Summer handling of potatoes.
From the time the plants poke through the soil, the best thing to do for fast, healthy growth is to hoe between rows whenever the soil is dry enough.
The reason for this is that the hoe will keep weeds in check while conserving water by forming a fine tillage.
In poor soil, it would be helpful to give a layer of old soot before the plants are buried. This should be done when the ground is damp and it is a good idea to remove the soot afterwards.
Some growers tend to think that the question of the best time to put soil is of little importance, however, the timing of this work is quite important in the life of your potatoes.
If plants are grounded too early, you won’t be able to hoe between rows, and if you ground them too late, there’s a chance you’ll damage the young leaves, making them more vulnerable to potato diseases that need to be grounded. .
In general, potatoes should be grounded when the plants are five to six inches tall. As a precaution against disease, the soil should be stretched up to the plants so that the ridge, with a nice fine point, is secured.
Some growers soil potatoes in such a way that the soil is left in a flat state on top, and this is done to make the most of the summer rain.
Aside from the fact that this method is questionable as to whether or not this flat hill helps in catching more rain, there can be no doubt that in a season where there can be a lot of disease, a flat hill is a good choice. help spread the problem.
For the grower to fully understand this, it is necessary to point out that the tiny organism responsible for disease outbreaks always attacks the underside of the leaves.
The small puncture made spreads rapidly and the spores of the disease are found at the edge of the circle of spread. These spores are always falling, and if a flat ridge has been made, the spores fall on this ridge, damaging the upper tubercles. By using the pointed ridge system, diseased spores will fall harmlessly between the rows.
Storing your potatoes:
Having harvested your crop, you need a system to store it for the winter. If you only have a small amount, you can use any cool, dry shed or cellar.
The warehouse must be frost-proof and dark with no light entering. One way to do this is to throw sacks or straw over the pile of potatoes.
Be sure to check the potatoes when you store them. If you see diseased or bruised potatoes, discard them so you don’t infect whole ones.
A good way to prevent problems would be to sprinkle a few handfuls of lime over the pile.
If you don’t have space in your shed, another method of storing your crop would be to make a cleat or hole in your garden, covering the potatoes with a good layer of straw and placing two feet of soil over it. You then scoop out the potatoes when you need them, making sure to cover the remaining potatoes.