Device for planting potatoes. A simple device for planting potatoes with your own hands. Circular tillage with a walk-behind tractor

Planting and caring for potatoes is a difficult and tedious process. Typically, the areas allocated for potatoes are quite large, so planting, hilling and harvesting potatoes requires a lot of time and effort. And, of course, this process needs to be automated. There are many devices that make the life of a gardener easier. These include both mechanized devices and manual equipment. There are plenty to choose from, given the area of the plot and financial capabilities.

Cultivators for planting potatoes

Devices for cultivating land are called cultivators. The cultivator can loosen the soil, plow the ground, remove weeds, apply fertilizers, plant, and hill up.

Motorized equipment used on personal plots and farms, are divided into three types: motor cultivators, mini-tractors. They differ in power and scope of functions.

Motor cultivators are divided into classes depending on weight. Mechanisms up to 30 kg belong to the first class and are designed to work in small areas. Motor cultivators up to 60 kg belong to the second class and work over large areas. Units up to 100 kg belong to the third class. For work on personal plots, second-class cultivators are purchased, and attachments are purchased separately.

Table: comparison of motor vehicles

Photo gallery: types of cultivators

A motor cultivator is lighter and more maneuverable than a walk-behind tractor and is used in small areas The walk-behind tractor has drive wheels, the most popular equipment among summer residents. The mini-tractor can work on large areas, is easy to use, and is the farmer’s main assistant.

For all types of cultivators there is a set of attachments for performing various tasks.

Hillers are used to hill up potatoes and create a furrow during planting. A potato digger makes harvesting potatoes easier. Mounted mowers are used to mow the grass. A potato planter will help when planting potatoes. Pumps are used for irrigation land plots. Large areas of land are plowed with a plow.

Hedgehogs for planting, equipment features

The hedgehog device consists of two parts, each of which is a set of disks fastened together at a certain distance different sizes with spikes. These two disc structures are connected to each other in such a way that they form an angle. The presence of an angle allows you to form an earthen ridge when moving the cultivator.

When processing beds, structures are used either from one hedgehog or from several, fastened together by a frame.

Photo gallery: varieties of hedgehogs for weeding potatoes

The main function of hedgehogs is weeding, loosening, and hilling potato plantings. Two weeks after planting, when there are no potato shoots yet, it is recommended to carry out pre-emergence treatment of the field with hedgehogs. The hedgehog removes weeds with roots and loosens the soil. After such treatment, the growth of the root system is enhanced.

Hillers for planting

Hiller is a device for a cultivator designed for planting and hilling potatoes. This device can be single-row, double-row, three-row or have more three rows. The greater the number of rows, the higher the productivity of the cultivator. Technique for using hillers with big amount the rows should be more powerful.

Photo gallery: varieties of hillers

Single-row hiller for motor-cultivator Double-row hiller for walk-behind tractor Three-row hiller for mini-tractor

Models of hillers come with a fixed or variable working width. With a fixed working width, potatoes are planted with a width between rows of at least 70 cm for ease of hilling. If the hiller adjusts the working width, then the row spacing can be any width.
The technology for using a two-row hiller when planting potatoes involves using a marker for marking. The hiller is installed at the marking and the furrows begin to be cut. After turning, one hiller can be lowered into the cut furrow, or you can continue cutting furrows along the marked lines. After cutting the furrows, planting of potatoes begins. The tubers are placed in furrows at a distance of 35–40 centimeters, then the furrows are filled with earth.

Mini planters

The mounted potato planter consists of several blocks:

a small plow for cutting furrows;
potato compartment;
special hillers for filling potatoes with soil.

Just like hedgehogs and hillers, potato planters can be uniform and multi-row. The use of one or another modification depends on the power of the equipment and the composition of the soil.

Photo gallery: varieties of potato planters

Single-row potato planter for a motor-cultivator or walk-behind tractor Double-row potato planter for a walk-behind tractor A four-row potato planter is capable of planting potatoes on an area of 2 hectares in one hour of operation

To land you need rubber wheels replace with lug ones. When a potato planter passes through a plot, all operations are performed simultaneously: grooves are made, tubers are laid, tubers are covered with soil. Simultaneously with planting potatoes, you can apply fertilizer if you use an additional device.

Planting with a mini tractor

The mini-tractor is used in areas with any terrain.
Of course, such a technique is not suitable for a small area; there is nowhere to turn around. Such a mechanism must be purchased if the area of the plot is more than 50 acres. Mini-tractors are divided into light (power up to 14 hp), medium and heavy (up to 35–45 hp). Using a mini-tractor you can perform the following work:

plow;
plant;
cultivate;
apply fertilizers;
mow the grass;
clear the area of debris;
remove snow;
fill up holes and trenches.

For planting using a mini tractor, it is preferable to use a potato planter. The hiller is not suitable in this case, because the width of the furrows differs from the tractor track width, and during subsequent hilling the tracks will not match. Experienced farmers use an unusual technique. For the first pass, only two hiller bodies are used, placing them at a distance of 30 cm from the middle of the wheels. Lay out the potatoes. Then they add a third hiller, walk along the first track and bury the potatoes.

Devices for planting potatoes manually

Among the hand tools we can highlight hand plow, markers and manual cultivator.

Very convenient device- plow “Vyatka plowman”. Planting potatoes is done in this way. Furrow No. 1 is dug and tubers are laid out in it. They begin to dig a second furrow, while burying the first. Furrow No. 2 is used for laying fertilizers. When digging the third furrow, the second one is filled with earth. Tubers are again placed in furrow No. 3. And the whole procedure is repeated. The row spacing for this planting is 60 cm.

The instrument is height adjustable.

Another device for planting potatoes is a marker. Very useful and convenient thing. The material from which the marker is made is high-quality steel. The width between the cones can vary from 10 to 50 cm.

Hand cultivators are available for sale. Using the manual cultivator "Digger (6 in 1)" you can perform several types of work:

planting and hilling root crops;
loosen, weed and trim weeds;
sow seeds of almost all agricultural crops;
loosen the crusts on the surface of the ridge before planting.

Homemade equipment for planting and hilling potatoes, diagrams

The range of homemade equipment for processing potatoes is huge. And although there are many devices on sale that can be used to plant and hill up potatoes, craftsmen are constantly creating new devices to make the work easier and faster during the sowing season.

The simplest device is a marker. Its purpose is to mark the ridges in such a way as to make the plantings even and suitable for subsequent processing with motor cultivators. For homemade markers, the distance between the cones coincides with the track dimensions of the existing equipment that will subsequently be used to process the plantings. Homemade markers can be simple or complex, made of wood or metal. The main thing here is how far apart the cones that punch the holes are located.

DIY markers for planting potatoes

Markers differ from each other in the number of cones for punching holes.

Single hole marker

The simplest marker is a wooden stake about 90 cm high and 60–70 mm in diameter. A crossbar is fixed perpendicularly at a distance of 15 cm from the tip. This is a stop to limit the depth of the hole. The locations of the holes are marked using cords.

Three hole marker

The three-hole marker consists of a frame and three cones. The distance between the cones is 450 mm. The cones are attached to the bottom bar of the frame with bolts that allow you to adjust the depth of the pits. Materials used:

profile pipe 25x25x2 mm;
aluminum or dense wood for cones;
M8 bolts 40–80 mm long.

Marker with adjustable distance between holes

The distance between the holes depends on how the marker pins are extended.

To make a marker with an adjustable distance between holes, you will need the following materials:

water and gas pipe with a diameter of 60 mm, a wall thickness of 3 mm, a length of 565 mm for the load-bearing beam;
steel sheet 1.5 mm thick for conical elements;
pipe 60x3 mm, 100 mm long for a cylindrical body;
pipe 21x2.5 mm, 250 mm long for marker;
pipe 21x2.5 mm, 330 mm long for a retractable bracket for a marker;
pipe 27x3 mm, 65 mm long for the guide sleeve;
bolt M8x40 (fixing) – 3 pcs.;
nut M8 (welded) 3 pcs.;
pipe 27x3 mm, 120 mm long for the stand bushing;
pipe 21x2.5 mm, 1500 mm long for a two-piece welded stand;
bolt M10x20 (clamping) – 1 pc.;
pipe 54x2.5 mm, length - 560 mm for a retractable bracket;
plug - 2 pcs.

The procedure for making a marker.

Make elements for punching holes. Weld together the cylinders and conical tips (2 and 3).
TO load-bearing beam weld a bushing for the stand (10), a nut (8), two guide bushings for the brackets (6) and two elements for punching holes.
Weld two markers to the brackets (5).
Weld the third marker to the retractable bracket (12), fix it at a distance of 50 cm from the outer cone.
Screw the bolts into the nuts (8).
Insert the stand (9) into the bushing (10) and secure it with the clamping bolt (11).
Weld the plugs to the handles (13).

Photo gallery: types of markers for planting potatoes

DIY shovel-harvester

Another device is a shovel-harvester. It's designed this way. Two triangle-shaped shovels are attached to the handles. When closed, the shovels resemble a beak. The shovel goes deeper into the ground by pressing the “beak”, the handles are brought together, the shovels open underground, and a tuber is thrown into the resulting hole. Then the shovel is removed from the ground without covering it. The tuber remains in the garden.

Photo gallery: shovel-harvester

Drawing of a shovel-harvester A shovel-harvester is a simple device for planting potatoes

Do-it-yourself potato planter for walk-behind tractor

People's engineers even make accessories for motor cultivators with their own hands. Many authors who published descriptions of their homemade potato planters used drawings of factory-made units. The principle of operation of the mechanism is that when a mini-tractor or walk-behind tractor moves, the wheels of the unit rotate, and the axle with the drive sprocket rotates. Above the leading star is a small star. The stars are connected by a chain. Cups are welded onto the chain for removing potatoes from the hopper.

Factory potato planter (assembly drawing): 1 - counterweight; 2 - unit; 3 - bracket; 4 - tensioner; 5 - conveyor; 6 - hopper; 7, 9, 16, 23, 24 - bolt; 8 - stand; 10 - sector;11 - disk;12 - ridge height;13 - planting pitch;14 - furrower;15 - planting depth;17 - hitch;18 - track width;19 - bracket;20 - drive drum shaft;21 - conveyor; 22 - angle of attack

Frame for homemade potato planter assembled from channels. A hopper made of plywood or metal is installed on the frame; the hopper is equipped with a feed elevator. The elevator is assembled from special cups. The cups are attached to the chain at a distance of 270 mm and move with the chain.

Photo gallery: feed elevator device in a potato planter

tank from a Soviet washing machine;

gear;

chain;

fittings;

steel wire;

channel;

wheels.

What tools will you need:

welding machine;
Bulgarian;
drill;
hammer;
a set of keys;
screwdriver;
wire cutters

Work order:

Cut the corners and channel to size.
Weld the structure.
Attach the axle with gear to the frame.
Make scoop cups.
Secure the cups to the chain.
Weld vertical rods to the frame.
Place the wheels on the axle and tighten the chain.
Install a potato bin.

Photo gallery: stages of making a potato planter

Do-it-yourself hedgehogs for weeding potatoes

Some farmers make their own hedgehogs for hilling potatoes. According to the operating principle homemade hedgehogs no different from factory ones. To make hedgehogs you will need materials:

steel sheet 4 mm;
steel strip 20 mm wide and 4 mm thick;
a metal rod 8 mm thick in diameter and 100 to 140 mm long;
inch pipe;
metal rod with a diameter of 20 mm;
steel strip 70 mm wide and 4 mm thick, 200 mm long.

To make hedgehogs you will need the following tools:

welding machine;
gas cutter for metal;
corner Sander(Bulgarian);
set of locksmith tools.

Procedure for making hedgehogs.

Cut two rings from a sheet of metal using a cutting torch. Outside diameter rings 300 mm, inner - 200 mm.
In a circle with a diameter of 200 mm, which remains from a large ring, cut holes with a diameter of 100 mm.
Cut out a third pair of disks with a diameter of 100 mm, in which holes for the pipe are cut in the center. The hole should be 1 cm larger than the diameter of the pipe.
Cut 24 strips of at least 90 mm length from the steel strip.
Of these, 16 will be needed to connect two pairs of large and medium disks, 8 (4 for each cone) - for medium and small ones.
Connect large and medium rings with jumpers (8 pieces for each cone), this should be done according to the marks made in advance. First, draw two diameters perpendicular to each other, then, turning the ruler 45º, draw two more lines at right angles. On small drives, 4 jumpers are enough.
Cut 80–90 pins 120 mm long from a rod with a diameter of at least 8 mm. Sharpen the pins on both sides at an angle of 45º. Remove sharp, uneven edges and burrs with a grinder.
Weld 15 spikes onto large rings, 10 spikes onto medium rings, and 5 spikes onto small rings.
Bend the bracket on which the axle will be attached. Weld the bracket or make 2 holes in it for bolted connections.
Assemble the device: the large rings will be on the inside, and the small disks on the outside. The distance between the large ring and the small disk should not exceed 170 mm. Insert the ends of the axles into the holes of the brackets. The axles can be secured in the holes using nuts (if the axle is threaded) or by welding.
Clean out all uneven surfaces and paint the structure.

There are many devices for planting and hilling potatoes. The choice depends on the area of the treated area. Many devices can be made independently. Each vegetable grower chooses the best option for him.

My dad, who lived in the village all his life, was a real Kulibin. From an old meat grinder he made a device for cleaning corn cobs from grains, from a saw - a device for processing sorghum, and he also had an electric dryer made according to own project. But I still use another of his inventions - a “sword” device for planting potatoes. Or rather, with its help, holes are made where the sprouted tubers are dropped.

This “weapon” consists of a column (round in cross-section, 8-10 cm in diameter), sharpened at one end. Its length is selected according to the worker’s height - the column should be approximately chest-high. There are two crossbars on the post (see diagram): one of them is installed from the tip at a distance equal to the length of the shovel bayonet (it is pressed with the feet to plunge the “sword” into the ground), and the second is at the end (it is held with the hands).

After I prepare the tool, I get to work on the potato plot. I dig up the ground and level it with a rake. Then I pull the cord and use a “sword” to make holes at a distance of 40-50 cm from each other. I leave about the same amount between rows. I put potatoes with good strong sprouts in the holes and then rake them.

Would you say that we can do without the “sword”? But don't talk. There are several very important points. For example: since the depth of all holes is the same (this is another purpose of the lower crossbar on the “sword”), then all planting material is embedded at the same level. And therefore the shoots appear together.

In addition, this method makes the work much easier. In one day, our family of three, without overworking, plants 25-30 buckets of potatoes. And our neighbors (there are also three of them), until they began to act like us, spent 3-4 days on this matter, and then from fatigue
there were still as many lying in a layer!

True, when my mother-in-law saw me for the first time in the garden with a “sword,” she cried out loud: “Oh, they ruined all the potatoes! Let's go around the world! But when friendly shoots appeared, she rejoiced most of all.

By the way, there is one more advantage to this method: it is very easy to carry out the first weeding, because there are no large empty spaces in the beds, and, therefore, there is no risk of cutting down the potato sprouts that have not yet emerged. Now all the neighbors are armed with “swords” and constantly remember my daddy with great warmth, although it’s been 10 years since he’s been with us. And those tomboys for whom he repaired bicycles for free are now growing into idiots of their own.

Our thought.
You look at such a device and think: it seems like nonsense, nothing complicated, but the benefits are enormous. Most importantly, both energy and time are saved. And why couldn’t anyone think of this before? The most interesting thing is that many summer residents-inventors are embarrassed to boast about their “units”, they say, the neighbors will laugh.

Device for planting potatoes without a shovel

This material, which describes an original device for planting potatoes without a shovel, was taken from an old Soviet magazine. The method described by the inventor of this device is very interesting, but for some reason it was not widely used in its time. IN last years interest in various kinds of innovations has grown sharply, so we are publishing this material in the hope that it will arouse interest among gardeners and gardeners and will be useful. Unfortunately, the author of this invention is unknown, if anyone recognizes the article and the author from the photo and description, please write to us.

Potato planter

Potatoes are planted with a special tool - a seeder-planter. The planting technology using this device is as follows: a) by pressing the stop, the device is buried in the ground; b) a tuber is placed in the pipe; c) the handles of the seeder are closed and the tuber remains in the soil; d) the device is removed from the ground.

Design and diagram of a potato planter. The handles of the device are made of two steel pipes diameter 22 mm. The working part (gutters) is made of a steel pipe cut in half with an internal diameter of 65 mm. The tip of the working part is made of plates steel sheet 2 mm thick. A stop made of two tubes with a diameter of 22 mm. A hinge and hinges (M8 bolt) were also used.

To enlarge the photo, click on it.

Potato seeder without shovel

This potato seeder is interesting, like the one described above, in that the entire process occurs in one pass, the earth is not trampled down again. And for gardeners who adhere to the rule of preserving the natural flora of the soil, this potato planter is just a godsend.

Two more devices with the same logic for sowing potatoes without a shovel are here and here.

Device for manual planting of potatoes

Even rows of potato bushes look much more beautiful, expressing order and creating convenience for hilling manually or using a motor cultivator. Boring routine work with help special devices for manual planting of potatoes can turn into an exciting and enjoyable task, and the manufacture of the appropriate tool into technical creativity.

Check out two similar potato planting devices, both of which are fairly easy to make. At the same time, it will serve you more than once and be useful, especially on large planting areas. Buy a lot of things for the garden in this Chinese store.

The first utility model is made of square pipe 25x25 mm, and to make the tool lighter, side sections of arbitrary length can be lightened by attaching pieces of pipes with a diameter of 20x20. Three markers (cones) are made of sheet steel. Manufacturing details in the second video, but first see how using this interesting hand tools holes are marked for seed potatoes. Admittedly, the idea of marking and at the same time creating planting holes successful.

The following video shows a drawing of a marker for potatoes and the necessary explanations for it.

Next is another device, easier to manufacture, but also less productive: a poker, suitable for both large vegetable gardens and small garden plots. With this innovative tool, the rows are very even and neat. Watch starting at minute 0.37.

There are many different designs, both homemade and serial production. Either with manual drive, or in the form of trailed units. We will not delve into this option - it is sufficiently described on the Internet.3.

How to make a hand plow

The hand plow will become homemade machine for planting, hilling, loosening the soil. It can be operated by two people. It takes effort to make a plow.

For production you will need:

Meter-long hollow pipe with a diameter of 2.5 cm.
Hollow pipe with a diameter of ¾ inch.
Metal sheet 2 mm thick.
A metal plate with holes or a lanyard.
Gas-burner.
Bulgarian.
Welding machine.

The large pipe is bent, departing from the beginning by 30 centimeters. To facilitate this procedure, you can use a pipe bender. Use blowtorch, if there is no pipe bender.

The small pipe needs to be bent. To adjust the height, you need to make holes on the vertical post and on the top edge. The height of the stand is made individually so that the person who will hold the plow will be comfortable. It can be adjusted with bolts.

The vertical part at the ends is made flat. Its height is about 60 cm. A lanyard is placed between the rod and the stand to be able to adjust the angle of attack. The angle is attached below. More details in the video:

Marker for planting potatoes: purpose, types and designs

Planting potatoes is a labor-intensive task. To make work easier, craftsmen are constantly coming up with new devices that can be used to short term and cope with the sowing season without any extra effort. A marker for planting potatoes is a device designed to make it easier manual labor and make the beds straight, with evenly distributed holes for the tubers. Potatoes planted under the marker can subsequently be easily processed using attachments for mini tractors, walk-behind tractors, hand and mechanized cultivators.

There are ready-made products on sale, but the advantage of a homemade marker is that the distance between the nearest stakes (cones or plows) to form holes or grooves for planting material will exactly coincide with the distance between the wheels of your walk-behind tractor or mini tractor.

Types of markers for planting potatoes

Markers can be both very simple and quite complex. These devices are often made from scrap materials. Some found wooden stakes and strong boards, while others used profile or round steel pipes. It doesn’t matter what the tool handle or frame is made of, only the distances between the elements that punch holes are important.

The simplest marker

It is a wooden stake about 90 cm high and approximately 60–70 mm in diameter. The crossbar, attached at a height of 150 mm from the tip, serves as a stop that limits the depth of the hole. To work with such a tool, you need to mark the locations of future holes using cords: they are pulled along rows at a certain distance from each other (40, 50, 60, 70 or 80 cm).

The distance between the cords depends on whether weeding and hilling is planned manually or using a walk-behind tractor. The gap between the bushes is chosen in the range of 25–30 cm, depending on the size planting material and on how powerful the stems are characteristic of a given variety.

Marker for planting potatoes using the Mittlider system

A more complex marker model is presented in Fig. 1. This device is made from 1/2″ metal pipe (with an outer diameter of 21 mm). A cylinder with a conical end (hereinafter referred to as a cone), which punches holes, is made of a pipe with a diameter of 55 or 65 mm and welded to the frame. A pipe pin (Ø 21 mm) is designed to mark the next hole at a distance of approximately 29 cm from the previous one.

Planting potatoes is a labor-intensive task. To make work easier, craftsmen are constantly coming up with new devices that can be used to cope with sowing in a short time and without extra effort. A marker for planting potatoes is a device designed to facilitate manual labor and make the beds straight, with evenly distributed holes for tubers. Potatoes planted under the marker can subsequently be easily processed using attachments for mini tractors, walk-behind tractors, hand and mechanized cultivators.

Types of markers for planting potatoes

The simplest marker

The distance between the cords depends on whether weeding and hilling is planned manually or using a walk-behind tractor. The gap between the bushes is chosen in the range of 25–30 cm, depending on the size of the planting material and how powerful the stems are characteristic of a given variety.

Marker for planting potatoes using the Mittlider system

Rice. 1. Marker for planting potatoes with markings according to the Mittlider system

Starting the first row, the frame is placed parallel to the cord stretched along the bed and pressed forcefully into the ground. Then a cone is stuck into the hole marked with a marking pin, and so on, until the end of the row. Having moved to another path, they make holes in a checkerboard pattern on the other side of the bed. If you plant potatoes according to the Mittlider method, using such a device, you can small area grow a solid harvest: up to 1000 kg from one hundred square meters (100 m2).

A marker that punches three holes at once

The assembly diagram is shown in Fig. 2. Consists of a frame made of steel pipes and three cones.

Rice. 2 Marker for planting potatoes, designed for 3 holes in a row

The welded frame of the device is made of profile pipe 25x25x2 mm, light and durable. You can use available materials, for example, a steel water and gas pipe with a diameter of 32 mm. A duralumin pipe is also suitable, but steel is better suited for welding. It is recommended to make cones from aluminum or dense wood: acacia, oak.

A hole is made in the upper (cylindrical) part of this part and an M8 thread is cut. There are 3 drilled in the pipe through holes with a diameter of 9 mm, through which the cones are tightened with M8 bolts to the lower crossbar. Using bolts with a length of 40 to 80 mm, you can adjust the depth of the hole. The distance between the cones is 450 mm. The open ends of the support pipe must be closed with plugs. Dimension B* varies depending on the hole depth required: the longer the fixing bolts, the more options.

Wooden cones need to be polished sandpaper, cover with varnish or drying oil so that the earth does not stick. Metal parts must be protected from rust: they should be painted. Everyone chooses the height of the frame according to their height; the given size is convenient for a person with a height of 160–175 cm.

Marker that allows you to adjust the distance between holes

Let's consider a marker, the design of which provides the ability to change the distance between future potato bushes at your own discretion. In Fig. Figures 3 and 4 show a drawing and operating diagram of such a tool.

Rice. 3 Drawing of a tracer-potato planter with two cones (2 holes in a row)

1 – load-bearing beam (water and gas pipe with a diameter of 60 mm, a wall thickness of 3 mm, a length of 565 mm) – 1 pc.

2 – conical tip – 2 pcs. They are made by developing a conical element (position 2 in the drawing field) from a steel sheet 1.5 mm thick.

3 – cylindrical body (pipe Ø 60x3 mm, length 100 mm) – 2 pcs.

4 – marker (pipe Ø 21x2.5 mm, length 250 mm) – 3 pcs.

5 – retractable bracket for marker (pipe Ø 21x2.5 mm, length 330 mm) – 2 pcs.

6 – guide sleeve (pipe Ø 27x3 mm, length 65 mm) – 3 pcs.

7 – M8x40 bolt (fixing) – 3 pcs.

8 – M8 nut (welded) 3 pcs.

9 – bushing for the stand (pipe Ø 27x3 mm, length 120 mm) – 1 pc.

10 – welded stand of two parts (pipe Ø 21x2.5 mm, length 1500 mm) – 1 pc.

11 – M10x20 bolt (clamping) – 1 pc.

12 – retractable bracket (pipe Ø 54x2.5 mm, length – 560 mm) – 1 pc.

13 – plug – 2 pcs.

A bushing for the stand (item 10), a nut (item 8) and two guide bushings for the brackets (item 6), as well as two pre-fabricated elements that punch holes are welded to the supporting beam (item 1). To make them, cylinders and conical tips are welded together (items 2 and 3).
Two of the three markers are welded to the brackets (item 5), the third - to the retractable bracket (item 12), and then fixed at a distance of 500 mm from the outer cone.

Bolts (pos. 7) are screwed into the nuts (pos. 8), welded to the bushings (pos. 6) and directly to the beam, to secure the retractable brackets (pos. 4 and 12).

The stand (pos. 9) is inserted into the bushing (pos. 10) and secured with a clamping bolt (pos. 11). Plugs are welded to the handles (item 13).
The design of this marker differs from the previous ones in that the pins marking the next row of holes are made retractable, and the distance between the holes can be changed. The dimensions determining the distances between the cones (500 mm) and the height of the stand (870 mm) can be changed during manufacturing, taking into account the row spacing and the height of the worker. In Fig. Figure 4 shows a diagram of the operation of such a tool.

Fig 4. Operation diagram

Before starting work, set the required length of the brackets with pins for marking (this will be the distance between the holes), then they are clamped in the bushings with fixing bolts. After this, the device is installed at the beginning of the row, touching the cord stretched along the ridge. They punch the first holes, rock the tool to compact the walls of the hole, and move it forward so that the cones hit the marks left by the marking pins.

They continue to move in this way, leaving even rows of holes on the bed, made at the same distance from each other.

Planting potatoes - routine spring work. If you have a small plot of land and a couple of acres of land for potatoes, planting by hand will not take much time and effort. But it is difficult to plant several hectares with potatoes, and making even and beautiful rows is even more difficult. What to do? If you are at least a little familiar with tools, you can make a device for planting potatoes with your own hands.

Folk homemade craftsmen have come up with many mechanisms that will help plant potatoes. The most common are:

A simple marker.
Mittlider marker.
Improved marker.
Potato planter.
Hand plow.

We'll tell you how to make them yourself.

How to make a simple marker

Making a simple marker is easy. It is enough to have a regular board and wooden pegs on hand.

A marker for planting potatoes is a wooden stake with a diameter of about 65 mm. The height of the stake must be at least 90 centimeters. A transverse strip is attached at a height of about 15 cm from the sharp edge. It will serve as a stop that limits the depth of the hole.

Before planting with this tool, you must first mark the locations of the holes using a rope. The ropes are pulled along the rows at a distance of 40-80 cm from each other. Everyone sets the distance independently; it depends on whether the hilling will be carried out with a walk-behind tractor or manually. A gap of about 25 centimeters is left between the bushes, plus or minus five centimeters, depending on the size of the potatoes being planted and the variety.

Why homemade device Is it better than a purchased device? In the marker you can set the exact distance, which will be equal to the distance between the wheels of the cultivator or tractor.

Marker for planting potatoes using the Mittlider system

The American agronomist Mittlider invented his own method of planting potatoes. According to his method, the vegetable garden should be divided into planting beds up to nine meters long. The width of the beds is 45 centimeters. Make a distance of about 100 cm between them. Method narrow beds allows you to water and fertilize only the soil on them.

To plant potatoes using this method, you need to make a more complex device. In order to understand the principle of this device, you need to look at the diagram.

To make a marker for planting potatoes with your own hands you will need metal pipe with a diameter of 21 mm, it is used for marking holes. Thus, the holes are obtained at a distance of 29 cm from each other. Another pipe with a diameter of 55 (65) mm is welded to the frame, from which a cone is formed that will punch holes.

Before planting, first stretch the cords along the beds. The frame is placed parallel to the stretched lines, starting to plant the first row, it is pressed into the ground. The marking pin will mark the hole; you need to stick a cone there. Do this until the end of the row. On another row, holes are made in a checkerboard pattern.

Using this device, you can grow a decent harvest even in a small area.

Improved three hole marker

Using three cones and metal pipes, you can make a device that will allow you to make three holes at once. It is necessary to take a steel pipe D 32 mm. Steel is easy to weld, although you can use a duralumin pipe.

Cones are made from high-strength wood, such as oak or acacia, but preferably aluminum.

The cones are screwed to the bottom crossbar with long bolts. The depth of the hole depends on the length of the bolts. The longer the fixing bolts are, the deeper the hole will be. Make a distance of 45 cm between the cones.

DIY potato planter

The most simple device A potato planter can be used for planting potatoes. Any man can make a potato planter after spending a couple of hours. You will need to take two boards 1.5 meters long, as well as two stakes with a diameter of 10 cm.

Pegs are made from thick spruce branches. They are processed, sharpened, and made into handles. Wooden ones are nailed to them cross bars. Make a distance of about 60-65 centimeters between the stakes if the planting will subsequently be processed with a cultivator or mini-tractor. The distance should be no more than 55 cm if the processing is manual.

The bottom board should be with a reserve; a note is made on it using a narrow strip at the same distance as the stakes. It will help determine the beginning of the pits.

How to use this device? Place the device on the ground, holding it by the handles in front of you. Press down to make holes. You immediately get two ridges of holes, the third will become a note, they follow it in reverse side. The second person will follow the marker and plant the potatoes.

How to make a hand plow

A hand plow will become a homemade machine for planting, hilling, and loosening the soil. It can be operated by two people. It takes effort to make a plow.

For production you will need:

Meter-long hollow pipe with a diameter of 2.5 cm.
Hollow pipe with a diameter of ¾ inch.
Metal sheet 2 mm thick.
A metal plate with holes or a lanyard.
Gas-burner.
Bulgarian.
Welding machine.

The large pipe is bent, departing from the beginning by 30 centimeters. To facilitate this procedure, you can use a pipe bender. Use a blowtorch if there is no pipe bender.

Planting potatoes is a rather labor-intensive process, especially if the crop is allocated big square. It takes a lot of energy and further care- weeding, hilling, cleaning. But you can significantly save time by using various mechanized and hand tools. They are chosen based on the area of the site, their own strengths and financial capabilities.

Types of mechanisms used

The modern market offers a wide variety of different devices that greatly facilitate the process of planting potatoes. And if the owners of the notorious six hundred square meters do not feel any particular need for them, then those who grow crops in industrial scale, they are simply necessary. This allows you to significantly save time and effort, speeding up the process by 3–10 times.

Jerzy

The so-called hedgehogs or hedgehogs are a structure consisting of several (usually three) interconnected disks with spikes, slightly different in diameter.

In relation to each other, they are located at an angle of approximately 45º - this feature allows you to form a ridge while moving along the bed. You can improve the design by placing several hedgehogs in parallel on one frame. In addition, such a frame can easily be placed on any type of cultivator. There are also no restrictions on their use based on soil type.

Single hedgehog is rarely used by professional farmers

Video: preparing a field for planting potatoes using hedgehogs

The hedgehogs themselves are fixed by welding to a piece of hollow pipe with a diameter of 25–30 mm. Inside it there is another pipe (rod), to which a bracket is attached, connecting the entire structure with the mount and the wooden handle. The space between them is filled with lubricant.

Double hedgehog is the most common option; it allows you to form high ridges while weeding the field

Each hedgehog should have spines at least 6–7 cm long and 6–8 mm in diameter, spaced evenly around the circumference of the disc at intervals of 40–50 mm. The discs gradually decrease in diameter - 30–35 cm, 20–25 cm, 10–15 cm. For the smallest of them, 5–7 spikes are enough, for the largest one you will need at least 15 pieces. Spikes can be easily made by cutting into pieces and sharpening a metal rod of a suitable diameter.

There is nothing complicated about making a hedgehog yourself; all materials and tools are quite accessible

The disks do not have to be round - if suitable blanks are available, squares, pentagons or hexagons are used. This does not affect the quality of tillage in any way. The average distance between two hedgehogs mounted on a frame is 25–30 cm.

Homemade hedgehogs are as effective as store-bought ones

Most often, such devices are included with a walk-behind tractor or cultivator, but you can make them yourself. Manufacturers offer conical hedgehogs, with which you can weed a bed without damaging the potato seedlings, and rotary ones. Their main function is weeding, hilling and “fluffing” the soil.

Hedgehogs attached to a mini-tractor allow you to very quickly prepare a field for planting potatoes

Basically, the mechanism is designed for deep loosening of the soil, weeding the beds and hilling the emerging seedlings. It is also useful to walk across the field with a hedgehog 12–15 days after planting the tubers. This treatment allows you to remove weeds by the roots and improve soil aeration. The latter, in turn, stimulates the growth and development of the root system. Discs located at an angle form an even high ridge without affecting the seedlings.

But you shouldn’t get carried away with using hedgehogs, especially for gardeners who are inexperienced in this. Both aboveground and underground part plants. The optimal interval between procedures is 18–22 days. It is enough to roll the mechanism back and forth across the bed to remove weeds from the roots.

Triple hedgehog requires the gardener to have some experience in handling it, but two rows can be processed simultaneously

When making hedgehogs yourself, the main thing is to remove all metal shavings, process them well, clean and sand the surfaces to avoid injury.

Okuchniki

The hiller is another component for the cultivator. As the name suggests, it is used for hilling potatoes. It can also be used when planting tubers. Depending on the number of rows, hillers are classified into single-row, double-row, three-row, and so on. The more there are, the more powerful the cultivator the gardener needs. The number of rows also affects performance. The hiller cultivates the ground deeper than is possible with manual processing. The cutters penetrate the soil 20–25 cm - more than the bayonet of a shovel.

The hiller, despite the name, is ideal for preparing a field for planting potatoes

Video: what a two-row hiller looks like

It is much more convenient to use hillers that allow you to change the working width. This way, the gardener can independently regulate the cultivated strip by setting the row spacing. Minimum Required- 70 cm. Otherwise, it will be inconvenient to care for the plantings. The specific distance is determined based on the description of the variety - potato bushes can be either tall and spreading, or short and compact.

Three-row hiller with adjustable distance between structural elements allows you to independently set the row spacing

The technology for using a two-row hiller suggests that you need to first mark the bed. If there is reasonable doubt about your own eye, markers are used. Such a device, reminiscent of a wooden rake, is easy to make yourself.

The wheels on the walk-behind tractor are replaced with lugs. The mechanism is installed at the beginning of the marking. When the width of the bed has been covered, one of the hillers is turned around and lowered into the finished furrow, grabbing a little of the already cultivated soil so as not to miss anything. Then the tubers are planted on the field treated in this way, maintaining a distance of 40–45 cm between them. The last thing to do is cover them with soil. For this, it is more convenient to use a single-row hiller. And you will need to “change the shoes” of the mechanism again, replacing the lugs with regular wheels.

Most often, the hiller is attached to a walk-behind tractor

It takes much longer to cultivate a field with a single-row hiller. In this case, the active part of the mechanism (“wheel”) is installed in the middle of the frame.

The most common types of hillers on sale are:

Disk. The most expensive, but also the most convenient option. The gardener has the ability to adjust the angle of inclination of the discs, significantly facilitating the work of pre-planting the potato bed, planting tubers and hilling up seedlings.
Dutch type. Valued for its relatively low cost and fuel efficiency. At the same time, the quality of processing is comparable to the previous version. The furrows and holes made with its help keep their shape, and the soil does not fall back.

Experienced gardeners recommend using diesel walk-behind tractors when working with hillers. With more power, they consume much less fuel. Its price is lower than gasoline. But when purchasing (if it is more than one set), you must check with the seller whether these models are compatible. The most popular types of walk-behind tractors among Russian gardeners are “Salut” and “Neva”.

Almost everyone who has tried the device agrees: the hiller is a very convenient device, but some use it in conjunction not with a walk-behind tractor or other mechanism, but with an ordinary hand plow, citing the fact that the heavy, bulky design will crush all the tubers in the process of filling furrows, especially in small ones. by area of beds. In many ways, the success of using a hiller with a walk-behind tractor depends on the experience of the gardener and the weight of the mechanism.

The hiller may not give the expected effect on heavy soils (peaty, silty, clayey), and also if groundwater approach the surface closer than 1–1.5 m. In this case, it is advisable to first create ridges in the field with a height of at least 60–70 cm using a walk-behind tractor or other device and then plant the tubers in them.

Mini planters

A very convenient device that allows you to simultaneously cut furrows, plant tubers in them and cover them with soil. It is attached to a mini-tractor or walk-behind tractor. It depends on the type of device, its power, the area being processed, the type of soil and other factors.

The design consists of a plow for cultivating the land, a small container for tubers and hillers that cover the furrows.

May include one or more blocks. There are modifications with one more additional compartment. In this case, you can pour fertilizer into the holes at the same time. Tubers and nutrients fall into the seeder using special backfill discs located at an angle to the furrow, and from there into the soil.

Mini planter - very convenient device allowing you to plant potatoes large field in a matter of hours

As practice shows, a mini-planter greatly facilitates the gardener’s work. The four-row device allows you to plant potatoes in a one-hectare bed in about half an hour. Depending on the volume of the container, 12–20 kg of tubers can be placed in it. Moreover, the faster the mechanism moves, the greater the distance between neighboring bushes.

In order not to spend money on finished device, you can construct a mini-planter yourself. But this is a job for those who already have certain drawing and engineering skills and know how to work with tools. The design consists of a frame to which fasteners are welded on the sides to secure the planter to the mechanism and two pipes located at an angle. A container for tubers will be located on them. Under the frame there is a regular hand plow or several discs with spikes for forming furrows and one wheel on the axle. An ordinary metal pipe with a diameter of 8–12 cm is used as a seeder.

A homemade mini-planter is no worse than a purchased one, although it looks less presentable

It is desirable that the wheel be wide - this way the pressure on the soil is distributed more evenly. And it’s very convenient to use a tank from an old one as a container. washing machine. Weighs like this homemade design decently, so before using it you need to equip the walk-behind tractor with a counterweight. This is not necessary for a mini tractor.

Walk-behind tractors

The walk-behind tractor is a universal-purpose mechanism, necessary in any farming, especially where potatoes are grown on an industrial scale. On personal plots, its use is not always profitable due to the small areas. To plant potatoes to a walk-behind tractor you will need optional equipment- hiller, hitch for it, special lug wheels and cutters. Using the hitch, you can change the position of the hiller, adjusting the depth of the furrow in accordance with the type of soil.

Walk-behind tractor with various removable accessories - necessary thing on a farm

The walk-behind tractor is easy to operate, has a long service life and rarely breaks down. But it is advisable that a man work with him. For a woman, the mechanism may be too heavy and cumbersome. The hiller on it is more often used for planting potatoes in small-sized beds, and the potato planter is used in farm fields.

First, using a walk-behind tractor, the selected area is dug up and harrowed. To do this, a plow is installed on it. Next, to form even furrows and equal row spacing between them, a hiller is used. When using a special mini-planter, a furrow is simultaneously prepared, tubers are planted in it, and it is covered with soil.

To plant potatoes, a homemade or purchased mini-planter is attached to the walk-behind tractor.

Since the cutters inevitably leave depressions in the soil, when moving in the opposite direction, you need to place one of them so as to fall into the rut left by the second.

In this case, the soil will be cultivated to the optimal depth for planting potatoes - a little more than a spade bayonet. If this is not done, the field will be processed faster, but the furrows will be smaller - it will be difficult to plant tubers in them. Sometimes the soil is cultivated, gradually moving along the perimeter from the outer edge to the center of the field, but in this case the soil will then have to be leveled with a rake, and this is an additional waste of time and effort.

The method of plowing a field for potatoes in a spiral has both supporters and opponents

Video: planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor

When using a hiller, potatoes are planted in the furrows by hand. To cover them, the grip width of the wings on the mechanism is increased to the maximum, and the wheels are changed from lug wheels to rubber ones. The resulting unevenness, due to the gardener’s lack of experience, can be easily leveled out with an ordinary hoe. It is best to move slowly, at first speed.

The walk-behind tractor can also be used for hilling potatoes. The hillers are installed on it so that the distance between them corresponds to the intervals between the rows of bushes. In this case, the wheels move along the rows, without touching the stems, but pushing the soil to the very base of the bush. It is advisable to carry out this procedure after rain, but not immediately, but when the soil dries out, remaining slightly moist.

Video: hilling potatoes with a walk-behind tractor

When harvesting potatoes from a large field, you also cannot do without a walk-behind tractor. To do this, choose a warm sunny day, so as not to waste time drying the potatoes and cleaning them from sticky wet soil. First you need to mow and remove all the tops from the garden bed. It is better to do this 10–12 days before the intended procedure (to prevent late blight, which often develops when storing tubers).

There is a special attachment - the so-called digger, but a single-row hiller attached to a walk-behind tractor is also suitable for harvesting. It is installed in the middle of the row and moved forward at first speed. In the process, the soil is sort of cut and lifted, the potatoes are removed from it and laid out on the bed. First, the row spacing passes through one, then returns to the remaining ones.

Video: recommendations for using a walk-behind tractor when growing potatoes

Mini tractors

A mini-tractor is a “heavy” piece of equipment that can be used in any area, regardless of the terrain. But it is not suitable for very small private farms - there is simply no room for the mechanism to turn around. It is advisable to purchase it if the cultivated area is at least 50 acres.

Buying a mini-tractor is economically justified only for large farms

A mini-tractor is used not only for plowing the soil and planting potatoes. With its help, you can feed plants, mow grass, remove garbage and snow from the site, and fill up holes.

It is best to attach a potato planter to a mini-tractor for planting potatoes. The hiller is not very suitable in this case, since the furrows it makes do not coincide with the track left by the tractor wheels. Hilling up the seedlings will be quite difficult.

Nevertheless, experienced farmers found a way out. The first time they walk across the field, using a two-row hiller so that both mechanisms are placed at a distance of 30 cm from the middle of the tractor wheel axle. Then the potatoes are laid out in the prepared furrows and buried, attaching an additional hiller in the center. You need to move strictly along the first track.

The mini-tractor is used not only for planting potatoes, but also for many other agricultural works

Hilling up of the emerging seedlings is carried out using a three-row potato planter. This allows you to process two rows at once. You can also use a five-section one, but in this case the tubers must be planted with a four-row planter.

Video: using a mini-tractor to plant potatoes

Devices for planting potatoes manually

The most common such devices are the manual plow and the manual cultivator. The first allows you to plant potatoes in a prepared furrow. She falls asleep at the same time as the second one is dug. Then the whole procedure is repeated.

Hand plow - very simple design, known to mankind for a long time

A manual cultivator is used for planting and hilling potatoes, loosening the soil, and weeding the beds. It also allows you to sow seeds of most agricultural crops and break up the hard crust on the surface of the bed.

A manual cultivator greatly facilitates the work of a gardener

Another interesting device- seeder-planter. It consists of a pipe immersed in the ground and two long handles. The tuber is lowered into it, the handles are brought together, leaving it in the ground. Then the device is removed from the ground and everything starts all over again. The well-known principle of leverage is used. This device can significantly reduce the load on the back, which is especially important for older gardeners.

A self-made disc cultivator can be attached to a hiller or walk-behind tractor

There is also a manual hiller. They will have to work together. One person pulls it forward, the second, standing behind, controls the structure using handles. The device itself is a frame with disks or a small plow welded to it below. By using various drawings you can assemble a structure with several disks, provide for the possibility of changing the angle and distance between them. Anyone who makes a hand hiller is limited only by his own imagination and skill in handling tools.

To Work with manual hiller not very comfortable alone

Homemade devices

The simplest and most common homemade auxiliary device for planting potatoes is a marker. It allows you to mark out a potato bed evenly, at regular intervals, without relying on your own eye. This is especially important if you plan to use a walk-behind tractor, mini-tractor or other mechanism for planting, hilling and harvesting. The distance between the holes must correspond to the track width between the wheels.

Anyone can make a marker for marking beds.

Essentially, a marker is a device for “punching” holes in the ground. It's much easier than digging them with a shovel. The most primitive marker is a sharpened wooden peg or a piece of pipe slightly higher than less than a meter and with a diameter of 6–7 cm. At a distance of 15–18 cm from the sharp end there is a transverse crossbar to adjust the depth of the hole. When using such a marker along and across the bed, you will first have to tighten the cords at the required intervals. The crosshairs of the resulting “grid” are the places where the holes will be located.

Markers are very helpful for those gardeners who cannot rely on their own eye.

You can improve the design by placing several cones on a fixed frame. This marker looks like a rake or trident. Optimal distance between cones - 45–50 cm, length - 15 cm. And if you make the pins retractable, you can adjust the depth of the hole.

It is more difficult to make a marker with retractable pins, but this design allows you to adjust the depth of the holes

It is a little more difficult to make a marker for planting potatoes using Jacob Mittlider's method. The method proposed by this famous agronomist allows you to significantly increase productivity without increasing the area of the bed.

Its base is a metal pipe with a diameter of approximately 2 cm. The cone that directly punches the holes is a piece of a wider pipe (60–65 mm), cut at an angle of approximately 45º. Several pieces are welded to the frame at intervals of 28–30 cm. At the beginning of the first row, marked with a cord or rope, the structure is stuck into the ground and continues to the end. In the next row, the holes will need to be made in a checkerboard pattern. This method of planting allows you to harvest up to a ton of potatoes from 100 m2, but caring for such zigzag rows is quite inconvenient. Especially for those who are practicing Mittlider landing for the first time.

To extend the life of the marker tool, wooden stakes are coated with varnish or drying oil to protect against rot, after sanding with sandpaper. Clods of earth stick to wood treated in this way much less often. Metal cones are protected from rust by covering them with several layers of paint. The height of the handle is determined based on the height of the worker.

A metal marker is much more durable than a wooden one

The frame should be made as strong as possible. For example, duralumin pipes will not work, although they have significant advantage- lightness. Pins or stakes are attached to powerful screws. It is not advisable to place them on the frame in large quantities; it is better to limit yourself to three - otherwise the soil resistance increases greatly, and you will have to make more efforts to make holes, spending additional time.

For a marker to last a long time, it must be protected from dampness, rot, and rust.

It is much faster to plant potatoes using a marker using two people. The first worker presses the holes, the second one throws the tubers into them and immediately buries them.

Too many pins on the marker frame - not always good decision, making holes in this case will require significant physical effort

Another homemade device- something between a shovel and a harvester. It allows you to plant potato tubers without first forming holes. Two shovels are fastened so that they resemble a beak, their handles intersect in the shape of the letter X. When the “beak” is stuck into the ground, the handles move apart and a hole appears in the soil into which the tuber is planted. Shovels, without moving, are removed from the substrate, the potatoes remain in the ground. There is no need to fill the hole anymore.

Video: planting potatoes with two shovels

Various mechanisms significantly facilitate and speed up the process of planting potatoes. They are also used for soil preparation, hilling, and harvesting. Useful device It is quite possible to assemble it yourself. There is nothing complicated in the design (especially if there are drawings and step by step instructions), but the benefits are obvious.