Planting potatoes under the straw garden without the hassle. Potatoes in the Urals under the straw! Alternative way: combination of natural and traditional agricultural practices

The method of growing potatoes under the "blanket" has its own characteristics, but the initial stages are no different from the usual cultivation.

dry germination

Before planting potatoes, it is necessary to carry out dry germination. Typically, sprouting planting material potatoes begins with the fact that the potatoes are taken out of the cellars. This must be done 30 - 40 days before planting. Potatoes are stacked in boxes thin layer and exhibited in a cool, but bright room. How more light, the stockier, thicker and denser buds grow on the tuber. Ideally, the shoots should be short with visible rudiments of the root system.

If a convenient place not for sprouting, some vegetable growers bring potatoes into the house and put the boxes on top of each other, cover polyethylene film and thus the potato sprouts. This method has one peculiarity. The top box gets more light than the bottom box, so to achieve uniform germination, the boxes are swapped from time to time.

Soil preparation

Since a small amount of land will be used for growing potatoes, the requirements for it are special.

Some publications say that the cultivation of potatoes under straw, hay, is carried out simply by spreading the tubers on the ground and covering them with straw. However, this way you can grow something, but not a good crop.

Takeaway nutrients, with potato tubers, very large. A tuber cannot grow from straw. There are no nutrients in the straw, it plays the role of mulch in this technology. Nutrients are needed to grow a rich crop, and their potatoes can only be drawn from soil rich in organic matter and mineral water. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare a place for landing.

The bed has been prepared since autumn. are scattered organic fertilizers, a bucket per m 2, ash, if necessary, liming is carried out. Next is autumn plowing, and cultivation in spring. You can also plow the land in the spring and immediately carry out cultivation. If the area is small, then dig with a shovel. Sometimes gardeners claim that for planting under straw there is no need to loosen and dig the soil, this is not true. In order for the potato to "take" nutrients, the soil must be loose and breathable.

Landing time

Choosing the cultivation of potatoes under the "fur coat", it is necessary to plant it in the timing of cherry blossoms. Return frosts absolutely not afraid of landings. According to many growers, early landings, slightly “lined” by frost, yield a larger yield than potatoes planted late.

Early planting must also be chosen because the potatoes must be placed on moist ground. If the soil is dry, then it must first be watered, only then all other manipulations should be carried out.

planting potatoes

If you decide to grow potatoes under straw or hay, the video will demonstrate one of the cultivation options. However, no matter how well the method is shown, you should consider all the nuances, adapting this method to your growing conditions and soil type.

After plowing or digging, make furrows. They can be made with a sapa, a special marker, or even a plow. The depth of the furrows should not exceed 5 - 6 cm. Having spread the potato tubers into the furrows, with a distance of 25 - 30 cm between them, the tubers must be sprinkled with a soil mixture. To do this, you can use the earth from the garden or bulk, fresh. This soil is subject to increased requirements, since it is he who will feed our crop. If the soil is poor, then the tuber will not be able to grow large. Potatoes will give a lot of "ovaries", but they will all be small.

Experienced vegetable growers prepare loose soil separately. To do this, they use fresh compost or humus. Add 2 tbsp to a bucket of such soil. spoons ammonium nitrate and superphosphate, mix thoroughly, and allow to stand for 2 - 3 weeks. Having laid the tubers into furrows, they are sprinkled on top with a soil-mineral mixture to a height of 5 - 7 cm. Since such a bed requires a lot of nutrient space, its width must be formed at least 40 cm, but the distance between the beds is at least 60 cm.

The method of growing potatoes under straw requires additional costs, namely the presence of straw or hay. After planting, all furrows are lined with straw. The height of the straw blanket should not be less than 20 cm. The covering material should be clean, without charms and mold fungi. In addition, the straw must be cut, that is, not straw, but straw chopping.
Straw covers not only the furrow with plantings, but also the aisle.

After the potato tops grow back, they re-shelter with straw. Straw is covered not only outside the bush, but also in the middle, carefully unfolding the bush in different sides. During the season, 2 - 3 straw shelters are carried out.

Caring for planting under a blanket

Such landings really do not require weeding and loosening. However, in dry years, the straw blanket is not able to water the tubers with moisture, and without watering the potatoes will not be able to grow a good crop. Therefore water necessary condition productivity.

If there is an opportunity to drip irrigation, then the task is even easier if it is watered with a hose, then this must be done regularly.

When the area of ​​\u200b\u200bpotatoes under the straw is small, then it is quite possible to irrigate with a watering can, however large plot pouring in this way is unrealistic.

Harvesting involves the initial breaking up of straw swaths, and then harvesting potatoes in baskets or buckets. The straw left after hilling can be used for next year only if it is clean and dry. If the summer was humid, and decomposition processes began in the straw, then it is necessary to compost it.

Growing potatoes under straw in boxes

Boxes are not only popular, but also efficient structures for growing potatoes.

If crops have already been grown in the box and the level of organic matter is high, then it is enough to simply shovel the ground and aerate the soil. In the recesses made by the glanders, the tubers are settled and covered with soil by 5 - 6 cm. Next, we settle the entire box with straw or hay.

It is very convenient to grow potatoes in boxes. Watering such a device, moisture is well retained, and a straw pillow does not allow it to evaporate excessively. High agrotechnical background allows you to get from the boxes big harvests quality potatoes.

The secrets of growing potatoes under straw come down to skillfully manipulating the pros and cons of this method.

There are many ways to grow potatoes on a plot. But, characteristically, traditional methods require significant efforts from summer residents: before landing, a plot in without fail it is necessary to dig up and feed, the planted potatoes need to be constantly watered, weeded, moreover, the Colorado potato beetle will not keep you waiting - it will soon begin to eat the foliage of plants. In a word, you have to constantly work, and it is not a fact that this will bring really good results.

But there is an easier way to greatly simplify the care process - you can grow potatoes in straw. It is this technology that will be discussed in today's article.

In what only do not grow potatoes modern craftsmen- in pots, in bags and piles, in the form of combs, etc. But it is straw and hay (in other words, mulch) that gain in last years growing popularity, because they have significant advantages over traditional way culture breeding.

Straw is an excellent material for growing potatoes

1. Straw is environmentally friendly natural material, which, subject to a certain proportion - 5: 1 - can replace manure.
2. Thanks to the use of straw, planting, caring for and harvesting potatoes is greatly simplified. This is explained by the fact that the tubers do not need to be cleaned from the ground, and it is much easier to collect them than with ordinary digging.
3. The straw will play the role of a mulch layer that will protect the crop from pests (in particular, from the Colorado potato beetle) and weeds.
4. Digging as such during cultivation is not required at all, as well as any other work with a shovel.
5. With the onset of autumn, you will receive not only a clean, but also a well-fertilized area (rotten straw will serve as top dressing).
6. Harvesting can be done with bare hands, special efforts it won't require.
7. It is not necessary to loosen and hill the site - instead, it is enough to add the right amount of straw.
8. Finally, from one planted bucket of potatoes in autumn, you can get from ten buckets of fruits.

As you can see, this growing technology is definitely worth learning, because it is simpler than other well-known methods.

Classic way

In this case, work begins immediately after the autumn harvest. It's about preparations.

Stage one. Preparing the soil for winter

Selected area for planting potatoes

In the classic method, the selected area does not need to be dug up and cleaned, even if it is a “virgin land” covered with wheatgrass and turf. Just turn the grass over with a shovel so that the roots end up on top, and it (the grass) itself is closer to the ground. Behind winter period the green mass will perepreet and fertilize the soil for the next planting.

Note! Since autumn, the selected area is recommended to be planted with green manure plants. They not only displace weeds, but also enrich the soil with phosphorus, nitrogen and useful trace elements.

The best predecessors of potatoes include:

• mustard;
• alfalfa;
• phacelia;
• oats;
• rye.

White mustard - green manure

You can choose two crops at once (for example, phacelia and oats) and sow them in August in the area where potatoes will be planted.

Phacelia - one of the best green manure

In the spring there will be no weeds, and the site itself will turn out to be well fertilized. It is imperative to remove weeds before sowing green manure plants, and you should not forget about digging the soil either.

Stage two. We prepare planting material

Use potatoes the size of egg. As for the landing dates, they depend on the specific region, although the average for the country is the second half of May. To harvest earlier, you can germinate seed tubers in April.

Step 1. Take wooden box with low walls.

Step 2 Arrange the potatoes in the box so that they are in contact with each other.

Step 3 Place them in a well lit room with natural ventilation. It is important that the temperature there is in the range of 10-15 ° C.

Step 4. After some time, when strong sprouts form on the tubers, the potatoes will be ready for transplanting into open soil.

Note! If desired, you can shift the collection time by planting part of the tubers without sprouting in another area.

Stage three. We prepare the straw

Very often fresh or dried grass is used instead of straw. The results of such experiments are not bad, but it is still better to give preference to hay / straw, since grass fertilizes the soil less and does not provide adequate protection.

It is not at all necessary to use fresh quality straw - it may well be old. Moreover, the used straw can also be used for next landing. To this end, after harvesting the potatoes, dry what is left of it (not rotten), and place it in a dry place until next year.

Stage four. Planting potatoes

The landing procedure should look something like this.

Table. planting potatoes

Steps, no.	Description	A photo
Step 1	Moisten not dug up first flat area earth.
Step 2	Spread the tubers in rows on the surface, following the same step as in traditional technology cultivation (about 30 centimeters). The distance between the rows should be 70 centimeters.
Step 3	Scatter around each potato according to Art. spoon wood ash- so the plants will not experience a lack of potassium.
Step 4	Cover the tubers with mulch (hay or straw) with a layer 25-30 centimeters thick. It is important that where the tubers are located, the layer is thicker than between them.

Actually, that's all. Weeds will not break through such a layer of straw, evaporation of moisture will be excluded, and the formation of fruits will begin in ideal conditions for potatoes.

Stage five. Further care

When the shoots grow to 15-20 centimeters, create a small straw mound around them. This simple action will replace the hilling procedure, because the tubers will form in the straw above the ground. Try not to expose the tubers to direct sunlight, otherwise they will simply turn green.

Also, do not forget about the soil moisture - it should be permanent and uniform. Only then will the tubers turn out beautiful and correct form. Continue adding straw as you develop.

Potatoes may crack if long time there will be no rain. If so, this is clear evidence of moisture deficiency. When watering, try not to get on the stems and foliage - direct the jet exclusively under the root. If everything is done correctly, then you will be able to taste young potatoes already 12 weeks after planting. This time is often enough for the tubers to develop to a decent size.

As for harvesting, the optimal time for this comes when the tops begin to fade.

The disadvantages of the method

Of course, there were some shortcomings here, so in fairness we will consider them as well.

1. If the area of ​​​​the potato plot is large, then it may be difficult to find enough straw.
2. Where the layer of mulch is thin, the potatoes may turn green.
3. Straw can harbor rodents that gnaw on tubers, while slugs can settle in hay.

Nevertheless, the advantages are so obvious that they more than cover all these disadvantages.

Alternative way: combination of natural and traditional agricultural practices

Here it is also desirable to germinate the potatoes so that the harvest can begin earlier. The site selected for planting does not need to be dug up first.

Step 1. Using a chopper, mark potato furrows on the area previously leveled with a rake.

Step 2 With a shovel or the same chopper, make holes six to seven centimeters deep with the same step as in the previous method.

Step 3 Lay out the potatoes. Cover the holes with a thin layer of soil.

Sprinkle holes with soil

Step 4 Cover the entire area with a 25- or 30-centimeter layer of straw. This concludes the landing procedure.

Note! Plant germinated tubers very carefully so as not to damage the sprouts. In addition, the sprouts after planting should be directed upwards.

As many summer residents note, under such conditions, potatoes are not susceptible to attacks by the Colorado potato beetle. There is either very little of the latter, or none at all. If there are few larvae and beetles, then you can collect it with your hands without resorting to the use of fungicides.

Using a minimum amount of straw

If there is really very little straw, then when digging holes, you can form a comb 20 cm wide and 10 cm high in parallel.

Potatoes in straw - photo

Thanks to this comb, the tubers:

• will not remain on the surface even after a heavy downpour;
• will not start to turn green with insufficient straw.

Moreover, mulch in this case will need much less.

Further, having sprinkled the holes, pour dry straw between the ridges. Tellingly, the layer of mulch can be minimal - it will already suppress weeds and retain moisture. Yes, the most powerful weeds will still be able to break through, but there will be few of them, so you can easily get rid of them. Subsequently, report the straw, gradually thickening the layer. In principle, there is nothing more to do here until the fall.

Cardboard and straw

Another interesting way to grow.

Prepare first:

• thick cardboard (it is advisable to use boxes from household appliances);
• straw;
• actually potatoes.

The essence of the method is as follows: the cardboard is laid on the selected piece of land with an overlap (no gaps that can break through weed, should not remain). Using a knife, X-shaped cuts are made on cardboard, the distance between which should be 25-30 centimeters in all directions. The tubers are placed in cuts, after which the entire area is still covered with a layer of straw.

Harvest Features

Collecting potatoes grown according to one of the methods described above is a pleasure. Even dense clay soil, which has been under the mulch for a whole season, acquires friability and suppleness.

First, carefully remove the straw with a rake, then proceed directly to collecting potatoes in buckets / bags. Many tubers will be half-buried, but you can easily get them with your hands, which means you can do without a shovel or pitchfork. As practice shows, each bush brings from 12 to 17 potatoes, the weight of which varies between 50-300 grams. The fruits themselves are tasty, smooth and, most importantly, environmentally friendly, so you can sell them profitably, because city dwellers especially appreciate large and unsprayed potatoes.

As a result, we note that the tubers remaining in the soil can not be dug up, but covered back with mulch - this way they will remain until next spring. However, dig them up in the spring so they don't rot.

Potatoes under the straw - the best result

Video - Potatoes in straw

Every summer resident dreams of getting the maximum yield of potatoes with the minimum of costs. We are accustomed to spending a lot of time on a potato plantation, weeding, hilling and watering plantings. But once upon a time, a very simple and effective method- Use of straw.

Growing potatoes under straw

Potatoes under straw were successfully grown many years ago

150 years ago, peasants did not have the opportunity to spend time caring for potato plantings. Traditionally, this crop was grown as follows: tubers were evenly laid out on the plowed land, and they were covered with a layer of straw 20–50 cm thick on top. Other plant remains were also used, but it was straw that proved to be the most suitable material.

Now growing potatoes under straw is returning and becoming popular due to the simplicity, accessibility and effectiveness of the method. This method does not require subsequent weeding and hilling. You can leave the summer months for other things, and in the end you will get a decent harvest.

Sheltering potatoes with straw has many advantages over traditional cultivation in the ground:

1. Straw perfectly protects the soil and everything in it from drying out. It retains moisture and keeps your potatoes cool even on the hottest days.
2. When decomposed, straw releases carbon dioxide. As you know, it is very useful for potatoes, and can act as a fertilizer.
3. Straw, especially decomposing straw, is a favorite habitat for worms and microorganisms that favorably affect the soil. This, in turn, will have a beneficial effect on the growth and development of tubers.
4. Insects that live in straw natural enemies Colorado beetles. You no longer have to spray potatoes with chemicals, there will be much fewer bugs.
5. Weeds will also cease to be a headache: it is difficult for their sprouts to break through to the sun through thick layer straw.

Note! This method also has a long-term advantage. Regular use of straw on the site will help you increase the fertility of the soil, which means increasing the yield of potatoes in a few years.

Growing potatoes under straw is applicable to any region. For example, in middle lane, where summer comes early and hot days occur in May-June. It is at this time that the potato begins to germinate and gain strength. At this stage, he needs coolness and moisture, and a straw cover will provide them to the fullest.

AT southern regions with warm winters it is possible to start growing potatoes under straw much earlier than usual, and to harvest as early as the beginning of summer.

It is noteworthy that any variety of potato is suitable for this method of cultivation. The choice depends on whether you are in a hurry to get a harvest.

However, there are some shortcomings of the method. If you decide to sow large area, then required amount straw is hard to come by. In places where the mulch layer is thin, potato tubers may turn green. In addition, mice sometimes start in the straw, which will harm the crop.

Step by step description of the process

1. Before planting, mark the area and loosen the soil. To do this, use a chopper or flat cutter. The loosening depth should be about 5 cm. Do not forget that the soil must be moist. If necessary, water the soil after planting the tubers.

   Loosen the soil to prepare it for planting potatoes

2. Lay the potatoes on the prepared bed in 1 row. If you sow in 2 rows, lay out the tubers in a checkerboard pattern.

   Spread the potato tubers on the prepared soil

3. To improve growth, you can sprinkle the tubers with earth mixed with fertilizer, humus or peat. There should be very little soil.

   Sprinkle potato tubers with soil mixed with fertilizer

4. Cover the potatoes with a layer of straw 25 cm thick. This is almost the end of the work. Only over time you will need to add mulch if it settles.

   Cover potatoes with straw

Alternative landing methods

Many complain about the bad experience of growing potatoes under straw. Therefore, experts and enthusiastic gardeners have added to classical way a few of my secrets.

Combination of traditional and natural farming practices

A comb of soil on the sides of the hole will protect the tubers from being washed out

This method is suitable for those who do not have enough straw mulch to fully cover the tubers.

1. To get early potatoes, germinate them about 3 weeks before planting. To do this, sprinkle seed tubers with moistened sawdust, peat or soil and place in sunny place. After 3 weeks, the tubers will form full-fledged sprouts and bunches of roots.
2. The composition of the soil for planting does not matter, as you will not work it too deeply. It is only necessary to make shallow holes with a shovel or chopper.
3. Put potato tubers in the holes and lightly sprinkle them with earth. Form a ridge of soil about 20 cm wide and 10 cm high. This will prevent the tubers from turning green and being washed out of the soil during heavy rains.
4. Lay a small layer of dry straw on the sides of the comb. This will be enough to retain moisture and prevent most of the weeds from breaking through to the sun. The straw should lie in a uniform carpet.

Another note: the soil should be well warmed up.

Method of Valeria Zashchitina

Alternate potato beds with other vegetables

This young woman has long been known to Internet users thanks to detailed descriptions growing fruit and vegetable crops on their own summer cottage.

• The width of each bed, when grown according to the Zashchitina method, should be 50 cm, row spacing - 70-80 cm. mixed landings: Valeria combines potato beds with plantings of other vegetable crops.
• It is advisable to germinate seed tubers in advance, for example, from January, if you plan to plant potatoes in late April or early May. When the soil in the beds warms up, spread the tubers directly on it. Lay a layer of straw on top.
• At the end of June-beginning of July, do a fan-shaped unwinding. Spread the bush with “rays” on the ground without breaking the branches, and sprinkle straw or other dry grass on top so that only the tops of the stems remain sticking out. They will rise the next day.
• You can harvest when the peel on the tubers begins to coarsen.

Growing method with simultaneous harvesting of straw

By alternating growing potatoes and cereals for straw, you will improve the quality of the soil

If you get the straw in the right amount it is difficult for you, you can prepare it yourself at your site:

1. Choose the area where you plan to plant potatoes, divide it conditionally in half. When the snow melts and the soil warms up, sow one half with oats, vetch, or other cereals. In the second half, plant potatoes in the traditional way. The area does not need to be plowed.
2. Leave the crops that have grown in the first half of the plot for the winter without removing them. Next spring, this place will have an even layer of fallen straw, which we need for further work.
3. Without plowing or digging up the soil, plant potatoes directly in this straw. To do this, make small indentations, put the tubers in them and sprinkle with earth by 5 cm.
4. In the second half, where last year there were potatoes, sow cereals. By next year, you will have straw ready again.

Constantly alternating cultivation different cultures on two halves of the plot, you will improve the quality of the soil, increase the yield, and every year you will save more and more time spent on planting potatoes.

Garden care

Some time after landing, you will see strong, healthy seedlings potatoes. At this stage, you need to lay another layer of straw 15–20 cm high. This is necessary to increase the amount of settled mulch.

If you want to use the method of V. Zashchitina, carry out fan mulching about once a week. When the first sprouts emerge from under the straw, carefully spread them apart and lay the remains of the plants in the middle of the bush without damaging the stems. After a week, the leaves will come to the surface again, and you will need to add straw and mulch again.

Add straw or mulch as the haulm grows.

This method significantly elongates underground shoots on which tubers are tied.

If the summer is too hot, water plantings with potatoes from time to time. In other cases, this is not necessary - the straw perfectly retains moisture due to the formation of condensate.

So that the straw does not scatter when strong wind, you can cover it with several boards, branches, lay bricks or lightly sprinkle with earth.

Harvesting

This task is very simple compared to the traditional way of growing potatoes. You will save a lot of time, energy and health - about back pain after long work in the garden you can forget. When the tops dry, simply remove the straw from the bed with a rake and collect the potatoes in buckets and bags.

Pay attention to what size potatoes can be grown under straw

A special charm is that the tubers are even and smooth, and most importantly - dry, without adhering clods of earth, freeing you from extra hassle harvest cleaning. You don't have to wait for potatoes to dry in the sun to hide them in the basement.

Video about growing potatoes under straw - "Garden without the hassle"

Planting potatoes under hay or straw is a long-forgotten growing technology that is being revived today. There are many conflicting reviews about this method, but most of them are positive. Vegetable growers who have been without special trouble get good harvests, generously share their experience.

The method fits well with the concept natural farming”and corresponds to one of his principles - do not dig the soil. When planting under hay and straw, you do not need to: dig, fertilize, weed, water. And the hilling process is fundamentally different from the traditional one.

Harvest potatoes grown under straw

The essence of the method is that the potatoes are laid out on the surface of the earth, and covered with straw or hay on top. Many have already been convinced of the benefits of mulch, and here it can be seen in full. With a layer of 15–20 cm, weeds do not break through the mulch, moisture is retained in the soil, temperature fluctuations are minimized, the lower layer is recycled earthworms, potatoes receive valuable nutrition - humus. Moreover, when planting, even on virgin soil, turf and dense earth turn, according to gardeners, into fluff.

Video: potatoes grown on virgin soil

There is different ways plantings under straw, they are improved and supplemented useful nuances. If you are afraid of disastrous results, then arrange an experimental bed under straw, plant the rest of the potatoes in the traditional way: in the ground, with hilling, watering and top dressing. In the fall, compare the results and labor costs, draw conclusions for yourself.

How to plant potatoes under straw

First of all, you need to find a lot of straw or hay. Experienced farmers offer several options:

Dry grass (hay) can be borrowed from nature

Landing dates and site selection

In the middle lane, they start planting potatoes in mid-May. There is an opinion that it can be planted for hay 1-2 weeks earlier, but in early May the ground is still cold. It turns out that the potatoes are laid out on cold soil and covered with a thick layer of straw. The tubers are, as it were, in the refrigerator and germinate for a long time. Therefore, it is better to plant at the usual time. The sprouts will break through for a long time anyway, their path through the dry stems will be tortuous, but then they will overtake the potatoes that are planted in the ground.

Choose a place the same as for a regular potato field - well lit and warmed by the sun. If planted under a fence or among trees, and then compared with a crop harvested in a sunny area, then, of course, the experiment will be a failure.

Video: how not to plant potatoes - detailed instructions

Planting material preparation and step-by-step process

In a week in a dark and humid environment, the sprouts will turn white and grow roots.

For the first planting under straw, the worst tubers are often taken, which are a pity to throw away. In most cases in autumn, surprised good harvest, vegetable growers regret that they did not plant seeds of the best varieties using this technology.

Suitable for growing under straw:

In any case, the layer under the tubers should be moist. The harvest will be richer if you make a substrate of humus, peat, chicken coop bedding, half-rotted leaves, compost, add ash, deoxidize the soil dolomite flour. Follow the planting pattern the same as in traditional cultivation: between rows - 70–100 cm, in a row - 30–40 cm. If you plant only two rows, for example, in a garden, the row spacing can be reduced to 50 cm and the tubers can be staggered. Top with a layer of straw or hay. To begin with, its thickness can be small - 5–10 cm, so that seedlings appear faster, but the optimal layer that does not let weeds germinate is 20 cm.

Video: one of the options for planting under straw - humus on top of tubers

If you put the tubers down with sprouts, then a hilling effect will be created. Sprouts, bending around seed potatoes, will grow longer and give more yield.

Cultivation and care

Growing under straw also has its downsides. Care basically consists in their elimination. So, a large accumulation of hay attracts slugs, mice and rats.. To combat rodents, place ultrasonic repellers around the perimeter of the straw field. Against slugs, use the same means as in any area:

Do not plant potatoes next to cabbages that are very attractive to slugs.

Love for beer does not bring pests to good

Throughout cultivation, especially at the beginning of germination, keep an eye on the moisture in the bottom layer. In regions with wet summers, the straw should be gently shaken (beaten) so that it does not rot from high humidity and ventilated. In a hot climate, on the contrary, you will have to water, otherwise the earthworms will not want to make their way through the dry ground to the mulch and process it. The potatoes will dry out.

Breaking sprouts need to be helped, but only when you clearly see mounds in the straw - potatoes sticking out from under dry grass. If you rake the straw at random, the seedlings can be broken.

Video: first shoots under straw

The only time-consuming technique that needs to be performed when growing using this technology is hilling, that is, adding straw, hay or cut grass as the tops grow. The level of mulch can be brought up to 50 cm. Fan hilling significantly increases the yield. When the sprouts rise 10-15 cm above the straw, spread the stems apart and put mulch between them.

Video: correct fan hilling

You will also have to fight the wireworm, the Colorado potato beetle and diseases. According to gardeners, there are fewer Colorado potato beetles on straw than on regular field. Diseases also do not have time to accumulate, because potatoes are grown under one straw for no more than two years. Interestingly, in the second year the harvest is greater than in the first. Apparently, this is due to the fact that part of the mulch has already turned into humus, the soil structure has improved, and gardeners have taken into account the mistakes of the first year of cultivation.

Landing in a bucket under straw

The method is good only as an experiment or in the case when there is no plot of land, but you want to grow potatoes, for example, on a balcony. Another plus is very early young potatoes, because a bucket can be kept in a greenhouse or at home and taken outside only on warm days. However, the yield with this method is several times lower than when grown on the plot in the traditional way.

It is assumed: the higher the bucket, the more potatoes will grow

First, prepare the container. Drill drainage holes at the bottom of the bucket, pour a layer of expanded clay (3-4 cm) on the bottom. These measures will exclude stagnant water, otherwise the roots and potatoes will rot. On top of the drainage, arrange a fertile pillow - 5–7 cm of moist earth, humus or compost. Now put 1-2 sprouted tubers and cover with a layer of straw 5-10 cm. As the stems grow, lay straw until the bucket is filled to the brim with it. Periodically check the moisture under the mulch and water if necessary. With this method, it is not clear how the straw will be processed into food available for potatoes. All hope is for the beneficial bacteria that got into the bucket and will survive in it. Therefore, the harvest grows very modest.

Instead of a bucket, you can use a box.

Video: potatoes in anything

Which is better: hay or straw

hay is meadow grass, beveled green, before ripening, and dried. Straw is what is left after threshing cereals, legumes, that is, part of the plants that have completed their cycle, without leaves, inflorescences, seeds. The latter is an advantage over hay when considered as mulch. Hay can contain weed seeds, which is a problem for gardeners. Although weeds that have grown through the mulch are easily pulled out, their roots are superficial. In addition, this is an additional organic matter that can be placed under potatoes.

There are more nutrients in hay, it is looser, lighter, worms and bacteria will process it faster and more willingly into humus. Straw is heavier and denser, less ventilated. Therefore, in dry weather, the soil under the straw will remain moist longer, and the potatoes under the hay will have to be watered. To create a layer of the same thickness of straw, you need more than hay.

Video: comparison of potato yields without mulch and under mulch of different materials

During the summer, mulch is applied, so most often a layer is formed on the potato from a mixture of fallen leaves, straw, hay, weeds, tops. And this is good, because the potato receives comprehensive protection (from cold, drought, dampness), as well as a varied diet. It is not recommended to put cabbage leaves, they begin to rot, infect all mulch and potatoes with rot spores. Dry any other greens, especially weeds, or lay them on top with a thin layer of roots in the sun.

For harvesting, you do not need a pitchfork and a shovel, just rake the mulch with your hands. If, when planting, you sprinkled the tubers with earth or humus, then you have to dig in. A big plus of the method is also that it allows you to collect young potatoes during the summer. You can carefully rake the straw, pick the largest tubers without damaging the bush, and cover again. The plant will continue to grow and develop.

Video: hay-grown potato harvest

Method requires a large number mulch, which needs to be laid all summer, so it’s hard to call it lazy. In addition, you will have to deal with rodents and pests, if necessary - water. But the method is justified by a richer and healthier harvest at much lower labor costs. The difference between growing under hay and straw is noticeable only at the first stage. It is more difficult for sprouts to break through heavier and denser straw. In the future, a mixture of different materials(hay, straw, leaves, weeds). Each has its own advantages and compensates for the shortcomings of others.

Foreword

Planting potatoes under straw and hay has been used by gardeners for more than a century. Despite this, many are wary of this growing method and prefer traditional fit in open ground. Believe me, if you try this method at least once, your doubts will completely dissipate.

Preparatory work for the next planting does not begin in the spring, but in the fall with the selection of a suitable site. Suitable beds where rye, oats, alfalfa, mustard, phacelia were previously grown. Next, the land is freed from weeds and carefully dug up. Now it's time to cover it with a thick layer of hay. Laying mulch in the fall helps to prevent weeds from growing, which grow with renewed vigor by spring. Hay (straw) retains moisture and heat, creating favorable environment for the life of earthworms.

hay potatoes

The presence of earthworms in the area is a sign of good soil. Thanks to numerous passages and constant digging of the soil, these worms maintain the necessary balance of moisture, fresh air and nutrients, make land of light and porous. Earthworm feces (coprolites) are an important basis for the formation of humus. According to experts, coprolites are considered more valuable than manure and humus from livestock.

In the spring, we remove the old layer of last year's hay. It is not necessary to re-dig up the earth, carefully level it with a garden rake and lay a new layer of hay. Many put potatoes directly under the straw (hay). However, if you decide to plant a root crop under pre-cut hay, then this option will not be the most successful, as the crop will begin to rot, like weeds. Therefore, first make furrows, placing them at a comfortable distance from each other, in the aisle - 60-70 cm, and in the row itself - 40-50 cm. These figures may be more, but not less. A tight space for growth is guaranteed to result in unsatisfactory size and number of tubers per bush.

Planting potato tubers

Potatoes for sprouting should have eyes 0.5-1 cm. We put such tubers in furrows, lightly sprinkle them with earth and cover them with straw on top. Many experts advise not to sprinkle the root crop with earth, but immediately cover it with straw. Both options have the right to life, here you should be guided by the situation. If the soil is wet and heavy, cover the tubers with only mulch on top, and if it is dry with sand and clay impurities, lightly sprinkle the potatoes with earth to germinate. The total thickness of the mulch layer should be 20-25 cm. As the seedlings grow, the layer will settle and will need to be added.

You should not constantly look under the hay and check the condition of the potatoes, this is superfluous. Shoots will break through it on their own. If the layer of mulch is too high, you can move some hay aside to give the seedlings a boost. It is difficult for weeds to break through such a “fur coat”, moisture remains in the soil for a long time, while the earth has time to warm up and also accumulates heat, and constant friability provides air flow directly to the root system. Thus, when growing potatoes under hay, you free yourself from weeding and constant watering of the beds.

After making a decision for hay, many have a question where to get it. If you own large crops, then this problem should not bother you. Just mow the dry stalks of cereals - get straw, mow the grass, dry it in the sun, and you will have hay. However, if you own small areas, mulch can be purchased in bulk, and as alternative highlight small plot for sowing green manure (green fertilizers).

Potato tubers under straw

When buying, it is not necessary to purchase straw and hay highest quality. For such purposes, old stocks are quite suitable, which, after harvesting, can not be thrown away, but used for planting next year. The main thing is that the mulch must be dry, as well as the soil itself, on which you will lay it. If there has been heavy and even drizzling rain, the procedure should be postponed until the soil is completely dry and warm. The mulching layer retains even a small amount of moisture, which does not evaporate for a long time, creating a favorable environment for the development of the fungus, which leads to the slow decay of the straw and the nightshade root system.

You don't need much mulch to grow. However, it is not worth saving, cover the potatoes well, if the layer is thin, the tubers may begin to turn green. It is also better not to experiment with high embankments. The earth will quickly dry out, it will not warm up well sunbeams and pass a small amount of air to the roots. Because of this, the sprouts grow more slowly and make their way out. To prevent the mulching layer from being blown away during strong gusts of wind, we advise you to sprinkle it with a small amount of earth.

In any case, hay disperses and decomposes over time, but if you add it on time and take all necessary measures, then the percentage of loss will be minimal. By autumn, the mulch layer will shrink, making it easier to harvest potatoes.

When growing potatoes in the ground, there is a high probability of damage to tubers dangerous pest- the Colorado potato beetle. According to the observations of gardeners, when using hay and straw, the presence of this beetle on the site is reduced to almost zero, and there are explanations for this. The mulching layer with which you cover the ground since autumn prevents the penetration of beetles and their wintering in the soil.

Marigolds for pest control

When the sun warms up, these pests also cannot break through such a thick layer of mulch. In addition, the smell, which is often planted along potato beds, covers the smell of rotting straw, scaring away Colorado potato beetles. But who really should beware of is mice and rats. These pests love straw, can break through numerous passages in the ground and cause great damage to the crop. To fight rodents, install mousetraps in advance and make special repellers.

In autumn, when the tops of potatoes begin to turn yellow and dry, it will be possible to start harvesting. We rake the mulch layer with our hands. Most of the potatoes will be on the surface, we collect it. To get to the second half, use a pitchfork and gently pry off a bush with roots ingrown into the ground. We turn the bush on its side and collect the tubers. If all the points were taken into account and everything was done correctly, the quality and quantity of potatoes should pleasantly please you.

Due to the proximity of the tubers to the top layer of soil, there are no accumulations of earthen lumps on the harvested potatoes, as is often the case with classical soil cultivation. It should also be noted that the land where potatoes are grown in this way is not depleted due to the annual replenishment of the soil with mulching compost, which remains in it after each harvest.

Potato harvest

If you skipped a few potatoes during the autumn harvest or left them under the straw on purpose, don't worry, they will keep great until next spring. The main thing is to make the mulch layer thicker, and with the onset of the first warm days do not forget to dig up the root crop, otherwise it may rot. Potatoes planted under straw or hay require little or no intervention from you. The only thing you have to watch out for is the thickness of the mulch layer, it needs to be added as the bushes grow.

During spring frosts you can not worry that the tubers will freeze or become covered with mold, because straw reliably protects it from this. And when it warms up, the mulch can be slightly opened to allow penetration fresh air to the roots. Support optimal microclimate helps the difference in day and night temperatures, which create additional condensate under the "cushion".

If the soil temperature exceeds 22 ° C, this provokes a stop in the growth of tubers. When using mulch for growing this crop, the problem can be completely avoided. As for additional dressings and fertilizers, they do not need to be applied. Organics from green manure, straw and hay will become the best fertilizer for your potatoes.