What fertilizers for potatoes should be applied to the soil when planting?
Since the 18th century, in Russia and Europe, potatoes have been grown exclusively for food, although before that the plant was considered mainly ornamental. Potato bushes everywhere decorated window sills and flower beds. Several centuries later, cultivation potatoes may seem like a simple matter, familiar to many people.
However, there are several techniques without which it is unlikely to get a good harvest. One of them is applying fertilizer for potatoes before planting. Let’s try to figure out how important and necessary this is when growing potatoes on your own.
Content:
Why do potatoes need fertilizer?
For many gardeners, it is no secret that potato planting should not be done in the same area every year. Also, do not plant it after tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. This approach to growing potatoes not only greatly depletes the soil, but also causes the accumulation of pests and pathogens in the soil.
However, in life very often theory diverges from practice. But in practice it turns out that most gardeners potato They have been planting on the same piece of land for many years. The main reason for this phenomenon is the elementary lack of other area for crop rotation.In this state of affairs, applying fertilizer before planting potatoes is an extremely necessary measure.
It not only enriches the soil with everything necessary for harvesting, but also makes plants more resilient and reduces the risk of infection by pathogenic fungi and other organisms. In order for potatoes to form healthy and edible tubers, they need quite a lot of nutrients.
If the soil is not fertilized, the tubers will not reach varietal size, and their taste may deteriorate. This is primarily due to the fact that most of the nutrients are stored in tubers in the form of starch. The higher its content, the tastier the potatoes will be. Nutrients for this crop can be divided into substances of mineral origin and organic.
Both the quantity and quality of the future potato harvest directly depend on their quantity. On poor, depleted soil, the number of potatoes dug up will be slightly greater than those planted. Let's try to figure out which fertilizers need to be applied to potatoes when landing, and which ones should be avoided.
How to fertilize potatoes
Potatoes are very responsive to the application of both organic and mineral fertilizers.
Organic fertilizers
To get a good potato harvest, you need to apply organic fertilizers before planting. The best choice would be rotted manure. Rotted compost is also suitable for potatoes. You can also apply bird droppings, but do this with caution, avoiding exceeding application rates, and also using well-rotted droppings.
In order not to waste time applying these types of fertilizers in the spring, it is best to take care of their application in the fall.In addition, adding manure or compost has a positive effect on the structure of the soil, making it lighter and more breathable. Important! Under potato Do not add fresh manure or compost. These substances must be aged for at least two, and preferably three, years before application.
Mineral fertilizers
Potatoes are most responsive to nitrogen fertilizers. It is necessary to feed this crop with both potassium and phosphorus. A good choice for applying to the soil would be the following mineral fertilizers:
- urea
- ammonium nitrate
- phosphate rock
- superphosphate
- potassium chloride
The best solution is sometimes to add a complex fertilizer, such as potato kemira, to the soil. It is advisable to conduct a soil analysis before adding minerals, which will show exactly what is in excess and what is missing. Proponents of natural fertilizer can use wood ash, which is also a source of minerals that are well absorbed by plants. In recent years, sowing green manure has also gained popularity.
Green manure
Sowing green manure before planting potatoes is very useful where potatoes have been grown in one place for many years. In this case, green manure will also play the role of a good predecessor for this crop. The best green manures are legumes, which are not only excellent precursor crops, but also improve the structure of the soil and enrich it with nitrogen. An important point is the method of applying fertilizers when planting potatoes.
How to fertilize potatoes when planting
How to add organic matter
The best time to apply organic fertilizers when planting potatoes is, after all, autumn. The selected area of land is cleared of weeds and plant debris.The application rate is 10 - 20 kg per square meter. meter. After the fertilizer is evenly distributed over the entire area, the soil is dug up to a depth of 15 - 20 cm.
When digging up soil with manure or compost, it is important to remember that the roots of potatoes almost do not grow deep, but are located quite close to the surface, therefore the main organic substances are needed at a depth for root growth and the formation of tubers. As a last resort, you can add well-rotted organic matter directly into the hole at landing potatoes, mixing it with soil. One hole requires approximately a full half-liter jar of manure or compost.
How to apply mineral fertilizers for planting potatoes
Since most mineral fertilizers are not very cheap, they can be applied directly into the hole to reduce costs. As already noted, the roots of potatoes are quite close to the surface and fertilizers will be used by the plant almost immediately and in full, without loss of quantity.
The amount of mineral fertilizers in this case is taken to be minimal. Usually no more than 1-2 tablespoons per well is required. A more precise amount is always indicated on the fertilizer package. Important! You need to be very careful about the amount of nitrogen fertilizers. It is important to remember here that a lot does not mean good. If the application rate is exceeded, instead of “roots” you can only get very overgrown “tops”.
After all, excess nitrogen will stimulate the growth of tops, not tubers. Proponents of wood ash can replace chemicals with it fertilizers. In this case, fertilizer for one hole can be measured simply by handfuls. It is enough to add enough ash into one hole to fit into a handful of an adult.
Taking into account the fact that in most regions they begin to plant potatoes in late April - early May, before planting them, as soon as the ground thaws, you can plant legumes, for example, vetch or peas. And before planting potatoes, they can either be mowed or plowed into the ground. If the rules for applying fertilizer for planting potatoes are followed, then a good result in the form of a rich harvest of tubers will not be long in coming.
Video about fertilizers for potatoes:
