The best recipes for foliar feeding of potatoes and the rules for their introduction
In the process of growth and development, potatoes absorb a lot of nutrients. In addition to the traditional root method of fertilizing, gardeners carry out foliar dressing. An integrated approach increases productivity, plant resistance to diseases and pests, makes tubers larger and more tasty.
The content of the article
Features of foliar feeding
With the usual method of fertilization, many vegetables are deficient in nutrients or assimilate them unevenly. For foliar treatment, ground parts of plants are sprayed - elements quickly absorbed through stems and leaves.
Reference! This method will help to urgently reanimate bushes that are severely weakened and unable to absorb fertilizers from the soil.
Advantages and disadvantages
Pros of foliar feeding:
- useful substances are absorbed almost instantly, as they are quickly absorbed through the tissues of leaves and stems and activate metabolic processes;
- the yield of potatoes increases;
- more economical use of drugs for processing;
- the crop becomes less vulnerable to diseases and pests;
- the skin of the tubers becomes denser, the amount of ascorbic acid and starch increases.
In acidic soil, such feeding is more effective than traditional: it allows you to control the diet and promptly eliminate the deficiency of useful components. The method is suitable for weakening and extinction of the potato root system.
The main disadvantage of this method - the risk of exceeding the norm of the drugs used. With a high concentration and non-compliance with dosages, burns appear on the bushes, the leaves die off.
Signs of a lack of substances
Diagnostics is carried out both on leaves and on tubers. By the appearance of the bushes, it is easy to determine what nutrients they lack.:
- calcium - growth stops, tubers are deformed, covered with mucus;
- magnesium - tubers are not formed due to poor synthesis of carbohydrates in leaf plates;
- zinc - the resistance to drought and temperature changes decreases, the tubers become smaller, do not contain vitamins and starch;
- copper - growth slows down, potatoes are deformed;
- chlorine - stems and leaves develop poorly, plants are often affected by a fungus;
- manganese - yield decreases due to impaired development of the root system;
- nitrogen - leaves turn yellow, tubers are poorly formed;
- phosphorus - foliage acquires a dark purple hue, vegetables slowly gain weight.
A drying out edge of the leaves indicates a lack of potassium... This component is added together with phosphorus for better absorption.
The best foliar feeding
For such treatments use organic and mineral compounds.
Nitroammofoska
Nitroammofoska - effective means for feeding potatoes, stimulating crop growth, tuber formation... Due to the high concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, other substances with a similar composition are not used. The use of nitroammophoska increases the yield by 30–70%.
For processing potatoes 2 tbsp. the granules are diluted in 1 bucket of warm waterspray the bushes after sunset or on a cloudy day.
Mineral dressing
Mineral complexes for potatoes are extremely important: they stimulate the growth of bushes and the tubers themselves. Often gardeners use:
- a solution of potassium and nitrogen (for 5 liters of water, take 100 g of urea, 5 g of boric acid, 150 g of potassium monophosphate);
- phosphorus compositions (20 g of fertilizer per 10 liters of water, insist 2 days).
One of the most effective remedies is ammonium nitrate... For 10 liters of water, take 5-10 g of the drug. This volume is enough for processing 100 m2 plot.
Folk remedies
Infusions of ash and manure are effective against pests, and a decoction of nettle prevents diseases:
- In a bucket, 1/3 filled with manure, add water to the brim, let it brew for 6-7 days. After 1 liter of the finished solution, dilute in 10 liters of warm water and spray the tops.
- Add 200 g of ash to 10 liters of water, leave for 5 hours and use it for irrigation. To enhance the effect, shavings of laundry soap are added to the product.
- Nettle tops together with the stems are poured with warm water and left until active fermentation. Then they filter, the bushes are treated once every 10 days.
An effective remedy against Colorado beetles — infusion of walnut foliage... To prepare 2-3 kg of raw materials, pour a bucket of water, insist 1-2 weeks. Strain twice before use.
To restore damaged tops from hail or to nourish plants after frost, use herbal decoction: 700-800 g of dried field horsetail is poured into 10 liters of water, left for a day, then brought to a boil and filtered.
Take a note:
How to grow a bucket of potatoes from one bush
Planting potatoes for the winter: instructions for beginners
Terms of top dressing
Before planting, fertilizers are usually applied to the hole, but some summer residents process the tubers directly. On young seedlings, the leaves quickly absorb micro and macro elements.
During landing
Before planting the tubers, ash is poured into the prepared holes. Each bag of potatoes requires 1 kg of the product.
In open ground, the first foliar feeding is carried out 15 days after germination... During this period, plants need nitrogenous fertilizers. For 1 hundred square meters of land use 2 kg of urea, diluted in 20 liters of warm water.
Before and after flowering
Before flowering, potatoes need potassium, copper, molybdenum. After the appearance of the first sprouts, the culture is sprayed to stimulate growth with such a means:
- 3 tbsp. l. wood ash;
- 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate;
- 10 liters of water.
Before flowering, a complex composition of 20 g of superphosphate, 0.1 g of copper sulfate and 2 g of nitrate. All elements are bred in a bucket of water and sprayed with tops.
From folk remedies, a decoction of onion peels is used... It scares off beetles and slugs, as it contains phytoncides. To prepare the product, you will need 10 liters of water and 3 large handfuls of husks. The composition is brought to a boil, filtered.
Important! Leaf treatment with mineral fertilizers is not carried out during the flowering period, since the plants become especially sensitive to any chemical components. Potent substances repel pollinating insects.
After flowering, potatoes are treated with potash compounds: 1 bucket of water take 30-40 g of potassium sulfate. This composition increases the sugar content of the tubers.
25-30 days before harvesting the crop is fed with superphosphate: 100 g of the drug is dissolved in a bucket of water. This volume is enough for 100 m2 plot.
Against late blight use a solution of 5 g of boric acid and 1-2 g of potassium permanganatediluted in a bucket of water.
Step-by-step instruction
When foliar feeding it is important to observe not only the fertilization regime, but also their dosage.
Application rates
When preparing formulations for irrigation take into account the characteristics of the variety and soil, weather conditions:
- early varieties require the most nutrition - leaf processing contributes to a faster and more balanced supply of substances to all parts of the plants;
- due to frequent rains, the culture poorly assimilates phosphorus, zinc, manganese, nitrogen and sulfur, and in the heat there is a deficiency of boron, calcium and potassium;
- in acidic soil, potatoes lack molybdenum and phosphorus, in alkaline soil - boron.
It is recommended to pre-test the selected product in a small areaand then spray all plantings.
When using finished products, follow the instructions and the indicated dosage. A decrease in the concentration of a substance is allowed, but not an increase.
Precautions
To avoid thermal burns on the tops, the bushes are not sprayed on a sunny day.... The time is best after sunset or dawn.
By the way! Plants need at least 2 hours to absorb substances.
When carrying out work, use protective equipment: masks, gloves or special suits. This prevents hazardous substances from reaching the skin, respiratory tract and mucous membranes.
It is important that the solution falls not only on the upper side of the leaves, but also on the lower... This contributes to a more uniform and faster absorption of elements into plant tissues.
Tips for experienced summer residents
A few important tips from experienced gardeners:
- Foliar top dressing is not carried out if rain is expected in the coming days: it will wash away all the nutrients from the tops, and they will not reach the roots. Fertilizers will remain in excess in the soil, which will lead to its oversaturation with nitrates.
- For maximum efficiency for spraying, use clean water, settled for at least 2 days, or well water.
- To increase the yield by 20%, an organomineral complex is used - potassium humate. For 10 liters of water, take 200 ml of the drug. Plantings are sprayed in the 5–7 leaf phase and before flowering.
Conclusion
Foliar dressing of potatoes improves plant development, tuber formation, and increases productivity. The complex introduction of nutrients makes the crop resistant to diseases and insect pests.
When leaf processing, useful elements quickly get to the root part and tubers, restore weakened bushes. At different stages of the growing season, both mineral and organic compounds are used.