The best fertilizers for potatoes when planting

Almost all summer residents are engaged in growing potatoes in Russia. The culture is very productive and relatively undemanding. But, of course, you need to take care of the potatoes correctly. During the season, gardeners usually do not feed this plant. Therefore, it is very important to choose the right fertilizer for potatoes, intended for introduction into the wells during planting.

One of the features of this culture is its rather weak roots. At the same time, potato tubers are known to grow very large. Therefore, plants in the process of development require a lot of nutrients. In autumn, the soil in the area with potatoes is greatly depleted. Accordingly, in the spring, when planting this crop, it is required to use fertilizers containing a large number of various microelements.

Planting potatoes

What fertilizers are required for potatoes

Scientists have found that for the proper development of this garden culture for the season, 1 m 2 requires:

  • magnesium - 6 g;

  • nitrogen - 20-30 g;

  • phosphorus - 7-10 g;

  • potassium oxide - 35-45 g;

Potatoes also need boron, manganese, copper, zinc, calcium. If all these components are present in the soil on the plot in the autumn, you can collect from each 1 m 2 up to 5 kg of tubers.

What soil does potato like

This crop can develop well and give rich harvests on almost any soil. However, it is believed that soils are best suited for this plant:

  • sod-podzolic;

  • light loamy;

  • sandy loam.

Potato gives the richest harvests on loose, moisture- and breathable soils. The most unsuitable soils for this culture are:

  • clayey;

  • sandy.

In particular, potato productivity is greatly reduced on clay soils. Defining this type of soil is relatively easy. When snow melts or during rains, water stagnates in areas with such soil.

On sandy soils, richer potato crops can be obtained. But such a soil for planting this crop should be carefully prepared.

Potato fertilizer when planting

It is believed that acidified and alkaline soils should not be chosen for potatoes. These plants feel best of themselves in areas with soil, the acidity of which varies between pH 5.5-6.5. That is, for example, on a new allotment, potatoes should be planted where dandelions, clover, and wheat grass used to grow.

Varieties of Feeding

The choice of a specific type of fertilizer for potatoes depends primarily, of course, on the characteristics of the soil in a particular area. You can use it for feeding this crop:

  • organics;

  • mineral compounds;

  • growth stimulants.

The best fertilizer for planting potatoes is, of course, organic. But mineral fertilizing in the spring for this culture is also used quite often. Recently, growth stimulants have become very popular with summer residents.

What are the most commonly used organic fertilizers

Of course, in suburban areas, potatoes are most often fed with manure. In most cases, such fertilizers are added to the wells with about a liter can. If desired, manure when planting potatoes can be replaced by humus.

Organics is a very useful type of nutrition. And, of course, this fertilizer must be added to the wells. For potatoes, however, it will be very useful to use a little more ash and sand when planting.

The introduction of manure can significantly increase the yield of this crop. In fact, this is the best fertilizer for potatoes. But top dressing is still mostly nitrogenous. Other substances in the composition of manure is not so much as N 2 . Therefore, potatoes that are fertilized with organic matter alone may subsequently lack phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium during the season. To make up for this shortcoming, ash is also used. Various kinds of mineral substances in such a fertilizer include just a huge amount.

Manure for potatoes

Sand is added to the holes when planting potatoes in order to make the soil more loose and breathable. In addition, when using such a component in the fall, absolutely clean tubers can be dug from the ground. In addition, sand is able to protect potatoes in the soil from being damaged by wireworms.

What other organics can be used

Many summer residents are interested, of course, what else, besides manure, can be poured when planting potatoes in a hole? There are many fertilizers for this crop on sale today. And one of the cheapest and most effective at the same time is bone meal. This tool also belongs to the group of organic top dressing. At the same time, the main useful element that is part of it is phosphorus.

If desired, bone meal can be scattered in the fall or spring on the site. But it is best to throw it in the hole when landing. Phosphorus is a trace mineral inactive. Therefore, the closer it is initially to the roots of the potato, the better.

What mineral fertilizers can be used

Such top dressing in most cases is simply scattered around the site before digging the soil in the spring. But if you wish, you can make mineral fertilizers for potatoes and when planting tubers in the spring in the holes.

Feed this culture in this way using formulations:

  • nitrogenous;

  • potash;

  • phosphoric;

  • integrated.

What fertilizers for potatoes to use: nitrogenous compounds

Top dressing of this type primarily affects the yield of potatoes. With their shortage of too many tubers, it will not be possible to collect from the site, unfortunately. Relate to this group, for example, such top dressings as:

  • sodium nitrate;

  • lime-ammonium nitrate;

  • ammonium sulfate.

And, of course, urea is the most popular type of nitrogen fertilizer, often used even when planting potatoes. Such dressing can be purchased at any time in a specialized store. Yes, and urea is relatively inexpensive.

The best time to use nitrogenous fertilizers for potatoes is spring. Most often, to feed this culture, a mixture of urea and a small amount of ammonium sulfate is added to the wells.

Urea for potatoes

Phosphoric fertilizers for potatoes

Such top dressing when growing potatoes can be used both in autumn and spring. The introduction of fertilizers of this type positively affects not only the yield of potatoes, but also the quality of the tubers. With a sufficient amount of phosphorus in the soil in potatoes, the degree of starch content increases. As a result, indicators such as keeping quality and tuber mobility improve.

Most often, when planting, summer residents, as already mentioned, fertilize this culture with bone meal. But if such feeding is not found, you can replace it with ordinary superphosphate.

Potash fertilizer

This type of fertilizing, like nitrogen, primarily has a positive effect on potato productivity. Each kilogram of such fertilizer is capable of adding about 20 kg of tubers.

The use of potato compounds of this type can bring great benefits. But apply this type of dressing with caution. An excess of potassium in the soil can lead to such unpleasant consequences, for example, as:

  • elongation of tubers;

  • a decrease in plant immunity to viral diseases;

  • reduced starch in tubers.

If desired, this type of fertilizer can be applied to the soil when planting potatoes. But nevertheless, it is believed that potash top dressing is better to use in the fall.

Bone flour

Such fertilizers can have a negative effect on potatoes due to the fact that they contain a certain amount of chlorine. It is believed, therefore, that it is best for potatoes to use such top dressing as potassium nitrate. This fertilizer does not contain too much chlorine - about 2.5%.

Complex feeding

Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers improve the land in areas allotted for potatoes quite often. But the most popular type of mineral top dressing for summer residents is still complex.

Such compositions contain a large amount of both nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Of this group of fertilizers for potatoes, summer residents most often use:

  • Kemir.

  • "Bionex".

  • Gumi Omi.

In this case, Kemira should be purchased specifically for potatoes. This fertilizer is applied to each well of about 20 g. Bionex is also used in an amount of 20 g. Gumi-omi is poured into each well of 12 g.

If desired, a complex fertilizer for potatoes can be made independently. For example, a mixture consisting of:

  • urea in an amount of 10 g;

  • crystalline copper sulfate - 1 tsp;

  • azofoski - 5 g;

  • potassium chloride - 10 g.

All these components should be dissolved in 12 liters of water and dipped in the resulting solution of the moss-sphagnum pillow. Further, moss saturated with mineral fertilizers should be put in each hole when planting potatoes. The use of such top dressing will not only positively affect the yield of this crop, but will also protect plants from various fungal infections.

Planting potatoes on the site

Using Growth Stimulants

Organic or mineral fertilizers should be placed in potato holes when planting. But in addition, the soil in the area with this crop can be improved using growth stimulants. Such substances summer residents when planting potatoes are also used quite often.

For example, such formulations as:

  • "Epin."

  • Poteyten.

  • "Bioglobin."

"Epin", activating the immune system of potatoes, helps to accelerate the growth of tubers. Also, the use of this composition can significantly improve the quality of the crop. "Epin" removes from tubers, for example, such harmful substances as radionuclides, heavy metals, pesticides.

Poteyten differs in that in addition to accelerating the growth of tubers, it increases the resistance of plants to weather changes. When using this tool, the degree of resistance of potatoes to late blight increases significantly.

How to feed potatoes in spring

"Bioglobin" is a new generation drug synthesized from the placenta of mammals. The proteins contained in it cause an acceleration of the rate of cell division. When using this tool, the yield is almost doubled.


All Articles