What types of fertilizers are best to use when planting potatoes?

Planting is the most important stage in potato agricultural technology. The speed of plant development, resistance to fungi and pests, and crop productivity depend on the correct determination of the period, depth of planting of tubers and choice of fertilizer. Complex fertilizers guarantee the harmonious development of the plant throughout the entire growing season.

The article contains useful information about fertilizing potatoes during planting, methods of application and the benefits of organic matter and minerals.

Do potatoes need fertilizer when planting?

Potatoes have a peculiarity: when fertilized after planting, they absorb only 50% of the nutrients. To maintain productivity, the crop is fed at the stage landings into the hole, and due attention is paid to pre-planting soil preparation. We are talking about sowing green manure - lupine, mustard, beans, peas, flax, oats, wheat, alfalfa, rapeseed - followed by mowing. Rotted hay saturates the soil with nitrogen, loosens it, and prevents the growth of pathogenic microflora.

Another difference between potatoes and other crops is active absorption of organic and mineral compounds by the root system. The plant needs them for the rapid growth of green mass, the formation of more stolons and tubers.

Feeding during planting

During planting, fertilizers are applied to the prepared holes. In the future, to replenish the reserves of useful substances, root and foliar organic and mineral fertilizing is carried out.It is important to maintain proportions, because excess is sometimes worse than deficiency.

Excessive nitrogen fertilization leads to active growth of green mass and shrinkage of tubers. Excess organic matter provokes the formation of voids in potatoes - the growth of internal tissues does not keep pace with the growth of tubers.

Reference. According to agronomists’ calculations, 1 kg of tubers “pulls” from the soil about 10 g of potassium, 5 g of nitrogen, 2 g of phosphorus, and less than 1 g of zinc, copper, manganese, and boron.

Fertilizers are applied to the holes comprehensively, maintaining balance. It is preferable to add organic matter in the fall, before planting, supplementing with minerals in the spring.

Why is it so important to apply fertilizer directly to the hole? The fact is that the root system of potatoes develops in the upper layers of the soil and penetrates a maximum of 50 cm deep. With this method of application, replenishment goes directly to its destination.

How to apply fertilizer to a hole in spring

Before planting tubers in the soil, it is fed with useful substances. The first root application of fertilizers is carried out precisely at the planting stage: the prepared mixtures are placed in the holes. For example, along with the seeds, 700 ml of compost or humus is added to the holes, mixed with 150-200 g of ash or 25 g of nitrophoska and 100 g of bone meal.

What fertilizers can be used

Mineral, organic and complex fertilizers are used to feed potatoes. Let's talk about each of them in more detail.

Mineral

Many gardeners prefer to fertilize potatoes with organic matter, fearing that nitrate standards will be exceeded when applying ready-made compounds. However, the same compost or manure can easily overfeed the soil.

As a result, nitrate levels will be extremely high. Agronomists advise following the norms for adding minerals, which allows you to get a healthy harvest.

Reference. Superphosphate is recommended to be used as a supplement on its own, without mixing with other substances. This fertilizer works more effectively alone.

Organic

Organic or biological fertilizers are waste products of plants, animals, and bacteria. Organic matter increases soil fertility and replenishes the reserves of complex nutritional components of potatoes.

Fresh organic matter is not incorporated into the soil; only rotted manure is used. Ammonia compounds during the evaporation process have a detrimental effect on beneficial bacteria. Humus is prepared 9-12 months before use - placed in stacks 1-1.5 m high and covered with straw.

An excellent replacement for manure is compost. This is rotten and fermented plant matter. For cooking, use any greens (weeds, grass, tops, leaves), vegetable peelings.

The entire green mass along with the roots is placed in a galvanized barrel with a volume of 200 liters, 100-150 g of urea is added to speed up the decomposition process. Fill the container to the brim with water, cover with a lid and leave for two weeks. The resulting fertilizer is applied undiluted to each hole.

Complex

Any fertilizer for potatoes must contain a set of nutritional components in the correct proportions. Complex mineral fertilizers fully satisfy the needs of the crop.

Folk remedies

In addition to vegetable (green) fertilizers, gardeners use fresh yeast to feed potatoes when planting. For 1 kg of pressed yeast you will need 5 liters of warm water. The solution is infused for 6-7 hours and diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10 before use.

Advice. “Live” yeast can be replaced with dry yeast. In this case, take 10 g of granules per 5 liters of water, then add water 1:5. The solution is used to feed the soil after spring loosening.

It is recommended to add onion peels to the holes not for the purpose of fertilizer, but to repel wireworms. Judging by reviews from gardeners, this technique works well against click beetle larvae.

To repel the Colorado potato beetle, place 1 teaspoon in each potato hole. tobacco dust and flax seeds.

Ash

Wood ash is a complex alkaline fertilizer. It contains calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, and phosphorus in an easily digestible form. Burnt wood contains no nitrogen. It evaporates during the combustion process. However, you should not combine ash with nitrogen fertilizers. This leads to the release of ammonia, which is dangerous for plants in large doses.

Consumption per 100 sq. m - 5-10 kg or 100 g in each hole. Natural fertilizer is applied in dry form into the holes when planting, alone or in combination with other mineral fertilizers - superphosphate, potassium chloride, ammophoska. Top dressing improves the quality of the soil, reduces its acidity, and increases potato yields.

Recommendations from experienced gardeners

Over the years of practice, gardeners have accumulated vast experience in feeding potatoes during planting, which they share on thematic forums:

1. Potatoes need a lot of potassium, so when planting tubers it is better to use fertilizers with it. For example, ammophoska and nitrophoska.
2. Cow manure is rightfully considered one of the best fertilizers for potatoes. It can be applied in the fall after digging the soil, and during the planting process, water the holes generously with a solution containing fertilizer.
3. Ready-made complex fertilizers for potatoes should be without chlorine. The plant reacts painfully to this element by stopping growth. When purchasing, pay attention to the label “No chlorine”, “Does not contain chlorine”.
4. Control the addition of nitrogen to the wells. If there is an excess of it, the bushes will quickly grow, and the tubers will be small. Potassium-phosphorus fertilizers during the growing season will help correct the situation.
5. To reduce labor costs when planting, use dolomite or bone meal. Sprinkle fertilizers over the beds according to the instructions.
6. Urea is suitable for fertilizing the soil in autumn and spring. Ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate are used only when planting potatoes.
7. Nitrogen fertilizers should not be applied too deeply. They show maximum results when applied under shallow plowing.
8. Do not mix ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate with dolomite flour, and urea with superphosphate. Apply minerals separately.
9. Do not use manure or compost on areas infested with potato golden nematode. In such cases, mineral compositions are suitable.
10. Sow green manure in areas before or during planting potatoes: clover, peas, beans, oats, mustard, lupine, flax, alfalfa, rapeseed. The root system of these plants is located above the tubers and does not interfere with the development of potatoes. Culture will only benefit from such a neighborhood. Green manure enriches and loosens the soil, repel wireworms, Colorado potato beetles, mole crickets, and prevent the development of scab and late blight.
11. If you choose peat as a fertilizer for fertile soil when planting, do not use it fresh, let it lie in the open air for 3-4 days. Use pure peat on poor clay and sandy soils.
12. Do not apply ash at the same time as ammonium-based nitrogen. As a result of a chemical reaction, it makes nitrogen fertilizing useless.

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Conclusion

When planting, organic, mineral and complex fertilizers for potatoes provide them with nutrients, which are sufficient for the rapid growth and development of tubers. The culture is distinguished by its ability to absorb potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, magnesium, silicon, boron and other components from fertilizers applied at the initial stage.

With subsequent root and foliar feeding, only 50% of the nutrients are absorbed. Agronomists advise applying complex fertilizers to the hole, combining organic matter and minerals, and following the dosage indicated on the package.