Preparing the soil for planting potatoes: what soil acidity is needed

Potatoes are sincerely loved in Russia and called the second bread. But despite its widespread distribution, many people experience difficulties in growing it. Unpretentious potatoes are picky about the quality of the soil. We will tell you what kind of soil is needed for potatoes and how to correct existing soil imperfections.

Features of soil for potatoes

The success of growing potatoes is largely determined by the soil. If soil fertility is easily increased by applying fertilizers, then parameters such as density and acidity can cause difficulties for a novice vegetable grower.

What kind of soil do potatoes like?

Loamy soil is most suitable for potatoes - quite fertile with a granular-lumpy structure, but good water and air conductivity.

The properties are similar to sandy loam. In its lightness and plasticity, such soil resembles sandstone, but it is more fertile, as it is able to retain mineral and organic substances.

A good harvest can be obtained on peat soils and black soils. Chernozem is the most fertile soil with a high content of humus (up to 15%), potassium, as well as organic and mineral compounds that allow the production of phosphorus, nitrogen, and sulfur. The structure is granular-lumpy.

Peat soils are not rich in humus; they quickly absorb water, but also quickly release it. They do not warm up well and often have high acidity.However, peatlands are easy to cultivate due to their ability to retain mineral fertilizers.

Less suitable than others for growing potatoes:

1. Sandy soils - light and loose, but extremely poor in humus, so they must be additionally enriched with nutrients. In addition, sand does not retain moisture well, and in the summer heat the tubers can “burn.”
2. The main disadvantage of soil with a high clay content – high density, which means impaired air and water exchange. In spring, alumina warms up later than other types, and melt water often stagnates on them. Clay soils most often have high acidity.

What soil acidity should be for potatoes?

Potatoes prefer a middle ground - soil that is not too acidic and not too alkaline. The ideal pH range is 5.1 to 6.0. Such soil is usually called slightly acidic.

Too acidic soil makes it difficult for vegetables to absorb nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium. As a rule, such soil is very heavy, so the plant has difficulty accessing water, and the roots do not have enough space to branch well. In conditions of high acidity, pathogens actively multiply.

Alkaline soils are characterized by the presence of minerals in a poorly soluble form, so potatoes may suffer from deficiencies of magnesium, iron, boron and zinc. Alkaline soil reaction is typical for arid steppe and forest-steppe regions.

Soil treatment before planting

Spring cultivation of land for potatoes in open ground begins when the top layer dries out and warms up.

Before landing vegetables:

1. The soil is dug up or loosened so that the soil is saturated with oxygen and the roots can develop faster.
2. Remove weeds so they do not shade the furrows or compete with the potatoes for nutrients and water.
3. Fertilizers are applied to improve soil quality.

How to determine soil type and acidity

The type of soil at your dacha depends on its density, moisture capacity, water and air permeability. To determine the mechanical composition, a lump of earth is moistened and rolled between the palms into a sausage. Sandy and sandy loam soil crumbles immediately - no shape can be formed from it. Clay soil and loam are plastic. To distinguish them from each other, the resulting sausage is folded into a ring: if it works, we have heavy alumina, but if the ring cracks, it’s loam.

The acidity indicator affects the mineral composition of the soil: nutrients in conditions of extremely high or low pH are either absent or are in a form that is difficult for plants to absorb.

The most reliable way to find out the acid-base reaction of the soil is to contact a specialized laboratory or use a kit for independent digital analysis. However, there are other methods.

Read also:

Description and advice from agronomists on potato varieties: “Petersburgsky”, “Barin”, “Leader”.

Technology for planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor.

Traditional methods

Vegetable growers among the people recommend:

1. Carry out a reaction with vinegar. Pour table vinegar into a container with a small amount of soil. If you hear hissing and bubbles appear on the surface, the soil is alkaline.
2. Repeat the same experiment with soda. A violent reaction in this case is a sign of acidic soil.
3. Mix 2 tbsp in a bottle. l. land, 5 tbsp. l. water and 1 tsp. crushed chalk. Shake well and put a rubber fingertip on the neck.If after half an hour the soil mixture begins to release gases and the fingertip inflates, the acidity of the soil is increased.
4. Prepare an infusion of bird cherry, black currant or cherry leaves (4-5 leaves per 1 tbsp. boiling water). Cool the liquid, then add a lump of earth from the site. Acidic soil will turn red, slightly acidic soil will turn blue, and neutral soil will turn green.
5. Take a closer look at weeds. Willowweed, nettle, buttercup, sorrel, and moss grow on strongly acidic soil; on neutral – bindweed, sow thistle and white sweet clover; in an alkaline environment - mustard and poppy seed. Dandelion, coltsfoot, clover, chamomile, wheatgrass, and cornflower grow well in slightly acidic soils that potatoes love.

Please note that these methods are not accurate and may produce distorted results.

litmus test

A set of litmus paper is an affordable and more reliable way to determine pH:

1. Take soil samples from different depths and preferably from different beds.
2. Wrap each specimen in three layers of gauze and place it in a sterile container with distilled water.
3. Shake the liquid and place litmus paper in it.
4. The reagent will change color depending on the reaction of the medium: red – strongly acidic, pink – moderately acidic, yellow – slightly acidic, greenish-blue – close to neutral, blue – neutral.

It is recommended to take at least 10 samples. If they give different results, the average value is taken as the true one.

Features of soil deoxidation

For deoxidation, substances with an alkaline reaction are used:

• slaked lime;
• dolomite flour;
• wood ash;
• ground chalk;
• crushed eggshells;
• gazhu – sediments of lake-marsh reservoirs;
• nitrate fertilizers;
• ready-made complex preparations (“Uglemuk”, “Lime Gumi”).

The frequency and rates of alkalization depend on the initial pH, soil density and the amount of humus in the soil. On heavy clay soils, the deoxidation effect will last longer, so the preparations are applied in larger quantities, but at intervals of 5-7 years.

Reference. Green manure plants also help level out acidity: vetch, phacelia, rye, lupine, oats, and legumes. However, the site needs to be sown with them in advance - during the autumn soil preparation.

How to acidify the soil

If the soil reaction is closer to alkaline, organic fertilizers are added to it: compost with the addition of rotted pine needles and sawdust, high peat, fresh manure.

Organic matter delicately acidifies the soil, additionally making the soil looser and more breathable. If you need a quick result, use mineral compounds: ferrous sulfate, ammonium nitrate.

Reference. Colloidal sulfur significantly lowers pH, but acts slowly, so it is applied mainly during autumn digging (100 g per 1 sq. m). Also come with ammonium sulfate and potassium sulfate.

Ways to improve soil quality

Knowing the characteristics of the soil, you can significantly improve its quality:

• lighten or tighten;
• enrich with humus;
• correct mineral imbalance.

Fertilizers

Fertilizers are divided into organic and mineral. The former are valued for their naturalness, ease of absorption, and rich chemical composition. Mineral mixtures are good when you need to add one or more substances in a certain dosage.

When planting potatoes, first of all, nitrogen-containing compounds are used, as they accelerate the growth of green mass in plants:

• fresh or semi-rotted cow manure;
• compost;
• urea (carbamide);
• ammonium nitrate;
• complex mineral fertilizers (“Ammophos” and “Diammophos”).

However, the most important element for potatoes is potassium, and it is better in sulfate form. In turn, potassium is well absorbed if used in conjunction with phosphate fertilizers: phosphate rock, simple and double superphosphate, as well as in the form of combined mixtures - “Nitrophoska” and “Nitroammofoskie”.

Reference. These fertilizers are applied evenly over the area of ​​the area for digging or directly into the hole during planting.

Green manure

Green manure is used:

• to repel pests;
• for soil improvement;
• to enrich the soil with useful microelements.

In spring, sowing of green manure begins immediately after the snow melts. For this purpose, cold-resistant plants are chosen, since they must sprout in low temperature conditions, and by the time the potatoes are planted, they must already have mature shoots. Mustard, rapeseed, rye, oats, and phacelia meet the stated requirements. If you plan to grow green manure at the same time as potatoes in the inter-rows, the choice falls on legumes, calendula and nasturtium.

To repel insects and prevent diseases, mustard and colza are used against wireworms and late blight, and flax against the Colorado potato beetle.

Reference. The ideal spring green manure before planting potatoes is phacelia. It is frost-resistant, loosens the soil well, increasing its breathability, reduces soil acidity, helps in the fight against root-knot nematodes, repels locusts, suppresses the spread of root rot and late blight, and displaces weeds.

Disinfection

To protect potatoes from pathogenic fungi, bacteria and viruses, tubers and soil are treated:

• a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
• copper sulfate;
• boric acid;
• Bordeaux mixture;
• ash.

For more reliable protection, industrially produced fungicides are used: Fitosporin, Quadris, Maxim, Immunocytofit, Prestige and others. When using them, you must follow the directions on the package exactly and do not exceed the recommended dose.

Ash

Ash is an excellent fertilizer of natural origin. It has an impressive chemical composition, in which calcium and potassium occupy a special place.

The main purpose of ash before planting potatoes is to increase the plant’s resistance to various diseases and disinfect the soil. Good results are obtained by applying fertilizer directly into the hole.

Attention! Ash does not combine well with fresh mullein, so it is better not to use them at the same time. But it is effective in combination with peat and compost.

Loosening

Potatoes love loose, oxygen-filled soil. In such conditions, nothing interferes with the development of its root system and the formation of large tubers.

Loosening the soil before planting potatoes should be thorough - to a depth of 15 to 30 cm. It is advisable to loosen alumina and loam in two steps to avoid stagnation of water. The area is dug up to the depth of a spade bayonet, then the clods of earth are broken up with a rake.

Reference. Sometimes ordinary loosening and digging is not enough. Then the heavy soil is lightened by adding sand, crushed sifted bricks, and plant residues burned together with the soil.

How to choose the right place to grow potatoes on your plot

When choosing a place to organize potato furrows, take into account:

1. Illumination of the area. Potatoes love light. In partial shade and shade, the tops develop slowly, and the tubers are small and in small quantities.
2. Humidity.Vegetables cannot be planted in soil with stagnant water - the seed will rot before it has time to start growing.
3. Protection from winds. Preference is given to areas planted on the north side with trees or shrubs. This will protect the soil from erosion and the plantings from hypothermia.

Conclusion

Which land is best for potatoes? It is important that the soil is light, slightly acidic and sufficiently nutritious. Proper use of fertilizers and agricultural techniques, coupled with patience and time, will give good yields even in initially unfavorable conditions.