How to plant the potatoes under straw? Without hilling, minus 3 and as many as 5 +

Potatoes are known to mankind for many centuries. Considered the birthplace of the potato in South America. In Russia, the potatoes came in the days of Peter the Great. Tsar Peter sent a sack of potatoes home from Holland with the order to send the tubers in all provinces and begin to cultivate this unpretentious, compared with rye and wheat, vegetables.

At first, the potato has been perceived as a freak, an exotic curiosity, and became popular only among foreigners and some families of the Russian intelligentsia. It was served on the table only on holidays.

At that time, potatoes were called "earth apple". The peasants called it "devil's apple", because there were many cases of poisoning by solanine contained in large quantities in the young tubers.

Now potatoes sure has taken its place in the diet. And many growers happy to grow this vegetable in their fields.

Planting potatoes under straw - a relatively new method. Although, as they say, everything is new - is well forgotten old, as some sources information that thus grew potatoes in the XIX century. If done correctly, this method is relatively simple and requires no extra effort.

Although its disadvantages in planting potatoes under straw has also:

• Straw need somewhere to get it;
• The straw can be got bacteria that can kill and seed, and he potato crop;
• Straw is impossible to save, otherwise the potatoes can go green and then it can only be thrown away.

Planting potatoes under straw should start with the preparation of the soil. Pre necessary to loosen the soil to a depth of about 10 cm. Do not dig and loosen it. This can be done in the usual ploskorez.

Further it is possible to walk rake to break up large lumps of earth ground and mixed, such as humus. Next, we must expand the potatoes directly on the ground, and sprinkle a little bit of his land to the tubers are not green with sunlight. Then, the tubers must be covered with straw, a layer of about 20-30 cm. And that is all.

Advantages of this method are undeniable:

1. The minimum cost of time and effort;
2. Higher yields;
3. Since potatoes are much less susceptible to attack Colorado potato beetle and other pests of potato;
4. There is no need to weed and hill;
5. It does not require copious irrigation, as straw is an excellent mulch and perfectly holds moisture.

And now the important notes:

Using the method of planting potatoes under straw is important to remember that the potatoes will take longer to rise, still patiently wait for the germs on the surface. When sprouts grow to approximately 10 cm, is necessary to cover them again a layer of straw about 20 cm thus, does not require earthing up potatoes.

If there was a need for new potatoes, then this does not necessarily dig up the whole bush. Simply lift the straw, and choose the most large tubers, and leave the rest to continue to grow to the desired size.

Clean a potato is also quite easy. No need to dig it, you just need to pick up the straw and get a harvest. In addition, a fine straw compost for future landings. It was interesting? Click "Thumbs up!" Thanks. Also I recommend that you read: Why experienced growers put in the greenhouse bottle of iodine