On this page we guide you through alls stages of potato growing. From soil preparations to harvesting and processing. Machine recommendations are made and pro’s and cons given per solution. Do you want to know more details about growing potatoes? Get in touch with the GGFS specialists! We have detailed documentation available and can support you in the field.
Get in touch for more information!
Subsoiling
A good soil structure is essential for a vital and high yielding potato crop. This means a 20 cm top soil layer of fine tilth to ensure good planting conditions. A well tilled soil enhances the harvest operation. The 30 cm to 60 cm subsoil should not be compacted to aide drainage and improve the root system. Potatoes can root as deep as 60 cm in undisturbed soil. This means they require less water, fertiliser and thus a healthier crop.
Assessing the amount of subsoil compaction can be done using a penetrometer in moist soil. A measurement of 200 ps/21 bar indicates a compacted layer that will restrict plant roots. Consider subsoiling 5 cm to 10 cm below the compacted layer under good conditions. If the soil is to wet more compaction will occur. It is important to monitor the root zone when cultivating. Dig down and check for yourself!
Machines recommended for subsoiling: Evers Java subsoiler
- Working depth 40 – 60 cm
- 1.8 – 2.5 m working width (2 or 4 legs)
- 50 – 150 HP required
- Different tines available to suit your soil
Main tillage
The main rootzone of 0-30 cm is prepared with the main tillage. This creates a loose soil structure, good aeration and increases the water holding capacity. Crop residue or cover crops are mixed in to release nutrients. A well aerated soil enhances nutrient uptake of the crop. The main tillage also helps to level the field surface.
Machines recommended for main tillage:
Gramegna spading machine
- Working depth 25 – 40 cm
- 1.5 – 3 m working width
- 50 – 150 HP required
- Easy to operate, robust and reliable
- Incorporates and mixes residue in the main rootzone
Maschio Dracula
- Working depth 5 – 30 cm
- 6 m working width
- 350 – 550 HP required
- One pass system for residue incorporation and tillage
- ideal for cereal growers with potatoes in their rotation
MASCHIO PINOCCHIO MOULDBOARD PLOUGH
- Working depth 20 – 45 cm
- 2 of 5 furrows
- 50 – 180 HP required
- Traditional tillage that lowers weed pressure and creates loose tilth
Seedbed preparation
For easy planting conditions and good initial root development a fine tilth in the top 15 – 20 cm is required. This also enhances the harvest operation. Small clods are sieved out and the potatoes are harvested without any soil contamination. Clod size should not be larger dan 35 – 40 mm. It is important to avoid drying out of the loose soil after field preparations. Proper consolidation is required.
Machines recommended for seedbed preparation:
Dewulf SC300
- Working depth 25 cm
- 3 m working width
- 110 – 250 HP required
- Active seedbed preparation for fine tillage on heavier soil
- Works perfect with Dewulf planter
MASCHIO DOMINATOR 300
- Working depth 15 cm
- 2 – 4 m working width
- 60 – 150 HP required
- Creates a fine soil structure with rotating tines
- Closes top soil with steel tooth packer roller
Baselier FKV
- Working depth 25 cm
- 1.6 – 3.65 m working width
- 65 – 175 HP required
- Active seedbed preparation for fine tillage on heavier soil
- Crumbler roller for depth control
- Also usable for ridging after planting
Forigo bed former
- Working depth 20 cm
- 1.5 – 2 m working width
- 75 HP required
- Active seedbed preparation for fine tillage on heavier soil
- Also usable for ridging after planting
Planting
The right variety, seed quality and size is important to ensure a good potato crop that suits your climate and soil. Go & Grow Farm Solutions offers advice on what variety to choose from for specific African markets. Potatoes grow in ridges that need to have a large volume to prevent them from becoming green. Planting depths and conditions differ per variety. It’s vital that the seed spacing is as accurate as possible for an even tuber size and high yield. Cup planters or belt planters can be used.
Machines recommended for planting: Dewulf CP cup planter
- 2 or 4 row 61-91.4 cm row distance
- 550, 1,200 or 4,500 kg bunker capacity
- Most accurate seed placement with proper seed grade
- Low maintenance and easy to use
- Application of fertiliser, spray and granules in 1 pass possible
- 2 or 4 row 75-9o cm row distance
- 1,400-6,500 kg bunker capacity
- Can plant any tuber size including oversized
- High working speed, higher capacity
- Application of fertiliser, spray and granules in 1 pass possible
- More complex technology, higher tractor requirements
Ridging
Potato planters can be fitted with ridging bodies to work as a one-pass system. This retains moisture but requires more tractor horsepower. Ridging in a separate pass works well on heavier soils and helps to control weeds. A good voluminous ridge prevents green tubers and potato tuber moth damage.
Machines recommended for ridging: Dewulf ridging hood
- 2 or 4 row
- One pass together with planting
- Tuber is always exactly in the middle of the ridge
- Consistent ridge height
Baselier GKS ridger
- 2 to 8 rows (75-90 cm)
- 45-195 HP required
- Requires natural soil structure – perfect for lighter soils
- Open hood can be used when crop is growing
Baselier FK rotary ridger
- 2 to 8 rows (75-90 cm)
- 57-175 HP required
- Improves soil structure on heavier soils
- Low wear ridging bodies
Crop protecting
Potatoes have a variety of pests that can harm the yield, such as:
- Phytophthora
- Alternaria
- Rizoctonia
- Aphids
- Tuta Absoluta
- Potato Tuber Moth
To keep your crop protected effectively sprays are required to prevent pests from developing.
Fertilising
For an optimal yield and tuber size regular fertilising is required. Irrigation might be required depending on your location. GGFS offers advice through the growing season. Weather stations can help you determine the right conditions for fertilising, spraying and irrigating. Get in touch directly for advice about potato production in your region.
Machines recommended for crop care: Maschio Gaspardo boom sprayer
- Mounted or trailed models available
- 400-3,000 litre tank capacity
- Mechanical or electronical rate adjustment and section control
- Compatible from 50 HP or more
- Mounted or trailed models available
- 1,000-2,500 litre tank capacity
- Air assisted boom available
- Compatible from 50 HP or more
- Mounted or trailed models available
- Different hopper sizes
- Broadcast or in-row application possible
- Compatible from 50 HP or more
Go & Grow Farm Solutions offers different irrigation solutions. From our unique and mobile irrigation container for driptape solutions to large scale pivot irrigators. Irrigation equipment is tailor-made.
Get in touch to find out more about your requirements!
Go & Grow Farm Solutions offers a range of weather stations, soil sensors and measurement tools to keep track of field and weather conditions throughout the growing season.
Get in touch to find out more about the possibilities!
Harvesting
Go & Grow FS delivers you the best harvesting technology to harvest your potato crop in the quickest time and without compromising quality. The Dewulf potato harvester uses a holding bunker. This is the most efficient and soil friendly harvesting method and means that additional tractors and trailers do not have to enter the field. This is beneficial regarding risk on compacting soils. The Dewulf harvester can remove the haulm, lift the potatoes and remove soil and crop residues in a single pass. This eliminates damaging and bruising of the tubers.
For more lean operations we can provide windrow harvesters from VSS Amac. This mostly relates to haulm chopping and windrowing. It is even possible to pre-harvest 2 rows in between 2 beds to be lifted with the Dewulf harvester, meaning you can lift 4 rows in 1 pass. This is only possible when the soil and climate allow you to do so.
Machines recommended for harvesting: Dewulf Torro bunker harvester
- 2 row harvesting
- 6,000 kg bunker capacity
- Horsepower requirements starting at 140 HP
- 2 sieving webs and 2 separator webs
- Possible to harvest carrots, onions or beets
Dewulf R2060
- 2 row harvesting
- 7,000 kg bunker capacity
- 4 different variants depending on soil conditions
- Different cleaning methods to suit every soil type
- Stable on hilly fields, wet and dry conditions
Which cleaning system suits your needs?
The Dewulf Torro bunker harvester uses a series of sieving webs and optional thrash extraction belts (pintle belt) to remove potato haulm, small clods and loose soil. This system works ideal in lighter soils and dry conditions. The R2060 harvester can be fitted with a range of cleaning modules to suit every soil type. For heavy, sticky and wet soils rubberised cleaning rollers (dahlmann rollers or cross rollers) are possible. These are adjustable and provide an aggressive cleaning action without damaging the tubers. It is possible to combine this technology together with a thrash extraction belt to remove haulm and loose soil. Speak to our GGFS harvest specialists to find out the ideal machinery specifications for your farm.
Handling
Preventing tuber damage is vitally important when taking the potatoes in after harvesting. Potatoes can be received and stored in boxes or bulk. Go & Grow Farm Solutions is a full-line Dewulf dealership for key African markets. We offer a wide range of receiving hoppers, conveyor belts, elevators and box fillers to suit every farm and type of storage.
Receiving the potato crop often consists of 3 stages. First the bulk crop is transferred from field trailers in to a receiving hopper. There is a wide range of Miedema Dewulf MH-receiving hoppers possible for simple unloading all the way to high capacity unloading, cleaning and grading in one machine. After unloading the crop is passed over one or more belt conveyors to the third stage. This is either a store loader – to store potatoes in bulk – or a box filler to unload the crop in wooden potato boxes.
The smallest receiving hopper measures 5m³ to fit a small farm budget. Larger 10m³ to 17m³ models are possible combined with cleaning rollers to further remove soil and thrash from the potatoes. The Combi-models have a high capacity and allow for crop grading when unloading and manual thrash removal.
Handling machinery for potatoes can also be used for the handling and storing of similar root crops such as onions, carrots and beets. This allows for a higher efficiency and lowering the cost of your investment across the farm.
Machines recommended for handling: Dewulf receiving hopper
- 5m³ to 17m³ holding capacity or more – a machine for every farm
- Further cleaning action possible
- Simple manual control or electronic set-up
- Combi-models allow for manual grading when unloading
Dewulf belt conveyor
- 80 cm rubber belt troughed conveyor
- Single or duo model with lengths of 13 m, 17 m or 20 m
- Capacity up to 130 tonnes/hr
Dewulf box filler
- 3 models with 60-80 boxes per hour capacity available
- Gentle filling prevents damage
- Can be used with almost any box dimension
Dewulf store loader
- 70 cm or 80 cm troughed rubber belt width
- Different belt lengths available
- Different filling programs – from manual storage-filling to fully automatic
Storage
Storing your potatoes properly allows for a broad marketing window throughout the different seasons. Being able to deliver in peak price periods is vital. The crop storage is used to dry the potatoes after they have been harvested and handled, to cure and heal the crop as to prevent diseases from entering the tubers and finally to condition them throughout the storage period. A climate-controlled storage is required for these stages. Our expert team is available to help you with these challenges and to develop a tailor-made storage on your farm.
Potato bulk storing
Field grade potatoes can be stored in bulk or boxes. Bulk storage of potatoes requires proper ventilation with cool air to dry and cure the crop. Above-ground movable steel ventilation tunnels or under-ground ventilation ducts are used for this task. A climate computer closely watches the store and product temperature as well as the outside temperature. More advanced systems can switch on and off automatically if conditions for ventilating are ideal – for example at night.
Potato box storing
Box storing of potatoes is ideal for seed potatoes and table potatoes where a higher quality is demanded. Wooden boxes mostly contain 1 tonne of boxes. This method requires more storage space for the same crop volume and a larger investment but the potato quality can pay this back. Ventilated air is either force-sucked or blown through the boxes. Another advantage of box storage is its flexibility. It is possible to grade only a few boxes or store different varieties and grades in the same store.
Find out more about our climate-controlled crop storage possibilities. Get in touch and we are pleased to help you out.
Processing & Packing
From simple cold rooms to complete packhouse concepts. Go & Grow FS has broad experience with all types of processing and packing facilities. Aside from the actual building itself we supply advice and products for pack house inventories, packaging materials and market linkage. We think our approach is unique in Africa. Get in touch with our processing & packing specialists to find out where your potential lies and what is required for your operation.
Processing lines
Processing and packing lines can be used to handle multiple crops such as potatoes, onions, carrots and other crops. For the most efficient processing lines we use a tailor-made solution to intergrade the machinery in a new packhouse. It is also possible to integrate new machinery in exciting buildings or give current packing lines an update. We guide you through the process of setting up your desired packing line.
Adding value
Being able to process, pack and deliver crops when the market prices are favourable is a key advantage of taking crop processing in-house. This way, the investment pays itself back by adding value to your crop. Prices of potatoes and other vegetables often increase strongly once the harvest period has finished.
Dual purpose
Machine from Dewulf, such as receiving hoppers, conveyor belts and box fillers, can also be used for the processing line. By using them almost year round the expenditure across your farming operation is greatly reduced.
100 day vegetable grading line
The 100 day vegetable grading line from allround vegetable processing is a unique concept for a wide variety of crops. Not only potatoes but also onions, carrots and other root crops can be processed with this unit. In just 100 days it is possible to earn yhour investment back, proven by many customers worldwide.
- Gentle handling doesn’t compromise crop quality and avoids rejections
- Homogenous product size due to grading increases premium sale price
- Know what you sell – be certain about the specifications of your bagging content, in size and weight!
- Low cost and high output
- One set-up for all root crops
- Tailor made solution for your requirements
Our specialists guide you through the process of setting up your desired packing line. Get in touch now and ask for more details about how processing and packing can improve the bottom line margin on your farm!
Conclusion
Have you become interested in one or more stages of the potato growing cycle or do you want to find out more about the machines we offer? Don’t hesitate to contact us and find out more how our specialists can help you and your business. We are a versatile and enthusiastic full-service agricultural company with decades of experience in potato growing and other vegetables in Africa.