Potato Senication: Description, Desiccation, Reviews (Photos)

If a potato harvest is 500 kg, the tops will weigh considerably. Potato senication allows the crop to properly distribute its energy, ensuring that the nutrients contained in the tops are transferred to the tubers. The result is astonishing – the yield increases significantly. Gardeners who understand the value of senication never miss an opportunity to perform it.

Senication is easy and simple. A single spraying is all it takes to achieve impressive yields. This method can increase yields by up to 15%. The quality of the tubers is not affected by the procedure; on the contrary, the fruits become uniform, have a high marketable appearance, and have excellent shelf life.

Description of the potato senication procedure

The word itself implies foliar feeding of the crop, carried out using a concentrated substance. As the tops begin to mature, nutrients begin to flow toward the tubers. Senication can be confusing, as some gardeners insist that the procedure is performed after the potatoes have finished flowering. Others advise waiting up to 20 days after this point. Some varieties are not recommended for spraying. Who should you listen to? Admittedly, it's on both sides.

Before starting senication, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the potato variety:

1. Early varieties are processed later.
2. Mid-late after flowering.
3. Late ones need at least 15 days from the moment of flowering.

Removing potato buds

Experienced potato growers resort to bud removal. This method is aimed at increasing the crop's yield. This can increase yield by a modest five percent, but for gardeners growing potatoes in a small plot for table use, this is sufficient. The idea behind bud removal is that the plant stops wasting energy on flower production. Instead, it focuses its energy on the formation and maturation of tubers. Large potato farms avoid bud removal, considering the procedure ineffective.

Desiccation of potatoes

Many potato growers have heard of this procedure, but not many understand the advantages of potato desiccation compared to mechanical removal of tops.

And the advantages are great:

• the tops dry out evenly, giving the gardener freedom in planning the harvesting process;
• The potato skin will gradually become rougher, which leads to a low chance of mechanical injury to the tubers and possible infection by pathogenic organisms.

When the crop's tops are well developed, chemical treatments are most effective. The key is to carry out desiccation in a timely manner, in two applications, with a short break between each treatment. When using this treatment, gardeners should prevent the re-growth of tops, which are more attractive to pests. Young, tender tops infested by leafhoppers or aphids can pose a risk of developing viral potato diseases.

Proper harvesting, pre-harvest preparation and storage of potatoes

The harvest is complete once all the tops have dried. While the tops are drying, the tubers are actively developing and maturing. At biological maturity, mechanized harvesting is permitted. The key is to complete the harvest before the temperature drops to 50°C (122°F). After harvesting, additional procedures are necessary, including cleaning of impurities, grading, and separating any damaged or diseased tubers.

Senication with superphosphate

Experienced gardeners, wanting to increase yields, resort to potato senication with superphosphate. Two kilograms of the product should be used per bucket of water. Double superphosphates, which are used in smaller quantities, are also available commercially. In this case, one kilogram of superphosphate should be used.

Reviews

Paul:

"Senication is a real lifesaver for me when I need to get the most out of a small plot. My neighbor recommended adding herbicide to the superphosphate solution, but I don't want to rush into such experiments. For now, everything is fine as is."

Alexandra:

"I've been removing potato buds for several years now, and the results were decent, but I won't be going back to that method. Senication is much more effective."

Varvara:

"Mixing superphosphate with additional micronutrients increases the solution's effectiveness several times over. The key is to get the dosage right, so as not to stress the plant. I don't throw away the sediment that remains after the solution; I use it on other crops as fertilizer."

Alexey:

"My wife and I have a large garden. We've tried many methods to increase the yield. We decided on desiccation. It's important to choose the right product and prepare the solution according to the instructions."

Victoria:

"I've been using senication for two years in a row. We couldn't be happier with the results; other methods for increasing yield weren't as effective."

https://youtu.be/uoU3yIF7fJs

Kirill:

"Senication allows me to harvest such a large volume that in winter I don't even have to worry about problems with quality table potatoes. The quality of the tubers is excellent."