Potatoes are considered the basis of the diet of any family. But, acquiring this vegetable, we do not think at all how it was grown, and where it came from. In order to grow potatoes is a lot of effort and cost. There are many ways to grow potatoes. One of the most popular ways is to grow potatoes in a barrel. This method is very entertaining and does not require much effort.
The name of the person who invented this method is not. This method has long roots. When harvesting the compost in an old barrel, an unknown peasant dropped a potato tuber, which sprouted unexpectedly. Later, a potato bush grew in a cask covered with mud.
After a while he tore out the taste, the peasant saw that he was hung with bunches of potatoes. This accident helped him collect a bag of potatoes. In the future, an unexpectedly open method has been improved. The tubers were staggered. This method is very productive and amazes with its results.
Pros and cons of this method
The advantage of growing potatoes in a barrel is that:
- In one barrel we can grow about three buckets of potatoes, while we save space in our plot.
- This method will save time when processing beds and in the fight against annoying pests.
- Using this method, we can prevent potato rotting and water stagnation in the barrel.
The disadvantage of this method is that we cannot grow large volumes of the crop for the purpose of further large-scale sales.
Selection of potatoes
To select the material for planting, we must focus not only on the taste of color and yield, but also on where the variety is zoned.
An important factor when choosing a potato is its time of maturation and endurance before illness.
In order for the plant to grow strong it is necessary to choose large tubers. It is necessary to beware of fraudsters who, under the guise of an elite potato, can offer its most ordinary fruits.
When buying, request a certificate that confirms the quality of the potatoes. Enduring and prolific varieties in our area:
- Bezhitsky.
- Lyra.
- Zhukovsky early.
- Timo.
- Cardinal
- Right hand.
Instruments
When planting potatoes in barrels, you will need a minimum set of tools that will be needed mainly for the manufacture of the skeleton itself (hammer, drill, chisel, knife, garden shovel). This fact can also be attributed to the next advantage of this method.
Soil and fertilizer
The potato during the growing season is not very picky in contrast to other crops and does not require to be fed. This is due to the fact that substances that are in the fertilizer are not digested sufficiently. Due to bulky tubers and a poorly developed root system, the use of nutrients by potatoes is more intense, unlike other vegetables.
Components for the preparation of soil mixture:
- turf ground;
- EM-Bocashi;
- ordinary soil.
Cultivation technology
What is the cultivation of potatoes in a barrel?
Before planting potatoes, we need to find a metal, plastic or wooden container, it can also be a plastic bag.- The height of the barrel should exceed 30 cm, it is necessary so that moisture and oxygen get into the ground in sufficient quantity. With insufficient moisture, the potatoes will not take root and the crop can not wait.
- One of the important conditions is the absence of a bottom at the barrel to ensure access of earthworms to the ground. The housing needs a large number of holes. For every 10-15 cm, the diameter of which should be about 1 cm. This is necessary so that excess moisture is gone, and the roots of the plant are saturated with oxygen.
- Also, to avoid oxygen starvation, we place a rubber hose at the bottom of the barrel, which we roll up in a spiral with a distance between turns of 8 cm. In the hose we make small holes 15 cm apart. pump to saturate the soil with air. This procedure is done about 3 times a week.
- Fill our barrel with the prepared mixture on 1/2 of its height, do it in layers. It is necessary to watch that sprouts do not hatch completely.
- When the sprout reaches the upper layer, we fall asleep with its next layer. If you do not keep track of this process, the root system of the plant will not be fully formed, and it will give all its strength to the growth of the green stem.
- The place where the barrel will stand can be absolutely anything. If there is no possibility to constantly pour the land, it is allowed to use the cultivation of tubers in three floors.
- Planting potatoes in a round container is necessary according to its diameter; if the container has square shapes, then planting takes place in a checkerboard pattern.
Before planting potatoes, we need to find a metal, plastic or wooden container, it can also be a plastic bag.What care is needed?
- The prepared soil must be steamed, it will help us get rid of pests and microorganisms. If the soil is sufficiently steamed, it has undergone a kind of disinfection. In this case, the soil is considered safe.
- You must know that the soil, which has a sandy composition, must be filled with magnesium sulfate and dolomite flour.
- On hot days, we must provide good watering of our potatoes.
To ensure a good harvest, you need top dressing, which is carried out by ashes, organic or complex fertilizers.- Approximately 3 months after the last top-dressing, the tops will turn yellow and dry. This means that the potatoes are ripe. In order to harvest the long-awaited harvest, it is necessary to turn over or disassemble our design. A good harvest should be one bag per square meter.
- The soil that remains can be reused with pre-saturated fertilizer.
- Special containers, which are called “Potato Barrel”, can replace the barrel, and online stores will help us with this. But, it is worth noting that more expensive equipment will not affect the quality of the crop.
To ensure a good harvest, you need top dressing, which is carried out by ashes, organic or complex fertilizers.Growing potatoes in a barrel is young and not well-known technology., which will help us to provide ourselves with a crop at the lowest cost. In addition, it is an interesting process that can involve the whole family.
