Potato Planting season has begun!
All hands on deck
East Free State Potato planting season has begun
It’s that TIME of the year again. Sesisonke needs a lot of seed and sources it from the Calby Molemi operation in the western free state…
*For those that aren't aware, we don't grow potatoes on the farm from seeds, we use smaller potatoes. These small potatoes are referred to as 'seed' in the agriculture industry.
Potato Planting
Our fields are full with tractors planting potatoes! The first tractor that carves the way ahead (literally) is our 'Marker'. Its basically the foundation of the planting process. The driver uses GPS guidance to ensure track spacing and bed formation is accurate. The plough implement is set at a 2m width for the bed formation, so that all the following steps in the planting process are completed accurately and neatly.
The “Taxi” planting team comprises 6 seeders and 1 captain who controls the hydraulics and checks fertilizer, row support and nematocide systems.
These planters are extremely accurate, albeit slower, and simple to operate with relatively low maintenance requirements. Most importantly, it’s renowned for seed placement and accuracy!
A key stage when potato planting is fertilising the soil at the same time. At the farm we use our own mix of fertilisers (that you would have seen in one of our previous posts). The correct fertiliser is important for soil enrichment, improved yield, disease resistance, and sustainability.
In the farming community we know that soil health is everything. Looking after the land so we can continue to farm for generations to come is what makes sustainable practises so important.
