Sewerage and drainpipes portal / Heating trays / Making a box for growing potatoes. Planting potatoes - traditional and alternative ways

Making a box for growing potatoes. Planting potatoes - traditional and alternative ways

16.11.2020

The traditional vegetable crop for our strip - potatoes - is grown by most amateur gardeners. Not everyone is happy with the standard care, high labor costs and often disappointing results. Some people experiment with soil or planting to get better yields per square meter of soil. Not all research turns out to be successful, but some of them do bring very good results. One such innovation is the cultivation of potatoes in boxes.

Method technology

What is the novelty of this method? Planting material is not planted in the soil directly on the site. For a new method of growing, use any container. Anything durable made of plastic or wood is suitable for the experiment. It can be an old barrel, a canister, a roomy box, and more. The main condition is that we get rid of the bottom of the container, leaving only the side walls, this is done so that moisture does not accumulate in the container, otherwise the potatoes will start to rot. For the necessary air access, holes are arranged in the walls of the structure.

Everyone knows that potato tubers form on roots that grow rapidly in the ground. To make the root system more branched, the potatoes are huddled several times during the cultivation process. It is known from practice that the more soil it is possible to screw up, the root system can come out there, and, accordingly, more tubers will form. The bottom line is that you have an excellent harvest with other similar conditions.

Growing potatoes in boxes is based precisely on this feature: to get the most developed root system possible. However, as with any method, it also has its own peculiarities - this is the choice of a place to place the structure and the formation of a fertile environment for planting a vegetable.

Ordinary soil on your site will not be suitable for use, even if you regularly enrich and fertilize it, because we do not form a ridge, but an enclosed space. You will have to prepare the soil yourself. Gardeners who have successfully tested this method advise using peat as a basis because of its porous structure, excellent moisture absorption, good warming up by the sun's rays, and the ability to retain moisture during dry periods. Plants in peat are less susceptible to various diseases, which is important when setting tubers. To enrich the mixture, we add sand to the peat for better heating of the layer, it will be about 1/4 of the total volume of soil obtained.

Next, add chalk or lime flour: if the peat is wet, then 70 grams will be enough for every 10 kg, if it is dry, we increase the dose to 75-80 g. If it is problematic to get peat for you, you can use a mixture of compost and earth from the site, enriching her ashes. It is recommended to roll ashes and potatoes with any planting method in order to protect against diseases and pests. On the use of manure in the mixture, the opinions of gardeners are clear: some advise to add it as when growing other vegetables, others categorically do not advise it because of the possible presence of plant pests or their larvae in it. Interestingly, both of them got excellent results, so we leave the addition of this component to your discretion.

A place in the sun or in partial shade is better for placing the box. It is better not to use shaded areas, because potatoes there are successfully affected by late blight, which we do not strive for at all.

Box device

As we already mentioned, seedlings can be attached to any box without a bottom. But it will be much more effective to build a special box. Consider the stages of its construction.

We need trimming of not too wide boards and timber. Such building materials are necessarily present in any summer cottage. Materials about a meter long are suitable. The beam is needed for the stability of the future structure. In principle, you can do without it if you think about how to keep the box with earth and potatoes from falling apart.

The procedure for arranging the box for landing

We knock the boards into a frame, where the height is the width of the board. We fill this aviary with prepared soil. We place previously sprouted potatoes in it, evenly placing it around the perimeter, for example, 4 rows of 4 tubers each. Sprinkle the seedlings with earth and a small layer of straw. Further it is worth well watering our new "bed". For the potatoes to sprout faster, it is recommended to cover the box with plastic wrap. Now we are waiting for shoots to appear. As soon as the height of the plants approaches the edge of the enclosure, it is time to form a new floor of our structure. We finish off the side in height according to the old principle, carefully fill the shoots with prepared earth, put another layer of straw and water. If the outside is already warm enough, then you can no longer cover the box, if you want to get more intensive cultivation, you can cover the structure with agrofibre.

A similar procedure for building the box will be repeated until you reach the desired height. Usually it is 4-5 tiers. In pursuit of height, try not to overdo it, so as not to end up with a huge length of a stem with a small number of tubers. The final height will be about 50-60 cm, some farmers drive out up to 1 meter. The last floor is installed about a month before the harvest, so if you dig potatoes in mid-late August, you should add the last boards in mid-July and no longer increase the number of storeys in the box.

Try to let the tops develop normally, you do not need to bury them in the ground to the very top.

We do not let the cultivation of potatoes in boxes take their course. Our structure needs to be watered and fertilized. We water no more than 2 times a week, we fertilize - as with normal cultivation. To do this, you can use a slurry solution or another top dressing that you usually use.

Pluses of the way

The cultivation of potatoes in boxes we have considered has a number of indisputable advantages:

we are raising the yield of potatoes to unprecedented heights: some managed to collect almost a bucket from one bush;
in a similar way, you can grow young potatoes in a fairly short time and use only your own vegetable to the table;
every meter of the summer cottage is used with great benefit, while the sown area decreases, and the yield becomes higher;
growing in a confined space saves you from weeding and hilling;
harvesting is very convenient: just disassemble the box and empty the contents. All potatoes are clean, not damaged by a shovel or pitchfork. It is easy to pick it up from the ground.

This method will be successful for older gardeners, because the labor costs for it are much less, and in old age health does not always allow achieving the desired result.

Potatoes are a vegetable crop grown in all regions of the country. The purpose of planting potatoes is to get a large and high-quality harvest. To do this, you need to choose the best variety for planting, find a place, fertilize the soil, and carry out agrotechnical measures for caring for bushes. Growing potatoes in boxes is an experimental way of planting a vegetable for a good harvest.

Growing principle in boxes

Potato growing is of great importance in Russian agricultural production.

The yield depends on several factors:

Potato variety;
Soil condition;
Agrotechnical measures for the care of the crop.

The number of potatoes on a bush depends on the length of the underground part of the stem: the larger it is, the better the yield. Hilling potatoes increases the underground stem area.

The effectiveness of growing potatoes in boxes is that the stems of the bush grow in length. The boxes are gradually "built up" in height, stacking or nailing additional boards. It is necessary to add soil as the potatoes grow - this stimulates the growth of new stolon shoots. The process is repeated until the bush is fully grown.

The method of planting vegetables in boxes is productive. If you follow all the recommendations for planting potatoes and the rules for caring for the plant, you can get a big harvest. Up to 5 kg of vegetables can be grown from one potato.

Advantages and disadvantages of the method

The method of planting potatoes in an unusual way has its pros and cons.

Gardeners note the benefits of growing vegetables in boxes:

A large harvest from each bush, it is easy to grow a vegetable;
The method does not take time and effort for hilling, weeding. Straw serves as an excellent layer of mulch;
No planting bed required;
Allows you to more effectively use the area of \u200b\u200bthe garden plot, which was previously occupied by a potato field, potatoes are placed in boxes in the beds;
You can start planting in early spring, the box is easily covered to protect against frost;
Thanks to the cultivation of potatoes in boxes, the soil is not depleted;
The method is suitable for arid regions;
The bushes are not attacked by the Colorado potato beetle;
Harvesting is easy and convenient. You don't have to dig up the site, for this you only need to disassemble the box on the day of collection and collect clean and large potatoes in a bucket.

The disadvantages are:

Preparing boxes for planting. They are either made on their own or bought in stores. Wooden pallets can be used;
The soil for planting potatoes in boxes will have to be formed by mixing peat and sand. Regular ground won't do;
Slugs can lodge in boxes;
Constant control of soil moisture is necessary; it is important to constantly water the potato tuber during the dry period.

The new cultivation of potatoes in boxes raises doubts among gardeners, but knowing the basic rules of the method, even beginners can do the method. The disadvantages of the new method of planting potatoes are few. If you know how to do everything correctly, then by autumn the gardener will harvest a decent harvest.

Conditions for landing

Choosing the right potato variety is the key to successful work.

For planting in a box, varieties are suitable:

Nevsky;
Youth;
American;
Reliable;
Shante;
Belarossa.

On a note. If you plant low-quality, small potatoes, then the harvest will be small. Strongly large tubers contribute to the active development of the aerial part. Green tops will take up the main food, and the yield will grow medium

For cultivation of a vegetable, you can leave the variety you like, which was used earlier.

What is required for disembarkation

You must either buy or make wooden boxes yourself. It is important to position pallets or crates without a bottom. Pegs are driven into the ground, boards are attached to them or pallets are placed on them. The box can be built with planks and pine blocks.

The site for planting should be chosen sunny, on an elevated flat surface.

In the place where the boards are attached, small holes are drilled for screws. Such boards can be used for several years.

To grow potatoes in boxes, the gardener should prepare a special soil. The basis of the soil is a peat mixture. It has a loose structure, absorbs well and retains moisture. In the sun, peat is able to fully warm up. Plants growing in a peat mixture are less susceptible to attacks by pests and diseases.

You can enrich the peat mixture by adding a layer of sand. It should make up ¼ of the soil. Limestone or chalk is mixed into peat, at the rate of 70-75 g per 10 kg of soil.

On a note. If there is no peat mixture, then you can replace it with soil from the site, which must first be mixed with compost and ash.

Ash is used in any method of planting potatoes to prevent diseases and protect tubers from pests. It is undesirable to use manure as fertilizer before planting potatoes in boxes. In it, insect larvae multiply, which can harm the plant.

You cannot reuse the soil in which the potatoes grew. Tuber pathogens often remain in the ground. This soil can be used to grow other horticultural crops, and new soil is prepared for the potatoes.

It is not recommended to expose boxes for growing potatoes on the shady side of the site - the bushes are affected by late blight.

Step-by-step actions for growing crops in boxes

Growing potatoes in boxes is an unusual way, so there are special care options.

Technology how to grow potatoes in boxes:

The bottomless box should be on the bricks. This contributes to normal aeration of the soil, since it will not be possible to loosen the soil;
Lay paper on the bricks under the bottom and sprinkle it with a layer of expanded clay screenings with humus, you can lay out a layer of straw;
Prepare sprouted tubers, lay on the bottom of the structure, sprinkle with peat mixture;
If disembarkation is carried out in early spring, then the box is covered with agrofibre or film;
After the appearance of the first shoots, the structure is increased, the second floor is completed. Sprinkle the sprouts on top with a prepared mixture of peat and sand. The procedure is repeated until the buds are formed, until about July;
To prevent early budding, the soil is watered with compost and protected from excessive exposure to direct sunlight;
Caring for bushes consists in regular watering, feeding, protection from possible pests;
The end of September is harvest time. 7-10 days before harvesting potatoes, you can cut off all the tops, this will allow the skin to become denser.

You can plant potatoes in a wooden box if the area is small, or the usual method does not bring the expected harvest.

Basic rules of care

The cultivation of a vegetable crop is reduced to performing the following manipulations:

Watering;
Fertilize;
Carry out preventive measures.

Watering growing potatoes in crates is inconvenient due to the confined space. Before completing the second floor, you need to dig in 4 metal pipes with through holes at different heights for water supply.

Feed the potatoes in the same way as for a normal planting. Spraying the bushes from pests is carried out as needed. In boxes, bushes are less likely to be attacked by the Colorado potato beetle and other diseases.

Planting potatoes in boxes will allow you to grow a good potato crop. By following the planting instructions and care rules, the gardener will appreciate the simplicity and effectiveness of this method.

The traditional vegetable crop for our strip - potatoes - is grown by most amateur gardeners. Not everyone is happy with the standard care, high labor costs and often disappointing results. Some people experiment with soil or planting to get better yields per square meter of soil. Not all research turns out to be successful, but some of them do bring very good results. One such innovation is the cultivation of potatoes in boxes.

Next, add chalk or lime flour: if the peat is wet, then 70 grams will be enough for every 10 kg, if it is dry, we increase the dose to 75-80 g. If it is problematic to get peat for you, you can use a mixture of compost and earth from the site, enriching her ashes. It is recommended to roll ashes and potatoes with any planting method in order to protect against diseases and pests. On the use of manure in a mixture, the opinions of gardeners are polar: some advise it to be sure to add, as when growing other vegetables, others categorically do not advise because of the possible presence of plant pests or their larvae in it. Interestingly, both of them got excellent results, so we leave the addition of this component to your discretion.

Box device

As we already mentioned, seedlings can be attached to any box without a bottom. But it will be much more effective to build a special box. Consider the stages of its construction.

The procedure for arranging the box for landing

Try to let the tops develop normally, you do not need to bury them in the ground to the very top.

in a similar way, you can grow young potatoes in a fairly short time and use only your own vegetable to the table;

every meter of the summer cottage is used with great benefit, while the sown area decreases, and the yield becomes higher;

growing in a confined space saves you from weeding and hilling;

harvesting is very convenient: just disassemble the box and empty the contents. All potatoes are clean, not damaged by a shovel or pitchfork. It is easy to pick it up from the ground.

This method will be successful for older gardeners, because the labor costs for it are much less, and in old age health does not always allow achieving the desired result.

Video "Growing potatoes in wooden boxes-boxes"

The video tells and shows how to grow potatoes in boxes: soil preparation, planting material, planting technology.

Foreword

Most summer residents plant potatoes all their lives according to the same pattern, but there are other ways. Do I need to take risks in the hope of getting 3 times more potatoes, if the old-fashioned way is good? We live once - why not try it!

General rules - what do potatoes like?

From year to year, potatoes are planted in the country at different times - it all depends on weather conditions. If the snow melted early, the soil warmed up to 8 ° C at a depth of at least 10 cm, then you can go to the garden at the end of March instead of the usual mid-April. Of course, residents of the northern regions can only dream of such early planting dates.

The end of March - the beginning of April is the most suitable time for planting early potatoes in southern Russia. Mid-season varieties in the southern regions are sent to the ground not earlier than early April, and in central Russia - closer to the end of the month. With a difference of several days, late varieties are planted for a maximum of a week.

You should not delay planting - moist spring soil allows shoots to start well, and in overdried soil, the shoots will be frail. However, planting too early in the soil not warmed by the sun is fraught with decay of the planting material.

Large farms often plant potatoes in summer if they can moisten the soil. In the southern regions, sometimes they even manage to harvest a double crop. Growing potatoes in summer has a significant advantage - the tuberization process falls on a cooler period, resulting in good seed material and potatoes for long-term storage.

Planting depth is a strictly individual matter. You need to focus on the average amount of precipitation, soil moisture, quality of seed tubers. In the arid regions of the south, the tubers are sent to a depth of 16 cm, in the north, on light soils, they are planted to a depth of 10 cm, and if the soil is heavy, clayey, then another 3 cm less. The depth also depends on the size of the tubers - the small ones are always planted higher, as in the photo.

Density depends on soil fertility, on the quality of the planting material - early varieties and small potatoes are planted denser, less often - large planting material and late varieties. Between the rows, at least 60 cm is usually left, between tubers in a row - up to 30 cm for early varieties, up to 35 cm for later ones.

Preparation of planting material - greening and rejection

It is best to purchase seed potatoes from specialized farms, where they provide protection against fungal, bacterial and viral diseases. If it is not possible to buy planting material every year, then it should be updated at least once every 4–5 years with fresh lots. Most private farms and summer residents do just that.

For seed potatoes, tubers are selected the size of a chicken egg, the correct shape, without signs of any diseases and damage, as in the photo. Selected tubers must be thoroughly dried and kept for several weeks under diffused light. During this time, the seeds should acquire a green color not only outside, but also inside - this can be clearly seen in the video. Greening is the best way to keep rodents out of planting potatoes. They simply do not eat it because of the high content of solanine, a toxic substance. It goes without saying that people are strictly prohibited from eating it.

Before storing the seeds in the cellar in the country, sort them by size and weight so that you get at least three fractions. Planting potatoes is also done on a fractional basis - in this case, all bushes will develop at the same speed and ripen at the same time.

In the spring, a month before planting, the potatoes are germinated. To do this, it can be laid out on the floor or shelves in a warm, well-lit and ventilated room and once a week rotated to another barrel so that the shoots form evenly, as in the video. Tubers with threadlike sprouts (in the photo they are clearly visible in comparison with normal shoots) are discarded.

If a large number of potatoes have not sprouted, you can stimulate the emergence of shoots with the help of wilting - two weeks before planting, the tubers are poured into heaps and covered with burlap or an old cloth. The room temperature must be at least 12 ° C. During this time, short shoots should appear, by which it will be clear whether the potato is suitable for further use.

Tradition cannot be eradicated - planting potatoes in the usual ways

Traditional methods can be considered as landing in trenches, on ridges and landing in holes, the so-called smooth method. It should be understood that each of them is designed for special conditions, when other methods are simply excluded, so there is no point in going over the methods in your garden. The same rule applies to alternative landing methods, which we will review below.

The general requirements for all options are the same:

maintain proper distance between rows and bushes in a row;
arrange rows from south to north, as in the video, to ensure uniform lighting of the bushes;
apply fertilizers to the hole -, compost, complex mineral compositions.

Let's start by landing in the trenches. Growing in this way is suitable for light, sandy soils that do not retain moisture well, and for arid climates where the sun quickly evaporates moisture. For dense soil or for areas with high groundwater levels, planting in trenches is not suitable - many tubers will simply rot. In this case, it will be appropriate to land on the ridges. The ridges should be at least 15 cm high, the distance between the rows is 70 cm. This method will help you out in the case of heavy, compacted soils that do not allow air to pass through. Very often, these methods are used by large farms that have tractors and other equipment. Caring for such plantings is mandatory, loosening, watering.

If you are lucky enough to be the owner of a vegetable garden with loose and moderately moist soil, then you can not waste time on trenches and ridges - plant potatoes by hand "under a shovel". This method is suitable for a married couple - while the husband is digging holes in front, the wife is laying out the tubers behind.

The same method is convenient to use in the first year after plowing virgin lands. As a rule, the tractor leaves behind large layers of soil, as in the photo, which make it difficult to make even trenches or ridges. In this case, you shouldn't even try to arrange even rows - plant the potatoes as convenient for you. Large clods by the fall after numerous weeding and loosening will practically disappear, and next year it will be possible to plant according to a different scenario.

There is an alternative - unusual planting methods

Perhaps, in 5–10 years this method will be considered traditional - a very large number of gardeners at their dacha have tested it in practice with varying degrees of success. Planting potatoes under straw, hay or grass shows excellent yields, which all summer residents love to show off in photos and videos. The method boils down to the fact that the potatoes are manually buried a little into the ground, covered with a thick layer of straw (20-30 cm) and ... Actually, that's all - care consists in maintaining the necessary moisture, you do not need to weed or loosen the soil, since the straw blocks access sun to the weed seeds, and without the sun's rays they have no chance of germinating.

Straw perfectly retains moisture, collects dew and also warms up the soil in the first weeks due to decay processes.

It should be noted that the potatoes under straw for the first weeks will lag behind in growth from those planted in classical ways, but by the time of flowering they will even out and even overtake. Watch the video to appreciate the beauty of the shoots above the straw.

This method is acceptable for any type of soil, but it will be especially useful on heavy, clayey soils. After harvesting, never burn the straw, but leave it in the garden. By spring, it will rot and become an excellent fertilizer, improving the structure of the soil. Planting under straw also shows itself well on virgin soil - not a single weed will break through the thick layer of straw.

The disadvantage of the “straw” method is the easy access of pests to the crop. The potatoes are actually on top, you don't need to dig them - just know to rake the straw and harvest. Mice and slugs take advantage of this, so if you live near a forest or fields and are constantly fighting slugs and snails, this option may not work for you. Another drawback is the more green potatoes that can no longer be eaten. However, it can be postponed until next year as seed.

There is also an average method - the holes for the planting material are made very shallow, so that they only sprinkle with earth, as in the video. This option is suitable for arid regions. Some gardeners at the dacha carry out straw baking - they put straw not on the sides, but in the center of the bush, so that the tops are spread out over the garden bed. In this case, you will have to make the distance between the beds wider, but there is more ovary on the bushes. Straw is added as the potatoes grow, so that some tops stick out. The care is the same as for the classic straw planting. Watch the video on getting off the hook to understand the secrets of this process.

Boxes and compost - double harvest per season

This method is quite laborious, but only at first - after the potatoes are planted, leaving is reduced only to protecting the bushes from beetles and watering. To begin with, boxes are constructed from boards or bricks in the country, the height of which is about 30 cm, width 50 cm for one row of potatoes or 100 cm for two, and the length is optional. Leave about 70 cm between the boxes.

The method is somewhat reminiscent of growing vegetables in warm beds. Inside, organic matter and manure are also poured in in the fall, mineral fertilizers, biological products and soil mixture are added, as in the video. By the spring you will have a wonderful compost, in which potatoes are planted. All you need to provide is high-quality watering and protection from beetles. Hilling and weeding in this case is not carried out - there are no weeds.

As the potatoes grow, they are thoroughly mulched with straw, they are uncooked - watch the video with comments from people who have mastered the method. By the time of flowering, powerful shoots will cover the entire space between the boxes. In this case, the yield is practically guaranteed, and it will be two to three times greater than with traditional cultivation methods. Estimate the number of tubers in the video!

The next year there will be much less work in the country - the boxes are ready, the soil mixture needs only to be supplemented with organic matter and complex mineral fertilizers. Some in the fall and spring sow green manure in the beds - they need to be mowed and embedded in the ground at the time of flowering.

A bit like growing potatoes in boxes and the method of planting in bags. The only difference is that as the shoots grow, they are constantly piled up with soil mixture, raising the soil level in the bags higher and higher. Thanks to this, the planting material gives a lot of ovary. However, if the boxes can be used next year, then the bags will have to be done all over again.

Planting potatoes under agrofibre - the weeds will not pass!

For those who do not want to constantly fight weeds, but are not ready to waste time on boxes and are afraid to experience planting under straw, growing potatoes under agrofibre is ideal. Everything is very simple - a so-called black spunbond is spread on a piece of land, previously dug up and properly fertilized, on this film, cross-shaped cuts are made in the places of planting of tubers and the selected variety is planted in the holes. The edges of the film are properly fixed so that the wind does not blow away.

Light does not pass through agrofiber (spunbond), but it perfectly permeates air and moisture. Without light, the weeds have no chance of growing, while the potatoes through the cuts will find their way to the sun's rays. There is no need for hilling and weeding, and watering can be done less often - spunbond not only passes water well into the soil, but also retains moisture inside the soil.

True, there is one "but" - in regions with a hot climate, this method is not suitable. The ground under the black film will overheat and your crop may turn into baked potatoes. But in the northern regions, thanks to this simple adaptation, good harvests of early potatoes are obtained.

Growing potatoes in a box. Under mulch, without mineral fertilizers, without manure. Without shovel, weeding and hilling from 3 square meters - 58kg.

The cultivar is unknown. In 2014. in one online store I ordered Bellarosa potatoes. Paid in February. From April to May, they told me by phone and e-mail that I did not understand anything, and all my ideas about growing potatoes were not correct. In mid-May (when I didn't care whether the potatoes were sent or not), the courier called me in the afternoon and asked me to open the door. Is it okay that I'm at the dacha? It turned out that delivery is also carried out by courier service, and the service does not inform about delivery in advance. I was able to arrange for the courier to come again in the evening. One way or another, the potatoes reached the dacha. 4 kg of potatoes in a bag + 3 jars of some kind of chemistry. The bag was cute, and out of 4 kg of the elite, I barely selected 10 pieces for planting, the size of a very small chicken egg. Plus, it was notBellarosaI don’t know what sort they sent.

I planted it, the crop was not so hot, but I left the potatoes for planting, try planting again,

She was planted in 2015. First reproduction, cultivar unknown. My variety description: medium variety, large tubers, red, smooth peel, yellow flesh, lilac flowers, scab resistant. Fries well immediately after harvest. Stored well at t + 7 °.

The landing site is not the best, because a shade from a barn and apple trees falls on the garden bed after 14 o'clock, but there was no particular hope for it.