The distance between potatoes when planted with a walk-behind tractor. Technology for proper planting of potatoes using a walk-behind tractor

With the arrival of spring, summer residents have more work to do. A special place is occupied by digging beds. Although shovels are in demand as before, today another device that significantly facilitates work comes into first place. This is a walk-behind tractor. Many people have heard about how to plant potatoes with a walk-behind tractor, but have never done it with their own hands.

A walk-behind tractor significantly simplifies the work of a vegetable grower

Tillage

To properly cultivate the soil, the walk-behind tractor kit for planting potatoes includes a hiller and a plow. Thanks to the multifunctional device, the earth is saturated with oxygen, the vegetable grows much faster, and all weeds are removed.

Among the disadvantages, we can name only one - only a man can control it. Before the start of spring plowing, set up and adjust the unit, then it will be much easier to hold it and guide it so that the furrows are even.

The depth of the rut for planting should be within 20 cm. For this work there is a plow, with which the depth is equal and the rows are even.

Cultivation occurs with the help of cutters, which leave depressions in the ground. To ensure high-quality treatment of the area, manipulations should be performed correctly, i.e. when moving in reverse direction one of the cutters should fall into the mark left by the other cutter. This way the field will lend itself to more thorough digging.

Cultivation with milling cutters

Sometimes summer residents perform circular cultivation of the land. The MTZ walk-behind tractor is suitable for this. They start from the edge and move towards the central part in a spiral. But there is one significant drawback: after plowing, you will have to additionally level the soil with a rake. When moving along, the ground is processed with a rake only in places where the unit turns.

Preparation of equipment

After preparing the ground, we get to work on planting equipment. To do this, we change the cutters to lugs. The central stop is removed and a hitch is installed in its place. The work on preparing the equipment is done with your own hands. Metal pins are installed in the holes. We equip the walk-behind tractor with a two-row hiller, the width between the components of which is set at 65 cm. This parameter means what the distance between the rows of beds will be.

To mark out the vegetable garden, he uses a self-made marker. It's very easy to make. Take a wooden handle, at one end of which a small transverse stick is installed. We make some kind of rake, for this we fill three pegs, the distance between them should also be 65 cm. We begin to draw stripes on the field. After passing one row, unfold the level you made yourself and move it in the opposite direction, placing the outermost peg along the previous outermost line. After marking, we take a walk-behind tractor and make furrows.

Methods for planting potatoes

The formation of a furrow for planting is carried out in two ways:

  • through a hiller;
  • using a potato planter.

The first method of planting a vegetable crop is using a hiller. The equipment is equipped with lug wheels. Now you can cut the furrows into which the vegetable is placed. This is done using a plow. Afterwards, the wheels are replaced with rubber ones, the width between which corresponds to the size of the track, and the crop planted in the ground is filled up and lightly compacted.

You can fill the potatoes with a walk-behind tractor so that one of its rubber wheels goes over the potatoes.

The second method involves working with a potato planter. This is a kind of canopy attached to a walk-behind tractor. Its volume is approximately 40 liters. The root vegetable is placed in it. The equipment is used on large planting areas.

The first step is to prepare the ground:

  • to plow;
  • harrow;
  • If possible, moisten the soil.

After preparing the soil, ridges are formed. The canopy is equipped with two devices:

  • a furrow from where potatoes enter the soil;
  • disk hiller for backfilling the crop.

The process of planting a milk block with a potato planter

The equipment is equipped with lug wheels and a potato planter. To make the furrows deeper, the distance between the discs is reduced. The vegetable is poured into the compartment, and while the walk-behind tractor is moving, it falls into the prepared ruts. The frequency of planting can be controlled independently. After planting the crop, the ruts are buried and compacted.

You can make a potato shed yourself. Potatoes can be planted using a Neva walk-behind tractor without any additional equipment. This unpretentious and reliable type of equipment is simply irreplaceable for summer residents. It can be used to carry out any work on a summer cottage without any problems. The same principle applies to the Zubr and MTZ walk-behind tractors. This is due to the fact that the design schemes are identical, therefore there are practically no differences between them. Thus, planting potatoes with a Zubr walk-behind tractor occurs according to both the first and second options.

There is another way to plant potatoes using a plow. It is used to turn over the soil before winter. Potatoes are planted using a Zubr, Neva or MTZ walk-behind tractor. The plow and lugs are attached to the selected type of walk-behind tractor. When cultivating the land with a plow, land marking is not required. Among the features of the method, it should be highlighted that the crop is planted simultaneously with the formation of the track. Having reached the line to the end, the equipment with the plow turns around and, forming a new track, fills the first line with planted potatoes.

MTZ walk-behind tractors are popular

Motoblocks MTZ

Today, MTZ walk-behind tractors are especially popular. Components for MTZ are produced strong and reliable so that the equipment can be in service for a long time, therefore materials are used during assembly High Quality. In addition, the unit is economical in terms of fuel consumption and is a very powerful type in its class.

The MTZ walk-behind tractor has the following positive characteristics, How:

  • minimum vibration level;
  • low noise level;
  • easy start;
  • simple controls;
  • environmental friendliness.

MTZ is easy to use and easy to manage. His Maintenance can be done without any problems with your own hands.

Availability modern technology on personal plots, it facilitates the hard work of the gardener, especially if there is a large plot of land under cultivation. In addition, it is not necessary to purchase a walk-behind tractor last word techniques with a bunch of bells and whistles, many of which you can do yourself. Therefore, multifunctional walk-behind tractors are indispensable in the household, thanks to which the summer season brings only joy.

The busy life of a summer resident can be greatly facilitated by planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor. The labor intensity of planting is one of the highest among garden works. On 5 acres, planting potatoes under a shovel will take a whole day, and proper planting of potatoes with a walk-behind tractor will reduce it to a couple of hours.

How to properly plant potatoes with a walk-behind tractor

To do this, in addition to the walk-behind tractor itself, you need to acquire additional attachments: lug-grip steel wheels, wheel extensions, a single-row or double-row hiller, a universal hitch, and a milling cutter.

Because for different models walk-behind tractors, the design of these devices is slightly different, then check with the sellers on site to see if it fits your model, so you don’t have to come back for a replacement later. Hitches also vary in design, so it’s better to buy that first and then choose everything else.

There are two ways to plant potatoes with a walk-behind tractor - a regular hiller with an adjustable gap between the wings or a mounted potato planter. Planting with a regular hiller is done in the following way.

Planting potatoes with a regular hiller

Hiller with adjustable gap between wings

Grouser wheels and a hiller are placed on the walk-behind tractor so that the track width is 60-65 cm, and the gap between the wings of the hiller is minimal.
Furrows are cut over the entire area of ​​the plot with a distance between their ridges of 60-65 cm, i.e. on the width of the track. If you try and make the first furrow more even, then all the others will also be even. Place the potatoes evenly in the furrows.

Potatoes in furrows made by a hiller

The lug wheels are replaced with conventional ones rubber tires with the same track width. On the hiller we set the maximum gap between its wings and fill the furrows with the hiller. Rubber wheels, rolling along furrows with potatoes, do not seriously damage the tubers. This or something like this is what planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor looks like.

Planting potatoes with a potato planter

If a large area is allocated for potatoes, then it is advisable to plant potatoes with a walk-behind tractor with a canopy - a potato planter. If the planting area is small, then there is no reason to buy an expensive potato planter. Before planting, the site is prepared - the soil on it is loosened with a milling cutter or ridges are pre-cut.

Potato planter for walk-behind tractor

A potato planter for a walk-behind tractor contains a furrow maker, a conveyor for feeding tubers into the furrows and a disk hiller for filling the furrows. Due to this versatility, all operations - cutting furrows, laying tubers and filling furrows - can be performed simultaneously.

As when planting with a hiller, before starting work, lug wheels are put on the walk-behind tractor. A potato planter is hung on a walk-behind tractor standing on a flat surface.

Attaching the potato planter to the walk-behind tractor and adjusting it must be done according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The following parameters are usually regulated: the depth of the furrower, the depth, width and angle of attack of the hiller discs forming the beds.

In the very general view The principle of adjusting a potato planter for a walk-behind tractor is as follows: to obtain a higher ridge, the discs need to be brought closer together and the depth and angle of attack are increased; to reduce the ridge, the discs need to be moved apart and the depth and angle of attack are reduced.

When planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor with a mounted two-row hiller, lug steel wheels with iron extensions pre-attached to them are first placed on the walk-behind tractor.

On the Neva-MB2 walk-behind tractor, you will need to remove the wings before doing this. We remove the central stop from the walk-behind tractor and install a single-row hitch instead.

This operation is simple, you just need to insert the steel pins into the holes on the hitch assembly. A two-row hiller is connected to the hitch. Before this, we set the gap between the hillers to 65 cm, which will determine the width of the beds.

Marking the garden with a marker

To do this, we attach a crossbar to a long wooden handle (like a rake) and attach short pegs to it with self-tapping screws, like the teeth of a rake. Three pegs with a distance between them of also 65 cm are enough. Let's draw stripes on the ground with a marker we made. For a constant distance between the lines, we lead the outermost peg along the already drawn line.

Let's adjust the walk-behind tractor to the markings, put it in first gear and cut the furrows with a hiller.

By tightening the adjustment knob on the hitch, you can change the position of the hiller, reducing or increasing the working depth. When we reach the edge of the site, we make a U-turn and go back.

You can plant one hiller along an already made furrow, but if the soil is soft, you can follow the existing lines. After cutting into the number of furrows required, we begin planting potatoes. We throw the tubers that have been germinated in advance into the bed with intervals of 35-40 cm between them.

It would be correct to treat them with a liquid from the Colorado potato beetle called “Prestige” before planting. This is good protection; the beetle is really not on the leaves for a long time. But as the effect of "Prestige" weakens, it does not a large number of larvae still appear.

Once you have finished planting the potatoes in the furrows, you can fill them up. Before this, on hillers we increase the working width of their wings, expanding their blades as much as possible, if the design of the blades allows this to be done. We place the hillers on the crests of the furrows and, at first speed, cover the potatoes with earth.

This will require some skill, since you need to control two ridges at once.

You can simplify your work by using only one hiller in the center.

We remove the lug wheels and install rubber ones. Let's direct the hiller along the very crest of the furrow and, bed by bed, fill up all the potatoes. If you do not have a two-row, but a single-row hiller, then you can do all the planting of potatoes with a walk-behind tractor, setting the width between the ridges to 70 cm, which is the optimal size. Finally, uneven areas in the beds are corrected with a regular hoe.

Planting potatoes under a plow with a walk-behind tractor

It is possible to plant potatoes under a walk-behind plow, which is used to plow the garden before winter by turning over the soil. We will describe this method using the Favorit walk-behind tractor as an example. Before planting, we place steel lug wheels on the walk-behind tractor and attach the plow.

There is no need to mark the garden with lines. We cut the first furrow with a plow. What distinguishes this method is the need to immediately throw the tubers into the garden bed. After throwing the tubers, we turn the walk-behind tractor so that the right wheel is in the bed, and fill it with earth from the next furrow.

The fact that the lug goes over the potatoes does not damage them. So, at the first speed of the walk-behind tractor, we plant in bed after bed. Time saving when planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor occurs due to the fact that we cut one bed and at the same time fill up another, and the beds are cut straight, since one wheel goes along a ready-made furrow.

Planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor video compilation

Planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor greatly simplifies the already stressful life of a summer resident. After all, this is one of the most labor-intensive gardening operations. On a plot of 5 acres, it takes a whole day to plant potatoes under a shovel, but you can handle the equipment in a couple of hours. Despite the fact that there are many models of cultivators, the techniques for planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor are the same for all models. The only drawback to this method is that a man must operate the cultivator. Although, perhaps, this is not a minus, it is not suitable for beautiful women to run around the garden with equipment; they have more useful things to do, for example, to work on or cook delicious meat. And in this article we will tell you how to plant potatoes with a walk-behind tractor.

To do this, in addition to equipment, you need to purchase additional attachments in the store: iron wheels (lugs), wheel extensions, single-row or double-row hiller, universal hitch, cutters. For each model, the equipment is slightly different, so check with the sellers on site what is for what, so as not to travel and change later. Hitches are also different, we advise you to buy this one first, and then select everything else.

CULTIVATING THE LAND WITH A MOTOR-BLOCK

Before planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor, the soil must be cultivated so that it is loose and soft. Previously, it was dug up with a shovel, which took a lot of time and effort. Now, having attached cutters to the equipment instead of wheels, we cultivate it quickly and efficiently.

We have in our possession reliable and unpretentious equipment that has been serving us regularly for several years. With its help we carry out all garden work. Cultivation is carried out at 2nd speed. We start work from the edge of the site. Having reached its end, we process 2 metersthe ground perpendicular to the furrows, this will be the place to turn around. On the other side of the site we do the same.

Now we cultivate the area along the beds.

The cutters leave small depressions in the soil. In order for the garden to be processed efficiently, when driving in the opposite direction, you need to use one cutter to follow the trail left by the other cutter. Then the land will be cultivated to the depth of a spade, which is optimal for planting potatoes. There are times when someone asks mercenaries to plow the garden with a cultivator, but in order to do it faster, they do not put the cutter in the furrow left by another cutter. This reduces the depth of cultivation and makes it difficult to plant potatoes in such a garden.

Some summer residents cultivate their garden in a circle, starting from the edge, reaching in a spiral to the center of the plot. The disadvantage of this method is that the soil must then be leveled with a rake, which also requires some effort.

When you cultivate the area along the beds, the plowing turns out to be even; you need to use a rake to level the ground only in the places where the equipment turns.

PLANTING POTATOES WITH A MOTORBLOCK USING A DOUBLE-ROW HILLER

So, we have prepared the garden, now you can start planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor. To do this, instead of cutters, we will install lugs, having first put iron extensions on them.

On the Neva-MB2 it is necessary to remove the wings before doing this. We remove the central stop from the walk-behind tractor and hang the hitch in its place.

Everything is done very simply, just insert metal pins into the holes. We attach a two-row hiller to the hitch. Before this, make the distance between the hillers equal to 65 cm, this will be the width between the beds.

Let's mark the garden with a special marker, which we will make.

To do this, screw short pegs to the long handle with self-tapping screws so that they resemble a rake. In total you need 3 pegs, the distance between them will also be 65 cm. Let's take a marker and draw stripes with it. To maintain the distance, you need to let the outermost peg follow an already drawn line.

Let's adjust the cultivator to the markings and press the furrows at first speed.

Using the hitch, you can change the position of the hiller, thereby increasing the depth of processing. To do this, you need to tighten the adjustment knob. Having reached the end of the garden, we turn around and go in the opposite direction.

You can put one hiller into an already made furrow, or you can, if the soil is soft, follow the marked lines. Having cut as many furrows as necessary,

Let's start planting potatoes. We throw pre-sprouted tubers into the bed, maintaining a distance of 35-40 cm between them.

Before doing this, it would be good to treat them in special composition from the Colorado potato beetle, it is called Prestige. Looking ahead, let's say that the method works, the bug for a long time not on the leaves. But when the drug stops working, a few larvae still appear.

Having planted the potatoes in the furrows, we will begin to fill them up. Before this, on the hiller we will increase the working width of the wings, spreading the blades as far as possible, if the design of the equipment allows this. Let’s place the equipment opposite the ridges and, at first speed, cover the potatoes with earth.

This operation requires some skill, since you have to control two ridges.

To make it easier, you can remove one hiller and place the second in the center.

Instead of lugs, we will install rubber wheels. Let's direct the cultivator in the center of the ridge and fill up the potatoes in the same way, bed by bed. If you do not have a two-row hiller, all the work of planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor can be done in a single row. But for this, the width between the ridges needs to be made equal to 70 cm. This size is optimal. At the end, if there are any unevenness, we will correct the beds with a regular hoe.

Watch the video

PLANTING POTATOES WITH A MOTOR-BLOCK USING A PLOW

You can plant potatoes using a plow, which is used to plow the garden before winter, turning the soil over. We will talk about this method using the Favorit walk-behind tractor as an example. We attach the plow and lugs to it.

There is no need to mark the garden with lines. First, we cut one furrow with a plow. The peculiarity of this method is that it is necessary to immediately throw the potatoes into the garden bed. Let's throw in some potatoes, turn the cultivator around, put the outer wheel in the garden bed, and fill it up with soil from the newly cut furrow.

There is nothing to worry about if the lug goes over the potatoes; the potatoes are not afraid of this. So we plant bed after bed at the first speed of the walk-behind tractor. This method of planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor seems to us more convenient, since we immediately cut one bed and fill another, and the beds turn out smoother due to the fact that the wheel follows the cut furrow.

Planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor is completed.

Watch the video

HITTING POTATOES WITH A MOTOR-BLOCK

Some time after planting, the potatoes will sprout and grow.

During this period, it needs to be hilled up, that is, added to the soil tubers. Again we will use a two-row hiller. As written earlier, we will install lugs on the cultivator, increase the working width as much as possible and run the walk-behind tractor at first speed between the beds.

Since the distance between the beds and the hillers is the same, the wheels run exactly along the beds without touching the potato stems, and the hiller rolls the soil to the tubers.

We will plant the entire garden in this way. If you use a single-row hiller, you need to put the equipment on rubber wheels and run it between the ridges.

Width 70 cm enough not to touch the potato bushes. Important note: you need to hill up potatoes with a walk-behind tractor after rain, when the soil dries out and becomes slightly moist. The benefits of this operation are enormous: the potatoes gain access to air, weeds are removed and soil is added to the tubers.

DIGGING POTATOES WITH A MOTOR BLOCK

Thanks to all our efforts, by autumn the potatoes had grown and the tops had dried out. So it's time to clean it up. This is usually done at the end of August, beginning of September. The main thing is that the weather is dry, otherwise the tubers will be damp and dirty, and they will have to be cleaned of soil before storage.

Before harvesting, the remaining tops must be mowed with a scythe or trimmer and removed so that they do not get in the way underfoot. To dig potatoes with a walk-behind tractor, you can buy special attachments - a plower. But we can do without it - this operation can be completed with a single-row hiller. We put it on a walk-behind tractor, attach the lugs, install the equipment in the middle of the bed and plow out the potatoes at first speed. The hiller cuts the soil and places the potatoes along the edges of the bed. First, we will plow the ridges one by one, collect the harvest, then we will plow the remaining ones.

Let's put the potatoes in a dark shed so that they don't turn green from the light. In two weeks, when it has rested, we will sort it into small and large ones and put it in the cellar for storage. In a dry, dark and cool place, potatoes will last until the next harvest.

Modern technology should make the life of a gardener easier. In this example, we showed how you can plant, hill up and dig potatoes with a walk-behind tractor.

Every gardener knows how much effort and time needs to be spent to get a rich potato harvest. Planting, hilling, weeding, then harvesting - until recently, all this work was done personal plot were carried out manually. Technological progress has made it possible to simplify labor-intensive processes, including through the use of a walk-behind tractor. This small unit can become the farmer’s best assistant if its useful potential is used to the fullest.

Preparing the site for planting

Using a walk-behind tractor preparatory stage will save you from labor-intensive self made. To dig up an area, a plow with cutters is installed on the unit. It is very important to correctly adjust the settings before starting work:

  • the plowing depth should be equal to the length of the shovel bayonet (10–12 cm);
  • passage width - no more than 50 - 60 cm;
  • When cultivating hard soil, it is recommended to increase the depth of the furrow to 20–25 cm.

A double-furrow plow for a walk-behind tractor with cutters is most often used for plowing

Basic rules for tillage

  1. It is necessary to ensure that one of the cutters is in an already plowed furrow - this improves the quality of work.
  2. To reduce the number of turns, it is recommended to plow the area along its long side.
  3. In places where the walk-behind tractor turns, the ground must be leveled with a rake.

In order to prevent the fertile soil layers from moving beyond the site over time, when plowing the land, it is recommended to change the direction of movement every year.

Some models of walk-behind tractors (for example, MTZ brand) make it possible to perform circular plowing of the soil. The movement is carried out in a spiral, starting from the center of the field. The convenience lies in the fact that the operator can walk on the side of the walk-behind tractor on still unplowed ground.

Methods for planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor

When the area is prepared, you can proceed directly to planting potatoes. Using a walk-behind tractor, you can plant crops in different ways:

  • Semi-automated method. A hiller is installed on the walk-behind tractor, which allows you to form and then cover the furrow with a layer of soil. The seed potatoes are placed manually.
  • Automated method. All processes are carried out by a walk-behind tractor using a special mounted potato planter.
  • Planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor under a plow.

The choice of method depends on the equipment included with the walk-behind tractor and the area of ​​the treated area. To understand the difference, let's take a closer look at the features of each of these methods.

Planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor and hiller

If potatoes are planted in a small area, then most often a hiller is used, which is attached to a walk-behind tractor. The purpose of this device is to lift the earth, creating a furrow and forming ridges on both sides of the passage.

Using a walk-behind tractor, form furrows for planting potatoes

There are several types of hillers:

  • regular, with a fixed working width (lister);
  • regular, with adjustable working width;
  • disk.

The first two are very similar in appearance and resemble a knife made of two curved wings, connected together in front and spread apart at the back. The difference lies in their functional features.

This hiller is quite primitive and does not allow you to adjust the row spacing. It is not very suitable for planting potatoes, since the working reach of such a device is only 20–30 cm. It is more appropriate to use it for planting vegetables that do not require a significant distance between the rows.

A non-adjustable hiller is more suitable for marking beds with narrow row spacings

The second version of the hiller is the most popular among gardeners. The design of this attachment allows you to adjust the width of the soil. Therefore, it is possible to set the desired gap between the rows. However, an adjustable hiller also has a number of disadvantages:

  1. To use it, you need a more powerful and heavier walk-behind tractor (with a power of at least 4 hp and a weight of more than 30 kg).
  2. The productivity of this equipment is somewhat lower, because when working with it, some of the earth from the ridges may fall back into the furrow.
  3. As the distance between the dumps increases, the load on the walk-behind tractor increases and fuel consumption increases.

Adjusting the grip width of the hiller allows you to change the row spacing

This device is more productive than the previous ones, but is also several times higher than their cost. Disk The hiller is a platform with two disks attached to it, which rotate when moving. It is possible to adjust the space between the discs and their angle of inclination. Among the advantages of such a hiller, the following should be highlighted:

  • is less energy-consuming and more convenient to operate;
  • creates smoother and higher ridges;
  • The discs rotate while moving, crushing and loosening the soil.

Experienced farmers consider the disc hiller for a walk-behind tractor to be the most effective.

You can improve the performance of the hiller by setting the angle of rotation and width between the discs

Regardless of the type of hiller, planting potatoes is carried out as follows:

  1. An attachment is attached to the walk-behind tractor and the minimum soil working width is adjusted; the unit is equipped with lug wheels.
  2. Using a walk-behind tractor, furrows are formed.
  3. Seed potatoes are manually placed in the resulting rows at equal distances.
  4. The wheels of the walk-behind tractor are replaced with ordinary rubber ones, the width of the hiller's wings is changed to the maximum.
  5. The furrows with potatoes laid in them are filled with earth using a walk-behind tractor.

Thus, when planting using a hiller, you need to make at least two passes with a walk-behind tractor along the site. To plant planting material in the ground, you will need an assistant.

Video: planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor with regular and disk hillers

Planting potatoes using a walk-behind tractor with a mounted potato planter

If the planting area is large, then a mounted potato planter can be used. In its standard form, it consists of the following elements:

  • a furrow that forms a groove in the ground;
  • a bunker in which potatoes are placed for planting;
  • tuber laying mechanism;
  • disk hiller for subsequent filling of the furrow.

The potato planter allows you to complete the entire process of planting potatoes in just one pass. Thus, there is a significant saving of time, fuel and effort. Before using this device, you need to adjust the following parameters:

  • depth of the formed furrow;
  • row spacing;
  • set the settings for the tuber stacking mechanism.

A potato planter is a rather expensive device and, as a rule, the average summer resident simply cannot afford it. Most often used in farms.

Video: testing a walk-behind tractor with a potato planter

Easy planting under the plow

If it is not possible to purchase the described devices, you can use the so-called country option for planting potatoes - using a walk-behind tractor under a plow. This method is as follows:

  1. Grousers and a plow with cutters are installed on the walk-behind tractor.
  2. A furrow is formed into which the potatoes are immediately placed.
  3. When turning, the unit forms a new ridge, simultaneously covering the previous one with earth.

In this case, the operator of the walk-behind tractor also needs the help of a second person who will place planting material in the recesses. In addition, the method is more time-consuming.

Video: planting potatoes under the plow

Technology for planting potatoes using a walk-behind tractor

The planting pattern largely depends on the model of the walk-behind tractor and the variety of the potato itself. It is recommended to adhere to the following criteria:

  • row spacing - from 55 to 65 cm;
  • planting depth - from 10 to 12 cm;
  • the interval between tubers is from 25 to 35 cm.

It is important to ensure that the furrows are even and the distance between the rows is the same. This will make it easier to carry out subsequent work on the site, especially if a walk-behind tractor will also be used in the future.

For convenience, you can mark the area with ropes stretched at the required distance, or use a homemade marker for marking.

Using a marker, you can mark rows for planting potatoes.

It is advisable that the soil is slightly moist before planting. Cultivating dry and hard soil will require additional physical effort and will lead to excessive fuel consumption, and the wheels of the walk-behind tractor will simply get stuck in the mud.

Mechanized care of potato beds

For better growth Potatoes need to be hilled, i.e., sprinkling the stems with loose soil. During the season, this procedure is performed 2-3 times:

  • The first hilling is carried out when the height of the bush is 15 cm, i.e. in the middle - end of May. The height of the ridge should not exceed 10 cm.
  • The potatoes are earthed up the second time when the plant height reaches 20–25 cm, i.e. two weeks after the first earthing up.
  • After 10–14 days, you can repeat the procedure again. Now try to pour the soil as high as possible.

The most convenient way to hill potatoes is with a walk-behind tractor with a disk hiller.

Hilling potatoes with a walk-behind tractor significantly reduces the amount of time spent on this type of work. They do this as follows:

  1. A hiller is installed on the walk-behind tractor, the angle of attack (rotation) of the device is adjusted and the depth of its immersion is adjusted.
  2. Rubber wheels are replaced with lugs.
  3. The unit is installed exactly in the center of the row spacing.
  4. Movement is carried out at the lowest speed of the walk-behind tractor.

Video: hilling potatoes with a walk-behind tractor

Walk-behind tractor harvesting potatoes

In August, during the harvest, the walk-behind tractor is also an excellent helper. The hiller is not suitable for digging up tubers; it requires special attachments - a potato digger. In appearance, the device resembles an ordinary hiller, but instead of a solid surface, a lattice of rods is welded into it.

The potato digger is similar in appearance to the hiller, but in it most of surfaces replaced with a grid of rods

Digging deeper into the ground, the digger lifts the soil along with the tubers. In this case, the soil spills through the rods, and the potatoes remain on the surface and are then collected by hand. In one pass, the digger allows you to collect about 90% of the harvest. Therefore, many gardeners make another pass to collect the potatoes that remain in the ground.

When harvesting with a potato digger, special attention should be paid to the depth of its immersion. The device should be lowered into the ground slightly below the level of the tubers. And in order to protect the potatoes from damage by the wheels of the walk-behind tractor, you should dig up the tubers through the row.

It is better to harvest potatoes in clear, dry weather, then the tubers will remain dry and clean.

Choosing the right model

There are various modifications of walk-behind tractors on sale, all of them cope well with their tasks. However, when choosing a model, it is necessary to take into account a combination of factors:

  • area of ​​the cultivated area and soil parameters;
  • power and weight of the unit;
  • list of work performed on the walk-behind tractor;
  • type of fuel used;
  • equipment and cost of the walk-behind tractor.

It must be remembered that the larger the area of ​​the treated area, the more powerful the walk-behind tractor engine should be. For summer cottage A light unit with a capacity of 3 liters is quite suitable. With.

For a summer cottage, you can purchase a lightweight walk-behind tractor with a capacity of up to 5 liters. With

If the soil is dense and heavy, then a light unit will simply get stuck in it. You will have to make a lot of effort to move it from its place. The higher the power of the walk-behind tractor, the heavier it is.

Depending on the power, there are several types of walk-behind tractors:

  • ultra-light: their weight is small - about 20 kg, and their power is 3 liters. With.;
  • light - with a weight of up to 40 kg and a power of 3–5 liters. With.;
  • the average ones weigh from 40 to 60 kg, their power is 5 liters. With.;
  • heavy ones weigh more than 60 kg, their power is more than 6 liters. With.

Heavy walk-behind tractors are used, as a rule, on large farms where a large amount of work is expected.

Heavy walk-behind tractors are used for large areas, on large farms

Depending on the type of fuel used, walk-behind tractors are:

  • gasoline,
  • diesel

The latter are considered more economical. But as a rule, units with diesel engines have little power.

Attachments are purchased along with the walk-behind tractor or in the event that certain work needs to be done. Motoblocks with a power take-off shaft (PTO) can be supplemented with:

  • seeders;
  • potato planters;
  • potato diggers, which are a type of plow;
  • sprayers;
  • lugs;
  • disc or tine harrows;
  • cultivation cutters;
  • conventional or reversible plows;
  • hillers;
  • flat cutters;
  • trailers;
  • adapters that turn a walk-behind tractor into a mini-tractor;
  • rotary brushes, allowing the use of a walk-behind tractor for snow removal.

Thus, the range of walk-behind tractor models is quite wide. It all depends on your needs and capabilities.

The walk-behind tractor is an indispensable assistant when planting, hilling and harvesting potatoes. This unit allows you to perform a wide variety of work in as soon as possible. When choosing a walk-behind tractor model for your site, it is important to pay attention not only to its price, but also to the power, type of fuel used, and the possibility of additional equipment. Various attachments significantly expand the scope of application of this unit and truly make it an indispensable assistant on the farm.

Good afternoon Please tell me how to plant potatoes, so that later you can hill them with a Pubert Compact cultivator.

I couldn't find any information in the instructions for the attachment. How far apart should I plant row from row?

Oleg  walk the cultivator on level ground and see how far the ground reclines. And this will be your measurement when planting potatoes in the aisle. We hill up by hand and the distance between the rows is 60 cm. Only enough.

Fedor  I don’t know how the cultivator works, but in any case, the row of potatoes should be closer together, and the distance between the rows should be wider, depending on the size of the cultivator.

Valery  2 rows through two passes

Vyacheslav  You also need to plant with a cultivator. There is equipment for this, sold separately.

Ilya

Vitaly)  between rows 65 cm.

Tags: How to plant potatoes, motorized, cultivator, video

Cutting furrows for potatoes, followed by backfilling with a Sungarden T-240 Cultivator.

how to plant potatoes | Topic author: Yuri

Good afternoon Please tell me how to plant potatoes, so that later you can hill them with a Pubert Compact cultivator. I couldn't find any information in the instructions for the attachment. How far apart should I plant row from row?

Ivan  How to plant potatoes correctly?

Planting potatoes is a simple matter. But this is only at first glance. Despite the warnings of experienced gardeners, you need to plant potatoes early, especially if you live in the south of the country. In some regions frosts can still be expected in April-May, but early potatoes develop quickly and are not afraid low temperatures, as well as the summer heat.
First, start planting with early varieties that have been germinated for about 2 months. Next come the mid-early Georgiy, and only then the late varieties.
The distance between the rows is usually 60 - 70 cm. Depending on the size, the distance between the holes can reach 25 - 30 cm Oleg or not exceed 10 - 15 cm Artem.
For early planting, a furrow is prepared in the fall, although this planting method is not used everywhere. In spring, potatoes are laid out in holes, slightly pressed into the ground. If the soil is soft and Nikolay is smeared, it is sprinkled with earth or humus, but no more than 2–3 cm. After ripening, the potatoes are covered with earth to a depth of 6–8 cm. Do not forget that very early varieties require special care. The areas are covered with film and removed only after the sprouts reach 12 cm.

Grigory at night, so that the Kalarad beetles do not see)))

Eduard  Vasily! You have the most wonderful question. We must achieve our own food independence. It is better to plant potatoes sprouted in the light so that the eyes are not white, but green. When to plant? According to folk traditions, it is planted when young leaves the size of a penny coin appear on the birch tree. Then the earth will warm up to the required depth and the potatoes will not turn brown. She is not planted deep so that she has the opportunity to breathe. She does not like fresh manure. And you need to plant potatoes rarely in a row, about 30 cm nest from nest and row spacing within 65-70 cm. Then it will be illuminated by the sun from all sides all daylight hours. The tension of the rows is recommended to be done from North to South. Useha to you.

planting potatoes with a cultivator - YouTube

planting potatoes with a cultivator. Evgeniy Zaikov... Cutting furrows with a motor cultivator for planting potatoes. - Duration: 3:14.

Potato planting technology or planting potatoes in...

Are you going to plant potatoes for the first time or are you planting... planting potatoes, the video that is attached to the article shows it very clearly. ... the furrows are closed manually with a rake or motor cultivator.