In order to achieve the highest possible yields when harvesting potatoes in the garden, pre-germination is worthwhile. What you have to consider with regard to temperature, earth and light.
- Pre-germination is worthwhile for a better potato harvest .
- You can start from mid-February.
- We have summarized what you need to pay attention to in terms of light and surroundings.
Planting and harvesting potatoes in your own garden: this is the dream of many hobby gardeners. After all, you can cook all kinds of things from potatoes and your stomach is always well filled. But what needs to be done to ensure that the potatoes grow well in the garden? It can help to germinate the potatoes for this. You can find out exactly how this works here.
Germinating potatoes: that's why it's worth it
If you germinate your potatoes, you can expect up to 20 percent more yield . The potatoes also ripen more quickly because they can drive their shoots immediately after planting * and are therefore about two weeks earlier. The pre-germinated potatoes can also withstand better in colder soils because they are more robust and resistant to diseases.
When: are potatoes pre-sprouted?
It depends on the variety: early potatoes * can be germinated from mid-February , late potatoes from March. Simply calculate back six to eight weeks from the planned planting date, which is usually in March or April. At this point, you should start pre-germinating.
Light or dark? These conditions are required when germinating potatoes
If you want to germinate potatoes yourself, the best thing to do is seed potatoes from the trade or seed potatoes from your own harvest last year. Food potatoes from the supermarket are only suitable if they are untreated - they are often treated with germ inhibitors so that they do not germinate.
Until the time of pre-germination, store the seed potatoes in the cellar dark, cool and dry. This way you prevent them from growing out prematurely. It is best to store seed potatoes from the previous year at temperatures of four to eight degrees.
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Egg carton, fruit box, window sill: How to germinate potatoes
You can germinate your potatoes in a wide variety of containers: from egg cartons to fruit crates or multi-pot plates with one decomposable swelling pot per well , there are many options. During pre-germination you should give the potatoes temperatures between ten and 15 degrees and plenty of light - just no direct sun.
How to pre-germinate the potatoes :
- Fill the planter halfway with soil or ripe compost.
- Press the potatoes into the soil so that half is still visible.
- Spray the potatoes or the substrate with water and make sure that it is still slightly damp in the coming days.
- Place the planters in a bright place at ten to 15 degrees - a window sill, for example.
- The potatoes remain in their pre-germinating containers until the planting date.
Germinate with or without soil
In principle, potatoes can also be pre-germinated without soil. To do this, start at the earliest four weeks before planting out. Here's how to do it:
- Place the potatoes next to each other - and not one above the other - in a fruit box or place them vertically in the egg box.
- Spray the potatoes with a little water over the next few days.
- Place the planters in a bright place at ten to 15 degrees.
- The potatoes remain in their containers until the planting date.
After about six to eight weeks , when the potatoes have started to germinate properly and the soil in the garden is around nine degrees, you can plant the potatoes.
Read also : How to easily prefer tomatoes on the windowsill.
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* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.