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potatoes - the most common crops grown in home gardens and suburban areas. At the same time, despite the similarity of its agricultural technology in different regions of our country, there is some difference in the methods of planting tubers. That is why the question of how deep the potato is planted is of concern to many, including novice gardeners.
What determines the depth of planting of
tubers? There are various ways of planting a given crop: in holes, in ridges, under a shovel or in furrows. Moreover, the depth of embedding tubers can vary from 5 cm to 30 centimeters or more. What determines the depth of planting potatoes?
It is determined by several different factors. These include:
- The type and composition of soil .On light and loose soils, the depth of embedding of tubers can be greater, since such a ground quite well passes air, which allows the plant to develop rapidly and give a lot of underground stolons, on which a large number of tubers are fastened. On dense soils, the planting depth of potatoes can be 5-8 cm.
- Tuber size. Usually, larger tubers are buried to a greater depth than smaller ones, since they contain a greater supply of nutrients, which allows the stems to grow faster and more actively.
- Type of planting material. Very often, to save planting material, gardeners practice cutting the tubers into pieces. Each of them should have several eyes or sprouts. The cut must be well dried and treated with wood ash. Such planting material is usually buried to a depth of no more than 5-8 cm.
Potato planting methods
Answering the question how to plant potatoes, it is difficult to say which method of planting tubers is the mosteffective. In different conditions, they all show different results. There are several popular methods of planting this crop.
The choice of the method of planting potatoes is determined by the features of the site’s topography, cultivation region, groundwater level, and personal preferences of the gardener.
The most common tuber planting methods:
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Under the spade. Many people still plant tubers “under the shovel” in small-sized vegetable gardens. This means that they are buried almost to the depth of a spade bayonet. This method of planting potatoes is quite justified on light and loose soils, where the groundwater is quite deep. When planting potatoes "under the shovel," many further limit themselves to creating small, earthen mounds around the plant stems, since the majority of productive stolons are deep in the ground and there is no need to rake a lot of soil on the plant. - Combs. This option is ideal for wet soils. Tubers are planted in the ridges, whose height is 15-20 cm. For their formation, garden machinery or a mini-tractor are most often used.
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In The Trenches. For this method they use furrows 10-20 cm deep. They fill the bottom with rotted humus. Planting material is spud from both sides, forming a ridge above it, 10 cm high and 20 cm wide. - "Under the straw". This option is used on unplowed land. Soil do not dig at all. Tubers are covered with a thick layer of straw. As the stems grow, their number gradually increases.
- Shovel in the holes , 10 cm deep. This method is most often used for growing early varieties of potatoes on light and loose soils.
- Under the winter in the hole. Some gardeners in temperate latitudes, where the winter is not too harsh, are planted potatoes in late summer. This method of planting allows you to get a very early harvest next spring. Landing areas suitable for planting are suitable. In the summer, one tuber is planted in the prepared wells. When the stems spud them. Before the onset of frost cut tops. Combs with potatoes covered with straw, spruce branches or fallen leaves.
Many people ask themselves: at what distance to plant potatoes? It depends on the size of tubers, potato varieties, planting method. There are various planting schemes, the most popular of which are:
- distance between tubers - 40-50 cm, between rows - 50-70 cm;
- early varieties are planted at intervals of 30-35 cm, between rows - 50 cm.
Planting of tubers is most often carried out manually. Less often use various garden equipment. A very useful device is a potato planter. It can be purchased at a specialty store or do it yourself. It not only facilitates the physical work of a person, but also allows you to get more even and beautiful rows of potatoes.
Tillage after planting
Since the tubers are formed on the side shoots of the plant, after planting it is necessary to spud the stems several times per season at intervals of 2 weeks until the green between the rows closes. At the same time around the plants form the mounds of the earth. They not only contribute to the formation of more tubers, but also protect young plants from late frosts.
