Processing potatoes before planting

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Fertilized land and the obligatory processing of potatoes before planting are the key to a good harvest of such a crop. For processing potatoes, both folk remedies and chemical ones are widely used. The main thing is not to overdo it and not overfeed the tubers with chemicals.

Processing potatoes before planting

Preparing potatoes for pre-sowing treatment

Before planting homemade potatoes, you need to sort it out, sort it (if they did not have time to do this in the fall) and warm it up. During the winter, some tubers can deteriorate and get sick. They are unsuitable for planting and can infect healthy seed, so they are thrown away. If the potatoes are large, they can be cut into pieces with 2-3 eyes. Seed potatoes of the first reproduction must not be cut.

Processing stages

Presowing potato processing requires compliance with the main stages. These include:

1. Disinfection from diseases, fungus.
2. Pickling from pests.
3. Growth stimulation.

It is important to provide adequate protection during a period of active growth. Treating planting material before planting home potatoes with complex agricultural preparations helps to solve this problem.

The period of protective action is on average about 40 - 50 days. At this time, the young plant grows greenery and actively forms young tubers. If the bushes are not protected, then the beetles eat the leaves, bears and worms spoil the tubers, and the fungus can lead to blackening and rotting of the entire bush.

Fungus treatment

A number of fungi and bacteria can attack potatoes. The most common causes of crop spoilage are late blight, scab, rot, potato cancer, and rhizoctonia. Losses can reach 20-30%.

Disinfectants can be divided into three groups:

• prophylactic agents;
• long-acting fungicides and insecticides;
• complex preparations.

Sources of diseases are both infected tubers and soil, planting material. It is physically difficult to disinfect everything, so most often only seed is processed.

A few hours or a day before planting, the tubers are sprayed with an active solution or soaked for several minutes. The tubers should be warmed up and germinated, but not too much. For spraying, the potatoes are laid out on a flat surface in one row. First, one side is processed, then the potatoes are turned over and processed on the other side.

Prevention of potato diseases

Protecting from disease

Preventive treatment of potatoes before planting increases their resistance to diseases, disinfects them from fungi and saturates them with useful substances. For prevention, the following means are used:

• potassium permanganate;
• ash;
• copper sulfate;
• boric acid.

Potassium permanganate is used to destroy pathogens of various diseases. For this, 10 g of the substance is dissolved in 10 l of water. Prepared tubers are soaked for 20 - 25 minutes, then dried and planted.

The use of potassium permanganate is gradually losing its popularity, since it is very weak, the action is short. There are other folk remedies that are more beneficial for potatoes.

Ash solution treatment

Ash increases the immunity of crops, protects against late blight, pests, is an excellent potash fertilizer. It is sprinkled with potatoes before planting and introduced into the holes or an ash solution is prepared.

The ash solution is prepared as follows: 1 kg of ash is mixed with 10 liters of water. The tubers are dipped in liquid before planting for 1 - 2 minutes, dried and planted.

Copper sulfate treatment

Copper sulfate is a chemical element. The powder is sold in garden stores. Apply it by dilution with water: 1 tbsp. l. for 6 - 7 liters of water. Potatoes are treated with vitriol as follows: the tubers are dipped into the solution for 2 - 3 minutes, then they are removed and then dried before planting. This procedure is carried out 2-3 days before sowing. Before planting, you can additionally spray with growth stimulants.

Boric acid treatment

Potatoes are responsive to boron feeding. This element is not only needed for the development of the root system and landscaping, but also for protection against rot and late blight. Boric acid is sold in pharmacies and garden stores, is cheap, so it is available to everyone.

To prepare a solution of 10 gr. powder is dissolved in 10 l. warm water. The resulting solution is sprayed on seeds and tubers before planting. Consumption rate of 1 liter per 25 kg of planting material. Complex fertilizers are prepared with boric acid.

Treatment (etching) from diseases

Treatment does not harm tubers

Presowing treatment of potato tubers is the safest pickling option. Modern fungicides protect crops from diseases at all stages of growth and have no side effects for humans. Until the first harvest begins, the potatoes are completely safe to eat.

The following drugs are most often used for disinfection: Maxim, Fitosporin-M. They can be combined with other fungicides, insecticides and growth promoters.

Fungicide "Maxim"

They protect potatoes from scab, rot, black leg, Rhizoctonia disease. In the fall, before moving the potatoes for storage, they are sprayed with a solution of 4 ml of the drug per 1 liter of water per 20 kg of root crops. In the spring, before planting homemade potatoes, the tubers are treated with a concentrated liquid: 4 ml of the drug per 0.5-1 l of water per 10 kg of root crops. The finished solution can be stored no more than a day.

Fitosporin

Fitosporin is a systemic fungicide. Effective against fungi and bacteria in all crops. Tubers and seeds are treated by spraying. To obtain a solution, 10 g of the drug is diluted in 500 ml of water. This is the norm for 20 kg of seed. The liquid can be stored for no more than 2 hours. It is necessary to spray in a dark place, since the drug loses its beneficial qualities in the sun.

Fitosporin is widely used. It comes in the form of a paste and a liquid. The solution is used when laying potatoes for storage. To process 10 kg of root crops, you need to dilute 10 drops with 200 ml of water and spray.

Such drugs as Integral, Baktofit have the same effect. They cannot be mixed with copper-containing drugs, because the mechanism of their action on pathogens is disrupted.

Complex fungicides

A popular complex drug is Prestige - a systemic fungicide and insecticide. It simultaneously increases resistance to late blight and protects against pests: Colorado potato beetle, wireworm, grubs, aphids, thrips, moths, fleas. It is recommended to process medium or late potatoes. The insecticide lasts for about 60 days, so it is not suitable for early varieties.The fungicide has a protection period of 40 days, after which it disintegrates.

Dilute Prestige with water in a ratio of 1 to 10. This is enough to soak 10 kg of planting material. It is necessary to plant in the soil immediately after soaking.

Pest control

Mandatory processing

Treating potatoes before planting has a number of advantages over spraying bushes from pests during growth:

1. Complexity - one treatment protects against a number of pests.
2. Long period of action.
3. Protection from disease.
4. Saving money and time.

Some insecticides also protect against a number of diseases. Celeste Top protects against ground beetles and those that live in the soil. It has a pronounced antifungal effect. The consumption rate for 30 kg of seed is 0, 25 liters of water and 20 ml of Celest Top. The active ingredients do not penetrate into young tubers. Suitable for early varieties.

Matador Grand is a systemic drug that is effective against a number of insects, has a pronounced antifungal effect. For spraying 30 potato tubers, 200 ml of water and 30 ml of Matador Grand are taken. For more, the proportions are increased.

Among other treaters, Commander and Cruiser are popular. These preparations can be used simultaneously with fungicides and growth stimulants.

Growth stimulation treatment

Both organic and mineral substances are used to stimulate growth. Organics are used when the soil is well prepared for planting: a mullein or other fertilizer has been added. On poor land, it is better to use mineral fertilizers and stimulants. These include:

1. Superphosphates.
2. Epin.
3. Baikal.
4. Succinic acid.

Superphosphates are used when planting potatoes, pouring it directly into the wells. When working with these mineral fertilizers, it is imperative to observe the recommended doses of powder application. It gradually decomposes in the soil and saturates it and growing crops with phosphorus and other trace elements. Application rate 3 - 4 gr. for 1 bush.

Epin

Epin stimulates gardening of the bush, as a result of which metabolic processes in the leaves, stem are accelerated, roots are better formed. The ripening period decreases, the yield increases.

Treatment of potato tubers is carried out as follows: Tubers are sprayed one day before planting. For this, 0.25 ml of the drug is stirred with 400 ml of water. The resulting solution can process up to 200 potatoes. Repeated application of Epin-ektar is carried out according to seedlings.

Baikal

Baikal is an inexpensive microbiological growth stimulator. In addition, directly feeding the tubers, it contributes to the formation of humus in the soil. It is incompatible with fungicides.

In order to process seeds and planting material with Baikal, you need to prepare a solution: 25 drops per 1 liter of water. Potatoes should be soaked for 3-4 hours and then immediately planted in the soil. The drug can be reapplied after the appearance of greenery. Microbacteria block the movement of bacteria to potato seedlings.

succinic acid

Succinic acid is a white crystalline powder. Fertilization with the drug increases resistance to diseases, temperature changes, stimulates the growth of the root system, gardening of the bush, flowering of the bush.

Before planting potatoes, the tubers should be sprayed with a 0.01% solution of succinic acid, covered with foil for 2 hours and then immediately planted. The acid is not toxic to humans, insects, animals.

Conclusion

Preplanting home potatoes protects the crop at all stages of growth. The choice of the drug depends on the varietal characteristics and ripening time. Complex dressing agents have proven themselves well. They save time, money and ease of use.

When working with any chemical substances, it is important to observe safety measures and not exceed the manufacturer's recommended dose.