Every gardener dreams of a rich harvest of potatoes with healthy, viable vegetables. Feeding potatoes with fertilizers is especially crucial in June, when they are actively growing. This is particularly important if you’ve planted them in the same area for several years, as neglecting to fertilize can lead to a decline in quality.

Here’s a helpful tip for gardeners: feed potatoes before they form bushes and apply fertilizers in loose soil so that nutrients can reach the roots more easily. After applying fertilizer, be sure to water the beds (unless you’re using liquid fertilizers).

Mineral Fertilizers for Potatoes

Ready-made mineral fertilizers are an excellent option for fertilizing potatoes. During their growth period, potatoes need sulfates and potassium the most. However, be cautious, as chlorine is harmful to potatoes. Opt for potassium sulfate fertilizers without chlorine, such as:

  • Nitroammofoska
  • Ammonium nitrate
  • Urea
  • Kemira
  • Potassium sulfate
  • Potassium nitrate

Be careful when applying mineral fertilizers in the summer. Do not exceed the recommended dose on the package, as this can damage the tubers.

Feeding Potatoes During Flowering

Knowing how to feed potatoes before and during flowering is beneficial. During this time, potatoes require boron, which enhances storage and reduces the number of voids in the tubers.

Avoid using boric acid for feeding; instead, opt for liquid boron fertilizers like Ikar Bor, Tseovit Bor, or Aydamin.

Foliar Fertilization of Potatoes

Foliar feeding involves spraying the bushes, allowing nutrients to penetrate the roots and improve tuber yield.

Common options for foliar feeding include:

  1. Urea solution: Apply before flowering every 2 weeks. Mix 100 g of urea, 150 g of potassium monophosphate, 6 g of boric acid, and 5 l of water.
  2. Humate solution: Use after 4 leaves appear on the bushes. Dissolve 2 g of “Humat+7” in 10 liters of water. Apply 3 liters of this solution per hectare.
  3. Phosphorus solution: Apply at the end of summer, a month before harvesting. Dissolve 100 g of superphosphate in 10 liters of water to enhance potato flavor.

Conduct any foliar fertilization in cloudy weather to avoid damaging plant leaves.

Organic and Folk Methods for Potatoes

For those seeking safe alternatives to chemical fertilizers, natural methods can be a great choice.

Many gardeners recommend manure as a preferred fertilizer for potatoes, as it contains essential elements for healthy growth, helping to form large, strong tubers. Apply fresh manure in the fall and use rotted manure in the summer. Before application, dig up the soil, break the manure into lumps, spread it, and bury it. Once potato bushes reach 10 cm, water them with a manure solution (1:10 ratio of manure to water).

Here are some ideas for feeding potatoes in June using organic methods:

  • Chicken manure: This works quickly but can damage tubers if used undiluted. Dilute it in water (1:15) and let it infuse for 3 days. Water the bushes with 1 liter of the solution.
  • Ash: Contains trace elements essential for potato growth. Apply 10 kg of ash per acre and then water the area.
  • Herbal infusion: Rich in nitrogen, ideal for June. Use garden weeds like tansy, horsetail, nettle, chamomile, and garlic arrows. Place the herbs in a barrel, fill with water, and let ferment for 5-7 days. Water the bushes in the evening, avoiding the stems.

Alternating between mineral and organic fertilizers can provide potatoes with diverse nutrition.

Always remember to adhere to the correct dosage of fertilizers and maintain regular watering to ensure healthy potato growth!

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