Growing potatoes in bags
Today, there are many technologies that allow you to grow early potatoes, increase the yield of this crop and control its pests. But with a lack of fertile soil, for example, in swampy, rocky areas, on sand poor in organic matter and other inconveniences, it is difficult to get high-quality tubers in proper quantities.
In such a situation, it will be helpful to learn how to grow bagged potatoes. This unusual technology is a way to quickly get a harvest in the most adverse conditions. After all, fertilizing, removing excess moisture and other measures will take a lot of time and effort, but they will not be able to guarantee the yield of potatoes.
Conditions for growing bagged potatoes
The main condition for success:
- providing potatoes with a loose nutrient medium for growth;
- sufficient watering;
- availability of lighting.
Therefore, the first task for a gardener who decides to resort to the method of growing potatoes in bags is to find a place where an improvised garden bed will be placed. The bags can be dug into the ground a little or placed near a support. Containers with bushes should:
- well lit;
- be available for plant care;
- do not fall under drains from roofs.
If there is a lack of planting space, bags can be placed along garden paths, near terraces and walls of buildings. But it is better if the coating under the containers can absorb excess moisture flowing down from the plantings after watering.
Sequencing
Potatoes are planted in bags with the onset of steady heat. In most regions with a temperate climate, this time occurs in late April or May.
- At the bottom of the bag chosen for planting, loose nutrient soil with a predominance of humus is poured. Depending on the depth of the container, such a layer can be from 10 to 35 cm.
- A whole planting potato or pieces of tubers with eyes are spread on the ground, and then the plantings are covered with a 15-centimeter layer of light soil.
- The first shoots can be expected in 8-14 days. When the sprouts rise 15-10 centimeters above the soil, they are sprinkled with soil mixture up to the leaves. This technique makes the bagged potatoes give new roots on which young tubers will form.
- The procedure for sprinkling seedlings is repeated until one third of the height of the bag remains to the upper edge of the container.
It is better not to use containers that are too deep, as the plants may not have enough moisture and strength to grow and form new potatoes.
If you study the process of growing potatoes in bags from the video, you can notice this feature and avoid mistakes in practice.
Care
Now landing only requires glaze... Moreover, it must be remembered that because of the greater evaporation of moisture than in the soil, it will be necessary to water the plantings of potatoes in bags more often and more abundantly. Water is especially important during flowering, when the first tubers begin to form.
Experienced gardeners with experience in using this technology focus on the benefits of abundant watering, which soaks all layers of soil in a bag.
It is the access of air and the drainage of excess water that often becomes a problem when growing potatoes in bags.
- If the material from which the container is made is dense enough, it is better to make small cuts at the bottom of the container before planting.
- And a special valve at the bottom of the bag or bag greatly facilitates the removal of tubers and aeration of the root system.
If we talk about feeding the plantings, then the moderate use of potash fertilizers when growing potatoes in bags has a beneficial effect on the yield and quality of tubers. But from the abundance nitrogen it is better to refrain from feeding, because in this case the tubers do not mature for a long time and do not form a strong peel, which will not make it possible to lay the potatoes for storage.
Harvesting with this technology falls on the second half of August. And if favorable conditions are created, up to 5 kg of quality products can be obtained from 4–5 planted tubers.
Pros of growing bagged potatoes
Gardeners studying the question of how to grow potatoes in bags always note an abundance of positive aspects from the use of technology.
- The plantings do not affect soil pests and diseases.
- Seedlings are more active and vigorous than when planting tubers in traditional beds.
- The labor costs of the gardener associated with weeding, hilling and digging up the crop are significantly reduced.
- If the bags have sufficient moisture drain, the tubers will not rot.
- After removing the tubers, the released soil mixture is used to improve the soil in flower beds and under crops that have no common diseases with potatoes.
Difficulties in planting potatoes in bags
No growing technology is complete without some complexity. Planting potatoes in bags is no exception.
- Planting requires a large amount of nutritious soil, or preparing the potting mix is time consuming.
- All bags need to be stabilized, which is easier to do with commercially available bags.
- Bagged potatoes require constant moisture control.
The growing season for potato bushes is not so long, therefore it is important for plants to provide all conditions for the formation of numerous full-fledged tubers. Only in this case, the technology will not disappoint, but will give the gardener a rich harvest of clean large tubers.