How to fertilize potatoes during and after planting? When and what to feed potatoes Apply fertilizer before hilling the potatoes.

High-quality fertilizer and adequate feeding are the key to obtaining a good harvest. Potatoes need this no less than other residents of their garden plots.

We will consider further what means it is advisable to use for this and what can be used during flowering.

Rules for feeding potatoes

Not every gardener can boast of fertile soil on his plot, and no matter how rich it is, the reserves run out sooner or later. So the issue of plant nutrition will always be relevant.

If we talk about potatoes, this procedure must be carried out three times a season, especially if the soil is sandy or sandy loam.

The first procedure is carried out during the emergence of seedlings. The fact that the plant needs support can be determined by pale, weak leaves.

You need to dissolve a tablespoon of dry chicken droppings in a bucket of water (this is ideal, but in principle any bird droppings will do). Half a liter of the resulting solution should be poured under each bush.

If there is no litter, you can use another option. To do this, collect young nettles and finely chop them, then fill them with water and let them sit in a warm place for 5-6 days until they begin to ferment. Afterwards, you need to pour a liter of the resulting solution under each bush.

Note! You can add humus to the resulting natural fertilizer in a 1:1 ratio. This will make the product more powerful and significantly increase its nutritional capabilities.

During the formation of buds, a second feeding should be carried out. Now you will need to dissolve 2-3 tables in a bucket of water. spoons of wood ash and water in the same proportions as with the droppings.

This will not only nourish the plant, but will also significantly optimize the process of color formation on the potatoes.

But in the active flowering phase, it is necessary to carry out a third feeding. Here again, fertilizer based on chicken (or poultry) manure is used, only the volume is reduced. For one bush, 0.5 liters of solution is more than enough.

Root feeding with organic matter

The best option for root feeding of potatoes is considered organic and, first of all, high-quality humus. You can simply pour two handfuls under each bush, or you can scatter them between the rows.

Important! If the fertilizer will be spread between the beds, make sure that the distance to the bushes is no more than 5-6 cm.

If manure is used for feeding, it must be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:5. This solution should be poured under each bush, 1.5-2 liters. Fertilizing should be done after watering or after heavy rain.

note ! Organic fertilizing should be applied exclusively at the root. If it gets on the leaves, it can burn them.

Fertilizing potatoes during tuber ripening

Feeding can be carried out both throughout the entire area and using the nesting (hole) method.

Bird droppings are very useful for potatoes, and we have already discussed the rules for their use. But you can also use urea, mullein and herbal infusion. The last option is the simplest and safest.

All you need is a large barrel and some weeds. And there are enough of them in any area. The grass is placed in a barrel, filled with water and kept in the sun until it ferments. You can also tell by the smell that the fertilizer is ready. The aroma is exactly like fresh manure.

Afterwards, you just need to dilute it with water to form a weak tea and pour the potatoes under the roots. It is optimal to carry out such fertilizing in June, when the plant especially needs nitrogen.

Foliar feeding of potatoes

Despite the popularity of the potato and its almost universal cultivation, it has a huge drawback. It has very low susceptibility to any feeding.

But this can be corrected by additional application of fertilizers through the leaves. This is called foliar feeding, and it is sometimes more effective than introducing nutrients directly under the root. Leaves, stems and even flowers are able to absorb micro and macro elements, and they give preference to those that they need in the first place.

Given that the fertilizer gets directly to the part of the plant that needs it, it turns out to achieve excellent performance and significantly increase yields.

The first foliar top dressing is carried out after just before the formation of buds. It is advisable to spray with nitrogen. For this, 300 gr. urea should be dissolved in a bucket of water and each bush should be thoroughly treated.

If this is not possible, you can use ash. For this, 200-300 gr. dissolve in a bucket of water, stir and bring to a boil over low heat. After cooling, strain and thoroughly spray the previously watered potato beds.

Take note! Foliar feeding of potatoes should be done in the evening, when the sun has already set.

What mineral fertilizers to feed potatoes during flowering

We looked at organic methods of feeding, but they are not always enough. And then minerals come to the rescue. These are nutrients that can be complex or consist of a single component.

Let's look at the most popular ones.

Ammonium nitrate

After application to the soil, it dissolves; as a result of metabolic processes, slight acidification of the soil occurs.

Application is carried out in the beds during sowing (10-20 grams per square meter), often used in combination with potassium and phosphorus.

It can also be used for spraying during flowering and budding (50 g per 100 liters of water). This is enough to process 100 sq.m.).

Urea

Many gardeners have been using this product for years. Nitrogen fertilizer, when sprayed or applied directly to the soil, significantly increases the yield and taste of potatoes. The undoubted advantage of urea is that it lasts for quite a long time even in places with high humidity and is not washed out by rain.

Also, unlike most similar preparations, it does not burn the leaves, and if it acidifies some types of soil, it is only slightly.

It is absorbed perfectly and digested too.

Fertilizing with urea can be used as a prevention of nitrogen starvation, or when its signs appear, the main of which is the pale color of the leaves and the depressed state of the tops.

Urea is sold in white or yellow capsules that are odorless. The first time it is advisable to add it to the holes 10-15 days before planting, deepening it by 4 cm. Afterwards, fill it well with water.

Ash

Using wood ash is an excellent alternative to many chemical fertilizers. In terms of potassium content, it is indispensable for potatoes. The natural product perfectly regulates the acidity of the soil, adds microelements to it and those necessary for the full development of plants. substances.

This economical and effective fertilizer has been used for centuries.

You can prepare the required quantity yourself. To do this, the wood that will be burned is carefully reviewed and sorted so that it does not contain unnecessary elements, such as nails or paint.

After the ashes have cooled, they are sifted and then stored in plastic bags or metal, hermetically sealed containers. The ash should be kept in a dry, dark place or can be used immediately for feeding.

Note! Wood ash is a source of caustic alkali, so do not forget about personal protective equipment while working.

The first time wood ash should be added to the soil after harvesting potatoes in the fall at the rate of 100 grams per meter kW. In the spring, when the soil dries slightly, the procedure is repeated. The next treatment concerns planting material. The prepared tubers are generously covered with ash (about a kilogram per bag).

When planting, pour 2-3 tbsp into each hole. spoons of ash, thoroughly mixed with soil.

The next feeding is carried out during the first hilling. 2 tablespoons of ash are also poured under each bush. When the formation of buds begins, 50 grams of ash are poured under the bushes and a second hilling is carried out.

Potassium sulfate

To enrich the soil with potassium, gardeners use manure or compost, but this is not always enough, so sometimes chemicals are indispensable.

Potassium sulfate is obtained from schenite and langbeinite. Externally, they look like small crystals of white or light yellow color.

It contains 50% potassium and additional components, but chlorine is completely absent. This is a huge plus, because this is what most plants suffer from.

Its use on the soil significantly increases the content of sugars and vitamins in the soil, and is a proven method of preventing infection with gray mold and other dangerous diseases.

The drug is used to prevent deficiency in the soil, as well as when plants clearly lack it. This can be determined by the following signs:

leaves turn yellow and curl;
stepsons are actively formed;
shoots and stems become weak and brittle;
the lower leaves lose color and spots may appear on them;
growth stops and productivity decreases.

You should also know the signs of an excess of mineral in the soil. In this case:

the thickness of the leaves decreases;
the upper leaves acquire a brownish tint;
necrosis begins;
the roots die.

Potassium sulfate is applied according to a certain scheme and only after determining the composition of the soil. Therefore, first submit it for analysis, and then seek help from breeders who can help you create a feeding schedule.

Most often, it is scattered dry on the soil after harvesting and immediately before planting, and then dug up. If use is necessary during the growing season, then this should be done in the form of watering or spraying. The solution is prepared according to the instructions on the package. The effect is excellent, because... the product goes directly to the part of the plant that needs it.

Double superphosphate

This drug belongs to nitrogen-phosphorus and sulfur-containing fertilizers. Available in the form of powder or gray granules.

Plants need phosphorus for normal development, and this need is especially noted during flowering and fruiting.

You can determine the need for it by the shedding of color and weak fruit ovary.

The use of the drug contributes to:

acceleration of germination;
stimulation of the development of the root system and vigorous flowering;
slowing down aging;
improving taste.

Potatoes are fed with superphosphate by adding it to the hole (3-5 g per plant).

If re-treatment is necessary, watering or spraying is carried out. The second option is more effective.

Phosphorus deficiency is determined by depressed tops, small, purple-burgundy leaves, and small fruits.

By the way, very good results are obtained by using superphosphate together with wood ash (no more than 8% of the total mass is taken).

At the same time, interaction with urea and ammonium nitrate is strictly prohibited; it is also undesirable to use it simultaneously with chalk, dolomite, lime, etc.

When we plant potatoes in an area where there was previously virgin soil, the harvest is excellent without any fertilizers. But if we inherit a dacha from our grandmother, where active gardening with digging, weeding and other delights has been going on for forty years, you can’t just grow good potatoes.

Despite its apparent simplicity, potatoes annually consume a huge amount of minerals. One plant “pulls” 50 grams of nitrogen, 100 grams of potassium and 20 grams of phosphorus from the soil per season. So it is necessary to feed, especially on poor soils. How to fertilize potatoes? When is the best time to fertilize potatoes? Let's find out...

By and large, we all understand that areas intended for growing potatoes can be fertilized both in the spring before planting and in the fall after harvesting. As they say, fertilize when it suits you.

Fertilizers for spring plowing

Before digging up a potato plot in the spring, the greatest effect comes from the combined use of organic and mineral fertilizers. Combinations may be different:

Option 1. 10 kilograms of humus, 20 grams of ammonium nitrate, 20 grams of potassium sulfate, 40 grams of superphosphate, 450 grams of dolomite flour per 1 square meter.

Option 2. 7 kilograms of compost, 30 grams of nitrophoska, 20 grams of potassium sulfate, 20 grams of ammonium nitrate per 1 square meter.

Option 3. 1 bucket of humus, 3 tablespoons of nitrophoska, 1 glass of ash per 1 square meter.

Option 4. If they grow on the site, then along with planting the green mass it is enough to add 20 grams of ammonium nitrate, 20 grams of potassium sulfate per 1 square meter.

Option 5. If there is a deficiency of organic matter, complex fertilizers are applied: nitrophoska at the rate of 5 kilograms per hundred square meters or nitroammophoska (3 kilograms per hundred square meters).

You can include microelements in the fertilizer mixture, for example: copper (0.5 grams of copper sulfate per 1 square meter) and molybdenum (0.1 grams of ammonium molybdate per 1 square meter). They help absorb essential macronutrients.

All fertilizers are usually applied superficially. They are simply scattered over the surface of the soil, and then buried to a depth of 20-25 centimeters when plowing, digging or loosening with a flat cutter.

Applying fertilizers to the hole during planting

The second method of applying fertilizers in the spring is even simpler and even more effective - all fertilizers are applied directly into the hole along with planting the tuber. Fertilizers can be applied to the planting hole, both organic and mineral.

Organic option: Five tablespoons of ash and a 700 gram jar of dry humus in each hole.

Mineral option: 1 tablespoon of nitrophoska in each hole or 15-20 grams of Kemira Potato complex fertilizer.

Potato feeding in summer

If in the spring you were late with fertilizers, did not have time, or the appearance of the plants shows that they do not have enough nutrition, fertilizing helps out. You can feed potatoes until mid-July; you shouldn’t wait any longer, otherwise the plants will gain excess green mass and “forget” about the tubers. Any fertilizing is best done after watering or rain.

Potato root feeding

First feeding carried out at the beginning of tops growth. It is needed if the potato stalks are thin and pale green.
Usually it is applied immediately before the first hilling.

The first feeding option. 1 teaspoon of urea (or ammonium nitrate) + 1.5 cups of humus per 1 linear meter of potato strip.
Second feeding option. 3 grams of superphosphate, 3 grams of potassium chloride or sulfate, 2 grams of urea or ammonium nitrate for each bush.
The third feeding option. 10 grams of nitrophoska per plant.
The fourth feeding option. 10 grams of dry bird droppings for each bush or watering the furrows between potato rows with an infusion of chicken droppings in a ratio of 1:10.
Fifth feeding option. Two handfuls of humus per bush.
Sixth feeding option. 1 tablespoon of urea per 10 liters of water. The consumption rate for one plant is 0.5 liters.
Seventh feeding option.
Eighth feeding option. 20 grams of ammonium nitrate per 10 liters of water. The consumption rate for a bush is 0.5 liters.
Ninth feeding option. 1 liter of mullein per 10 liters of water. This solution is watered between the rows.

As you can see, there are plenty of variations of the first fertilizing so that everyone can choose the most suitable one for their garden.

The first feeding option. 1 teaspoon of potassium sulfate and 3 tablespoons of ash per 1 linear meter of potato strip.
Second feeding option. 30 grams of potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water per 10 square meters.
The third feeding option. Two handfuls of ash are mixed with the same amount of soil and added under each bush.

Third top dressing done during flowering to accelerate the formation of tubers. To do this, dissolve 2 tablespoons of superphosphate and 1 glass of mullein in 10 liters of water. Apply 0.5 liters of the resulting solution to each bush.

Foliar feeding of potatoes

Some people like to water, while others prefer to spray. If you belong to the second group, then it is undoubtedly better for you to pay attention to foliar fertilizers that are sprayed directly onto the leaves of plants. Such fertilizers quickly deliver nutrients “to the address”, activating the metabolic processes of the plant.

Nitrogen-potassium fertilizing. For 5 liters of water take 100 grams of urea, 150 grams of potassium monophosphate, 5 grams of boric acid. You can also add microelements - boron, copper, manganese, zinc and cobalt in a dosage of no more than 0.5 grams per 5 liters.

This feeding is carried out two weeks after germination. If necessary, repeat again. Potatoes can be sprayed with this solution before flowering at two-week intervals.

Supporters of organic farming spray potato plots with fermented infusion of nettles or solutions of gummates.

Phosphorus fertilizing. At the very end of potato flowering, to increase the yield and starchiness of the tubers, potato bushes are sprayed with a superphosphate extract: 20 grams of fertilizer are poured into 10 liters of warm water and left for two days, stirring occasionally. The consumption rate of such an infusion: 1 liter per hundred square meters.

Fertilizing potato beds in the fall

Those who value every minute in spring prefer to fertilize the soil for potatoes in the fall. This option has quite a few advantages: some phosphorus fertilizers (for example, superphosphate) do not immediately transform into forms that are easily digestible for plants, but by spring they are transformed. You can’t put fresh manure directly into the hole either, but when applied in the fall, it will just have time to rot.

If manure and humus are difficult to manage, green fertilizer called green manure helps out. After harvesting, all beds are sown with green manure plants; the ideal option for potatoes is oilseed radish and others. Before the onset of cold weather, green manure will have time to gain enough green mass, and by the next season it will already end up in the soil as useful organic matter. By the way, for those who use (or want to try) no-till technology for growing potatoes, rye is perfect as a green manure for potatoes.

But if it’s really difficult with organic matter, you can apply exclusively mineral fertilizers in the fall. In this case, it is better to use potassium sulfate at the rate of 2 kilograms per hundred square meters and double superphosphate (1 kilogram per hundred square meters).

Probably every summer cottage has a place for potatoes. This popular culture is rightly called the “second bread”, because most national dishes consist of this product. It takes a lot of effort to grow a good potato crop.

In addition to planting and digging, every gardener goes through the equally labor-intensive stages of pest control, watering and hilling. Our article will tell you the features of this process, as well as how you can protect the crop from a typical pest - wireworm.

Selection of fertilizing

The hilling procedure is usually carried out after the potato seedlings reach 15 - 20 centimeters in height. Many gardeners prefer to wait for other signs, for example, the beginning of bud formation.

To reliably protect potatoes from recurrent frosts, you need to know. In case of drought and choking of replantings by weeds, hilling should be carried out twice per season. In addition to the protective function, such manipulations help aerate the soil, retain moisture, and will also allow you to get large yields due to the compact formation of the bush.

In the video - how to feed potatoes before hilling:

At this stage, you can use the following feeding options:

Usually, hilling is carried out twice per season, so double the amount of fertilizer must be applied. To provide all the needs of the plant before flowering and setting root crops, you can use another type of mineral complexes. Although potatoes respond extremely well to organic fertilizers, it is better to use slightly different preparations before flowering.

What fertilizers to use before the second hilling:

Dilute 300 grams of urea into a bucket of water. The best results in this case are obtained by foliar feeding.
Urea for feeding
Three tablespoons of superphosphate per bucket of water. This fertilizer is applied to the root area and is also used for spraying plants.
Superphosphate
Dissolve a kilogram of mullein in a bucket of water, add two tablespoons of superphosphate. Pour the resulting solution half a liter under each bush. By following the link you can learn more about
Mullein for feeding
Complex mineral fertilizers containing phosphorus, manganese and boron help the tubers to develop better and also improve their taste. Potatoes do not like chlorine, so the content of this trace element is undesirable. It is better to use such fertilizing using the foliar method (spraying the tops of the plant). But this is how it works with the best drugs. indicated in the article at the link.
If the area of the potato field is too large, you can simply spread rotted manure between the rows and actively water the plantings. It is undesirable to use fresh organic matter, because this can lead to the accumulation of nitrates in the tubers. It will also be useful to know about
Rotted manure

It is very important not only to carry out hilling on time, but also to ensure the correct process algorithm. In order for the bushes to be neat and form tubers well, the earthen ball must be broken, and it is best to do this immediately after rain or watering. You should not do such work on a sunny day. This will not only make hilling difficult and even hazardous to health, but can also damage the plants. But is it possible to water potatoes with ammonia, and how to do it correctly?

How to treat before hilling

At this stage of the growing season, it is very important to provide reliable protection against pests. You can carry out complex processing before hilling, as well as use folk remedies for crop protection.

You should know that insecticide treatment is not carried out for early potato varieties, because the chemicals will accumulate in the tubers. For safer protection, folk remedies are preferable.

Pest control solution options:

The drug “Bazudin”, which is sold in granules, has proven itself well. The treatment is carried out not only before planting, but also before flowering. Helps against wireworms and other common pests.
Nettle infusion works well against aphids and late blight. It is prepared from fresh nettle, which is infused for several days. Approximate dosage: half a kilo of chopped stems and leaves per bucket of water. But this will help you understand what aphids look like on currants, and how you can fight them.
Nettle infusion
A weak solution of copper sulfate (about 100 grams per bucket of water) also helps against wireworms. Spraying should be done immediately after rain or watering to avoid burning the leaves. But how it is used is described in this article.
Copper sulfate solution
To get rid of the mole cricket, you can dig crushed eggshells flavored with sunflower oil (always fried for a more attractive aroma) around the perimeter of the potato field. Such traps can be scattered between the rows, and also introduced before planting. It will also be useful to know about
Crushed eggshells
Preventive treatments against the Colorado potato beetle can be applied using special insecticides, or the following solution can be used. To prepare it, you need to infuse 200 grams of crushed wormwood and a glass of wood ash into one bucket of water. But how to use Prestige poison against the Colorado potato beetle, and how effective this remedy is, is indicated
Ground wormwood
A strong infusion of onion peels will also help fight pests and diseases. For this purpose, spraying is carried out at any stage of the growing season, because this product is harmless to humans and does not harm the tubers.
Onion peel infusion

Judging by, growing any variety takes a lot of time and effort, so every nuance is important in this matter. Double hilling per season helps improve soil aeration and promotes normal growth and formation of tubers. During this period, it is also important to add the necessary mineral and organic complexes. Features of feeding root crops before hilling, as well as methods of protection against potato pests and characteristic diseases - only we have all the necessary information.

Potatoes in Russia and the CIS countries are called the second bread. This product is consistently present on a daily basis. Used in almost all first and second courses.

Potatoes are grown in large agricultural complexes; their production accounts for about 27% of the total number of root crops grown. Even more is produced at dachas and personal farmsteads (approximately 56%). Only a small part is exported from the Republic of Belarus and Egypt.

It is no secret that only in a good fertilized bed, in which the humus content is high, can you get a rich harvest. Increase fertility in many ways:

introducing organic substances that rot in the soil, saturating it with nutrients;
active loosening and adding ash, humus, fallen leaves and mown grass.

The use of deep loosening with the addition of organic matter is carried out in the autumn after harvesting:

It is necessary to remove the stems and the remains of the tops.
Scatter organic additives evenly.
Treat the area with the Mole ripper.

If weather permits, white mustard is sown. It will serve as a green manure, enriching the site with green fertilizer. The work must be completed by the 20th of September. Later the effect will be minimal. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

The area is leveled with rakes.
Spread mustard seeds evenly. The seeding rate is 1 kg per hundred square meters.
With the help of a fan rake, lightly sprinkle the scattered planting material.
If rain is not expected, then it is advisable to slightly moisten the area.

Before frost, the sowing of green manure will rise. In a month, the greenery grows up to 12...15 cm. In the southern regions, where severe frosts are not observed, the regrown greenery is embedded in the soil with a rake.

In the middle lane, termination is not required. Frost in November usually comes before snow falls, the mustard freezes and does not grow any further. By spring, it rots under the snow, fertilizing the soil.

Pre-sowing preparation of the territory for planting potatoes

Spring work to prepare the field for planting potatoes begins after the soil dries. It is inconvenient to work in wet ground, the quality will suffer. Therefore, only in mid-April there is an opportunity to go into the field.

If loosening is done in the fall, then all that remains is to outline the beds. Beginning potato growers hope that autumn preparation is enough. Experienced gardeners know that the soil always needs help. Therefore, spring loosening is carried out.

The Chibis motor shovel will help here. It is also called “Flat cutter on a wheel”. High performance. In an hour, two people deeply loosen and cut furrows for sowing potatoes on five hundred square meters.

All that remains is to spread the seed into rows and sprinkle the existing furrows with soil. Typically, potatoes are planted in early May.

First feeding of potatoes

Shoots appear in 10...14 days. It largely depends on the pre-sowing preparation of seed material, its heating, as well as air temperature. The warmer it is, the earlier the bushes of the future harvest will appear. Vegetable growers decide what to feed the potatoes after germination.

The first fertilizing is carried out in June, when rows of sprouted potatoes appear. Already in the first ten days after weeding, it is advisable to perform the first hilling. Ridges and furrows will be formed. You can feed the resulting grooves with fertilizer.

Attention! Before hilling, the efficiency of using fertilizers is still low. Although some gardeners are trying to apply foliar feeding.

Dilute nitroammophoska (30 g per 10 liters of water) and spray the potato seedlings. This issue is being discussed in the media. So far, researchers have not reached a consensus on the benefits of such early treatment.

For the first feeding after hilling, vegetable growers use organic and mineral baits of the following types:

“green fertilizer” obtained from an infusion of herbs;
poultry droppings in the form of a solution;
mineral fertilizers in liquid form.

"Green fertilizer" begins to be prepared a week after planting potatoes. Available wild and weed grasses are used for it. What can I use?

Nettle accumulates a huge amount of nutrients in late spring and early summer. Its leaves and stems are filled with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Microelements, which are more expensive than the main components, are present in this burning herb in maximum quantities.
Celandine pesters many gardeners. In spring, basic fertilizers accumulate in it, as well as iodine, boron, manganese, molybdenum and iron. For potatoes, such a set of substances will be very useful.
Dandelion has large leaves and succulent stems. It should also be collected to prepare the solution.
In terms of the range of nutrients, jasmine practically does not lag behind nettle; it should also be used.
The woodlouse is only gaining strength. It needs to be collected when weeding. You can’t leave it on the field; small stems of this grass quickly take root. The concentration of phosphorus and potassium in the “green fertilizer” will increase.
The shepherd's purse already produces seeds in May. When fermented, they will lose their germination capacity.

For preparation you will need a container of 40 to 200 liters.

It is advisable to chop the weeds before use.
The collected grass is placed in a barrel. The more it is, the better, minimum 6...10 kg.
Add water to the very top.
To speed up the fermentation process, add 100...200 g of urea or ammonium nitrate.
Cover with a lid or stretch polyethylene. Carbon dioxide and ammonia will form, leaving a small gap for exit.
It is advisable to place the container in the sun, then fermentation will complete faster.
Fermentation at a temperature of 18...23 °C lasts about two weeks.
Once the boiling is complete, the fermented grass is removed using a fork. It is squeezed over a basin or bucket. Used for mulching.
The rest of the liquid is used. If you close the lid tightly, then use portionwise during the summer.

To feed potatoes, dilute them in a ratio of 1 to 10 and water the furrows formed during hilling. At least 3 liters of solution must be poured per 1 linear meter.

Animal and poultry manure is fermented in a similar way. For 50 liters of concentrate, 1 kg of chicken manure is required. All actions are similar to those in the creation of "green manure". 2 ... 3 liters of diluted liquid are poured onto 1 meter of the furrow.

Mineral fertilizers:

urea – 30 g;
potassium nitrate – 10 g;
phosphate rock flour – 25 g,

Dilute in 10 liters of water. From a watering can watered along the furrows. For 1 linear meter you need 4 ... 5 liters of solution.

Foliar top dressing of potatoes

At the end of June, buds form on the bushes. The plants are about to bloom. The time has come for the next application of fertilizers. It is carried out by spraying. People even call this method: “Leaf feeding.”

Of the variety of nutrients, urea (carbamide) is most often used. It is diluted in a ratio of 60 g per 10 liters of water.

Attention! When urea dissolves, the solution cools noticeably. The temperature can drop to 10...12 °C. You need to wait until it warms up to 18 °C and above.

The treatment is carried out using a garden sprayer. Adjust the torch so that a fine mist is formed. It is advisable to spray after 17-00, the intensity of solar radiation will decrease. There will be enough time to complete the operation before nightfall.

Last feeding of potatoes

After flowering, the bushes begin to close. Navigating through the rows becomes quite difficult. At this time, root crops are formed. It is necessary to feed the plants and carry out hilling so that the underground part develops. Phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are used.

If precipitation falls at this time, then in the interval between rains they choose the opportunity to walk along the rows and scatter granules of potassium nitrate and superphosphate. For 1 hundred square meters you need to contribute:

potassium nitrate – 2.0...2.2 kg;
superphosphate – 2.5...3.2 kg.

If there is no rain, the effectiveness of fertilizers will not be high. Then the spreading of granules is carried out before hilling. During the process of soil displacement, the bulk of the scattered particles will move to the roots and tubers. There, the assimilation of mineral fertilizers will gradually occur.

Hilling is performed in different ways. There are many different opinions about which one is the best. Many people talk about the convenience of performing the operation using a walk-behind tractor. They explain that with the active rotation of the hiller rotor:

furrows deepen, the depth of the grooves increases markedly;
the ridge becomes significantly higher, the crushed soil covers part of the stem, which leads to the formation of new root ovaries;
the process is quite fast.

Of course, the arguments are quite weighty. However, statistics prove the following: the greatest increase in productive varieties (Udacha, Lugovskoy, Sineglazka, Red Scarlet, Nevsky and Lyubava) is observed when the furrow is slightly deepened.

The use of hand tools allows you to create a sufficient bed in which the tubers gain a significant mass.

Mechanized hilling and movement of fertilizers is best done with disc hillers. This operation will allow you to evenly move the soil with scattered fertilizers closer to the tubers. Fertilizers will work to the maximum.

Do I need to feed potatoes in August

Sometimes the question of using fertilizers shortly before harvest worries novice vegetable growers. In fact, in the last period, the tubers take nutrients from the green mass of the bush.

The content of calcium and starch in potatoes increases. The weight gain is small, about 5...7%. Therefore, in August, additional feeding is not needed.

From time immemorial, potatoes have been in demand among the citizens of our country, because many favorite dishes are prepared using this vegetable, be it first courses, side dishes or original appetizers and salads.

That is why almost no garden can do without a specially designated area in which potatoes are grown. Naturally, everyone who works in such a garden is interested in getting a good harvest of high-quality and beautiful vegetables, so feeding potatoes is a very pressing issue for many residents of our country. The quality of the crop is affected by climate, soil structure, its composition, and even the region in which the site is located. In order to create the most comfortable environment for growing vegetables, you need to know how to feed the potatoes, and this is exactly what we will talk about in detail in our material.

In order for potatoes to grow and develop properly, they will need various nutrients, and in increased quantities, because only dry potato matter contains a variety of chemical elements. There are about twenty-six of them in total, but nitrogen, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and potassium are recognized as the most necessary for the development of a vegetable. The peak need for the listed elements occurs precisely during the flowering period, and after the tops begin to die off, this need gradually decreases.

So, what to feed potatoes during flowering? There are several options that will help provide the vegetable with everything it needs for the period while it is actively blooming. Experts prefer the use of organic or mineral fertilizers, because such fertilizing of potatoes during flowering really increases yields.

Advice! When choosing organic fertilizers, pay attention to straw manure, because it is recognized as the most effective organic fertilizer for potatoes. Before planting, it is enough to pour about three hundred grams of manure into each hole, lightly cover the top with soil, and then place the tuber itself in the hole. Peat manure compost also has fairly good performance indicators - it perfectly stimulates the growth and development of vegetables, and such fertilizing of potatoes during the flowering period will have a positive effect on yield.

Important! It is best to apply organic fertilizers in the autumn; for the spring months, mineral fertilizers are recognized as a more effective fertilizer.

Foliar feeding of potatoes

You can support the development of a vegetable not only by influencing its roots, but also through the leaves of the tops, because they are able to absorb nutrients necessary for the development of its root system. You can start foliar feeding after the first four to five leaves of the tops appear. Feeding potatoes during flowering along the leaves is most important during the budding period, because at this stage additional sources of phosphorus and potassium are simply necessary for the vegetable.

For reference! Foliar fertilization of potatoes after germination exceeds root fertilization in the rate of absorption of minerals, so the effect can be noticed in the near future. It is best to use this type of feeding for young shoots - they take up the nutrient solution very quickly, the main thing is not to make it too concentrated, as burns may occur.

Before feeding the potatoes, it is necessary to study the weather forecast for the coming days; spraying before the rain not only makes no sense, but can also be dangerous for the soil. Rain will wash fertilizers onto the soil, which will absorb them, and this can cause the soil to become oversaturated with substances containing nitrates.

So, how to fertilize potatoes during flowering? The choice of fertilizer directly depends on the composition of the soil, as well as on the condition of the plants themselves. For example, if the leaves are slightly yellowed, you will need fertilizing rich in nitrogen, but plants that have a purple tint clearly require phosphorus. For fertilizer, ammonium nitrate, urea, ammonium sulfate, various superphosphates or potassium salt are used.

Foliar top dressing of potatoes

Before fertilizing potatoes, you need to familiarize yourself with the rules for foliar feeding, otherwise you can cause irreparable harm to the plants. So, a few basic principles for spraying potatoes:

Nuance! It is foliar fertilizers that are considered economical, because they have to be used in much smaller quantities than root fertilizer, and their advantage is their positive effect on plant immunity to fungal disease.

Consider several effective foliar top dressings for potatoes.

Fertilizing potatoes with mineral fertilizers

The use of mineral fertilizers is allowed not only in spring, but also in autumn, and on how to properly distribute fertilizing, experts say the following: “For the autumn period, superphosphates are needed, at the rate of one kilogram per hundred square meters, as well as two kilograms of potassium sulfate per one hundred. In springtime, a kilogram of ammonium nitrate and urea per one hundred square meters. But there are many different methods and opinions regarding how to improve crops with the help of mineral fertilizers; various solutions, agrochemicals and mixtures are used. Let's look at some mineral fertilizers that are in demand among experienced farmers.

Interesting! If you spray plants with urea, this can significantly improve the taste of potatoes!

Ash. As already mentioned, potatoes often need potassium fertilizers, and ash is an excellent substitute. There is a special method of fertilizing the soil using ash, which consists of five stages.

Potassium sulfate. Fertilizer is necessary to saturate the soil and the plants themselves with potassium. Most often, when processing potatoes, it is recommended to add it to the soil during the process of digging the ground in a proportion of 30-35 grams per square meter. Treatment can be carried out either in the spring, before planting the field, or in the fall, after harvesting - both will be equally effective. If you have been thinking about how to feed potatoes in June, then you should pay attention to a solution of potassium sulfate. It is enough to dilute the fertilizer in a proportion of 30 grams per bucket of water and water the field.
Double superphosphate. Phosphorus is very important for the good development of fruits; it is especially often lacking during the period when potatoes begin to bloom and fruits are just developing. Double superphosphate is very soluble in water, and the rates of its use directly depend on the soil.

The best fertilizer for potatoes during hilling

Before starting to hill up potatoes, many people wonder what fertilizer to use to improve the growth and development of tubers? Experts identify two of the most interesting and effective solutions that should be used to water the bushes before starting to hill them. The first of them is a urea solution. One tablespoon of fertilizer per ten liters of water is enough, and no more than half a liter of the resulting fertilizer should be poured under each bush. The second option is to dilute half a liter of liquefied manure or poultry droppings in a bucket, and water the bushes in the same way, five hundred grams for each plant.

In addition, before you start hilling the potatoes, it is advisable to sprinkle mineral or organic fertilizers between the rows, at a distance of about five centimeters from the stem itself, and during the hilling process, drip the fertilizer under the bush itself. It is optimal to use the following mixture for this: superphosphate (about 6 grams), potassium (about 4 grams) and ammonium nitrate (up to 3 grams).

How to feed potatoes for tuber growth?

In order to achieve a large potato harvest, it is necessary, mainly, to monitor the nutritional balance, because each micronutrient has its own effect on the root crop. Nitrogen is very important for large potatoes and a large harvest, but it is necessary to dose the fertilizer very precisely, as well as correctly calculate the time for feeding the plants with nitrogen. Using foliar fertilizing with phosphate, you can also influence the size of the potatoes, but at the beginning of the season you will also need root phosphate fertilizer, this will determine optimal growth.

Calcium is the main component that is involved in the division and expansion of potato cells, and plays an important role in the growth process of vegetables, and potassium directly affects yield indicators. A lack of magnesium can cause a reduction not only in the size of tubers, but also in overall yield. Unilateral use of fertilizers can lead to a one-sided effect. For example, the weight of potatoes can be increased with the help of potassium and nitrogen, but if you do not feed the plants with phosphorus, the harvest will be small.

Interesting! A few secrets from experienced farmers: how to grow commercial potatoes?

if daylight is limited in your area, then try to plant potatoes as early as possible, this will extend the growing season;
plant physiologically mature potatoes that will sprout quickly;
nourish, irrigate and protect plants so that leaf cover is maintained for as long as possible;
select the most comfortable air and soil temperature for planting potatoes.

Folk remedies for feeding potatoes

The oldest and most effective folk fertilizers for potatoes are considered to be slurry, nettles, wood ash, bird droppings and humus. It was these fertilizers that our great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers used at a time when no one knew about specialized stores for gardeners and expensive agrochemicals.

Humus is considered a very effective top dressing. It must be added to the soil before it is plowed before the winter cold, and by spring all the beneficial substances of the humus will remain in the soil itself. Another folk method of feeding potatoes is as follows. Before planting vegetables, it is necessary to treat each tuber with a special solution, which is prepared from potassium humate and water. Three grams of humate per liter will be enough. Vegetables should be processed using a sprayer.

Each gardener chooses for himself exactly the feeding method that is most suitable for him. The choice can be influenced by the composition of the soil, the variety of potatoes being grown, and the desired result; for example, it is important for one farmer to maximize the yield, while the goal of another is to grow a few but large potatoes. Fertilizing plants should be approached responsibly, since incorrect proportions and methods can harm the entire crop.