When and how to feed potatoes. When and what to feed potatoes How to fertilize potatoes during hilling

It is difficult to harvest a good potato harvest if it is planted in areas with a complete lack of minerals. Despite its unpretentiousness, only one plant during the growing season absorbs from the soil a significant amount of substances necessary for setting buds and forming tubers. If a gardener plants potatoes in areas where no agricultural work has been carried out before, then he is fabulously lucky - for a couple of years he doesn’t have to think about fertilizers at all. In all other cases, you cannot do without fertilizing after planting, because one bush of this vegetable crop absorbs 50-60 g of nitrogen, 20-25 g of phosphorus and about 100 g of potassium from the soil during spring and summer.

The right approach to fertilizing

When fertilizing potato beds after planting, experienced gardeners always take into account that some of the mineral compounds will soon become inaccessible to plants - they will evaporate from the soil or transform into forms that the vegetable crop will not absorb. To correct the situation, you can increase the frequency of fertilizing or its volume. It is impossible to do without applying complex, single-component and organic fertilizers when growing potatoes in open ground after planting.

Before applying fertilizers, you need to pay attention to the appearance of the plant. If the leaves turn yellow, then there are very few minerals with nitrogen in the soil, and the appearance of a purple color indicates a phosphorus deficiency.

When choosing fertilizers, you should take into account not only their composition, but also the method of delivering mineral compounds to the root system. Some gardeners prefer to plow the green mass of plants (green fertilizer) into the soil in order to enrich it with nitrogen and organic substances, others prefer to water the plants with an infusion of herbs.

Special vegetable preferences

Potatoes need microfertilizers to enhance biochemical processes at the cellular level, better absorption of basic elements, and increase resistance to fungal diseases and garden pests. It is of no small importance to increase the starch content in tubers even after a single feeding. Applying fertilizers after planting increases the shelf life of root crops - they do not spoil for a long time during wintering.

For proper nutrition, potatoes, in addition to phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium, also need other microelements:

manganese;
molybdenum;
magnesium;
zinc.

The plant needs these nutrients in microscopic doses. However, in their absence, you should not count on a rich harvest. A lack of microelements makes potatoes defenseless against many diseases.

Fertilizing after planting brings many positive results:

the fertilization process is enhanced;
the number of tubers increases;
nutritional value increases.

If the plants are fed regularly after planting, the potatoes will increase the content of biologically active and nutrients necessary for the human body: easily digestible carbohydrates and vitamins.

Applying fertilizers at the roots

In order for potato roots to fully absorb mineral and organic fertilizers, they should be applied as deeply as possible after planting. When top dressing is applied superficially, most of the nutrients will be unclaimed. For small areas, the “under the stake” method is practiced. A wooden stake is installed between the potato rows so that three plants are located around it. This method allows you to fertilize the bushes without fear of burning or damaging the stems and roots. After removing the stake, fertilizers dissolved in water are poured into the resulting depression, and then the holes in the ground are filled up.

Hilling can be timed to coincide with the fertilizing process - this will ensure the safety of unstable nutrients.

First feeding

The first application of fertilizers to potato rows is carried out 1-2 weeks after planting the tubers in the holes. Gardeners focus on the germination and appearance of young plants. If their growth slows down and the leaves turn pale green, then it’s time to feed the potatoes with fertilizers with a high concentration of nitrogen. What you can use:

cattle manure;
poultry droppings.

To obtain a complete fertilizer that is safe for plant roots, you need to dilute 0.5 kg of mullein in 10 liters of warm water, adding 15-20 g of crystalline urea. It’s even easier to prepare fertilizer from bird droppings - a tablespoon of dry organic matter should be dissolved in 10 liters of water. In order for each bush to receive the required portion of nitrogen, you need to add about 0.5 liters of solution under the plant.

Second feeding

When applying the second portion of fertilizers after planting, nitrogen will no longer be needed. The bush begins to form and grow tubers. To increase productivity, it is necessary to feed the potatoes with mineral or complex fertilizers with a high potassium content. In addition to this microelement, the plant needs an increased dose of phosphorus to form large tubers. To prepare a complete fertilizer, mix 15 g of potassium sulfate with the same amount of double superphosphate and dissolve the mineral compounds in 10 liters of water.

Third feeding

You need to fertilize potatoes for the last time three weeks before digging up the tubers. With the help of fertilizing, root vegetables will be enriched with nutrients and vitamins necessary for long-term storage. You can prepare a complex mineral-organic fertilizer from 0.25 liters of manure and 25-30 g of superphosphate, which should be dissolved in 10 liters of water.

Yeast feeding

Yeast contains many mineral elements necessary for potato growth. They contain magnesium, zinc, boron, iron. To prepare the solution, you can use both raw and dry yeast. To make a healthy solution, in addition to the main ingredient, you need to add sugar to the mixture to activate living cultures. The fertilizer is prepared as follows: dissolve 10 g of dry yeast and 50 g of sugar in 10 liters of water, let it brew for 2-3 hours and dilute with water in a ratio of 1/5.

Application of foliar fertilizers

One of the features of vegetable crops is poor absorption of fertilizing after planting, despite the high need for mineral compounds. Frequent application of fertilizers at the root sometimes does not justify the cost and time of cultivation. Recently, many gardeners have given preference to foliar feeding, which is more effective and cost-effective. But when fertilizing potato bushes in this way, you should take into account some features:

the outer layer of a vegetable leaf consists of several layers;
The leaf epidermis is reliably protected by a biological wax film.

This can become a serious obstacle to the penetration of organic and mineral compounds into the plant when spraying the bush after planting. Surfactants are used not only in household chemicals, but also in the production of fertilizers in order to overcome the natural barrier of potato leaves. The widespread use of chemical compounds is based on their ability to increase the spreading area of the working solution on the sheet. Surfactants help nutrients gain a foothold and penetrate inside the plant.

You need to fertilize potatoes after planting according to the following algorithm.

Urea. When the first green shoots appear, you need to fertilize the plants with urea. This mechanical mixture of one-part fertilizers contains a lot of nitrogen necessary for rapid growth. To prepare the solution, you need to dilute 0.2 kg of urea and 10 g of boric acid in 10 liters of water and spray the potato bushes.
Humates. Solutions of humic acid salts can be used to fertilize potatoes throughout the entire growing season, immediately after the appearance of several strong leaves. The solution is prepared in accordance with the instructions. As a rule, to prepare it, 2 g of the drug is dissolved in 10 liters of water.
Phosphorus. Fertilizing potatoes with fertilizers containing this chemical element is carried out at the final stage of the growing season to improve the taste of the tubers. 0.1 kg of superphosphate should be dissolved in 10 liters of water and sprayed on the plants.

When choosing foliar fertilizer in a store, you should pay attention to its composition. It must necessarily include surfactants or adjuvants. If they are not available, you can purchase these chemical compounds in separate containers and then mix them with fertilizers according to the instructions.

Correct and regular application of fertilizing after planting will allow the gardener to make large reserves for the winter. The tubers will have excellent taste and optimal shelf life. Next year, such potatoes will sprout earlier and form more root crops than those grown unfertilized.

In our article we will tell you which potato fertilizers are best to use when planting and while caring for the plant.

Why fertilize potatoes?

Unlike other crops, it needs many nutrients. This occurs due to poor root development and large tuber sizes. Along with harvesting, we take a certain amount of useful elements from the soil, so it is important, when planting next year, to add the nutrients that it requires for normal development and growth. The lack of fertilizers will gradually lead to a decrease in yield, the tubers will become small.

To obtain a full-fledged harvest, it is necessary to ensure the supply of useful substances in the following volume: to obtain 4 kg of potatoes from 1 square meter, the soil must contain 20 g of nitrogen, 40 g of potassium oxide, 5 g of magnesium and 10 g of phosphorus acid. Small amounts of copper, zinc and manganese should also be present. It will not be possible to fertilize the plant with all minerals at once, since potatoes need them at different stages of growth.

Types of fertilizers for potatoes

Each type of plant responds better or worse to the same fertilizers. If you want to achieve positive results from your labors and reap a good harvest, it’s worth figuring out which fertilizers are best suited for potatoes.

The greatest cultivation efficiency is achieved when using:

A beneficial effect of mineral complex fertilizers on potatoes was also noted, namely:

kemirs.

Did you know? Potato fruits are tubers and are very toxic. After eating 2-3 raw potatoes, you can get seriously poisoned.

Some people believe that if you use all the fertilizers little by little, the benefits will be greater. In fact, fertilizing must be carried out according to certain rules at different stages of potato growth.

When and how to apply fertilizers

It is very important to adhere to the timing of fertilization if you want to get a rich harvest. Let's consider when and how best to perform these activities.

Autumn site preparation

To get a rich harvest, you need to take care of the soil in the area prepared for. With each season it loses nutrients, so in the autumn it is definitely worth fertilizing it.

Ideally, it is recommended to combine organic matter. On 1 square meter of soil you need to leave 5-7 buckets of manure. At the same time, it is worth carrying out mineral fertilizing. To do this, add superphosphate (30 g per 1 square meter); it is also recommended to add phosphorus - 15 g per 1 square meter.

Important! Plant only high-quality seed: the tubers should be free of stains, growths and damage. Otherwise, they may not germinate at all.

You can get by using only agrochemicals. Most often they are used in areas where the soil is infested with pests or has pathogenic microflora. Effective is the use of double and potassium sulfate (proportion 1:2). are very important for potatoes, so more of them are required.

After the tops are removed from the potato field, it can be planted. White mustard is ideal for this. In three weeks it will form the necessary mass, and with the arrival of spring it will be necessary to dig up the soil along with the mustard.

When preparing the site in the autumn, you can perform deep digging. If you plan to use a walk-behind tractor, you will need to treat the area on clay soil twice and once on sandy soil. When manually digging, you need to bury the shovel to the full depth of the bayonet.
If there is acidic soil, it is restored in the autumn. To do this, it is worth fertilizing it with lime or ash (200 g per 1 sq. m). If sorrel or moss appears on the site, this means that the pH has changed.

You can achieve greater benefits if you apply fertilizer to each bush individually. If you decide to feed the plant with organic matter, you need to pour a 700-gram jar of dry humus and 5 tablespoons of ash into each hole.
If you use agrochemicals, you should put 1 tbsp in each hole. a spoonful of nitrophoska and 100 g of bone meal.

Root feeding

It is better to fertilize plants with roots before hilling the bushes. Before doing this, you should lightly loosen the soil to make it easier for nutrients to reach the roots. After fertilizing, it is worth watering abundantly.

Among the most common fertilizers are the following:

It is worth applying fertilizers, adhering to the instructions and recommended proportions. Fertilizers that are too concentrated can damage the root system and ruin your harvest.

Foliar feeding

An excellent way to fertilize, which allows you to bring all the missing nutrients to the plants, is foliar feeding of potatoes. It is recommended to carry out this activity after weeding the area, in the evening, to protect the plant from getting burned. This method facilitates the rapid penetration of fertilizers into the plant, which allows activating metabolic processes and increasing the growth and development of roots, increasing the amount of harvest. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the most common foliar feedings:

urea. The following dosages are safe: water - 5 l, urea - 100 g, potassium monophosphate - 150 g, boric acid - 6 g. In addition, sometimes a little boron, copper, manganese, zinc and cobalt are added to the mixture (1 g per 10 liters ). The first time fertilizing should be done 10 days after the first shoots appear. The working solution must be diluted twice. Then fertilizing can be done with the same composition, but without diluting it. It is mandatory to observe an interval of 14 days. Processing should be carried out until the potatoes begin to bloom;

phosphoric. It is carried out at the end of the flowering period, approximately 3-4 weeks before harvest. An infusion of superphosphate is used (100 g per 10 liters of water for spraying 10 square meters). Phosphorus, which penetrates the tops of the plant, will help increase productivity and saturate the tubers with starch;

Foliar feeding of potatoes affects crop yield

The first feeding of potatoes is necessarily root feeding and is done during planting. A solution of chicken droppings or rotted manure is added to the holes, as well as other necessary fertilizers for depleted soil. But in the further development of the plant and root crop, it is the foliar feeding of potatoes that plays the greatest role.

Features of choosing and applying fertilizers for potatoes

Foliar feeding of potatoes is allowed only in the evening or morning, preferably in cloudy but dry weather. Exposing plants to direct sunlight after spraying may cause burns on the leaves.

It is also important to monitor the weather forecast and do not fertilize before it rains, as the fertilizer will be washed away and absorbed into the ground. This is fraught not only with a decrease in the effectiveness of the procedure, but also with oversaturation of the soil with nitrate-containing substances.

When choosing foliar feeding of potatoes, you should take into account the composition of the soil on the site. The culture does not like calcareous or too acidic soil; it is better to maintain neutral acidity. Also, the basis for choosing fertilizers is the manifestation of signs of a deficiency of a particular substance on the leaves: yellowing indicates a lack of nitrogen, and a purple tint indicates a deficiency of phosphorus.

Not all fertilizers are allowed to be combined. Carefully study the composition on the package, after which you can start mixing. Compatibility table is shown below.

Young leaves absorb fertilizer elements better than older leaves, which have a coarser structure. Therefore, feeding young plants has a greater impact than adults, and it is recommended to monitor its regularity and intensity especially carefully.

Feeding potatoes after planting

The first feeding of potatoes after planting occurs two weeks after emergence. A young plant actively consumes nitrogen, and its amount affects the rate of development of the bush and stimulates the growth of vegetative mass.

Mineral nutrition to stimulate growth

To obtain a good harvest at the stage of plant formation, foliar feeding of potatoes with urea is recommended. It is diluted according to the instructions on the package. For young bushes, make a weak 1% solution so as not to accidentally burn fresh greens.

Also, during the development of bush sprouts, urea fertilizer is useful. To obtain it, mix 100 grams of urea, 150 grams of potassium monophosphate, 5 grams of boric acid. The mixture should be dissolved in five liters of water. The working composition is doubled, diluted with water, and the plants are treated, choosing a cool and windless day. You can repeat fertilizing after 2-3 weeks, until the potato flowering stage begins.

Ash solution for potatoes

At the initial stage of bush development, it is advisable to use an ash solution for spraying. It is prepared as follows: 300 grams of ash are poured into 3 liters of water and boiled for 20-25 minutes, after which the solution is cooled, filtered and brought to a volume of 10 liters.

Simultaneously with this fertilizing, humus from the compost pit is used, which is prepared in advance. The fertilizing is prepared as follows: 1/3 of the bucket is filled with humus, filled with hot water to the top, and left to brew for at least a day.

How to feed potatoes before flowering

Micro and macroelements are especially necessary for potatoes during the formation of tubers. At the stage of preparation for flowering, the plant has already absorbed more than half of the volume of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen that is necessary for the entire life cycle. Therefore, it is advisable to fertilize when the first ovaries appear.

Feeding potatoes before flowering with superphosphate

To prepare a complex mineral supplement, mix 2 grams. ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride, 20 g. superphosphate and 0.1 g. copper sulfate. All components are mixed, poured with warm rainwater and left for 3-4 hours. Then the solution must be filtered, diluted with plain water one to one, after which the liquid can be poured into a sprayer. This composition improves plant photosynthesis, accelerates biological processes and increases resistance to diseases.

Green tincture for potatoes

Before flowering, it is useful to feed potato bushes with nettle infusion. Nettle stems along with green mass are poured with water in a barrel or other container, left in a warm place until the fermentation process begins, then filtered, diluted with rainwater 3-4 times and treated with it on the plants. This fertilizing contains nitrogen, iron, calcium and can be repeated several times, maintaining an interval of 10-15 days.

Feeding potatoes after flowering

After flowering, potatoes need two consecutive feedings. They are designed to improve the taste of tubers and also affect their size, increasing productivity.

Feeding potatoes with microfertilizers

During the ripening period of potato tubers, to improve the taste, the plant should be fed with manganese, and to prevent the formation of voids in the tubers, with boron.

These two components are contained in the Mag-Bor fertilizer. You will need 1 tbsp. spoon of granules per 10 liters of water. The composition should be used at the rate of 5 liters of solution per 1 potato bush.

A month before harvesting, in the Moscow region this period falls on the end of August - beginning of September, foliar feeding of potatoes with superphosphate follows at the rate of 300-400 grams of the drug per 1 hundred square meters. Dry granules should simply be scattered evenly around the bushes.

Phosphorus can also be added by spraying, dissolving 100 grams of superphosphate in 10 liters of water. This dose is enough to treat 10 sq.m. ridges. Phosphorus, absorbed through the green mass of potatoes, will increase its starchy content, sugar content and productivity.

Ash for feeding and pest control

During the period of formation and ripening of the crop, pests often appear on the tops. You can fight them, and at the same time saturate the plant with potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium, by dusting the bush with dry ash or tobacco ash.

To solve the question: how to feed the potatoes before hilling and protect them from pests, you can spray with an ash solution (100 grams per liter). The treatment is carried out very carefully and abundantly, so 1-1.5 liters of solution are needed per plant. After feeding, hilling is carried out.

Solving the problem of nitrate accumulation in potatoes

If the planting dates for potatoes are met and not delayed, and the rates for applying chemical fertilizers correspond to the manufacturer’s recommendations and are not exaggerated in order to increase productivity, the dose of nitrates in potatoes will remain within acceptable limits. For potatoes, the maximum permissible concentration is 250 mg per 1 kilogram of tubers.

Many factors contribute to the increase in nitrate content in tubers. For example, exceeding the dose of applying fresh manure to the soil using the root feeding method, since it promotes increased nitrogen nutrition of plants (the norm is no more than 500-600 kg per 100 sq.m). Excessive use of bird droppings, both during root feeding and spraying, will also lead to an excess of nitrates.

Foliar feeding is much better suited for dosing fertilizers, since they dissolve in water and are distributed more evenly over the planting area.

Method for reducing nitrates in potato tubers

Experienced gardeners recommend lowering the level of nitrates in potatoes by removing the tops 7-10 days before digging. This can be done manually, but it is recommended to spray the green mass with a solution of magnesium chlorate: 250 grams per 4 liters of water. The procedure is tested and scientifically proven - it helps reduce the nitrate content in tubers by 20%.

Bottom line

Foliar feeding of potatoes plays a big role in development. Thanks to regular application of fertilizers by spraying at all stages of growth, the crop receives all the necessary microelements for development, does not get sick and produces a harvest of large and strong tubers with excellent taste.

Potatoes, like other crops, require different nutrients at different periods of ripening. Therefore, in order to get a good harvest and large tubers, potato plantings are fed three times during the season: after emergence, during budding and during flowering.

After emergence, when the plants begin to grow tops, potatoes need nitrogen. Therefore, at this time it is best to use organic fertilizers, which, in addition to nitrogen, contain many other useful substances and are safe for human health:

Mullein infusion water the rows. A kilogram of cow manure, previously diluted in 10 liters of water, is infused for two days.
Bird droppings can be used instead of manure, but very carefully, since this organic fertilizer is very aggressive. The litter should be diluted in a ratio of 1:10 with water and poured into the furrows between the rows so that the fertilizer does not fall on the tops.
Nettle infusion prepared from 1 kg of crushed fresh raw materials, which is filled with 10 liters of water and infused for about a week. The fermented infusion is mixed, filtered and watered on each bush with one liter of the nutrient mixture.

In the absence of organic fertilizers, you can use ready-made fertilizers. In the spring, after the entrances appear, potatoes can be feed with ammonium nitrate. For 5 liters of water you will need 10 grams of this fertilizer. Half a liter of solution is poured under each bush.

Feeding potatoes before flowering

During budding, plants need fertilizers with a predominance of potassium. You can use wood ash, which contains potassium, calcium and phosphorus.

Nutrient solution recipes:

dilute a glass of ash in 10 liters of water;
dilute 1 tbsp in the same amount of ash. l potassium sulfate and 3 tbsp. l wood ash.

Each bush is fed with 0.5 liters of prepared fertilizer. This feeding will help the potatoes bloom faster.

Feeding potatoes during flowering

To ensure the formation and development of tubers during flowering, potatoes are fed with fertilizers that contain phosphorus. It is best to use complex root feedings:

For 10 liters of water– a glass of liquid mullein and 2 tbsp. l superphosphate fertilizer. Each plant is watered with half a liter of nutrient solution.
After flowering When there is about a month left before harvesting, the bushes are sprayed with a superphosphate solution. For processing 10 sq. meters of planting, prepare a solution of 10 liters of water and 100 g of fertilizer.

What fertilizers are needed for potatoes?

What potatoes lack, namely, what elements, can be recognized by the condition of the leaves and stems:

Plants need potassium If the edges of the leaves dry out and curl, spots and wrinkles appear on the foliage.
With a lack of phosphorus the tops seem to shrink, and the leaves on the stems are located at an acute angle.
If Potatoes are nitrogen starved, the bushes grow poorly, and the foliage and stems turn yellow.
That too much nitrogen in the soil can be recognized by small tubers and a large amount of green tops on the bushes. The situation can be corrected by adding potassium and phosphorus to the soil.

How to feed potatoes before hilling

wood ash (per hundred square meters from 5 to 10 kg);
granular complex mineral fertilizers (according to instructions).

The first time dry fertilizer is applied before the first loosening of the soil in a potato field. After two weeks, dry fertilizers are incorporated into the soil a second time, after which the potatoes are hilled up. Fertilizers are scattered between the plants, at a distance of about 5 cm from the bushes.

It is best to apply dry fertilizers to moist soil after rain or watering.

When feeding potatoes, you need to remember that nutrient mixtures should be watered on moist soil so that the solution does not burn the roots and tubers. Foliar feeding is carried out in the evening, with the condition that there will be no rain within the next two days.

Potatoes are invariably present in every person's diet, so increased attention is paid to the cultivation of this vegetable crop. Experienced gardeners know that for a bountiful harvest you need to take care of it in early spring. It is not enough to follow only the basic rules of sowing and caring for seedlings. Regular feeding of potatoes is the key to a large harvest. In this case, mineral and organic fertilizers and biostimulants come to the aid of the owners.

Why fertilize potatoes?

To grow vegetable crops, you need a complex of nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium. Potatoes are quite demanding in terms of soil composition and nutrition. Root crops quickly suck nutrients from the soil, depleting it. If you do not use special fertilizers for potatoes, the yield will decrease every year.

The composition of the soil in one area is different. The lighter the soil, the less nutrients it contains. Some elements evaporate from the soil or are converted into a form inaccessible to vegetable crops. Therefore, the use of fertilizing is a mandatory stage of cultivation.

To obtain a good potato yield, it is necessary to enrich the soil with manganese, zinc, copper, calcium, iron, sulfur, boron and small quantities of cobalt. The application of microfertilizers stimulates the growth of root crops, increases its resistance to sudden temperature changes, various diseases and pests. In addition, the saturation of the soil affects the starchiness of the potatoes and their taste.

Organic fertilizers

By using fertilizer wisely, the farmer increases the yield in planted areas. The use of organic fertilizers when planting potatoes is aimed at saturating the soil with natural elements necessary for rapid ripening. After the decomposition of the fertilizer, high concentrations of carbon dioxide are formed in the ground layer of air. Against the background of this process, the tubers grow, become lush and strong.

Experienced gardeners remind us that it is necessary to discard compost or manure if last season the vegetable beds were infected with diseases or pests. If this recommendation is ignored, organic matter will become a favorable environment for the proliferation of pathogenic flora.

Manure and its derivatives

It is difficult to answer unequivocally what type of organic fertilizer should be used for potatoes when planting. The excrement of cows, horses, pigs, and chickens is used as compost. Most often, the beds are fed with mullein, which contains the necessary microelements: boron, copper, manganese, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen. With regular addition of animal droppings, the soil becomes loose and better saturated with oxygen.

It is recommended to use several types of manure as fertilizer for potatoes. This is due to the fact that the concentration of fertilizer and its composition differ depending on the type of animal and the type of soil. Fresh manure is safe to use only in the fall, and rotted manure in the spring. There are 300-500 kg of fertilizers per hundred square meters of land, with the maximum dose designed for depleted soil.

Well-rotted mullein should be added to the hole when planting potatoes based on the proportions of 200 g per bush. With this method of feeding, half the amount of manure is required. According to the rules, organic matter should be placed at the bottom of the hole and covered with soil 2 cm thick on top.

Experienced owners share tips on how to use manure derivatives - sapropel. This is silt from the bottom of lakes, a half-life product of plant and animal origin. The component is used on the same principle as other organic fertilizers, but after distributing the sapropel, the soil can be covered in 3-7 days.

Chicken droppings

Bird poop is the most popular type of organic matter in gardening. It is preferable to fertilize potatoes with chicken manure, as it increases yield by 10-20%, makes seedlings resistant to drought, and controls the acidity of open ground. But the main advantage of this type of fertilizer is that its composition contains phosphorus concentration 6 times higher than in manure.

Standard ways to use chicken manure:

Fresh excrement burns potato tubers, so they need to be diluted with water in proportions of 1:10 and left for 2-3 days. There is one liter of prepared mixture per bush, which must be poured between the beds.
When planting, dry droppings are added to the hole in the form of granules or powder, from which excess moisture has been removed.
In the fall or spring, you can make a compost heap on your site. To do this, add 20 cm of plant residues, 10 cm of soil and 2 cm of chicken manure. To prevent the compost pit from spreading miasma, it must be covered with film.

Green manure

When preparing a site for sowing, after weeding, a lot of unnecessary grass and weeds remain. The owners recommend using rotted plants as a growth stimulator for potatoes. Plowed green biofertilizer is called green manure; this type of soil enrichment is aimed at obtaining an environmentally friendly harvest.

To fertilize, you need to fill the container with weeds, add two handfuls of urea and fill the mixture with warm water to the brim. Cover the hole with plastic wrap for active fermentation. After 14 days of infusion, the additive is ready for use: 1 liter is poured into each hole.

Mineral fertilizers

It is impossible to achieve a bountiful harvest using manure alone. The quality of grown products is affected by the condition of the soil. After each season, root crops draw nutrients from the soil, and the use of mineral fertilizers for potatoes helps fill this deficiency.

Nitrogen

It is difficult for beginners to determine what to fertilize potatoes with when planting. The choice depends on seasonality. Nitrogen fertilizers for potatoes are of the following types: nitrate (potassium, sodium, ammonium), urea, urea. It is believed that fertilizing the soil in the fall is more effective and convenient by saving time. But this method is not suitable if the soil is sandy. In this case, nutrients will be washed out by water. With this type of soil, gardeners recommend applying nitrogen-based fertilizers in the spring before planting potatoes.

Phosphorus

To stimulate the growth of tops and saturate the tubers with valuable elements, superphosphate is often used. It is available in granule or powder form and is suitable for highly acidic soils. The consumption rate of phosphate fertilizers is 2 kg per 100 square meters.

When growing vegetables, another type of fertilizer is used - bone meal. This mineral fertilizer strengthens the root system and accelerates flowering. Significant disadvantages include the long wait for the effect to appear.

Potash

In addition to phosphorus and nitrogen, when growing root crops, it is necessary to use other chemical elements. The use of potassium fertilizers for potatoes increases resistance to drought and normalizes metabolic processes in cells. Due to improved photosynthesis, the tops grow and become lush.

The use of potassium-based mineral fertilizers in the garden makes plant stems strong and protects tubers from rot, powdery mildew and other pests. When choosing this type of fertilizing, you need to take into account the composition and acidity of the soil.

It is recommended to apply potassium fertilizers to soil with a high clay content, trying to bury them closer to the root system. It is best to add fertilizer several times and in small doses. If you ignore the manufacturer's recommendations, the seedlings begin to dry out and wither. The most dangerous is an excess of potassium against the background of a deficiency of phosphorus and nitrogen.

Complex

It is convenient to feed potatoes when planting with compounds that combine several types of minerals. Complex fertilizers include nitrophoska, nitroammofoska. Such additives are guaranteed to increase the yield in the garden plot.

The use of Kemira fertilizer for potatoes is preferable because it does not contain chlorine, which is harmful to vegetable crops. Regular fertilizing is necessary for enhanced nutrition and disease control, improving the keeping quality of grown products (it can be stored longer after harvesting). The consumption rate is 10 kg per hundred square meters of land.

The universal fertilizer Giant contains vermicompost, which makes the product organomineral. This drug increases the overall yield, starchiness and quality of root crops.

8 kg of vegetable humus, 3 tablespoons of nitrophoska, 200 g of ash;
nitrophoska - 50 g per square meter of planting area, and nitroammophoska - 30 g;
20 g each of potassium sulfate and ammonium nitrate.

Ash

Burnt wood is a natural source of phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. Before using this type of fertilizer, you need to find out the acidity of the soil. This need is due to the fact that when adding wood ash to potatoes, the pH of the soil increases. For acidic soil, this effect does not pose a threat, but in neutral soil it leads to the formation of scab.

Coal ash is applied as a fertilizer for potatoes, pouring 300 g per 1 square meter into the planting hole. m and at the same time rolling the tuber in ash. During the rainy season, when humidity and dampness increase, gardeners recommend sprinkling burnt wood on the tops of the garden beds to protect the plant from rotting.

Organomineral fertilizers

When choosing what additive to feed potatoes, you can rely on the experience of gardeners who recommend using special long-acting granules. In the process of obtaining organomineral fertilizers (OMF), nutritional elements are enclosed in a capsule. The advantage of use is that nitrogen and potassium are not washed out from the additive when watering the garden plot.

WMD combines macro- and microelements, peat, and humic substances. Therefore, when the owner feeds the potatoes after germination, the shelf life of the root crops improves, and the risk of dark spots in the tuber pulp and pest damage is reduced.

Popular names for WMD:

Potato is the most common fertilizer in the form of granules. The consumption rate is calculated according to the instructions for use.
Solucat Plus is a supplement with amino and fulvic acids.
Polydon bio pro is a complex action liquid fertilizer that contains amino acids, polysaccharides, growth elements, acids (fulvic, humic).

Biostimulants

The use of growth regulators when growing root crops leads to an increase in yield by 20-26% and plant resistance to the Colorado potato beetle, wireworm, and stem nematode. Poteytin, Radostim, Regoplant are suitable for these purposes.

Biostimulants can be used by spraying based on the proportions of 20-30 liters per ton of seedling material. It is allowed to fertilize after planting tubers with Epin. This adaptogen accelerates ripening two weeks ahead of schedule and removes harmful pesticides and radionuclides. To spray 2 acres of land, the contents of the ampoule must be diluted in 5 liters of water.

In order to feed potatoes after germination and during the formation of buds, you can use the growth stimulator Poteytin. To spray one hundred square meters of garden plot, you need to dilute 1 ml of ampoule in 10 liters of water.

Folk recipes

Some gardeners prefer to use natural fertilizers when growing root crops. You can feed potatoes with the following homemade ingredients: wood ash, nettle, bird droppings, slurry. The choice of product depends on its availability and the seasonality of fertilizer application.

For example, humus must be applied in the fall when plowing the land. In spring the soil will be ready for planting. To feed potatoes after germination, gardeners use manure solution. To prepare it, you need to mix mullein with water in a ratio of 1:5. The resulting mixture should be poured under each bush in a volume of 500 ml. In the absence of manure, bird droppings are suitable.

When growing potatoes, sawdust is used as fertilizer, which is rich in loose organic matter. As a result, the soil absorbs moisture well, and the root crops are protected from drought.

Timing of fertilizing

Fertilizers are applied to potatoes according to a certain pattern: during soil preparation, during planting and after flowering. Adding fertilizer to potatoes during cultivation is carried out according to the “golden mean” principle. For each garden plot, it is necessary to first calculate the consumption rate of organic or mineral fertilizers. If you add too many additives to the holes of young seedlings, the tops will be lush and the tubers will be underdeveloped. For this reason, experienced gardeners recommend determining the acidity and composition of the soil before using potato fertilizers in the fall or spring.

Landing

The roots of root crops grow only in the upper layers of the soil, so in the spring organic or mineral compounds are poured into holes or rows. Inexperienced farmers often cannot decide what fertilizers can be applied when planting potatoes. In spring, it is recommended to use manure, wood ash, compost, ammonium nitrate, and urea.

When planting tubers in open ground with an average level of density, you need to make a mixture of the following components: 3 kg of mullein and nitrogen-containing additives, 2.5 kg of potassium and 4 kg of phosphorus preparations. If the soil on the site is depleted after harvesting last season, take 1 kg of ammonium nitrate, 3 kg of superphosphate and 100 kg of plant humus. Having chosen the type of fertilizer (it must be used before the potatoes are planted), apply it to each hole according to the instructions for use.

Bloom

During the budding period, it is necessary to use additional compounds to saturate the stems and leaves with nutrients and quickly ripen the tubers. The second feeding of potatoes with mineral fertilizers during flowering is carried out with superphosphate: 2 tablespoons for each square meter of the garden.

Hilling

When the shoots appear, you need to sprinkle damp soil on the stems, forming a hill. As a result, the plant becomes resistant to pests and diseases. If the tops are fragile and the top has stretched out, before the second hilling of the potatoes, add phosphorus or potassium additives to form tubers.

Feeding methods

Fertilizers can be applied when growing potatoes using root and foliar methods. The first option is more popular due to its ease of execution. Even a novice gardener can sprinkle microfertilizers under the roots of seedlings.

When foliar feeding potatoes, you need to choose preparations with surfactants. These components, or adjuvants, overcome the protective barrier on the tops and retain the nutritional elements inside.

Root

After planting, potatoes can be fed with several types of additives. The same fertilizers can be applied before hilling the bushes, so that micro- and macroelements quickly reach the underground part of the plant. Suitable for root feeding:

mineral fertilizers - a mixture of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in proportions 1:2:1 (25 g per 10 liters of water);
mullein - you need to dissolve a liter of manure in 10 liters of liquid and leave for 24 hours. Water the ground between the rows with the prepared solution;
urea - 0.5 mixture (1 tablespoon of fertilizer per 10 liters of water) per potato bush;
chicken manure - diluted and applied into the furrows between the seedlings.

Foliar

This type of feeding is carried out throughout the entire growing season. Fertilizers should be applied in the evening after watering, so as not to cause burns to the tops.

The owners recommend using a mixture prepared from 150 g of monophosphate, 5 g of boric acid and 100 g of urea as a foliar fertilizer for potatoes. Spraying should be carried out on the leaf after the first shoots appear. After 14 days, fertilizing should be repeated.

If you do not want to use mineral fertilizers, nettle infusion is suitable. The leaves of this herb contain all the necessary nutritional elements. To prepare the solution, grind 1 kg of nettle, add water and leave for 24 hours. The next day, add 30 g of laundry soap shavings and use the infusion for leaf spraying.