Conservative and original methods of planting potatoes. Distance between potato rows Distance between potato rows for manual planting

At such a distance that the potatoes have room to grow and you have a way to process them. If you plant under a shovel, then the distance along the shovel is 40-50 cm between tubers in a row and 60-80 cm between rows. If you hill up with a plow, then wider; if you use a hoe by hand, you can make smaller row spacings.

Today, many people plant potatoes under a plow or walk-behind tractor, where the distance in the rows is greater (1 m-1.5 meters).

My family and I plant potatoes every year. Dad was digging a hole, and my sisters and I were throwing 2-3 potatoes in buckets. But dad dug holes, the first row ended then at the place where he stood digging and throwing closed the previous holes with potatoes. I think about 20 cm, so that I can pluck and water them later.

Potatoes need to be planted at a distance 25-30 (twenty five - thirty) centimeters.

You don't have to carry a tape measure. It's okay if you add or decrease a little. You can estimate the length of your foot (size 43-44).

The optimal distance between potato beds is considered to be approximately fifty to seventy centimeters, and between plants on a bed - at least twenty centimeters, and most optimal combination- thirty centimeters.

Every year I plant potatoes under a hoe, I make holes to a depth of half a palm, the distance between the holes is 30 cm, and the distance between the rows is 70 - 75 cm, but usually you won’t run around the garden with a ruler, so on the first row I measure the distance between the holes with a ruler , and then I fill each hole opposite each other, and measure the row spacing with the size of my feet, I have size 37, so I measure the distance between the rows with my feet.

A vegetable such as potatoes should be placed in beds and the distance between the beds should optimally be at least fifty and up to sixty centimeters - for access to light and moisture. Thirty centimeters between plants is enough, but the more, the better.

Some people plant potatoes under a plow: they place potatoes in the furrows made by the plow at a distance of 20-25 cm. We always plant potatoes under a shovel, and, as we say, under the heel. This means that when you cast the previous row, the farthest mark from your heel will serve as a guide for the next row. Usually this comes out 60-70 cm row from row. We put 2 potatoes in the holes, as a result, potatoes are 30-35 cm apart in a row. This makes the canvas easier, there is enough land for hilling potato bushes.

The figure shows a diagram of how to plant potatoes correctly and you should not reduce the distance if you want to reap a good harvest in the fall.

Between the tubers themselves - 30 - 35 cm.

Between rows - 70 - 80 cm (1 step).





The distance when planting potatoes is determined primarily by the planting method.

If you plant under a tractor, the distance between the rows will be 1-1.5 meters. In a row, the distance between potatoes is small, 20-30 cm.

If you plant under the plow, the same distance between rows is 60-80 cm.

If you plant under a shovel, then the distance between the rows and in the row is approximately 40-50 cm.

There are plenty of recommendations on the distance between potatoes, but everyone determines this distance for their own plot experimentally. Because it depends not only on the potato variety, but also on the quality of the soil. It is usually advised not to empty the potatoes in a row, so that when hilling, a single earthen mound is created along one row on both sides - this is convenient and takes less time than hilling each bush separately. Therefore, the distance between potatoes should be from 25 to 35 centimeters. Well, the distance between the rows has to be chosen based on the convenience of moving along them; this is approximately 50 centimeters.

Among the many options for planting potatoes, the most popular is planting under a shovel. This method can be called classic. It is used in small areas with predominantly loose soil. On clayey areas This scheme for planting potatoes is impractical due to the complexity of further processing of seedlings. Let's talk in more detail about how to plant potatoes under a shovel.

Preparation of planting material

Potato tubers are prepared for planting in the fall. At the same time, rotten and damaged root crops are excluded. At this stage you should remember: strong, healthy potatoes will bring big harvest. In turn, rotten tubers can contaminate the soil and cause rotting of root crops in neighboring holes.

To increase the resistance of tubers to diseases in the fall, they are kept under sun rays. In this case, the tubers acquire a green tint and become unfit for consumption. Planting potatoes put away in a dark, cool place until spring.

In spring, potatoes are taken out and transferred to a bright room for germination. Immediately before planting, all tubers are inspected for rot. Sick root crops are disposed of.

Potatoes are considered ready for planting when sprouts are present. They should be strong, but not long. Otherwise, the sprouts may be damaged during planting.

Potatoes for planting should be medium in size. Large tubers can be cut in half. In this case, there should be a sprout on each half of the potato. The sections must be well dried to avoid rotting. planting material. After this, the sections are treated with wood ash. This method allows you to reduce potato consumption and is quite popular among experienced farmers.

Soil preparation

In autumn, potato beds are plowed and humus is added. In the spring, before planting potatoes, the soil is plowed again, disinfected and fertilized. Ash, compost, urea or saltpeter are used as fertilizer. Fertilizing the soil allows you to increase productivity.

If the soil on your site is clayey, but you plan to plant potatoes under a shovel, take care of high-quality and abundant fertilizing of the soil. Fertilizer application not only increases productivity, but also directly affects the quality characteristics of the soil, making it lighter and looser.

Potatoes have good germination and yield rates if they are planted in beds previously sown with sunflowers, beets or pumpkins. Also you can plant potatoes after cucumbers and corn. The area chosen for planting potatoes should be well lit and accessible for watering.

Scheme of planting potatoes under a shovel

It is necessary to start planting potatoes when The night temperature will be around 10 degrees. There is no point in planting earlier - the first shoots will appear after the soil has warmed up well.

There are two ways to plant potatoes under a shovel:

1. Linear landing - the holes are located on the same line;
2. Staggered landing.

The distance between the holes must be at least 30 cm. When planting linearly, it is necessary to maintain an interval between rows of 60 cm. The soil between the rows will be required for hilling potato seedlings. U late ripening varieties Potato tops are thicker, so the distance between rows must be at least 70 cm.

The hole in which the seed potatoes are placed should not be too deep. In the lower layers of the soil the ground is much colder; therefore, deep planting increases the time of emergence of seedlings. The optimal depth is 10 cm.

If you decide to plant potatoes at a later period, when the weather is quite warm and dry, reduce the depth of the hole to 4 cm. The same depth is necessary when planting tubers in clay soil. Its dense structure does not allow heat and moisture to pass through well and increases the time for the first shoots to appear.

After we have decided on the planting pattern and distance, we proceed directly to the planting work. We dig a hole and place the potatoes in it like this: so that the sprout looks up. We cover it with earth. We plant the rest of the potato tubers in the same way.

If you use a linear fit, then to facilitate the work process, you can use a board. To do this, measure the width of the bed and select a board of the appropriate length plus 10 cm. The width of the board can be arbitrary, but you must take into account: a board that is too narrow can break from the weight of your weight, and a board that is too wide is inconvenient to work with. We place a suitable board on the ridge similar to the line where the holes are located. Standing on the board, start digging holes. After digging one row of holes and placing potatoes in them, move the board to a distance equal to the row spacing and fill the holes with soil. Make the next row and repeat.

Using a board for linear planting of potatoes has its advantages. The ground is not trampled down during work; the holes are located on the same line. As a result, you will get even potato rows.

After the potatoes are planted, it is necessary to level the surface of the ridge. This is done using a rake. This will give your garden a more well-groomed appearance and prevent excessive evaporation of moisture from the soil.

Caring for potato seedlings

After the first shoots appear, it is necessary to follow them proper care. In addition to watering and systematic weeding, it includes hilling.

Hilling of potatoes is carried out once every two weeks. Using a hoe or a large flat cutter, the soil from the rows is raked up to the potato tops, forming piles around it. Hilling has a beneficial effect on the formation of potato tubers and also protects seedlings from late frosts.

After the potato tops grow and become strong enough, hilling can be omitted and limited to watering. Watering should be done once or twice a week. Two weeks before harvesting, watering should be stopped. If you plant potatoes according to the rules, following the advice of experienced farmers, the harvest will delight you with abundance and large, healthy root crops.

Potatoes are a popular and widely used crop that remains in demand. It is not surprising that many people are wondering how to grow this crop on their own plot, spending a minimum of time and effort and ultimately getting good results.

Getting ready to land

Before moving on to the nuances of growing, you need to make sure that the prepared area is suitable for planting - otherwise you risk wasting effort and time. Before planting, you need to pay attention to several important factors:

1. Clay soil or sandy soil. It’s not difficult to figure out this nuance: we moisten a small lump of earth with water and try to mold something out of it. If the wet soil is plastic and easy to mold, it is probably clay; if it crumbles in your hands, it is sandy. Both are suitable for growing potatoes, but each will require different planting and management schemes.
2. Soil acid. Pay attention to which weeds prefer to grow in the plot. If there is a buttercup or plantain, the soil has an acidic reaction, if there is bindweed or sow thistle, it is neutral. To improve the structure of acidic soil, bringing it closer to neutral, you can add ash, chalk or lime to the soil (1–2 kg per square meter).
3. What crops was this area used for last year? Potatoes cannot be constantly planted in the same place, so it is necessary to alternate them with other plants so that the crop is less affected by diseases and pests, and the soil is not depleted. It is better to plant potatoes after beets, pumpkins, cucumbers, legumes, sunflowers, lupines or corn. We avoid planting it in the area where it grew before. garden strawberries, and do not return to the same place earlier than four years later.

The most common planting schemes

Both the schemes and methods of planting potatoes can differ significantly from each other - this is due to the composition of the soil and the climatic conditions of a particular region. So, in northern and rainy areas, in areas where groundwater are in close proximity to the soil surface or in excessively heavy soil, it is more advisable to plant potatoes on ridges. In dry conditions, smooth planting is used, and in middle lane alternately alternate it with the ridge one.

The mechanical composition of the soil also affects the depth of planting. The lighter the soil and the warmer and drier the climate, the more planting material is buried in the soil, and vice versa. When planting smoothly on loams, the potatoes are buried to a depth of 6–8 cm, when planted on a ridge, by 8–10 cm. On sandy and sandy loam soil, it is more advisable to plant smoothly to a depth of 8–10 cm or ridge planting, in which the tubers are covered with soil to a depth of 10–12 cm. In the southern regions and the chernozem zone, the depth increases to 10–14 cm.

The standard row spacing is 70 cm and varies depending on the chosen planting method. Between tubers, 25 to 40 cm of free space is usually left, depending on their size: large potatoes are planted after 40 cm, medium ones - after 35 cm, and 25–30 cm is enough for small ones.

When planting potatoes, always place the beds from north to south so that the plants do not lack sunlight.

Basically, gardeners are guided by the planting schemes that are listed below.

Row spacing:

• 70 cm - for varieties with late maturation;
• 60 cm - for early potatoes.

Distance between standard size tubers:

• 30–35 cm - for late potatoes;
• 25–30 cm - for early varieties.

Planting depth:

• 4–5 cm - on heavy clay soil, as well as on moist soils;
• 8–10 cm - on loams;
• 10–12 cm - on light, well-warmed soil.

Conservative planting methods

When deciding on the most suitable method, remember that each of them will give good results only if the soil composition and climatic conditions are suitable for growing potatoes in this particular way. Thus, an excessively shallow planting depth is not suitable for sandy soil, and an excessively deep planting depth is contraindicated for clay soils. For all traditional methods cultivation, only the basic requirements remain unchanged.

Landing under a shovel

The main and most common method, most often referred to as the “old-fashioned” method, is justified on light and loose soils where the groundwater is quite deep. A significant disadvantage of such planting is the dependence of the tubers on the vagaries of the weather: for example, if the beginning of the season was rainy, due to excess dampness, the roots of the plants begin to die, which has an extremely negative effect on their development. If it rains shortly before digging potatoes, the tubers can become saturated with moisture, resulting in poor shelf life. In clayey, excessively wet and heavy soil the use of this method is impractical, since there is a high probability of developing fusarium and potato rotting.

It is much faster and more convenient to plant with two people: the first will dig holes, and the second will follow on his heels and lay out the tubers. You can also involve a third assistant in the event - he will level the ground with a rake in the already planted rows.

The principle of this planting method is as follows: rows of holes are dug in the area at a certain interval into which planting material is placed. In this case, the soil from the holes of the next rows buries the previous ones.

To make the rows of holes as even as possible, drive a peg from two opposite ends of the plot and stretch a rope between them.

With this planting, beds can be formed in three ways:

1. Square-nested. The area is conventionally divided into squares, and a hole (nest) is placed in each, keeping a gap of 50–70 cm between the nests.
2. Chess. The holes of adjacent rows are staggered relative to each other.
3. Two-line. Two rows of holes (lines) are located almost closely. The gap between holes is approximately 30 cm, between double rows - up to a meter. The holes themselves are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

Pour a handful of humus and ash into each hole, and then place a potato tuber on top. During the season, be sure to carry out at least one (or preferably two) hilling. Plants should be watered once a week (twice in dry periods), the first watering is carried out after the sprouts appear. Two weeks before digging potatoes, watering is completely stopped.

Planting in ridges

This type of landing is similar to the previous one. The difference is that the potatoes are planted not in holes, but in shallow grooves.

1. Two pegs are driven in along the edges of the pre-prepared area and a rope is pulled between them.
2. A groove is formed under the rope, into which the tubers are laid out at intervals of 30 cm and each of them is sprinkled with a tablespoon of ash.
3. Then, using a rake (or a hoe, whichever is more convenient), cover the grooves with earth on both sides so as to cover the planting material by 6 cm.
4. They retreat 65 cm from the newly planted row and then proceed according to the same pattern.

Some agronomists argue that it is best to use the double row method for such planting, that is, reduce the gap between two adjacent rows to 30 cm, expanding the row spacing to 110 cm. The tubers are laid out in grooves in a checkerboard pattern, maintaining a gap of 35 cm. In the future, the double bed is cared for as if it were one row.

Like landing under a shovel, this method not suitable for heavy clay soils, since the likelihood of tubers rotting and plant infection with fungal diseases increases. But on soils of light mechanical composition it will be completely justified.

Landing in trenches

The main advantage of this method is that it increases soil fertility. This method protects the tubers from overheating and drying out in hot climates, and is most appropriate in areas with loose soil that does not retain water well.

Trench planting has been successful since the beginning of the last century. This method is considered one of the most productive - provided the weather is good, you can get up to a ton of potatoes from one hundred square meters. At the same time, the tubers receive proper nutrition without chemical fertilizers.

Planting potatoes in trenches increases soil fertility

The site should be prepared for this method in the fall.

1. At the site, they pull a rope and dig a trench under it with the depth and width of a shovel bayonet (35–40 cm), laying the excavated earth along the left edge. Row spacing is 60–80 cm.
2. The bottom of the trenches is covered with plant remains and food waste - weeds, squash and cucumber tops, onion skins, flower stems, etc. Leaves that have fallen from the trees are placed on top, sprinkled with earth and left until spring.
3. Planting begins simultaneously with the beginning of lilac flowering. First, add a little earth from the tops of the ridges into the trenches, then, every 30 cm, lay out a tablespoon of ash, a handful of chicken manure and onion peels.
4. Planting material is placed on top of the fertilizers and covered with soil.
5. To protect the sprouts from frost, they are earthed up as they appear. If there is no severe drought, the plants are watered once - during the flowering period.

Potatoes planted in trenches can be fertilized with a solution table salt at the rate of 800 grams per 12 liters of water. Fertilizing is carried out only once a year, combining it with watering.

According to some gardeners, the trench method gives good results on well-aerated soils with a high peat content. True, planting will have to be done 1-2 weeks later than the standard time, since peat tends to take a long time to thaw in the spring. And when such planting is used on loam, both the quality and quantity of the harvest are significantly reduced.

Landing on ridges

If you own an area with heavy, overly moist soil or groundwater is very close to the surface, feel free to choose the ridge method. It is especially good if it is possible to use equipment to cultivate the soil - for example, a tractor or a motor cultivator.

Choose ridge planting if you have the opportunity to cultivate the soil with a tractor or motor cultivator

1. The selected area is prepared in the fall by digging it up and adding the necessary fertilizers.
2. In the spring, ridges about 15 cm high are formed on the plot at a distance of 70 cm from each other and planted in them. As a result, the tubers will be protected from excessive soaking and well warmed by the sun's rays.

Ridge planting is justified exclusively on structured and moisture-absorbing soils. Since loose and light soil tends to crumble under the influence of precipitation, exposing potato tubers, and the sun and wind quickly dry out the ridges, plants will need additional watering in arid climates.

Deep landing (American way)

The so-called American method is suitable for light soils that dry out quickly. Planting is carried out according to a 22x22 cm pattern, while the planting material is buried 22 cm into the soil. When the first shoots appear on the surface, the soil near the plants begins to be periodically loosened, but hilling is not carried out. The rest of the care is standard - watering as the soil dries, preventive treatments and timely treatment if necessary.

The peculiarity of the American method is as follows: in order to reach the soil surface, plants are forced to form a very long stem. And since the tubers can be located along the entire length of this very stem, the final yield increases significantly.

Many experimenters claim that the American planting method is indeed effective, but it cannot be used on heavy clay soils.

New planting methods

Of course, conservative planting methods have many advantages, but many gardeners are wondering how to minimize the physical and time costs of planting potatoes and further care. Therefore, craftsmen never tire of inventing original methods that require as little time and effort as possible. These methods may come in handy busy people, as well as for lovers of experiments who will not be too upset even if the experience of growing potatoes in a new way turns out to be unsuccessful.

Planting in bags

The main advantage of this method is that it allows you to get a potato harvest in absolutely any area, even where it is impossible to grow them. traditional ways, since for planting it is not the soil from the plot that is used, but a certain soil mixture. However, in dry and hot climates, plants will require very frequent and abundant watering.

The method described below is suitable for tiny areas where there is no room for traditional planting:

1. You need to take a regular bag and pour drainage into it, and place potato tubers on top.
2. As soon as sprouts appear on the potatoes, they are covered with a mixture of soil and compost (1:1). When the tops become taller, add more soil, repeating this procedure if necessary.
3. Watering is carried out as the soil dries out; fertilizing is carried out regularly with complex fertilizers according to the instructions.

Planting in barrels

The method is very similar to the one described above, but in this case, not bags are used, but metal or plastic barrels without a bottom.

1. Holes are made around the perimeter of each container (so that the soil is better supplied with air and water does not stagnate in it) and a mixture of compost and earth is poured into them.
2. Potatoes are placed on top of it and covered with the same soil mixture.
3. Subsequently, soil is added to the young bushes as they grow until the barrel is filled to a meter.
4. Plants are regularly watered and fertilized.

If you provide the potatoes with proper care, you can get about a bag of harvest from each barrel.

To plant potatoes in barrels, use metal or plastic containers without a bottom.

Planting in barrels can be done on any site, since the land from the plot is not involved in cultivation, however, if the summer is very hot or in a dry climate, barrels with potatoes will have to be watered more often.

Planting in boxes

Like the two previous methods, planting in a box is quite justified on an area with any soil composition. In drought conditions, plants will also need more frequent and abundant watering.

The principle of cultivation in this case is similar to the American one, that is, it is based on the fact that potatoes can form tubers along the entire length of the stem placed in the soil (accordingly, the longer the stem, the better). A special feature of the design is to build up the walls of the box and fill them with soil as the young bushes grow. To do this, you can drive stakes into the ground and attach walls made of boards to them with wire, or simply stack boxes without a bottom of the same size on top of each other.

Planting in boxes is carried out as follows:

1. We place the box on bricks so that the bottom does not touch the ground and is well ventilated.
2. We cover the bottom of the structure with a layer of paper and cover it with a layer of light soil (ideally, expanded clay screenings with humus in a 1:1 ratio).
3. Place the sprouted tubers on top and cover them with soil. If planting is done early, cover the box with polyethylene.
4. When the potato sprouts begin to rise above the box, we add a second floor to the structure and again fill the plants with soil. We repeat the manipulations until the buds appear. To prevent budding from starting too early, water the potatoes with manure compost and protect the container from excessive heat.
5. Having noticed the appearance of buds, we stop building the container and take care of the crop in the standard way (water, feed, carry out preventive measures, etc.). The easiest way to water is through pipes with holes.
6. After the tops have completely withered, when the crop is fully ripe, you need to disassemble the structure and select the tubers.

To avoid rotting of the boards, with inside drawers can be lined with film.

Original and unconventional methods of planting potatoes

Usually, non-standard methods plantings are invented by gardeners to facilitate a specific task. For example, the area for potatoes is completely overgrown with grass, and there is neither the strength nor the desire to dig it up. Thus, the problem gives an opportunity to come up with an original and inexpensive way to solve it.

Planting potatoes without digging

There are quite a few options for such planting, but they all boil down to one principle: the soil should absolutely not be dug up. In particular, weeds should not be removed from the soil - shortly before planting, they are simply mowed down, leaving the roots in the ground.

There are no specific requirements for the composition of the soil for such planting, so you can experiment in almost any conditions, starting from the planting schemes and basic growing rules described at the beginning. But on heavy, overly compacted soils, the quality and quantity of the final harvest will be much lower.

One method of planting without digging the soil looks like this:

1. Carefully remove the soil with a shovel to a depth of about 10 cm.
2. We place the prepared planting material in the ditch and sprinkle it 5 cm with soil or compost.
3. Throughout the growing season, we dump various plant debris - leaves, weeds, etc. - under the bushes. At the same time, we try to ensure that the stems of the bush are not collected together, but, on the contrary, fall apart as far from each other as possible. We don't spud.
4. We water very rarely, only in severe drought. If desired, you can carry out preventive treatments, and if necessary, you need to spray the potatoes with drugs against diseases and pests.

Planting in the grass

With this method, you also won't need to dig up the area. The potatoes are simply laid out on the ground, directly on the grown grass, in two rows. The gap between the tubers is 25 cm, the row spacing is 40–50 cm. To ensure that the tops are well illuminated by the sun in the future, it is better to lay out the potatoes in a checkerboard pattern.

After planting, the area is mulched with hay, dry sedge or leaves. Some gardeners even cover the tubers with torn black and white newspapers. To prevent the mulch layer from being damaged by the wind, you can cover it on top with lutrasil.

A significant disadvantage of growing under mulch is that a lot of it is required, which means that it is unlikely that you will be able to plant a large area using this method. Mulch prevents moisture evaporation, so this method of cultivation should not be used on overly moist soils in order to avoid rotting of tubers and fungal infection of plants.

Do not use cereal crops for mulching, otherwise mice and rats will appear in the garden bed.

During the entire growing season of the plants, pull out weeds, grass and hay are added to the bed, making sure that the tubers are well covered, since when overheated, the layer of mulch will settle. No fertilizers can be applied. There is also no need to water - when the plants overheat, the moisture from them will go into the soil, providing the plants with everything they need. When the potatoes bloom, pick off all the flowers, leaving them on only one bush - this way you can determine the time of harvesting. When the flowers on the control bush wither, rake the compost and remove the tubers.

Planting in sawdust

This method is similar in principle to the previous two. Planting material is distributed over the site, maintaining a distance of about 25 cm, and sprinkled on top with a layer of sawdust mixed with peat, ash and plant waste so that the sawdust completely covers the tubers.

For planting, use old, half-rotted sawdust rather than fresh sawdust, since fresh sawdust has high acidity and can significantly worsen the final harvest.

There is another option for such planting: dig grooves about 10 cm deep in the area, fill them with a layer of sawdust mixed with organic matter, lay sprouted tubers on top of them and sprinkle them with sawdust.

During the growing season, add sawdust as needed to prevent bare potatoes. There is no need for watering or fertilizing. After the tops wilt, rake the mulch layer and select the crop. The sawdust left on the site can be used for next year.

Many gardeners note that with this method there is a high probability of tubers freezing, so planting should be done only after the threat of late frosts has completely passed. On excessively moist soils and in very rainy summer conditions, potatoes may rot and their shelf life may decrease.

Planting under cardboard

This method greatly facilitates not only the planting itself, but also the process of preparing the soil, since before laying the cardboard on the ground there is no need to remove weeds from it - they will subsequently die off on their own from lack of air and sunlight. Also, preliminary digging of the soil is not necessary. The only thing you will need is a large number of cardboard Make sure the soil is moist before laying the cardboard on the soil. If the soil is dry, be sure to water it.

It is better to use cardboard sheets large sizes, like those thrown out by furniture stores or hardware stores.

Planting under cardboard has an extremely beneficial effect on soil fertility, since the weeds that remain under it, decomposing, act as fertilizer. The soil under the cardboard retains moisture well; there are many earthworms in it, which make the soil looser.

Of course, this method is unlikely to be suitable for a large area, since quite a lot of cardboard will be required. In addition, you will need to constantly ensure that the covering material is not blown away by the wind. Cardboard tends to decompose and is therefore not suitable for repeated use. However, there are quite a lot of advantages to such planting: the gardener will not need to remove weeds and waste time digging the soil, the soil structure will improve, and, accordingly, the final yield. And you will only have to water the plants during a very severe drought.

This planting method involves two options.

Cardboard bed

The main advantage of this planting is that the ridges formed above the bed well protect the tubers from freezing. Therefore, this method is most often used when growing potatoes in cold climates, as well as when planting early varieties. Cardboard prevents the germination of weeds, and filling the trenches serves excellent fertilizer for plants. In addition, potatoes planted this way are much easier to dig up, since the cardboard bottom of the trenches prevents the roots from going too deep into the ground. This method is justified on almost all types of soil, with the exception of sandy and excessively moist clay soils: in the first case, the ridges above the trenches will very quickly collapse under the influence of external factors, and in the second case, rotting of the seed material is possible.

1. In the fall, cover the soil with a layer of cardboard without any pre-treatment (that is, digging or removing weeds) and press it down to the ground so that it does not blow away with the wind.
2. In the spring, the cardboard is removed and a trench is made in the area, the depth and width of a shovel.
3. Take used cardboard and place it at the bottom of the recesses, sprinkling it with a layer of humus and half-rotted grass on top.
4. Prepared planting material is placed on top of it at a short distance from each other and the trenches are filled in so that the distance between them is 60–70 cm, and high ridges are formed above them.
5. Water the beds as needed.
6. After the tops have completely withered, the crop is dug up.

Garden bed under cardboard

In this case, the area is completely covered with cardboard before planting. This method can be used on almost all types of soils (except for overly moist ones, since cardboard prevents moisture evaporation), however, there is a high probability that when planted in heavy soil, the quality and quantity of the final harvest will decrease. Avoid making beds under cardboard in rainy climates - excessive rainfall will cause the covering material to become wet, which will negate your efforts.

When planting under cardboard, you can cover the soil both in the fall and immediately before planting

1. Approximately every 30 cm, X-shaped holes are made in the cardboard and holes fifteen centimeters deep are dug under them.
2. A potato tuber is placed in each of them and sprinkled with soil. When weeds appear, they are removed immediately.
3. Watering is carried out in very dry times and only under the bushes (to avoid the cardboard getting wet).
4. After the tops die, the cardboard is removed and harvesting begins.

Since planting potatoes in an area covered with cardboard is not very convenient, you can resort to alternative method planting: first dig holes, place tubers in them and sprinkle with soil, and after that place covering material on top and make holes for future bushes.

Planting with a walk-behind tractor "Cascade"

When planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor, gardeners mainly pursue the goal of making their own work easier, so they think little about such nuances as climatic conditions or the mechanical composition of the soil. In principle, this is true, since this method is successfully used on all types of soils, although planting methods may vary somewhat.

Using a walk-behind tractor, you can plant potatoes in several ways:

• hiller,
• mounted potato planter,
• plow
• into the ridges.

The first three are used on light soils, and the last is suitable for clay soils, where groundwater is in close proximity to the surface. Planting with a potato planter is justified only when working with very large area planting, since its purchase requires considerable financial expenditure. True, some agronomists get out of the situation by constructing this unit with their own hands.

This method requires pre-treatment of the soil - the soil must be dug up in advance with the introduction of all necessary fertilizers. If a potato planter is used, the entire procedure is carried out in one pass, since this unit is equipped with a furrow maker, a hopper for planting material and disc hiller for filling furrows. Instead of wheels, lugs are put on the walk-behind tractor and the parameters of the potato planter are adjusted in accordance with the instructions.

When planting with a hiller, lugs are also installed instead of wheels. The width of the hiller's wings is kept to a minimum, and the track width is 55–65 cm. Using a walk-behind tractor, furrows are made along the width of the track and potato tubers are laid out, keeping a gap of 20–30 cm. After this, the lugs are replaced with ordinary wheels and the furrows are filled.

Planting with a plow involves installing lugs and the plow itself. It is much easier and faster if two people participate in the event: one operates the unit, and the other lays out the tubers. The plow is inserted into the soil to the depth of a spade bayonet: thus, furrows for potatoes are formed. After placing the seed material, the previous furrow is covered with soil from the next one.

Ridge planting is only suitable for well-moistened soils. Using a walk-behind tractor, make ridges 15–20 cm high in the area and plant potato tubers in them.

Planting in a greenhouse

This growing method has several advantages. Firstly, if you provide the greenhouse with proper heating, you can almost enjoy the young tubers. all year round. Secondly, landing in closed ground allows you to get more yield, and the plants will be less damaged by pests. And it’s much easier to weed out weeds in a greenhouse than in an open area.

To grow in a greenhouse good potatoes, you will need to carry out the following manipulations:

1. In the fall, the soil in the greenhouse is prepared by filling it with manure or humus and digging it thoroughly.
2. Select medium-sized potatoes and germinate the tubers in a well-lit and warm (13–17 °C) room, turning them over periodically. To speed up germination, you can put the potatoes in a basket and sprinkle them with damp peat or sawdust.
3. In the greenhouse, they draw even rows every 20–40 cm, dig holes 5–7 cm deep, lay out the sprouted potatoes in them and cover them with a layer of manure. After a week, the manure layer is increased.
4. The first feeding is carried out after the sprouts reach a height of 5–7 cm.

Potatoes planted in a greenhouse need very frequent fertilization. Water it abundantly, once every 10–12 days. Be sure to loosen the row spacing, carry out the hilling procedure and remove pests from the leaves.

Abundant watering of potatoes in a greenhouse increases the yield several times.

Planting under film and agrofibre

Growing under covering materials pays off on any soil, helps to obtain a consistently high yield, protect tubers from late frosts, and, if desired, make good money selling young potatoes. At the same time, there is nothing complicated in agricultural technology, and even beginning gardeners can easily master it. The use of covering materials increases productivity by 15–20%.

Regardless of which material is chosen, you will need to prepare the area in advance. To do this, in the fall it is dug up to a depth of 22–25 cm with the addition of organic matter and ready-made complex fertilizers. After the snow has completely melted, you can cover the area with polyethylene and leave it like that until planting.

To help the snow on your property melt faster, create raised beds in the fall.

For planting, medium-sized tubers (70–80 grams) are selected and germinated at 10–15 °C. To enjoy your new potatoes early, choose early or extra early varieties.

Features of growing under film

Potatoes are planted in the ground, maintaining a gap of 20–25 cm between the tubers. The row spacing is 60–70 cm. The planted area is covered with thick polyethylene on top and its edges are fixed with earth, bricks or water bottles to protect from gusts of wind.

Before sprouts appear, potatoes do not need ventilation, but young shoots already need fresh air. Therefore, after their appearance, the film is lifted from time to time, and when the bushes reach 10–15 cm in height, ventilation holes are made in a checkerboard pattern every 15 cm.

Control the temperature under the film - if it is too high, the growth of young shoots will stop.

Alternatively, you can install a frame 30–35 cm high above the bed and stretch the film over it - then the plants will receive more air. The rest of the agricultural technology does not differ from traditional ones: water as needed, fertilize and ensure that pests do not appear on the bushes.

Growing under polyethylene will help protect the tubers from frost, so it is advisable to use it in cold climates.

Growing under agrofibre

Agrofibre, or spunbond - non-woven material, widely used for covering plants. Its main advantage is that it is moisture- and breathable. In addition, light agrofibre good quality It washes well and can be used repeatedly.

Spunbond with a density of 20–30 grams per square meter is suitable for covering potato beds. Cover the plot with it in the same way as with polyethylene, fixing the edges. You can also stretch agrofibre onto the frame to make the bushes more spacious in the future. Since this material is highly aerated, it will not need to be removed periodically.

Depending on what goal you are pursuing, you can use either light or dark spunbond. White is usually wide and suitable for multiple uses. The black one is disposable, and it does not allow light to pass through, since it is intended to protect against weeds. If you use black agrofibre, after covering it, make cross-shaped cuts in it for each bush.

When planting under agrofibre, keep in mind that it will not be able to properly protect the plants from frost. Therefore, if the temperature drops to -6 °C, cover the top of the beds with polyethylene. Polyethylene film and light agrofibre is removed after the weather is consistently warm outside. The dark spunbond is left until harvest.

Hilling begins when the sprouts reach 15–20 cm in height, and watering is carried out once a week. Two weeks after planting, potatoes are fertilized with urea (15 grams per square meter), and before budding, potassium fertilizers are applied. The first harvest can be done as early as May (depending on planting dates), and the main harvest is carried out from the end of June to July.

A few more ways to get a good harvest

In addition to those described above, there are several more original ways plantings that allow you to get a good result. These methods are not suitable for everyone, but some gardeners really like them.

Method of P. Balabanov

The method was developed by potato grower Pyotr Romanovich Balabanov, and its essence is to carry out two hillings even before the emergence of shoots so that in the end the tuber is covered with soil by 20–25 cm. Balabanov argued that this method significantly facilitates the work of the gardener and increases productivity.

The maximum quantity of potatoes obtained by Balabanov's method is 119 from one bush.

Planting is carried out as follows:

1. On a prepared site in the fall or in early spring form ridges 15–20 cm high and sow them with green manure. A couple of days before planting potatoes, the plants are pruned, leaving the root part in the ground. Neither organic matter nor any mineral fertilizers are applied.
2. Only large tubers weighing at least 100 grams are suitable for planting. The planting material must be germinated, dipped for 10–15 minutes in a protective solution (1 teaspoon of potassium permanganate, boric acid And copper sulfate per 10 liters of water) and dusted with ash.
3. A shovel is stuck into the center of a previously prepared ridge, tilted slightly and the potatoes are carefully placed in this gap so that a 6 cm layer of soil remains above it. The gap between the tubers is 30–40 cm, the row spacing is up to 120 cm.

Planting activities are carried out after the soil has warmed to 8–10 °C. After a week (but always before the first shoots), the potatoes are covered with a 6 cm layer of soil, and this procedure is repeated after 7 days. During the growing season, the plants will need to be earthed twice more. Watering is carried out at least three times - at the beginning and end of budding, and then at the beginning of flowering. According to Balabanov, planting using this method will allow you to get up to a ton of potatoes from one hundred square meters, and the harvest will please you even in the driest years.

Gardeners who planted potatoes using the method described above claim that it is justified only if the summer is not too hot and dry. Otherwise, the tubers turn out to be very small.

Please note that only loose, fertile and slightly acidic (pH 5.5-5.8) soil is suitable for using the technology described above. For heavy soil, this method is absolutely unacceptable.

Folk method

This method was developed by one of the residents of the Tula region. It consists of carrying out the following manipulations:

1. In the fall, the soil is dug up onto the bayonet of a shovel. At the same time, manure is added to the soil.
2. In the spring, the site is dug up again - this time 15 cm deep, while introducing Nitroammofoska.
3. The plot is delimited alternately into strips 20 and 80 cm wide. Sprouted potatoes are laid out along the edges of the strips every 30 cm. The soil is raked from wide strips onto the tubers, covering them by 2 cm.
4. High hilling is carried out three times a season (if there is a threat of late frosts, the sprouts are hilled high).
5. When good weather stabilizes outside, the first fertilization with Nitroammophos is carried out. Then two more feedings are carried out with an interval of 10 days.
6. The stems of two adjacent rows are laid on top of each other and hilled up so that a flat mound is formed, and a couple of days before harvesting they are mowed at a height of 15 cm from the ground surface. This is done so that the stems take on new roots and produce more yield.

Gülich method

This method of planting is suitable for owners of large plots, since its point is that each bush receives maximum free space.

1. The plot prepared for planting is divided into squares measuring one meter by one meter.
2. In the center of each square, a roller of rotted manure is built in a circle, covered with loose soil and large potatoes are planted upside down.
3. When shoots begin to emerge from the tuber, pour soil into the center of the ring formed by them.
4. As soon as the first leaves appear on the sprouts, add more soil.
5. These manipulations are repeated until a multi-tiered bush is formed.
6. Water as needed and fertilize several times.

According to agronomists, if all instructions are correctly followed, one such bush can produce up to 16 kg of potatoes.

Potatoes from skins

A very original method that allows you to get a harvest without actually using seed material.

1. In the spring, potato peelings are collected and placed in open paper bags.
2. As soon as the temperature outside approaches zero, they take the collected material to the greenhouse and spill it in it. hot water a small corner, laid out on top of the cleaning, covered with soil or several layers of newspapers and covered with snow.
3. When the soil warms up to 12 °C, sprouts will appear from the peel. They will need to be planted instead of regular seed, a handful in each hole. Further care standard.

An experiment with growing potatoes from peels can be carried out on any soil and in any climate by allocating a small area of ​​the garden for it. Since this method requires virtually no costs, you are unlikely to regret it even if it does not pay off.

If you do not have a greenhouse, germinate the peelings in the area, covering them on top with plastic film.

Video: effective methods of planting potatoes

There are a great many methods of planting potatoes - both quite conservative and original new ones, and it is simply impossible to list them all. Each gardener will be able to choose from this list the most suitable method for him, and, providing potatoes necessary care, boast of an excellent harvest.

Potatoes as one of the most popular vegetables cultivated in personal plot, requires compliance with landing rules. Despite the unpretentiousness of the crop and the possibility of growing it in cold climates, special attention should be paid to the distance between the rows of potatoes and between the planting material itself. The quality and quantity of the future harvest will depend on this parameter. Only in free space can roots and tubers develop effectively, in particular, this applies to planting root crops in furrows.

What is important to consider when planting potatoes

When cultivating this crop, important factors influencing the yield indicator are the timing of planting in the soil, soil composition, climatic features, planting depth and at what distance the potatoes will be planted.

Landing dates

Optimal time for planting tubers in the ground - the last days of March - May. In the southern regions, root crops are planted in the ground earlier, and in the northern regions - in May.

By folk signs, early boarding can be done when leaves appear on the birch tree. When the cherry tree begins to bloom, you can plant it without fear. The main thing is that the air temperature does not fall below 10 degrees and the soil warms up to a similar level.

Tubers with strong sprouts can withstand soil temperatures of 6 degrees.

Landing depth

This parameter determines how much favorable conditions will be created for the growth and development of potatoes, in particular, whether it will have enough moisture, heat, and oxygen. The depth is determined taking into account the type of soil and the size of planting material:

• planting large root crops with a mass of 100 g to a depth of more than 10 cm is acceptable for sandy loam soils, areas with dry weather and using cultivation technology without hilling plants;
• deepening 5-10 cm of tubers weighing 100-50 g is allowed when grown on loams and heavy soils;
• planting at a depth of 5-7 cm is suitable for clay soils and small tubers weighing up to 30 g.

Correct fit given vegetable crop involves maintaining a suitable distance between bushes. Yes, on fertile soil It is recommended to plant early varieties closer to 20-28 cm, since they form a less dense above-ground part. On poorly fertilized and poor soils they can withstand optimal distance between root crops 28-40 cm.

Basic landing options

There are three standard way planting potatoes in soil: smooth (under a shovel), ridge and trench. Regardless of the method chosen, you should adhere to general provisions, among which:

• the beds should be located from north to south;
• fertilizers must be applied to sufficient quantity;
• maintain the correct spacing between holes and rows.

When planting under a shovel, in most cases the tubers are placed 30 cm from each other. Beginning farmers do not always know what distance between rows is necessary when planting potatoes.

According to the traditional scheme of planting crops in boletus, in trenches, with the smooth method, row spacing is 70 cm.

On the ridge

This option for planting root crops is one of the best in regions with heavy rainfall. Potatoes with this planting scheme are located above ground level, and rainwater, flowing into the aisles, does not cause harm to the future harvest. Even when grown on clay soil the tubers do not die.

The comb method technology includes:

1. Digging up a specific area.
2. Cutting ridges either with a plow or with a walk-behind tractor. The distance interval between them is the same as when landing under a shovel. The depth of the furrows is 5-10 cm.
3. Adding humus (1/2 shovel) and wood ash (1 tbsp). The amount of fertilizer is calculated per furrow. This nutritional composition is poured every 30 cm.
4. Laying tubers on top of organic matter and covering them with soil. It is better to fill it with soil on both sides, forming a ridge in the shape of the letter M. Its height should be 15 cm and its width within 22 cm.

With this planting method, hilling can be done once, when the plants have grown and need weed control. As a result, the height of the ridges should be 30 cm. This will be quite enough to protect potato bushes from drying out of the soil in dry weather and accumulated moisture during prolonged rains.

Under the shovel

This method It is easy to implement and highly effective. Here the principle of planting a crop is as follows:

1. First, the selected area needs to be dug up and fertilized.
2. Mark it and use wooden pegs to mark the edges of future beds.
3. Make holes. The distance between the holes will depend on the size of the tubers and variety. Early copies are laid out every 25-30 cm, and late ones - 30-35 cm. If the potato variety is unknown, the density of the tops can be judged by the presence of shoots on the root crops. If there are a lot of them, the gap between the tubers should also be larger. When growing a crop from buds or shoots, it is recommended to pour 0.5 liters of water into each hole.
4. After planting the planting material, it is sprinkled with loose soil.

When planting potatoes under a shovel, it is better to make the row spacing 70 cm, when cultivating varieties with early When maturing, this distance can be reduced to 60 cm. Hilling procedure potato plantings must be done twice a season, raking soil from the row spacing. Based on this, they should not be made too narrow, otherwise during loosening and processing the risk of damage to the roots increases. To grow the crop in even rows, you should use a marker to determine the location of the holes in advance.

In the trenches

In areas where precipitation is extremely rare and dry weather prevails, it is possible to grow a rich harvest only with the trench method of growing crops. To do this, in the fall, dig a trench 20-30 cm deep and place in it a mixture of compost, wood ash, wet hay, and manure. The distance between the beds should be 70 cm.

In the spring, after the organic matter settles, the grooves will already be approximately 5 cm deep. Potatoes are planted at a distance of 30 cm from each other, and then covered with soil. In this case, there is no need to add additional micronutrients, since they are already present in the trench.

The advantage of this method is that throughout the entire growing season the tubers are warmed by the heat released from the compost layer and begin to sprout faster.

To preserve moisture, it is recommended to cover the beds not with soil, but with mulch; the layer thickness should not be less than 5 cm. It is useful to sprinkle the plantings with hay and straw. As the bushes grow, the mulch layer needs to be replenished. If heavy rainfall is predicted, it is recommended to cut grooves 10-15 cm deep along the edges of the beds so that the water drains and does not expose the plants to rot.

This technology, in addition to its advantages, has disadvantages. The trench method is quite labor-intensive; you will have to put in a lot of effort to dig the ridges. In addition, you will need a lot of mulch to cover the tubers and compost.

Potatoes in mounds

This method of growing the most popular vegetable crop is similar to the ridge method; it was invented in Holland. The essence of the technology comes down to the formation of peculiar mounds - hills on top of bushes. The scheme is simple:

1. Draw a circle with a diameter of 2 m in the area allocated for planting using a surveying compass.
2. Stepping back from the edge about 30-40 cm, determine the locations for the holes. The distance between tubers should not be less than 25 cm.
3. Spread the planting material and sprinkle with loose soil.
4. After the first shoots appear, as they grow, the soil is gradually added. The result is a mound whose height is approximately 40 cm.
5. All weeds must be removed.

This unusual option for planting potatoes allows you to harvest a rich harvest in small areas. If it has been noticed that the productivity rate from one mound is approximately half a bucket, despite all the efforts made and adherence to technology, it makes sense to change the structure of the mound.

The disadvantage of the mound is poor absorption of accumulated moisture, especially after heavy rainfall. To solve this problem, experienced farmers advise making a small depression in the center of the hill and pouring water into it when watering.

To increase productivity, it is recommended that nutritional compounds, including mineral and potassium, be added to the soil before planting the tubers. To improve air exchange, mounds can be periodically hilled. Root crops will be healthy and large if, when planting, they are positioned in such a way that each plant has at least one root in a recess for watering.

Planting in boxes

Wooden, cardboard or plastic containers. The length and width are not of fundamental importance here; the boxes can be of any size. A layer of paper is often placed on the bottom, but not newspaper. The soil mixture is prepared from soil and organic matter; the planting depth in the container is 20 cm.

The distance between the tubers will depend on the size of the box; you should not put more than two root vegetables in one. A mulching layer of cut grass or moss is laid on top of the planting material. You need to water, but you don’t need to hill up.

Considering the many ways to grow potatoes, traditional and non-traditional, choosing the most suitable one for specific conditions is not so difficult. The main thing is not only to adhere to planting technology, but also to maintain the distance between root crops and bushes, focusing on the variety and size of planting material. Only when integrated approach you can count on a rich harvest.