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It is difficult for us to imagine our daily diet without potatoes, but people who want to lose weight in the first place refuse it, considering it a high-calorie product. In fact, the calorie content of potatoes is lower than that of yogurt, which for some reason can be eaten with diets. This is unfair, because extra pounds are added not by potatoes, but by the fats in which they are cooked. So eat properly prepared meals and lose weight! In addition, potatoes are an important food product that supplies our body with potassium, magnesium and iodine.
If there is a vegetable garden on the site, potatoes will definitely grow there. When there is enough room, plant a lot, so as to provide for themselves for the whole winter. On small plots - just enough to eat enough young potatoes without risk to health and wallet. In any case, we hope for a good harvest, and for this you need not only to bury and then dig up the tubers, but also to follow the rules of germination, planting and care. In this article, we'll take a look at fertilizing potatoes when planting.
Potato fertilizer requirements
Any plant needs nutrients for the formation and development of leaves, fruits, shoots and root systems. They are partially extracted from soil and water, but for agricultural crops this is not enough - we expect from them not so much an attractive appearance as a rich harvest. Fertilizers applied on time and in sufficient quantities before planting potatoes are a guarantee of ripening of a large number of high-quality tubers.
The main nutrients required by a plant for successful development are macronutrients, namely nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium. The potato is a fertilizing-responsive crop. He needs increased doses of potassium, but he does not like excess nitrogen, but he cannot do without it completely.
From each square meter, potatoes take out 47 g of fertilizer per season, and in the following ratio:
- nitrogen (N) - 43%;
- phosphorus (P) - 14%;
- potassium (K) - 43%.
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is vital for potatoes. It is part of proteins and serves as a kind of building material for the cells that make up the plant. With its lack, the development of shoots is slowed down first of all, and the leaves lose their green color. If the situation is not corrected, the plant may die or completely stop growing.
With an excess of nitrogen, the green mass greatly increases, and to the detriment of flowering, fruiting and development of the root system. In the case of potatoes, we get a lush green bush with very large leaves and a few tiny nodules under the root. Even a slight excess of doses of nitrogen fertilizers provokes the occurrence of rot.
Phosphorus
Phosphate fertilizers stimulate root development, flowering and fruiting. They are especially important in the early stages of plant development, and their lack during this period cannot be replenished. Phosphorus also increases winter hardiness, which is directly related to the keeping quality of tubers.
Our plant needs phosphorus in moderation, neither a certain excess, nor a deficiency (within reason, of course) is not a disaster. And in the early stages of development, potatoes get it from the tuber.
Potassium
Potatoes are among the big lovers of potassium, which, unlike nitrogen and phosphorus, is not part of the plant proteins, but is contained in the cell sap. With a lack of this element, the plant assimilates nitrogen and phosphorus worse, does not tolerate drought well, growth processes stop, flowering may not occur.
If the potato receives enough potash fertilizers, it becomes more resistant to diseases, in particular to rot pathogens. It produces more starch, which improves the taste. This does not mean that we should thoughtlessly pour potash fertilizers for potatoes when planting in a hole, it is important to maintain a balance.
Trace elements
Trace elements play a huge role in the life of a plant. But for potatoes planted in spring, and going to the compost heap in summer, the lack of them will simply not have time to become fatal, however, it will create enough problems.
The well-known late blight to all of us is nothing more than a lack of copper. Early and mid-early varieties of potatoes usually do not have time to get sick with it, but for medium-late and late varieties, late blight is a huge problem. But these varieties are the tastiest, as they contain the most starch.
For potatoes, boron, copper and manganese are of the greatest importance from trace elements, add them along with the main fertilizers.
Signs of a battery shortage
Macronutrient deficiencies are most easily identified visually by looking at old leaves.
Lack of nitrogen
If not enough nitrogen was added under the potatoes in the spring, the plant acquires an unusual light color, and the lower leaves turn yellow. True, the leaves can turn yellow with insufficient watering, but then the soft tissues between the veins turn yellow first. Nitrogen starvation is characterized by the fact that it is the veins that change color in the first place, and the tissues located between them can retain a green color. In addition, the plant stretches strongly and stops growing.
Lack of phosphorus
In potatoes insufficiently fertilized with phosphorus, as with a lack of nitrogen, the formation of thin shoots and general oppression are observed. But the leaves, on the contrary, acquire a very dark color, and with strong or prolonged phosphorus starvation - a purple hue. When tissues die off, dark spots appear.
Potassium deficiency
If the potatoes were poorly fertilized with potassium in the spring, the symptoms often do not capture the entire leaf, but only parts of it. Chlorous areas of a yellow tint appear on them. Most often, they appear around dried out areas at the tip or along the edge of the leaf, between the veins. Over time, the potato looks like a rusty one.
Fertilizing the soil before planting potatoes
It is best to think about feeding in the fall. Ideally, one square meter of fertilizer area for potatoes is applied in the following composition:
- ammonium sulfate - 50 g or ammonium nitrate - 30 g;
- superphosphate - 50 g;
- wood ash - 200-500 g.
On acidic soils, instead of ash, you can take 200 g of dolomite flour.
If you have healthy soils, little affected by pests and diseases, it will be good to add 4 kg of well-rotted manure and 200-500 g of wood ash for digging.
Fertilizing potatoes during planting
Fertilizing potatoes significantly affects the yield. This is due to the fact that its root system is relatively poorly developed, in addition, the tubers are modified stems, therefore, they are also fed by the roots. The soil contains nutrients, but in the early stages of development, potatoes absorb them very poorly. The question arises of how to fertilize potatoes when planting in a hole. Let's take a closer look at this issue.
Organic fertilizer for potatoes when planting
When we think about which fertilizer is best for potatoes when planting, organics first come to mind. This is really the best solution. Well-rotted cow dung, wood ash, humus are suitable here.
Ash
Wood ash is often called fertilizer number 1. This is not far from the truth - it holds the record among organic fertilizers in terms of composition. While traditionally ash is considered a supplier of potassium, it contains phosphorus, boron, manganese, calcium and many other elements. Only nitrogen is not enough in it, but this can be easily corrected by introducing other substances.
It is also good in that it not only feeds the plants, but also structures the soil, loosens it, changes acidity, has a beneficial effect on beneficial microorganisms and destroys many pathogens. There are two more significant advantages of ash: it is well absorbed by plants and is a long-lasting fertilizer. This means that the ash used as fertilizer for potatoes during planting can free us from potash fertilization until the end of the season.
We offer you to watch a short video about the properties of ash and the features of its introduction:
Manure
Manure is a wonderful organic fertilizer, rich in nitrogen, containing potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magic and many other useful elements. In addition, it improves the soil, making it more water and breathable. The most important thing is not to add fresh or poorly rotted manure under the potatoes, which is less than a year old.
Humus
Humus is compost or manure that takes three years or more to decompose. For potatoes, it is better to take humus obtained from manure. It is ideal and suitable for any culture.
The best mineral fertilizers for potatoes
It is not always possible to put organic fertilizer in the hole when planting potatoes. Only the villagers, who keep cows and heat them with firewood, have no problems with this. Summer residents and residents of the private sector have to buy all this, and if a machine of manure gets on the site, then they try to use it for more "valuable" crops.
If you have to be content with mineral fertilizers, there are several points to consider when choosing them:
- Potatoes require potash fertilization with little or no chlorine.
- Potatoes assimilate nitrogen best of all in the form of ammonium on neutral soils, and in the form of nitrates on acidic soils.
- In order not to tire you with lengthy explanations on which soils which phosphorus fertilizers work best, as well as how the form of nitrogen applied to the soil affects them, let's say briefly - for potatoes, superphosphate is the best phosphorus fertilizer. Moreover, it is introduced into acidic soils in granular form.
If funds allow you, it is best to buy a special mineral fertilizer for potatoes. There are dressings from different manufacturers on sale, and their price can be both very high and quite acceptable even for a thrifty buyer.But of course, even the cheapest specialized fertilizers are more expensive than superphosphate and ammonium.
How to fertilize potatoes during planting
Fertilizing a potato field in spring is completely irrational. It is best to do this directly into the hole during planting.
If you chose organic fertilizers, then add humus or compost to the hole along with the sand: a liter jar for poor soils and a half-liter jar for black soil. Then add a handful of ash (for those who like to do everything exactly - 5 tablespoons), mix well with the soil and plant the potatoes.
Mineral fertilizers are placed in the hole according to the instructions, mixed with sand and soil.
Conclusion
We told you what fertilizers to apply to the holes when planting potatoes. We hope that the presented material was useful for you. Have a good harvest!
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