Processing potatoes before planting

Pre-planting treatment of potato tubers is an important stage in growing the crop. It allows you not to cultivate a plot with potatoes in the first half of the growing season and reduce the total number of treatments.

With proper pre-planting treatment, pests practically do not damage potatoes!

 

 

Content: Tuber sorting Warming up How to treat diseases From pests Growth stimulating drugs Tank mixtures What to do with small potatoes Folk stimulants Conclusion

 

What is preplant treatment

Processing potatoes before planting includes:

• sorting;
• warming up;
• protection of tubers from diseases and pests;
• treatment with growth stimulants;
• germination.

All these measures are aimed at improving the health of planting material, accelerating its germination after planting and protecting plants during the growing season.

Sorting

Necessary if you have your own planting material. It is usually carried out in the fall, but if the potatoes have not been sorted by size, then this is done in the spring 1.5-2 months before planting.

Tubers weighing 50-80 g (about the size of a chicken egg) are selected for seeds.

 

Small tubers are not suitable for planting because they produce few stems and a small number of small tubers. Planting two small potatoes in one hole is also not an option. The tops of the “twins” can compete with powerful bushes, but the potatoes themselves will be small.

Large potatoes are also unsuitable for planting. Since it contains a large supply of nutrients, it produces very powerful tops to the detriment of the root system. When the mother tuber is depleted, the growth of the bush stops until the root system has developed and corresponds to the above-ground part. Growth may stop for up to a month, and this, in turn, delays the formation of the crop.

3-4 days before planting, large potatoes are cut lengthwise and left in the air to cork the cut.

 

Freshly cut tubers are not planted, since most often they rot due to infection. The weight of each half should be at least 50 g and there should be at least 2-3 strong sprouts up to 2 cm long.

Warming up

If the potatoes do not germinate for a long time or they were taken out of storage too late, when it was time to plant, then warm them up. The reception stimulates the germination of the crop both in the air and after planting.

A month before planting, the potatoes are poured with warm water or a slightly pink warm solution of potassium permanganate (40-45°C) (then the tubers are also disinfected) and kept for 20 minutes.

 

Then the solution is drained, the potatoes are washed with warm water and dried.

Watch a video about warming up potatoes before planting:

Treatment of tubers against diseases

Planting material is treated against late blight, scab, rhizoctonia, fusarium, and alternaria. The drugs protect the crop from infection within 10-30 days from the moment of planting.

Before planting, potatoes are treated against late blight, scab and other diseases.

 

For dressing, seed potatoes are either soaked in a solution of the drug, or laid out on a tent in one layer and sprayed, then the tubers are turned over and sprayed again.

    Alirin-B

To prevent late blight, alternaria, and fusarium, potatoes are soaked in a solution of the drug for 30 minutes. Consumption of the drug: 1 tablet per 3 liters of water. Since this is a biological product, treatment is carried out immediately before planting.

Fitosporin, which contains the same bacterium as Alirin-B, but a different strain, is less effective. Therefore, it is used much less frequently.

    Planriz

Another biological drug that contains a different type of bacteria than Alirin-B. Treatment is carried out 7 days before planting potatoes. Used to protect against late blight and rhizoctonia. Pathogens do not develop resistance to the drug. Planting material is soaked for 20-30 minutes in the working solution.In addition to protecting against diseases, Planriz is also a growth stimulator.

Instead of Planriz, you can use the drug Binoram. It contains the same bacterium (Pseudomonas), but a different strain. Binoram is as effective as Planriz. Potato tubers are processed 2-5 days before planting.

    Maxim Dachnik

Chemical fungicide. Well protects against root rot, rhizoctonia, fusarium, and scab. The seed material is either soaked in the solution for 10 minutes, or the tubers are laid out in one layer and thoroughly sprayed. Potatoes are processed the day before planting.

    Kagatnik

Effective for the prevention of rot, fusarium, and alternaria. The tubers are sprayed with a solution of the drug. Treatment is carried out 1-2 days before planting.

    Prestige

Effective against pathogens of common scab and rhizoctonia. Potatoes are soaked in the working solution for 10-15 minutes or sprayed with the prepared solution. In addition to its fungicidal effect, the drug has a strong insecticidal effect. Used against gnawing and sucking pests.

    Quadris

It protects the crop well from soil diseases. The tubers are sprayed with a solution of the drug. You can also spray or even lightly water the hole with it.

Copper sulfate, which is usually recommended for pre-planting treatment of potatoes, is not very effective. It does not protect the crop from late blight at all, and the protection against other diseases is weak.

This drug has long been obsolete, and many pathogens have developed resistance to it.

Pest treatment

Treatment of tubers before planting is carried out mainly against soil pests (wireworms, mole crickets) and the Colorado potato beetle.

For the Colorado potato beetle, seed potatoes are treated with systemic insecticides.As the tops grow, the active substance is distributed throughout the tops through conductive vessels and remains there for some time, preventing the pest from laying eggs and/or feeding.

    About Prestige again

Enteric-contact and systemic insecto-fungicide. As the tops grow, it is evenly distributed throughout it. When the beetles come into contact with the plant and attempt to lay eggs, the pests die. This is the best drug for preventing attacks by Colorado potato beetles during the initial period of growth. Prestige protects the crop for 2 months after germination, and then breaks down into safe compounds. Does not get into young tubers.

Prestige is also effective against wireworms and mole crickets. Objectively, this is the best drug for protecting potatoes from pests and diseases.

Educational video about preparing tubers for planting in the ground:

    Cruiser

Another excellent insecticide. Enteric-contact and systemic pesticide. Effective against the Colorado potato beetle, wireworm and other soil pests, as well as potato aphids. The good thing about this product is that it is compatible with fungicides. The period of protective action is 1.5-2 months. The treatment is carried out several days before planting, soaking the tubers for 10-15 minutes.

    Celeste-Top

A new drug with insecto-fungicidal, enteric-contact and systemic action. It also has a slight stimulating effect. It protects seed potatoes well from many soil pests, and seedlings from the Colorado potato beetle, potato aphids, and potato moths.

Promotes uniform germination of tubers. The period of protective action is 25-28 days. The seed material is sprayed or soaked in the drug solution for 10-15 minutes. Potatoes are processed several days before planting.

    Force

New unique imported insecticide.Used to combat wireworms and beetles. Its mechanism of action is that the drug slowly decomposes in the ground, releasing a gas that penetrates the pest’s body, causing its death. Does not get into plants. The treatment is carried out directly during planting, pollinating the tubers, or adding the drug to the planting hole.

Force destroys pests even before they damage the tubers!

 

    Matador

The pesticide has a complex effect against pests and diseases. Protects potatoes from a wide range of pests: wireworms, beetles, mole crickets, Colorado potato beetles, potato aphids and moths, as well as from root rot, rhizoctonia, late blight. Pesticide of enteric contact and systemic action. The tubers are thoroughly sprayed immediately before planting.

The drug actively protects plants for a month from the date of treatment, after which it decomposes into safe compounds.

    Taboo

A highly effective imported insecticide with enteric-contact and systemic effects. Destroys wireworm larvae of all ages. Also effective against beetle, Colorado potato beetle, potato aphid. Reliably protects potatoes in the first half of the growing season. After 40-45 days it disintegrates into safe compounds. Seed material is processed immediately before planting. In addition, Tabu has a growth-stimulating effect.

    Imikar

Insecto-fungicide. It protects potatoes well against pests and diseases. The period of protective action against pests is within 35 days after emergence, the period of fungicidal action is throughout the entire growing season. Effective against soil-dwelling pests, scab and rhizoctonia. Treatment is carried out the day before planting.

    Commander

New domestic insecticide. Very effective in the fight against wireworms, beetles, Colorado potato beetles, and aphids. The effect lasts up to 2 months. Potatoes can be processed either 5-7 days before planting or immediately before planting.

Video: how to treat potatoes for pests before planting

Growth stimulation treatment

Some drugs have a combined effect (Celest-Top - an insecticide and a stimulant, Planriz - a fungicide and a stimulant). But usually growth stimulants are used to activate growth processes.

When using all growth stimulants, the dosage must be strictly observed. Exceeding the norm can lead to plant death.

 

 

    Epin

It does not accelerate the germination of tubers, but during the growing season it stimulates the growth of shoots and increases the resistance of potatoes to adverse factors and diseases. Increases productivity. The treatment is carried out the day before planting, spraying the seed material.

    Poteytin

Specialized potato growth stimulator. Enhances the formation of sprouts and accelerates the germination of crops. Processing seed material significantly increases the resistance of plants to unfavorable factors: frost, drought, high soil moisture. Poteytin stimulates the growth of tops, due to which the yield increases by 25%. Planting material is soaked in the solution 3 days before planting.

    Bioglobin

New generation growth stimulator. Derived from the placenta of farm animals. The composition includes proteins, amino acids, microelements. The product accelerates potato germination, increases immunity and resistance to adverse factors, and helps increase productivity.

The seed material is soaked in the working solution for 30 minutes.Soaking is carried out before germination of seed material.

 

    Agat-25

Stimulator of domestic production growth. Improves tuber germination, increases productivity and disease resistance. Seed material is soaked for 20 minutes before planting.

    Pennant

A natural-synthetic preparation containing salts of humic acids. Stimulates seed germination and the formation of a strong root system. During the first growing season, it stimulates the growth of tops. The seed material is soaked for 15-20 minutes before planting.

    Albite

A complex biological product that has a growth-stimulating, protective effect and, at the same time, is a complex fertilizer. Improves the quality of the crop and enhances the crop's resistance to adverse factors. Seed material is soaked 1-2 days before planting.

Tank mixtures

To save time, money and reduce the number of treatments, pesticides are often mixed together and treated simultaneously against diseases, pests and growth stimulation. To prepare tank mixtures, substances that are compatible with each other are selected. You cannot mix incompatible components, as their effect is sharply reduced or completely disappears.

1. Poteytin+Prestige. 3-in-1: growth stimulator and insecto-fungicide.
2. Poteytin + Fitosporin or Alirin-B. Growth stimulator + biofungicide. Chemical fungicides and insecticides should not be added to the mixture, otherwise all living bacteria will die.
3. Matador + Maxim Dachnik. Although Matador is a complex preparation, in areas with a high background of potato diseases, it can be additionally strengthened with a fungicide.
4. Cruiser+Albit+Quadris. Insecticide+growth stimulator+fungicide.

Liquid substances are first dissolved in water, and then bulk and solid ones.

 

 

After any processing, the potatoes must be dried. Even if the treatment is carried out immediately before planting, the tubers are kept in the open air for some time. You cannot plant wet potatoes.

Processing of non-standard material

If you have to use small tubers for planting, then their pre-planting treatment is required. Small potatoes produce weak tops, since initially the tuber does not have enough substances to build up the vegetative mass. In order for the tubers to gain strength, potatoes are treated with complex fertilizers.

Treatments are carried out 5-7 days after dressing or 1-1.5 months before planting during germination.

 

Treatment is carried out at intervals of 5-7 days. The first time the substandard condition is sprayed with a solution of potassium humate.

The second time, the planting material is sprayed with Intermag vegetable garden fertilizer or other complex fertilizer.

Next, the drugs are alternated. In total, 4-5 applications are made with fertilizers.

After each spraying, the potatoes are dried. It shouldn't be wet.

Folk remedies

Of the folk remedies, the greatest effect is achieved succinic acid. It is a plant growth stimulator, increases resistance to adverse factors, and stimulates the growth of roots and tops. Dissolve 2 tablets in 1 liter of water and soak the potatoes for 10 minutes. After which they dry and immediately plant.

The most commonly used folk remedy is succinic acid.

 

Ash. It does not protect against diseases and pests, but it contains a lot of potassium, which potatoes need to grow. The tubers are either dusted with ash or added directly to the hole when planting.

Potassium permanganate. It destroys spores on potatoes, but does not protect them from diseases and, especially, from pests.

Traditional methods of preparing potatoes for planting in the ground:

Conclusion

Treating potato tubers before planting protects the crop at the beginning of growth. Insecticides have a particularly good effect. In a small area, when used correctly, pests practically do not damage the crop.

It is more difficult to prevent the development of diseases. Disease spores are found in the soil, and fungicides have a short shelf life. In addition, many pathogens have developed resistance to substances that have been used on the plot for a long time. However, their use allows reducing the number of treatments in the future.

Other articles about growing potatoes:

1. How and why to germinate tubers before planting
2. What fertilizer is applied to the holes when planting?
3. Planting and caring for potatoes from spring to harvest
4. How to feed potatoes before and after flowering