Ciderates for potatoes in autumn. Methods of growing potatoes
Potato - a culture in growing verylaborious. The soil in the area under it must be nutritious, loose and enriched with microelements. To prepare the land you can use manure and all sorts of purchased fertilizers. However, there is a more effective and, moreover, practically free way to improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil and its structure - planting the siderates. About what "green fertilizers" are suitable for potatoes is best, and we'll talk further in the article. Also consider some of the most popular methods of growing this culture.
What are siderates and what are they for?
Improve soil structure and saturate itpractically any plant is capable of mineral substances. However, some varieties in this plan are considered to be the most effective. They are called, in fact, siderates. For the most part, they are annuals with a well-developed fibrous root system. Sowing syderaty on the site means to get the following benefits.
- The soil will be saturated with microelements necessary for potatoes, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
- The soil structure will improve. After decaying the roots of the siderates, the tubules remain in the ground, through which air and water exchanges take place.
- The soil will be reliably protected from drying out, and the weeds on the site will grow much less.
- The soil is enriched with nutrients.
- Some varieties of potato pests will disappear from the site.
On the effectiveness of the use of such fertilizer,as siderates for potatoes (in autumn or spring), is comparable to the introduction of manure into the soil. However, the amount of green mass for soil improvement needs much less, since it decomposes faster and gives away useful substances. If desired, these two methods of increasing soil nutrient density can be combined. Manure can significantly increase the effectiveness of the "green fertilizer".
Planting time for siderates
"Green fertilizers" can be sown both in autumn andin the spring. In the first case, the procedure is carried out approximately one and a half months before the onset of frost. Plant siderates for potatoes in the fall immediately after the harvest is harvested. For the winter, the plants are not chopped or smelt. Annuals under snow rot, giving the soil a maximum of useful substances. Perennials will germinate in April and give a green mass, which can also be used as mulch. In the spring, the siderates are planted immediately after the snow comes down, and the soil warms to a depth of about 5 cm.
Ways to plant "green fertilizers"
The soil before sowing of such plants as siderates(for winter or spring), you need to dig. If the soil is not treated, the plants will develop poorly. Consequently, the effect of their growing will be minimal. The first method of planting is to dig a depth of about 7 cm on the groove area. In them, the seed is scattered with a strip. The second method is more often used in autumn, after harvesting. In this case, the seeds are simply scattered over the ground and mulched by compost. Under the snow in this case, the sites intended for planting potatoes go green.
Planting of ciderates is carried out with a certaindensity. If the plants are sown too often, during the subsequent digging they will not rot, but simply begin to pelt. With a rare landing, there will be no special benefit from them. You need to focus on the fact that one hundred square meters should account for about 2 kg of seeds.
Which "green fertilizers" are best for potatoes
Of course, you need to select the siderates correctly. Potatoes for good growth, above all, require nitrogen and phosphorus. Therefore, for this culture is best to use beans "green fertilizers". For example, such as peas, alfalfa, lupine, vetch, sweet clover. Suitable for potatoes and some other siderates. In the autumn mustard or rye will be a very good choice. They improve the structure of the soil well. In addition, the mustard deters from the site of one of the most unpleasant pests of potato - wireworm. However, these two varieties of siderates do not separate into the soil during decomposition.
Embedding ciderates in the soil
In order that the stems and leaves of the "green"fertilizers "had time to fade, they must be embedded in the soil no later than two weeks before the planting of potatoes. Too deep loosening of the soil is not necessary. It will be enough to cut green mass with a hoe. At the same time, the plants are cut down at a depth of about 2-3 cm below the ground. Stems and leaves should be left on the site.
In no case should you tolerate overgrowthsiderates. Cutting must be done before the flowering begins. And, of course, one should not allow the formation and ripening of seeds. Otherwise, from a useful fertilizer, the siderate will turn into a normal weed.
Methods of cultivation
So, the siderates were sown for the winter, and in the springcut or smelled. What next? Now is the time to start planting potatoes. What are the methods of growing it? First, consider the classical method, and then we will deal with the peculiarities of the original technologies, which allow us to obtain very good yields.
What grade to choose for planting
Of course, in order to get a goodharvest, you need to choose the most suitable for this particular area of the variety of potatoes. When choosing a particular variety, the owners of summer cottages are guided, first of all, by its cake and taste qualities. Also, great importance is usually given to the degree of tuber boiling. It is best to choose 3-4 types of potatoes at once (photos of the siderates suitable for this culture, you can see on this page), differing in terms of maturation.
The classical method of cultivation
Prepare the planting stock immediatelyafter harvest in autumn. The excavated tubers are pre-sorted, sorted by size. For planting potatoes of medium size, healthy and undamaged are suitable. They will need to be dried and put on a sunny place for gardening. After that, the tubers are put in boxes and lowered into the cellar. There they will be kept until spring. Of course, there is such a potato you can not, because it contains poisonous for both human and domestic animals matter - solonine.
In the spring, the tubers are lifted up with boxes andtransferred to a heated room for germination. Further on the site make shallow holes (about half a shovel), into which and lay the potatoes.
Growing potatoes under the hill
This is another interesting way of gettinga good harvest. Having prepared a plot using fertilizer such as potato siderates (in autumn or spring), you now break it into circles of not very large diameter. Within them, at a distance of 25 cm from each other are buried tubers. After the appearance of the first shoots around each such small "field" a shovel is formed with the help of a shovel. As a result, there are some kind of funnels, in which water will accumulate.
Planting potatoes under the straw
What other methods are there for growing potatoes? Landing under the straw is a rather old way, which has recently become very popular with Russian gardeners. The technology includes several steps:
- A bed is made with sealing of the walls, at the bottom of which tubers are placed.
- Wet straw is stacked on them.
- To prevent weeds from clogging the potatoes, the layer grows about 5 cm above the soil surface.
- At the top of the bed is covered with a dark cloth or a film.
- After the germination of the tuber, a small hole is made in the film under the stem.
Early potatoes under black foil
When using this method of cultivationprepared under the potato planting area covered with dark non-woven material, well fix its edges. You can take, for example, a black film. Its edges along the perimeter should be secured as much as possible. Further in the film, holes are made in the form of rhombuses, digging through them in the ground of a hole and placing tubers in them. Usually, early potato varieties are used for this method (see below for a photo of the properly prepared planting material).
Landing at the same time produce a little early. The film reliably protects the plants from freezing. Consequently, and grow tubers much earlier. In addition, the film "mulch" will prevent the germination of weeds, that is, much less time is spent to care for planting.
So now you know how to use sideratesfor potatoes in autumn or spring. Having improved the soil with this "green fertilizer" and using one of the ways of cultivation of this crop considered above, you can get a very good harvest.