How to make potato seedlings grow faster: an effective method

There are various ways to prepare potatoes for planting, but few people realize that achieving a good harvest can be challenging. To achieve this, you need to select the best tubers for seed, sprouting them before planting. It's no surprise that without sprouting, many people experience inconsistent yields.

One year, potatoes may be large and yield a bountiful harvest. The next year, they may be characterized by poor tuber quality and poor shelf life. In today's unpredictable climate, paying humanity back for its harm to nature, the harsh conditions for growing potatoes cannot be ignored. You can help the crop cope with rapid and effective development by turning to sprouting. We'll explain how to speed up potato seedling growth and sprout potatoes in this article.

Sprouting tubers

It's worth noting that few have heard of the proper way to sprout potatoes before planting. Others may have known about the process, but haven't delved into its intricacies. Experienced gardeners insist that the best results are achieved only by following this important agricultural technique. Potatoes, even the best, may not be ready for open ground conditions, where they must cope with many factors. Large, high-quality tubers with the best flavor and lack of water retention await those who sprout them before planting.

Preparation before planting

Potato seedlings are a concept rarely mentioned in potato growing guides. Many teach standard methods of planting in holes or rows. Gardening manuals devote considerable attention to the selection and processing of planting material, crop care methods, planting timing, and many other aspects. However, potato germination and seedlings are rarely covered.

Which tubers are worth taking?

Sprouted tubers will yield excellent results if selected correctly. The selected material must be completely healthy. The tubers should be free from soft rot, disease, and dryness. Each tuber should weigh at least 30 grams.

Methods of sprouting tubers

1. When wondering how to speed up potato seedling growth, light germination is a good option. This popular method reduces germination time by 10 to 14 days. This process increases potato yields by an average of 30%. Light germination offers a unique opportunity to detect hidden diseases in tubers. Affected potatoes are destroyed at the first sign of trouble.
2. The humid germination method will also help you learn how to quickly germinate potatoes for planting. It has many advantages. A key advantage is the high germination rate of the sprouted seedlings. Potato plants will be lush and healthy, and the potatoes will have a better flavor.
3. Sprouting potatoes and forming tubers is possible using a combined method. A moist environment allows gardeners to develop roots on the tubers. This occurs after the sprouts have been forced. When using this method, be careful not to overdo it and not keep the tubers in a moist environment for too long. It's best to perform the combined sprouting a week before planting.
4. Drying is suitable for those who lack space for other sprouting methods. Drying is done in the attic of a house or a shed. Before storing, the tubers are pre-treated with a nitrogen-containing fertilizer. Afterwards, they are dried and further treated with ash.
5. When the snow has melted and the air temperature remains above 10^O C, you can germinate outdoors. The tubers should not be placed directly on the ground; instead, they should be placed on a layer of peat or straw. The results of germination will be visible in the third week.
6. Sometimes, sprouting potatoes is done by apartment dwellers who, for obvious reasons, find it difficult to use other methods of preparing tubers. A method using medium-density plastic bags comes in handy. Each bag should have a couple of small holes. The potatoes can be placed near a window, but the main thing is to avoid direct sunlight. A curtain can serve as a barrier. The bags containing the potatoes are rotated to ensure even sprouting. This method takes three weeks.
7. You can also use boxes enclosed in plastic bags. The tubers can be arranged in layers and watered. After sprouting, use a high-quality mineral fertilizer mixture. A combination of potassium chloride and superphosphates, along with saltpeter, is suitable for this purpose. All of this can be diluted in water. Alternatively, wood ash can be used. Water regularly.
8. Potatoes are sprouted indoors in pots with sawdust. This is an ideal method for those wanting to sprout a small amount of seed for planting. Owners of small garden plots often turn to this method. The tubers are soaked in damp sawdust for seven days, after which they are placed in pots with nutrient-rich soil. To harden off the tubers, they can be placed in clay pots on the balcony, where they can prepare for the temperature fluctuations that await them after planting. Sprouting potatoes in sawdust produces excellent results if you follow all the instructions and avoid leaving the potatoes in temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius for long periods.

Potato dressing

Before learning how to plant sprouted potatoes, you need to learn more about treating them. This is a necessary process that helps minimize potential crop losses due to pest attacks or disease.

Insecticides are not the only treatment used, but also various growth-promoting products. Fertilizers can also be used to provide a protective barrier for the tubers. To prevent wireworms, mole crickets, and other pests, you can purchase products from Cruiser or the popular Prestige. Another product called Maxim is equally popular.

"Mikom" has proven itself to be an excellent biostimulant for root development. Many gardeners also use "Poteitin," which works similarly.

Potato seedlings

Sprouted tubers are the basis for healthy seedlings. To grow seedlings, it's necessary to create ideal conditions in a greenhouse. This crop can be grown in a greenhouse, where the seedlings are placed in pots. If suitable pots are unavailable, they can be replaced with boxes filled with compost.

How to speed up the germination of tubers

To understand how to quickly sprout potatoes, simply follow the sprouting guidelines for your chosen method. Some gardeners use growth stimulants, but this is not necessary.

Improving the health of planting material

To improve the health of potatoes, you can expose them to the sun for a few days in dry weather before planting. Exposure to sunlight will help potatoes develop faster and demonstrate greater resilience to factors that threaten yield.

Why do potatoes deteriorate and degenerate, and how can they be restored to health?

There could be many reasons, the main ones are;

• incorrect choice of planting material;
• ignoring the treatment of tubers.

If you don't fertilize your potatoes before planting, before flowering, and additionally as needed, the quality of your potatoes will rapidly deteriorate year after year. Gardeners should also pay attention to the soil's health. It may contain pathogens that not only affect yield but also the quality of the harvested potatoes and their potential for future cultivation.

How to obtain planting material from seeds?

For this, use the transplanting method and the best quality soil. It should be loose and well-aerated. Fertilizer and a disease-preventive preparation are added to the soil. Seeds are sown in early March. The first shoots will be visible within a week.

Reviews

Alexander:

"I have a lot of experience growing potatoes. I've rarely complained about the yield, thanks to the fact that I've adapted to sprouting potatoes using a combination method. I've tried other methods, but this one has given me the best results."

Valentina:

"I never skip the sprouting stage. I live in an apartment and can't often go to the dacha to check on the sprouting potatoes. I sprout them in bags on the windowsill. A friend discouraged me from this method, but I'm happy with it. I want to try sprouting in damp sawdust next year to compare the results."

Peter:

"My wife and I get a fantastic harvest every year. We adopted our neighbors' sun-grown method, which produces amazing results. Things don't always turn out as we'd like; the weather can be unpredictable, but fortunately, this doesn't affect the sprouting process."

Irina:

"I've been sprouting potatoes in the attic for three years. I've read a lot about wilting. I'm sure that if you pre-treat the potatoes with ash, the tubers will sprout quickly. The method is effective, and the yield increases. We dig up more tubers, and almost all of them are large, perfectly shaped, and have excellent flavor."