Potatoes are rightly called the second bread, because appearing on our tables relatively recently, some 2-3 hundred years ago, the vegetable has gained incomparable popularity. Gardeners and large farms take it seriously, since the volume of crop consumption does not allow it to be grown in small greenhouses, so the crop is not immune from the vagaries of nature. In this case, agricultural techniques will come to the rescue, one of which is preplant planting.

Why sprout potatoes before planting

The purpose of pre-planting germination of potatoes is to increase its germination capacity. Germinating tubers, you thereby “awaken” their eyes and in the future will be able to choose the most powerful material for planting. Thanks to this procedure, productivity increases by an average of one third.

Important! By the beginning of spring on the potatoes preserved by this time, most likely, pale shoots of a pinkish tint will sprout. These formations are called etiolated shoots. If the tips of these processes are colored black - this is a sign of late blight, such tubers should be discarded immediately.

In addition, it excludes the possibility of falling on the beds of "dead" tubers, which are generally not able to produce a crop. The result of a correctly carried out germination procedure is the emerged shoots of green color and a dense structure, 35-50 mm long.

Preparing potatoes for planting

Preparation of planting material does not represent any difficulties and consists of the following actions:

1. 3-4 weeks before the estimated time of planting in the soil (depending on the region, this is approximately the end of February-mid-March), the seed material is removed from the cellar (basement), sorted, discarded, spoiled and calibrated.
2. Tubers that have passed the rejection process and are suitable for planting should be cleaned of soil residues and washed in running water.
3. The next stage is the bactericidal treatment of tubers. For this, a 1% solution of boric acid is used.
4. Next, the planting material is dried. It is more advisable to do this in a shaded place.
5. Dried potatoes are warmed for 4-6 days at room temperature.
6. Depending on the chosen method of germination, large tubers can be cut into pieces at this stage, or after the first shoots hatch. After this, the germination process begins directly.

How to sprout potatoes at home

There are quite a few ways to germinate potatoes before planting them in the ground. They differ in some points, have their own characteristics. However, in all cases, the most important characteristics of the environment are indicators of temperature, air humidity and light exposure.

More details about the most popular and affordable methods, as well as the relevant conditions for the correct procedure will be described below.

In the light

This is the most popular method. The main condition for its successful application is a sufficient amount of sunlight. Tubers will sprout under other conditions (temperature and humidity) and without the sun, although they will be weaker.Strong sunlight for these purposes is also not quite suitable, it should rather be moderate. If, nevertheless, in the place you have chosen, the sun shines too intensely, cover the planting material with paper. As a light source, artificial lighting can be used.

This method consists of the following phases:

1. Before starting the germination procedure, treat the planting material with growth stimulants and an antiseptic (1% potassium permanganate solution).
2. Place the tubers in a well-lit room (artificial light will do). The temperature in the room should be within +19 ... + 21 ° С.
3. After 6-8 days, the temperature must be reduced to +14 ... + 16 ° C. To do this, you can open the doors and windows.
4. Three days before planting tubers into the ground, they should be hardened. For this purpose, planting material is transferred to a completely dark room with an air temperature of +9 ... + 11 ° С. This event has a positive effect on the germination of tubers.
5. Immediately before planting, sprinkle the tubers with plenty of ash.

Did you know? The most popular potato variety in the post-Soviet territory is Sineglazka. Another name for the variety is Hannibal. Such an unusual name for the variety is due to the great-grandfather of the great Russian poet A.S. Pushkin — the first Russian breeder of this culture Abram Hannibal.

In the dark

This method requires perhaps minimal human intervention. Shoots in a dark room grow slowly and grow thin. The process takes about 3 weeks, and for its normal course it is only necessary to maintain a certain air humidity in the room (85–95%), periodically spraying tubers.In the event that the shoots are already long enough, and the time for planting the tubers has not yet arrived, you just need to reduce the air temperature.

Wet germination

The most efficient and easiest method. Its essence lies in the fact that tubers are placed in a moist substrate (straw, sawdust, peat cushion) in one or two layers. It is necessary to constantly monitor the degree of moisture in the nutrient medium. In the event that the substrate loses moisture, most likely, the shoots that appear appear to dry out.

If the process goes well, the shoots reach the desired size by the end of the third week. Germination containers must have free oxygen access, the room temperature should not fall below + 13 ° C. To moisten the substrate, it is not watered, but sprayed with solutions of potassium salt or superphosphate.The whole process consists of the following sequence of actions:

1. Before germination, potatoes are treated with a growth stimulator or ash.
2. Planting material is placed in containers for germination.
3. The substrate (sawdust, hay, peat) is poured with water and remove excess moisture by lightly pressing, then cover the moistened substrate with tubers in a box.
4. Boxes with germinated material can be placed one on top of the other, the main thing is that there is a normal access of oxygen, and the substrate is constantly moistened.

In the event that there is no suitable room for placing boxes, you can apply this method in the garden. For this, tubers are placed on a dung base 0.3–0.4 m thick. The rest of the process is similar to germination in boxes.

Combined method

This method is an excellent solution for getting an early crop.

Did you know? The stereotype of the popularity of potatoes in Belarus has a completely rational explanation: the fraternal republic really takes first place in the world in eating this culture. On average, every citizen of the state eats more than 180 kg of potatoes per year, followed by Germans - less than 170 kg, the average citizen of Belgium - a little more than 130 kg, Poland - a little more than 120 kg. But Russians eat 2 times less potatoes annually than Belarusians — about 90 kg a year.

The procedure is as follows:

1. Planting material is placed in boxes in 1-2 layers, the boxes, in turn, are installed in a cool (+12 ... + 14 ° C) room with good access to sunlight for 2-3 weeks.
2. After this, the tubers are transferred to boxes with moistened sawdust (hay, humus) in the same 1-2 layers and transferred to a warmer room (+21 ... + 23 ° C) for 7-10 days.
3. As soon as the shoots begin to break through, the substrate must be watered with the following composition: ammonium nitrate (15 g), potassium salt (15 g), superphosphate (30 g), water (5 l). Watering is carried out as the substrate dries, on average every 4 days.
4. As a result of this treatment, roots and leaves grow on tubers, in addition to seedlings.

Known methods for sprouting potatoes

As already mentioned, regardless of the method of germination, the most important criteria for this procedure are indicators of temperature, humidity and illumination. The main factors necessary for the procedure itself remain unchanged, only the “shell” changes, the circumstances in which germination is carried out.

Suppose, if you have a suitable, well-lit sun, platform and appropriate climatic conditions, you can not think of anything, but lay out the tubers and wait for them to germinate.

But not everyone at home has the opportunity to lay out planting material on such a site (especially when it comes to a city apartment), and weather conditions can fail. It is in such situations that one of the following methods will come to the rescue, suitable specifically for your specific conditions.

In plastic bags

This is a fairly simple way to sprout potatoes in an apartment.In order to prepare the tubers for planting in the ground using plastic bags, you must do the following:

1. Take strong pouches made of dense polyethylene, make small ventilation holes in them. In each bag, place (depending on size) 9-12 tubers, tie it and hang it near a sunny window. If the sun shines strongly and directly on the tubers, they can be moved a little further away, since bright sunlight can damage the planting material.
2. Bags with potatoes need to be turned over every two days. This should be done carefully so as not to damage the shoots when they begin to grow. In the same packages, also very carefully, in order to avoid damage to the shoots, tubers can be transported to the place of planting.

Important! To cut large tubers into pieces after each operation, the knife should be treated with a bactericidal solution (potassium permanganate, Fitosporin). In addition, the cut parts must be allowed to crust (4–6 days), only after that they can be germinated. Otherwise, if the tubers are immediately placed in a moist substrate immediately after the operation, they will release juice, which may cause the development of mold processes.

In plastic bottles

This method is a cross between germination in plastic bags and in a wet substrate. For further germination in a plastic container, take tubers with roots and leaves already beginning to break through. Further development of shoots in bottles stimulates the vitality of planting material, increase its germination, and make it more resistant to aggressive environmental conditions.The action algorithm for this method looks like this:

1. To begin, prepare a culture medium for germination. For this, a substrate (peat, sawdust, hay, humus) should be sprayed with a solution of fertilizers containing potassium salt, superphosphate, nitrate. If you use humus as a “pillow”, just moisten it slightly with plain water.
2. Take a few PET bottles with a capacity of 2 liters (you can use containers of a larger capacity - 5 and 6 liters), cut the top of the bottle at a distance of 8-10 cm from the neck. In the lower part of the bottle wall (within 6–8 cm from the bottom), make several holes with a knife heated over a fire - these will be ventilation ducts.
3. Pour 1 tbsp into a PET bottle. nutrient mixture (substrate), on the resulting "pillow" lay out a few tubers with shoots that have begun to break through (sprouts should be directed upwards). Fill the tubers with another glass of substrate, and on top - a layer of clean sand 2 cm thick, then pour the sand with water.
4. Bottles should be placed near a bright window. Add water as the substrate dries, on average every 5–7 days. The optimum air temperature for this procedure is +16 ... + 18 ° C, a higher temperature contributes to a strong stretching of the shoots. Their normal length by the time of planting in the soil should be about 12-17 cm.

Important! Harvest potatoes grown by this method should not be left until next year as seedling material. The fact is that tubers prepared in this way begin «wake» and, accordingly, ready for planting by the end of February.

Chinese method

The Chinese method of growing potatoes is based on the characteristics of this culture to form stolons - shoots growing in the thickness of the earth on which tubers are formed. The essence of such a culture is to form a kind of multi-level underground garden.

A feature of the method is that a small area is required to obtain an abundant crop.However, not everything is so simple: to achieve a significant effect using this method, you can only use super-yielding varieties of potatoes and a significant amount of fertilizer, while the soil should be very light, airy.

The most important stage in growing potatoes in Chinese is its germination before planting in the ground.

We will tell you more about the main points of this agrotechnical method:

1. Tubers that are close in size to a chicken egg of medium size are selected. At the same time, planting material should be stored at a temperature of about +13 ... + 15 ° C, with indicators of average humidity level (75–80%).
2. Stimulate the activity of the eyes in this way: in late winter and early spring, potatoes are placed first where it is warm (+17 ... + 20 ° С) and enough sunlight, and then placed in a darkened cool room (+11 ... + 13 ° C). Such thermal stress perfectly initiates life processes in planting material, at the same time and tempering it.
3. After this, the following procedure is carried out: the middle (equatorial) part of the tuber body is cut out in a circle so that the remaining part in profile resembles the number 8 or a snowman from two spheres. The depth of cuts should be between 8–10 mm. This technique also stimulates the awakening of the eyes and the growth of shoots.
4. Then the material is laid on a nutrient substrate in glass jars, periodically moistening it and turning the jars for uniform access to sunlight. If there is a suitable place and appropriate climatic conditions, you can put seedling material in the open.
5. After the shoots are stretched to 5-7 cm, you can plant potatoes in the ground, previously treated with ash. This method of germination is suitable both for further cultivation using Chinese technology and the traditional way for us.

The method of Galina Kizima

Galina Kizima, despite the fact (and to some extent due to this circumstance) that she is a physicist by training, is known as the author of a large number of works relating to the rational use of the garden.

She has developed many theories, confirmed by further practice, the use of which can bring the maximum possible benefit from your personal plot, without depleting the land.Well established is its method of germination of potato tubers.

This method consists in the following activities:

1. Prepare medium-sized tubers, rinse them thoroughly in running water, and fold them into a container of a suitable volume (basin, large pan, trough).
2. Fill the tank with water heated to +43 ... + 46 ° С, let it cool to ambient temperature.
3. Pour a high concentration of potassium permanganate solution (you can pour dry powder) into the water until the water turns pink in medium intensity. “Phytosporin” can be used as a disinfectant, in which case subsequent washing is not required.
4. After 20 minutes, the water with potassium permanganate is drained, the potatoes are washed and laid out to dry in a place open to sunlight for 15-18 days.
5. If the weather is unsuitable (precipitation, late snow) for drying in the open air, the tubers can be dried by spreading them on window sills or by placing them in three-liter jars with subsequent regular turning of the contents.
6. After the specified time (about three weeks), the tubers should acquire a rich green hue. This fact indicates that a sufficient amount of solanine was formed in the tubers, a substance that prevents rodents from eating planting material.
7. Greened tubers are placed in corrugated cardboard boxes with holes in the walls. The tubers are laid out so that they do not touch.
8. The first layer of potatoes is covered with newspaper, on which the next layer of planting material is laid out. The box is thus filled to the very top.
9. Containers with contents are installed next to the radiator. After 15–20 days, an examination should be carried out: if the sprouts have reached 5–7 cm in length, tubers can be planted in the ground.

Did you know? The importance of potatoes in the global agriculture and food industry is evidenced by the following fact: this is the first crop that was grown in outer space. This event took place in 1995 aboard the shuttle Columbia.

How to process potatoes during germination

To process and moisturize the nutrient medium during germination, fertilizers containing potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen are used.In this quality, you can use a solution of such fertilizers in water:

• ammonium nitrate (0.3%);
• potassium salt (0.3%);
• superphosphate (0.2%).

For the preliminary treatment of tubers, 0.1% solution of potassium permanganate or boric acid of the same concentration is used, the Fitosporin solution is also used. Immediately before placing the tubers in a nutrient medium for emergence of seedlings, they can be treated with ash.

How to accelerate germination

To speed up the process of germination of potatoes, the following rules should be observed:

• maintain the necessary temperature regime of +16 ... + 18 ° С and air humidity of 85–95%;
• when germinating in plastic bags, they need to be periodically untied and ventilated, allowing excess moisture to escape and providing oxygen access;
• it is better to moisten the substrate not with water, but with a mixture of mineral fertilizers;
• use a nutrient substrate (peat, humus);
• to accelerate the process, it is advisable to use growth stimulants, hardening and shock exposure (sudden changes in temperature and lighting) before germination;
• it will be useful for 1–1.5 hours before placing the tubers in a nutrient medium, holding them in a fertilizer solution, the composition of which is described in the previous section;
• accelerate the process of germination and transverse incisions, similar to those made in the Chinese method of germination.

This agricultural technique does not require any additional material costs (unless the purchase of fertilizers) or the application of special efforts. At the same time, thanks to such a simple procedure, you will noticeably increase the germination capacity of your planting material, its survival rate, immunity and, therefore, the chances of a plentiful harvest in autumn.