Pros and cons of planting potatoes in ridges
The ridge method, which came to us from Holland, is a convenient and interesting option for planting potatoes. It greatly simplifies plant care, which is why it is actively used by large farmers and amateur gardeners. The method has positive and negative sides, and is not suitable for all regions and types of soil.
Features of planting potatoes in ridges
The technology involves manual or mechanized work, as a result of which smooth hills are formed. Tubers are planted in them.
Description of the method
The essence of this method is to hill the tubers on both sides. In this case, ridges up to 25 cm high are formed. The width between the rows is up to 1 m 20 cm, which allows mechanized care and watering during drought.
Well-loosened soil receives 70% more oxygen than usual. The soil dries out quickly, so the method is suitable for clayey, heavy soils where groundwater is at a shallow depth. Ideal for places with high humidity.
Considering that there is enough space for the full development and maturation of the crop, a larger number of tubers are formed. They have accelerated growth, which allows the gardener to dig up the crop before it becomes infected with late blight.
Interesting! Vegetables obtained using the ridge method contain 8% more starch than other planting options, which has a positive effect on their taste.
For other types of soil, planting potatoes in ridges is not recommended.Grown this way in dry places, it will be small and few in number.
Are all varieties suitable?
For cultivation, it is recommended to take Dutch potato varieties. If their cost is not suitable, they are replaced with some domestic, more inexpensive ones:
Hybrids are not used as seed next season, as they will not retain their parental characteristics.
Pros and cons of planting potatoes in ridges
The positive aspects of the method are noted by summer residents from regions with a rainy climate, short summers and heavy soil:
- the potato nest receives more solar heat - the yield increases due to the creation of conditions necessary for the development of tubers;
- the crop ripens faster due to earlier planting (the top layer of the earth warms up first);
- the root system develops rapidly due to easier access to oxygen;
- the abundance of precipitation does not contribute to rotting, but compacts the soil and helps the tubers gain mass;
- manual labor is made easier throughout the growing season.
In areas with light soil and arid hot climates, the method is irrelevant and ineffective. Among the negative aspects are the following:
- the soil dries quickly, so the area has to be watered regularly;
- on sandy and sandy loam soils, under the influence of the scorching sun and wind, fertility is quickly lost, the soil settles, and requires frequent fertilization;
- Natural erosion processes lead to exposure of roots and tubers.
Without sufficient moisture, the bushes will wither and dry out.
Necessary materials
To carry out work using the ridge method, gardeners prepare:
- hand or power tools;
- planting material (potato tubers of a selected variety);
- phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.
Conditions
In addition to optimal climatic conditions, other factors are also important:
- permissible soil temperature - not lower than +10°C (tubers are buried to a depth equal to half the bayonet of a shovel);
- the planting date depends on the completion of the preparatory stage and the condition of the land;
- The soil is first dug up to the depth of the arable layer.
Landing technology
The Dutch method of planting potatoes is more suitable for industrial purposes, growing on large plots of land. But a number of elements are also used in limited areas.
Preparing the site
To grow potatoes this way, you need a large area of land in a well-lit, open area.
Do not plant the crop in the place where it was grown in the previous season. Return the potatoes to their original area after 3 or 4 years. They adhere to the rules of crop rotation: do not plant after Solanaceae (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants).
Suitable predecessors:
Tuber preparation
Select specimens up to 5 cm with sprouts about 0.5 cm long. Each potato must have at least 5 eyes - in this case, the yield increases by 20%. If the tubers have long shoots, they are broken off during planting, which reduces the risk of a drop in productivity by 25%.
Greened specimens with small sprouts are considered good planting material.
Potatoes are pre-processed:
- before germination or planting, use the growth stimulator “Poteitin” at the rate of 1 ampoule per 1 liter of water;
- for diseases, tubers are soaked for 1 hour in a solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per 1 liter of water);
- Insectofungicides are used against pests, but since the poisons take a long time to remove, they are recommended for late and mid-season varieties.
Soil preparation
In the fall, the soil is plowed to a depth of 22 to 25 cm, in the spring it is cultivated with a milling cutter to a depth of 12 cm. This way the area will be smooth and loosened.
Attention! Using a cutter in the spring ensures that potatoes ripen 7–10 days ahead of schedule.
It is recommended to apply a complex of fertilizers during autumn plowing: mineral + organic. In the absence of organic matter, only the first option is used.
In spring, fertilizers are applied during planting.
When to plant
Tubers are planted in well-warmed mature soil. To check the readiness of the soil, a ball of earth is thrown from waist height. If it crumbles when it hits the ground, work begins.
How to plant potatoes in ridges
The area allocated for cultivation is plowed up. Planting takes place on the same day. The ridges are formed in a north-south direction to provide the plants with the maximum and uniform amount of light.
How to plant crops correctly? Basic methods:
- Prepare the furrows. Place the tubers in them 4 cm deep and cover them with soil taken between the rows.
- Mark the ridges with twine stretched over pre-installed pegs, lay out the potatoes along it and cover it with soil to form a ridge.
- Use a hoe to make ridges, on top of which lay the tubers 6–8 cm deep.
Planting scheme
The distance between potatoes is 20–30 cm, between rows - 65–80 cm. The height of the ridge is from 8 to 10 cm. It should be up to 30–35 cm wide.
Important! Triangular formation of the ridge is unacceptable. In this case, the sprouts will not go up, but to the sides, and the yield will decrease.
14 days after planting, before emergence, the row spacing is loosened and a trapezoidal ridge 23–25 cm high is formed. The width at the bottom is 75 cm, at the top is about 17.
Differences between the classic ridge method and Dutch planting
Planting potatoes using the Dutch method is similar to the classic ridge method, but has several differences:
- row spacing is at least 75 cm;
- when planting cut or small tubers, high ridges are not formed - 8–10 cm is enough (the height will increase during hilling);
- only sprouted tubers are planted;
- the soil is not plowed during preparation, only loosened with a cultivator (formation coverage is 12–14 cm);
- Fertilizers are not applied to potatoes.
Further care
This method of growing potatoes greatly facilitates the care of plants throughout the entire period of their growth and development. The row spacing is weeded once, 2 weeks after planting (when the first shoots appear).
Top dressing
During the period of growth and maturation, plants are fed with mineral or organic fertilizers:
- when the seedlings reach 7–10 cm in height, use a solution of mullein (1:10) or chicken manure (1:20);
- saltpeter (2 g each) is added under the bushes;
- during the period of bud formation, use the following mixture: 200 g of mullein, 40 g of superphosphate, 10 l of water (consumption - 0.5 l of solution per bush);
- After flowering, foliar feeding is carried out: 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate per bucket of water, leave for 48 hours (consumption - 1 liter per hundred square meters).
Watering mode
Three times a day required watering plants:
- before flowering;
- 14 days after flowering;
- 20 days after the second watering.
If the weather is dry, plantings are moistened more often.
Protection from diseases and pests
When tubers are properly processed at the stage of preparing them for planting, chemicals are used less frequently. For preventive purposes, use a solution of potassium permanganate: 2 g per bucket of water (seedlings should reach 7–10 cm in height).
Attention! To remove weeds, some farmers use herbicides. Spraying is carried out when the shoots are still young.
To get rid of pests plants are treated with pesticides.
Possible problems
The main difficulty lies in the laboriousness of the preparatory process and the correct determination of the soil structure. Before planting using the classic ridge or Dutch method, the soil begins to be prepared in the fall.
When and how to harvest
Potatoes for sale or for personal use are harvested in late August - early September, for planting in the next season - in late July - early August.
14 days before harvesting, the tops are mowed to shorten the harvesting period by 7–10 days and prevent plant damage from late blight.
Tubers are dug up manually or using special equipment. In the first case, there is less labor involved: after the machinery passes, the potatoes lie on the surface and are simply collected.
Advice from experienced gardeners
It is not recommended to leave tops on the site after mowing them, as they will increase the risk of pests.
It is better to grow elite potato varieties that are disease-resistant and immune to pests. Their taste and quality are higher.
The color of the leaves helps you understand when to feed and with what. If they are pale, nitrogen fertilizers are applied before the plants bloom, followed by a non-concentrated solution of phosphorus compounds along with watering.
Conclusion
The ridge method of planting a crop has more advantages than disadvantages: early ripening, increased yield, easier manual labor. The method is suitable for regions with heavy soils and high humidity. To get a rich harvest, it is important to follow all the rules of cultivation, and most importantly, determine the type of soil in advance.
Tubers are dug up manually or using special equipment. In the first case, there is less labor involved: after the machinery passes, the potatoes lie on the surface and are simply collected.
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