The Potato is broadly cultivated in temperate areas, and its stem tubers, which develop underground, are a preferred meals. A youthful, herbaceous perennial. The plant comes from South America the place it was terribly valued by the Indians. Its botanical title is Solanum tuberosum; it belongs to the household Solanaceae.
Rising and Planting Potatoes.
Potatoes shall be cultivated in many different sorts of soil, nonetheless the easiest crops are dug from well-drained loamy land. They may presumably be planted on the an equivalent web site on-line 12 months after 12 months with good outcomes, if the underside is maintained in a fertile situation by liming, manuring and so forth. In a yard of low-cost dimension, nonetheless, it’s clever to incorporate the Potatoes in any system of rotation of crops which may very well be practiced in order that they shall have a change of soil periodically.
Making ready the Flooring.
Essentially the most appropriate alternative to position collectively heavy, clayey land for Potato cultivation is to plow or dig it in autumn; it’s left in a difficult situation all by the winter months. When the underside dries in spring the soil will break into small particles—in quite a few phrases, it should be friable when harrowed or forked over. Publicity to rain, frost and wind does immense good to land of this kind.
If this plan can’t be adopted, it’s the personalised of some gardeners who ought to plant Potatoes on clayey land to plant as they dig. The tubers, set in a furrow, are coated by soil on account of the digging proceeds. This technique is advantageous on account of as shortly as the location is planted it’s not trodden on as quickly as further till late spring or early summer time season season when the primary earthing-up or weeding is achieved, and by that point the bottom might have dried.
Mild or well-drained loamy soil have to be plowed or dug in spring, manure or compost being buried contained in the furrow or trench on account of the work proceeds. It’s not essential or fascinating to manure land intently for Potato cultivation contained in the yard. An reasonably priced dressing of decayed manure or compost, positioned on the land and blended with it, and supplemented by fairly a couple of features of an relevant full fertilizer, will guarantee passable outcomes.
Sprouting.
The preparation of the fashions or planting tubers, normally referred to as “seed potatoes,” is a matter of fine significance on account of it has a substantial have an effect on on the yield. It has been discovered that if Potato tubers already possessing fairly a couple of sprouts are planted, a heavier crop will end finish end result than if dormant or unsprouted tubers are used.
Tubers required for planting in spring have to be chosen fastidiously; these weighing about 2 oz., or the size of a small hen’s egg, are thought-about to be principally primarily essentially the most relevant. Better tubers might, nonetheless, be used; they’re normally cut back into objects, every half to incorporate fairly a couple of sprouts, at planting time. To provide sprouts the tubers are set on finish in shallow packing containers, or notably made trays having quick wood legs which permit of their being positioned on prime of one another to save lots of numerous quite a few house. That is executed 2-4 weeks before planting time.
What is known as the “rose” finish of the tuber, that which possesses the larger variety of “eyes” or buds, is positioned uppermost. The packing containers or trays have to be in a light-weight, pretty heat place; there the tubers begin into development and by planting time will possess fairly a couple of quick, sturdy sprouts. It’s important that the tubers be utterly open to the sunshine or the sprouts shall be weak and “drawn.”
Sprouting before planting them is strongly to be useful for all types, nonetheless it’s notably essential contained in the cultivation of early varieties; Potatoes handled on this means will begin into development earlier to dormant tubers.
Reducing the Variety of Sprouts.
Ahead of the tubers are planted the query of the variety of sprouts to be left on each have to be determined.
If just one sprout is left on every tuber, the crop will embody a restricted variety of massive Potatoes; if two sprouts are left there shall be a great deal of massive Potatoes, and others of fantastic dimension; if three sprouts are left there shall be a optimistic variety of small tubers, though most of them shall be massive or fair-sized. If all of the sprouts are left on, or if dormant tubers are planted, the variety of small Potatoes shall be nonetheless greater.
For frequent yard cultivation, the only observe is to depart two or three sprouts on every of the tubers.
There’s not a doubt as to the benefits of sprouting the tubers before planting and limiting the variety of sprouts. This ensures early enchancment and a minimal of small Potatoes, and thus prevents waste of crop.
Potatoes as a Cleansing Crop.
These which may be confronted with the issue of constructing a mannequin new yard on land which has not been cultivated beforehand or which has been out of cultivation for just some years, and bringing the soil into good situation for sowing or planting, will uncover it a good looking plan to crop it with Potatoes for the primary 12 months. There’s not a greater cleansing crop for mannequin spanking new land.
The positioning have to be plowed or dug in spring to forged off tree roots and as many perennial weeds as doable. The Potatoes are planted in spring. By way of the summer time season season months the practices of weeding, hoeing and earthing-up will assist very significantly to domesticate the land, break down lumpy soil and forged off coarse weeds. By the tip of the summer time season season or early autumn, the underside shall be in first-rate situation for sowing or planting after the crop of Potatoes has been lifted.
It’s most essential to have the location utterly ready the place it’s meant to make a mannequin new yard by sowing Grass seeds, and Potato cultivation is nice preparation. Early September is an applicable time to sow the Grass seeds, and if a crop of early Potatoes is grown they’ll be off the underside by the tip of August, thus permitting time for the final phrase leveling and seedbed preparation. The Potato tops, or vines, have to be burnt on the location, along with one different yard garbage which have to be destroyed; this observe helps to forged off weed seeds and seedling weeds and thus saves labor later.
There are two chief varieties or applications of Potato —the Early, and the Maincrop or Late; pretty just some varieties of every form may very well be found.
The First Plantings.
The earliest crops of Potatoes are produced from plantings of Early varieties made as shortly in spring as soil and native climate circumstances permit. It will usually be 1-2 weeks before the on a regular basis date of the last word killing frost contained in the locality nonetheless in sheltered areas (very similar to on a south-facing slope shielded from chilly winds by a windbreak or hedge) on sandy soils, they may very well be planted 3-4 weeks before the on a regular basis date of the last word killing frost. This latter date varies significantly, after all, in response to geographical locality. Gardeners not aware of it, on account of it applies to their very private gardens, might get hold of data from the County Agricultural Agent of the county all through which they reside or could also be guided as to when to plant by the practices of native consultants.
On heavy (clayey) soils planting can’t be executed fairly as early as on light (sandy) ones. Certainly not ought to planting be executed till the soil is in a workable, crumbly situation; planting in moist, sticky soil is particular to ship disappointing outcomes.
As shortly as youthful shoots from the Potatoes present by the use of the bottom of the underside and are 2-3 in. tall, soil have to be drawn (hilled) as loads as them with a hoe or plow so that every one aside from the very ideas of the shoots is roofed; this serves as a safety in route of chilly.
Tubers (fashions) of Early Potatoes are planted 4 in. deep and 12-15 in. aside in rows spaced 18-24 in. aside. It’s a good revenue to position a layer of compost or decayed manure contained in the furrows before planting. The tubers root freely into every of those supplies, and vigorous development is thus promoted.
Early Potatoes could also be dug as shortly on account of the tubers of the mannequin new crop are massive ample to make the most of. This may be ascertained by lifting a plant or two as a trial, and should normally be inside 10-12 weeks from the time of planting.
Crops needn’t be all lifted straight; the higher plan for the house gardener is to dig his Early Potatoes as he wants them for desk use, and thus to increase the harvest over a interval of fairly a couple of weeks. It have to be remembered that the Potato crops hale not accomplished their season’s development when the primary ones are lifted on the top of 10 or 12 weeks; if the crops are left contained in the flooring the tubers will enhance in dimension and quantity (and thus give a heavier crop) for a while after these Potatoes have been eradicated.
Early types of Potatoes might have accomplished their development and matured by July or August, in response to locality, by which interval Maincrop varieties shall be in the marketplace for digging for quick desk use. Early varieties have to be all lifted when maturity is reached, which is evidenced by the tops’ dying down naturally.
It could’t be stated that Potatoes want quite a few consideration all via the summer time season season months; the 2 particulars of chief significance are weeding and earthing-up. As shortly on account of the tops present by the use of the soil, the underside between the rows have to be forked over shallowly, the soil being damaged down into small particles. Shortly, it have to be hoed incessantly to handle down weeds. The work of earthing-up will then be a relatively easy matter for the soil shall be friable and simply moved. Earthing-up, when the soil is troublesome and lumpy, is a laborious course of and it’ll presumably’t be carried out satisfactorily.
Fertilizers for Potatoes.
Ahead of the soil is earthed up fertilizer have to be utilized alongside the crops. Significantly compounded mixtures made for the objective are bought by horticultural shops and shall be discovered helpful. Or the next combination shall be discovered passable: superphosphate, 5 components, and sulphate of ammonia, two components, the combination being utilized on the value of three oz. per yard run of row.
Earthing-up is achieved by drawing up the soil on either side of the row in order that it helps the Potato stems and leaves just a few inches of vine or development uncovered. It shouldn’t be accomplished on one event. The primary earthing-up is achieved when the Potato tops are about 6 in. excessive and the second about 4 weeks later. The objective of earthing-up is to assist the stems of the crops and to guard the tubers and assist their enchancment.
A second planting of early Potatoes could also be made 2-3 weeks after the earliest varieties. The tubers are set 5 in. deep, and 15 in. aside, in rows 24 in. from one another. They need to be handled in among the best methods already outlined as far as the small print of sprouting the tubers, planting, the utilization of fertilizers and earthing-up are involved.
Late or Maincrop Potatoes.
These are planted in about 6 weeks after the primary earlies; they supply the chief current all via the winter and early spring months and shall be prepared to be lifted in September. The tubers are set 5 in. deep and 18 in. aside in rows, 2-2 1/2 ft. from one another. It’s a mistake to crowd them, for that stops the soil from being appropriately cultivated between the rows. The choice particulars of administration—sprouting the tubers, planting, the gear of fertilizers and earthing-up—are carried out in among the best methods already described. All through the dwelling yard, it’s normally finest to focus on early crops; late potatoes want numerous care with spraying.
Lifting Potatoes.
There’s not a revenue in leaving Potatoes contained in the flooring after the leaves have turned yellow; it’s, really, unwise to take movement, for there they’re uncovered to danger of harm by soil pests of various varieties.
After they’ve been dug, the Potatoes have to be left on the underside for 2 or three hours if the native climate is okay, in order that the skins might harden before they’re saved. If the native climate is moist it’s a good plan to unfold them out beneath cowl of a shed or utterly totally different relevant place.
Storing Potatoes.
The Potatoes should not be uncovered to the sunshine for quite a few hours or they are going to start to current inexperienced and should thus be rendered unfit to be used contained in the kitchen. When dry, they may very well be saved in sacks or packing containers, in any cool, darkish, frostproof place. Solely sound Potatoes have to be saved in bulk; if diseased ones are put away with sound ones, the latter might also be spoiled. A winter storage temperature of 35-40 ranges is fascinating for finest outcomes.
There are a great deal of types of Potato. These shall be discovered described in seed catalogs. It’s clever to hunt the advice of your State Agricultural Experiment Station or your County Agricultural Agent concerning varieties notably useful for explicit soils and localities.
