It is problematic to get a good harvest of potatoes on poor soils. In such situations, the method of growing potatoes in bags has proven itself excellent. This method allows you to get a good harvest and save space on the site.
The cultivation process does not require special knowledge. After warm weather has established on the street and the threat of night frosts has passed, you can proceed to action.
General information
To understand the cultivation method, it is necessary to understand the essence of the method, determine its positive and negative points, take into account all the features and recommendations... Having dealt with all the elements, it will not be difficult to grow a healthy crop.
Method essence
The essence of the method of growing potatoes is planting tubers in bags, where the development of the bush and the formation of additional tubers will take place.
the main thing provide optimal conditions for this:
- Sufficient lighting
- Abundant watering and care
- Loose soil
- Holes for draining excess water
Necessary materials
Before proceeding with planting, you must prepare the following materials:
- Container
- Priming
- Planting material
Potato growing technology
Growing technology includes the following steps step by step:
- The soil is poured onto the bottom so that its height is 15 cm.
- Plant potatoes at a distance of approximately 3-4 cm... This must be done carefully so as not to damage the sprouts. The approximate amount of vegetables per bag is 2-4 pieces.
- On top of the potatoes, soil is poured to a height of 15 cm. Watering is not required during this period. Seedlings appear in 7-14 days.
- Seedlings are regularly watered. When they reach the height of 30 cm, it is necessary to add another 15 cm of soil. Each time the procedure is repeated until the bag is 2/3 full.
For the normal development of the plant, it is necessary to find a sunny place. It can be placed along the walls of houses, near trees, as long as they do not fall on their side. Please note that there is no drain nearby, in this case excess water will accumulate.
Also, bags should not be installed in constant shade, plants need light and warmth.
Container for planting potatoes
In order to grow potatoes using this method, you need to prepare a container. You can buy bags in the store or sew yourself. Often use bags of sugar, flour, any will do.
Even ordinary ones are used Trash bags... They are less durable, you should handle them carefully to keep it intact.
There must be holes so that excess moisture does not accumulate.
Planting material
In 2 weeks before planting, the tubers should be spread out for germination. To begin with, select good intact tubers, lay them out in a warm, lighted place, for example, in boxes or small barrels. After 2 weeks, sprouts appear.
For landing choose the most powerful and healthy of them. Thin and brittle sprouts should not be planted, you will not get a good harvest from them.
Priming
In addition to planting material and containers, they also prepare the soil for planting. For this, the earth is mixed with humus in different proportions.
The soil begins to be prepared in the fall. It should be weeded out, disinfected from pests.
You can take ordinary land from the site, but when using ordinary soil, yield decreases.
When to plant
When the threat of freezing passes, warm weather sets in, you can start planting.
Late April early May is the optimal time for planting.
Harvesting
Harvesting is usually started in the second half of August, sometimes later. It depends on the timing of planting and the variety of potatoes.
In order to harvest potatoes, you just need to put the bag on its side and harvest. If the bags had special holes, valves, pockets, they are opened and potatoes are taken out. If you don't need them anymore, you can simply cut them open and harvest the potatoes with ease.
After cultivation, the soil loses all useful properties and not suitable for reuse.
The difference between growing in bags from the usual method
Growing has a number of features. Unlike the usual way, requires more frequent watering.
Also, throughout the entire growth, the bush is regularly covered with earth so that only the upper leaves remain on the surface.
When grown on the bottom, the potatoes will be the largest, the higher to the surface, the younger. This is due to the fact that at first it grows from the planted tubers closer to the bottom.
The growing bush is constantly sprinkled with earth, a powerful root system is formed, from which new and new potatoes begin to grow.
Unlike the conventional cultivation method, the allows you to harvest throughout the year.
Benefits
The method is not very different from the usual method, but it still has a number of features and advantages.
Among the main advantages:
- Bags do not take up much space and they can be installed around the entire perimeter of the garden
- Nutritious and disinfected soil contributes to the normal development of potatoes, prevents the occurrence of diseases and damage by pests
- Good yield
- No need for weeding
Disadvantages
Like all other methods of growing vegetables, it has its drawbacks:
- The possibility of obtaining a large harvest limited to a small area
- If the cultivation took place on the balcony, the used land needs to be adapted somewhere
- The soil dries quickly enough, more frequent watering is required
Recommendations
When using high-quality planting material and fulfilling all requirements, it will be a successful way and will bring a good harvest.
For planting do not use tall and dense bags... When using these, the soil will not receive the required amount of oxygen. To avoid this, perimeter cuts should be made.
It is important to use top dressing for a larger yield. Potash dressings are perfect for growing in bags.
At the bottom of the bag you can cut special valve, through which in the future you can easily get ripe potatoes. With this method, the top layers, where the potatoes are younger and still smaller, will remain undisturbed.
Can I grow on the balcony?
Potatoes in this way can also be obtained at home. There is a possibility of growing in this way on the balcony.
You won't be able to get a high harvest, since the size of the balcony will not allow placing a large number of bags. It is quite possible to collect one and a half.
Thus, this method will save space if there is a lack of it. If there is enough space on the site for planting potatoes, then with additional cultivation in bags, you can significantly increase the yield and get it throughout the year.