Undeniably, the potato is one of the most essential commercial crops and food plants in the world. It has a tuberous root that provides an abundant supply of digestible carbs and nutrients. For many decades and centuries, these root vegetables were able to solve the starvation and famine in many parts of the world. What’s so incredible about potatoes is that they allow anyone to plant them.
In most cases, it involves using tiny pieces of seed potato tubers that are already mature. Plant them when the cold season arrives, particularly when the soil where you intend to cultivate it is over the freezing point. To guarantee the successful growth of potatoes, it is crucial to nourish them by using the most suitable fertilizer.
Choosing the Right Fertilizer for Potatoes
When searching for the best fertilizer that you can use for the successful growth of potatoes, you should keep in mind these crucial factors:
NPK Ratio
NPK, which means nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium based on their chemical symbols, refers to the nutrients that should be present in each fertilizer. The numbers in the NPK ratio refer to actual percentages of the mentioned nutrients that the fertilizer has.
If you are growing potatoes, then the best one is that which is abundant in potassium and has just a sufficient amount of nitrogen. Phosphorus should be just a little less than the two. In that case, a fertilizer that has an NPK ratio of 4-2-8 is ideal for potatoes. You can also go for one with similar potassium and nitrogen content.
Additional Nutrients
Apart from the NPK nutrients, it is also crucial to pick fertilizers that can truly nourish your crops with the additional micronutrients and nutrients they contain. Go for one with components guaranteed to promote the growth of the crops.
Among the nutrients you should look for are magnesium, calcium, and sulfur. There are also micronutrients that improve the flavor and promote the sprouting of crops, so you should spend time checking the contents of a specific fertilizer before buying.
Type
Decide based on the type of fertilizer that you think is more suitable for your needs. For potatoes, liquid fertilizers and granules are among your best options. Granules resemble pellets. You can pour these granules over the soil where you are planting the crops. This type is a fantastic choice if you prefer slow-release results since it usually takes a few weeks for the granules to fully break down.
You may want to choose the liquid fertilizer if you prefer faster results. It also involves pouring the solution over the soil. The only difference is that it is in liquid form. It quickly breaks down, which guarantees rapid results. Note that you need to apply it consistently if you prefer this type.
Amount/Content
Another crucial factor is the amount of fertilizer provided in a bottle or bag. It would not be a good idea to buy just a tiny bag if you intend to fertilize a huge row of potatoes. However, you would not also want to waste money on an extremely big bag if you only need to fertilize a couple of plants.
With that, determine how much you specifically need before buying. In most cases, one pound of the granular fertilizer would already suffice for one to two months of application on just a couple of potatoes. If you prefer the liquid type, then each plant needs around thirty ounces every season.
When and How to Fertilize Potatoes?
Now that you know how to select the right fertilizer for potatoes, it is time to learn about the best time and way to apply it to your crops. Again, you need a fertilizer with high phosphorus content to help the roots of the potatoes develop fast. Start fertilizing the crops two weeks after you plant them. Apply the fertilizer continuously every four weeks then stop its use two weeks before the actual harvest.
The best way to apply the fertilizer is through the broadcasting method. It is a hassle-free way of spreading the fertilizer over the area. Here’s how to do it:
- Before planting the seeds, place a handful or two of the fertilizer in every ten or twelve inches.
- Till the fertilizer so it gets absorbed into the soil.
- Start planting then water the garden area. This should be enough to encourage the roots to grow and develop rapidly.
- Once done, you should commit to applying the fertilizer every four to six weeks.
How Do You Know If the Potatoes Are Ripe?
You have done a pretty good job in caring for and fertilizing the potatoes if they ripen up and finally become ready for harvest. To determine if they are already ripe, you should be familiar with their five phases of growth:
- The first phase, which is the time when sprouts come out of the seeds and the growth of the root starts
- The second phase, which is the start of photosynthesis while the potato plant forms branches and leaves
- The third phase, the time when new tubers form as stolon’s swelling – This is often the time when the plant’s flowers form.
- The fourth phase, which is the time when tuber bulking takes place – The potato plant also starts to invest in most of the resources found in the tubers. You can harvest new potatoes at this stage.
- The fifth phase, which indicates that the tubers mature – It is, therefore, the perfect time to harvest the potatoes.
One clear sign that the potatoes are already ripe and ready for harvest is if their canopies die back with the skin of the tubers also hardening up. Note that this plant grows underground. With that, you will be unable to check the firmness and color to determine its ripeness. Despite that, knowledge about the mentioned phases will give you an idea of the perfect time to harvest ripe potatoes.