Potato
Of all the vegetables, potatoes are the most common in our climate. Often, its cultivation is reduced to the use of the same areas, as well as seed obtained from the previous generation. Such agricultural technology is quite simple, however, it has one significant drawback: after 5-6 years of its use, the quality of potatoes deteriorates significantly. Yields decrease, an unpleasant aftertaste appears, tubers shrink. This is due to a number of reasons associated with both the depletion of the soil and the degradation of the potato itself during vegetative propagation from generation to generation. The way out of this situation can be the cultivation of potatoes from seeds, since during seed reproduction, the potato gene pool is updated due to cross-pollination.
Description
Nevsky potato bush
They can be both very small in size and be “immature”, that is, there will be enough nutrients in them to germinate sprouts and form a new plant, however, they are not enough to serve; or in the tuber there are a lot of substances harmful to humans, for example, solanine, and so on.
Potato grown from seed
However, since a large number of extremely small tubers usually form in the first year, they are used as seed for the next year. Such tubers have an excellent set of genes, they are not threatened with degeneration, at least 2-3 generations.
Dried potato seeds
Growing potatoes from seeds is a rather laborious process, however, the result is worth it, because no one can guarantee that the seed material purchased for planting in the form of tubers is not already “degenerate” and will give a stable harvest next year. The use of seeds, although it will extend the growing period by one year, will allow you to harvest with a guarantee for another 3-4, or even 5 years, without fear for their quality.
Read also: Cooking simple, delicious potato dishes: 18 recipes with photos and descriptions
Think again...
Like any phenomenon in our world, growing potatoes from seeds has its pros and cons.. Therefore, before deciding to take this step, you should once again carefully weigh all the pros and cons related to the seed cultivation of your favorite root crop.
- All seeds sold are specially treated to preserve their properties for a long time. Therefore, the purchased material has almost 100% protection against various diseases. These include not only viruses and bacteria, but also fungal infections.
- Almost all plants grown from seeds are much easier to adapt to specific environmental conditions, soil type and growing conditions. This may seem strange, however, with tuber cultivation, such a picture is not always observed.
- A question of finance. Potato seeds are many times, and sometimes an order of magnitude cheaper than its tubers or seedlings.This is easily explained, since the seeds do not contain any costs for growing and storing seedlings and tubers.
- Seed germination persists for 5-6 seasons, so they can be planted virtually anytime. Tubers, of course, do not have such an advantage. Having bought them, it will not work to wait: they must be planted or thrown away; as a rule, seed material is not suitable for food.
- it takes a relatively long time; in addition, errors in this process are fraught with consequences that will be impossible to correct and everything will have to be started anew;
- in fact, a two-year-old crop is being grown, that is, one can forget about the potato harvest for one year.
On the other hand, both shortcomings can be said to be artificial, since, despite the length of the process, it is quite simple, only accuracy in performing the necessary procedures is required. As for the break in the cultivation of potatoes, no one bothers to make parallel cultivation from tubers and from seeds in different areas.
Potato berry with seeds
Self-cultivation of seeds is not recommended, since it really requires the use of very complex and time-consuming methods. In addition, the process of preparing and culling such seeds takes a lot of time. And it is generally not possible to make high-quality antifungal or antiviral treatment at home.
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Soil preparation
A similar method of cultivation is applicable to regions with a warm climate; but it should be remembered that potatoes require a lot of sunlight, increased stem growth begins in the shade, and the tubers are too small.
Potato predecessors are best to choose legumes. In extreme cases, you can use beets or corn. Hand in no case can other nightshade crops be used as a precursor: tomatoes, potato, peppers.
In autumn (usually in September-August), it is necessary to dig up the site to a depth of 15-20 cm and completely clear it of weeds
Neutral soils are best suited for potatoes, therefore, acidic soils must be limed already at this time. For moderately acidic, charcoal ash is suitable, for highly acidic ones, lime (3 cups of ash or 2 cups of lime per 1 sq. M, respectively).
After the acidity is normalized, siderates are planted on the site, which are then, after 1.5-2 months, dug up together with the soil for the winter. Crops such as legumes (gross, rapeseed), cereals (rye, oats) or mustard can act as green manure.
If there is no desire to mess with green manure, you can apply mineral fertilizers to the site. As such, compost or rotted manure will act, the volume of application is from 5 to 10 kg per 1 sq. m. If this is not possible, then it is necessary to apply complex fertilizer in the spring, such as nitroammophoska, based on a consumption of 35-45 g per 1 sq. m. m.
In the spring, the surface of the soil is once again dug up, freed from the surface crust, watered and loosened.
Preparing seeds for planting
Seeds require a special procedure designed to stimulate growth - the so-called stratification. Potato stratification is done at high temperatures and does not last long. To do this, the seeds are placed in a warm, humid place with a temperature of about + 42-45 ° C for a period of 10 to 20 minutes. Then the seeds are dried at room temperature.
Drying is considered complete when the seeds begin to crumble without sticking together. Next, you need to either sow the seeds directly into the soil, or put them on germination. Usually, germination does not take much time, however, it helps to cull low-quality seeds already at an early stage, which is why many gardeners recommend germinating potato seeds.
Germination of potato seeds
To do this, apply the position of the seeds between two wet rags or napkins. At the same time, the seeds are poured evenly, filled with water and placed in a warm place, for example, not a battery or a window sill. Napkins need to be moistened and aired 2-3 times a day. In this case, slightly warm boiled water is used.
Planting seeds in open ground
Planting is carried out in mid-May, when at a depth of 10 cm the soil temperature will be around + 15 ° C.
The area allotted for potatoes is carefully loosened again, and holes are made on it 3-5 cm deep, arranged in rows
The distance between the holes and rows should be about 30-45 cm. 3-5 seeds are placed in each hole, which are covered with earth, mulched and watered. Mowed grass can be used as mulch.
After about a week, potatoes pecking out of the ground is observed.. As soon as the seedlings have 2 true leaves, thinning is performed. At the same time, the distance between the seedlings should be 25-30 cm, and the extra seedlings perfectly tolerate transplanting to another place, for example, where the seeds did not sprout at all, or to any other end of the garden.
Around the end of June, the seedlings will already grow to a state of medium-sized bushes. Caring for the bushes is no longer so difficult, it completely repeats the care of potatoes planted in the usual tuber way.
Relatively good yield of potatoes grown from seeds
Seed potatoes are harvested, depending on the variety, from late September to mid-October. Usually, such a harvest is small: the weight of tubers rarely exceeds 30-40 g. After harvesting, next year's seed is sent to the basement for storage.
Read also: Growing seedlings at home: tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, cabbage, strawberries and even petunias. All the subtleties of this issue
Growing with seedlings
Soil preparation
The main requirements for seedling soil are:
- fertility
- looseness
- moisture and breathability
You can use a ready-made mixture for seedlings, however, potatoes with this cultivation are a very specific vegetable, therefore it is better to use the soil of the following composition:
- leaf ground - 2 parts
- sod land - 5 parts
- peat - 1 part
Flowering potatoes planted in open ground
The soil mixture must be thoroughly mixed and disinfected, best of all - thermally, allowing it to restore the microflora within a month.
After that, the following preparations must be added to this soil based on 10 kg of mass:
- nitroammophos - 15 g
- trichodermin - 10 g
- phytosporin - 10 g
These preparations will help the potato root system to better resist fungal diseases. Then the mixture is stirred again.
Seed preparation
Before planting seedlings (most often this is the beginning or middle of April), the seeds must be kept in the refrigerator for a day, and then the stratification procedure described earlier should be carried out. At the end of the procedure, the seeds are additionally treated with an epin solution to improve germination, after which they are also germinated in a known way.
Potato seedlings when planting in individual pots
Unlike landing in open ground, when growing seedlings seed germination is a must.
planting seedlings
After 3-5 days of germination, the seeds are transplanted into a seedling box. To do this, furrows 1-2 cm deep are carried out in it at a distance of 8-12 cm from each other. Seeds are placed in furrows at a distance of 4-5 cm.
Beautiful, homemade wooden seedling boxes
After that, they are not covered with soil, but only sprinkled with a little or mulched with sand. Watering seeds mulched in this way is done using a spray gun. It is also recommended to continue watering with a spray bottle so as not to wash the seeds from their meta-sowing.
If planting is carried out in separate containers, for example, peat pots, they must be placed in boxes in order to make it easier to care for seedlings.
seedling care
A container with seedlings is placed in a greenhouse or installed in a warm place, covered with glass or film (that is, a mini-greenhouse is created). Then everything is more or less standard: maintaining the temperature in the greenhouse + 18-22 ° C, daily airing and loosening the soil between planting rows.
Seed spitting is observed after about a week. While the seedlings are growing, for its uniform illumination, it is necessary to regularly turn the box at different angles to the Sun.
When plants have two true leaves, they are picked. At the same time, seedlings of individual planting (which are in pots) are not subjected to picking.
Around the same time, the first seedlings are fed with a solution of ammonium nitrate (concentration 1 g per 1 liter of water). At the same time, after fertilizing, it is necessary to wash off the fertilizer residues from the seedlings with plain water to avoid burns.
Mature seedlings ready for planting in the ground
The next top dressing will already be done in about a month and carried out with the help of complex mineral fertilizers created specifically for seedlings of any similar crop (for example, tomato). As such top dressing, you can choose Agricol, Baikal and so on.
Planting seedlings in the ground and care
About 1-2 weeks before planting in open ground, seedlings must be hardened off by placing them in the open air (or simply in colder conditions if the weather does not allow) each subsequent day 20-30 minutes longer than the previous one.
Usually, landing is made at the end of May.; the age of the seedlings is about 45 days. Seedlings are planted in the ground or, if weather conditions do not allow, in an impromptu greenhouse installed right on the garden. Disembarkation is carried out as follows: with a step of 25 by 25 cm, holes are made with a depth of about 8-12 cm, where the seedlings are transplanted. At the same time, if we really want to get potato fruits suitable for food already in the first year (for example, for testing), then it is recommended to increase the distance between the holes to 50-60 cm.
The pride of a young housewife - potatoes grown in a pot
1-2 cups of humus are usually added to the wells, after which a potato bush is transferred there, preferably with a clod of earth. Planted seedlings are watered and mulched with grass.
The first month after planting, watering is done every 2-3 days with a small amount of water., in the future, they move on to the irrigation and fertilizer scheme, depending on the potato variety. Harvesting is similar to that discussed earlier.
Read also: Making a greenhouse with your own hands from a profile pipe and polycarbonate: a complete description of the process, drawings with dimensions, watering and heating (Photo & Video) Popular varieties grown from seeds
Virtually all existing varieties of potatoes can be grown using the seed method.. However, most varieties in the first year give very modest yields, which are subsequently used as seed in tuber cultivation.
Involvement of the younger generation in the process
However, from the whole variety of varieties of potatoes, you can choose several dozen varieties that are capable of producing quite acceptable yields in the first year of cultivation. Consider these varieties:
Ilona
- The variety is considered early, universal. Ilona has oblong root crops, about 6-10 cm in size, the mass of tubers can reach 120 g; the number of eyes on the tubers is small. The pulp of the fruit has good taste, it is crumbly, having pronounced starch properties.
- Given that the fruits of this variety almost always have almost the same proportions, the variety can be used both for personal use and for sale. The harvest of root crops from one bush in the first year of seed sowing can be up to 700 g.
Velina
- A distinctive feature of this variety is its early ripening. In fact, this is the earliest ripening variety in our climate. The plant has a tall bush with lots of foliage. The tubers are predominantly elongated, slightly flattened. Their size can reach up to 12 cm per dyne, and weight up to 150 g. The peel of root crops has some “roughness”.
- The palatability is good, the pulp is of medium degree of friability. Starch is weak. The plant adapts well to almost any environmental conditions, it is not particularly demanding on soils. An additional advantage of Velina is its high resistance to fungal diseases.
- In the first year, Velina gives a few large root crops, its yield is about 500 g per bush. However, unlike many other varieties, Velina's fruits have several eyes and have excellent germination.
Ausonia
- An early variety with medium-sized tubers (about 8-10 cm) and smooth skin. It has excellent taste and low starch content. A versatile variety with an early ripening period. Productivity is high: in the first year it can produce up to 600 g of fruits of medium and small size, most of which have good germination.
- I mainly use Ausonia for commercial cultivation for early sale. It tolerates frost well and is practically not vulnerable to root parasites. It prefers slightly acidic soils, but in general, it is not demanding in care: for the entire time of cultivation, several loosening of the soil and one hilling are used; watering is moderate.
Assol
- A variety with good yields year after year. A very resistant variety, because after successful seed cultivation, 5-6 generations of potato grown with tubers can be replaced, but its quality will remain at the proper level.
- It has elongated oval-shaped potatoes, light shade. The size of root crops can reach up to 16 cm. The tubers have a dense texture, the pulp is crumbly, moderately starchy. The taste qualities are excellent.
- The plant is able to tolerate quite severe cold snaps. In the first year of cultivation, the yield is about 800 g per bush. The size of the tubers is small, but they all give offspring, so the gain in the seed method of growing for this variety is huge: the next year one bush can produce almost fifty seeds.
- Good resistance to late blight and other diseases. It does not tolerate drought well, watering should be regular. Mid-season variety.
empress
- The bushes of this potato variety are relatively small in size, however, the mass of tubers can reach 150 g. The tubers are elongated oval in shape, with a smooth skin and a small number of eyes. The pulp of the potato is well boiled soft and has a moderate starch content.
- During the first year, with seed cultivation, about 600 g of tubers can be removed from the bush, which can already be eaten. The variety is resistant to drought and fungal diseases.
- One of the few varieties capable of re-harvesting, in the middle or end of September, in addition to the early harvest, taken in early July. The implementation of this possibility is carried out with proper digging and timely hilling of the plant in June and August, respectively.
- Getting a re-harvest in the first year with seed cultivation is quite problematic, however, with the right approach to loosening the soil, hilling and applying organic fertilizers, it is quite realistic.
Milena
- An unpretentious variety with a good yield. In the first year, it can produce up to 650 g of tubers from one bush. The peel of the tubers has a yellow-white hue, the flesh itself is white. The variety is very early and disease resistant.
- Fruit ripening with proper agricultural technology is about 70 days. The starch of the fruits is average, the tubers have a mass of about 100 g, their size is about 6-10 cm. Up to 15 tubers can be located on a bush. Milena is ideal for frying and baking; it practically does not melt. Milena's taste is good.
- The soil of almost any composition and acidity is suitable for cultivation. It does not tolerate drought well - frequent and plentiful watering is recommended. During the season, the plant requires three hilling. Milena has an increased resistance to nematodes and viruses, however, it is often affected by blackleg and rot.
Lada F1
- One of the most successful potato hybrids. A characteristic feature is stable and high yields, regardless of the climatic zone. Already in the first year, this hybrid can produce up to 700 g from one bush. A distinctive feature of the hybrid is that its color can be the most diverse: from pure white and all its possible shades to red and purple.
- The tubers have an oval shape, however, not elongated, but approaching a round one, slightly flattened. Their size is average, however, there are some varieties with a fairly large diameter (up to 8-10 cm). The starch content in the tuber is high, the flesh has a yellowish tint, is crumbly. Considered an excellent tasting variety
- Grows on any soil, tolerates drought well. Cold snaps and wind are also not terrible for him. The variety is resistant to almost all diseases, but can be affected by rot. For seed cultivation, the variety requires mandatory stratification and soaking of seeds.
Triumph
- An early general variety. The size of the bush is compact, but there are relatively many leaves. Recommended for commercial cultivation. In the first year, with seed cultivation, it can produce up to 700 g from one bush.
- Tubers are medium in size, slightly elongated, oval. The color is usually pale yellow, but light yellow varieties are sometimes found. The size of tubers can reach up to 15 cm in length, and weight - up to 200 g. The plant has a large number of tubers per bush - up to 25 pieces.
- Starch is low, taste is high. The pulp boils medium, recommended for pastries and soups.
- It grows on any soil, but reaches maximum yields (up to 450 kg per hundred square meters) on light loam. Shows good resistance to scab, nematode and viruses; susceptible to rot, so infrequent and moderate watering is recommended.
Farmer
- It is considered one of the most productive varieties for commercial use. When grown from seeds in the first year, it gives up to 800g per bush. The yield during cultivation in subsequent years is obtained at the level of 200-500 kg per hundred square meters, depending on agricultural technology and applied top dressings.
- The size of the tubers is small, from 6 to 8 cm; weight 90-100 g. Tubers are quite homogeneous, their number on a bush rarely exceeds 15 pcs. The color of the peel varies from yellow to light yellow.
- It has excellent taste qualities. It boils moderately, so it is ideal for frying. Starch is low, which is why it is included in the menu for weight loss with the help of diets.
- The variety was bred specifically for growing in temperate continental climates. It is not demanding on soils, although it prefers slightly acidic loams.
- It can grow with minimal care, with occasional watering and one hilling, while giving yields of about 200 kg per hundred square meters. However, it responds very well to abundant watering and top dressing, increasing the yield by almost 2.5 times.
- From seeds it is grown without problems, while in the first crop most of the tubers will be quite edible.
Ballad
- Refers to mid-season. A high-yielding variety that tolerates winter storage well. Tubers are medium in size 8-10 cm, weighing about 100 g. In the first year of seed cultivation, about 600 g of the crop can be removed from the bush.
- The color of the pulp is pale yellow, the peel is white, with a slight yellowness. The taste is excellent, the starch content is medium, it is well boiled soft.
- It is unpretentious in cultivation, but regular watering is necessary. Mixed top dressings are necessary. The best organic fertilizer is compost. Good resistance to late blight and viruses.
SOWING FOR SEEDLINGS
Growing potatoes from seeds: is it necessary? Full description of the technological process suitable for this variety (Photo & Video) + Reviews
The annual degeneration of potatoes is a trend that every gardener faces over time. That is why I always bought "elite" seeds. However, over time, the sellers of the “elite” simply began to deceive me, which affected the crops. I had to grow planting material from seeds on my own. When I harvested my first crop from such planting material, I was shocked by what I saw. From each bush I got a bucket of selected calibrated potatoes. Now every three years I update the seed and recommend it to all gardeners. Respect to the author for a really useful article.