How to sprout potatoes before planting: basic methods and rules

Any gardener on whose plot there are beds with potatoes knows how much effort needs to be invested in growing this vegetable, and at the same time it is not always possible to achieve the desired result. Fortunately, there are various methods that can increase the yield of potatoes, and the cultivation of tubers before planting is one of them.

Why sprout potatoes

Germination of potatoes is a useful procedure because it allows you to pre-awaken the eyes on the tubers. This provides better survival, friendly seedlings and increased productivity by 30-40%. As a result of germination, strong dark green shoots 3-5 cm long should appear on the tubers.

On the long-stored potatoes by the end of winter, white-pink shoots often appear. These are the so-called shadow (etiolated) sprouts. From them, you can determine whether the tuber is affected by late blight (at the black tips), and in advance to discard the damaged planting material. Side shoots appear on them, on which tubers are formed.

Germination time and seed preparation

You need to start germinating tubers in advance. The timing depends on the region where you plan to grow potatoes.

Table: Potato sprouting dates

Having determined the timing, you need to prepare the seed for germination. For this:

1. Manually sort and remove too small and diseased (rotten, softened, having holes, etc.) tubers.
   

   Only healthy, small, intact tubers are suitable as planting material.

2. Rinse the remaining tubers well in running water to wash off all the ground, and remove the thin (filiform) light shoots from them.
3. Then place the potatoes in a disinfecting solution. To prepare it, dilute potassium permanganate (1 g) or boric acid (10 g) in a bucket (10 l) of water. Soak tubers in it for 30 minutes.
   

   If there is a lot of seed and the gardener stored it correctly (which almost always guarantees good immunity), you can not soak the potatoes in a potassium permanganate solution, but simply spray the tubers

4. Rinse the tubers again in clean water, and then dry them in warm (+ 22-25 ^aboutC), in a dry and dark room for 3 days, spread out in 1-2 layers.

If stored improperly (in a too warm and humid room), the tubers can sprout on their own ahead of time, which usually comes to light late. In this case, lower the temperature to + 1-2 ^aboutWith and ensure the tubers are completely dark. It is undesirable to remove or shorten the processes if their length is less than 20 cm.

Overgrown potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark place until planting.

The main methods of germination of potatoes

Potatoes are sprouted in many ways.

In packages

This method can be implemented as follows:

1. Prepare the required number of transparent plastic bags and make 10-12 holes in each of them so that the tubers can be ventilated. The diameter of such holes is 1 cm, and the distance between them is 8-10 cm.
2. Put 8-10 tubers in each bag and tie it.
3. Hang the blank to the window, and if this is not possible, then put the packages on a dry windowsill in a row. Since it is usually cold near the window, it is better to place a woolen cloth, cardboard or a piece of foam plastic under the bags for warmth. Also try to place packages in diffuse lighting, not in direct sunlight.
   

   You need to make holes in the bags so that the tubers do not suffocate

4. Turn over the workpieces regularly (every 3-5 days) so that all sides of the tubers are exposed to light for an equal amount of time.

Potato sprouting in this way can take 25-30 days. Gardeners using this method praise it for the convenience of transporting tubers to the garden, but are advised to carefully monitor the safety of the sprouts.

In a wet substrate

This method is suitable if you want not only sprouts, but also roots to form on the tubers - for example, when germinating seeds or delayed planting of tubers in the ground. Stock up on boxes and a sufficient amount of substrate (it should hold water well and let air through). The rotted sawdust, peat, humus, perlite, vermiculite are quite suitable.

To get the best results, you need to choose the right substrate for the germination of tubers

Germination is performed as follows:

1. A layer (3-5 cm) of wet substrate is placed on the bottom of the box.
2. Tubers are loosely laid on it.
   

   In a germination box there should be no more than 4 layers of potatoes
3. They fall asleep with the same layer of wet substrate.
4. Repeat the procedure until 4 layers of tubers are in the box.

Laying more is not recommended, as tubers in the lower layers may suffocate. Keep boxes in a bright room at a temperature not lower than + 12-15 ^aboutC. Do not allow the substrate to dry and moisten it in a timely manner.

After the appearance of the first roots, pour the preparation with a nutrient mixture: potassium chloride (10 g) + ammonium nitrate (10 g) + superphosphate (50 g) + water (10 l). The next watering can be "fertilized" with ash at the rate of 1 glass of powder / 10 l of water. Note that during the first watering a bucket (10 l) of the nutrient mixture is designed for 50 kg of potatoes, and for the second - 80 kg.

In a moist substrate, potatoes form well roots and sprouts

This method of sprouting potatoes is the fastest, since sprouts and roots form in just 10-12 days.

On open air

You can start this procedure already in late April - early May, when the snow is melting, and the air temperature will be set at +10 ^aboutC. The procedure is as follows:

1. Choose a place. It should be dry, even, free from debris and well lit.
2. If possible, sprinkle a layer (5-7 cm) of dry manure on the ground. Experienced gardeners believe that this contributes to the faster germination of tubers.
3. Pour a layer (7-10 cm) of dry bedding material (straw, sawdust, peat will do).
   

   It takes 15-20 days to grow potatoes in a straw in the fresh air

4. Lay the potatoes on top in one or two rows.
5. Cover the workpiece with foil to protect the tubers from frost and provide them with a sufficient level of heat.

It will take 15-20 days to germinate the potatoes in this way. During this time, try to ventilate the seed at least once every 2 days for 2-3 hours, but exclusively in dry and warm (not lower than +10 ^aboutC) the weather.

In the light

This is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to grow tubers:

1. Put the potatoes in boxes in one or two layers.
2. Place the blanks in a bright room with a temperature of + 18-20 ^aboutFROM. If direct sunlight falls on the potatoes, try to make the lighting more diffuse or shade the seed with newspapers (but do not forget to remove them when the rays are in a different place).
3. After 10-12 days, the temperature in the room should be lowered to + 10-14 ^aboutC to avoid sprouting sprouts. It is desirable to maintain this temperature until the tubers move to the bed.

In the room where the potatoes germinate, there should be soft diffused lighting

It will take 25-28 days to germinate the tubers in this way.

Video: How to Sprout Potatoes

Combined Germination

This method is suitable for you if you want to get an early potato crop. Combined germination is carried out as follows:

1. Lay the tubers in boxes in 1-2 layers and put in a light cool (+14 ^aboutC) a place for 15-20 days.
2. Then put the tubers in boxes with a moist substrate (peat, sawdust, humus, etc.) in 1-2 layers and store the workpiece at a higher (+22 ^aboutC) temperature for one to one and a half weeks. It is not allowed to dry the substrate.
3. When the tubers begin to form roots, water the substrate with a nutrient solution. Ingredients: ammonium nitrate (30 g) + potassium salt (30 g) + superphosphate (60 g) + water (10 l). After 3 days, top dressing is repeated.

Potatoes processed in this way form not only sprouts and roots, but also leaves.

Combined sprouting suitable for early harvest

Drying

This method is suitable if the planting dates have come, and you did not manage to carry out full germination. On the heated floor (temperature should be + 22-25 ^aboutC) and in a bright room, spread a dry film, cloth or paper (newspapers) and lay the tubers on them in one layer. Potatoes need to be warmed up for about two weeks. Of course, he will not be able to germinate, but then the seed will be properly aired, and the eyes will begin to awaken, and when the tubers are in the soil, young shoots will quickly form from them.

Drying the potatoes before planting will help the tubers grow faster

As you can see, it’s easy to sprout potatoes, the main thing is to choose the right time and provide the tubers with the necessary conditions. Follow all the instructions and you will certainly get the desired result.