Sprouting potatoes before planting: five best methods, conditions and recommendations. Proper germination of potatoes before planting: timing and methods of carrying out the procedure When to start germinating potatoes for planting

Since the spring turned out to be cold this year, potato planting in our region is in full swing! By the way, we have already settled down and now with a pure soul we can work on our favorite blog. The topic of this article will be relevant next spring, when we will all again prepare for the new summer season and take care of how to germinate potatoes for planting. Why do this at all? With strong, sprouted sprouts, the potatoes will sprout faster. By preparing potatoes for planting in the spring, we give them an impetus to grow.

Ways to germinate seed potatoes

In the dacha literature we were able to find several ways germinate seed potatoes:

• in the light
• In the dark,
• dry germination in bags,
• wet germination in peat or humus.

Germination in the light

An experienced summer resident in one of his videos on YouTube shares his experience of germinating potatoes in the light.

During storage, potatoes should not germinate on their own, otherwise the tuber will devote all its energy to premature germination. It is recommended to remove potatoes from the cellar, basement, caisson 3 weeks before planting. There is no need to rush, otherwise the sprouts will outgrow. The optimal length of sprouts is 1 cm. For the first week, it is worth keeping it in the light at a temperature of +18 to +20 degrees (at room temperature). Within a week, the buds will “wake up” and small sprouts will appear. Then the seed potatoes are removed to a cooler place (10-15 degrees) for another 2 weeks.

For germination, tubers are placed in boxes or in 2-3 layers on the floor in strips.

Before planting, treat with fungicides, such as Fitosporin. ABOUT pre-planting treatment various solutions were discussed in the article.

It is recommended to germinate potatoes in the light so that the sprouts are thick, strong, and greenish. Such planting material is considered to be of high quality, and the potatoes will “pop out” instantly after planting. When germinating in the dark, the sprouts turn out elongated, skinny, long and pale, which is not very good. Nevertheless, there is a way to germinate potatoes in the dark.

Germination in the dark

Germination in a dark room is acceptable in the absence of other conditions, but is considered less productive. As mentioned above, the sprouts are of poor quality; seedlings will take longer to appear after planting, which ultimately will not have the greatest impact on the harvest. in the best possible way. When germination in the dark, the temperature should be lower than in the light. Germination time: 15–20 days.

Dry germination in bags

This method of germination accelerates the development of the plant. Seed potatoes are placed in transparent polyethylene bags. They should be filled with potatoes to 2/3 of their volume. In bags of small diameter (about 20 cm) it is enough to put 8-10 potatoes. Then 8-10 holes with a diameter of about 1 cm are made in the bags to allow air to flow inside. Packages with seed material are tied and kept for about 30 days in the light, in a room with a temperature of 14-15 degrees. You can take the bags to greenhouses heated with biofuel.

The tubers are ready for planting if the sprouts on them have reached 1 cm in length. Periodically, the bags of potatoes are carefully turned over.

Wet germination of potatoes in peat, humus, sawdust

Peat, humus and sawdust form a favorable moist environment for the germination of seed potatoes. The boxes are placed in a dark room with a temperature of +12 to +15 degrees. The method allows not only to obtain sprouts, but also small roots, which accelerates the growth of the plant.

Potatoes are placed in boxes in layers, sprinkling each of them with peat, humus or sawdust (layer thickness - about 3 cm). After 3 weeks, sprouts about 4 cm long and the beginnings of a root system appear on the tubers. It is believed that tubers prepared in this way give early harvest.

Combined method

For the first 3 weeks, the tubers are kept in the light, in a fairly warm place. As a result, thick, strong sprouts are formed on the potatoes. And then the tubers are transferred to boxes. A layer of humus and peat is poured down into each box (layer thickness - 10 cm). The ratio of peat and humus is 1 to 1. Seed tubers are laid on such a “litter” and a layer of the same mixture (3 cm thick) or wet peat is poured on top. Then lay out the second layer of potatoes and so on. The boxes are placed in a dark room for a period of 7 to 10 days.

The mixture, which is poured over layers of potatoes, can be moistened with a solution of mineral fertilizers, accelerating germination: 60 g of superphosphate per 10 liters of water.

Ash can also speed up the germination of tubers. The tubers are “powdered” with it just before planting in the soil (at the rate of 5 g of ash per 1 kg of potatoes).

Our experience

And we have our own combined method :)))

We also begin preparing potatoes for planting within 3 weeks. Our potatoes are stored well in the caisson, and even in April they remain strong and elastic, without a single sprout. We start planting in early May, which means it’s time to pull them out in the second week of April.

We raise planting potatoes from the caisson to the garage. The temperature there is higher than in the caisson, but there is no light. Since we do not have the opportunity to immediately take the seed potatoes to the dacha, we have to “marinate” them in the dark for a couple of weeks. During this time, the eyes have time to wake up and tiny sprouts swell.

After 2 weeks, we go to the dacha for the first time and there the potatoes are already standing in the light at a temperature of +13 to +15 degrees. In a week, it manages to turn slightly green and acquire strong, sharp sprouts no more than 1 cm long. With such short sprouts, it is very convenient to plant.

That's how much planting material we had this year.

We sprouted potatoes laid in boxes in 1-2 layers.

Potato yield and its resistance to diseases and pests depend not only on varietal characteristics, but also from agricultural technology, including the preparation of tubers for cultivation. You can enhance the natural qualities of the plant and protect it from diseases by germinating potatoes before planting. This process will only take 1-1.5 months. Let's figure out when to start and how to properly germinate tubers before planting.

Sprouting potatoes has some advantages:

1. A timely and correctly carried out procedure activates natural processes that lead to the formation of roots and sprouts. They form much faster, so after planting such tubers in the ground, seedlings appear earlier.
2. Pre-planting germination allows you to select the best potatoes for planting. In the time required for this, it is possible to remove even from the previously selected material those specimens that have sprouted poorly or have not sprouted at all, or have rotted. The rest can be planted without fear of voids forming in the designated area.
3. The time before harvest is reduced: sprouted potatoes develop much faster, which means tubers form earlier. In addition, such plants use moisture and applied fertilizers more efficiently and become more resistant to diseases.

Germination is especially effective for varieties of mid-early and mid-ripening periods. Sprouted tubers manage to produce a harvest on par with early potatoes, and, accordingly, with mid-early varieties of this crop.

When to take out potatoes for sprouting

You need to start germinating potato tubers approximately 30-45 days before planting them in the ground. It is during this time that they will have time to germinate if the room temperature is about 15 °C. This maximum term, for early varieties of potatoes it can be reduced by a week.

You need to get potatoes for germination in Siberia and the Urals approximately in mid-late April and plant them in the beds a month later, when the soil has already warmed up enough (at least to 10-15 ° C).

IN Middle lane, including in the Moscow region, you can start germinating potatoes earlier - in early April, in the south of Russia even earlier - in March and even at the end of February.

Preparing tubers for germination: do they need to be washed and treated with anything?

Before you put the potatoes to sprout, you need to first prepare them. If seed potatoes have not been selected in the fall, then in the spring the most suitable specimens are selected: clean, without stains or damage, the size of egg. You can also take larger tubers, but do not plant them entirely, but cut them into pieces shortly before planting (a few days before, so that the cuts become corked).

If the planting tubers have already sprouted small sprouts by the time germination begins, then there is no need to break them off, but if they are long and thin, then you will have to find other planting material.

Whether it is necessary to wash potatoes before sprouting, each vegetable grower decides independently. Those who wash tubers do this in order to see the slightest specks of rot on their surface and immediately discard such potatoes. In principle, you can wash potatoes, especially if they are quite dirty, but it is still not necessary.

Before germination, planted potato specimens can be pickled in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes or in a solution of copper sulfate, boric acid and potassium permanganate (1 tsp per 10 liters of water) for 15 minutes.

Germination methods

After the preparation of the tubers is completed, you can begin the germination itself. How and where to do this is decided by the vegetable grower himself. There are several ways to germinate potatoes before planting. They differ from each other in some features.

In the light

Germination of potatoes in the light begins 1.5 months before planting them in the beds. The germination site must certainly be light (but without direct sunlight), in which the potatoes will be illuminated most fully.

In plastic boxes

The tubers are inspected, then the prepared potatoes are placed in 1 layer in shallow plastic boxes with holes and placed one on one near the window. The light should be diffused, so the boxes are covered on top with ordinary transparent film with perforations. From time to time, the boxes are swapped, and the tubers in them are turned over so that the sides that were below are exposed to the light.

A week before planting, the tubers are cut into pieces, the knife after each tuber is disinfected in a dark purple solution of potassium permanganate, and the potato sections are treated in ash or cement. As a result of germinating potatoes in the light, the sprouts are strong, short and green. 10 days before planting, the boxes are covered with cloth, as if simulating planting, that is, the tubers being in the dark. On the day of planting, they are soaked for 1 hour in a solution of Fitosporin, and then planted in the holes.

In plastic bottles or glass jars

Start sprouting potatoes this way 30 days in advance. For this, prepare 1.5-2 liters plastic bottles and 3 l glass jars. The top part of the bottles is cut off; the jars must be clean and dry.

The tubers are placed loosely in the container, the neck is left free, then the bottles and jars are placed in bright room. The containers are covered with gauze. Potato germination occurs at room temperature. By the time the tubers are planted, they will develop short green sprouts. You need to be careful when pulling tubers out of jars and bottles so as not to break them.

This method is so convenient that it is even suitable for sprouting potatoes in an apartment.

In plastic bags

The method of germinating potatoes in bags is suitable for those who need to germinate not a large number of tubers. For this you will need ordinary bags - T-shirts. You need to pierce several holes in them for ventilation, place a dozen medium-sized potatoes inside each, tie the bags and hang them in a sufficiently lit place, but not in direct sunlight.

Every 2-3 days, the bags with tubers are turned over to the light so that they germinate evenly. With this method of germination, potatoes germinate quickly due to the fact that the film creates a greenhouse effect: in it, the tubers are warm and humid, which is exactly what is required.

In the dark

Another popular method is germinating potatoes in the dark, which some gardeners consider the most correct. Seed tubers are placed in shallow plastic boxes or baskets covered with newspaper so that emerging sprouts do not grow into the cells, cover them with something so that light does not penetrate to them, and place them in dry room which is well ventilated.

When sprouts appear, the potatoes are sorted: small ones with a small number of sprouts are selected separately, which will then need to be planted 4-5 in one hole, medium ones with several sprouts and large ones (they can be cut into pieces). If the potatoes do not germinate well, they are transferred to a more warm room. As a result of germinating potatoes in the dark, the sprouts are light and must be powerful (thin ones are discarded).

Wet germination

The advantage of wet germination of potatoes is that you can keep the tubers in a large container and not necessarily in a bright room. Another plus is that in this way you can greatly speed up the germination of potatoes: tubers germinated in this way form not only strong sprouts, but also numerous long and strong roots. Planted in beds, they will take root faster, begin to expel green mass and form tubers. This way you can reduce the time before harvesting and get potatoes earlier.

In addition, wet germination itself does not take a month or a month and a half, like other options, but about 10-15 days, so if the right time has been missed, but you still need to germinate potatoes, or you need to quickly germinate potatoes early varieties, then this is the best way.

It is better to sprout potatoes in damp sawdust or straw. For wet germination, you will need an ordinary plastic box, on the bottom of which a polypropylene bag is placed, potato tubers are placed on it in 1-2 layers, sprinkling each with wet sawdust and covering everything with the remaining free part of the bag. The tubers remain in the box until the very moment of planting in the beds.

From time to time they need to be moistened with plain water, solutions of growth stimulants, for example, heteroauxin, or weak solutions of mineral fertilizers. By the time of planting, the tubers will have powerful roots and sprouts, so while in the ground, they will quickly take root.

You can also germinate tubers in damp straw. The sequence of actions in this case is as follows: a bag or piece of perforated film is placed on the bottom of a plastic container, a layer of potatoes is placed on it, a layer of wet straw is poured on top, another layer of tubers is placed on top of it, and wet straw is added again. Further germination is exactly the same as in the case of sawdust. On the day of planting, the tubers are carefully pulled out of the straw, trying not to damage the sprouts.

How to speed up tuber germination

Germination time can be reduced if prepared potatoes are placed in bulky plastic bags, moistened with a spray bottle, tied up the bags and placed in a room near a heating radiator or heater. Every day, the bags need to be untied to let fresh air in and get rid of excess moisture and, if necessary, moisten the tubers with plain water.

You can also speed up the growth of potato sprouts if you germinate them in a greenhouse, where it is warm and humid in early spring.

What to do if seed potatoes are overgrown

It happens that warm winter Potatoes left for storage sprout ahead of schedule when it’s too early to take it out of the cellar. What to do in this case? It needs to be taken out of the cellar, taken to a bright but cold room (not higher than 10 ° C) and laid out in plastic boxes in 1 layer with the sprouts facing up. Light long sprouts do not need to be broken off. Such potatoes will need to be planted as early as possible, as soon as the opportunity arises.

Expert opinion

Maria Vlasova

Gardener

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Spring germination of potatoes - agrotechnical technique, which helps prevent diseases, increase productivity and reduce harvest time. This is not a labor-intensive process, but it is very effective and time-tested.

For Russians, potatoes have become their second bread since ancient times. Without this culture our table is incomplete. To ensure friendly shoots and a rich harvest of tubers in the future, you need to take care of the planting material. Let's consider several options for how to germinate potatoes faster, what methods of processing tubers are used, as well as the requirements for the room where they are stored.

Tubers for planting

If you examine the tuber, then on it smooth surface you can see the eyes. From them sprouts appear. Potatoes undergo careful selection and special preparation before planting. Before getting acquainted with the options for processing planting material, let’s talk a little about the most popular varieties this agricultural crop. There are types that are suitable for frying, making purees and chips. There are large varieties, such as Impala, Giant and others. According to the ripening period, they are distinguished as early, mid-early, mid-ripening, and late.

Selection and calibration

After the harvest is harvested, care must be taken to select the highest quality tubers for seed. They must be sorted by weight and size. For planting, you need to choose tubers whose size does not exceed the size of a chicken egg. Try to avoid specimens that are infested with pests, show signs of disease, or are injured during digging. Thus, it is necessary to select potatoes for planting that are free from any defects. Otherwise it will not be stored. Before planting, the tubers need another careful review. At the same time, those that have signs of frostbite, are spoiled by pests, suffocated during storage, are affected by rot, or are ugly are rejected. Only healthy tubers can ensure an increase in yield of up to thirty-six percent and reduce the time from planting to digging potatoes by ten to fourteen days.

Room

To store potatoes after harvesting, you need to prepare a dry and cool place. The temperature should be maintained no higher than 4 degrees. It can be pre-treated with chemicals that prevent the development of mold and bacteria. As a rule, planting material is collected in wooden boxes and placed in cellars, stacked. The room is equipped with fluorescent lamps.

Conditions for germination of tubers

They can tell you how to properly sprout potatoes experienced gardeners, gardeners or farmers involved in growing this crop. First of all, after long-term storage in a cool place, seed material must be transferred to another room where there is scattered sunlight and the temperature is higher. If you didn’t have wooden boxes for storing them, you can replace them with other containers. For example, plastic bags. It is necessary to make holes in them with a diameter of 1.2-1.5 cm for the tubers to breathe. Each bag should contain four to five kilograms of potatoes. This method is suitable for tubers that have not yet sprouted. They appear after 25-30 days. Before germinating potatoes for planting, the tubers must “wake up”. Sprouts that have reached 2-3 centimeters are suitable. If both strong and weak shoots develop on one tuber, then it is better to remove the thread-like shoots or completely discard such a tuber. It will not provide a high yield. To make potatoes germinate faster, you can create a shock temperature for them. It can range from 18 to 20 degrees Celsius. During the rest of the period it is reduced to 10-14 degrees. If germination takes place in conditions close to home, then room temperature will help delay the process of sprouting. They will appear only after 35-40 days.

Cutting tubers

It is recommended to cut the potatoes into pieces before planting. This is most often used for large tubers. If the potato weighs from 160 to 200 grams, then it is enough to cut it into four parts. Each piece (weighing 40 grams) must have one or two eyes. This operation can be carried out a week before planting or a month and a half. When cutting, be sure to sterilize the knife in a Lysol solution or in ash. At the site of the cut, a protective film. This approach helps solve several problems at once. The mother tuber, which serves for the development of a new plant, rots faster, more stems appear, and the resulting harvest is larger.

landscaping

The effect of light on tubers is the most effective method how to germinate potatoes for planting and ensure a high harvest in the future. Seed material is poured into boxes in one layer and placed outside under a canopy. They need to be covered with a film on top, which will ensure the preservation of moisture and heat. They are kept like this for two weeks. Under the influence of scattered rays of the sun, many sprouts appear, reaching from three to five millimeters. Chlorophyll begins to accumulate in the tubers and they turn green. This process helps strengthen the root system and foliage development of the future plant. The sprouts appear with many small leaves and are strongly rooted. They don't break off when landing.

Treatment of tubers with drugs

Since germinating potatoes before planting is necessary to increase productivity, you should not ignore the process of treating planting material with special fertilizers and compounds. A very effective method is to soak tubers in a solution of superphosphate and ammonium nitrate. They take four kilograms per hundred liters of water and mix. Then the tubers are dipped into the resulting solution and left for three hours. Such treatment promotes the appearance of sprouts, early development of the plant, the formation of powerful bushes and increased productivity. Before planting, the tubers are soaked for one hour. Seed material that germinates in the light is sprayed with the same solution 1-2 days before planting. After this, it is recommended to cover it with film. If the boxes are on open place, then it can be black to protect from the sun. The PP drug “Fitop-Flora-S” is also used. It’s quite simple to figure out how to germinate potatoes using it. Before planting, you need to dig a hole in the area. Lay a film in it and scatter the potatoes. Then it needs to be sprayed with fertilizer, covered with film on top and left for an hour and a half. This treatment helps strengthen the tubers’ immune system. You can increase the soaking time of the seed material until sprouts appear.

Germination in sawdust

Another effective option How to germinate potatoes for planting - use wet sawdust. They can be replaced with peat, humus or chopped moss. The wet substrate is poured into wooden boxes. Its thickness should not be more than five centimeters. Seed material is placed on top of it. In this case, the tubers are placed tightly to each other, with the eyes directed upward. Then the potatoes are covered with another layer of substrate. Finally, mineral fertilizers must be applied. To prepare the solution you will need ten liters of water, 60 grams of superphosphate, 20 grams of potassium chloride, 30 grams of ammonium nitrate. This method allows you to germinate tubers within 15-20 days. In the room where seed material is stored, the temperature must be maintained between + 15 and +20 °C. After two weeks a good one will develop root system. Here is another effective method for germinating potatoes for planting: it is recommended to make cuts on the tubers. They will stimulate the appearance of sprouts. They are performed in two ways. An incision is made either across the tuber, leaving a small jumper of 1 centimeter, or along the ring to a depth of 1.5 centimeters. This method allows you to redistribute useful material, coming to the eyes. The result of such an operation will be the appearance of a large number of sprouts. Moreover, they are distributed evenly throughout the tuber.

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Preparing potatoes for planting - simple ways to increase yield

Where to begin preparing potatoes for planting

Many people still mistakenly believe that growing potatoes is a very simple task. I planted it, hilled it, watered it, and harvested it in the fall, and the resulting harvest is measured in no other way than: more than last year, or less. If the latter happens, or the harvested tubers are sick or of poor quality, they say that the potatoes did not grow, and everything is attributed primarily to the weather, well, and also to “unsuccessful seeds.” And all the troubles primarily lie in the lack of preparation of seed material.

Preparing potatoes for planting is a very important part of the entire agrotechnical process of growing them, which is mistakenly ignored by many. To get truly high-quality and big harvest potatoes, you should pay due attention to this stage and avoid making typical mistakes when carrying it out. An old Russian proverb states that what goes around comes around. This also applies to potatoes. Therefore, its preparation for planting begins with the selection of seed material.

• Potato planting methods

And here a typical mistake is using your own same seeds for many years, selected from the potatoes of the harvest. Such material degenerates more and more from year to year, loses its best parental properties and qualities, and over time becomes suitable only for use for food purposes. Meanwhile, it is recommended to change seeds at least every 2 years. The next mistake is improper seed storage. It is well known to many that the potato harvest depends to a large extent on the conditions of their winter storage.

Potatoes suitable for planting should be selected immediately after harvesting, and they should be stored separately from the rest intended for food. Moreover, the quantity seed material Initially there should be more than what is supposed to be planted, so that in the spring there is something to sort it from and select better tubers, rejecting those that are rotten and unsuitable for other reasons. To store seeds, it is necessary to create better conditions than for other potatoes. The most common flaw in seed storage is premature potato germination. Long white shoots have to be broken off, sometimes several times during the winter.

But even once performed, such a procedure leads to a reduction in potato yield by at least 15-20%, and in some years much more. Such tubers are sown weakened and usually sprout 3-5 days later, then the sprouted plants are 10-12 days late in flowering and are often susceptible to disease and degeneration. main reason premature germination of tubers - failure to comply with the required temperature conditions in the storage (basement, cellar) and poor ventilation in him. For creating the best conditions When storing potatoes in the cellar, it is necessary to constantly maintain a temperature of +1-+2 °C.

Selection and sorting of seed material

Only full-fledged tubers should be selected as seed material. All tubers affected by wet or dry rot, scab and other diseases, as well as ugly and irregularly shaped, are unsuitable for planting. Ugly unusual shape root crops is a sign of degeneration - which is why such potatoes cannot be used for planting. You should also select only tubers whose weight is 30-90 g. Too small and too large are also not suitable.

If you use the first ones for planting, then few stems will sprout from them, and the resulting harvest will be small. And if you plant too large potatoes, then the part that is above the ground will develop much faster than the underground part - the roots. And when the tuber runs out of supplies nutrients, the root system will not be able to provide nutrition to the entire plant and, first of all, its above-ground part. Then the development of the potato bush will stop until the roots grow.

Preparing potatoes for planting should begin at the end of March, 30-40 days before planting. And they start by sorting out the seed. At the same time, all tubers that did not survive storage - spoiled, rotten, diseased and untimely sprouted - are rejected. Then, full-fledged healthy tubers must be sorted into 3 types: large, weighing 70-90 g, medium - 50-70 g and small - 30-50 g.

The best seed material is the middle fraction. When using all 3 types, they must be planted separately, in separate beds, since the frequency of planting and the distance between the rows of large, medium and small tubers should be different. In addition, potatoes from seeds of different sizes will germinate and develop at different times, which means necessary processing(watering, hilling, harvesting) should not be done for it at the same time.

To get an early harvest, it is better to plant large tubers. They contain more nutrients than medium and small ones, and thanks to this they will sprout earlier, and therefore the harvest. The best seed for planting potatoes is selection material, as in the video. It should be purchased only in specialized stores. It is not recommended to buy seeds from random sellers, especially along roads.

Preparation of selected seeds: methods

The preparation of tubers itself is one of the most critical stages of growing potatoes. Often this is not done in any form at all and cold seeds are planted immediately after being removed from the cellar or basement, and then they are surprised at their slow germination and late, poor harvest.

There are many different techniques for preparing potatoes for planting. These include:

• drying of tubers;
• preparing their slices;
• warming up;
• landscaping;
• germination;
• stimulating incisions;
• treatment mineral fertilizers and growth substances;
• and others.

However, before starting preparation using one of the methods, it is advisable to disinfect the tubers. To do this, you need to prepare a solution of copper sulfate and manganese - dissolve 2 g of copper sulfate and 10 g of potassium permanganate in 10 liters of water. The tubers are immersed in the resulting mixture for 30 minutes, and then removed and allowed to dry. This treatment will serve as a good preventive measure for planting material against many diseases.

The traditional method of germination is in the light

This is the most common way to prepare tubers. It is carried out until true sprouts appear on the seed material. In the soil of unprepared tubers, they begin to germinate only after 7-12 days, and another 15-20 days after planting, the seedlings will break through to the soil surface. Sprouting allows you to speed up these processes and bring the harvest time closer by 15-20 days, which is especially important when growing early potatoes.

Germination is carried out in a lighted room with good ventilation, where the temperature during the day is not lower than +12-+14, and at night - +6-+8 °C, and there is always an influx of fresh air. It is best to select large planting material for this, with tubers weighing 80-90 g. They should be laid out on the floor, window sill, wooden shelving and the like in no more than 2 layers, and keep in this room for 30-35 days.

Such germination gives the best results with consistent changes in temperature. That is, for the first 7 days, the temperature in the room with the tubers must be maintained at 20-22 °C, after which they are kept at +7-+8 °C for the remaining 4 weeks. In the first week heat causes awakening of the buds, but prolonged exposure leads to increased and unproductive consumption of tuber nutrients for the respiration of emerging sprouts. Therefore, the temperature is greatly reduced, which helps to strengthen and thicken the latter.

During germination, short, thick, dark green sprouts form on the tubers, as shown in the video, about 1 cm long, which do not break off during carrying and planting. On their lower part, the rudiments of roots appear - white tubercles. P After planting the tubers in the soil, such sprouts quickly adapt to the new environment and soon switch to feeding from their own grown roots.

During the germination period, the tubers must be carefully turned over once every 6-7 days. At the same time, you cannot roughly stir them up, because the eyes may break off, and this will greatly reduce the yield. It is also necessary to ensure that the germinated sprouts do not stretch too much and are not longer than 1 cm. In order for them to become short and thick, at night it is necessary to reduce the temperature to +4-+6 °C.

Sprouted potatoes can be sorted into a separate box located in a dark, cool room, and the rest must be brought to the desired state of sprouts. It is better, of course, to correctly calculate the timing of germination in order to match the time of planting. Root crops with thin shoots will have to be put aside - it is better not to plant such ones.

Germination in bags and nutrient mixture

Potatoes can be sprouted in small plastic bags. In transparent “T-shirts” you need to make a dozen holes, the size of which should be 2 times smaller than the tubers. This is necessary for ventilation of root crops. Place 8-12 potatoes in each bag. Then the “T-shirts” are tied and hung in a bright place. Due to the amount formed in the packages greenhouse effect The tubers germinate very quickly. With this method, you need to be attentive to ventilation and lighting.

It is not advisable to keep the bags in direct sunlight and should be rotated periodically to ensure uniform illumination of the tubers. In these same bags, sprouted potatoes will be conveniently transported to the planting site.

Another method is germination in containers with special additives. It is almost identical to germination in the light. The tubers are placed in baskets or boxes, the bottom of which is first filled with a mixture of humus and sawdust or peat. The first layer of potatoes is covered with the same mixture a few centimeters on top and the root vegetables are laid out again. This way you can lay 6-8 layers. Then the contents of the boxes are watered. For this, use a watering can with a fine spray so that all formed layers evenly absorb moisture. After this, they wait until the first sprouts appear on the root crops. This should happen after a few days.

Then the boxes must be spilled with the following mixture: ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride, 10 g each, as well as superphosphate - 50 g, are dissolved in a bucket of water. You can also use a different composition - mix 1 cup of wood ash in a bucket of water. It is also recommended to add a few grams of boron and copper to the selected mixture. So the boxes are watered every 2 days until numerous sprouts form on the tubers, which will mean the potatoes are ready for planting. This will happen in about a week. When spilling, the following standards must be observed: for the first time - a bucket of solution for 50 kg of seeds, subsequent times - for 80 kg. Another mandatory requirement For this method of germination, the boxes should be installed indoors, where the temperature is approximately +15-+17 °C.

Drying and warming up, or what to do when you haven’t had time to germinate?

If germination fails, then it is necessary to do drying and then thermal heating of the tubers. In a relatively warm room, where the temperature does not drop below 0 °C at night, not necessarily lit, but dry, seed potatoes are laid out in 1 layer and kept for about a week until sprouts appear. This is what wilting is all about. During this process, enzymes and nutrients accumulate in the tubers, accelerating the germination of sprouts. This helps to obtain a higher yield.

Thermal heating is done when there are 3-4 days left before planting. The tubers are brought into a room where high temperature conditions can be created - +30-+35 °C. Such heating contributes to a sharp increase in enzymatic activity, accelerating the germination of all roots of the root crop and, as a result, increasing the yield.

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Preparing potato seeds (tubers) for planting

Preparing potato seeds for planting

Sprouting tubers means a 15-19% increase in yield

For vernalization, tubers are removed from storage places 2 months in advance. To prevent diseases, they are treated with a solution of copper sulfate (1 teaspoon per 3 liters of water) - sprayed or dipped in the solution for one minute. It’s a good idea to pre-soak the tubers for 6-8 hours in a solution of potassium humate (3 g of concentrate per 1 liter of water).

Where to sprout potatoes?

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In any warm (18-20 degrees) and bright room. The easiest way vernalization— arrange the tubers in small fruit boxes in 1-3 rows and expose them to the light. If there is a heating battery nearby, then it is necessary to spray the tubers with warm water at least once a day. Germinate It is also possible in plastic bags, having previously made holes in them measuring 1.0-1.5 cm to ensure normal breathing tubers. And when there is a lot of planting material, the boxes are placed in stacks in the aisles of the greenhouses.

When sprouting, the eyes awaken and form sprouts 0.5-2 cm in size. As soon as they appear, cull the tubers, removing all potatoes with thread-like, thin and stunted sprouts.

If you are late with vernalization and there is little time left before planting, then increase the temperature to 25°C and the germination period will be reduced to 20-25 days.

It’s better if, after the eyes have woken up and the sprouts have begun to turn green, sprinkle the tubers with peat or sawdust in a layer of 3-4 cm, and moisten them as necessary. The temperature during this period is reduced to +12-14°C. In two weeks, a well-developed root system will form and the potato seedlings will ready to disembark.

By the way, it is very useful to spray the tubers once a week with growth stimulants and liquid complex fertilizers.

From sprouted Thus, tuber shoots appear 10-12 days earlier than usual, flowering and tuberization also accelerates.

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How to prepare potato tubers for planting, germination methods

If for some reason you cannot purchase elite potatoes, you can select the best tubers from your beds for planting. First, during the flowering period, you need to mark the strongest and healthiest bushes. For example, put pegs near them.

The tubers from these bushes need to be dug up shortly before the start general cleaning potatoes.

Then choose the best ones. That is, the selected tubers must be without signs of disease and without damage, the size of a chicken egg or larger.
Small ones are not suitable for future planting, as they are most often infected with viruses or bacteria.

Then the selected tubers need to be green up, that is, hold for at least three weeks in diffused light at a temperature of at least 12 degrees. After this, each of them must again be carefully examined, rejecting those with signs of disease. And only then put the remaining healthy tubers into storage.

Temperature there should be 3-4 degrees. If it drops below, the tubers will freeze and may lose their germination capacity. At elevated temperatures, premature germination may begin, which also reduces yield.

One month before landing The tubers are carefully sorted again and diseased ones are removed during storage. Selected potato tubers are washed to remove any remaining soil. It may contain disease carriers. To further disinfect the tubers, place them in a solution of boric acid (10 g per 10 liters of water) for 15 minutes. Then they are dried and heated for 2-3 days at a temperature of 24-25 degrees.

Sprouting potatoes

The next stage is sprouting potatoes. They do this to increase the viability and energy of germination of planting material. There are many ways to sprout potatoes; we will tell you about the most common ones.

Light germination of potatoes.

When sprouting potatoes under light, the tubers are laid out in one layer in boxes, which are placed one on top of the other and placed closer to the light. In this case, it is necessary to avoid direct sunlight on the potatoes. You can use backlighting with fluorescent lamps.

The temperature during potato germination should be 18-20 degrees for the first 10 days and about 14 degrees in the next. To lower it to this level, just open the window slightly. After about a month, the potato sprouts reach 2 cm, and the potatoes can be planted in the garden.

To speed up the emergence of seedlings, the tubers are sprayed twice with nutrient solutions. The first time with potassium permanganate (2 g per 10 liters of water), the second time with an infusion of ash. To do this, pour 5 glasses of ash into 10 liters of water, leave for a day, and then filter.

2 days before planting, cover the potato tubers with a dark cloth and lower the air temperature in the room to 12 degrees. After such hardening, the emergence of seedlings of planted potatoes is accelerated.

Sprouting potatoes in a humid environment.

To germinate potatoes in a humid environment, the tubers are placed in a box in 2-3 layers, sprinkled with peat or sawdust. Place them with their eyes up at a distance of 3 cm from each other. With this method, the substrate must be kept moist at all times. Typically, sprouts appear within 15-20 days.

Combined method of sprouting potatoes.

The combined method of sprouting potatoes is used to obtain the earliest potatoes. They do it as follows. Tubers sprouted in the light 10 days before planting are placed in a box with the sprouts up on a moist substrate of peat, humus or sawdust and sprinkled with it on top, in a layer of 3 cm.

This substrate must be kept moist at all times, avoiding overdrying or waterlogging.

Advice. To increase the number of potato shoots, the tubers can be cut 1.5 months before planting. The cut is made transversely, with a depth of no more than 1 cm; the knife must first be disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate. The tubers are planted whole, that is, without breaking along the cut. With this germination, the number of shoots increases by 40%.

Planted in the garden when sprouts with leaves appear. Before planting, the seedlings are watered with mineral fertilizers, dissolving 40 g of ammonium nitrate, 60 g of superphosphate, 30 g of potassium salt and 10 g of copper sulfate in a bucket of water. Plant in holes at such a depth that a third of the stem is on the surface of the ground.

Drying potato tubers.

When it is not possible to germinate, the tubers are laid out in the attic, garage or shed thin layer. Sprouts appear after 10-15 days. Immediately after this, the tubers can be planted.

To increase the yield, before planting, the tubers are soaked for 1 hour in a solution of nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizers (60 g of ammonium nitrate and 80 g of superphosphate per 10 liters of water), then dried and planted. For the same purpose, they can be dusted with sifted wood ash, using 100 g per bucket of potatoes.

If there are few tubers for planting, they can be divided. But you need to cut it so that each part has at least 3 eyes. This is usually done on the day of planting. For disinfection, the sections are dusted with ash.

Potatoes sprouted before planting germinate better and produce a rich harvest. To these advantages one more thing is added: the risk of bushes becoming infected with diseases is reduced. Experienced agronomists have developed methods and rules for germinating potatoes for planting. If you follow the recommendations, your efforts will not be in vain and the harvest will be better than last year.

How to germinate potatoes before planting

Methods for germinating potatoes come down to two important requirements: the room temperature is maintained within 12-16 degrees, and the room itself is ventilated daily.
Humidity level and light level in accordance with the selected germination method.
From the main methods and methods, choose the available one:

1. Light. Germination period is a month (+/- 10 days). Requires strict control of heat and light. The material for sowing is placed in 1-2 layers in boxes (plastic or wooden, with an intermittent wall). The boxes are placed in the most illuminated place. Periodically turn the potatoes over and stir so that the exposure to light is even.
2. Dark. The simplest method, but takes more time. There is no need to prepare potatoes for germination, but at the end of the process there is a risk of spoilage of the tubers. Root crops are placed in boxes in 2-3 layers and placed in a dark place for 40-70 days.
3. Wet. Quick method, which takes 2-3 weeks and increases the time for sprouts to emerge in the garden. The tubers are laid out in pallets or boxes, or even just on the floor, and a layer (about 3 cm high) of moistened substrate is poured on top. Use peat, sawdust, sand with clay and other loose materials of your choice. The moisture content of the bulk layer is maintained during the germination period.
4. Combined. Germinating potatoes in this way takes 30-45 days and is a combination of light and wet methods. Initially, the tubers are exposed to light for 2-3 weeks. After short sprouts appear, they are placed under a layer of substrate. Moisten the substrate with water, with dissolved fertilizer or ash after an interval of 3 days. The wet method lasts 5-7 days.
5. Polyethylene. It is based on the creation of a greenhouse effect. Root vegetables are placed in transparent bags with several holes (10 pieces each). The bags are tied tightly and hung in a place that is well lit, but without direct sunlight. Periodically change the sides of the bag and spray with water. The process takes 2-3 weeks.
6. Plastic. Tubers are placed in bottles (1 in each) with a capacity of 1.5-2 liters, displayed on a windowsill or other bright place. The top of the bottle is cut off and several holes are made at the bottom. Potatoes are covered with soil and fertilizers; periodic watering is required.
7. Withering. Duration is only 10-14 days. Planting material is laid out on the floor in one layer in a room with a temperature of 20-25 degrees until sprouts form.
   After the manipulations, the material is ready for planting in the garden. The soil must be warm, not lower than 12 degrees.

When to start pre-planting preparations

Potatoes are prepared for germination immediately after digging. The harvest collected from the most productive and strong bushes is subjected to the first sorting: strong tubers without traces of spoilage are selected. They undergo a sun-greening procedure for 21 days, after which they undergo a second sorting.
Sorted root crops are placed in a vegetable storehouse for the winter. To prevent the seed fruits from freezing and germinating ahead of time (which will significantly affect the quality of the harvest), the temperature in the storage should be +4 degrees, and the air humidity should be 60%.
After carrying out the early activities, the question remains of when to take out the potatoes for germination. Direct pre-landing preparation begins 30-40 days before the expected landing date. The period depends on the chosen method: light begins in 2-2.5 months, the rest - in 1-1.5 months. Tubers of early varieties sprout faster, so they should be obtained for germination within 20-25 days.

Pre-landing preparation requires the following actions:

• Third sorting: selection of diseased and damaged tubers.
• Thorough washing to destroy bacteria that can multiply in heat and disinfection.
• Drying the seed in the sun until moisture is completely removed.
• Three-day heating at a temperature of 23-28 degrees.
• After this, the seeds are ready for germination.

What tubers to take for planting

The recommended size of tubers for planting is the size of a chicken egg, weighing approximately 100 g. It is better to immediately discard small root crops weighing less than 30 g. Material is selected before germination long before planting. The germination time of potatoes does not depend on the size of the tubers, which only affects the development of roots and the formation of tubers underground.

Too large seeds are rich in nutrients and minerals. As a result of their use, a large increase is obtained, but it takes a lot of time to consume the existing reserves. Until the planted root crop gives up all its reserves to the sprouts, the root will not be able to fully develop. As a result, later problems arise in providing the tops with everything necessary: ​​after all, the underground part remains weak for some time.

The formation of new tubers - the future harvest - occurs only after a balance is established between the underground and above-ground parts. That's why experienced summer residents roots large varieties cut into pieces, each of which has a peephole. This is done 3-4 days before planting, so that the cut becomes coarser and the fresh “wound” does not become infected.

Potatoes that are too small to sprout contain few nutrients. Such tubers are unable to provide good harvest. But if the variety of planting material is small, 2-4 root crops should be placed in each hole. The harvest will be good, but inconveniences when harvesting it cannot be avoided: you will have to dig longer, and some potatoes will even be damaged due to manipulations with a shovel.

How to treat potatoes before planting

Treating potatoes before planting helps in the fight against diseases, pests, and also to increase yield.
There are several processing methods:

• Chemical is an effective, but rather harmful method. Purchase chemicals in special stores. To treat tubers to protect them from insects, products called “Maxim”, “Prestige”, “Cruiser” are used. They also protect against rot, prevent the proliferation of bacteria and the development of diseases. Poteytin and Micom are used as biostimulants for better and faster root formation.
• Folk - simpler, but preserving the beneficial substances and environmental purity of the product. For disinfection, root vegetables are placed for 15 minutes in a solution of boric acid (per 10 liters of ordinary water is coming 10 g powder). To provide the future harvest with protection from pests and diseases, as well as to speed up their germination, a solution is prepared. Dilute 1-1.5 tsp into 10 liters of water. three types of powders (potassium permanganate, boric acid, copper sulfate). Sprouted potatoes are treated in the solution for 15-20 minutes, then hung to drain the liquid, after which they are covered with wood ash.

During the germination process, it will be useful to spray once a week with humate, zircon or epin. For the wet method of preparing root crops for planting would be better suited phytosporin.

Improvement of planting material

Degeneration of planting material is a natural and completely conditioned process that cannot be avoided.
Every year the number of problems grows:

1. There are a small number of tubers in the nest;
2. Most of the plants are infected;
3. Taste deteriorates;
4. product appearance.

The fact is that tubers accumulate and multiply what they receive from mother plant genetic information: both positive and negative. The same applies to viral diseases, so the situation is getting worse every year.
To avoid problems, it is better to plant tubers in the spring from an elite manufacturer with a quality certificate. If you are satisfied with the taste and appearance of the variety you are using, you should independently improve the health of future seeds, as well as bushes during the growing season. This will reduce the percentage of damage viral diseases and increase the yield. Another health improvement option is to obtain seeds from young sprouts.

Healthy potato sprouts

Properly growing planting material from sprouts is not difficult, but it requires additional time and effort.
The actions will be as follows:

1. Tubers, previously designated for these purposes, must be obtained before the rest of the harvest. Green them in the sun.
2. Germinate in moist peat at a temperature of 19-26 degrees.
3. When the sprouts become 5-7 cm in size, they should be carefully broken off.
4. Next according to the plan is to plant the sprouts in separate small pots or disposable plastic cups. In this case, the sprout should be buried in the soil by 2/3 of its part.
5. Place pots with seedlings in a row in a well-lit place.

Watering and fertilizing are required periodically. Planting sprouts in the ground occurs simultaneously with planting potatoes as tubers. In due time, the shoots will produce several large tubers, which are used as healthy planting material the following spring.

In autumn, root vegetables are washed, treated with manganese solution and phytosporin, dried and placed in glass jars large sizes. Wrap the necks in an elastic bag or cover with plastic/ tin lids This is not possible; instead, they should be tied with cloth. Periodically, the jars need to be turned over, changing the direction of exposure to sunlight. Before planting, 2-4 days before planting, each root crop is cut into several parts.

Obtaining planting material from seeds

This type of obtaining material for planting will take more than one season. When the potatoes turn brown, the seeds are separated from the green potato fruits, washed, dried in the sun, placed in paper bags and stored in them until spring. Then they are sown for seedlings at the same time as tomatoes; care and planting in the ground are similar.

In July-August, a small harvest is harvested - the size of the tubers will not be larger than a bean. They are stored cool separately from the rest of the harvest. With the onset of spring, one of the growing methods is chosen: planting in the ground or growing seedlings. As a result, you get excellent healthy seed material for planting next season.
The harvest obtained by such difficult methods will be healthy and abundant.

Growing crops on personal plot has a large number of nuances that are not recommended to be forgotten. Sprouting potatoes - necessary measure, with the help of which it will be possible to increase the yield several times. There are a large number of methods for germinating potato tubers. Each of them has its own pros and cons.

When potatoes are planted, at that moment they are already growing, regardless of whether the root crop is in the soil. Potato seedlings grow faster after germination.

Also during germination the following risks can be prevented:

• The presence of rotten, moldy or rodent-gnawed roots in seed potatoes. Before the process, the tubers are inspected in advance and those unsuitable for planting are thrown out.
• Planting small tubers in the soil, the weight of which does not exceed 30 g.
• Use irregularly shaped root vegetables. Such tubers rarely produce a normal crop, so it is not recommended to use them for germination.

Tubers that are not prepared for the summer season sprout within 10–15 days, and sprouts appear after another 12–20 days. The whole process takes more than a month. To reduce it, you need to sprout potatoes.

Basic rules for germination

Planting unprepared potatoes is possible even if the soil has not warmed up to +10 degrees. In this case, experienced summer residents advise covering the plantings non-woven material for the night. Potato root crops begin to actively germinate at soil temperatures of +7 degrees. As many gardeners note, sprouts begin to appear if the temperature reaches +12 approximately 23 days after planting.

If there are not many potatoes, then before planting you need to remove all weak and frail sprouts and leave 2-3 strong ones. If the tubers are large in size, then they are cut into several parts so that each has a sprout.

The sprouts should not be too long. Even if the sprouts are healthy, if they are too long, they are very fragile and can break during planting. The sprouts should be short and thick. Then they will calmly endure transportation and break during planting.

When the tips of the sprouts begin to darken, this indicates that the room in which the seeds are being germinated is considered too cold.

Cut pieces are planted in the soil, each of which should have eyes. Oddly enough, small pieces form a stronger root system and produce more root crops. There is no need to leave more than two eyes. Stems from such root crops will grow more actively and there will be more of them, but they do not have enough nutrients and sun, so the yield of such bushes is low.

A day before planting, each part is covered with wood ash and left to dry.

Procurement of seed tubers

Procuring seed tubers for cultivation on a potato plot is a crucial moment on which the entire harvest depends. At this stage, the basis for productivity is laid. Root crops begin to be prepared for the season in the fall after being collected from the plot. The largest and healthiest ones are selected and placed separately from other root vegetables. In the spring, preparation continues and includes the selection of moldy, gnawed or blackened tubers. Then comes the germination of the sprouts and the planting itself.

Which tubers to choose?

Potato tubers for planting should only be healthy. Potatoes with mold, black spots or any other lesions are not recommended for planting. Also, do not choose root vegetables that are too large. It is advisable to give preference to medium-sized potatoes with thick skin and small eyes.

Selected potatoes are placed in a boric acid solution for disinfection and stored separately from the entire crop. It is useful to place fruits in manure for several days.

You should not choose fruits that are too small. Few stems grow from them, and they produce practically no harvest. The disadvantage of large root crops is the fact that the above-ground part (leaves and stems) develops more actively than the underground part (tubers and root system). As a result, it turns out that the rhizome cannot provide sufficient quantity nutrients to the stems and as a result they begin to turn yellow and wither.

It is recommended to plant small, medium and large potatoes separately from each other and mark where they grow. This is due to the fact that their care will be different. Effective method growing a rich harvest - buying seed material in the fall. But in this case, before purchasing the tubers, they are carefully inspected. Elite potato varieties produce a good harvest for about three years. Such varieties are practically not susceptible to the development of diseases. The purchase of a variety should be based on your own observations of potatoes during the growing season. And it is recommended to purchase only those varieties that grow best on the site.

Greening

A simple and popular way to sprout potatoes is pre-greening. The advantage of this method is also the fact that green tubers do not attract rodents due to their high content of corned beef (a toxic substance that can cause poisoning). Such tubers cannot be eaten, but they are excellent for planting in the ground. This method will allow you to add another 20% to the entire harvest.

Potato tubers are the underground part of the stem, which, due to the fact that it is not exposed to sunlight, could not produce corned beef. When potatoes are exposed to the sun, chlorophyll begins to be actively produced, and the peel and pulp acquire a green tint.

In addition to corned beef, green potatoes accumulate nicotine and other alkaloids dangerous to human life. But it is ideal for growing. In order for the tubers to acquire green shades in the sun, they need to be kept for 8–12 days. But to obtain the richest harvest, greening is combined with sprouting. There are a large number of methods for germinating root vegetables. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

When to take out potatoes for germination and how long to germinate?

One of important points cultivating an agricultural crop is determining the timing of germination. You need to know exactly when to take out the potatoes so that they are already prepared for the planting season. This mainly depends on the timing of the emergence of sprouts and the ripening of the crop.

30–35 days before planting in the ground, potato seed tubers are taken out of the basement and germination begins. Early potatoes are obtained in early March. For basic landings optimal timing considered to be the beginning of April.

Some gardeners are of the opinion that you need to get seeds 1.5–2 months before planting. After the sprouts reach a length of 4–6 cm, they are carefully cut off at the very base and planted in a box or greenhouse with good soil.

How to prepare potatoes for sprouting?

Preparing potato seed for planting is not difficult if you follow some rules. For example, you can prepare an infusion of tansy, which accelerates the appearance of sprouts. 60 g of dry tansy herb is poured into 500 ml of boiling water. The infusion is left until it cools completely, then poured into a solution for soaking potatoes. Up to a hundredweight of seed is passed through one bucket of this solution.

Moisture and elevated temperatures stimulate the appearance of eyes.

To prevent the sprouts from stretching too much, after 14 days they are placed in a cool place at a temperature of 8–10 degrees. The main thing is to ensure that the boxes are exposed to open sunlight.

Germination methods

You can quickly germinate potatoes using various methods. There are a large number of ways to germinate potato eyes.

Germination in the light

Contrary to popular belief, little light is required for seedlings to appear. But he must be. If all factors are observed, but in the absence of light, nothing will work. If it is not possible to use natural sunlight, artificial lighting in the form of lamps is suitable.

Potatoes are spread in a thin layer in wooden or plastic boxes. They can be stacked on top of each other. The walls of the boxes should not be solid, but with large holes. The top drawer is covered with gauze or any other thin material.

The optimal room temperature is 12–17 degrees. The light should not be direct, but diffused. You can tell that root vegetables will get enough light by their appearance. Under normal light conditions, the sprouts are thick and small. If there is a lack of light, they stretch out and become thin.

In the dark

When it is not possible for planting material to germinate indoors in the light, it should not be germinated in the dark. This method is less effective because the sprouts require sunlight for normal development. But strictly observing the necessary conditions, you will be able to get seedlings in the dark.

Particular care must be taken to monitor temperature conditions, otherwise the sprouts will begin to stretch. If this has already happened, then the temperature at night is lowered to 4-6 degrees. If necessary, this is done during the day. At this temperature the stems will not stop growing. Growing in the dark takes 15–29 days at a humidity of 95%.

With feeding in boxes

Stages of sprouting potatoes with fertilizing in a box:

• Line the bottom of the box with a plastic bag. Lay out the potatoes in 2 layers and cover them with humus, peat or sawdust. Several layers are needed.
• Water the potatoes with water. After a few weeks, sprouts should appear. They are watered mineral mixture for growth. Or wood ash diluted in a glass of water.
• After a few days, water again with the nutrient mixture.
• A week later, the root crops are planted in open ground.

The germination of potatoes and the formation of tubers after planting after this method increases significantly.

You can germinate tubers at home using plastic bags. Several holes are made in the bag for air circulation. Then they put potatoes in them and hang them in the sun. Regularly turn the bags over and mix the planting material in them. The main thing that Sun rays were not intense.

Germinating potatoes in sawdust with the addition of peat is as follows:

• Sawdust is poured into the bottom of the box.
• Spread the seed potatoes in 1 layer.
• Cover it with sawdust with added peat and water it.
• The layer of sawdust and peat should be at least 3 cm.
• The boxes are watered regularly and the air temperature is monitored; it should be between 15–17 degrees.

Germination in a moist substrate is used if it is necessary to grow roots.

Combining germination with root germination

The combined method is considered one of the most effective. 40–45 days before the expected planting of potatoes, they sort them out and throw out spoiled tubers. Then they are placed in boxes and left indoors.

After 25–30, they take the root vegetables out of the boxes, pour a 5 cm layer of peat crumbs on the bottom and then lay out the potatoes again in 1–2 layers. Add another layer of peat chips on top, about 5 cm. As the moisture evaporates, the peat crust is sprayed with water.

On open air

Germination on outdoors begins when the snow melts and the air temperature warms up to +12 degrees. The soil is covered with straw or sawdust, then potatoes are laid out. They cover her plastic film. The whole process takes from 7 days to a month. If you put manure under the straw, the germination period will be shortened.

In pots

The tubers are first placed in boxes with wet sawdust for 7 days. Then they are transplanted into clay pots with a special soil mixture. At night, the pots are taken out to the balcony so that the seeds get used to temperature changes.

Method of heating and drying

If you did not have time to germinate the potatoes on time, and the planting time is running out, the method of heating and drying is effective. The potatoes are laid out in 1 layer and left at a temperature of +25–30 degrees. The germination rate of buds ranges from 7 to 14 days.

Potato seedlings

Potato seedlings begin to be grown several weeks before planting in the ground. Pre-prepared root crops are planted in pots or boxes with soil. Then they are placed in a greenhouse or greenhouse. Seedlings should be planted after the soil and air have completely warmed up. The seedling method will allow you to dig up early young potatoes.

What to treat before planting?

Treating potatoes before planting reduces the risk of diseases and insects during the growth and formation of potato tubers.

Chemicals

There may be a large number of fungi and bacteria on the surface of the peel. The processing time for potatoes depends on the preparations:

• Planriz is used for spraying 1 week before planting seeds in the ground.
• Albit immediately one day before planting.
• Fitosporin is treated just before planting.

• Commander (used to protect crops from insects, for example, Colorado potato beetle. The chemical is toxic and must be used with extreme caution.)
• The drug Cruiser is another chemical that can be used to prevent the appearance of insects and rotting of potatoes. Used as a spray.
• The Maxim substance is aimed at preventing the development of many diseases of agricultural crops (scab, phimosis, rhizoctonia). It is sprayed on seeded root crops before planting in the ground.

The treatment solution can be prepared independently using potassium permanganate. 1 g of potassium permanganate is diluted in 1 liter of water and poured over the germinated tubers for 20–30 minutes. After this, the wet seeds are covered with wood ash.

Disinfection copper sulfate helps prevent the appearance of fungal diseases on plantings. To prepare the solution you will need 10 liters of water, 1 Matchbox vitriol and 2 g of potassium permanganate. All ingredients are mixed in a non-metallic container and the planting material is soaked for 1-3 minutes. It is dried before planting.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies are less effective than chemicals, but they are safer for humans. Under their influence, there is no accumulation of substances hazardous to human health. And when using folk recipes, additional protection is not required.

Potatoes are treated with wood ash diluted in water. To do this, you need to take 1 kg of ash and dilute it in 10 warm water. Before planting, the seed is dipped into the solution. And ash is poured into the bottom of the holes. Only after this they begin planting.

Do I need to wash potatoes before planting?

It is not necessary to wash potatoes off the ground with water before planting. It is better to treat the planting material with special disinfection solutions and growth stimulants. You can purchase substances for spraying in special gardening stores or prepare them yourself.

How to plant sprouted potatoes?

Sprouted potatoes are planted in the same way as unprepared ones. The main thing is to ensure that the sprouts are not damaged during transportation and planting of tubers in the ground. The holes are dug to a depth of 20 cm. The distance between the holes must be at least 25 cm.

To improve the harvest, you need to follow some tips from experienced gardeners:

• Root vegetables are soaked in a mineral solution for several hours. The procedure is carried out several hours before landing.
• A day before planting, planting material is treated with growth stimulants. They allow you to increase productivity and speed up the germination of sprouts.
• The tubers must be cut into several parts so that each of them has eyes. In this case, growth hormone is produced and root formation occurs more actively.
• To retain moisture in the soil, plantings are covered with mulch.
• It is not recommended to plant small potatoes to obtain a harvest. Small potatoes have few eyes, and accordingly there will be fewer shoots.
• Only healthy planting material is used for cultivation. Spoiled and moldy root vegetables should be thrown away immediately.
• After any treatment with liquid substances, the potatoes must be dried, otherwise they will begin to rot.

You shouldn’t assume that you can grow a good harvest without preliminary preparation. Pre-germination and dressing of tubers will help increase yield.