How to plant potatoes under straw. Potatoes under straw. Preparing the bed for planting

Starchy tubers are used in first courses, side dishes and even for making desserts. Some summer residents grow exclusively potatoes on their land, giving it preference over other vegetable crops.

A biological feature is the presence of tubers, which, in fact, are nothing more than modified shoots. And the eyes are the buds of the plant, thanks to which potatoes are grown.

“Innovative” planting method – under hay and straw

The traditional method of sowing tuber crops was practiced by all gardeners. Therefore, they know firsthand how labor-intensive the process is. And you have to spend a lot of time and effort on subsequent care. Modern potato growing offers a creative approach - without the use of shovels, which was used by distant ancestors.

For some reason, planting potatoes under straw (or hay) was forgotten for some time, although it greatly facilitates the work of the summer resident, eliminating a number of tedious elements of agricultural technology. The first stage is preparing the site; it cannot be done without a spade, because in the fall it is advisable to dig up the bed to the depth of a bayonet with turning over the layer of earth. This will clear out weeds and get rid of insect larvae.

Note! The overturned grass will end up under a layer of soil, over the winter it will rot and become good fertilizer for potatoes. More advanced farmers sow this area with green manure plants (mustard, rye, oats, phacelia, alfalfa) in the fall. They will push out weeds from the site and enrich the soil with useful microelements.

Many gardeners know how to properly grow potatoes under straw. Therefore, several growing methods have been developed. Everyone chooses the most acceptable option for themselves, based on the characteristics summer cottage, region, own capabilities.

Potatoes under straw

Potatoes are grown under hay in almost all regions of the country. Agricultural technology will be successful if you choose the right variety for climatic conditions zoning.

Both small beds and large plantations are planted under straw. It all depends on the amount of covering material under which the potatoes will ripen. Not everyone can afford large supplies of hay.

The methods of growing tubers discussed below help to comply with 3 main factors that ensure good harvest.

Main conditions of agricultural technology

Factor	Peculiarities
Optimal temperature	Hay and straw maintain the necessary balance, preventing the tubers from overheating or freezing (even in regions where the growing season is limited)
Soil looseness and moisture	The covering material is a mulch that protects the soil from weathering and rapid evaporation of liquid; In such conditions, worms feel comfortable, whose main “job” is to loosen the soil
Nutrition	The straw “blanket” is rich in microelements; when the lower layers rot, they become a good fertilizer for potato beds

In addition to these features, the technology has other advantages:

• a thick layer of mulch prevents weeds from breaking through, which frees summer residents from weeding;
• develop in hay and straw beneficial insects, who prefer to eat Colorado potato beetles; potato bushes, thanks to this, they will be less damaged;
• planting of tubers and harvesting are carried out manually, so make special effort you won't have to; with this method, less time is spent on work compared to the traditional method;
• The potatoes grow not only large, but also clean, without earthen clods.

The straw technique is good, but there is a fly in the ointment here:

• hay attracts slugs, and straw attracts rodents that like to eat potatoes;
• It is not always possible to purchase a sufficient amount of covering material, and thin layer mulch, the tubers will turn green and lose their nutritional value.

The disadvantages can be called minor and do not outweigh the advantages of the technique. Pests can be easily controlled by spreading gravel and eggshells from slugs, poison - against rodents. It is recommended to compensate for the lack of straw using other methods of shelter, which will be discussed below.

Growing technology under straw

Most summer residents use the most simple option planting tubers, once practiced in Russia. That's why they call him classical method most often used. When planting potatoes under straw, the farmer gets a hassle-free garden, getting rid of the tedious work of growing the crop.

The sowing season begins using this method at the same time as with the traditional method: when the air temperature becomes constant and does not fall below plus 8 degrees.

Note! If you fully follow the technology of your ancestors, it is recommended to pay attention to folk signs: in Rus', the sowing season began when the bird cherry blossomed.

Conventionally, the method of growing tuber crops can be divided into main phases.

Stage 1 – preparatory

The beginning of any planting is the preparation of seed material. For the method, the best tubers are the size of egg and well developed eyes. Germination of sprouts is carried out in April-May (depending on the specific region), This is done using the following algorithm:

• seed tubers are placed in low wooden boxes with ventilation holes;
• installed in a sufficiently lit, well-ventilated room where the temperature is maintained at about 10-15 degrees Celsius (veranda, closed loggia);
• Periodically, the boxes are rotated 180 degrees - this will allow the ultraviolet radiation to be evenly distributed between the potatoes.

When the sprouts become strong enough and the weather outside is suitable for planting, the seed potatoes are sent to the garden bed.

Stage 2 – landing

Planting tubers will take a little time, and one person can easily do it. Step-by-step algorithm looks like this:

• using a twine marker, mark the rows, maintaining a space of 70 cm between them;
• the tubers need to be laid lightly wet soil; if the need arises, it is recommended to water the area allocated for the potato plantation (but not abundantly) with a hose;
• lay out the tubers along the intended stripes, observing a step of 30 cm;
• potatoes are sprinkled with wood ash.

All that remains is to cover the rows with mulch, the thickness of which should be at least 25 cm, and even 30-35 cm above the tubers themselves.

Mulching potatoes

Plantation care

The gardener's subsequent actions boil down to caring for the potato beds. True, at first you will have to wait a long time for the tops to hatch above the straw. The thicker the covering layer, the longer the process takes.

Note! You shouldn't rake the hay and see what's going on underneath it. Everything has its time - shoots will definitely appear and begin with high speed grow.

The main points for growing potatoes are similar to traditional ones, but much simpler:

• There is no need to hill up the bushes, but you will have to put straw around the grown shoots; the first mounds are formed when the tops grow 15-20 cm; the procedure is repeated 2-3 times;
• from time to time the mulch should be turned with a rake (in small beds - with your hands) so that it does not become compacted, otherwise air exchange will be disrupted and the crop may die;
• The plantation is periodically watered (but not over-watered); due to lack of moisture, the tubers develop poorly and lose their presentation;
• As for fertilizing, in this case there is no need for them - mulch copes with this mission perfectly.

Important! When caring for a plantation, you need to take into account the climate. If the season turns out to be dry, the straw is moistened from time to time. With frequent rains, the mulch will have to be changed periodically - too wet hay begins to rot, creating a greenhouse effect. This can cause the tubers to bake.

After 3 months from the moment of planting the seed material, it is already possible to make a selection of young potatoes. To do this, it is enough to rake the straw, take the largest tubers, then carefully cover the bush again, allowing the remaining fruits to develop further.

There are several more interesting options, different from what has already been described, which should be paid attention to.

Alternative options

The classic method under straw is good for large plantations if you have a sufficient amount of covering material on hand. But you can resort to other methods of hay and straw growing potatoes.

A symbiosis of tradition and classics

This method requires loose soil - you will have to make furrows in it using a hoe. With the same tool, small depressions (5-6 cm) are marked in the grooves for the tubers. The planting pattern is traditional.

Potato planting scheme

The tubers are placed sprouts up and sprinkled with a thin layer of soil. A dense layer of straw or hay is poured over the area. In this case, there is no need to separate rows - the “blanket” is distributed evenly throughout the entire plantation. The rest of the care is no different from the classic version described above.

Combs under straw

When there is very little straw, it is suggested to use the combed method. When forming holes for potatoes, parallel ridges are made, 10 cm high. The width of the strip should be about 20 cm.

Having placed the tubers in the ridge holes, cover them with straw. It is also distributed between rows to retain moisture and suppress weeds.

Planting and hilling

With this method of growing, little mulch is required - the ridges protect the potatoes from sun rays. Earthen ridges will prevent heavy rains from washing the bushes from the beds, which is convenient in areas located at an angle.

As the tops grow, as in previous versions, it is necessary to form straw mounds around the bushes.

Cardboard version

Some gardeners on small plantations compensate for the lack of hay with a cardboard shelter. In this case, you need to start by laying cardboard on the bed. Along the perimeter of the future planting, a border is made of boards in such a way as to exclude the slightest cracks under the shelter.

• marked with a marker on paper material places for tubers, following the usual pattern; if the beds are narrow, then in parallel rows you can use the “chessboard principle” of placing potatoes;
• X-shaped cuts are made at the marks and the edges are unbent;
• a tuber is placed in the open opening and the corners of the cardboard are partially returned to their place;
• When the seedlings appear above the shelter and grow a little, the bed is covered with straw.

Auxiliary material – great way get a good harvest at low cost. This option is suitable for gardeners who appear at the dacha periodically. Their only concern will be to add straw to the bed and moisten it from time to time. A cardboard and straw shelter will ensure order in the garden, completely ridding the potato plantations of weeds.

Preparation of covering material

Before you try planting potatoes using old-fashioned methods, it is recommended to weigh your options. First of all, you need to decide where to get the covering material. Fortunately, there are agricultural companies engaged in the sale of straw bays.

If a summer resident cannot afford purchased hay, he is able to prepare it himself. Someone will walk through the local meadows with a scythe, but the raw materials can be grown on own plot, if the land has large areas.

Covering material for potatoes

It is rational to divide the potato plantation into 2 equal “compartments”. One plot will go immediately for tubers, on the other, nutritious crops should be planted in early autumn: peas, oats, vetch. You shouldn’t stop at one species – the earth will receive more useful elements from a complex of plants.

In the fall, green manure is not removed from the plantation; there is no need to bury it. In the spring, after the snow melts, after waiting for the fallen grass to dry out, you can plant tubers. Having formed small holes under the straw, place the sprouted potatoes in them, sprinkle with a small layer of earth and humus and cover with hay.

On a note. Part of the plantation where potatoes were grown last year is now used for green manure for the next season. By alternating plots with each other, you won’t have to worry about how to maintain crop rotation.

This method of growing potatoes under hay and straw can significantly reduce labor costs, save time and increase productivity.

Results of planting under straw

Those who have already tried growing potatoes under straw claim that the result exceeded expectations. From one bucket of planting material you can get at least 5-6 buckets of large tubers. This is only with limited agricultural technology. If you create the maximum comfortable conditions, then the potato plot will reward you with a large harvest.

Planting potatoes on straw

IN southern regions growing using this method is as easy as shelling pears, but in the Moscow region and more northern regions you will have to worry about an additional covering layer of straw to avoid freezing of the potatoes.

In these regions more suitable technology– straw-ridge. With it, you need less hay than usual, and the bulk soil will support optimal temperature. If you also lay a layer of humus under the straw, the yield can be doubled.

Having tuned in to the “new” method of planting potatoes in the country, borrowed from their ancestors, each farmer will choose for himself the straw option that best suits his size land plot and always taking into account regionality.

Since the mid-eighties of the last century, reports often appear in the press about planting potatoes using straw. Was it known similar method earlier or did they only learn about it about thirty years ago?

It turns out that the Aztecs even practiced growing potatoes under organic flooring. They did not try to bury the tubers in the ground at all; they scattered them across the field and covered them with damp grass.

After a certain time, all that remained was to stir up the dried grass and harvest. The small ones were not collected; they remained in place.

The rainy season was passing and the soil was becoming moist. New growth produced a new harvest. They didn't even bother themselves much there. The climate is warm, there are practically no severe colds, so simplest technology made it possible to obtain food.

When potatoes arrived in Europe, at first they were also planted according to the Indian method. But the method did not catch on for a simple reason. There were almost constant wars between states; horse-drawn transport had to be fed. Hay and straw were used to feed horses and draft oxen in the army.

There was practically no covering material left. We had to grow root crops in other ways. So they began to grow it underground.

The technology of growing in the ground was later adopted in Eastern Europe, as well as in Russia. It was the lack of biomass that did not allow further development useful way growing.

At the end of the 19th century, the Russian scientist Ovsinsky I.E. based on many years of research, formulated the principles organic farming.

In many ways, he followed a slightly different path than his contemporaries. Even then, he proposed to “force” the soil less, allowing it to regenerate itself. He also did several experiments with potatoes, growing them not in the ground, but inside a layer of organic matter.

Work of Ovsinsky I.E. was only appreciated fifty to seventy years later. Before this, his work lay on the shelves in many agricultural universities and was mentioned as a dead-end area of ​​research in agricultural science.

What does organic farming give in relation to growing potatoes?

Without touching on all types of crops grown in the garden and in the field, you can stop at only one - potatoes, popularly called “second bread”.

There is a known method in which the ground is deeply plowed several times a year, and the seed is placed in holes or furrows and then plowed under. This is how potatoes are grown everywhere. A satisfactory result is obtained.

Another method is based on minimal impact on the soil. The sown tubers are laid out on top of the soil. They are only covered with hay or straw. Growth and development proceed in the same way as many centuries ago the process took place on the lands North America– in the depths of plant residues, bypassing penetration into the soil.

Actually we're talking about about planting potatoes under hay (straw). Most gardeners note a positive effect:

• before planting, there is no need to deeply dig the soil or destroy weeds, since the subsequent covering layer will help overcome all problems;
• you can start using virgin or fallow land where no agrotechnical measures have previously been carried out;
• hay or straw will replace mulch. A special microclimate will be created under them, allowing the tubers to grow, develop and produce a harvest;
• weeds will not be able to overcome the layer of hay (straw) mulch, so there will be no need for weeding;
• since there is a thick layer of organic matter, there will be no need for hilling;
• potatoes that grow in a protective environment of organic residues are not attacked by the Colorado potato beetle;
• in arid regions, the presence of a thick mulch layer retains soil moisture. Need in additional watering will arise only when necessary to replenish it due to lack of rain;
• there is no need to use a tool to dig up the crop. It is enough just to move the hay (straw) to get to the potatoes;
• the efficiency is such that from one bucket of planting material ten or more buckets of marketable potatoes are obtained.

In addition to the advantages, gardeners who have experience growing potatoes organically note some disadvantages:

• rodents will actively develop inside the organic layer of straw (hay). They can damage a significant part of the grown crop, so you will have to use methods to combat them biological protection or use toxic substances;
• Intestinal pests will begin to develop on organic matter: slugs and snails. We will have to fight them, and also provide barrier measures so that they do not spread throughout the area and harm cruciferous plants;
• To use the method of growing under straw, you will have to purchase it in significant quantities. This may be accompanied by significant financial costs.

One option for planting under straw in the video:

As can be seen from the stated pros and cons, the method is interesting. It is useful to explore it, and also consider ways of applying it in practice.

Other ways to plant potatoes with organic matter

Gardeners are very inventive. Available interesting experience planting potatoes not only by covering them with straw on top. Plantings were also tested where rotted straw was placed from below into the planting furrow.

As the experiment showed, large potatoes will grow even when sown not very well. productive varieties. A sufficient amount of moisture accumulates in the soil, which throughout summer period feeds cultivated plants.

But there are also disadvantages that limit the use of this method.

1. Wireworms develop in organic matter located under the tubers. It literally permeates the fruit. The yield of commercial product is minimal.
2. In rainy summers, excess moisture does not allow harvesting to be satisfactory. Potatoes do not store well and are low in starch.

Users from Ural region report that they conducted a study of potato plantings with deep incorporation of organic matter. Planting plows plowed the field to a depth of almost 60 cm.

Plant remains were laid out there: grass, hay, straw and apple carrion. In the spring, potatoes were planted on the field. The harvest has been good for several years.

The explanation for the results of such an experiment is simple. By laying plant waste at depth, we achieved an increase in depth fertile soil. The humus additionally fed the crops being grown.

It would be interesting to continue similar work in order to assess how much the humus content in the soil has changed, how much moisture accumulates during the winter and is then transferred to plants.

Features of soil preparation and planting potatoes under straw (hay)

Soil preparation, despite the assurances of many authors, is necessary. Digging or loosening will be beneficial for the soil. Weed rhizomes must be removed so that in the future they do not interfere with cultivated plants growing in an environment with less competition.

Proponents of organic farming dismiss the use mineral fertilizers. But it should be remembered that organic matter does not contain enough calcium. As a result, the soil becomes acidic.

Lime needs to be added. Each kilogram of grown potatoes carries up to 5 g of calcium. If you don’t compensate for its removal, then the meaning of natural farming will disappear.

Boric acid must be added in small quantities (0.10...0.15 g/sq.m), otherwise hay or straw will not be able to replenish nutritional losses.

You can find reports that phosphorus is returned along with plant residues. However, it is not. The soil lacks this element. Problems with nitrate accumulation arise from a lack of phosphorus.

And organic matter mainly replenishes only nitrogen fertilizers, increasing the risk of obtaining a crop with an excess of nitrate compounds. Therefore, in the fall they bring phosphate fertilizers at the rate of 25...30 g per square meter.

Sowing green manure

Autumn sowing of green manure is useful for any growing method cultivated plants. You just need to take into account that not all types are useful for certain plants that will be planted in the spring. For example, rye can attract wireworms instead of driving them away from the field.

Installed for potatoes best predecessor- This white mustard. It will prepare the land well for subsequent use as potato field. Therefore, this unpretentious plant is sown in September.

Before the onset of cold weather, it will produce a certain amount of green mass. It will freeze in the frost, and by spring, before the start of the planting season, it will have time to rot, additionally fertilizing the soil.

Planting potatoes

In the spring, all that remains is to spread the seed tubers across the field. Follow a simple scheme:

• row spacing is 60...70 cm. This is enough to have the required area for each plant;
• the distance inside the row is 30...35 cm.

After laying out the tubers, straw is spread on top. Minimum thickness 15 cm. Cover the top to prevent blowing by the wind. Some people use rolled hay, which is less prone to bloating. Others sprinkle separate areas earth.

Frosts are not terrible, fluffy organic matter protects against the penetration of cold. It remains to wait for the shoots. They may come out with some delay, since the soil does not warm up as intensely as on open ground.

Plants grow through a layer of straw. Other vegetation does not form powerful roots, so potatoes easily compete with weeds, outstripping them in development.

Every summer resident dreams of getting maximum yield potatoes at a minimum cost. We are used to spending a lot of time on the potato plantation, weeding, hilling and watering the plantings. But once upon a time, very simple and effective method– use of straw.

Growing potatoes under straw

Potatoes were grown successfully under straw many years ago

150 years ago, peasants did not have the opportunity to spend time caring for potato plantings. Traditionally, this crop was grown like this: tubers were evenly laid out on plowed ground, and they were covered on top with a layer of straw 20–50 cm thick. Other plant remains were also used, but it was straw that established itself as 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. The summer months can be left for other things, and in the end you will get a decent harvest.

Covering 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 your potatoes will remain 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 have a beneficial effect on the soil. This, in turn, will have a beneficial effect on the growth and development of tubers.
4. Insects living in straw - natural enemies Colorado beetles. You will no longer have to spray your potatoes with chemicals, and there will be much fewer bugs.
5. Weeds will also no longer be a headache: it is difficult for their sprouts to reach the sun through a thick layer of straw.

Note! This method also has long-term benefits. Regular use of straw on the plot will help you increase soil fertility, and therefore increase potato yields 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 potatoes begin to sprout and gain strength. At this stage, it needs coolness and humidity, and a straw cover will provide them fully.

In the southern regions with warm winters You can start growing potatoes under straw much earlier than usual, and harvest them already at the beginning of summer.

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

True, there are some disadvantages of the technique. If you decide to sow large area, That required amount straw will be difficult to obtain. In those places where the layer of mulch is thin, the potato tubers may turn green. In addition, straw sometimes harbors mice that can 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 hoe 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. Place the potatoes in 1 row on the prepared bed. If you sow in 2 rows, arrange the tubers in a checkerboard pattern.

   Place potato tubers on prepared soil

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

   Sprinkle the potato tubers with soil mixed with fertilizers

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 the potatoes with straw

Alternative planting methods

Many people complain about the bad experience of growing potatoes under straw. That's why experts and passionate gardeners have added to classical way a few of my secrets.

A combination of traditional and natural agricultural technology

A ridge of soil on the sides of the hole will protect the tubers from washing out

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

1. To obtain early potatoes, germinate it about 3 weeks before planting. To do this, sprinkle the seed tubers with moistened sawdust, peat or soil and place them in sunny place. After 3 weeks, the tubers will form full-fledged sprouts and root bundles.
2. The composition of the soil for planting does not matter, since you will not cultivate it too deeply. You just need to make shallow holes with a shovel or hoe.
3. Place potato tubers in the holes and lightly sprinkle them with soil. Form a ridge of soil about 20 cm wide and 10 cm high. Thanks to this, the tubers will not turn green and will not be washed out of the soil during heavy rainfalls.
4. Place a small layer of dry straw on the sides of the ridge. This will be enough to retain moisture and prevent most of the weeds from making their way to the sun. The straw should lie in a uniform carpet.

One more note: the soil must be well heated.

Valeria Zashchitina's method

Alternate potato beds with other vegetables

This young woman has long been known to Internet users thanks to detailed descriptions growing fruits and vegetables on your own summer cottage.

• The width of each bed, when grown according to the Zashchitina method, should be 50 cm, row spacing - 70-80 cm. Welcome mixed plantings: 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–early May. When the soil in the beds warms up, lay the tubers directly on it. Place a layer of straw on top.
• At the end of June–beginning of July, do a fan unhilling. Lay the bush in “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. The next day they will be up.
• You can harvest the crop when the skin on the tubers begins to get rough.

Growing method with simultaneous straw harvesting

By alternating growing potatoes and grains for straw, you will improve soil quality

If you get straw in the right amount It’s difficult for you, you can prepare it yourself on your site:

1. Select the area where you plan to plant potatoes, divide it 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 grown in the first half of the plot for the winter without removing them. Next spring, this place will have an even layer of laid down straw, which is what we need for further work.
3. Without plowing or digging up the soil, plant potatoes directly in this straw. To do this, make small depressions, place the tubers in them and cover them with 5 cm of soil.
4. In the second half, where there were potatoes last year, 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 productivity, and every year you will save more and more time spent on planting potatoes.

Garden bed care

Already some time after planting, you will see strong, healthy potato shoots. 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 V. Zashchitina’s method, perform fan mulching about once a week. When the first shoots appear from under the straw, carefully push them apart and place the remains of the plants in the middle of the bush without damaging the stems. After a week, the tops will come to the surface again, and you will need to add straw and mulch again.

Add straw or mulch as the tops grow

Thanks to this method, the underground shoots on which the tubers are formed are significantly lengthened.

If the summer is too hot, water the potato plantings from time to time. In other cases, this is not necessary - straw retains moisture well due to the formation of condensation.

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

Harvesting

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

Please note what size potatoes can be grown under straw

The special beauty is that the tubers turn out even and smooth, and most importantly, dry, without sticking clods of earth, freeing you from the unnecessary hassle of cleaning the crop. You don't have to wait for the potatoes to dry in the sun before putting them away in the basement.

Video about growing potatoes under straw - “Vegetable garden without hassle”

It is difficult to harvest a rich potato harvest if the plot area is small and there is no time to care for the vegetable. Vegetable growers are offering new methods of planting a popular crop - growing potatoes under straw. You can replace straw with hay, and at the same time get healthy, high-quality tubers in the fall and large quantities. Moreover, you need little space to plant vegetables.

Instead of traditional way, potatoes are grown under hay, straw, in bags and pots. But preference is given to growing potatoes under straw or hay, since this method:

1. Eco-friendly. After all, there is no straw chemical substances, it is a pure natural material.
2. Simple. Planting seed tubers is easy, the vegetable does not require difficult care, and potatoes are dug up without effort or strain.
3. Helps potato growth. Thanks to a layer of straw or hay, moisture around the developing nodules is retained longer. And plant pests cannot get inside the mulch layer.
4. Easy to care for and harvest potatoes. In the fall, you won’t have to dig up the tubers by planting them in the back. It is enough to rake a pile of straw or hay to get the potatoes under the straw. And there is no need to loosen vegetable plantings or hill up them throughout the season.
5. Gives a high yield of tubers. It’s easy to get a whole bucket of selected potatoes from a bush. And when growing varietal potatoes, more buckets are collected from one plant.

But in order for the growing method to be successful, you must have knowledge of how to plant seed correctly and in what time frame.

How to grow potatoes under straw or hay?

There are several ways to grow potato tubers under a layer of straw or dry grass.

The classic version is used most often. They begin to prepare for planting vegetables in the fall, immediately after harvesting. Plot under vegetable crop dig up, clear of plant debris and debris. It is important to get rid of weeds perennial herbs, which can crush potatoes with their powerful rhizomes.

It is better to choose a virgin plot for potatoes or one where rye, oats, and mustard grew. Mustard roots left and rotted in the ground will fertilize the soil well and prevent the top layer of soil from weathering. Especially in the second half of summer, green manure crops are planted on the potato plot: mustard, oats, so that they can be mowed in the fall. In the spring, all that remains is to dig up the fertilized area and that’s it.

Potato tubers are prepared in advance for planting. One month in advance, the root crops are placed in boxes for vernalization. Place the container with seed material in rooms where the air temperature will reach no more than fifteen degrees Celsius and not fall below ten.

The wet vernalization method is also used for two weeks. Wet sawdust or humus is added to the boxes with fruits, pouring them over the tubers. Do not moisturize the environment around the potatoes. clean water, and with the addition of superphosphate (thirty grams) and potassium salt (twenty grams). Fertilizers are dissolved in a bucket of water.

Tubers with sprouts are kept in the light until they turn green. Optimal length sprouts are three to five centimeters. If they grow larger, they will have to be broken off to the required length before planting.

Many people wonder whether it is better to use hay or straw. Experienced potato growers choose dry straw material. He will provide reliable protection seed tubers, will give them nutrition. Hay is also used in potato growing, but freshly cut grass is not suitable for growing vegetables. You can use the same straw for several years in a row by placing it in a dry and ventilated room for storage for the winter.

How to plant potatoes under hay or straw step by step

Planting potatoes under straw begins, as usual, in May. Specific dates depend on weather and climate. We plant no later than May 15, otherwise the tubers will not have time to reach the optimal mass and quality during the growing season.

Step-by-step landing goes like this:

1. Water the cleaned bed, moistening the soil well.
2. Tubers with sprouts are laid out in rows on the surface. The sprouts look up. The distance between tubers should be thirty to forty centimeters. The rows are spaced further apart - seventy centimeters.
3. Pour a glass around the tubers wood ash.
4. All that remains is to place a layer of twenty to thirty centimeters of hay or straw on the planted potatoes.

Some gardeners use straw as mulch. Bury the seed material as in the traditional method, placing two tubers in each hole. Sprinkle with a thin layer of earth, and lay straw or hay on top of the field. Potatoes under the straw will feel protected from pests. It will have enough moisture and nutrition throughout the growing season.

If there is not enough dry grass to cover the entire garden, then the potatoes are placed in ridges under the hay. Each ridge will be twenty centimeters wide and ten centimeters high. This is one of the methods when, even after heavy rains, the tubers will not appear on the surface and will not turn green.

Growing in cardboard and straw

Potatoes can be placed not only under natural material, but also under cardboard. To do this, take boxes and place them in the selected area, overlapping each other. At a distance of twenty to thirty centimeters, cuts are made in the cardboard. Then the sprouted tubers are placed in the holes with the sprouts facing up. A layer of straw or dry grass is poured on top. Potatoes under hay and cardboard will be reliably protected from Colorado potato beetle. And the weeds will not be able to get through to the light and will die.

Potato yields increase when using this method. It will be realistic to get a bucket of healthy tubers from a bush in the fall.

The peculiarity of the methods is that care for the vegetable is minimal. You just need to add natural material where the tubers are slightly exposed.

Harvesting potatoes, storing tubers

When potatoes are grown using such an unconventional method, picking the tubers is a pleasure.

A layer of straw is raked with a rake, and clean tubers are placed in bags or buckets. If the root vegetables are wet, they are laid out under a tent. You cannot keep potatoes in the light for a long time, otherwise they will turn green.

To use potato tubers for food until spring, they must be stored correctly:

1. The room for potatoes should be dark, with constant ventilation.
2. The air temperature in the cellar or basement is controlled. Its stable indicator is three to five degrees above zero. Increasing it will lead to sagging fruits and the appearance of sprouts. At low temperatures The potatoes will freeze and their taste will deteriorate.
3. The storage floor is covered with sand, which absorbs moisture well. It is not recommended to cover it with linoleum or slate. These materials help moisture accumulate in the room. Hence the appearance and growth of fungus and mold, which can spread to the tubers.
4. Potatoes are poured into wooden boxes. Plastic containers are also suitable. It is important that the containers have holes for ventilation of root crops. Boxes made of iron mesh can save the potato harvest from rodents.
5. Beets or apples are stored together with potatoes. Beets will prevent moisture from accumulating, apples will prevent tubers from sprouting.

It is not difficult to place potatoes under straw and grow them; it is more difficult to preserve the crop and provide yourself and your family with “second bread” for the winter.

Gardeners' opinions on the method of growing potatoes

Not everyone decides to experiment while growing vegetables. It is difficult to move away from traditions, but reviews of this method and its high yields, lead to the fact that he found his fans. Planting potatoes for hay is chosen by those who do not have the opportunity to engage in the labor-intensive process of caring for the plant.

Hilling and weeding are especially difficult for older summer residents. By placing seed tubers under dry stems of straw or grass, you can forget about gardening chores until harvest. The mass of tubers collected in the fall, their purity, healthy looking. And you won’t have to work hard to dig up potatoes. It is convenient to collect tubers from under the straw. You just need to properly store the vegetable and enjoy the fruits of your labors during the winter.

Planting and growing potatoes under straw or hay is a method that reduces labor costs, since these materials greatly facilitate caring for and harvesting. This method will especially appeal to retired gardeners, and will also be of interest to younger summer residents.

Advantages and disadvantages of the method

Growing potatoes under straw or hay is optimal for small areas. In this case, there will be no need to dig up the area for the crop, additional fertilizer, treatment for many types of pests.

The undoubted advantages of this method of planting potatoes include the following:

Gardeners note that the method of planting potatoes under straw or hay gives good results: from one bucket of planting material you can get up to 10 buckets of large tubers.

The disadvantages of the method include:

• The spread of rodents, for which straw becomes a breeding ground. Mice are attracted to the remains of wheat ears. If there are a lot of pests, they can ruin a significant part of the crop.
• Specific taste. Some people find the taste of potatoes grown under a layer of straw or hay to be unusual and different from that of tubers grown in the ground.
• Costs for covering material.
• Greening of tubers. This happens if the layer of mulch (hay or straw) is too thin.
• Reproduction of slugs in straw and hay, which can also spoil the harvest. For these pests, such an environment becomes optimal.

This method of planting and growing potatoes has many features, so before you try it, you should plant it like this small area. For test planting under straw, you can use the worst tubers, which you still would be sorry to throw away.

Features of planting potatoes under straw

Before you start planting crops for hay or straw, you need to carry out some preparatory measures.

Preparation of planting material

In March, seed potatoes begin to be prepared. All tubers are carefully inspected and infected tubers are removed. For planting, leave healthy potatoes the size of a chicken egg.

Containers with planting material leave for 3 weeks in a lighted, dry room. The temperature should be between 5-15 degrees. During this period, strong shoots appear on the tubers.

The following potato varieties are well suited for cultivation under straw:

• Nevsky;
• Artemis;
• Sappho;
• Symphony;
• Solar.

If a farmer is interested in receiving early harvest, we advise you to read where they are listed and described early varieties potatoes.

Soil preparation

Before planting potatoes, it is recommended to plant predecessor plants in the area for them. They displace weeds from the site and enrich the soil useful substances– phosphorus, nitrogen. The following plants are best suited: alfalfa, oats, mustard, rye.

To improve the soil composition, you can use the following fertilizers:

• Compost.
• Humus. You can't take it fresh material. It is better if it has been stored for 2-3 years beforehand.
• Dry ground citrus peels. This component effectively repels rodents with its odor.
• Ground egg shells. It disinfects the soil well.
• Ash. This fertilizer effectively fights wireworms.

Fertilizers should be scattered over the soil and then loosened with a rake.

It is best to prepare the area for planting in the fall.

Preparation of mulch

To plant potatoes using the described method, you can use old hay, mowed dried grass from clearings or lawns, or partially rotted straw that was used to grow potatoes last season.

Per hundred square meters you will need about 20-30 sq. m of covering material.

Landing Features

Planting begins when the soil warms up to 10 degrees. Seeds should be planted in a well-lit and sunny area.

You need to plant potatoes under mulch in this way:

• Make furrows in the ground, pour water into them if the soil is dry. The soil must be moist. Instead of furrows, you can dig holes 10-15 cm deep.
• It is advisable (but not necessary) to apply fertilizer to the furrows. The nutrient mass should consist of humus and wood ash. Fertilizer is poured into heaps in place of the holes, then potatoes are placed on them.
• Distribute the prepared seed material on the site with the sprouts facing up. The distance between the rows is 70 cm, the interval is 30 cm.
• Cover the tubers with straw or hay with a layer of 45-50 cm.

It should be taken into account that laying straw too tightly will make it difficult for the sprouts to break through. That is why you need to monitor the thickness of the layer.

When shoots emerge from under the straw and reach a height of 15-20 cm, you need to form a layer of covering material. The mulch level can be increased to 50 cm.

If the summer turns out to be damp, it is necessary to carefully beat up the hay or straw to prevent rotting due to high humidity. In hot, arid climates, on the contrary, the beds need to be watered more often, constantly monitoring the level of soil moisture.

If everything is done correctly, optimal conditions are created: weeds are not able to break through the layer of straw or hay, evaporation is eliminated. Thanks to this, the tubers grow in optimal conditions.

Alternative ways to grow potatoes for hay or straw

The method described above for growing potatoes under mulch is not the only one. There are also variations of this method.

Growing under straw using soil

You need to mark grooves on the site, then holes 7 cm deep. The distance between the holes should be 30 cm. Seed material should be placed in each of them and sprinkled with soil, then a layer of straw 25-30 cm should be laid on top.

The main difference between this method and the classic method of growing potatoes in straw is the use of soil, which is sprinkled with seed material.

Growing with straw in a bucket

This method is as follows: drainage, a 5-7 cm layer of soil, humus are poured into a deep bucket, then 1-2 tubers are placed. Sprinkle straw on top in a 10 cm layer. Mulch is added as the tops grow until the bucket is filled. This “bed” is periodically watered with water.

Using cardboard and straw

For this method you need to prepare thick cardboard (packages from under household appliances) and straw. The cardboard must be laid over the area so that there are no gaps. It needs to be secured along the edges - for example, by laying bricks. Make cuts in the letter "X" on the cardboard. A distance of 30 cm should be maintained between each of them.

Place a potato in each cut directly on the ground so that at least one sprout looks out. Sheets of cardboard must be sprinkled with a layer of straw (20 cm is enough). When the shoots begin to emerge, you should add more straw or hay. The layer must be at least 15 cm.

Diseases and pests of crops

Growing potatoes under straw or hay does not exclude the possibility of developing crop diseases or being damaged by pests.

The main enemy of potatoes is slugs, for which natural coverage dry grass makes a good shelter. Pests hide here from the heat. Such a neighborhood is dangerous for potatoes, since slugs damage the bushes and create conditions for the development of secondary infectious processes potatoes.

You can fight slugs using crushed egg shells, lime, sawdust or onion peel. It is recommended to periodically inspect the bushes and collect hidden pests.

Rodents that feed on spikelets of wheat found in hay pose no less of a danger to the crop. You can effectively fight them by planting spice plants along the perimeter of the bed. Rodents are repelled by lemon balm and cilantro.

Also, mice will be scared away by noise vibration interference. To create them, you need:

1. Stick 1-1.5 m long metal rods into the ground around the perimeter of the bed. The distance between each is about 1 m.
2. Hang 5 liter plastic canisters along with lids on the rods. The bottom of the canister must first be cut off.

This design creates noise when exposed to wind, and vibration metal rods transmits it down into the soil. Such sounds repel pests.

To protect the crop from the Colorado potato beetle, it is recommended to treat the tubers with insecticides (for example, Prestige or Matador) before planting.

When fighting rodents, it is not recommended to place poisoned baits around the perimeter of the site, since this is contrary to sanitary and environmental considerations. Other inhabitants of the site that do not pose a threat to the crop - birds, hedgehogs, beneficial insects - may die from the poison.

You can also use it to repel pests. ultrasonic repellers.

Harvesting

It is recommended to harvest potatoes that were grown under hay or straw on a sunny day. You need to do it this way:

1. Remove the layer of straw or hay using a rake. There is no need to throw it away, as it will be needed for growing potatoes next year.
2. Collect tubers. Take out the potatoes with your hands, since most of them are located shallow.
3. You can put the tubers in bags or buckets.

At proper care You can try the first new potatoes after 12 weeks.

You can read about ways to store potato harvests.

What is better for growing - straw or hay?

How to decide on covering material with this method of planting potatoes?