The root system of the potato is far weaker than that of other garden crops. And it reacts quickly when it does not have enough access to oxygen. That is why the soil where potatoes are planted needs to be thoroughly weeded and loosened. So that nutrients accumulate in it and there is good ventilation. Moderate moisture will also promote favorable growth of the vegetable crop
Removing the weeds
Alas, the conditions named above are also perfectly suited to weeds. If, say, couch grass settles next to the potatoes, plenty of problems will arise. This predatory weed will pull all the moisture and nutrients out of the soil for itself. It will deprive the potatoes of the nourishment they need. What is more, couch grass is capable of piercing the vegetable's tubers like an awl with its tough roots. That is why timely weeding of potatoes is simply essential for their normal growth.
If sprouted tubers are planted on your plot, then weeding must be done twice. After 3 weeks, you need to ruthlessly root out the weeds before they gain strength. Note that by this time potato sprouts 3-5 cm tall appear.
The second weeding is carried out just before the potato bushes flower. It is done at the same time as hilling. In this case the weeds are destroyed and neat mounds of slightly moist soil are heaped up onto the potato stems. Incidentally, hilling creates favorable conditions for increasing the number of roots on the vegetable crop.
What to weed with
A question always comes up: what should you weed potatoes with? By long-standing tradition, many people use hoes, which are supposedly convenient for chopping weeds and raking up soil for hilling. Recently, however, potatoes have been weeded with flat cutters of various shapes. It should be said that these tools make the work of the gardener and vegetable grower significantly easier. On large plots planted with potatoes, electric and gasoline cultivators are of course used.
What hilling is for
Hilling – is a special and useful procedure. First, with the additional loosening, the soil becomes saturated with oxygen. And second. Timely hilling creates excellent conditions for the active growth of potato tubers.
You need to hill potatoes for the first time when their stems have reached a height of 5-10 cm. As soon as buds begin to appear on the bushes of the vegetable crop, you should immediately proceed to the second hilling.
This procedure is usually carried out in the evening or early in the morning. Hilling under the hot rays of the sun will only harm the growing potatoes.
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