The Best Ways To Grow Big Potatos

Big potatoes are mainly used for baking. It is very popular now a day. Many growers thought that it is difficult to grow big potatoes. In this article, I will guide you, how to grow big potatoes.

The basic principle to grow big potatoes:

There are four basic principles that ultimately help to achieve big potatoes. Out of these four, two are most important which had a significant impact on the size of the potato. One is stem density and the other is potato variety. The other two are nutrients present in the growing ground and the general growing condition of that area. Both had also their impact on the size of potato but keep in mind all the thing had their impact if they are used in an optimum quantity.

Varieties for big potatoes:

To grow a big size potato, you would like to settle on a range which is able to still grow well within the ground over an extended period. Different varieties grow better in some areas compared to others. Normally though the subsequent varieties are likely to succeed. These varieties are:

• Cara
• Estima
• Kestrel
• Winston
• Nicola

These varieties increase the size of the potato without affecting the quality of growing potato.

Stem density:

When you plant one seed potato you will ultimately found one potato plant. However, that plant had a variable number of underground stems which laterally appear above the ground. The number of the lateral stem can be numerous depending on the sprouting eyes of seed potato. Most of the varieties form four to five lateral stems. Each stem at a point of fact is considered as a private plant although they are rarely called.

To improve the growth of the potato size is by limiting the number of stems that grow from below ground to two or possibly one. Also, maintain the recommended appropriate distance of 15inch or 45cm. you have to maintain the two sprouts on each potato tuber before planting them. However, seed potatoes are renowned for growing new offshoots when already existing ones are rubbed out. To avoid new sprouts from growing keep a watch on the plant when the shoots appear above ground. Restrict the shoots to only two by keeping apart any excess shoots just underground level.

Proper spacing:

To grow big potatoes the plants have to be compelled to be spaced at a larger than the normal distance maintains between them. By maintaining proper distance will help the plant to soak up more nutrients and water. You can encourage big potatoes by planting seed potato at a distance of 24inch or 60 cm apart compared to the conventional recommended distance of 25inch or 45cm.

Proper nutrients:

Always provide proper nutrients to the potato to enhance the size of them without affecting the quality of potatoes. Feed your potato with nitrogen enrich fertilizer should be provided at the start of the sowing then after some time, it should be replaced with potassium-rich fertilizer. Nitrogen fertilizer should provide to potato from sowing to six weeks onward and potassium from sowing to 8 weeks onward.

Growing condition:

The growing condition should be appropriate to enhance the growth of the potato tubers. The weeding, application of fertilizer, cut off reproductive stage, maintaining proper spacing, irrigation and protection from biotic and abiotic stress will lead to better growth of tuber. If any of these factors not treated properly then it leads to stress and ultimately results in a small size of tubers. To attain proper big potato, maintain these factors in an optimum range.

Steps to grow big potatoes:

There are certain steps to grow big potatoes.

• Selection the correct varieties of big potato
• Chitting and sprouting the potato
• Plant the sprouting tubers
• Earth up the potato plant
• Weeding, feeding and irrigate them
• Harvesting of potato

Selection the correct varieties of big potato:

One most important step to remember while cultivating the big potatoes is the choice of variety. If a variety had no genetically potential to enhance the cell number and size in proper proportion then ultimately a condition reached where further practices used to enhance the size otherwise it will ultimately affect the quality and starch content of the potato. So first choose those varieties which have the potential to grow big size.

The appropriate season to grow potato:

After the selection of appropriate variety choose an appropriate time for growing potato. If you grow your potatoes off too early then they are going to suffer from damp and cold soil. Growing them off too late is not such a problem but your potato will mature later than you would like. The key to growing potatoes is to start out them off at the right time of year.

Selection of soil:

The potato is grown on almost any form of soil, except saline and alkaline soil. Naturally, loose soils supply the smallest amount of resistance for the enlargement of tubers are mostly preferred because they are enriching with organic matter and had good drainage and aeration. Moreover, the soil pH should be 5.2 to 6.4.

Preparation of land:

The potato is grown almost on any form of soil except saline and alkaline soils. Naturally loose growing potatoes involves extensive soil tillage. The soil must be harrowed until completely free from weeds roots. In most cases, three extensive plowing with frequent harrowing and rolling are needed before the soil reaches an appropriate condition, soft well-drained and well aerated.

Chitting and sprouting of potato seed:

Always use pre-sprouted potato as potato seed for cultivation. If you did not get pre-sprouted potato seed then, place the spuds you wish to plant during a warm, sunny spot. The heat will encourage sprouting and exposure to sunlight makes the skins turn green and bitter. This makes them less appetizing to critters. Before one to two days planting potatoes, cut the sprouting green potatoes into pieces that have a minimum of one to two puckered eyes on each bit. Allow the cut pieces to dry and do not be alarmed if they turn black. The darkened, leathery surfaces will resist rotting better than freshly cut ones, so each piece you plant should grow. As a whole tuber plantation, it has a minimum size of a golf ball.

Planting the potato tubers:

Planting potatoes is comparatively simple as long as you follow the principles for spacing them out. Dig out a furrow that is 10cm deep and as long as you need. you are digging the furrow because it is not a good idea to easily force the seed potatoes into the bottom. If you force the potato tuner into the soil, then the sprout is susceptible to be knocked off and also the potatoes may be damaged.

Space individual seed potatoes normally about 30cm apart for growing normal potatoes so increase the distance 37cm apart for big potatoes. If you are planting over one row, then space the rows about 75cm apart. Once you place the seed potatoes within the furrow attempt to have as many of the sprouts pointing upwards as possible. Gently cover them with soil trying to not damage the sprout.

Earthing up potatoes:

Earthing up potatoes is also known as hilling up. It is done frequently some of the time during the season. To impede potatoes simply draw up the soil, together with your hands or a hoe. It has done about 10cm faraway from either side of the row of potatoes and piles it against the side of the potatoes.

There are certain benefits of Earthing up:

• Any potatoes forming near the soil surface will be covered in more soil which will stop them from turning green. Green potatoes can cause serious stomach cramps and other problems.
• Earthing up will help to loosen the topsoil making it easier for potatoes to grow.
• Weeds can be removed during the process leaving less competition for your potato plants.

Proper feeding of potatoes:

Potato plants thrive with countless feeding. They have nitrogen for the leafy growth above ground and a few of this will come from the well-rotted compost dug in at the top of the previous year. Grow more granules will provide mend of nitrogen although it does wash out of the soil relatively quickly. So when the foliage is developing for the primary six to eight weeks, nitrogen is that the feed to target.

Because the potatoes begin to make below ground the potato plant needs potash to make good-sized potato which can store well. There are countless methods to feed your potatoes with additional potash. Rain will gradually water the potash right down to the roots. Another well-known and cheap method of adding potash is to use the ash from burnt pruned wood. Scatter this on the surface of the soil and add light with a trowel. Rain will do the remainder for you.

Irrigation:

Potato plants do not need watering after they are established. The Earthing up process will significantly raise the amount of the soil trapping in any moisture below. The roots of the potato plant go down to an inexpensive depth, enough to seek out moisture in most conditions. Indeed, if you are watering potato plants in dry conditions you would get to apply an enormous amount of water for it.to succeed in the lower roots. Watering which only wets the surface or top of the roots will encourage them to grow nearer the surface. This is often not a decent idea; you wish the roots to go looking out the water well below the soil surface.

Pest protection:

The key elements to get a healthy crop of big potatoes are good hygiene and crop rotation. At the peak of the season remove all traces of your potato plant from top to bottom of the soil though they need no pests and diseases. Potatoes left in the ground within the ground will eventually rot causing pest and disease.

If potatoes are grown on an equivalent land season after season this may also encourage pest and disease. Rotate the growing of potatoes on a 3 or 4 yearly cycle. Always buy seed potatoes from certified suppliers.

Harvesting the big potatoes:

Big potato is ready to harvest when the foliage starts to show yellow. Harvest much depend on the weather throughout the season so gently rummage within the soil to feel the scale of the potatoes before harvesting the lot. Harvesting the big potato is comparable to harvesting early variety had many differences.

First, it is important to mature main crop potatoes on a sunny day. When the potatoes are dug up they ought to have excess soil shaken off and then let too dry on the soil surface under the sunshine for 1-2 hours for 1-2 days. This may harden the skin of potatoes and help them to store for a much longer time.

The big potatoes keep for a comparatively long period of time, moreover, they will be harvested in large batches and eaten from storage.

I hope this article guides you in the best way to grow your own big potatoes.