In order to get a good harvest of potatoes in the fall, you need to take care of it during intensive growth in the summer. The summer period is the period of work with the soil, for example, loosening, hilling, prevention of diseases and much more.
Weeding and loosening
Elimination of weeds and loosening of the earth are the primary summer tasks of the gardener. Therefore, it is important to remember a few simple rules:
weed weeds on the potato field often need, t. to. They deprive potatoes of a large amount of water and microelements, it is recommended to weed in a period when weeds have not yet entered into force and have a weak root system;
The loosening of potato rowers is a mandatory stage in the struggle for a good harvest, so more air penetrates the bushes, which affects the quality of the crop.
Helpers of potato bushes
Experienced agronomists recommend cumming up a couple of times a season of growth. This technique allows you to nourish the fruits with oxygen, and reduce the possibility of damage to the bushes with potato miles. Enchanting should be done on wet land, either after rain, or after watering.
The land for hilling is taken in a row and fall asleep, potatoes so that a few centimeters of leaves can be seen at the top. Repeat the hilling procedure 2 weeks after the last.
Fertilizer of potatoes
Fertilizing potatoes costs about three times a season:
When the tops are actively growing, a solution of urea and humus is suitable for this, pour it under the bushes into the volume of one glass;
The next top dressing occurs during the appearance of buds, for this they take water, ash and potassium sulfate and also spill each bush of potatoes;
The last time they fertilized at the flowering stage, different sulfates diluted in water are suitable for this.
Rules for watering potatoes
Most mistakenly think that potatoes do not need to be specifically watered, but in fact the potatoes love humidity, but in reasonable quantities.
The bushes are recommended to specifically water 2-3 times a week, especially this is important during the period of summer heat. During the period of active flowering and growth, the plant loses a lot of vagi, so to form tubers it needs water 3-4 liters. for each bush.
Many experienced gardeners believe that by watering potatoes in June-July, you can determine the number of tubers, and the second half of July and August determines the mass of these tubers.
When the potatoes bloom – watering the plant no longer needs. Due to excess water, a late blight may appear.
Potter pests
Pests reduce productivity or completely lead to the death of the whole bush, so it is worth fighting with them.
What types of pests of potato bushes exist?
Colorado beetle-bugs of yellow-brown shade do a lot of harm during the formation of tubers, t. e. In the summer period of growth, among the destruction measures, the collection of beetles from bushes, spraying potatoes with infusion of celandine, basil and other herbs, joint planting of bushes with coriander or bean plants are used. There are specially designed drugs, such as spark, commander, phytoverm, boovery and others.
The wireworm is the larvae of the Scholkuni beetles that feed on parts of potato bushes, to protect fertilizers based on nitrogen, coating of the earth with limestone, the frequent process of loosening of the earth or the use of special drugs, for example, “taboo” .
Cicathes are beetles that feed on the deciduous juice of potatoes, they are dangerous because they carry a lot of potato diseases, and insecticides will help to destroy them.
The potato flea – such a pest is easy to recognize by holes in potato leaves, in the fight against them a solution of phospamide helps well, which must be used every 10 days until the beetles are completely destroyed.
Nematodes of potatoes are very small round worms, which can not be seen with the naked eye, but on the tuber potato tuber they are perfectly visible as black progninins, and on the plant they are manifested by yellowing of the lower leaves, special therapeutic agents are used to destroy them.
This is only a small part of different insects and beetles that harm the harvest of potatoes, so you should carefully observe the growth of the bushes and at the first signs of a particular pest to destroy them.
Thus, in the care of potatoes, the main thing is to carry out all the necessary procedures in time – watering, spinning, destroying pests and then a good harvest will delight the gardener.