Contents
Every gardener knows that potatoes reproduce by tubers. However, this is far from the only way, for example, potatoes can still be planted with seeds. Summer residents are not surprised by the sowing of tomato or pepper seeds, but the seedling cultivation of potatoes for ordinary gardeners is an unusual process. Through seeds, breeders develop new varieties of potatoes, this method helps to save on planting material and prevent crop degeneration. At first glance, it may seem that seed propagation is too complicated a method. But as practice shows, even at home, it is possible to grow any variety of potatoes from seeds.
This article will be devoted to how to grow potatoes from seeds. Here, the advantages and disadvantages of seed propagation will be listed, it will be told about when and how to sow potato seeds for seedlings, transfer seedlings to the ground.
Features of Seed Reproduction
When growing potatoes at home, the following agricultural technique is common: planting tubers are buried in the ground in order to dig a new crop at the end of the season. This sequence of actions is repeated year after year.
This method of potato propagation has significant disadvantages:
- potatoes degenerate every year, losing their varietal qualities;
- infections and pests accumulate in tubers;
- tubers from each subsequent crop become smaller, and their number under the bush decreases.
Advantages and disadvantages
Planting potatoes with seeds solves all these problems, but it also has its own characteristics. Having decided to sow potato seeds, the agrarian opens up new opportunities for himself: he will be able to independently reject breeding material, choose tubers with certain varietal qualities for propagation.
Propagation of potatoes by seeds is also justified for the following reasons:
- the cost of seeds is several times less than the cost of planting tubers – this allows you to grow elite and rare varieties at a low price;
- cellars, basements and pantries are not needed to store planting material – potato seeds will overwinter perfectly in a matchbox;
- initially, potato seeds are not infected with any diseases and pests – the harvest from them will turn out to be “clean”, there will be no need to treat the bushes with chemicals;
- seed tubers are much more resistant to adverse effects of climate and weather – potatoes from seeds quickly adapt to the conditions of a particular growing region;
- germination of potato seeds persists for several years;
- higher quality and more yield – in the first years after planting seed tubers, potatoes will be the largest, very tasty, and, most importantly, there will be a lot of them.
If growing potatoes from seeds had only advantages, all gardeners would switch to this method. Not everything is so smooth, and seedling propagation has its drawbacks:
- bushes and tubers from the same seeds can grow completely different – it will not be possible to obtain the same type of planting material, it will be necessary to independently select specimens for further reproduction;
- in the climate, potato seeds cannot be sown in open ground – seedlings have to be grown;
- potato seedlings are very capricious and fragile – you will have to work hard to get your own elite tubers;
- two-year cycle – to get normal planting tubers, it will take several seasons (in the first year after planting potato seedlings, sets are harvested – tubers 4-6 grams in weight).
Despite the difficulties, planting potatoes with seeds for seedlings is a promising occupation. If a farmer has free time, suitable conditions and a craving for selection, you should definitely try it!
Cultivation technology
Growing potatoes from seeds at home is a difficult and rather painstaking process. A beginner will have to face some difficulties:
- The roots of potatoes are weak and develop very slowly, so you need to sow the seeds in loose soil. At first, you can grow potatoes in sawdust, later transfer the seedlings to the soil.
- Potato seedlings are quite capricious, they are sensitive to any external changes. In this regard, it is recommended to maintain the same temperature, humidity and light in the room with seedlings.
- Due to the lack of light, potato seedlings are strongly drawn out – artificial supplementary lighting will be required.
- Tender shoots of potatoes are susceptible to various fungal diseases, especially seedlings are often affected by the “black leg”. To protect the potato, it should be treated with fungicidal preparations from the first days of “life” (Trichodermin, Planriz, black yeast).
- Potato seedlings are very small and fragile, so they will have to be transplanted with great care.
Preparatory work
You can buy potato seeds in special stores. Such planting material goes through all stages of preparation, and is already completely ready for sowing. Buying potato seeds is justified when the gardener wants to start a new variety on the site. In other cases, you can get seeds from your own crop.
Potato fruits are plucked from the upper green part of the bush. After collection, they are placed in a bag and hung in a warm, bright place. In the process of ripening, the berries should turn white and become softer – now they can be crushed and the seeds removed. Small potato seeds are washed with water, dried thoroughly and put in a paper bag.
Immediately before planting, potato seeds must be soaked in water or in a growth stimulator. The fact is that the germination of potato seeds is very low – not all seeds will hatch and sprout. Soaking should be carried out for at least two days, until it becomes clear which specimens sprout.
Sowing potatoes
The timing of planting potato seeds is very early – at the end of March, you can start sowing. Landing is carried out in wooden boxes filled with a moist substrate. The soil for potatoes must be very loose, so it is prepared from one part of soddy land and four parts of peat. The soil must be fertilized with a mineral complex and watered well.
Potato seeds that have begun to hatch are laid out in boxes in even rows. The planting pattern is not very dense: 5×10 cm. If potato seedlings grow too densely, they will not have enough moisture and nutrition. The seeds laid out on the ground are recommended to be slightly pressed and sprinkled with a thin layer of dry sand (0,5 cm is enough).
When a pair of leaves appears on the seedlings of potatoes, it will need to dive, planted in individual containers with drainage holes or in peat glasses. Caring for potato seedlings is simple: regular loosening of the soil, watering, fertilizing with ammonium nitrate at the rooting stage of seedlings.
Planting seedlings in the ground
At the end of May, when the threat of return frosts has passed, potatoes from seeds can be transferred to the ground. Potato seedlings have very thin and weak roots that are easily damaged during transplantation. Therefore, seedlings are planted only in loose soil and do it very carefully. As a result, some plants will not take root and will die – the farmer must be ready for this.
Despite the small size of potato senets, the planting pattern should be 35×70 cm. A week before planting in open ground, seedlings must be fed with nitrogen (you can use urea – 30 grams are dissolved in a bucket of water and the seedlings are watered).
Planting is done deep, because seed potatoes are afraid of the cold. The depth of the holes should be 10 cm. It is recommended to add a handful of humus to each hole and pour 0,5-1 liter of water.
Write Your Review
Conclusion
It is quite possible to get seed potatoes from seeds at home! This is confirmed by the reviews of domestic gardeners who successfully propagate valuable varieties and even breed new types of potatoes. Of course, the process of growing seedlings, picking them up and transplanting them into the ground is a long and troublesome process. But in the end, the agrarian will receive his own elite potatoes, the seeds of which cost big money on the market.
Learn more about planting potatoes from seeds in this video:
