It is rare to find a family that does not use a crop such as potatoes in their diet. It has long become our “second bread”; a lot of interesting dishes have been invented from potatoes. The vegetable is not only tasty, but also very healthy. But few people know that potato peelings also have some value - they serve as an excellent organic fertilizer. Experienced gardeners have long adopted this method of feeding plants on the site. We will tell you how to use potato peelings in the fall to feed currants.
Beneficial features
Potato peelings are an indispensable tool for currants and other crops. Experienced farmers collect them during the rest period of the land plot for use during the vegetable garden and summer cottage season.
Top dressing is classified as organic, which indicates that the soil is saturated with high-quality and natural elements. In addition, cleaning will help eliminate the threat from insects and stop the existing infection process.
A clear advantage of using potato peelings is the necessary set of substances for growth and strengthening the immune system:
- Iron. Promotes the formation of chlorophyll and other processes inside the plant.
- Magnesium. Necessary for complete photosynthesis.
- Potassium. Helps the root system strengthen and grow.
- Phosphorus. The microelement does not enter the soil from outside. Therefore, instead of chemicals, it is better to use natural phosphorus-containing fertilizers.
Due to such a powerful composition, potato residues are actively used as fertilizer for shrubs and trees. You can also feed flower and berry crops.
Currants need glucose and starch, and potatoes (fresh or dried peelings) are full of these substances.
Thanks to these elements, currant berries develop large, juicy, and sweet. It is recommended to apply under shrubs in spring or autumn to fully nourish the soil.
The use of potato peelings is allowed in dry and fresh form. Methods of feeding and preparing an organic fertilizer mixture are varied.
Pros and cons of potato feeding
Despite the fact that the benefits of potato peels for your garden are simply colossal, such feeding still has several disadvantages that should always be remembered, namely:
- The vast majority of potato skins contain spores of defects of fungal origin. And if, before preparing such a product for future use, and do not treat the skins with a solution of potassium permanganate, there is a high probability that the crop may become infected with a dangerous defect.
- Potato fertilizer has a small side effect in the form of significant heat generation during the decomposition process. As a result, if you apply such fertilizer in early spring, the root system will quickly warm up, and during night frosts it may die. For this reason, you should plan the time to apply this fertilizer so as not to harm the crop.
Of course, it is worth noting that the above-described shortcomings can be easily eliminated if you competently approach the process of procurement and use of raw materials.
Well, as for the advantages, potato peelings have a lot of them, namely:
- financially advantageous;
- natural growth stimulator;
- improves the taste of fruits;
- potato fertilizer is safe and does not contain toxins.
It is worth highlighting that this is only a small list of the advantages of using potato peels. In fact, it is quite difficult to list all the advantages of such feeding.
Methods for preparing cleanings
There are two options for harvesting organic material – potato peels. Moreover, both allow collection throughout the year. The main condition is to follow the instructions and ensure that no mold or mildew appears.
Freezing
The simplest method of preparation, if there is a place to store peelings. Preparatory work is carried out immediately after peeling the potatoes:
- Rinse well under running water. Then soak in a weak solution of manganese or Epin for 10-15 minutes. The procedure will help neutralize the material in the presence of fungal spores.
- Lay out the washed cleanings on paper or cloth. The peel should not come into contact with adjacent pieces. Choose a warm, well-ventilated place.
- After drying, chop, put in a bag, and put in the freezer.
There is no need to defrost when adding new cleanings. Just repeat the procedure, placing new skins on top. You can also twist them into a meat grinder to save space.
How to prepare fertilizer
You can prepare fertilizer from potato peelings at home in 2 ways: by drying and freezing.
Drying
The most labor-intensive, but at the same time the most successful method of preparing fertilizing. First, the cleaning is washed from dirt and excess moisture is removed by squeezing with hands or paper towels. Then dry naturally or in the oven.
When drying naturally, the peel is laid out on a sieve and placed on a radiator in a well-ventilated area. The procedure may take 2-3 weeks.
Important! The peelings are evenly distributed over the sieve, without heaping, so that the air circulates freely. If this is not taken into account, the peel will begin to rot.
When drying in the oven, distribute the peelings evenly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. The temperature should not exceed +120°C; during the drying process it is reduced to +90°C. It is best to keep the oven slightly open to allow excess moisture to escape.
Store dried potato peelings in a dry place in a cloth bag.
Freezing
The fastest way to prepare fertilizer. For this you will need a freezer. Owners of private houses in winter keep them cleaned at sub-zero temperatures in any unheated building.
Important! Cleanings cannot be re-frozen. If they were stored outside and began to thaw with the arrival of spring, they should be immediately used to prepare fertilizer.
Terms and rules of application
There are many methods for preparing potato fertilizers, but several are effective. The infusion, gruel and flour have proven themselves so well. Potato compost differs from those indicated.
Its preparation time is long, but the result is excellent. Fertilizing is carried out twice a year: in spring and autumn. The soil is tested first so as not to overdo it with fertilizers.
Need to know! In addition to peeling potatoes, it is recommended to use small potatoes or those that have lost their elasticity and moisture. They are not usually used for cooking, but for compost or slurry they will be an indispensable material. The exception is the eyes, shoots that appear on the tuber during storage.
Laying dry cleaning
The method involves the use of dry prepared potato skins. They are laid out in the root zone, then dug up and mulched.
Watering is carried out after digging. The process is monitored for 2-3 weeks to prevent the appearance of mold.
Prepare and use the infusion
To feed the currants with fresh peelings, you can carry out a simple manipulation: make an infusion.
The peel is prepared according to the previously described technology (washed, disinfected, dried) and placed in a container with settled water (just boiled); there should be enough liquid to completely cover the material.
Approximate ratio: 1 to 2 parts. Cover with a lid and wait until completely soaked. Stir the resulting mixture until a homogeneous mass is obtained, then leave to infuse for another day.
Before using, stir and pour over the currants. The final stage of feeding is mulching.
Gruel
It is good to apply potato pulp under the currant bushes. Ingredients: boiling water and prepared clean cleanings.
It is necessary to pour boiling water so that the water completely covers the cleaning, cover with a lid, and place in a warm place. The mixture is stirred for three days. After 70 hours of infusion, crush and pour under the currants.
Feed with potato skin flour
To prepare the fertilizer mixture, well-dried peelings are required. Send the product to a coffee grinder/meat grinder/blender for grinding.
What and how do you fertilize currants in the fall?
It is difficult to find a garden or personal plot that does not have currants. In addition to being quite unpretentious and excellent taste, this berry has unique healing properties. For example, the content of vitamin C in currants is qualitatively higher than that of most citrus fruits, including lemon.
Despite its low maintenance requirements, currants are very sensitive to autumn fertilizers, to which they respond with high yields and excellent quality berries.
The result of fertilizer
When properly prepared from potato fertilizer, the effect is achieved quite quickly (unlike other types of organic matter).
The reason is the presence of amino acids, micro- and macroelements, as well as salts and fats. What we will get as a result of feeding with potato peelings:
- large berries with plenty of juice;
- well developed bush;
- absence of insects;
- improving soil quality.
All these points lead to one thing - confidence in the quality and quantity of currants.
Feeding technology
The use of potato peels, prepared according to one of the recipes or in raw form, as a top dressing is possible at any time of the year. However, one should take into account the side effect of such a fertilizer - the release of heat and warming up of the soil during decomposition. This can cause the plant to awaken in early spring and die in the event of return frosts.
Did you know? Not only black currant berries are used as food, but also its leaves.
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due to the high content of essential oils, they often act as flavoring additives when preparing meat or fish dishes.
Therefore, the best periods to apply potato fertilizer are:
- beginning of the growing season;
- fruit formation
- the autumn period that precedes the winter hibernation of bushes.
When using an infusion or decoction, the recommended fertilizing period varies between 6–8 days, at the rate of 1 liter of liquid per 1 bush. When using the gruel every year in the spring, it must be buried in the soil under each bush to a depth of about 20 cm.
What can be replaced?
There are a large number of organic fertilizers. But if we talk about potato peelings, it is not always possible to collect the required amount. Therefore, you need to know what to replace them with.
If you look at the composition, then only potato starch will do. Once the effect is achieved, use onion peels or eggshells. The method of mulching with sawdust and ash solution shows good results.
Methods for preparing onion infusion or from shells similar to potato infusion:
- pour boiling water so that the water completely breaks the raw material;
- leave for several days to infuse;
- do not forget to stir for the specified time;
- crush and water the currant bushes.
An additional point is straining after the infusion stage. If you make an infusion from starch, then the principle of preparation is the same. You just don’t need to insist, but stir the pulp in warm water before watering.
Some tips from the professionals
Potato peelings are usually used as fertilizer, but experienced gardeners know: this is an excellent way to prevent the appearance of pests. Recommended cooking sequence:
- cleaning is placed in a container 1/3 full;
- add jam or sugar syrup for another 1/3 part, mix;
- make a hole near the currant bush and send the container with the mixture there;
- After a day, remove the caught insects from the syrup, and continue to use the product.
Another piece of advice from old-timers is a warning: under no circumstances should you place fresh or dry potato peelings on the ground, so as not to attract rodents to the area. The material used is well dried or steamed.
Benefits of fertilizer made from skins
Feeding currants with potato peelings will replenish the deficiency of minerals in the soil, improve the appearance of the plant and increase productivity. The fertilizer differs from its analogues in a number of undeniable advantages:
- Potatoes are rich in starch and potassium. These substances are necessary for currants to form large berries.
- The application of purification improves the soil structure. The soil becomes loose and is more easily saturated with oxygen, which is important for the full development of the plant’s root system.
- Potato peels do not stimulate the growth of weeds surrounding the currants.
- This fertilizer can be used at all stages of plant development. It is effective for old bushes and young seedlings.
- The cleaning agent protects the plant from pests.
Another advantage of this fertilizer is its availability. You don't have to spend money or buy special medications. Potatoes can be found in every home.
