Dutch Crop tour Potatoes - week 16
Early planted on many Gewastour plots
The first Innovators are in the ground among the participants in the Boerenbusiness Crop Tour. Due to the very dry and early spring, planting machines were already in the field early. With (a little) precipitation expected this week, the question is how far along the participants of the Crop Tour are.
Potatoes have now been planted from the North to the South of the Netherlands this season. After the other spring crops such as onions and sugar beets were sown, the Boerenbusiness The Gewastour planting was exceptionally early this year. On 24 March, the first plot was planted, at Philip Kroes from Dronten (Flevoland). At that time, other participants thought it was still too early for the Innovater. On 2 April, Daan Tap from Elst (Gelderland) was the next to plant on his Gewastour plot. Gybert Doggen from Wouw (Noord-Brabant) is ploughing the Gewastour plot and is still waiting for his seed potatoes.
Legs in full swing
Alex van Erp from Midwolda (Groningen) planted his Gewastour plot on 10 April. He was hoping for a shower of rain after planting, after which the soil would weather a bit more before he milled the ridges. Van Erp: "With early planted potatoes, there is a real chance that they will wear out quickly in a warm August. That can lead to you ultimately missing tons. That is why we at Innovators consciously choose not to plant everything so early."
Potato grower Jan Kolhorn from Uithuizermeeden in Groningen also started planting on his Gewastour plot this week. Kees Trouw from Hellevoetsluis (South Holland) planted his Gewastour plot yesterday (14 April). "The conditions are a lot more pleasant now than last year," he says.
Wouter Vierboom from Leuth in Gelderland also planted his Gewastour plot last week. "We have pre-milled everything this year. Last year we did not do that and we had a lot of trouble with clods during the harvesting." Vierboom indicates that he is exceptionally early this year. Trouw agrees with Van Erp's statement: "Just like Alex, we still have to plough the next plot. The grass has just been cut, now we still have to add manure. The same consideration applies here. Spread and soil type are very dependent and decisive in the planting schedule."
Not planted yet
René Mesken from Ravenswoud in Friesland has not planted his Gewastour plot yet. He thinks it is still too early. "If you plant early, you will have a relatively 'older' crop as the summer progresses. If you plant later, the 'younger' crop can survive a bit longer in summer during droughts."
First potatoes sprouted well
The early planting at Philip Kroes is now clearly visible. Despite the fact that the potatoes have been pre-germinated since January, Adriaan Wortman indicates: "The Gewastour plot is already quite eager and still has sufficient moisture at the tuber. The plot was fertilized with KAS last week and the plot will be tilled next week."
Jan Willem Veldman
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