I think many of you came up with the idea of why the main material for potato propagation is its tubers, and not the seeds?
Can potato seed multiplication be too difficult for an ordinary person?
Or do seeds need any special conditions for growth?
In fact, this method is quite affordable for everyone, and also has many advantages.
But in order not to seem empty, we will acquaint you in detail with these features of such a planting and teach you to grow really good potatoes without using tubers.
What are the features of potato cultivation by the seed method: we analyze the pros and cons
The main problem that exposes people to the development of a new way of breeding potatoes is the decline in yield. The point is that all potato varieties with their constant growth with the help of tubers sooner or later degenerate.
Even with abundant feeding, the most careful care and selection of the most fertile soil in 5 years you accurately note the reduction in the size of the tubers themselves, as well as their number under one bush.
But this is not the end of the problem of growing potatoes in the old habitual way, because the tubers are also carriers of various diseases.
Of course, that the way out of this situation is usually to buy potatoes of new variety and cultivate them on your land. But still, consider whether it is worth doing if it is more reasonable to purchase potato seeds?
What are the advantages of this method of growing potatoes?
Firstly, buying seeds will cost you a lot. cheaperrather than buying a new variety of tubers. Also, for the storage of seeds you do not have to allocate a whole basement and constantly maintain a stable temperature and humidity in it. They can simply lie until the spring in a box with the seeds of carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes.
While listing the benefits of sowing potatoes with seeds, it is important to mention sustainability of yields. After all, planting material initially has no diseases.
Also noted high stability the resulting potatoes to late blight, as well as various adverse environmental conditions.
And most importantly for each gardener: this method of cultivation gives much higher yields. This concerns both the size of the tubers and their number. In particular, this overcomes the problem of ordinary planting, when even with the use of the largest potato for planting, the result is “fraction 16”.
Are there any disadvantages of seed cultivation of potatoes and what are they?
To be completely honest with you, let’s focus on the shortcomings of this method. First of all, this is the fact that such potato cultivation can lead you into complete confusion. The fact is that the bushes and tubers do not always grow the same type. In particular, each bush can demonstrate its yield, size and color of tubers, resistance to diseases.
Therefore, be prepared to visit the breeder's shoes, as you will have to select the tubers you like most for your planting stock for the next year. So, despite the large number of troubles, it is quite possible to bring into the world a new variety of this wonderful culture.
However, this is not the main difficulty of this method. It should be noted and such:
- The difficulty is the cultivation of seedlings, because it is characterized by a very weak and unstable root system. In connection with these will have to pick up a very loose soil. Experienced in this business gardeners recommend using sawdust, on which to grow seedlings up to 3-centimeter height.
- Immediately after germination, seedlings can behave quite whimsically. In particular, it must necessarily provide uniform and abundant solar lighting, otherwise the plants will be very strongly drawn out.
- Although the fruits of such potatoes have a fairly high resistance, their shoots can suffer very much from various kinds of diseases, the most dangerous of which is blackleg. For this reason, such preparations as Planriz, Trichodermina, and Black Yeast should be used regularly.
- Seedlings, even before a suitable time for transplantation, remain very fragile, which increases the likelihood of damage. But here it is necessary to try, because the result really will be worth it.
Sowing seeds: where to start?
In a climate of Russia and Ukraine, the cultivation of potatoes is recommended to seedlings.And it is best to sow the seeds in greenhouses, where they will grow successfully until the very moment of transplantation.
By the way, the seeds themselves do not have to buy, since you can also prepare them yourself. For this purpose, they are collected, which are formed on the tops of the green part of the plant. They are wrapped in gauze and hung in a well-lit and warm place. When they fully ripen and get a softer structure and a light color, you can crush them to get the seeds.
The latter should be thoroughly rinsed and dried, then sprinkled into sachets and stored until spring.
Basic requirements for seeds and their preparation for sowing
It is very important to draw your attention to the fact that potato seeds have very low germinability, therefore, the more seeds you prepare, the more likely it will be to get a good harvest.
Also, it is very important to prepare the seeds well before sowing, which will significantly increase the likelihood of germination. In particular, it helps a lot soak them for two days in water.
Simultaneously with soaking, it is possible to carry out the hardening of seeds at various temperatures.
During the daytime, a bowl with soaked seeds can be left at normal room temperature, and sent overnight to a refrigerator with a temperature of + 1 ° C. In this way, the seeds will prepare for the natural changes in the temperature of the soil into which you will sow them.
To start sowing is possible only when the seeds appear signs of the first germination. The fact is that they may not be suitable for growth, and you can simply spend the time to sow them, but do not get a result.
The best time for sowing potatoes
Sowing potato seeds is a very early matter. It is best to do this at the end of March or in early April. With that, seeds are sown exclusively in boxes. We have already mentioned that seedlings are not always very good seedlings, and the open ground will lower its index even more.
It is very important to prepare the right mixture of soil: we take 1 part of fertile land, mix it with 4 parts of peat, add a little fertilizer and moisturize it well.
What is the best scheme for sowing seeds?
Potato seeds, which have already had time to "leap up", are planted in rows in rows.The aisles should be wide enough, about 10 centimeters. This is necessary in order for the plants to have enough nutrients, the amount of which in the soil of the box is somewhat limited, as well as space for the growth of the aerial part.
Between seeds you can make and not such a wide indentation, it will be enough and 5 centimeters. Covering the seeds with too thick soil is not worth it, since it will be very difficult for the plant to break through to the light. Optimal use of a 0.5 cm sand layer. It also needs to be tamped down a bit, because when watering small seeds of potatoes it will be very easy to wash to the surface.
Features care for potato shoots
That seedlings need the most care and attention. In particular, immediately after sowing seeds, boxes with them must be covered with a film (you can also use glass).
After that, the boxes are placed in a nice warm place without drafts, you can even use a film greenhouse for this. At observance of all specified recommendations, the first shoots will be born already 1-2 weeks. But over time, the plants will not have enough space in the boxes, so with the appearance of two leaves on them seedlings swoop down.
It is best to replace them in small plastic cups with specially made holes for drainage. Peat pots would be an even better option.
As in the boxes, and in the individual cups of the plant, you need to regularly add not cold water and weed the emerging weeds. When picking is very important feed plants with ammonium nitrate, which significantly contribute to their rooting in a new place.
Do not forget to follow the lighting and temperature. The first must be constantly uniform and sufficiently abundant, otherwise the seedlings may be very light and elongated. Regarding the temperature, do not let it fall below 10 ° C, even at night.
We plant potato seedlings in open ground: how not to spoil the future harvest?
Potato seedlings are very delicate. Any damage to it can cause irreversible damage to the plant. In addition, its root system is rather weakly developed and it is worth transplanting seedlings only in very loose and light soils.
We warn you in advance that some of the plants may die and not yield a crop, but still the main part will surely please you.
Seedlings and planting time in open ground
When the seedlings grow up, it can be planted in the open field, although the best on the beds.
But here, too, can not be ahead of the recommended dates. After all, potato seedlings are very susceptible to lower temperatures.
For this reason, it can only be planted with the end of frost, namely in the third decade of May.
At what, you need to plant potatoes deep enough: the hole is digging about 10 centimeters deep. Of course, that it will still need to put about 300 grams of humus and pour at least half a liter of water.
But the seedling itself must be buried in the soil so that only the stem with its three leaves remains on the surface.
The scheme of growing potatoes from seedlings
Ideally choose a scheme for planting seedlings 70 to 35 centimeters. And in no case do not neglect this advice, referring to the small size of the seedlings. Believe me, she will catch up with her and fully occupy the space allotted to her.
It is important to start preparing the soil for potato seedlings in advance. In particular, do not be too lazy to dig it up well.
Well, if the soil will have a high fertility. When preparing the soil, organic matter does not need to be added to it, it is better to put the humus in the hole simultaneously with the direct planting of the seedlings (see above).
About the first harvests and why not to be disappointed
Growing potatoes from seed is very similar to applying the same method of growing to onions.
In the case of the last of the seeds, a septum is obtained, intended for planting next year. Likewise with potatoes: the first season gives only very small tubers, the maximum weight of which is only 50 grams (in some cases and with good care, 100 grams).
When growing seedlings in greenhouses, crops sometimes reach significantly higher levels.
From such small tubers, next year you will be able to get a real elite potato of the best quality.It is this kind of potato that is called the first product that you usually buy on the market for big money.
Of course, that every year the quality of potatoes will gradually decrease. After all, when interacting with the external environment, with various pests, planting material will become their source for future harvests.
So, if for the fourth year of cultivation of such potatoes you will receive an elite product, then already at 5-6 it will be ordinary potatoes, without record indicators of yield. In this regard, gardeners who practice such a method recommend starting to re-cultivate "potato planters" already for the 5th year.
By the way, many enterprising gardeners in this way earn a lot of money, spending not so much effort on it.
Rules and features of care for potatoes grown from seeds
If you grow potatoes in your garden every year, then in general you should not worry that you will not cope with this task. The only thing that needs to be considered in advance is a strong one. weakness and vulnerability of potato seedlings grown from seeds.
In order to get good planting material for planting next year, you need to try to ensure the plants maximum care.
Potato seedlings and cold: how to protect the first from the second?
The seedling is very afraid of temperature changes, so it’s best to go right away. cover the bed with potato wrap. It is possible to keep plants under shelters until they adapt to new growth conditions, they will get well and stable and warm weather will be established outside.
Remember that frosted potatoes not only will not be able to give a good result in relation to the harvest, but also the likelihood of such fruits being affected by various diseases, as well as the occurrence of various mutations.
Watering potatoes: does this plant need additional moisture?
Be sure not to forget that potatoes can be every two days waterespecially if the weather is dry with no precipitation.
Indeed, in the first year of growth, the plant is not as adapted to external conditions as it was during the secondary planting.
Especially irrigation is needed if the plants were planted in a greenhouse, where the natural moisture does not have the ability to get into the soil.
But if you yourself see that the soil moisture is high enough, then no irrigation is needed, since the excess water is also not pathetic for the potato and its harvest.
Also, do not forget weed and loosen the soil.
Especially loosening is important after irrigation, when a crust can form on the soil surface.
Hilling potatoes: when and how many times to spend?
When the height of the above-ground part of the potato is 10 centimeters, the first hilling can be done, after about 2-3 weeks the second one will be needed. After all, the plant is constantly pulled up, but its thin stalk is not able to hold its own weight. With the help of hilling, we kind of support the plant with earth.
