Potatoes are one of the favorite root crops of most people. And therefore it is not surprising that on almost every personal plot you can see its plantings. But the areas of these landings are very different. Some have a small garden, while others have a whole plantation. And this is due not only to differences in the size of summer cottages. An important role in this matter is played by the method of landing. Doing it manually is difficult and tedious. But the technique will greatly facilitate the implementation of this process. A special device for planting potatoes with your own hands can be aggregated, for example, with a walk-behind tractor or a mini tractor. And it can be used as a separate unit. Consider several similar options.
Preparation for work
Before you start making devices for planting potatoes with your own hands, you need to familiarize yourself with the theory. There are two main tasks that are set for the unit:
Plant potato tubers at the same distancefrom each other. It is convenient if this interval can be adjusted, as in most factory planters
The depth of the holes in which the tubers are placed should also be the same. This will allow you to expect the same period of plant germination
With these requirements in mind, all designs are created. It should be understood that devices for planting potatoes (manually or with the help of equipment) only facilitate the planting process. But they still require human input.
There are several design options. A homemade potato planter can be single-row, two-row or three-row. This will depend on the type of frame used to make the frame. A container is attached to the frame, where root crops are poured. It can hold up to 20-30 kg. An elevator with bowls is installed in this bunker, which lowers the tubers into the prepared holes.
Preparation of drawings
A do-it-yourself potato planter is assembled on the basis of pre-prepared drawings and diagrams. You can develop them yourself if you have certain skills.
You can find a large number of already drawings of potato planters of various designs and designs. You can choose a ready-made option. And you can take the scheme and modify it at your own discretion and understanding. In any case, before starting work, it is necessary to check all the indicated dimensions and data. Only after that you can start working.
Hand-held devices
First, let's look at several design options that allowfacilitate planting potatoes, but require physical effort. They are not connected to technology, but allow you to do the work manually. Devices for planting potatoes in a similar way are simple in execution. But they can also be made in various variations.
The simplest option is a cone-shaped punch. It is driven into the soil to the desired depth. True, for this it is necessary to make certain physical efforts. In this case, a hole is formed in the soil, where the potatoes fall. After removing the punch, the hole is filled up.
The second option is a slightly improved breakdown. It is made of a metal pipe, one end of which is cut at an angle. A container for potatoes is attached to the top. A valve is made on the pipe. The pipe is driven into the ground and tilted so that the valve opens. A potato tuber coming from above falls out through the existing hole. Potatoes remain in the ground and are filled up after the pipe is removed.
Another version of a homemade potato planter was popularly called the "crow's beak" because of the resemblance. The "beak" is driven into the ground in a closed form. After opening the “beak”, a tuber is thrown there, which remains in the ground.
Options with partial mechanization
This group includes a tool for quickly planting potatoes, outwardly resembling an ordinary garden cart with one wheel. This option is suitable for soft ground areas that have been prepared in advance.
In the trolley, the wheel is replaced by a rotary cutter, which can have several compartments at once (for example, four). Potatoes are poured into the cart. From there, the tubers fall into the cutter compartments. When moving due to the rotation of the cutter, the tubers remain in the ground. It is worth noting that landing requires physical effort. To facilitate the process, another handle is welded in front of the structure. It allows two people to move the device.
The principle of operation of mechanized options
On your own, you can assemble devices suitable for coupling with equipment. For example, for a motoblock. The potato planter in this case will have a more complex design. The rotation of its individual parts will depend on the operation of the vehicle's engine.
An axle is welded to the frame of the structure, on which an asterisk is put on. A little higher, another asterisk is fixed, which is connected to the previous one by means of a chain. When the tractor moves and its wheels rotate, the hitch axle begins to rotate. Due to this, the upper sprocket rotates through the chain drive. Cups are fixed on the chain, into which root crops fall from the bunker. Rotating, the cups carry the potatoes into the soil. As you can see, it is not difficult to assemble a device for planting potatoes with your own hands. Having selected a suitable drawing and acquired the necessary materials, you can get to work.
Required materials and tools
To assemble a do-it-yourself potato planter thatwill work in tandem with a walk-behind tractor (mini tractor), you will need the following materials:
metal channel (square pipe or angle);
bunker (a tank from an old washing machine is suitable, can be made from a sheet of metal or thick plywood);
two stars;
chain;
wheels (preferably metal) or material for their manufacture
To work on the project, you will need a grinder with cutting wheels for metal, a welding machine with electrodes and some other tools that any owner has in the garage. The connection of metal elements is carried out by welding. You can connect everything with bolts, but this will not add reliability and rigidity to the structure.
Work in progress
Creating a do-it-yourself device for planting potatoes begins with the preparation of the frame. To do this, use a metal pipe. Next, prepare the wheels. Metal wheels will not slip if the soil is too loose. They can be made independently from metal strips. It is convenient to use a gas bottle. From it you need to cut off two rings (about 15 cm wide), on the outside of which the grouser is welded. Inside, knitting needles are made from metal fittings, pipes or plates. Their design does not matter.
Next, a chain drive is being prepared, consisting of two sprockets and a chain connecting them. It is better to pick up gears from old agricultural machinery. Bicycle options will not work. Grips are welded onto the chain in the formcups with a diameter of 5-6 cm, which will raise the tubers.
A bunker is made on top of the frame, where potatoes will be poured. The bipod is easy to make. Difficulties may arise in the manufacture of hiller. Therefore, it is easier to take discs from old technology.
Finishing
The last step in creating a potato planter for a walk-behind tractor is to make it visually attractive. To do this, the welds are cleaned, if this was not done immediately. The structure is cleaned of dirt and corrosion. To make it last longer, it should be primed and painted.
