicken egg. Don’t think that the larger the planting material, the better the result you will get in the end. But if there are no medium-sized tubers, it is more profitable to cut them in half, and along, and not across, so that the apical bud remains on one of the halves.
- It is recommended to cut very large tubers according to the number of eyes, but this practice is more suitable for open ground, and the eyes themselves have different growth rates. Those located at the top germinate earlier and develop faster, but in the lower part, near the umbilical cord, there are few eyes and their development is much slower. Therefore, we either cut the tubers lengthwise, or cut off a little more than half from the top. We divide the upper part into two and plant it, and eat the lower part. The result will be the same.
- When cutting tubers, it is important to consider the following points:
- We do the procedure not just before planting, but three to four days in advance, so that the cut dries out and does not become an easy target for disease;
- choose a knife only made of stainless steel;
- after each cut, dip the knife into a container with a moderate pink solution of potassium permanganate;
- Do not damage the eyes, this will significantly reduce the yield;
- not all varieties tolerate cutting well; for example, Red Scarlett reacts negatively to it and reduces the yield. It is better to clarify this question with the seller.
Methods for cutting potatoes may vary
Preparing tubers for planting
When the variety has been decided and the planting material has been purchased, it is worth paying attention to pre-planting treatment and disinfection. In a city apartment, the simplest but most effective remedy would be a solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per 1 liter of water). The potatoes are kept in the solution for 20–30 minutes. Additionally, you can roll the tubers in wood ash or treat them with growth stimulants, but since we have little planting material, and the growth stimulants are designed to treat several buckets, it is still better to look for ash. It can remain in yards where branches and twigs were burned on fires (usually during spring cleaning), but you only need a little of it, two or three handfuls.
Sprouting tubers plays an important role in the future successful growth of potatoes in the home garden. Potatoes ideally preserved during the winter do not have sprouts; they are in the dormant phase. If it is planted in the ground in this state, it will sleep safely for another two weeks and only then begin to grow. And it will grow much slower. Thus, we will lose about twenty days, and this is unnecessary watering, loosening, that is, a waste of both time and effort.
This means that our nightshade joy must be awakened. Try to calculate the time frame for purchasing potatoes so that you have them at your disposal no later than a month before the planned planting. Germinating tubers does not require much work.
The potatoes are laid out in a bright place in one or two layers (in a box or box on the windowsill in our case). In the first week, she needs warmth: the room temperature should be about 22 o C, this promotes rapid awakening and stimulates the appearance of sprouts. For the next two weeks, the temperature should be lower, from 14 o C to 16 o C, that is, the box should be moved to a colder place, on the floor or an unheated balcony. Some experienced potato growers recommend lowering the temperature to 4–6 o C, but in a modern city apartment it is impossible to provide such varied temperature conditions, so when sprouting we will focus not on time, but on the type of sprouts. They should be no more than 1–2 cm long, strong, cone-shaped, colored according to the variety. Tubers with pale, long thread-like sprouts are unsuitable for planting, but this should not occur in plants of elite varieties.
Such excellent sprouts are a sure sign of a generous harvest
You can also sprout potatoes in T-shirt bags. Holes are made in the bag for ventilation (so that the potatoes do not fall out, of course), 10–12 tubers are placed inside and hung in a lighted place, but not under direct rays. In such a micro-greenhouse, potatoes ripen in two weeks; the main thing is to prevent the sprouts from stretching excessively. Once they reach the desired size, it’s time to start planting.
Germination of tubers in bags is used to prepare for planting
In general, the scheme for preparing tubers for planting is as follows:
- Germination in light or in bags.
- Cutting (if required) to required size. We try to protect the sprouts.
- Disinfection.
Planting: what and how to plant
You can grow potatoes indoors almost all year round, but it should be borne in mind that in winter, due to shorter daylight hours, both the growing season of plants and the harvest will be weaker than in spring. In central Russia, it is permissible to plant potatoes in a home garden on glazed balconies from mid-March.
It’s easy to choose containers for the “beds”: these can be sugar bags, striped “shuttle” bags, large plastic bags, buckets, plastic or clay pots. They also practice planting in boxes - both in mesh plastic ones for storing fruit, and in those made from boards. Each method has its own characteristics.
The choice of soil is also important. Potatoes love moist, loose, sandy and loamy soils, as well as chernozems. If this is the kind of land next to your house, great. Use it by adding humus 1 to 1, or dig up leaf humus in the nearest forest belt or park area. For the sake of gardening at home, you can try, because other types of work on growing potatoes (hilling, weeding) will not threaten you. You can buy special garden soil and use it to improve ordinary soil. The main thing is not to take soil in areas where nightshades used to grow, otherwise there is a risk of infecting the plants with late blight and scab.
Good soil for a home garden should be soft and crumbly. Take a pinch of damp soil and squeeze it in your fist, and then throw it in your palm. If it has fallen apart, it means everything is fine; if it has retained its shape, it means it is not loose enough. Add a little sand and humus.
The soil for potatoes should provide air access to the underground part of the plants
Growing in bags
Growing potatoes in bags is called vertical planting. This method is based on the plant’s ability to produce side shoots (stolons) higher and higher along the stem, and on these shoots the tubers we need are formed. The landing algorithm is simple, since we did all the most important and time-consuming things at the preparation stage:
- The bag is placed in a well-lit place. Holes are made in the walls to improve air exchange, and the edges are turned outward.
- A drainage layer (about 10 cm) is poured onto the bottom. You can use gravel and crushed stone for it, but lighter materials are still preferable: expanded clay, fragments of foam plastic, plastic plugs, crushed thick branches. We install the bag on the balcony, where there is always a need for cleaning, which means the “bed” will need to be moved.
- A layer of soil (20 cm) is placed on the drainage, slightly compacted, but not compacted.
- Two or three potatoes are laid out on top of the soil (if it is a cut tuber, then cut side down).
- Add another 15–20 cm of soil and water.
- As the stems grow, add soil mixture until the height of the entire structure reaches 60–70 cm.
Such a mini-garden requires watering once a week, after which the soil is loosened or sprinkled with mulching materials (straw, leaves). Plants can be fed with urea (at the rate of 20 g per bucket of water) and potash fertilizers.
Potatoes in bags will feel good on the balcony if you follow simple rules for caring for them
The soil must be constantly kept moist, but not wet. The best way out is drip irrigation, and you can do it yourself: prick a two or one and a half liter plastic bottle with a needle near the bottom, fill it with water and place it in a container with soil. You need to make a hole in the bottle cap to allow air to enter.
To prevent aeration from being disturbed, you can use another invention of folk craftsmen:
- Before filling the bag with soil, a rubber hose is laid in a spiral along its wall.
- Holes are first made along the entire length of the hose at a distance of 15–20 cm, 3 cm long. The turns of the spiral do not go tightly, but at intervals; the end of the hose at the bottom of the bag is tied up.
- Once a week, the hose is filled with air using a pump. If you connect a water pump, watering will be provided at the same time.
Video: growing potatoes in bags
Growing in buckets, pots and boxes
The main rule of this method of growing is not to thicken the plantings. One tuber per seven-liter bucket or pot will be quite enough. 1-2 pieces are planted in a box depending on the size of the container. As soil, you can use a homemade soil mixture (1 bucket each of humus and soil, 2–3 liters of sand and 1 liter of ash) or buy a ready-made one in a store. For the rest, we proceed according to the already familiar scheme:
- We make holes in the walls of the bucket for better aeration.
- Fill in the drainage (5–8 cm).
- The first layer of soil is 10–12 cm.
- Place the potatoes, sprinkle 5–7 cm of soil, and water.
- As it grows, add soil, leaving 10 cm to the top.
- We water and loosen once every 7 days.
The soil in the container is poured into the bucket as the stems grow
A very interesting way to grow potatoes in two pots. The inner pot is made with large slits; as the tubers ripen, it is removed and harvested. As in the case of vertical planting, you need to monitor the condition of the soil: water, loosen and fertilize in time, otherwise the result will differ quite significantly from expectations.
Potatoes from the balcony will please the hardworking owner with a rich harvest
When planting in boxes, drainage is not needed, but it is better to install them on pallets or oilcloth. This will protect the window sills from excess moisture.
To prevent potatoes on a balcony or window from overheating and being exposed to direct sunlight, it is necessary to install shading on fine days (blinds or sheets of paper). Don’t forget about access to fresh air, so ventilate the plants more often.
Potatoes on the windowsill - both beautiful and healthy
Video: growing potatoes in double pots
New potatoes in winter
A very unusual method of obtaining young tubers in winter, when there is not enough sunlight for the full development of plants, is based on the ability of potatoes for meristem (tissue or micro-cuttings) propagation. To stimulate the plant not to germinate, but to form tubers, it is placed in a completely dark place and air access is limited. That is, they simply bury it in a box of earth half a meter high and place it in a warm (about 25 o C) place. The soil should, of course, be loose and nutritious, and watered once a week. Plant such a bed in mid-autumn - and you will have the opportunity to surprise your friends with dishes made from new potatoes on the festive table on New Year's Eve.
Potatoes from seeds - homegrown elite
In your apartment you can grow not only potato tubers for food, but also the most selected super-elite planting material - strong, without hereditary diseases, renewed. But this will not happen immediately, but over several years. Here are the stages a potato goes through from seed to full-fledged seed tuber:
- In the first year after sowing, we will receive sets, or mini-tubers. This stage is similar to growing onion sets from nigella. The nodules will be small in size, but very valuable: completely cleared of the negative qualities accumulated in the old potatoes.
- By planting these nodules in the spring, we will grow a super-super-elite crop, which is better to use all for planting. It is not available for sale, so it is also very valuable.
- In the third year, from the same material, we will get a super elite. It should already be enough for planting, and for sale (very profitable, although it’s a shame to sell such beauty), and for food. If you have gardening friends, you can please them with a wonderful gift - a pure varietal tuber. They will be grateful.
- The new harvest of the same potatoes will already be simply elite. This is what you buy in stores.
- In the fifth year we collect the first reproduction of the elite.
- This is followed by a second reproduction, etc.
The fourth and fifth reproductions are already considered degenerating and require replacement.
In order for the “earth apple” to bear generous fruit, you need to monitor the renewal of seed material
Growing potatoes from seeds makes it possible to obtain pure seed material with much less expense, because you can collect the seeds yourself. But even when purchased, they are cheaper than elite potatoes in tubers. In addition, you will be absolutely confident in the health and quality of the seed grown with your own hands.
The most popular are the seeds of the varieties Skazka, Deva, Krasa, Ilona, Kolobok, and Sante. Recently, a mixture called Salute has appeared on sale, which includes both yellow and pink tubers with white and yellow flesh, and extravagant ones with purple flesh. Such original seed material will certainly interest lovers of everything unusual and bright.
Photo gallery: popular varieties for propagation from seeds
Sante - a universally recognized and adored variety 
Skazka has a lot of excellent quality tubers and the appearance is simply fabulous. Ilona is a promising new product; when growing it from seeds, picking is not required 
A mixture of Salute varieties will delight lovers of everything new and unusual
Preparing seeds for planting
In order for potato seeds to germinate, they require additional stimulation. If you bought seeds in specialized stores, it will be enough to keep them in a humid, warm environment before sowing so that they swell and hatch faster. To do this, take a plastic box, put a damp cloth on the bottom, then seeds and again a layer of cloth. It is not recommended to use gauze or cotton wool: small potato seeds can become entangled in it. Then the container is closed with a lid so that the moisture does not evaporate, and placed near the battery for 2 days. It is recommended to soak self-collected seeds in a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes.. After this, they are washed with clean water and slightly dried, since they are very small, it is inconvenient to sow them wet. Seeds can also be germinated; to do this, they are kept in heat and moisture for 5–6 days rather than 2.
The soil should be loose and nutritious, sifted, and a few days before planting it should be treated with Fitosporin. Most gardeners grow potatoes from seeds in seedlings with picking, but there are those who prefer to do without this procedure. You can try both methods by sowing some of the seeds in cups on a tray and some in a small box.
The cups are filled two-thirds with the soil mixture, and 3-4 seeds are carefully placed in them, at some distance from each other. Sprinkle a thin layer of sand on top and spray with water from a spray bottle. Wait another two weeks before germination, and to speed up their emergence, the crops are covered with film.
The method of sowing seeds according to Mittlider, a famous agronomist and innovator, deserves attention. To grow seedlings, take boxes (50 cm long, 40 cm wide, 10 cm deep). Instead of soil mixture, use medium-sized sawdust with sand (3 to 1). Sawdust of any wood species is suitable, except oak and walnut. Instead, you can take peat in the same proportion. Artificial soil does not contain fertilizers, so it is enriched with the following nutrients (per box):
- 30 g calcium carbonate or lime;
- 15 g nitrophoska.
Everything is thoroughly mixed and leveled. A slate is used to make shallow furrows and sow seeds at a short distance from each other. The layer that covers the grooves on top should be 4 times the thickness of the seeds themselves. That is, the potato babies will need to be sprinkled with a very small amount of sand. The procedure is completed with watering.
Growing potato seedlings
Potato seedlings are much more capricious and demanding than their sister - pepper seedlings. She requires more light, but without it she will stretch out and turn pale, and give her air to the roots - they loosen them every now and then. Another cause of concern is the susceptibility of young crops to blackleg, which can destroy the entire crop in a matter of days. The signs of this insidious disease are known: the plants dry out close to the ground, the stems become thinner, and the seedlings die. The causes of the problem may be thickened crops, excessive watering at low temperatures and increased soil acidity. Therefore, it is recommended to water potato seedlings through a tray.
Potassium permanganate, our irreplaceable potassium permanganate, has shown itself to be excellent in the fight against blackleg. A good pink, but not bright solution should be used to periodically water and spray the seedlings. You can even replace every third or fourth watering with this therapeutic effect, using a spray bottle or a small plastic bottle with small holes in the lid.
Ordinary potassium permanganate will help to cope with the black leg of seedlings.
Approximately 20 days after emergence, potato seedlings dive. In the box, which it was decided to leave without picking for testing, thinning is carried out: weak, non-viable shoots are removed with nail scissors. From the end of April, seedlings can be taken out onto the balcony for hardening.
The period for growing seedlings is generally about two months. As soon as warm weather sets in, it’s time to plant in the ground. This is done in mid-May in cloudy weather or closer to night.
In open ground, but with protection
If you have free space in the greenhouse, you can plant elite potato seedlings there and not worry about their fate. If there is no greenhouse, you will have to take additional protective measures.
Seedlings are placed almost horizontally in longitudinal holes and covered almost completely with soil. It is necessary to water the plants and, if possible, mulch.
It is better to water elite potato seedlings along the row spacing, avoiding waterlogging
You should also take care of the covering material; without it, the seedlings will freeze. Arcs are installed over the seedlings and covered with film; the edges should be sprinkled with earth and, if possible, weighted with stones so that strong winds, which are not uncommon in spring, do not spoil all the work. The seedlings are opened when the weather finally settles and the threat of late frosts has passed.
Further care of the plantings does not differ from the care of other potato beds: weeding, hilling, watering in furrows. It would not be superfluous to fertilize with mullein solution.
Mullein is made from cow dung. Place 1 liter of fresh manure and 5 liters of water in a bucket or pan. Leave to ferment for 2-3 weeks. Every 3 days you need to stir the mixture, and before use, dilute it with water one to three or even four. Add 100 g of superphosphate per 10 liters and 500 g of ash to the finished solution. This fertilizer will immediately provide the plants with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Before use, the fertilizer must be diluted at least twice. Pour the solution not under the root, but into the recesses around the bushes. If the weather is hot and dry, you should hold off on applying fertilizer.
In the fall, you will harvest small nodules from the beds. Don’t be upset by their size, because this is the real super-super elite - yours, homemade, proven. By planting these nodules next year, you will get a full harvest.
These small nodules are carriers of the most valuable qualities of the variety.
Obtaining varietal material from sprouts
Seed potatoes can also be renewed by planting sprouts in the ground. Sprouts, cleared of the remains of the mother tuber, are the same healthy varietal material as a mini-tuber.
Pros and cons of growing potatoes with sprouts
Proponents of this method of obtaining varietal seed and ware potatoes cite the following arguments in its favor:
- sprouts, cleared of the remnants of the mother potato, are the same healthy varietal material as the seeds;
- from one elite tuber you can get up to 30 sprouts, periodically picking them off and putting them back in for growing, which saves a lot of money;
- It will take only one to two years to breed elite seed material;
- the yield from sprouts is higher than from seedlings (with the same number of bushes);
- sprouts require less care than seedlings.
But there are also opponents to planting sprouts. They argue that the method is too labor-intensive, and plants left without a nutritious mother tuber require painstaking care and a lot of fertilizer. The seedling method for growing potatoes from sprouts will be difficult and require a lot of time and effort. But planting directly in open ground is much simpler and meets the expectations of gardeners, so we will consider this method.
Obtaining material for planting
To get strong, viable sprouts, you need to select healthy and undamaged tubers and carry out germination using the methods described above or in wet sawdust or sand. It needs to start four weeks before the planned landing.
Sprouts come in shade and light, and they are named depending on where they were obtained: in a dark cellar or in a bright place. For planting, of course, light ones are preferable: they are more powerful, thicker, and brighter in color. Shadow sprouts quickly stretch out, they are pale and thin; they are used for planting only in case of an acute shortage of seed potatoes.
The germination period will be longer, because you need to get sprouts 6–10 cm long. They need to be separated on the day of planting, or at least a day or two before.
You need to separate the sprouts from the tuber on the day of planting, and not by tearing them off, but by “twisting them”
A selection of videos on the topic
Proof that it is possible to successfully grow potatoes using the methods described above will be this collection of videos.
Video: how to make a double pot and brief planting instructions
Video: potatoes in a box
Video: a successful experiment on growing potatoes in a bag
Video: preparing the soil for sowing seeds (according to Mittlider)
No matter how confident we are that we know almost everything about potatoes, there will definitely be something new, fresh, and original. Creating potato beds right at home will help you look at gardening from a whole new perspective and may become a favorite hobby for many years. Experiment, create, try, without fear of failure. Not a single worthwhile task can be done without them. Success will come with experience, and you will have a great chance to please your family and friends with the fruits of your labor.
