To increase the yield of potatoes, many use special agricultural techniques. This is especially true when it comes to growing crops on depleted soil. These techniques help to gain additional mass in tubers and improve their quality. They are being successfully introduced both in large farms and in ordinary gardens.
Senication of potatoes: description of the procedure
Senication of potatoes, to briefly describe this procedure, consists in treating the tops with certain substances before harvesting. Most often, for this purpose, non-toxic drugs are used that will not harm the plant and humans. It is recommended to carry out such top dressing no later than 20 days before harvest. The exact period for this has not been set. Some growers prefer the phase immediately after flowering, others do it 2-3 weeks later.
Early ripening varieties should not be senicated at all. The best time for manipulation is called the middle of the day, when there will be no dew on the foliage. Rainy and windy weather is not suitable as the desired result cannot be achieved. It is good to choose the evening for processing, then at night the outflow of the necessary substances to the roots will be more active.
Important!
Spraying in closed clothing, gloves, a protective mask and goggles.
Why conduct a senication
There are several reasons for this procedure. Among its main advantages, it is customary to distinguish:
- safety – the accumulation of substances in the tubers does not occur, and the content of protein and starch in their composition increases;
- useful organic compounds from leaves and stems are redirected to tubers, significantly accelerating their ripening, and the tops themselves stop growing;
- the risk of contamination of the plant or soil with infections and bacteria is reduced;
- potatoes are covered with a denser layer of peel, so the risk of damage during digging is reduced;
- the metabolism of plants is improved due to the content of irreplaceable elements in the composition of the working solution.
It has been proven that potatoes that have undergone this pre-harvest treatment become more useful and can be stored for longer.
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Superphosphate senication
When senicating potatoes with superphosphate, the proportions are correctly calculated. A 10-liter bucket of water takes 2 kg of fertilizer. The solution is insisted for about a day, while it is required to thoroughly mix it periodically. The settled liquid should have a light color. It is poured into the spray tank and evenly applied to the bushes. Consumption should not exceed 2 liters per 100 sq. meters.
Adding a small amount of herbicide to the working fluid will help enhance the effect. These chemicals kill weeds. For 1 liter of solution, 0,1 gram of the product will be needed. The herbicide directs carbohydrates and nitrogen compounds from the plant’s tops to its tubers.
Important!
If the senication was done correctly, then the entire above-ground part of the bush should completely die off, making cleaning easier.
Other preparations for processing
For senication, you can use not only phosphate, but also other drugs. Good results are shown by treatment with a complex composition, which includes ammonium polyphosphate. This mixture is also supplemented with a herbicide. One hundred square meters of a personal plot will require about 30 liters of liquid top dressing.
It is possible to achieve a noticeable increase in the productivity of the cultivated culture by combining superphosphate, ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate. To prepare a solution, the concentration of these components will be 2-5%. Adding ash to the beds will increase the potassium concentration in the potatoes. This is done after a week and a half from the beginning of flowering.
When is desiccation applied
Desiccation of potatoes is necessary for the complete destruction of its dead tops. The procedure is carried out in 2 stages, between which there is a short break. Young shoots must not be allowed to appear during this time. Otherwise, numerous pests will gather on them. Such manipulation also helps to fight late blight.
The first results of the treatment will become noticeable not earlier than after 10 days. The tops will begin to dry out, become brittle and brittle. Desiccation is very helpful in the case of overgrown foliage on the bushes. It has a positive effect on crops that ripen unevenly. Cool weather with abundant rainfall is another indication for desiccation.
Desiccants
The best time to carry out such a treatment is considered 7 to 10 days before the start of harvesting. All plantings are sprayed from a sprayer. To prepare a working emulsion, you can use the following tools:
- for seed varieties, a 20% raglon is suitable, taken at the rate of 2 liters per 1 ha;
- ware potatoes are often treated with magnesium chlorate with a concentration of 60%, 1 kg is enough for 30 hectare;
- Harveyd 25 F has universal action, which needs 3 kg per 1 ha.
One good tip is that even spray will help make the desiccation process more efficient.
Important!
Cutting the stems completely under the root will complicate the search for holes with root vegetables, so you need to leave about 25 cm.
Pre-harvest preparation and storage of potatoes
It is worth removing the tops by hand so that the herbicides can be fully absorbed. They will prevent new leaves from forming on the bushes. Dried leaves are removed one week after desiccation. Otherwise, the thick stems will interfere with the potato harvesting technique.
But it is not necessary to get rid of the aboveground part of the plants before this period. Long-term stay of tubers in the ground without foliage can cause them to become infected. If the collected foliage was affected by late blight, it should be immediately burned to stop the spread of the disease.
It is better to plan the harvesting campaign in order to be in time before the onset of cold weather. When removing the above-ground part of the bushes, you need to pay attention to the temperature regime. In hot weather, plants in bare beds will overheat, which will negatively affect the quality of the potatoes. Do not appoint collection for freezing, when tubers are more susceptible to damage.
When the entire crop is harvested, you need to take care of its proper storage. The potatoes are sorted out, separating the damaged tubers from the whole, and the small ones from the large ones. Before laying for long-term storage, all tubers are treated with fungicidal agents that prevent the development of diseases. Then they can be placed in wooden boxes and placed in a cool dark place.
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Pros of desiccation
Desiccation has several advantages over mechanical desiccation. It eliminates the risk of injury to the crop. The tubers will not float or turn green because the topsoil has been removed by the machine. Accordingly, the accumulation of poison will not occur in them and they will have a decent presentation. The chemicals will completely rid the field of weeds.
Even large areas can be processed in a short time. Aviation spraying is often used for this. Another important advantage is the cessation of the spread of fungal diseases in the treated area. Mechanical destruction of tops, on the contrary, promotes their activation when the entire area is covered with chopped fresh foliage.
Reviews
Georgy
I always try to get the maximum yield from my garden. For this purpose, I practice various modern techniques, the description of which I find on the net. Such a method as senication is in great honor among advanced summer residents. I tried it once for the sake of experiment, now I repeat the treatment every year. I noticed the results from her almost immediately.
Love
What only I did not do at my summer cottage, trying to achieve an increase in potato yield. Nothing really worked out until a friend advised me to spray the bushes with superphosphate. At first I strongly doubted that it would help. But this tool did a real miracle – more potatoes were dug out last year than usual.
Alla
As an experienced gardener with great experience, I want to recommend everyone to pay attention to the timely removal of their tops with the help of chemicals when growing potatoes. At a certain stage, it becomes superfluous and only prevents the plant from developing. This secret has been known in our family for a long time and is always used.
Important!
It is impossible to harvest after the last rains, it will rot very quickly.
Senication and desiccation are agronomic techniques that actually work. Their productivity has been repeatedly proven by practical experience. This type of treatment stimulates the maturation of tubers and saturates them with organic compounds necessary for growth.
