Contents
Potatoes cracking in the ground is a problem that vegetable growers and farmers often face. It can arise due to several reasons, usually associated with the organization of improper or insufficient care for crop plantings. Crooked potatoes in cracks can bring a lot of problems to the household. The defect significantly reduces the presentation of the crop, reduces demand and revenue. Such a vegetable can no longer be used as planting material, and sometimes eaten.
Often potatoes in cracks have to be disposed of
Causes of cracks in potato tubers
The reason that potatoes crack in the soil are various factors and circumstances. This can be either poor-quality material for planting and adverse climatic conditions, or improper care or dangerous diseases, insect invasions. To understand why potatoes grew ugly and cracked, you should learn more about each of the possible reasons.
Poor quality planting material
Cracks in tubers often occur if bad potatoes were used during planting. The culture is prone to degeneration, as a result of which, during its growth, the appearance gradually deteriorates. The main reason for this is the growing conditions. With each season, the plants react worse to top dressing, the potatoes become smaller, cracks appear on it, and the yield drops. As a result, after a few years, the tubers become unsuitable for planting.
So that there are no cracks on the potato, planting material is changed every 3-5 years
bad weather
Cracks in tubers can also appear due to factors that do not depend on a person. For example, due to sudden changes in the weather: prolonged drought or heavy and frequent rains. So, due to the constant fluctuations in temperature, the crop becomes deformed.
Incorrect watering
Another reason for the appearance of cracks in potatoes is non-compliance with the rules for moistening the crop. Not all gardeners know that before sprouts appear on the surface of the earth, plantings cannot be watered. This rule is observed, because the plants are not yet strong and in damp soil they can succumb to the process of decay. They begin to moisten the site only when the potatoes rise. At this time, the culture is gaining green mass, it needs abundant watering. Further irrigation is carried out as needed.
Violation of the irrigation regime often leads to cracks in early crop varieties
Unsuitable soil
Tubers crack if they grow in unsuitable soil, most often clay. Such soil is problematic to process, on rainy days it retains moisture in the upper layer and prevents it from passing further, and on dry days it forms a dry crust on the surface. At the same time, the root system of the plant suffers from oxygen deficiency, and rots due to excess moisture. As a result, potatoes grow crooked and with cracks.
Diseases
The vital activity of microorganisms also has an important impact on the appearance of potatoes. Cracks in the vegetable and other defects occur as a result of the harmful effects of bacteria, fungi and viruses. Most often, the culture cracks if it becomes infected with scab, black leg or phomosis.
vermin
Insects also have a negative impact on the yield and quality of potatoes. In particular, the plantings are harmed by the bear, the Colorado potato beetle, the potato moth, and the wireworm. Cracks in potatoes can also appear under the action of a nematode.
Tubers damaged by the nematode have rotten flesh and are unsuitable for food.
Prevention of the appearance of cracks in potatoes
In order for the potato not only to have excellent taste, but also to be beautiful, it is necessary to adhere to the rules for its cultivation. The main ones are the following:
- compliance with agricultural technology;
- soil moisture control;
- the use of high-quality material for planting;
- carrying out preventive measures to prevent diseases and pests;
- planting varieties resistant to cracking.
All these recommendations should be implemented in combination. Ignoring at least one rule can lead to the fact that potatoes begin to crack when growing.
Compliance with the rules of cultivation
Competent agricultural technology for growing potatoes includes several stages:
- Proper soil preparation. Preparing a plot for potatoes should begin in the fall. To do this, you need to dig it to a depth of one bayonet of a shovel, add sawdust, nitrogen-containing compounds or urea. Do not fertilize potatoes with fresh manure. To increase the lightness of the soil and its permeability, you can add river sand to it at the rate of one bucket per square meter. To deoxidize the soil, it is recommended to add wood ash, chalk or lime to it. In addition, in order to improve the chemical composition of the soil, the area where potatoes will grow can be sown with green manure. Rye, mustard, phacelia are perfect for this purpose.
- Compliance with landing rules. The best specimens should be chosen as the material, without damage and cracks. Before planting, the tubers need to be treated for diseases, for this, soak them in a solution of Fitosporin, Bactofit or potassium permanganate.
- Organization of proper care. Cracks in tubers often occur due to improper moisture. Two abundant waterings per season are enough for the culture: a week after emergence and at the initial stage of tuber formation. Also, plantings need timely hilling of beds, loosening the earth and freeing it from weeds.
Even weeds can cause cracked potatoes
Disease control
In order not to run into a problem when potatoes crack inside, prevention or timely fight against diseases should be carried out. To do this, in the fall, the beds are sown with green manure, and after they grow up to 15 cm, the plot is dug up. This contributes to the destruction of pathogens of microbes and fungi. Before planting, potatoes are treated with Fitosporin and then sprayed with the same preparation three times a season.
If the potato has already undergone scab, then it is treated with Colfugo or Mancozeb, Vitaros, Hom or garlic infusion get rid of the black leg, Maxim, Baktofit from phomosis.
Pest Control
To scare away pests from potatoes that contribute to the appearance of cracks on it, many vegetable growers resort to folk methods. For example, crops with a specific smell are planted in the aisles: calendula, marigolds, sweet clover, nasturtium. To get rid of pests that have already appeared, chemicals are used.
The most dangerous insect, which is the most difficult to fight, is the nematode.
What to do if cracks appear on potatoes
In the case when cracks have already formed on the potato, there is no way to correct the situation. But tubers are not always subject to disposal, in some cases, despite the fact that they have lost their presentation, they are allowed to be eaten. In this case, it is desirable to use immediately after collection.
Also, part of the crop, which consists of small and crooked potatoes, as well as tubers with cracks, can be fed to livestock.
Is it possible to eat such potatoes
If the potato grows with cracks, it can be eaten if the pulp inside it has not undergone any changes, and if the defect has not affected the taste of the tuber. But it is worth noting that specimens on which cracks are observed are more difficult to clean. In addition, they generate more waste.
An exceptional case when the crop is disposed of and not used for food is the infection of potatoes with scab or black leg.
Conclusion
If potatoes crack in the ground, then the gardener should identify the cause of the defect and try to eliminate it. In the case when the problem occurred due to natural factors, it is unlikely to be eliminated, but if the cause of the occurrence was improper care, then it is sometimes possible to correct the situation. But it is better to do all the work correctly from the moment the crop is planted.
