Growing potatoes in challenging soil conditions

Growing potatoes in stony and cloddy soil can be challenging. But it’s possible.

The key is effective and precise soil preparation and cultivation as the first step. Then you can grow high-quality produce and maintain production efficiency.

As an international leader in innovative agricultural machinery, GRIMME has developed a range of bed formers and destoners to optimise the soil preparation process.

Growers worldwide recognise the advantages of a three-phase system for preparing soil – forming beds, separating clods and stones and planting in a prepared bed.

Effective soil preparation in phases one and two ensures higher-quality, less damaged potatoes. It also reduces wear on planting and harvesting machinery (lowering maintenance and repair costs) and picking costs. In addition, it can eliminate the need for repeated ridge shaping or rotary hillers.

Precision in bed formation as the foundation

The first step is setting up the beds, providing the groundwork for efficient soil separation. GRIMME offers two easy-to-pull models for various soil conditions:

• The BF series is suited for medium to heavy soils with big stones and a significant number of clods.
• The lighter BFL series is ideal for light to medium-heavy soils and keeps the loose soil in the bed, minimising the amount of soil trickling back into the furrow.

The models can form either one, two or three bed systems per crossing to create the appropriate conditions for separation. Bed and row widths will depend on the planting direction, stone content and the farm’s business structure.

Once the beds are formed, it is time to separate the soil. Uniform, sieved beds free of clods ensure that the soil warms quickly, creating the ideal conditions for potato emergence.

GRIMME’s CS 150 series of destoners was designed for optimal separating quality and economy. There are four models (Combi-Star, Combi-Web and Multi-Web), each with unique combinations of star rollers and main webs, various tractor attachment options and flexible depth control for different soil conditions.

GRIMME’s bed former and destoner machines ensure optimal soil preparation and cultivation

Other highlights of the CS 150 series:

• Improved sieving: The RotaPower shaft takes care of the heavy work of breaking up the clods, which improves the sieving capacity – sieving performance can be up to 25% better than conventional machines. At the same time, it reduces wear as well as power requirement and fuel consumption.
• Streamlined maintenance and reduced wear: The drive unit is easily accessible, making maintenance easier. In addition, using durable materials for the components minimises wear.
• Better soil texture: The inclusion of star rollers and a clod mat, which enhances clod grinding and is available in different configurations, improves soil texture, creating the perfect conditions for planting.
• Efficient removal of large stones: The stone box collects larger admixtures (especially large stones) for depositing at the edge of the field.
• Versatility: There is a comprehensive range of fixtures and fittings, which means you can choose the configuration that is most appropriate for your setup.

Committed to innovation

According to JP Smit, managing director of GRIMME Africa, the CS 150 series is a prime example of the company’s commitment to innovation and excellence in agricultural machinery: “The CS 150 destoner machine exemplifies our dedication to enhancing efficiency and quality in potato farming. By investing in precise soil preparation with the CS 150, farmers not only reduce machinery wear but also ensure superior crop quality.” With its advanced design and versatility, it is an indispensable tool for achieving high-quality potato production in challenging soil conditions.