To grow a crop of large potato tubers, it is necessary to carefully prepare the soil.
However, organic additives lead to an abundance of pests on the plot, such as mole crickets and wireworms. Potatoes also suffer from late blight, which also affects the harvest.
Preparing the ground
To do this, humus with chicken manure is added to the soil in the fall, green manure is sown, and the soil is then dug up. In the spring, wood ash and fertilizer are added for potatoes.
Seeds
In order to grow large potatoes, you need to periodically renew the seeds. The problem is not that they accumulate diseases, but in the degeneration of varietal characteristics over 3-4 years. Therefore, it makes sense to buy varietal potatoes and plant them.
Soil cultivation
Before planting, gardeners recommend treating the soil with the preparation "Imidor + Kagatnik". The effect is called 100%. There is no trace left of the wireworm.
Preventive treatment against late blight is carried out with the drug "Hom" or its analogues. The next treatment is carried out at signs of late blight - gray spots on the leaves. The third one is carried out in 10-15 days for consolidation.
Watering
In addition to several mandatory waterings during the potato growth period, it is necessary to water during drought, if the tops have begun to wither. But watering should be done with warm, settled water.
And finally, many gardeners claim that you can only grow really large potatoes if you pick off the flower buds.
