Potato Crop Tips

• Soil preparation:

The potato likes a deep, humiferous and light soil.
Beforehand, it is preferable to beak by breaking the large clods.
It is also advisable to incorporate manure or fertilizer.

• Planting:

Planting is done in March if you are under cover, in April otherwise. It is recommended to wait until the end of severe frosts to plant your seeds.
Plant the tubers 6 or 7 cm apart, 40 cm apart on the line and 60 cm apart between the lines.
When the vegetation reaches 15 cm in height, dig to bring the soil back to the foot of the plants to avoid greening of the tubers.
It is possibly recommended to water, preferably at the end of the day.

• The harvest:

Harvesting can start from June for early varieties and ends in September for late varieties reserved for conservation.
For potatoes reserved for preservation, once the leaves have faded, gently pull out the tubers, keep them in your cellar away from light and frost.

• Performance:

1/2 hative = 80 to 120 days.
Late = 120 to 150 days.
100m² = 12 to 15 kg of plants.
Small sizes (28/35 or 25/32) = production between 250 and 400 kg depending on the variety.

• Insects and diseases

Downy mildew: Phytophthora infestans
He declares himself:
- On young shoots by a white down.
- On leaves (upper side) by discolored spots of oily appearance, then rapid browning with a light green border.
- On leaves (underside) by white down on the perimeter of the necrotic area.
- On terminal bouquets by a browning and curling of the leaves.
- On stems: purplish-brown necrosis on rigid stem.
- On tubers: inside, spots of rust color and diffuse shape.
- firm-fleshed varieties.
To combat it, pay particular attention to prophylactic measures (destruction of waste piles, limitation of regrowth) and treat preventively by ensuring protection of the foliage from emergence until the complete destruction of the tops.

The Colorado beetle is a beetle resembling a large ladybug, but yellow in color with black stripes. The eggs are yellow-orange and are agglomerated under the leaves. The larvae are red with black spots. Like adults, they devour leaves and compromise the production of attacked plants.
It is advisable to spray nettle manure as a preventive measure. It is also necessary to monitor, below the leaves, the development of eggs and kill larvae and adults.

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