Content
To obtain a good harvest of potatoes, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the soil and fertilize it in time. Modern industry produces a large amount of chemical fertilizers for these purposes, but after their application, the crop will no longer be environmentally friendly and safe. In order to enrich the soil with useful substances and increase its fertility, but at the same time not to conflict with the ecology, it is necessary to sow green manures together between the rows of potatoes.
Siderata belong to natural fertilizers... After their planting, the soil is plowed, as a result of which the green mass is in the ground. There, it begins to decompose, resulting in the release of useful micro- and macroelements.
In addition, the top layer will be enriched with such elements necessary for potatoes as:
- potassium
- nitrogen;
- phosphorus, etc.
Necessary control the amount of growing greenery, since if there is a lot of it, then not decomposition, but acidification of the plowed vegetation will occur. This can lead to the multiplication of pathogens.
Siderata not only fertilize the soil and fill it with the necessary nutrients. They also help to get rid of the most common diseases and pests that affect potatoes.
How to prepare the soil
Siderata, like any crop, require preliminary soil preparation before planting. After harvesting, the land is leveled with a rake or other tool, and nitroammophos (at the rate of 10 liters per hundred square meters).
If the acidity of the soil is increased, then you can add a little lime... Very dry soil must be watered before planting green manure. For these purposes, it is better to use a shower head. Only then can one proceed directly to sowing seeds and embedding them.
How to deposit
The time for sowing green manure is chosen depending on the purpose for which they are introduced to the site. If the plants are designed to repel pests, then you can sow seeds. right in the aisles... In this case, you will need to periodically cut them to prevent the seeds from ripening.
They should be fairly cold-resistant, because by the time the potatoes are planted, these plants are already cut. Autumn sowing involves the treatment of the soil and its enrichment with useful microelements for the next season. All the necessary activities are carried out after the harvest is harvested and the site is completely free.
Why do they bring in in the spring
When sowing siderates in spring, potatoes will gradually receive nutrients from their decomposition throughout the entire growth period.
Sowing is done immediately, as soon as the snow melts and the earth starts to warm up. Crops must be cold hardy.
In the spring, it is very good to sow plants such as:
- mustard;
- rape;
- rye;
- oats;
- phacelia.
You can also use siderates, which will grow at the same time as potatoes, enrich the soil and repel pests.
They can be:
- legumes;
- calendula;
- nasturtium.
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- Phacelia
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- Calendula
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- Nasturtium
Can I plant in autumn
The autumn sowing of green manure will not only fertilize the land, but also suppress weeds, contribute to the saturation of the soil with oxygen, reduce the number of pests.
When calculating the timing of sowing, you need to think about the fact that before the onset of frost, the crops must have time not only to ascend, but also to grow. Otherwise, they cannot be used as fertilizers.
Most often, the following plants are used as autumn siderates for potatoes:
- mustard;
- radish;
- oats;
- alfalfa;
- phacelia;
- rape.
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- Alfalfa
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- Rape
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- Mustard
At the same time, it is especially appreciated mustard, since it is she who tends to grow rapidly even at low temperatures. But later, you can not mow the oats, but plant the potatoes directly in it. In this case, the dried plant will serve as mulch and protect the crop from the negative effects of the external environment.
How to choose
The key criterion when choosing green manure for potatoes is the general condition of the soil. It should be loose, with a sufficient amount of minerals, free from pests and diseases.
Unfortunately, one plant species is often not able to solve all problems. For this, use combinations of several plants.
In order to increase the fertility of the soil and its fertilization, they are planted at the place of growing potatoes legumes... It is they who relieve gardeners from the need to use fertilizers of inorganic origin and saturate the earth with all the necessary microelements.
In the fight against pests (wireworm, late blight) it helps well mustard or colza... But to scare off the Colorado potato beetle, it is good to plant flax.
Also, green manure will help to cope with the main weeds. To do this, sow on the site buckwheat, nasturtium, radish, clover, alfalfa.
Which green manure is best for potatoes
However, there is also a universal option - phacelia... It is frost-resistant, quickly gains green mass and is able to provide the soil with good air permeability. That is why this plant has gained immense popularity among gardeners.
Can I plant if the soil is infected with pests or fungi?
Potatoes should never be planted in contaminated or diseased soil. Before landing, such a site must be treat... DO NOT rush and resort to chemical treatment. Siderates can come to the rescue.
Natural healers can be:
- oil radish;
- mustard white;
- rape;
- rape.
These plants not only heal the soil, but also get rid of peststhat are in it. In especially infested areas, you can leave seedlings in the aisles. Thus, phytosaniters will do their job throughout the season.
Types for potatoes
Legumes
Legumes are rightfully considered one of the best green manures, which have the ability to saturate the soil with useful trace elements.
It is worth paying attention to viku... It is a climbing annual that not only prevents soil erosion, but also significantly improves its structure. It has proven itself well on neutral soils.
A plant like sweet clover can not only improve the structure of the soil on the site, but also help in the fight against nematodes and wireworms. Thanks to its powerful and branched root system, it is able to extract useful substances from the very depths of the earth.
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- Vika
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- Donnik
Cruciferous
Cruciferous plants are used not only as a natural fertilizer, but also as soil treatment agent... They help fight viruses and pests.
Most common in this group mustard... It has the ability not only to quickly build up green mass, but also to loosen the ground, improve its structure. After mowing, it acts as an excellent fertilizer, and in the process of growing it protects the site from weeds.
Deserves no less attention and oil radish... Thanks to the powerful root, the plant loosens the soil well, helps to retain moisture, destroys pathogenic microbes, and fights well against fungal diseases. It has the ability to inhibit weeds. When decomposed, forms a large amount of nutrients.
Cereals
Rye attracts the attention of gardeners due to cheap seed and undemanding soil. When decomposed, it forms a large amount of organic fertilizers, but cannot fix nitrogen in the soil.
If applied as a green fertilizer oats, then you can replace it with one crop of 200 kg of manure per one hundred square meters. This plant is able to improve the structure of the soil, helps in the fight against weeds, nematodes, fungal diseases, scab, root rot.
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- Rye
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- Oats
Can phacelia be a siderat
Phacelia has very short ripening period... The plant loosens the soil well, when decomposed, enriches it with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, and is capable of inhibiting the growth of weeds.
Thanks to these properties, the plant has become widespread as a green manure. She tolerates frosts quite well, which makes it possible to get several harvests per season. The green mass can also be used as animal feed.
Pros and cons
Green manure is called green manure among gardeners. This is not without reason: these plants, when plowed into the ground act like manure, peat or other organic fertilizers. During their decomposition, a mass of useful micro and macro elements is formed, which are so necessary for the full growth and development of potatoes.
Some green manures are capable of not only fertilizing, but also treating the soil, as well as repelling the most common types of pests.
There are probably no negative aspects of using such fertilizers. Except that the very process of growing them requires some material costs and investment of its own forces, labor. And the growth process takes some time, so you need to be patient and wait until the green mass grows.
When using green manure for potatoes, you can not only increase the yield of the site, but also grow an environmentally friendly product... After all, natural fertilizers are absolutely safe for the human body, which cannot be said about chemical analogues.
