Effective methods for sprouting potatoes for planting at home

Potatoes have been an essential crop for many years. They are planted in every garden, and it's hard to imagine a regular diet without potato tubers. Potatoes are planted in late spring, when the soil has warmed but is still saturated with moisture. For most of Russia, potato planting occurs after the May holidays.

Potato tubers have a significant impact on yield. Their quality determines flavor, fruit size, and germination time. To ensure faster and better growth, it's recommended to sprout potatoes before planting. This promotes early germination and increases yield. Sprouting potatoes is not a difficult process and doesn't require much time or effort. The process can take one to two weeks, so prepare the potatoes for planting well in advance. Potatoes germinate well at warm or room temperature and in high humidity, so most sprouting methods rely on these two factors.

Selecting tubers for sprouting

Planting material must be of high quality. The following requirements apply:

• healthy tubers; do not take diseased and infected rotten tubers for sprouting;
• medium-sized tubers; do not use potatoes weighing less than 30 grams for planting;
• The tubers are of a regular and even shape; crooked tubers result in an uneven bush.

Methods for sprouting potatoes for planting

There are many methods. All of them will help you sprout potatoes quickly and get an earlier harvest. Potatoes should be sprouted 2-3 weeks before planting. Below are the most effective methods for sprouting tubers:

Sprouting tubers in the light. The most well-known and widespread method. Selected healthy tubers are placed in a box or crate in one or, at most, two rows. The container with the tubers is placed in a bright room (on a windowsill or on the floor) and the tubers are left for 10-14 days. Periodically, 2-3 times a week, the tubers are turned over and rearranged to ensure each one receives its required amount of sunlight. At the end of this period, thick, strong shoots appear on the tubers.

In villages or garden plots where potatoes are grown on a large scale, potato tubers are sprouted directly outdoors. The tubers are piled on a plastic-lined plot of soil and left for two weeks. The air temperature should be at least 17 degrees Celsius (63 degrees Fahrenheit) and the weather sunny. If it starts to rain, the potatoes are immediately covered with plastic. Avoid getting the potatoes wet, as this will cause them to rot.

Sprouting tubers in the dark. An equally effective method for selecting tubers involves culling diseased potatoes. Potatoes are also placed in one or two layers in a box and left in a dark but warm room for two weeks, turning them periodically. After two weeks, the potatoes will sprout.

Germination in pots or boxes. The tubers should be soaked in damp sawdust for 3-4 days, then transferred to a pot or box filled with damp humus and soil. The pots or boxes containing the tubers are placed on a windowsill and left to germinate for 2 weeks.

Sprouting potatoes in polyethylene. You'll need medium-sized plastic bags. This method relies on the greenhouse effect. Place 8-12 potatoes in each bag, then tie the bag shut and poke 8-10 holes in it for ventilation. Place the bags in a sunny spot. This method is the fastest and produces sprouted tubers in 10 days.

Withering potatoes. An unusual, but highly effective method of preparing tubers for planting. This method allows the tubers to be well-ventilated, allows for the selection of some fruits, and, most importantly, encourages the development of the buds. The potatoes are spread in a single layer on the floor in a bright room and left for 10 days.

Wet method of sprouting tubers. Potatoes are placed in boxes in several layers. Water is poured into the box, allowing it to drain out the back. All the potatoes should be wet. The box containing the tubers is placed in a room with a temperature of 17-19 degrees Celsius for 4-5 days. Then, to stimulate sprouting, a bucket of water with ash (1 cup of ash per 10 liters of water) is poured into the box. Watering is repeated after 3-4 days. Ash can be replaced with copper and boron or ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride.

Sprouting potatoes in a moist substrate. The substrate can be sawdust, ash, sand, or peat. Any of these products should be moistened with water. The tubers are placed on this substrate, and the soil is kept moist. The potatoes will sprout quickly.

Planting sprouted potatoes

Once the tubers sprout, they're ready for planting. The soil is plowed or dug, peat and manure are spread, and holes are dug 20-30 centimeters deep and spaced equally. Place one sprouted potato in each hole, sprout side down, add a cup of ash, and fill the hole with soil. The potatoes are planted in rows.

Once the entire plot is planted, the soil is watered. Within a few days, the potatoes will begin to emerge from the soil. After two weeks, weeding and grass removal begins. By mid-summer, the potato plants are hilled up. Weeding and hilling up the soil have a positive effect on the growth of the potatoes, as well as their health and flavor.

Potatoes begin to grow towards the end of summer. The first fruits can be enjoyed as early as early August. Potatoes are then dug up before frost sets in, dried, and then stored.

Sprouting potatoes is essential, as this ensures rapid germination and tuber growth. Sprouted potatoes grow well and require little care and attention.