Summer management for potatoes

Summer management of potatoes.

From the time the plants poke through the soil, the best thing you can do for rapid and healthy growth is to hoe between rows whenever the soil is dry enough.

The reason for this is that the hoe will keep weeds under control and at the same time conserve water by forming a fine tillage.

In poor soils, it would be helpful to give a layer of old soot before the plants burrow. This should be done when the soil is wet and it is a good idea to remove the soot afterwards.

Some growers tend to think that the question of the best time to put soil is of little importance, however, the moment of this work is quite important in the life of your potatoes.

If the plants are grounded too early, you won’t be able to hoe between the rows, and if you hoe too late, there’s a chance you’ll damage the young leaves and this will make them more vulnerable to the potato diseases they need to be. .

In general, potatoes should be ground when the plants are five to six inches tall. As a precaution against disease, the soil should be stretched up to the plants so that the ridge, with a nice fine point, is secured.

Some growers soil the potatoes in such a way that the soil is left in a flat state on top, and this is done to make the most of the summer rain.

Aside from the fact that this method is questionable as to whether or not this flat ridge helps by catching more rain, there can be no doubt that in a season where there may be many diseases, a flat ridge is a good option. Help spread the problem.

For the grower to fully understand this, it needs to be pointed out that the tiny organism responsible for disease outbreaks always attacks the underside of the leaves.

The small puncture made spreads quickly, and the spores of the disease are found on the edge of the circle of spread. These spores are always falling, and if a flat crest has been made, the spores fall on this crest damaging the upper tubers. By using the pointed ridge system, diseased spores will fall harmlessly between the rows.

Store your potatoes:

Having harvested your crop, you need a system to store it for the winter. If you only have a small amount, you can use any cool, dry shed or cellar.

The warehouse must be frost-proof and dark with no light entering. One way to do this is to throw sacks or straw over the pile of potatoes.

Be sure to check the potatoes when you put them away. If you see diseased or bruised potatoes, discard them so you don’t infect the whole ones.

A good way to prevent problems would be to sprinkle a few handfuls of lime on top of the heap.

If you don’t have room in your shed, another method of storing your crop would be to make a clamp or hole in your garden, covering the potatoes with a good layer of straw and laying two feet of soil over this. Then you take the potatoes out when you need them, making sure to cover the remaining potatoes.

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