Earthing up of potatoes – agrotechnical reception which is very important for receiving good harvest. It is impossible to neglect this stage of care for vegetable culture.
As well as other processes of care for vegetable ridges, earthing up demands familiarity with rules. Excessive loosening and redigging of the earth not so much help how many harm plants. Therefore preliminary examination of information can help gardeners to carry out necessary procedures without causing damage to harvest.
When it is necessary to hill potatoes
Exact terms for earthing up of potato to call not so simple. When choosing time, weather patterns of the region, culture grade have to be considered and also when landing was made. Earthing up should be done in time by the periods of development of potatoes.
The first time hill potatoes 3 weeks later after disembarkation. Shoots have to rise by 8-10 cm over the soil. At earthing up leave 2-3 cm of plant above, cover the rest of stalk with earth fill. On question why to carry out earthing up of potato the first time, it is possible to answer so – for protection of the formed roots against returnable frosts and stimulation of development. It is possible to combine earthing up with weeding of ridges.
The second and third earthing up
The second time earthing up of potato ridges is carried out approximately in 3 weeks after the first processing. Over the earth it is necessary to leave about 5 cm of vegetiruyushchy green material. When shoveling the earth it is recommended to break dry lumps more small.
It should be noted that this stage for full care for plants is not obligatory. It is worth being engaged in it if on the site heavy, lumpy and very dense earth. Processing of the earth in this case will provide intake of air to roots, process of receiving nutrients by them improves.
The third time it is necessary to hill potatoes when the tops of vegetable has grown up on 20-30 cm. Whenever possible it is better to perform work by means of tame okuchnik – it will yield the best results, than application of motor-cultivator. You need to cover stalk with earth approximately on 20 cm. It is necessary to watch closely that during operating time it has not been put damages to tops of vegetable. The wounds got by them can provoke development of infections which will make potatoes from bush unsuitable to the use.
Before carrying out any on the account of earthing up useful will be to execute weeding. If owners of kitchen garden come to the dacha only during week-end and cannot allocate time for this procedure, it is necessary to try to pull out large weeds at least.
When it is the best of all to carry out earthing up of potato
The most convenient time to execute earthing up of potatoes – early morning or not hot evening. It is ideal if the procedure is carried out after rain, or it is possible just to water the potato field before work.
When forming crests the crude earth is more comfortable – dry lumps are immediately showered. When adding the damp soil to the basis of bushes there is stimulation of development of underground part of plants. It improves and facilitates forming of tubers and promotes increase in harvest.