After the potato shoots emerge, the foundation of the future harvest is laid. Three simple but timely actions will help increase the number of tubers, their size and quality. Remember them – and you will enjoy potatoes in the fall.
Hill up on time
Hilling stimulates the growth of new stolons, protects potatoes from overheating and greening in the sun.
- First Hill up when the tops reach 15–20 cm.
- Second – two weeks after the first.
An important condition: both times must be done before flowering begins. After flowering, it is already useless to hill up – new tubers will not form,” noted agronomist Ksenia Davydova.
Feed correctly
Potatoes are demanding when it comes to nutrition, but overfeeding them is more harmful than underfeeding them. If you choose one thing and keep it simple, the best option is potassium magnesia. It contains both potassium and magnesium. It is these elements that are responsible for large tubers and good keeping quality in winter.
Scatter 20 g of potassium magnesia per square meter before the first hilling or right before it, lightly work it into the soil.
It is better not to use nitrogen fertilizers after budding. They provoke fattening of the tops – the leaves will be powerful and the tubers will be small.
Water wisely
Potatoes can grow without watering, but don’t count on a large harvest in this case.
- From seedlings to a bush height of 15 cm, water sparingly, otherwise the roots will remain near the surface and will not extract moisture from the depths.
- The peak moisture requirement is from mid-budding to flowering. Drought at this time is critical: the ovaries crumble, the tubers become smaller.
- After flowering, reduce the frequency of watering to once every 7–10 days.
- A month before harvesting, stop watering completely – this will help the potatoes ripen better and last longer in the winter.
Personal experience
Previously, I hilled the potatoes once in July and watered them the same way all summer. The tubers grew as big as walnuts. Last year I did it according to science: two hillings before flowering, potassium magnesia during planting and a strict watering regime. The harvest was amazing – the potatoes were large, smooth and lasted well until spring. Now I do not deviate from this scheme.
Conclusion
Three actions — hilling before flowering, fertilizing with potassium magnesia and proper watering are the key to a large potato harvest. Do not overfeed with nitrogen, do not flood the bushes after flowering and have time to hill up before the buds appear. The result will not be long in coming.
