Planting potatoes is hard work. To facilitate the work, craftsmen are constantly coming up with new devices with which you can quickly and effortlessly cope with the sowing. A potato planting marker is a device designed to facilitate manual labor and make the beds straight, with evenly distributed holes for tubers. Potatoes planted under the marker are subsequently easy to process with attachments for mini tractors, walk-behind tractors, manual and mechanized cultivators.

There are ready-made products on sale, but the advantage of a home-made marker is that the distance between the nearest stakes (cones or plows) for forming holes or grooves for planting material will exactly match the distance between the wheels of your walk-behind tractor or mini tractor.

Types of markers for planting potatoes

Markers are both very simple and quite complex. These devices are often made from improvised material. Someone found wooden stakes and strong boards, while someone used shaped or round steel pipes. It doesn’t matter what the tool handle or frame will be made of, only the distances between the elements that punch holes are important.

The simplest marker

It is a wooden stake about 90 cm high and about 60–70 mm in diameter. A crossbar attached at a height of 150 mm from the point serves as a stop that limits the depth of the hole. To work with such a tool, you need to mark the places of future holes with the help of cords: they are pulled along the rows at a certain distance from each other (40, 50, 60, 70 or 80 cm).

The distance between the cords depends on whether manually or with the help of a walk-behind tractor it is planned to carry out weeding and hilling. The interval between the bushes is chosen in the range of 25–30 cm, depending on the size of the planting material and on how powerful the stems are characteristic of this variety.

Marker for planting potatoes according to the Mittlider system

A more complex marker model is shown in Figure 1. This fixture is made from 1/2″ metal tubing (21mm OD). A cylinder with a conical end (hereinafter referred to as a cone), which punches holes, is made of a pipe with a diameter of 55 or 65 mm and is welded to the frame. A pipe pin (Ø 21 mm) is designed to mark the next hole at a distance of about 29 cm from the previous one.

Rice. 1. Marker for planting potatoes with markings according to the Mittlider system

Starting the first row, the frame is placed parallel to the cord stretched along the beds, and pressed into the ground with force. Then, a cone is stuck into the hole marked by the marking pin, and so on, until the end of the row. Moving to another path, holes are made in a checkerboard pattern on the other side of the garden. If you plant potatoes according to the Mittlider method, using such a device, you can grow a solid crop on a small area: up to 1000 kg per hundred square meters (100 m2).

Marker that punches three holes at once

The assembly scheme is shown in fig. 2. It consists of a frame made of steel pipes and three cones.

Rice. 2 Potato planting marker for 3 holes in a row

The welded frame of the device is made of a profile pipe 25x25x2 mm, light and durable. You can use improvised materials, for example, a steel water and gas pipe with a diameter of 32 mm. A duralumin pipe is also suitable, but steel lends itself better to welding. It is recommended to carve cones from aluminum or from dense wood: acacia, oak.

A hole is made in the upper (cylindrical) part of this part and an M8 thread is cut. 3 through holes with a diameter of 9 mm were drilled in the pipe, through which the cones were drawn to the lower crossbar with M8 bolts. With bolts from 40 to 80 mm long, the depth of the hole can be adjusted. The distance between the cones is 450 mm. The open ends of the support pipe must be closed with plugs. The B* dimension varies depending on how deep the hole is required: the longer the fixing bolts, the more options.

Wooden cones need to be polished with sandpaper, varnished or varnished so that the earth does not stick. Metal parts must be protected from rust: they must be painted. Everyone selects the height of the frame according to their height, the given size is convenient for a person with a height of 160–175 cm.

Marker that allows you to adjust the distance between the holes

Consider a marker, the design of which provides for the ability to change the distance between future potato bushes at your own discretion. On fig. 3 and 4 show a drawing and a diagram of the operation of such a tool.

Rice. 3 Drawing of a tracer-potato planter with two cones (2 holes in a row)

1 - carrier beam (water and gas pipe with a diameter of 60 mm, with a wall thickness of 3 mm, a length of 565 mm) - 1 pc.

2 - conical tip - 2 pcs. They are made according to the development of the cone element (on the drawing field, pos. 2) from a steel sheet 1.5 mm thick.

3 - cylindrical body (pipe Ø 60x3 mm, length 100 mm) - 2 pcs.

4 - marker (pipe Ø 21x2.5 mm, length 250 mm) - 3 pcs.

5 - retractable bracket for marker (pipe Ø 21x2.5 mm, length 330 mm) - 2 pcs.

6 - guide sleeve (pipe Ø 27x3 mm, length 65 mm) - 3 pcs.

7 - bolt M8x40 (fixing) - 3 pcs.

8 - M8 nut (welded) 3 pcs.

9 - sleeve for the rack (pipe Ø 27x3 mm, length 120 mm) - 1 pc.

10 - two-piece welded stand (pipe Ø 21x2.5 mm, length 1500 mm) - 1 pc.

11 - bolt M10x20 (pressure) - 1 pc.

12 - retractable bracket (pipe Ø 54x2.5 mm, length - 560 mm) - 1 pc.

13 - plug - 2 pcs.

A bushing for the rack (pos. 10), a nut (pos. 8) and two guide bushings for brackets (pos. 6), as well as two prefabricated elements that punch holes, are welded to the supporting beam (pos. 1). To make them, cylinders and conical tips (pos. 2 and 3) are welded together.
Two of the three markers are welded to the brackets (pos. 5), the third - to the retractable bracket (pos. 12), and then fixed at a distance of 500 mm from the extreme cone.

Bolts (pos. 7) are screwed into the nuts (pos. 8) welded to the bushings (pos. 6) and directly to the beam to secure the retractable brackets (pos. 4 and 12).

The post (pos. 9) is inserted into the sleeve (pos. 10) and secured with a clamping bolt (pos. 11). Plugs are welded to the handles (pos. 13).
The design of this marker differs from the previous ones in that the pins marking the next row of holes are retractable, and the distance between the holes can be changed. The dimensions that determine the distance between the cones (500 mm) and the height of the rack (870 mm) can be changed during manufacture, taking into account the size of the row spacing and the height of the worker. On Fig. 4 shows a diagram of the operation of such a tool.

Fig 4. Scheme of work

Before starting work, set the required length of the brackets with pins for marking (this will be the distance between the holes), then they are clamped in the bushings with fixing bolts. After that, the device is installed at the beginning of the row, touching the cord stretched along the ridge. The first holes are punched, the tool is shaken to seal the walls of the hole, and moved forward so that the cones hit the marks left by the marking pins.

In this way, they continue to move, leaving even rows of holes on the bed, made at the same distance from each other.

Potatoes are one of the favorite root vegetables of most people. And therefore it is not surprising that on almost every personal plot you can see its plantings. But the areas of these landings are very different. Some have a small garden, while others have a whole plantation. And this is due not only to differences in the size of summer cottages. An important role in this matter is played by the method of landing. Doing it manually is difficult and tedious. But the technique will greatly facilitate the implementation of this process. A special device for planting potatoes with your own hands can be aggregated, for example, with a walk-behind tractor or a mini tractor. And it can be used as a separate unit. Let's consider several such options.

Preparation for work

Before you start making devices for planting potatoes with your own hands, you need to familiarize yourself with the theory. There are two main tasks that are set for the unit:

• Plant potato tubers at the same distance from each other. It is convenient if this interval can be adjusted, as in most factory planters.

• The depth of the holes in which the tubers are placed should also be the same. This will allow you to expect the same period of seedlings of plants.

With these requirements in mind, all designs are created. It should be understood that devices for planting potatoes (manually or with the help of equipment) only facilitate the planting process. But they still require human intervention.

There are several design options. A homemade potato planter can be single-row, two-row or three-row. This will depend on the type of frame used to make the frame. A container is attached to the frame, where root crops are poured. It can hold up to 20-30 kg. An elevator with bowls is installed in this bunker, which lower the tubers into the prepared holes.

Preparation of drawings

A do-it-yourself potato planter is assembled on the basis of pre-prepared drawings and diagrams. They can be developed independently if you have certain skills.

You can find a large number of already drawings of potato planters of various designs and designs. You can choose a ready-made option. And you can take the scheme and modify it at your own discretion and understanding. In any case, before starting work, it is necessary to check all the indicated dimensions and data. Only after that you can start working.

Handheld Devices

To begin with, we will consider several design options that make it easier to plant potatoes, but at the same time require physical effort. They are not connected to technology, but allow you to do the work manually. Devices for planting potatoes in a similar way are simple in execution. But they can also be made in various variations.

The simplest option is a cone-shaped punch. It is driven into the soil to the desired depth. True, for this it is necessary to make certain physical efforts. In this case, a hole is formed in the soil, where the potatoes fall. After removing the punch, the hole is filled up.

The second option is a slightly improved breakdown. It is made of a metal pipe, one end of which is cut at an angle. A container for potatoes is attached to the top. A valve is made on the pipe. The pipe is driven into the ground and tilted so that the valve opens. A potato tuber coming from above falls out through the existing hole. Potatoes remain in the ground and, after removing the pipe, they fall asleep.

Another version of a homemade potato planter was popularly called the "crow's beak" because of the resemblance. The "beak" is driven into the ground in a closed form. After opening the “beak”, a tuber is thrown there, which remains in the ground.

Variants with partial mechanization

This group includes a tool for quickly planting potatoes, outwardly resembling an ordinary garden cart with one wheel. This option is suitable for soft areas of soil that have been prepared in advance.

In the trolley, the wheel is replaced by a rotary cutter, which can have several compartments at once (for example, four). Potatoes are poured into the cart. From there, the tubers fall into the cutter compartments. When moving due to the rotation of the cutter, the tubers remain in the ground. It is worth noting that landing requires physical effort. To facilitate the process, another handle is welded in front of the structure. It allows you to move the device together.

The principle of operation of mechanized options

On your own, you can assemble devices suitable for coupling with equipment. For example, for a motoblock. The potato planter in this case will have a more complex design. The rotation of its individual parts will depend on the operation of the engine of the equipment.

An axle is welded to the frame of the structure, on which an asterisk is put on. A little higher, another asterisk is fixed, which is connected to the previous one by means of a chain. When the tractor moves and its wheels rotate, the hitch axle begins to rotate. Due to this, the upper sprocket rotates through the chain drive. Cups are fixed on the chain, into which root crops fall from the bunker. Rotating, the cups carry the potatoes into the soil. As you can see, it is not difficult to assemble a device for planting potatoes with your own hands. Having picked up a suitable drawing and acquired the necessary materials, you can get to work.

Necessary materials and tools

To assemble a device for planting potatoes with your own hands, which will be paired with a walk-behind tractor (mini tractor), you will need the following materials:

• metal channel (square pipe or corner);

• bunker (a tank from an old washing machine is suitable, it can be made from a sheet of metal or thick plywood);

• two stars;

• chain;

• wheels (preferably metal) or material for their manufacture.

To work on the project, you will need a grinder with a welding machine with electrodes and some other tools that any owner has in the garage. The connection of metal elements is carried out by welding. You can connect everything with bolts, but this will not add reliability and rigidity to the structure.

Execution of works

Creating a do-it-yourself device for planting potatoes begins with the preparation of the frame. To do this, use a metal pipe. Next, prepare the wheels. Metal wheels will not slip if the soil is too loose. They can be made independently from metal strips. It is convenient to use a gas bottle. From it you need to cut off two rings (about 15 cm wide), on the outside of which the grouser is welded. Inside, knitting needles are made from metal fittings, pipes or plates. Their design does not matter.

Next, a chain drive is prepared, consisting of two sprockets and a chain connecting them. It is better to pick up gears from the old ones. Options from a bicycle will not work. Grips in the form of cups with a diameter of 5-6 cm are welded onto the chain, which will lift the tubers.

A bunker is made on top of the frame, where potatoes will be poured. The bipod is easy to make. Difficulties may arise in the manufacture of hiller. Therefore, it is easier to take discs from old technology.

Finishing

The last step in creating a potato planter for a walk-behind tractor is to give it visual appeal. To do this, the welds are cleaned, if this was not done immediately. The structure is cleaned of dirt and corrosion. To make it last longer, it should be primed and painted.

Site selection and placement in crop rotation.
It is necessary to grow potatoes on soils that remain loose during the growing season and do not swim during precipitation. They are suitable for combine harvesting. Loose sandy, sandy and loamy soils are most suitable for potatoes.

Clay soils, especially chernozems, are more fertile, but strongly compacted. To improve the air permeability of such soils, it is necessary to apply increased rates of organic fertilizers, use special equipment (including milling machines) for tillage, etc.

Potatoes in specialized crop rotations of the Central Chernozem Region can occupy up to 25-33% of arable land. After potatoes, little organic residue remains in the soil. Therefore, in potato crop rotations, it is necessary to have perennial legumes or green manure crops that enrich the soil with organic matter. For a deficit-free balance of humus on chernozems, it is necessary to apply organic fertilizers (taking into account perennial grasses) at least 6 tons per 1 ha of arable land, and on gray forest, especially sandy loamy soil - 10 t/ha. With an increase in the saturation of the crop rotation with potatoes, the dose of organic fertilizers should also increase.

To prevent storm soil erosion, potato crop rotations should be located on flat areas, avoiding slopes of more than 3°. The area of ​​tilled crops and pure fallow in potato crop rotations should not exceed 50%.

Planting seed potatoes in order to avoid damage by diseases and pests is returned to its original place no earlier than after 3 years. Re-planting is undesirable. They are episodically acceptable only for ware potatoes for no more than two years in a row. At the same time, pests and diseases accumulate, making it difficult to fight them.

Soil cultivation.
Soil preparation for potatoes includes a system of autumn and preplant cultivation.

The main tillage system depends on the predecessor, the weather, the condition of the soil, its weediness, etc.

The stubble of cereals and leguminous crops is peeled to a depth of 6-8 cm. The sod of perennial cereals and cereal-legume grasses is first developed with heavy disc harrows BDT-3, BDT-7. Clover after 1-2 years of use can be plowed without prior cutting.

On fields infested with annual one- and two-submultiple weeds, treatment is applied in autumn after harvesting the previous crop with Roundup herbicide, 36% w.r. - 6-8 l / ha, and in the presence of perennial weeds, purebred is used, 70% w.p. - 6-8 kg/ha.

The plowing is plowed with plows with skimmers, usually to a depth of 28-30 cm. Deep plowing is not always justified on sandy loam and soils with a shallow topsoil. In such cases, plowing with soil penetration up to 30 cm is possible.

For potatoes, semi-steam processing of early plowed plough is often used. When weeds and carrion appear, plowing is cultivated to a depth of 8-10 cm. Fields clogged with perennial, especially root-offspring weeds, are treated as an improved plowing with two pre-arable plowing: the first is disc plowing to a depth of 5-6 cm immediately after harvesting, the second - ploughshare (or flat-cut), by 12-14 cm, after the appearance of rosettes of sow thistle and other weeds. The field is plowed at a later date, after the growth of weeds. On flooded floodplains, the soil for potatoes is plowed in the spring.

Snow retention in the main areas of potato cultivation is usually not carried out. However, in the Central Chernozem Region, it is necessary to increase soil moisture reserves, which is especially important in areas of insufficient and unstable moisture.

Spring cultivation of chernozems in the zone of insufficient and unstable moisture consists of harrowing the fallow and preplant loosening of physically ripe soil with plows without moldboards to a depth of 25-27 cm in an aggregate with harrows, especially when organic fertilizers were applied in autumn.

On gray forest well-moistened heavy soils (Oryol region, etc.), the system of spring tillage includes harrowing, cultivation, and deep loosening on the eve of planting potatoes. Early spring harrowing of plowing is carried out with BZTS-1.0 harrows in two tracks, preferably in a diagonal-cross way to a depth of 4-6 cm. drying of the soil 5-7 days after cultivation, the soil is loosened to a depth of 28-30 cm with a plow without mouldboards, a flat cutter or a chisel cultivator. This technique of creating a deep loose layer is especially effective on heavy, well-moistened soils.

Comb cutting.
The bed technology of potato cultivation improves soil aeration and ensures good quality of work of potato harvesters. It has advantages on heavy clay and loamy soil, especially in wet conditions. In arid regions and on sandy loams, a smooth planting of potatoes is more justified.

With ridge cultivation technology, three types of ridge cutting are used: autumn, spring and - in the process of planting potato planters with closing disks (which is sometimes called semi-ridge).

Autumn cutting of ridges is used in the Central Chernozem Region, primarily in the production of early potatoes. It is carried out on flat fields (to avoid erosion of ridges by melt water) at the end of October (at the beginning of soil freezing) to reduce subsidence and soil compaction. A week before cutting the ridges, non-moldboard loosening with harrowing to a depth of 25-27 cm is carried out.

The ridges are cut with six- or eight-row cultivators: KOH-2.8 PM, KRN-4.2 or KRN-5.6, equipped with hillers or two- and three-tier paws, with row spacing of 70 cm without markers (focusing on the extreme furrow of the previous passage of the cultivator ) or with markers. The first pass is made along the landmarks. The height of the ridges during autumn cutting should be at least 25 cm. This improves the freezing and looseness of the soil in the ridges.

In one pass, a 6-row cultivator cuts 4 ridges, an 8-row - 6 ridges. However, with the markerless method of cutting ridges, the working width of a 4-row cultivator is reduced by 25%, and for a 6-row cultivator - by 33%. In addition, when cutting with a 4-row cultivator with the simultaneous introduction of fertilizers into the extreme ridge, fertilizers are applied twice. It is unacceptable. More preferable is cutting with the use of markers by the cultivator KOH-2.8 PM or KRN-4.2, in which the extreme sections form marker ridges without fertilizers.

Planting potatoes in the ridges provides the possibility of group use of potato planters, as they work without markers, which greatly facilitates the work of machine operators and increases the productivity of planting units by 10-13%.

Simultaneously with cutting the ridges, mineral fertilizers can be applied locally. To do this, a special box is hung on the cultivator, containing 0.7 tons of fats. Fertilizers are applied to the ridges with ribbons to a depth of at least 15 cm, providing a sufficient soil layer between the fertilizer ribbon and tubers.

Spring cutting of ridges is usually practiced in moist areas on loamy, soddy-podzolic and gray forest soils. It is applicable in the Oryol region and in the northern part of the Central Chernobyl region. It is started immediately after layer-by-layer loosening (harrowing, cultivation, non-moldboard plowing) of the soil, brought to a finely cloddy state. Ridges are cut in spring almost the same way as in autumn, but not higher than 16-17 cm. In most of the Central Chernobyl region, spring cutting of ridges is not recommended due to the danger of drying out and the large lumpiness of the soil, leading to a decrease in productivity.

If necessary, the ridges in the spring in the CCR can be formed with planter discs when planting potatoes. Their height is 12-14 cm, counting from the bottom of the furrow. At the same time, the height and shape of the ridges are adjusted by turning the headscarves of the semi-axes of the closing disks and changing the compression of the pressure rod springs.

Ridged planting allows you to loosen the soil and destroy weeds by inter-row cultivation long before the emergence of potato shoots.

Fertilizers.
To create 1 ton of tubers and the corresponding amount (0.8 tons) of tops, potatoes consume about 6-7 kg of nitrogen, 1.5-2.7 kg of phosphorus, 6-8 kg of potassium, 4 kg of calcium and 2 kg of magnesium. The consumption of nutrients depends on the degree of development of the tops. With powerful tops, the consumption of nutrients increases by 20-30%.

Potatoes are very responsive to the introduction of manure, which is a source of carbon dioxide, essential macro- and micronutrients. It makes the soil looser, which is especially important for heavy loams. For potatoes, manure and other organic fertilizers must be applied only in autumn for autumn plowing.

Along with manure, straw and stubble green manure can be used as organic fertilizer. Chopped straw (5-6 t/ha) is scattered by the combine across the field in the process of harvesting winter wheat (or rye), which precedes potatoes. As green manure, spring rapeseed, white mustard or oilseed radish are used, which are sown no later than August 10-15, after harvesting the potato precursor on surface-treated soil before or after rain. Green manure crops in the Central Chernobyl region can form 10-14 t/ha of green mass until mid-October.

On chernozem soils, 30-40 t/ha of semi-rotted manure is applied (Table 25), and in the case of straw or stubble green manure, the dose of manure can be reduced to 20-30 t/ha. The use of fresh manure for potatoes is undesirable and is permissible only when applied under early (August) plough. Otherwise, it is possible to increase the damage to tubers with scab.

25. Average rates of fertilizers for potatoes based on a yield of 200-250 c/ha

After legume perennial grasses, the dose of manure for potatoes is reduced to 30 t/ha or not applied at all. The action of the main mineral fertilizer together with manure (or compost), as a rule, is stronger than when they are used separately. The predominance of phosphorus-potassium fats over nitrogen ones reduces the susceptibility to late blight, common scab and other diseases.

Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers and ammonia forms of nitrogen fertilizers are applied as the main method in autumn under autumn plowing. First, mineral fertilizers are applied to the entire field (preferably before the stubble is peeled), and semi-rotted manure is applied to the paddocks for autumn plowing. Very effective is the local application of fertilizers when cutting ridges, or in rows when planting potatoes (Table 26). The introduction of part of the fertilizer into top dressing leads to excessive soil compaction and is ineffective, especially with insufficient moisture. Usually top dressings are inexpedient, especially if the full dose of fertilizers is applied to the soil.

The optimal rate of application of mineral fertilizers in the CCR for local application is N60P60K60. Exceeding it leads to a deterioration in quality (darkening of the pulp) and keeping quality of tubers. Fertilizers are applied to the ridges 5-10 cm deeper than the tubers being planted.

In seed plots, the nitrogen rate must be reduced by 20-30%. This accelerates the development and maturation of plants, the tubers are less damaged during harvesting. At the same time, latent viral diseases appear more intensively on the tops, which is important when cleaning.

Potatoes are very sensitive to chlorine (the starch content in tubers decreases, their taste qualities deteriorate). Chlorine-containing potash fertilizers (potassium chloride, etc.) must be applied in autumn before autumn plowing in order to ensure that chloride ions are washed out by precipitation outside the root layer. For spring application, it is necessary to use chlorine-free forms of potash fertilizers (potassium magnesia -K.2SO4 o MgSO4, potassium-magnesium concentrate, ash, etc.). Nitrate forms of nitrogen fertilizers are best used in spring application.

Calcium is not only an ameliorant that reduces soil acidity, but also a nutrient. In terms of removal with the harvest of tubers, it is second only to potassium. It used to be thought that lime should be avoided directly under the potatoes. This was explained by the tolerant attitude of potatoes to an acidic environment and an increase in the disease of tubers with scab. However, recently it has been proven that liming for potatoes does not increase the incidence of tubers in the first year. More often this happens in the third year after the introduction of lime.

Potatoes are sensitive to a lack of any of the microelements (B, Mo, Mn, Cu, Zn, etc.) in the soil and respond well to their introduction. Therefore, it is important to identify which microelements are lacking in the soil. It should also be taken into account that at high doses of nitrogen fertilizers, the need for copper and molybdenum increases; phosphorus - in zinc; potassium - in boron. Soil liming increases the efficiency of boron and manganese and reduces the need for molybdenum fertilizers.

Boron starvation of potato plants most often manifests itself on sandy and sandy loamy soils, it is eliminated by applying boron-containing fertilizers to the soil (simple and double boron superphosphate - 0.2 and 0.4% boron, boron-magnesium fertilizer - 1.5-1.8% boron, boric acid - 17.3%, carbamide with boron and copper additives), 0.5-3 kg / ha of boron. Boron is also used in the form of a 0.05% solution for treating tubers before planting or for foliar feeding in the budding-flowering phase.

Manganese fertilizers are often needed on carbonate, highly overcalcified peat soils rich in humus at a pH of more than 6-6.5. Manganese sulphate (22.8% manganese), manganese sludge (12-22% MnO), etc. are applied to the soil in 5-10 kg of MnSO4 or the tubers are treated with a 0.05-0.1% solution of MnSO4.

Copper starvation is possible on sandy and peat-bog soils. Abundant nitrogen fertilizer and soil liming increase copper deficiency. Use potassium-copper fertilizers, copper sulfate, pyrite cinders, etc.

Molybdenum fertilizers: molybdic acid ammonium (52% Mo), ammonium sodium molybdate (36% Mo) and others are most effective on acidic soils. Liming reduces or completely eliminates the need to use molybdenum fertilizers.

Zinc fertilizers - zinc sulfate (25% Zn), polymicrofertilizers (25% Zn, as well as Cu, Mn, Mg, etc.) enhance the absorption of nitrogen, potassium, manganese, molybdenum, etc. by plants. They are introduced into the soil at the rate of 3-4 kg/ha Zn or treat tubers before planting with 0.05-0.1% solution of zinc sulfate.

Preparing tubers for planting.
The process of preparing potatoes for planting includes: unloading tubers from storage sites, removing rotten tubers, sorting them and dividing them into fractions, air-thermal heating, cutting large tubers, treating them with protective and stimulating agents and nutrient mixtures, germinating in the light and DR-

For planting, use healthy, non-degenerate tubers typical for the variety of at least the 5th reproduction, meeting the requirements of class I or II.

It is impossible to use for planting tubers that are non-standard in shape, damaged, frostbitten, affected by rot and scab ulcers, which did not germinate during germination or have filamentous sprouts. The presence of such tubers is allowed for class I 2%, for class II - 4%. The admission of tubers affected by black leg (0.5-1.5%), ring rot, late blight (up to 0.5%), rhizoctonia (up to 1.5%), etc. is highly limited. The planting material is brought to the desired condition during manual processing in the spring before planting. In large farms, the bulkhead is carried out after the rest period has passed (in February-April).

The preparation of planting material begins 2-3 weeks before planting. This is a laborious but necessary process that improves the quality of planting material and its yield properties. The preparation of tubers at the same time as planting delays the timing of its implementation and reduces the yield of potatoes.

In practice, a flow technology is used to prepare tubers for planting. Potatoes are unloaded from typical storage facilities by special loaders TXB-20 or by a pick-up conveyor TPK-30, which is fed into the receiving bunker (boat) of the loader-loader TZK-30, which loads the tubers into a transport for transportation to the KSP. From the transport, the potatoes enter the KSP receiver and pass through sorting rollers that separate the tubers into fractions: 35-45 mm (25-50 g) - small, 45-53 mm (50-80 g) - medium, 53-60 mm (80- 120 g) - large and more than 60 mm (more than 120 g) - very large.

The division of tubers into fractions by size improves the uniformity of their distribution in a row during mechanized planting.

Defective and diseased tubers are manually culled here. Seed fractions of tubers are moved along conveyors to storage bins. They are loaded into vehicles and transported fractionally to covered currents sites, spread with a layer of 15-20 cm for air-thermal heating and drying for 10-12 days. At the same time, cutting and protective-stimulating treatment of tubers can be carried out.

Cutting seed tubers is undesirable. It leads to significant morbidity and is justified only with accelerated reproduction of scarce planting material. Tubers weighing 80-100 g are cut in half (lengthwise), larger ones - into 3-4 parts weighing 30-40 g each with 2-3 eyes. To avoid rotting and disease of tubers, they are cut on the day of planting or the day before, disinfecting the knife in a 3-5% solution of lysol or lysoform after cutting each tuber.

When cutting in advance, a "bridge" should be left at the umbilical cord: an uncut part of the tuber 1-1.5 cm thick, which is broken before planting. This improves the formation of wound periderm (wound healing), prevents wilting and decay of the planted parts of the tuber in the soil.

To suppress the apical (apical) dominance and increase the number of shoots on the tuber due to the awakening of the lower eyes, a stimulating incision of the tubers is possible. At the same time, at the beginning of storage (during the dormant period), the tubers are cut across, leaving the jumper no more than 1 cm uncut. Such tubers are planted whole.

To accelerate the formation of the wound periderm, the proportions of tubers are kept at a temperature of 15-30°C and an air humidity of 95-100% and treated with special formulations. One of them includes aleic, caprylic and ascorbic acids at a concentration of 0.5; 0.3 and 0.01%. After treatment, the proportions of tubers are stored at a temperature of 18-22°C, relative humidity of 85-95% and active ventilation, which ensures the formation of wound periderm in 2-3 days. Another composition is succinic acid (0.00063-0.0025%), barley malt (5-10%) and water. It is applied in the form of an aerosol or in another way to sections of tubers at a temperature of 15-20 ° C and an air humidity of 85-95% (wound periderm is formed after 48 hours).

Dressing of seed tubers against fungal diseases is carried out when moving potatoes along conveyors in a special closed container "Gumatox-S" or when planting in a planter coulter. In the latter case, POM-630 containers are hung on the tractor for a solution of pesticides. Spraying in the coulter is carried out when the tubers fall on the soil using a pressure nozzle.

Potatoes are also treated by abundant spraying of tubers in heaps or by immersing containers with potatoes in a bath with working fluid ("bathing").

The following disinfectants are used (1 ton of tubers): TMTD, 80% w.p. -2.1-2.5 kg; fundozol, 50% w.p. - 0.5-1.0 kg; nitrafen, 60% w.p. - 1.0-1.5 kg; formalin, 40% w.m. - 0.4 l. These drugs are used in the form of aqueous working solutions or suspensions with a consumption of 20-70 liters per 1 ton of tubers.

Effective methods of preplant preparation of tubers are their treatment with ash, solutions of macro-, microfertilizers and growth regulators. Dusting of tubers with ash (0.5 kg/t), which is a chlorine-free potash and polymicrofertilizer, accelerates the emergence of seedlings and increases the yield of potatoes up to 10-15%.

Potato treatment by spraying tubers with a solution of ammonium nitrate and superphosphate (4 kg per 100 liters of water per 3 tons of tubers) can be combined with the use of the necessary micronutrient fertilizers and growth regulators.

The main growth regulators are as follows: seed germination activator (APS), 25% g. - 150-300 ml/t; hydrohumate and oxyhumate, 10% w.m. -0.2-0.25 l/t; krezacin, 99.9% c.p. - 1.2-1.6 g/t; nikfan (symbiont-2), 0.05% - 1 ml/t; Poteitin, 99.5% c.p. - 100-300 mg/t; symbiont-1, f. -1 ml/t; farbizol, 99.8% c.p. -0.6-3 g/t, etc. These substances stimulate growth, increase resistance to diseases and increase the yield of potatoes. Apply them according to the instructions, strictly observing the recommended concentrations and dosages of solutions, otherwise you may not get the expected effect.

Germination of tubers is a technique for activating growth processes, accelerating germination, ripening and increasing the resistance of potatoes. Effective germination in the light. It is carried out for 20-30 days in heated bright rooms (temperature 10-15 ° C during the day and 4-6 ° C at night), laying it out in a thin layer of 2-3 tubers on racks, in lattice boxes, nets, plastic bags with holes, in containers, etc. For this, pits (greenhouses) with or without bioheating are also used. For a hectare norm of tubers, a pit area of ​​​​50-60 m is required. From above, the pits are covered with a film, and in case of frost - with straw, shields, mats, etc. In the light, thick short (up to 1 cm) green sprouts are formed, which almost do not break off during mechanized planting of potatoes.

For manual planting, combined germination of tubers is very effective. It is used to obtain early production and is as follows. First, light germination is carried out until strong green sprouts are formed, then the tubers are germinated for 7-10 days in a moist substrate (peat, sawdust, humus, etc.) in boxes, pits or on racks until roots form. Tubers are laid in 2-3 rows on substrates, covered with the same layer up to 5 cm and watered to an environmental humidity of about 75-80% of the total moisture capacity. The temperature is the same as during light germination.

Planting potatoes.
Methods of planting potatoes are different, the main ones are smooth and ridge.

With a smooth planting, the soil surface remains leveled before and after the passage of the potato planter (the ridges are destroyed by harrows in the unit with the planter). Smooth planting provides more moisture, but less air permeability of the soil. In the Central Chernozem Region, it is preferable in arid conditions and on sandy loam.

Ridge planting of potatoes is a method in which ridges (including planter discs) are created above the rows of planted tubers, and furrows between them. The yield of tubers is formed in ridges, which are built up during pre-emergence cultivation. Ridges provide better aeration and warming of the soil. At the same time, pre-emergence inter-row tillage is carried out with a cultivator with three-tier paws, which facilitates combine harvesting. Ridged planting improves the looseness and drying of the soil after rains, so it is especially effective in heavy wet soils.

The row spacing for planting potatoes in the Central Chernozem Region is 70 cm. However, in recent years, in a number of regions (Non-Chernozem, the Far East, in the southern regions for irrigation, etc.), wider row spacings of 90 cm have been recommended without increasing the feeding area and without reducing planting density. At the same time, the costs of planting, care and harvesting are reduced by 20%, the development of plants improves, and the yield increases by 5-20%. Such aisles are used in the USA, Canada and other countries.

It is also advisable to plant potatoes with variable row spacing (60-80 cm), expanding those along which tractor wheels pass up to 80 cm (technological track), by reducing adjacent row spacing to 60 cm. However, we still have planting potatoes with wide and variable row spacing. not used due to the lack of appropriate technology.

Timing.
Excessively early and late planting dates of potatoes reduce its yield. Planting should begin when the soil reaches physical ripeness and warms up to a depth of 10-12 cm to 5-7°C. This usually coincides with the beginning of flowering of apricot and bird cherry or with the appearance of birch leaves about 1 cm in size. In the north of the Central Chernozem region, potatoes usually begin to be planted in late April - early May, in the southern regions - 3-5 days earlier, after about 7-10 days after the start of field work. The duration of planting potatoes should be no more than 10-12 days. Usually the optimal time for planting potatoes in the CCR is from April 25-28 to May 5-10.

Earlier, sandy loamy soils are suitable for planting, later - loamy and especially floodplain soils. Potatoes are planted immediately after subsurface loosening with harrowing (or after cutting ridges on soddy-podzolic and gray forest moist soils), first - early, then - mid-season and late varieties.

Tuber size and planting density.
It has been established that an increase in the mass of seed tubers from 25-50 to 80-100 g when cultivating potatoes with the same feeding area provides an increase in yield, but at the same time, seed costs increase. Planting with small tubers reduces the gross yield and the yield of marketable tubers, but accordingly reduces the cost of seed.

The planting density of potatoes is differentiated depending on the mass of seed tubers, the early maturity of the variety, the purpose of planting, fertility, soil moisture, etc. The density is considered optimal, at which the leaf area exceeds the feeding area by about 4 times during the flowering phase. In areas with sufficient moisture and fertile soils, potatoes are planted thicker (70x20, 70x25 cm) than in less moisture-provided areas (70x30, 70x35 cm).

The planting density of standard tubers weighing 50-80 g (40-50 mm in large diameter) is usually 53-55 thousand/ha, and small - 25-50 g (up to 40 mm) - up to 65-70 thousand/ha. It is possible to use small tubers for planting only from seed plots where diseased and degenerate plants were culled. In the seed plots, the planting density is increased to 60-65 thousand/ha, which increases the yield of the seed fraction, tubers 35-45 mm in size.

Early and mid-season varieties are planted thicker, medium-late and late - less often. At the same time, varietal characteristics are also taken into account.

The planting density during the operation of the planters is determined by counting the planted tubers per 10 m, that is, per 14.3 m of the row with a row spacing of 70 cm. To do this, you need to raise the closing discs (harrowers).

The depth of planting potatoes depends on the region, planting method, size of tubers, soil properties, etc. It ranges from 4-5 to 10-12 cm. respectively, 6-8 and 10-12 cm) and deep (more than 8-12 cm) planting of tubers into the soil.

By choosing the planting depth, the provision of germinating tubers with heat, moisture and air is regulated. As a rule, in the early stages, tubers are planted finely in moist, clay, poorly heated soil (especially in ridges and when forcing early potatoes) - by 4-5 cm (from the soil surface to the upper surface of the tuber), in the optimal - by 6-8 cm, and in later periods in dried, deeply warmed, well-aerated soil - by 8-10 cm. In arid areas and on sandy soils, the planting depth can be increased to 10-12 cm by placing the tubers in a moist, not very heated by the rays of the sun and sufficiently breathable soil layer. For deep planting, larger tubers are used, and cut and small ones are planted 1-2 cm smaller. Deep planting leads to better development of stolons and placement of daughter tubers in the soil, but makes harvesting more difficult, so it is preferable in cases where hilling is impractical and even harmful, for example, on sandy loam and especially in drought conditions. Shallow planting of tubers makes subsequent hilling of potatoes necessary.

Modern planters SN-4B, SKS-4, KSM-4 (four-row) and KSM-6 (six-row) allow you to load seed potatoes into them by any dump truck, since the loading height is small - 44 cm.

To ensure the desired density and uniformity of planting tubers, potatoes are planted driven by the power take-off shaft of the MTZ-80/82 tractor at a speed of movement with a SN-4B planter of no more than 5-6 km / h, and SKS-4 and KSM-6 - no more 6.5-7.5 km/h.

Care.
The main tasks of caring for a potato plantation are to ensure soil looseness, protection of plants from weeds, diseases and pests throughout the growing season.

On smooth plantings of potatoes, 2-3 pre-emergence (every 5-6 days) harrowing is carried out, and after germination, inter-row cultivation is carried out to destroy weeds and soil crust. It is better not to harrow potatoes by seedlings without special need, so as not to injure the plants and thin out the plantation. The teeth of the harrows during harrowing should not reach the planted tubers (and sprouts) of potatoes, otherwise a lot of them end up on the soil surface, especially when planted to a depth of less than 8-10 cm.

During ridge planting, pre-emergence cultivation of row spacings is carried out with cultivators KON-2.8 PM, KRN-5.6, equipped with lancet paws (or hillers), which loosen the soil and destroy weeds in the furrow and on the slopes of the ridges, and the tops of the ridges are treated with mesh or rotary harrows hung on the same cultivators. The first treatment is carried out 6-7 days after planting potatoes, the second - 6-7 days after the first.

Timely pre-emergence treatments destroy up to 80-90% of weeds.

In heavily weedy fields, 3-5 days before the emergence of potato shoots, one or another herbicide is used: prometrin, 50% w.p. -3-4 kg/ha; zencor, 70% w.p. - 1.4-2.1 kg/ha; selectin, 50% w.p. -3-4 kg/ha, etc.

The first inter-row treatment of potato seedlings is carried out when rows are marked (plant height 5-8 cm) to a depth of 14-16 cm with KOH-2.8PM, KRN-4.2 or KRN-5.6 cultivators equipped with lancet paws. 6-8 days after the first, a second inter-row treatment is carried out to a depth of 8-10 cm with the same tools so as to less damage the roots of the potato. Sandy loam loosens shallower depth - during the first processing of row spacing to a depth of 8-12 cm, during the second - 5-6 cm. The width of the protective zone (from the center of the row to the extreme working body) during the first processing of row spacings is 15 cm.

Potato hilling improves soil friability and creates better conditions for tuber formation, destroys weeds. It is necessary on heavy soils, especially with shallow planting in the early stages. The layer of soil sprinkled on the plants in the ridge should be 4-6 cm.

During a drought, hilling can increase the drying up of the soil and reduce yields. In this case, only shallow loosening of the soil is carried out to cut weeds.

Protection from diseases and pests.
Potatoes can be severely affected by various infectious (fungal, bacterial, viral, nematode, etc.) and non-infectious diseases that reduce its yield by an average of 25%.

Mycoses are the largest and most diverse group of fungal diseases that cause great harm, especially during the years of epiphytosis. Of these, late blight is the most common and harmful, as well as rhizoctonia, alypernaria, macrosporiosis, dry rot, common scab, fusarium wilt, cercosporosis, powdery mildew and others.

Of the bacterial diseases (bacterioses), the most harmful are scoop stalk, ring rot, brown bacterial rot, bacteriosis of stems, and wet rot of potatoes.

Nematode diseases (phytohelminthiasis) are caused by small roundworms. Potatoes are affected by gall, potato and stem nematodes.

Viral diseases, or viroses (mosaic, leaf curl, dwarfism, etc.), cause the degeneration of potatoes.

Non-infectious (functional) diseases: leaf bronzeness (with an excess of calcium and a lack of potassium); hollowness of the roots (with sudden changes in soil moisture and temperature); glandular spotting (rust) of tubers (with a lack of phosphorus against the background of drought and heat); browning of blood vessels (corking of the conductive tissue with early death of the tops); darkening of the pulp (brown or bluish-black spots on the cut) of the tuber is caused by unfavorable weather or soil conditions, a lack of potassium with an excess of nitrogen, bruises during harvesting, low or high temperatures during storage, etc.

Potato pests are numerous (about 60 species of insects, slugs, rodents): Colorado potato beetle, wireworm, potato moth, etc.

In the Central Chernozem region, the greatest harm to potatoes is caused from diseases - late blight, from pests - the Colorado potato beetle.

Visible damage to plants by phytophthora occurs quickly - potatoes can completely "burn out" in 2-3 days. Leaves, stems and tubers are affected, mainly in the second half of the growing season in years with high humidity and moderate temperatures. Early and early ripening varieties largely avoid phytophthora and suffer less from it.

The first signs of the disease are the appearance of brownish weeping spots on the lower leaves at the time of closing the tops. On the underside of the affected leaves, a white coating of mycelium of the fungus is formed. The plaque is clearly visible in rainy weather or in the morning with dew. From the aerial part of the plant, spores of the fungus with rainwater penetrate the soil and infect the tubers.

In tubers, late blight manifests itself in the form of hard, slightly depressed spots of irregular shape, painted brown or lead-gray.

During harvesting, it can be difficult to recognize late blight-affected tubers, but after 2-3 weeks in storage at a higher temperature, the disease is well manifested. Therefore, before backfilling for storage (especially in wet years), a two-week resting period is necessary, followed by sorting of the tubers.

Protection against late blight consists in repeated processing of plantations, especially in rainy summers.

The first spraying is carried out even before the appearance of signs of the disease in the budding phase with contact preparations: copper oxychloride, 90% w.p. - 2.4-3.3 kg/ha; ditan M-45, 80% w.p. - 1.2-1.6 kg/ha; daconil, 75% w.p. - 1.5-2.0 kg/ha; Creptane, 50% w.p. - 1.0 kg/ha; polyhom, 80% w.p. -2.4-3.2 kg/ha; polycarbacin, 80% w.p. - 2.4-3.2 kg/ha. Systemic fungicides are also used (only mixed with contact ones): acrobat, 50% w.p. t 0.36 kg/ha: alacid, 25% w.p. - 0.8-1.0 kg/ha; Ridomil, 25% w.p. -0.8 -1.0 kg/ha, etc.

The second spraying is carried out when the first signs of the disease appear with the same or systemic preparations: Ridomil MC, 72% dp - 2.5 kg/ha; arcerid, 60% w.p. - 2.5 kg/ha; avixil, 70% w.p. - 2.1-2.6 kg/ha; acrobat, MC, 69% w.p. - 2 kg/ha; tubaride, 60% w.p. - 2.5-3 kg/ha.

After 14-16 days, spraying with systemic preparations is repeated. Liquid consumption is not less than 300 l/ha. Processing is carried out by sprayers POM-630, OPSh-15, OH-400, etc.

If there is a danger of a strong spread of late blight, 5-6 treatments are carried out, usually 2-3.

Potato degeneration - a decrease in its yield and quality of tubers, progressing with each subsequent reproduction. This phenomenon has long been explained by the aging of the variety during vegetative propagation. Currently, three groups of interacting degeneration factors are distinguished: viral diseases, environmental factors, and varietal characteristics.

According to modern concepts, the main cause of degeneration is viral diseases: wrinkled, striped and ordinary mosaics, twisting and twisting of leaves, spindle-shaped tubers (Gothic), aucubamosaic, variegation, curly and yellow dwarfism, panicle apex, etc., caused by different races of viruses X, S, M, A, etc.

These diseases are spread by piercing-sucking and other insects during the growing season of potatoes and by contact through tubers, tops, roots, etc.

The degeneration of the potato is aggravated by the effect of drought, high air and especially soil temperatures during the period of tuberization, and an excess of nitrogen nutrition. Individual plants and varieties that are better adapted to growing conditions are resistant to certain races of viruses.

The main measures to combat degeneration: the improvement of potatoes in vitro by the method of meristem culture, thermo- and chemotherapy, the destruction of virus carriers; cultivation of seed material in more northern regions; germinating tubers in the light with culling of tubers with thin sprouts; planting with healthy tubers; compliance with crop rotation, spatial isolation; balanced diet; placement of seed plots on floodplain and peat soils; timely landing; pre-harvest haulm removal; cleaning seed plots with green tops; control of weeds and insects (reservators and vectors of infection); development and use of resistant varieties.

The fight against the Colorado potato beetle, the most common and dangerous potato pest, is an urgent need. The greatest harm to potatoes is caused by beetle larvae, intensively devouring its leaves (25 larvae can destroy 50% of the leaf surface of a bush).

Integrated protection of potatoes from the Colorado potato beetle provides, first of all, a system of agrotechnical measures that limit its number. These measures include: spatial isolation of potato plantations from wintering areas, destruction of overwintered beetles on bait plantings of potatoes with germinated tubers, cultivation of more resistant varieties with increased leaf pubescence, backfilling of lower leaves during hilling at the beginning of hatching of the first larvae, loosening of row spacing after 2-3 days after mass larvae for pupation in the soil, pre-harvest destruction of tops, application of liquid ammonia fertilizers to the soil after harvesting potatoes.

Chemical protection of potatoes from the Colorado potato beetle is carried out during the period of larval hatching, which usually coincides with the budding and flowering phases of potatoes. They are destroyed by 1-2-fold spraying of potatoes with insecticide solutions.

At the beginning of the hatching of larvae of the 1st-2nd instars, the edges of the fields are sprayed, and when they appear in large numbers, the main fight against them is carried out. A week later (or after rain), the potatoes are examined to determine if re-treatment is needed. To prevent the development of pest resistance to any insecticide, it is necessary to alternate the use of various (organophosphorus, organochlorine, perithroid and biological) preparations.

In order to compact the soil less during chemical processing of potatoes, it is advisable to use mounted sprayers - POM-630, OH-400 or wide-spreaders - such as OP-2000. The consumption rate of the working fluid is 200-300 l/ha.

If the timing of the treatment of potatoes against the beetle and phytophthora coincides, these works are combined in one spraying, after making sure that the poisons do not interact.

In the fight against the Colorado potato beetle, environmentally friendly biopreparations harmless to humans are promising: bitoxibacillin (BTB-202), sp. - 2-5 kg/ha; boverin concentrate - BL, s.p. -2.4-3 kg/ha; decimide, n. -2-6 kg/ha; Colorado, s.p. - 5 kg/ha; Novodor, s.k. -3-5 kg/ha and turingin, 2.1%, w.r.p. - 0.2-0.4 kg/ha. Biological preparations reduce the fertility of females, the activity of feeding and cause the death of larvae of younger ages. They are applied in the form of a suspension in the morning and evening hours, spending 200 l/ha for ground spraying and 100 l/ha for aerial spraying against larvae of the 1st-2nd instars (2-3 treatments 6-8 days after the appearance of each generation of the pest ).

In some cases, the combined use of biological preparations with fungicides (except Boverine) and with super-low doses of insecticides increase the effectiveness of treatments.

We really need devices for a hiller cultivator or a special machine that collects larvae and beetles mechanically, by shaking and sucking them in like a vacuum cleaner. However, there are no such machines in wide production yet.

Granular insecticides are effective against the wireworm, which are applied to the soil when potatoes are planted: bazudin, 10^ - 15-20 kg / ha of the preparation (1.5-2.0 kg / ha of active ingredient); Dursban, 5% - respectively 25-50 kg / ha (1.25-2.5) and heterophos, 7.5% (nematodite and insecticide) - 50 kg / ha of the drug (3.75 kg / ha a.i. ).

Potato moth is a dangerous quarantine pest of potatoes and other nightshade crops. Caterpillars harm by making moves in leaves, stems and tubers (including during storage). At the point where the caterpillar enters the tuber, a pinkish-violet depressed spot appears on the peel. It is destroyed during the growing season of potatoes by spraying: BI-58, 40% a.e. - 1.5-2 l/ha; decisome, 2.5% a.e. -0.2 l/ha; anometrin, 25% a.e. - 0.2 l/ha; fosalone, 35% a.e. - 1.5-2 l/ha; cymbush, 25% a.e. - 0.4 l/ha, etc. Many of these preparations are also toxic for the Colorado potato beetle.

In the tubers of the larvae of the potato moth destroys the biological product le-pidocid concentrated. Tubers before storage are immersed in a 1% suspension of the drug, spending 100 liters per 1.5 tons of tubers.

Harvest.
The start of harvesting is set depending on the purpose of the potato, the physiological state of the plants, the area, the availability of harvesting equipment and climatic conditions.

The best time for harvesting potatoes comes with the complete death of the tops and the maximum accumulation of the harvest of ripened tubers. Signs of ripening - drying of tops, stolons, easy separation of tubers from them and compaction of the peel (it is not easy to peel off). However, in order to finish harvesting late, mid-late, and often mid-season varieties on time, it is often started with green tops.

It is desirable to harvest potatoes at a soil temperature of at least 6-8 ° C, otherwise the damage to tubers increases by 10-15% in each case during mechanized harvesting.

Under the conditions of the Oryol region, the tops of early varieties of potatoes die off by July 30, medium-early - by August 15-20, mid-ripening - by September 1-15, medium-late - by September 20-25. To the south, in the forest-steppe and steppe zone of the Central Chernozem region, these dates come 7-10 days earlier. On average, in the Central Chernozem Region, mass harvesting of potatoes begins on August 15-20 and ends on September 15-25, before the onset of autumn rains and the average daily air temperature of +5°C.

Early varieties of marketable potatoes are harvested first of all, in mid-July with green tops, when they can be profitably sold. Then they start harvesting seed plots of early, then other varieties.

The pre-harvest haulm removal is of great importance. It facilitates the work of harvesters and diggers, accelerates the ripening of tubers and prevents infection with diseases present on the tops. There are two ways to remove the tops: mechanical and chemical. The tops are mowed (or pulled) with the help of haulm harvesters, a KIR-1.5 mower-chopper, chain crushers, etc. The tops are crushed and used for ensiling together with corn, sugar beet tops, etc. It is undesirable to scatter it over the field. This increases the contamination of the soil and the infection of tubers with diseases. For combine harvesting, the cutting height of the tops is 18-20 cm, and for diggers - 8-10 cm.

Chemical drying of the tops (desiccation) is advisable when it is severely damaged by late blight. It is carried out by spraying the tops with a solution of magnesium chlorate, 60% r.p. - 25-30 kg/ha, reglonom, 20% w.m. - 2 l/ha (for seed crops) or Harweid 25 F - 3 kg/ha (for seed and ware potatoes), consuming 250-300 l/ha of working fluid. After 10-12 days, the tops dry out and crumble, not interfering with harvesting so much. However, in this case, it must be mowed.

On ware potatoes, the tops are harvested 5-7 days before the start of harvesting, on seed potatoes - 10-12 days before.

On seed plots, a combination of haulm mowing followed by desiccation of the remaining part of it is effective (as is customary in Holland).

To accelerate the ripening of potatoes, senication is used - spraying potato plantings 20-25 days before harvesting (in the second half of flowering) with a 20% aqueous solution of double superphosphate with the addition of 15 g per 1 ha of herbicide 2.4D. Solution consumption 200 l/ha. On seed plots, senication is carried out with a 30% solution of double superphosphate 35-40 days before harvesting.

It is also possible to carry out senication by spraying plants with a 30% solution of ZhKU (liquid complex fertilizer containing N10P34) with the addition of 0.01% herbicide 2M-4X, spending 100 l/ha of the working solution during aerial spraying, and 200-300 for ground spraying. l/ha, applying 30 l of ZhKU and 10 g of the drug 2M-4X per 1 ha. Senication enhances the outflow of assimilants into tubers, accelerates their growth and maturation, increases starch content, thickens the skin (tubers are less injured, better stored), increases the yield and yield of seed tubers. Sometimes senication ensures the complete death of the tops, facilitating their removal.

On heavy soils, it is advisable to carry out pre-harvest loosening of row-spacings with chisel-shaped working bodies to a depth of 12-14 cm. This significantly improves the quality of harvesting.

Machine harvesting of potatoes is carried out in three ways: in-line, separate and combined.

In-line harvesting (direct combining) is carried out on well-separated soils by two-row potato harvesters KKU-2A, KKM-2, E-686 in an aggregate with an MTZ-82/102 tractor or a three-row KPK-3 combine (when planting with a 6-row planter) in unit with a tractor T-70S or DT-75 MX on narrow tracks. From combine harvesters, marketable potatoes go to the KSP-15B sorting station, where they are divided into large (food), medium (seed) and small (feed) fractions, culling out damaged and diseased tubers. Combine harvesting is economically feasible with a yield of at least 100 centners per hectare.

Separate harvesting is used on wet soils that are not suitable for continuous harvesting. A VHF-2 potato digger-swather is used, which digs up tubers and lays them in a swath from 2, 4 or 6 rows. After drying the tubers, the rolls are picked up by a combine harvester and transported to a sorting station.

Combined cleaning is carried out in two phases. First, 2 rows of potatoes are dug up with a VHF-2 digger and placed in the aisles of two adjacent rows that have not been dug. In the same row-spacing, tubers can also be laid from two adjacent rows on the other side. The two-row harvester then picks up the swath of potatoes while digging up the tubers in the remaining rows. This method of harvesting increases the productivity of combine harvesters by 1.5-2 times. It is applicable for good soil separation (bed planting on sandy loam) and tuber yields up to 180 q/ha.

The following main agricultural requirements are imposed on the operation of combines:

* the depth of the plowshare must be set so that no more than 1-2 cut tubers per 200-300 whole ones enter the harvester bunker;
* damaged tubers should not be more than 10%;
* loss of tubers should be no more than 3%, except for small ones (less than 25 mm, they are not taken into account);
* The purity of the heap must be at least 80%.

In fields where combine harvesting is not possible, potatoes are dug up by potato diggers, followed by the selection of tubers by hand. The harvesting unit moves in a shuttle way, skipping every 2 rows, which are harvested later, after picking up the tubers on the excavated passages of the digger.

With excessively moist soil, especially during the years of the spread of late blight, as well as when harvesting seed plots, intermittent harvesting is advisable, with sorting or manual sorting and culling of diseased and damaged tubers after temporary (1.5-2 weeks) storage and drying. It is better to divide seed sorted potatoes into fractions in spring.

Features of the Dutch technology of potato cultivation (on heavy soils)

Potato growing is well developed in Holland. The average potato yield in the country is about 400 kg/ha.

Areas with a humus content of at least 2.0-2.5% are allocated for potatoes. Winter crops are considered the best predecessors. Apply 70-100 t/ha of manure for the previous crop and mineral fertilizers N100-150P120-200K150-250.

Autumn plowing is carried out with a reversible plow to a depth of 20-22 cm. Plowing is continuous.

Seed material is carefully prepared: calibrated, dressed, germinated.

Pre-planting tillage is carried out with a milling cultivator "Dominator" (our analogue of KVF-2.8) to a depth of 12-14 cm. Experience shows that it is possible to prepare the soil for planting potatoes by milling almost 10 days earlier than with conventional tools.

The use of milling cultivators with a vertical axis of rotation is an important link in Dutch technology. Such a cultivator, when the tractor is moving slowly (no more than 3 km / h), loosens the soil well, but does not spray the soil, while maintaining its structure.

Following the preparation of the soil, they begin planting potatoes. It is carried out to a depth of 4-5 cm with four-row planters with markers, using a row spacing of 75 cm. Of the advantages of planters, it should be noted that the sprouts are slightly damaged. The Dutch potato planter feeds the tubers into the coulters with conveyors (and not scoopers, like our planters). This ensures better preservation of sprouted tubers.

The first inter-row treatment is carried out when 20-25% of potato shoots appear (18-20 days after planting) with a milling cultivator-ridge former "Amak" (our analogue of KFK-2.8).

The milled soil from the row spacing is poured into a trapezoidal ridge with the following parameters: ridge height 23-25 ​​cm, width at the base - 75 cm, at the top - 15-17 cm. Potato shoots that have appeared by this time are completely covered with loose soil. In the future, they make their way through this layer without any consequences.

After filling the ridges, no mechanical treatments are carried out on the field. Reducing to a minimum the number of inter-row treatments reduces the risk of damage to the root system of potatoes, stolons and young tubers, reduces the likelihood of transmission of infection by the working parts of the machines.

With such cultivation, the use of herbicides is mandatory, of which zenkor is widely used - 1-1.5 kg / ha. The herbicide is applied with a wide-spread boom sprayer after hilling with backfilling of seedlings. At the optimal dosage, Zenkor remains active almost throughout the entire growing season of potatoes.

The fight against diseases and pests is carried out by conventional means within the generally accepted time limits.

The harvesting of potatoes is preceded by the destruction of the tops by desiccation or pulling.

The tubers are dug up with a two-row harvester of a more successful design than our domestic ones. Combine harvesting is simplified as the tuber nest is formed in a ridge above the bottom of the furrow in ideally loosened soil. According to the Dutch technology, the ridges are formed 2-3 weeks later than with the "Zavorovskaya" (this is the name of the technology for growing potatoes on heavy soils, developed at the OPH of the All-Russian Research Institute of Potato Farming - Zavorovo, Moscow Region), therefore, by the time of harvesting, the soil in them is less compacted.

The Dutch technology, unlike ours, is less energy-intensive, it meets the principle of minimizing tillage.

High-quality potatoes have recently become more and more in demand. First of all, these are potatoes that go to the washing with subsequent packaging, potatoes for the production of chips.

In this article, we will try to analyze how planting potatoes and cutting ridges affect the quality indicators of finished products.

Main settings quality potatoes - this is evenness, the correct shape of the tubers, the absence of greening, mechanical damage, wireworm moves and damage by other pests.

Tuber shape
The presence of lumps in the soil often leads to the fact that grown potatoes have irregular shape . The use of cultivators with active working bodies makes it possible to obtain a finely cloddy soil structure. There are two main types of such machines: vertical milling and cultivators with a horizontal axis of rotation of the milling drum.

The first type of cultivators (Fig. 1) is the most popular among potato growers. The main advantage of such machines is that during processing the soil layers do not mix, and it is possible to retain moisture as much as possible. .

However, on waterlogged soils, the most justified is the use of a cultivator with a horizontal axis of rotation of the milling drum (Fig. 2.). In this case, mixing the soil layers allows you to somewhat reduce the humidity. In addition, such machines allow you to grind the soil as much as possible. They use either curved knives (similar to the knives used on ridge formers) or helicoidal knives as working bodies.

It should be taken into account that the energy consumption of vertical milling cultivators is lower. For example, the MTZ-82 tractor calmly works with a 3-meter vertical cutter, but the maximum width of the horizontal cutter for it is no more than 2.5 m.

Consider the typical mistakes in preparing the soil for potatoes.

1. Tillage is carried out at a time when the soil has not reached physical ripeness. As a result, the soil is over-compacted by the wheels of the tractor, the formation of wet lumps. It is optimal to prepare the soil only with milling machines. If the soil is in the stage of physical ripeness, it is perfectly processed and leveled without pre-treatment by cultivators. The maximum that can be allowed is the early spring closure of moisture. Sometimes, for the good purpose of leveling the soil and obtaining a looser structure, cultivation is carried out with tine cultivators. Often this leads to the fact that wet clods of soil are brought to the surface, which, after drying, can no longer be broken.

2. Big gap between tillage and potato planting. Firstly, these are additional moisture losses due to the fact that the moist soil brought to the surface during cultivation dries up, then, when planting, it ends up in the ridge, and the wet layers again appear on the surface. In addition, there is a risk of crust formation, and as a result, lumps during planting, which end up in the ridge. The optimal gap between cultivation and planting can be considered a maximum of a few hours.

3. Incorrect ratio of the frequency of rotation of the rotors of the cutter and the speed of movement. The high travel speed combined with the low rotation speed of the rotors leads to the formation of lumps.

4. Incorrect machine settings. The depth of processing, the position of the leveling beams must correspond to each other.

Tuber greening

The straightness of the movement of the planter affects the number of green tubers.

From fig. 3 it can be concluded that it is impossible to repeat the trajectory of the potato planter with a ridge-forming cutter. This is due to the fact that the distance from the axis of rotation of the tractor and the coulters of the planter is greater than the distance to the working bodies of the cutter. To obtain even rows, you must carefully beat off the first pass. The qualification of the machine operator also plays an important role.

The MTZ-80 tractor is successfully used by potato growers for planting. However, it has been noted that even highly qualified machine operators cannot provide rectilinear movement in this case. The issue here is slippage. A fully loaded Grimme GL-34T planter (with seed dresser and fertilizer units) weighs about 7 tons. Such a load on the tractor hook cannot but lead to slipping and, as a result, to side slips. Conclusion: when using four-row planters, it is necessary to use tractors with a traction class of 2 tf (from 120 hp according to the European classification).

Working on slopes causes the planter to move laterally towards the slope, which also causes the rows to deviate from the rectilinear axis. One of the technical solutions offered by Grimme is the use of guide discs or plates during seating and when cutting ridges.

Butt aisles smaller than the main ones can also cause greening of tubers. When the ridge former passes, the last cut ridge falls off (Fig. 4.).

Often you can encounter cases when the machine operator tries to “straighten out” the crooked rows after the potato planter. This leads not only to the fact that the tubers of the processed pass are not in the center of the row, but also to the destruction of the extreme ridge of the previous pass. Doing this is highly undesirable.

To avoid the destruction of the extreme ridge, it is desirable to adjust the markers in such a way that the butt row spacing is somewhat larger than the main one.

The lower the qualification of the machine operator, the more slopes, the greater the butt spacing should be.

Planting with simultaneous cutting of the ridges allows absolutely precise positioning of the seed tubers in the ridge. Grimme offers various solutions for planting with simultaneous cutting of ridges. The most technically simple solution is a five-in-one combined sowing unit (Fig. 5).

This planting unit allows you to simultaneously perform five operations: soil preparation, planting, seed dressing, fertilizing and cutting ridges. After the passage of this unit, ready-made ridges are obtained that do not require additional processing.

As a soil tillage machine, this machine uses a GL series ridger, equipped with additional tine sections for continuous cultivation and a hitch for a potato planter.

A ridge-forming plate is installed on the potato planter for the final formation of ridges. Such a unit requires fewer personnel, saves fuel and lubricants and avoids problems associated with poor-quality ridge formation.

Among the shortcomings, one can single out the fact that the unit requires a tractor of at least 250 hp.

In addition, the presence of a ridge-forming plate on the planter does not allow the installation of a deep bunker. The loading height of such a hopper is about 1.5 meters, which complicates the loading of the planter.

The second solution is a special drawbar with a hitch mounted on the planter. (Fig. 6) This hitch can be used with a vertical cutter of any manufacturer, as well as a horizontal grinder Grimme RT-300.

Rice. 6. Potato planter with a drawbar for hanging a cutter.

Even with perfect rows and the exact match of the passes of the planter and cutter, green tubers are possible. One of the reasons is the way fertilizers are applied. On fig. 7. shows the various ways of applying fertilizers and their location in the ridge after its formation.

With the continuous application of fertilizers before planting in the future, when planting and cutting ridges, fertilizers are evenly distributed throughout the volume of the ridge. With continuous surface application of fertilizers before ridge formation, they are mainly located in the upper part of the ridge. In both cases, the root system, under unfavorable factors (low leaching regime, soil structure, etc.), can develop upward, which leads to the formation of tubers in the upper part and then to their greening.

Mechanical damage

The depth of planting has little direct effect on the quality of potatoes, but it affects harvesting. Uneven planting depth (i.e., uneven location of the lower tuber) leads to a decrease in productivity during harvesting, an increase in impurities and chopped potatoes in a pile.

Smaller than set during the setting, planting of tubers is possible due to the presence of large lumps in the soil. Preplant tillage is recommended to be carried out to a depth equal to the size of the seed fraction, or a little more.

If high-quality plowing has been carried out, it makes no sense to work deeper, since the development of tubers usually occurs no lower than the occurrence of the mother tuber. With a greater depth of processing, the possibility of planting potatoes deeper than the one established due to the uneven density of the soil is not ruled out. In this case, when harvesting, it will be necessary to deepen the digging shares of the combine to a greater extent, which will lead to the flow of more land to the separation. With a deepening of 1 cm, up to 100 tons of excess land per hectare goes to the cleaning of a single-row combine.

Conclusion: a larger amount of land forces you to adjust the cleaning of the combine to a more aggressive mode, hence additional damage is possible.

Damage to tubers by pests and diseases

Tubers affected by diseases, and even more so by pests (for example, wireworm) have an unattractive appearance and, accordingly, a low selling price. Potato dressing is primarily directed against the tuber and soil-dwelling fungus Rhizoctonia Solani, the main pathogen of seedlings, stolons and potato tubers.

In addition to reducing the yield, commercial qualities of table potatoes, the affected tuber is not suitable as a seed material.

Combined preparations consisting of fungicidal and insecticidal components, as well as insecticides, are effective in seed production for the control of aphids-carriers of viruses, as well as against the Colorado potato beetle and wireworms. For these purposes, preparations based on the active substance imidacloprid (Prestige) and thiamethoxam (Aktara, Cruiser) have proven themselves.

Currently dressing devices are installed on planters (Fig. 8).

This method of etching not only saves preparations, but also significantly increases their effectiveness. Two spray tips treat not only the tuber, but also the seed bed. As a result, the protected volume increases significantly (Fig. 9.).

CONCLUSION

So, now we can draw the main conclusion: the quality of potatoes is laid already during tillage and planting.

1. Mandatory processing with active cultivators during the period of physical ripeness of the soil.
2. Exclude the processing of waterlogged soil.
3. The potato planter must be coupled with a fairly heavy tractor.
4. The presence of a treater and fertilizer seeders on the potato planter leads to an increase in the quality of potatoes and a reduction in labor costs.
5. The use of combined aggregates significantly affects not only productivity, but also the quality of potatoes.

High-quality potatoes are more and more in demand on the market today. Today it is possible to grow crops of the planned quality; for this, there are equipment thought out from the point of view of technology, and fertilizers, and plant protection products.

Planting potatoes - general rules for everyone

​Related Articles​​The mechanism is a triangular movable fastening system. The front link is hinged to the vertical strut. It is assumed that the person pulling the hiller forward keeps the traction at a constant height, then in order to change the angle of attack of the cutting part of the hiller, it is necessary to tilt the vertical stand and fix it in this position. To do this, a plate with a number of holes is placed between the rack and the rod. Changing the position of the vertical rack is carried out (special device). If there is no such equipment, you can get a smooth bend as follows: we fill the pipe with ordinary sand as tightly as possible, making plugs (wooden wedges) at the ends.

pipe bender or blowtorch

• ​Hand hiller
• But when using this planting pattern, the potatoes will grow quite densely. This option is not very profitable in terms of plantation yield. In practice, such a scheme is used quite rarely.

You need to start planting by determining the distance between the rows. To do this, do the following:​

Ways to plant potatoes - what to choose?

Whichever of the traditional methods is chosen for planting potatoes, they all require a minimum of effort. At the same time, their yield is almost the same. So the choice should be made only on the basis of the properties of the soil and the availability of the required equipment.​

(gas burner) for heating metal at bends;

Devices for manual planting of potatoes

It is a simple tool that requires two people to work with. The design consists of a double blade working body with a cutting knife, a front link, for which one person pulls the hiller forward and rear control handles for a second person.​

More often you can find a landing where the gaps between the bushes will be twice as large. You can also find the following method for calculating the correct distance between the bushes. Here, the total weight of the potato must be divided by the entire area on which you plan to plant it. In this case, the figures obtained will be a real reflection of the yield. You can even find data when the distance between the holes is one meter (for row proximity of 70 cm). But this method gives the smallest yield.

mark the entire area;

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The best potato planting technologies

In order to plant potatoes faster, you can use improvised tools and planting devices.

Distinctive features of Dutch technology

So, when planting root crops, the climatic zone and type of soil should be taken into account

and is fixed with a bolt and nut.

1. round section
2. welding machine;
3. With the help of a hiller, you can significantly
4. ​It should be noted that, as in the situation with the distance between the rows, it is necessary to take into account the plant variety:

Marking is done with a marker (in this case, it means a shovel, stick, etc.). They draw a shallow furrow. These furrows are followed by further planting;

angle grinder

ease

Early varieties are best planted at a distance between bushes from 25 to 30 cm;

A cord is pulled along the first groove between the wedges, which will act as a guide;

Traditional manual

A special country planter is very often used when planting potatoes using the Mittlider method. This method involves carefully cutting holes with a planter at the same distance along the narrow beds. The land after landing is leveled with a rake.

The choice of method depends on the characteristics of the soil in the summer cottage or garden. For example, in the case of loose, sandy and sandy soils, the trench method should be used. For loamy soils, the option with the formation of ridges is more suitable. Let's consider each method in more detail.​

1. Mandatory cleaning of the soil from all kinds of pathogens, pathogens, bacteria and fungi before crop rotation;
2. There are several of the most famous devices that will help in planting root crops:
3. ​Other important recommendations:​

hole

The rear link is a fork in the form of the letter "P" with a width of 500 mm and a handle length of about 200 mm. In the center of the fork, a (grinder) is welded for processing joints.

many routine maintenance tasks. This is the cutting of furrows for planting potatoes, and its subsequent hilling. It is also convenient to cut ridges with a hiller, loosen the soil.

Late varieties need to be planted at a greater distance - from 30 to 35 cm.

• The tuber can be planted directly under the stretched cord. But this is a very laborious process that will take a lot of time;​
• Using a walk-behind tractor, potatoes are planted as follows:
• Smooth landing, or "under the shovel". A very simple method. Here you just need to lift a layer of soil with a shovel, put a tuber in the resulting hole and cover it from above.

Using only high quality planting material. This point is very important for Dutch technology. Our gardeners need to strictly adhere to this paragraph if they want to get a really good harvest. In Holland, only high-quality planting material is always planted, and therefore their harvest is always excellent (unlike our compatriots). According to technology, tubers should be 30-50 mm in diameter. Only tubers with varietal purity and high reproduction are used (elite and super-elite varieties);

Markers that will be needed in order to keep the same distance between the rows of plants. It is best used with a square-nail method or with a simple landing in a trench. Potatoes have high lighting requirements, and therefore the beds should be located in a north-south direction.

. We weld the same corner to a vertical post above the first corner.

Video "A simple and quick way to plant potatoes"

vertical section of pipe

With the help of a walk-behind tractor or a planter

The okuchnik, which is described here, will have several adaptive adjustments:

For

These figures are for tubers that have a standard size for planting (with a chicken egg). When using smaller tubers, the above distances must be reduced. The optimal distance will be about 18-20 cm. For very large tubers, the distance can increase significantly and even be 45 cm.

1. After planting potatoes in a row, the soil should be mulched to increase productivity. Mulching is carried out with peat, which is poured in a layer of two to three centimeters.
2. Initially, straight grooves should be cut. The whole process is accompanied by deep loosening of the soil. The distance between the furrows should be about 55 cm. This distance is left for convenience during further weeding;
3. After planting, the ground should be leveled with a rake. This will reduce moisture loss.​

pre-planting tillage in order to increase the yield of future seedlings;

Miracle shovels, thanks to which you can make holes and plant tubers at the same time at the selected depth. True, it should be borne in mind that the use of such a device requires a lot of effort.

Video "Planting potatoes using a walk-behind tractor"

Fresh manure should not be introduced into the soil - the root crop reacts best to ash as an organic fertilizer and to mineral additives.

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Optimal distance when planting potatoes

For the manufacture of dumps, you need to prepare two identical plates with a thickness of 1-2 mm, cutting them out according to the template. You need to give them

Distance between rows

300 mm long. This end of the fork is inserted into the vertical rod. We bend the pipe with a diameter of ¾ inch in the same way as the vertical stand.​

Height adjustment will be carried out using

Making a hiller

The distance that is observed for the rows is not of particular importance when choosing the distance between the bushes. This parameter is directly dependent on the characteristics of the soil composition. If the soil is fertile, it has a lot of nutrients, then the planting should be carried out more densely, since the possibilities of the soil will allow the bushes to form normally and give an excellent harvest in terms of taste and volume. With low soil fertility, gardeners recommend planting tubers at a greater distance from each other, so that in the future the bushes have enough opportunities to form a crop.

1. If a ridge planting option is used (beds are formed), then two rows are placed in one bed. In such a situation, the rows are placed at a distance of 19-26 cm.
2. Tubers that have sprouted well are placed in the furrows with the sprouts up. The distance between them is about 40 cm. With shallow planting material, the distance is reduced;
3. The disadvantage of this method is that it is very difficult to do the necessary actions alone. This requires at least two people. One must dig the ground, forming holes, and the second should follow and place tubers in the holes. In addition to potatoes, compost, fertilizers (urea, saltpeter) or humus should be put in the hole. When digging the next hole, the previous hole is covered with earth. It is often used in the presence of flat terrain on which water does not stagnate and the sun warms the soil well. In all other cases, you should not use this landing option.
4. heating or sprouting tubers. Shallow landing to a depth of 4 cm is possible;​
5. Nozzles for motoblock. The walk-behind tractor is a single-axle machine that has an engine, a transmission, and a running gear. With the help of various nozzles, you can use a walk-behind tractor when plowing land, planting plants, hilling and weeding weeds.​

​Now you can move on to the existing landing methods - you yourself have to decide which one suits you best.

​To be able to adjust the height of the stand, you need to drill a series of holes in the upper end of the stand and the same series of holes in the vertical part of the fork. By changing the position of the bolt in the holes, you can adjust the height of the rack depending on the height of the plowman.​

• telescopic device
• you will need:

Common potato planting pattern

Each subsequent two rows are separated by a groove having a width of one shovel. The walls of this groove should be sloping.​

Spacing between tubers

Furrows are covered with a motor cultivator or manually using a rake.

Ridge formation. It is used at a high level of groundwater approach, as well as on waterlogged or heavy soils. This method involves the following manipulations:

When the first shoots appear, it is necessary to form ridges, the height of which is about 25 cm and the width is 75 cm.

Potatoes are the most common product grown in the garden or cottage. Potato planting technology is different. It all depends on the knowledge of the gardener and the tools he has. This article will review the best technologies used today for planting potatoes.​

There are various methods of planting potatoes, each of which has its own characteristics. Before choosing, check out the most well-known methods.​

1. like traditional plows. Now you need to weld both halves of the plow to the vertical stand. You can often see a hiller with a variable angle between plows on sale, but is it worth it? You will work as a hiller in one area, you know your soil and, based on your experience, you can pick up
2. ​Forward traction​

​B-pillar: A smaller diameter tube will be inserted into the B-pillar tube, leading to the rear link. This will allow the person to adjust the height according to their height and comfortable grip of the traction;

hollow pipe

The tubers are planted in holes. The correct depth for them is from 7 to 10 cm. At this depth, the potatoes warm up best and germinate quickly.

The best distance between two adjacent rows for potatoes is determined by its variety: This method has many supporters, as it is characterized by the highest yield due to good loosening of the soil.

In order for the ridges to be even, you must first outline the furrows. Can also be used to mark the cord;​

​Our gardeners tend to use the land more economically, so often the distance between two adjacent ridges is only 45 cm. As a result, manual hilling requires more care.​

Recently, planting potatoes using Dutch technology has become increasingly popular. This method of landing in our country is considered relatively new. Some gardeners sometimes use certain elements of Dutch technology.

​Using black film. This option is considered quite easy, since you can not dig up the garden - just loosen the soil by 7-10 cm, immediately applying fertilizer to the soil. We cover the dug-up bed with a black film or dark non-woven material. We fix the edges of the material, and on the film we make small cuts for planting root crops. After that, with the help of a scoop, we plant potatoes: carefully make small holes in the ground through the holes and put the tubers there, sprinkling them with earth on top. The advantages of this method are that the film, which does not let the sun's rays through, creates the microclimate necessary for potatoes. In addition, the material does not allow weeds to develop, and there is also no need to loosen the soil. Thus, you only have to deal with pests. Growers who choose this method usually harvest about a month earlier.​

Video "How to plant potatoes"

​constant angle.​

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Homemade hiller: purpose, design, do-it-yourself manufacturing steps

What is a hiller, how is it arranged?

It is made in the form of a fork of the same width as the rear link. Size difference. The length of the front link handles should be such that the front person can stand freely between the handles and it is convenient for him to grab them.​ ​Adjustment of the angle of attack.​

​Plumbing for a vertical rack with a diameter of 1 inch and a length of 900-1000 mm; Sprouted stems should be covered with earth on top. This procedure will need to be repeated in a week. This will allow the formation of strong stems, which will positively affect the yield. If the planting dates were later, then the depth of the hole increases by 3 cm (especially this rule applies to dry periods). Early ripe varieties should be grown at a distance of 60-75 cm;

When choosing a method of planting potatoes, they proceed to a greater extent from the type of soil, as well as from the availability of specialized equipment. If everything is done correctly and all the nuances are taken into account, then a high-quality crop can be achieved. With the help of a hoe or chopper, ridges are formed. Their height is approximately 15 cm. The distance between adjacent ridges is 70 cm (a distance of 50 cm is also allowed); When using the Dutch technology, great attention is paid to calculating the density of planting potatoes. Seed material is obtained by dense planting, in which there are at least 30 bushes per square meter. For further planting, only those tubers that have five or more eyes are selected. Further, the planting map involves planting six tubers per square meter.

• The Dutch potato planting technology is based on a whole range of different agricultural practices. It includes:​ ​Use of straw. We plant potato tubers in pre-loosened and moist soil. In this case, the planting should be shallow - about 5-7 cm, and on top we lay a layer of straw about 15 cm. After the shoots appear for the first time, we increase the layer of material to 25 cm. The main thing is to lay the straw so as not to crush the plants. It is important to follow a few basic rules here. So, for example, it is impossible that the layer of material immediately after planting the root crops be too thick, otherwise this will lead to the fact that the soil simply will not warm up. The ease of harvesting in this case is also pleasing - carefully lift the straw and take out the tubers. The only negative is that mice can start in the straw, which means you will need to think about how to get rid of them: put mousetraps or use mouse poison.​
• So, we weld the halves and create an even weld at the place of their junction. We grind with a grinder to make it even and sharp enough.
• ​Also available with front link The angle of attack will be adjusted by tilting the center post relative to the horizontal plane of the ground. We will achieve this by changing the angle between the front link and the vertical strut. The front link is pivotally connected to the central pillar and the adjustment is carried out by means of a turnbuckle, which will allow you to smoothly change the angle depending on the soil conditions and the height of the front person. If you don't have a mechanism like
• ¾ inch hollow tube for front and rear links; The depth of the hole also depends on the type of soil. For heavy soil, this parameter should be about 8 cm. In light soils, the depth of the hole should be about 10 cm. And for clay soils, the hole is made with a depth of 5 cm.
• ​Late-ripening varieties should be planted in a row, the distance between which should be no more than 90 cm (minimum 70 cm).​​The video shows the process of planting potatoes using a walk-behind tractor.​
• tubers are planted in these ridges. The ridges protect the tubers from possible soaking.​
• Potato hilling scheme on ridges​Treatment of a plot of soil with the help of special milling tools. As a result, the soil becomes looser;

How to make a hiller yourself?

The use of barrels. This landing method is suitable for those who are cramped in space. To do this, you will need any barrel - plastic, iron or wooden. It is advisable to prepare a container without a bottom or make several holes. We lay soil up to 20 cm thick at the bottom of the barrel and put 7-10 sprouted potatoes there. When the sprouts germinate a little, compost is placed in the barrel: the barrel must be filled by two-thirds. Water the potatoes as needed, checking the soil. Do not forget about the need for top dressing - it is better to use mineral fertilizers and ash.

• It is he who takes on the main effort and resistance of the soil when deepening the plow. For a knife, you need to take more carbon steel than on the blades of a homemade plow. Cut in the shape of an arrowhead and sharpen at an angle of 40-45 degrees. This angle will allow the knife to stay sharp longer. It remains to weld to the lower end of the vertical rack, grind and the hiller is ready for work! flexible belt, lanyard
• sheet steel When choosing a depth, you should not clearly focus on the above figures, since you need to make an assessment of the size of the tubers themselves. Smaller potatoes need to be planted at a shallow depth, but for large ones, the depth should be greater. A deviation from the established figures by no more than 3 cm in any direction is allowed. Planting potatoes in a row is usually carried out according to the 30x80 cm pattern. Here, an adjustment should be made for the plant variety. Early potatoes form less dense haulm, so they can be planted more densely with smaller row spacings. Some gardeners claim that the simultaneous planting of early and late varieties will give a better harvest. Summer is coming, which means it's time to plant potatoes. This cultivated plant is considered one of the most common in gardens and areas of our country. The distance between the rows of potatoes is very important for the future harvest. At the same time, do not forget that the distance between the potatoes should also be taken into account. These parameters play an important role in the formation of tubers. Therefore, this article will be devoted to these issues.​

Making a vertical rack

With moisture-intensive soils, this approach is justified. But if the soil is very light or loose, then ridge formation will be ineffective. The ridges will simply crumble during heavy rains, thereby exposing buried tubers. And if the summer turned out to be hot, then watering should be organized periodically to prevent the soil from drying out. In addition to the above features, the technological process of the Dutch method of planting and growing involves creating optimal conditions for the rapid development and growth of potato bushes. To do this, tubers are harvested relatively early, which prevents infection with various diseases, especially late blight. All tops are removed from the field. The tubers are left in the ground for two weeks for their best ripening. As a result, a strong peel is formed on them, which prevents the possibility of any mechanical damage, and also increases the shelf life. Mandatory spraying of plants with various preparations against late blight. This disease in just four days can destroy the entire plantation;

Square-nest method of planting potatoes. To do this, divide the garden into several squares and make a hole in each of them. Nests should be about half a meter apart.​ Of course, from the first pass you will not be able to pick up which will be worn on the shoulders and chest and will allow you to unload your hands from excessive effort. The length of the handles can be approximately 600 mm. We make the vertical part of the fork 600-700 mm long and flatten it at the end. At this point, we need to drill a hole through which the fork will be attached to the vertical post.​

Manufacture of front and rear rods

, you can adjust the angle by moving the plate with holes to the desired distance and fix it with cotter pins (bolts).​ 1-2 mm for the manufacture of dumps; It is recommended to plant tubers in the holes with sprouts down. This must be done in order to form a better spreading, which will contribute to greater ventilation and illumination of the resulting bush. After this procedure has been completed, and all the rules have been followed, with the help of a rake, you should cover the potatoes with earth from above.

Rows should be oriented north to south. This will give the bushes more sunlight. Although in this situation it is possible to be guided by the capabilities of your site or garden and determine the distance by eye.

To get a good potato harvest, when planting it, the distance between the rows, as well as the distance between the tubers, should be taken into account. It is necessary to start planting potatoes only when the soil temperature reaches up to 8 degrees at a depth of 10 cm. Often these conditions occur in May (during a dry and warm spring, planting can be done already at the beginning of this month). Formation of trenches. This method is most justified for sandy or sandy soils, as well as in the presence of a hot climate. At its core, this method is the opposite of combs. Here the landing deepens, not rises.​

The most common way of planting potatoes in our country is the traditional method - manual. This is due to the fact that everything new must first be tested, and the result will not always meet the gardener's expectations. And the old proven method is good because it has been proven by many years of practice.​​Tillage with herbicides. If you omit this item, then it is necessary to carry out periodic weeding of the weeds that have appeared between the ridges. To do this, you can use a traditional hoe or chopper. But weeding should be done very carefully so as not to damage the root system of plants and not to displace the stems that have already taken root; Before planting root crops, fertilize the soil with high quality, for which a bucket of humus is brought into each of the dug nests

​optimal angle of inclination​​Now you need to make a mechanism for adjusting the angle of attack. As said, ideally it should be a turnbuckle, but let's look at how to make an adjustment with ​A pipe 900-1000 mm long and 1 inch in diameter should be bent at a distance of about 300-400 mm from the end at an angle of 10-15 degrees. Bending is best done with lanyard As you can see, such a seemingly ordinary process as planting potatoes can be a certain degree of complexity. Incorrectly planted tubers can significantly reduce the yield of an entire plantation. Therefore, before embarking on the process itself, you should first familiarize yourself with the nuances that relate to this issue.​

If we dealt with the distance between the rows in the previous paragraph, then the question of the optimal distance between the tubers remains open. You should know that well-sprouted tubers can be planted a little earlier - at a temperature of 5 or 6 degrees in the soil. Some gardeners argue that such planting, on the contrary, contributes to a higher yield level. As a result, the planted tubers are protected from possible drying out and overheating. It is not recommended to use this method on wet soils, as stagnant water and poor tuber air exchange will result in a poor harvest.​

Production of a double-dump plow

​Hand-held traditional planting is carried out by three main methods:​​high-volume ridge formation. Their formation occurs as a result of the passage between the rows of a special unit. It is done once - at the beginning of landing. During the season, you need to spend about three hilling. Water the bed only with water that has been preheated in the sun. You will not be able to pick up the effort that needs to be applied when deepening the plow. But on the third or fourth furrow, having picked up the height of the vertical post, the angle of inclination and the efforts of both plowmen, the hiller will “fly” itself, creating furrows of the correct shape.​plates with holes.​

Undercutting knife

pipe bender

​to connect the front link and vertical strut for stepless adjustment of the angle of attack or, if you could not find a lanyard, a steel plate with holes for stepwise adjustment of the angle of attack; In the video, the agronomist tells how to plant potatoes: when to plant, which planting pattern to choose depending on the type of soil; different planting schemes are considered. Most often in the literature one can find the statement that about 6 bushes should be planted per square meter. If we take just such a number of plants, then in the case of a row spacing of about 70 cm, it is necessary to maintain a distance between the bushes of 26 cm. In practice, in order not to run with a ruler, this distance practically corresponds to a segment of one and a half width of an ordinary shovel. You should be guided by the diameter of the hole dug with such a shovel (it is approximately 25-27 cm).

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