Foliar dressing of potatoes

Many novice gardeners believe that potatoes do not need special feed - they grow well without this. In some ways they are right. Indeed, if the soil is fertile and there are enough trace elements necessary for the development of the plant, the question of how to feed the potatoes should not worry you. But what to do if the bushes lack some vitamins? In this case, feeding will be able to help out.

Note that usually the necessary fertilizers are applied just before planting. If, for some reason, this moment was missed, foliar feeding comes to the rescue. Their main feature is that they are not introduced into the ground, but, as a rule, are sprayed onto potato bushes. Once on the leaves, nutrients are very quickly distributed throughout the plant. The advantage of this method is that useful trace elements reach the tubers much faster than with conventional spring fertilization.

How to feed potatoes after germination

A few weeks (14-20 days) after germination, the potatoes can and should be fed. During this period, the plant will need nitrogen fertilization (for example, urea), which will significantly improve the rate of development of the potato bush. Such feeding will be especially good for plants that have emerged later and are slightly delayed in development. The main requirement for the feeding procedure is to adhere to the dosage.

Make sure that the granules of the product dissolve in the water. This is necessary so that the treated leaves do not get a chemical burn.

Potato flowering period - time for complex feeding

When flowers begin to form on the bush, you need to feed the potatoes with mineral fertilizer. To prepare a working solution, you will need a number of tools:

• ammonium nitrate (2 gr.);
• potassium chloride (2 gr.);
• superphosphate (instructions for use) (20 gr.);
• copper sulfate (0.1 g).

All components are dissolved in 10 liters of warm water, and then allowed to brew (this usually takes 3 hours). After the time has elapsed, a little water (about a liter) is added to the solution and taken into the sprayer. Such feeding not only launches processes that promote plant development, but also helps prevent fungal diseases. This is achieved due to the presence of copper sulfate in it.

How to fertilize potatoes during the formation and ripening of tubers

Foliar dressing of potatoes during the period of tuber formation is especially important. They saturate the plant with the necessary trace elements and as a result, there is no doubt that the roots will grow large and tasty.

Feeding takes place in two stages:

1. After the potatoes have faded (during this period, tubers begin to form), foliar dressing is performed with manganese and boron. The first helps to improve the taste of the tuber, and the second helps to prevent the formation of voids in the roots. In order not to burden oneself with unnecessary troubles, the easiest way is to purchase a universal fertilizer for this period - "Mag-Bor". You can buy it at any agricultural store. The price per package (200 g) is small - only 35-40 rubles. The funds will last for a long time - only 1 tablespoon of granules is needed for 10 liters of water.
2. When a month remains before harvesting (during this period, the tubers begin to ripen actively), it is time for a second foliar feeding.The universal fertilizer for potatoes during this period is phosphorus... To do this, you can stop your choice on all the familiar superphosphate. It costs about the same as the "Mag-Bor" - 40 rubles. True, one pack is not enough here. One hundred square meters will require 400 gr. facilities. The method of application is simple: the granules are evenly scattered around the potato bush. The second feeding allows you to increase the yield by an order of magnitude.

Foliar dressing: you need to know

Foliar dressing must be carried out correctly. If you do not observe even seemingly insignificant nuances, you can be left without a crop.

So, in this chapter, we'll talk about the main points to watch out for:

1. The first feeding of potatoes after planting is done when about 2 weeks have passed. Previously, this was not recommended.
2. It is noteworthy that the more developed potato bushes absorb nutrients better, which cannot be said about the plants affected by the disease. This is due to the fact that the leaves of weakened bushes have a dense structure, and therefore the penetration of the working solution into them is limited.
3. It is better to process potato bushes in cloudy and calm weather. If the sun is shining outside, then spraying should be postponed until the morning or evening. Otherwise, the plants risk getting a thermal burn. And one more thing, if, according to the forecast, rain is expected, then it is better to wait with fertilizers for potatoes - in order for the solution to be absorbed, you need at least 2 hours. Atmospheric precipitation can interfere with this process.
4. If negative temperatures (frosts) are observed outside at night, the treatment of the bushes should be postponed for 2-3 days.
5. The amount of feeding directly depends on the variety of potatoes. If it is early, then more nutrients for its full development will be required than for the mid-season. In addition, early ripening potato varieties react more intensively to foliar feeding, which means they will have to be fertilized more and more often.
6. The undoubted plus of foliar dressing is its economy - this requires much less fertilization than with conventional fertilization. Plus, it is thanks to foliar feeding that the plant develops immunity, which allows it to resist various fungal diseases.

So, foliar feeding can significantly increase the potato yield. It is not necessary if fertilizers were applied to the soil in the spring. If this moment was missed, then foliar feeding can become a real lifesaver. In general, summing up the above, we can say with confidence that even a beginner can grow tasty and healthy potatoes on his site. The main thing is to know when and how to fertilize potatoes, as well as at what time to carry out these procedures. We hope that our article will help you with this.

Mineral nutrition of potatoes - video