How to plant potatoes under a walk-behind tractor. Gardening or how to easily plant potatoes using a walk-behind tractor

Potatoes develop in the soil at a level no deeper than 15 cm. It is this parameter that you should focus on when selecting cutters by diameter.
For those who don’t know, they are installed instead of wheels.
Loosening of the soil is carried out, as a rule, at 2nd speed.
The cutter leaves behind holes, so when moving in reverse side you need to calculate so that the left one falls on this “strip”. Otherwise, cultivation will be of poor quality.

Preparing furrows for planting

The walk-behind tractor is being re-equipped. Instead of cutters there are lugs + a hitch is attached. In turn, the hiller comes to her. When using a 2-row device, a distance between the working parts is selected equal to the width of the future bed (about 60 - 65 cm).

The area for potatoes is being marked. To do this, it’s easy to put together a kind of rake from wooden slats (in the shape of the letter “T”). At the “top” there are 2 “markers” that will delineate the ground. It is not difficult to determine what to take, understanding the meaning - thick nails, pieces of wire, bolts, and so on. Placement locations: 1 – in the center, 2 others – at an equal distance from it in both directions by the amount of spacing of the hiller elements (60 – 65).

In principle, there can be 2 or 4 “pegs”. But practice shows that it is much more convenient to work with three.

Next, along these lines, excavation is carried out using a walk-behind tractor. The height of the hiller is adjusted using a hitch. The method of processing the area is similar to the already described loosening process (the “shuttle” method).

Planting potatoes

Prepared, cut tubers are placed in furrows. There is no single recommendation here, since much depends on the potato variety, soil composition, climate and a number of other factors. Although usually the distance between them is approximately 35 cm.

When purchasing attachments for a walk-behind tractor, you should first choose a hitch. And only then, “under it,” buy everything else to solve specific problems.
There is an opinion that it is better to conduct cultivation “in a spiral”. But, firstly, for a limited area, this is not entirely convenient. Secondly, there will be more work, since then the area will have to be further leveled with a rake.

Preface

Planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor minimizes human labor in this difficult process. Using a walk-behind tractor allows for fast, high-quality processing large area for landing. Operating the walk-behind tractor is quite simple. The main thing is to adjust it correctly and know the nuances of operation.

The walk-behind tractor is a small-sized single-axle device with an engine, the main task of which is to simplify agricultural work. For this technique to have wide range possibilities, she needs additional attachment tools, one of which is a hiller. The main purpose of any hiller is to cultivate a plot of land. All other functions are highly specialized and depend on the specific model and type. One of the simplest is considered to be a hiller with a non-adjustable working width, which has a standard furrow grip of 20-30 cm.

Hiller for planting potatoes

On at the moment A walk-behind tractor with this type is not particularly popular due to disabilities technology and inconvenience of operation. The same cannot be said about a hiller with an adjustable working width. By choosing this type, you can adjust the width based on the size of your land plot, potato varieties and other details. In addition, such a hiller has high productivity. The only disadvantage of the technology is high energy consumption, but this can be easily forgiven when looking at the advantages. The disadvantage of a domestically produced hiller is often that when processing rows and row spacing, the dug up soil rolls into the hole. A Dutch-type hiller helps to completely eliminate this disadvantage, which significantly improves the quality of planting.

However, experienced agronomists recommend using disc hillers. With minimal human effort and energy consumption, they show high levels of productivity and quality of work. And when using a disc hiller with a plow, you can also make high ridges. Moreover, this technique allows you to additionally fluff up and harrow (grind) the soil until the right size. But don’t forget, no matter what type of hiller you choose, you must always check its compatibility with your walk-behind tractor model.

Planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor is carried out only after thorough tillage of the soil; it is necessary to first plow the area and then carry out harrowing. Such manipulations allow you to saturate the earth maximum number oxygen, make it porous and breathable. We plow the land using a special cutter or plow. As for harrowing and chopping beds, it can be done either manually, if the area is not too large, or with a walk-behind tractor. Many modern modifications of this technique cope with this task one hundred percent, ensuring plowing of the soil to a depth of about 20 cm. With such deep plowing, harrowing becomes unnecessary.

Harrowing potato beds

One of the most popular models of this series is the Neva walk-behind tractor, which has 2 soil cultivation speeds.

We begin to cultivate the land from the edge of the plot. To achieve the same depth, try to grab the already cultivated strip of land with the plow. Some people prefer to harrow the soil in a spiral towards the center of the field. However, this method has significant disadvantages, the main one of which is the additional leveling of the soil with a rake. Processing along the beds eliminates this disadvantage and minimizes additional effort. In this process, it is also important to mark the rows and maintain the free space between the rows, which should average about 60-70 cm (depending on the potato variety). When the holes are prepared, we begin planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor.

In order for planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor to be as successful as possible, you need to choose a method that would be ideal for your site. Whatever option you choose, remember that for good potato germination, the distance between the seeds in the row should be at least 20-30 cm, and the planting depth should be 10-15 cm. If you use a regular hiller, you need to fix it on a walk-behind tractor, and then move the blades and increase the grip of the wings. This will allow you to maintain the most comfortable space between the rows.

Walk-behind tractor for planting potatoes

As for the rest of the preparatory aspects, they will depend on the model you are using. For example, using a walk-behind tractor for planting Neva, do not forget to remove the wings and the main support from it. But for the walk-behind tractor Firework there is no need to do this. It is enough to simply attach the lug wheels, maintaining the optimal track width of 60 cm. When the furrows are prepared, we place potato tubers in them at the same distance from each other. The ideal “ruler” for this will be your standard step, which will allow you to plant the potatoes as accurately as possible.

Next, we put rubber wheels on the walk-behind tractor, leaving the original track width and the maximum gap between the wings, and fill the rows with potatoes with soil. We do this with all the rows, reach the edge and turn in the opposite direction. If the planting areas are large enough, planting the planting material manually will be quite labor-intensive. In such cases, it is preferable to use a mounted potato planter. Thanks to a special design consisting of a furrower, a conveyor, a potato tuber distributor and a high-quality disc hiller, you will be able to plant and cover potatoes with fresh soil in just one pass.

We will tell you about the method of planting a walk-behind tractor under a plow. To get started, we put lug wheels and a plow on the equipment. We don’t mark out the garden; we get straight to the point, cutting each furrow with a plow. When making a furrow, we throw potatoes into the bed, since the plow simultaneously turns one furrow and makes another, sprinkling the previous row with tubers with soil.

Walk-behind tractor with plow

Many people consider this method more convenient, because at the same time you can cut one bed and fill another with soil. In addition, the beds for the plow are more even, since the wheel follows an already cut furrow. However, others worry that with this planting technique, the lugs can pass through the potatoes and compromise their integrity. There is no need to be afraid, the potatoes will remain safe and sound, especially if you plant at first speed.

After several months of intensive care, the potato sprouts will sprout, and they will need to be hilled up by adding the required amount of dug up soil to the tubers. For this time-consuming task, we will also use a walk-behind tractor with a two-row hiller. We put lugs on it, increasing the working width to 70 cm, and according to the familiar scheme we launch the equipment between the rows. The wheels run exactly along the beds, without touching the potato bushes, and roll the required amount of soil to the tubers. This is how we process the entire garden. When using a single-row hiller, we fix rubber wheels on the walk-behind tractor and also run it between the rows.

Potato beds

And in order to achieve maximum results from hilling, we carry out this procedure after rain, waiting until the soil dries out slightly, but still remains quite moist. This way you will provide the tubers with maximum access to oxygen and also get rid of weeds. If all the conditions have been met, then by autumn you will receive the long-awaited harvest. When the tops grow sufficiently and dry, we begin harvesting potatoes, which can also be done using a walk-behind tractor. The main thing is that the weather is dry at the time of collection. Otherwise, the tubers will be damp and dirty, which may affect their shelf life.

Immediately before harvesting, we mow the tops using a regular scythe or trimmer. To make it convenient to dig up potatoes, you can purchase special equipment for this - a plower. However, if you do not have such a device, a regular single-row hiller is quite suitable, which we fix on the walk-behind tractor and additionally install lugs. As when planting potatoes, we place the cultivator in the middle, turn on the first speed and cut the soil. During this procedure, the potatoes remain at the edges of the beds. To make harvesting easier, we plow the beds one at a time and then alternate them.

To keep potatoes longer and prevent them from sprouting, place them in a dark place, away from sunlight, for about two weeks. After the tubers have been sitting for the allotted time, we sort them by size and quality, and then send them to be stored in a cool cellar.

One of the most labor-intensive jobs when growing potatoes is planting. A walk-behind tractor will help make this hard work easier. By using attachments You can quickly and easily plant potatoes. The most universal equipment for working with arable land is a hiller.

Rules for choosing a hiller

The hiller is a mounted unit for a walk-behind tractor. Its main purpose is to change the terrain of the soil. In the garden it is used for cutting furrows and forming ridges when hilling rows of potatoes and other agricultural crops.

Apply the following types hillers:

Tillage

Before planting potatoes, the soil is cultivated with cutters mounted on a walk-behind tractor. To better crush the soil, the walk-behind tractor is driven through the area at increased speed. Before cultivation, organic and mineral fertilizers are applied to the area and evenly distributed over it.

If the set of attachments for the walk-behind tractor does not include cutters, harrowing is carried out as a pre-sowing treatment of the arable land, using a needle-type harrow as a working tool.

When cultivating or harrowing, soil lumps are crushed, the soil becomes looser, and oxygen access to plant roots is facilitated.

Important: The looser the soil, the easier it is to cut furrows on it with a hiller or plow.

Preparing the walk-behind tractor

To plant potatoes on mid-class walk-behind tractors, metal wheels are put on them for better traction with the ground. For heavy-duty walk-behind tractors and mini tractors this procedure not required. A hiller is hung from the back of the walk-behind tractor through a universal hitch.

Walk-behind tractor with plow - is it worth replacing the hiller?

To plant potatoes, instead of a hiller, you can install a plow on a walk-behind tractor. In this case, planting begins immediately without prior marking of the garden. It is produced by two workers, the first of whom cuts the furrow with a walk-behind tractor plow, and the second of whom lays out the potatoes along the furrow. Next, the MB unfolds and the next furrow is drawn, filling the first one with the blade. The advantages of this method are that by reducing the number of passes of equipment across the field and the absence of such operations as marking, the speed of planting potatoes will be higher.

The disadvantage of this method is that when using it, one of the wheels of the walk-behind tractor moves along the spread out planting material with the risk of damaging the delicate shoots.

Planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor and hiller

Before planting potatoes, they are marked with a walk-behind tractor using a hiller, outlining the locations of future furrows every 65 centimeters. Next, carefully driving the walk-behind tractor with the hiller, with the wings open to medium width, they cut furrows into which the planting material is laid out and mineral fertilizers are applied.

To carry out the second stage of planting work on the MB, change the wheels to rubberized ones and open the wings of the hiller to maximum width. The walk-behind tractor is placed between the rows and driven along the furrow, filling up the planting material.

Double row hiller

By using a two-row hiller for planting potatoes, you can halve the number of plowing passes of the walk-behind tractor. The disadvantage of this method is the need to use a more powerful drive for this attachment.

Note: Before purchasing a two-row hiller, you need to make sure that the guide bar of the unit allows you to set a distance of 65-70 cm between the posts.

Conclusion

A mounted hiller for a walk-behind tractor is a multifunctional unit that from spring to autumn helps the gardener grow a rich harvest.

A universal device - a walk-behind tractor - helps the gardener perform many tasks in the garden much faster and more efficiently. Garden tasks include plowing, hilling, planting, weeding and harvesting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor, a multifunctional and indispensable machine on the farm.

How to plant potatoes with a walk-behind tractor

There are several ways to plant potatoes with a walk-behind tractor:

using a hiller with adjustment of the gap between the wings;
using a mounted potato planter.

Method number 1.

Potatoes are planted using a walk-behind tractor with a hiller as follows: lug wheels and are mounted on the unit. Then the furrows are cut. The smoother they are, the easier it is to care for the potatoes in the future. The root crop is placed into these recesses by hand. After completing the stage, the lug wheels are replaced with rubber ones, which will correspond to the track width. Thanks to rubber wheels, the device does not damage the potatoes, but covers them with soil and compacts them. In this way, root crops are planted.

Method No. 2.

When large areas are allocated for potatoes, it is advisable to plant with a walk-behind tractor with a canopy. The first step is to prepare the soil:

plowing the garden;
harrowing so that the seedlings can receive the necessary moisture and oxygen;
soil moisture (if possible).

Next, the ridges are pre-cut. The potato planter has furrows, a device for feeding tubers into prepared holes and a disk hiller for filling potatoes. Thanks to this “versatility”, several operations can be carried out simultaneously - cutting furrows, laying tubers and filling them. At the beginning of work, lug wheels are put on the unit, and a potato planter is put on the walk-behind tractor. Parameters are adjusted for further work.

To obtain a high ridge, the discs of the device are brought closer together, and the depth of the furrow increases. And to reduce it, the reverse procedure is performed, the disks move apart, while reducing the angle of attack.

The potatoes are placed in a special compartment, and while the walk-behind tractor is moving, it is fed into the prepared furrows. The frequency can be controlled manually, or you can completely trust the technology. After planting, the furrows are closed and the soil is compacted. You can sprinkle it on top and moisten the soil.

Processing the garden with a walk-behind tractor

Proper cultivation of the garden with a walk-behind tractor is carried out using special mounted or trailed devices. After this action, the soil is enriched with oxygen, all weeds are removed, and the tubers grow freely and faster. This task is within the power of every summer resident and can be completed without much difficulty. The main thing is to adjust the attachments before plowing and adjust the grip of the plow (by rotating the handle on the universal hitch). If everything is done correctly, then holding and guiding the walk-behind tractor along the furrows will be easy.

The plowing depth should be within 19-20 cm; after this procedure, there is no need to harrow the soil!

The walk-behind tractor device has a special plow that makes uniform furrows to a certain depth. After this, manually or using a potato planter, the potatoes are laid out in furrows and the tubers are covered with soil using hillers.

Processing potatoes after germination

After 2-3 weeks, when all the shoots have already appeared, next process, which can also be done using a walk-behind tractor. The entire planting area is divided into furrows, the soil is loosened and paths are formed for easy movement between rows. Hilling has a beneficial effect on the process of germination of stems, removes weeds, retains moisture in the soil, and forms excellent protection for young plants from the first frosts.

This process is ensured by a special attachment on the walk-behind tractor - one, two or three row hiller. During hilling, fertilizers should be added to the soil using an additional attachment that is installed on the potato planter.

Inter-row processing

During the flowering period, potatoes need special loosening of the soil between the rows, which will allow the root crop to grow faster, guaranteeing a good harvest. The first time weeding potatoes with a walk-behind tractor is done on the eighth day after planting, at this time a dense crust appears on the ground, which complicates the growth of stems.

And then - every 7 days, until the row spacing becomes inaccessible. Weeding can be done either manually or mechanically. The main thing is to remove weeds in time so that they do not complicate the growth of seedlings and do not negatively affect the development of the root crop.

Weeding with a harrow

This device fits onto a walk-behind tractor. The grid cells have a side of about 20 cm, located at an angle of 45 degrees. The mesh harrow is effective because it covers immediately large area, but it will not be possible to process the row spacing “cleanly”. The best way eliminating weeds means pulling them out by the roots. Then the potatoes will be cleaner, and you will have to weed less often. Well, that’s all, the main tasks of the gardener are completed. All you have to do is wait for the right time and you can harvest! And in this matter, a walk-behind tractor will be an excellent assistant!

Homemade potato digger for walk-behind tractor

To harvest potatoes, folk craftsmen make a special device - a potato digger for a walk-behind tractor. The equipment consists of a welded frame, a plowshare, an editorial unit, and a cleaning drum. To assemble the device you will need some skills and study of detailed drawings, including large quantities presented on the Internet. The result is a quick harvest of potatoes without damaging the tubers and without special labor costs.