How to grow your own potatoes, if You don't have a garden plot

Growing plants in containers is not only a useful technique for urban gardeners and those who have at their disposal only a limited amount of space, but is also useful for those who want to maximize their harvest in a controlled environment.

Growing potatoes in barrels not only reduces the need for weeding and saves plants from pests and fungi, but you don't risk damaging the potatoes, digging them out of the land. Just flip the barrel!

Here is a simple, four-step guide to growing potatoes in a barrel.

1. Select and prepare контейнер



You'll need to choose a suitable container, such as a 225 liter barrel for debris. Alternatively, you can buy a used barrel for food or commercial container for growing potatoes. Any container with a height of from sixty to ninety inches will work, but try to choose a container that already has holes to drain moisture or cut them yourself. Then clean it with a mild disinfectant or a bleaching powder to get rid of all harmful microorganisms that are already settled in it. Do not use bleach, find her some alternative.

Good drainage is essential for the cultivation of potatoes, so you'll need to cut or drill several large drainage holes in the bottom and side walls of your container.

2. Select tubers that want to grow, and place them in контейнер



Seed potatoes can be found at nurseries early in the season, but you'll have to buy it once. If you have the opportunity – try to sprout your potatoes before planting in the ground, for example, by placing it in a cardboard egg-tray party with the greatest number of eyes upward, and placing it in a cool, bright room away from direct light. The same result can be achieved by placing the tubers in an open paper bag.

Fill the bottom of your container of loose soil and litter compost of about fifty centimeters. If you have the opportunity – use the filler, for example, from recycled coconut shells, this will avoid excessive soil compaction and helps retain moisture for the roots. Then put some seed potatoes on the ground, leaving enough space between potatoes. You can use the whole tubers or cut them into cubes in three to five centimeters. Just cover the tubers loosely filled with compost is twenty inches and well pour them. Keep the soil moist all the time, but avoid waterlogging.

3. Add земли



When your tubers will give a fifteen to twenty inches of foliage, add another layer to the earth-compost mix to close the visible stems in half or three quarters. Repeat this process, allowing the shoots to grow and then covering them with earth and watering until they grow to the tops of your barrels.

4. Collect урожай



After approximately ten weeks or until the plants bloom and begin to turn yellow, the potatoes should be ready for collection. Gently dig with your hands and explore the top layer of filler. If your expectations were met – tilt barrel for a piece of plastic and gather their crops.

A few tips for growing potatoesAfter the first harvest, save some potatoes to plant it next year. Bush beans – a great complementary plants for potatoes. Instead of soil, try growing potatoes in wood sawdust. Experiment with different containers, different varieties of seed potatoes and watering regimes. If the above steps were not enough – look for more information in the Internet. published

Source: mixstuff.ru/archives/77990