When can you plant potatoes? When to plant potatoes: the right timing for a big harvest

Dates for planting potatoes in 2017 in the Moscow region: when to plant potatoes in 2017? A common question asked by almost every summer resident who wants to grow his own crops.

Planting has already become a tradition in the country, and potatoes are the most popular crop.

Usually the gardener looks to see if his neighbor's plot has been dug up and asks his friends when they plan to plant. Everyone wants to grow this unpretentious vegetable, even if there is no need to plant an entire field. Large delicious fruits will definitely appear if the landing is carried out in a timely manner.

How and when to plant

The quantity and quality of the harvest largely depends on the time of planting potatoes. Therefore, it is very important to observe the optimal planting time. You cannot start planting too early or delay it, as both are fraught with a decrease in yield. If the work is carried out too early, the vegetable will take a very long time to germinate, and if there is frost at night, which often happens in the spring in the northern regions, it may even die.

In the old days, people tied the days of annual potato planting to certain dates (for example, Easter), and followed nature, seeing folk signs that modern man over time I forgot. Early Easter indicated early spring, which means that potatoes could be planted earlier than in late spring.

In 2017, we celebrated the Holy Resurrection of Christ on April 16, and it is believed that spring is relatively early, although judging by the weather, this cannot be said. In general, in different climatic zones this “rule” works differently: in some places you can plant potatoes already in March, in others in April, and in others preferably in the first half of May.

Experienced gardeners say that traditionally it is customary to plant potatoes with sprouted roots in open ground at the end of April and complete all work in early May, but in recent years The weather is unstable, so you should mainly focus on whether the ground has warmed up.

In particular, potatoes can be planted if the soil at a depth of 8–10 centimeters (the depth of planting tubers) has warmed up to at least 6–8 degrees Celsius. It can be measured with a regular thermometer to determine the air temperature. But, in order not to run around with a thermometer and measure the soil temperature yourself, you can turn to folk signs.

Experienced gardeners in particular recommend focusing on earthworms. According to signs, if worms are actively swarming in the ground, then the soil has warmed up enough and is ready to accept potatoes. Among folk signs, which are used as a guide when planting potatoes, is also called the beginning of flowering of apricot, bird cherry or dandelion. But in a spring like this one, signs can fail, so it’s better to plant potatoes according to the weather.

Most often, when planting potatoes, they focus on the air temperature, which should be at least 15 degrees Celsius. It must be remembered that a plant in conditions of high humidity can die from various diseases, including fungal ones. Planting material, once in a puddle, will begin to rot. On some days the soil will be too dry, which will significantly reduce the harvest from each bush.

For these reasons, one cannot ignore favorable days for planting potatoes, which are calculated by scientists, astrologers and have long been determined by the folk calendar. According to statistics, the deviation from the optimal period for planting potatoes can be no more than 10 calendar days, otherwise fruiting will decrease several times.

Effect of planting period on yield

Most summer residents will choose the same days for planting potatoes in 2017 as usual. The opening of the dacha season occurs on the May holidays, when workers have free time. Following this rule does not always guarantee success. Of course, no one will take time off from work to plant root crops, but the process requires more responsibility than it seems.

By burying potatoes in the ground on certain days, the farmer will receive a good harvest. Not every period is suitable for planting a crop. The plant is unpretentious, but certain temperature changes will not benefit it. Late planting runs the risk that the fruits will not have time to grow due to autumn frosts. Potatoes react to lack of rain or severe dampness.

If you plant potatoes in early spring, the tubers will freeze because the soil has not yet warmed up. In conditions of high humidity, the plant has every chance of dying from a disease, including a fungal one, NewsTut reports. Planting material thrown into a puddle will begin to rot. On some days the soil will be too dry, which will significantly reduce the harvest from each bush.

For these reasons, one cannot ignore favorable days for planting potatoes, which are calculated by scientists, astrologers and have long been determined by the folk calendar. Statistics say that the deviation from the optimal period for planting potatoes can be no more than 10 calendar days, otherwise fruiting will decrease significantly.

The traditional vegetable in our country is potatoes. It is simply impossible to imagine a daily diet without it. A variety of side dishes and first courses are prepared from the root vegetable. It is included in many popular salads. In fact, every summer resident plants this crop on his plot.

The influence of the moon on potato yields

In order to get an impressive harvest, you should follow a number of recommendations. Use good raw materials, follow agricultural techniques and, of course, do not forget about the lunar sowing calendar. Among experienced farmers there is a term “favorable day for planting.” What are these special dates associated with? First of all, with the influence of the Earth’s natural satellite – the Moon. The life cycles of not only the animal, but also flora. The use of the lunar calendar for sowing is based on the patterns of interaction between the phases of the Moon and the growth of plant crops.

The main rule of the lunar calendar is to take into account the outgoing and new Moon. If it decreases, it is recommended to plant root crops that grow downward. But if the sun is young, it’s time to plant land plants, that is, crops that form from above.

This is explained by the fact that during the waning moon phase the root system is strengthened. But the above-ground part of the crop - stems and leaves - develops poorly. Growth occurs in diametrically opposite ways at the moment the Moon grows. Since potatoes are a crop that grows downwards, the recommended stage for planting them is the waning moon. On what days next year should you plant vegetables to get a big harvest?

When to plant potatoes?

In April 2017 there will be quite a lot of days to do work in the garden. The largest harvest can be harvested if you plant potatoes on the following dates: 6, 7, 10, 11. Planting on the 15th, 16th will give good results. The period falling on the 3rd, 5th, 19-25th will be less productive. But on all other days it is better to refuse to carry out such agrotechnical work altogether. The fruits will be few in number, the crop is prone to disease and vulnerable to pests.

It should also be taken into account that it is not recommended to carry out any work in the garden and vegetable garden, and even more so to plant crops on such days:

• full moon and new moon;
• solar or lunar eclipse;
• per day when the Moon is under the influence of Leo, Aquarius.

In addition, days when the Moon makes a transition from one zodiac sign to another are considered unfavorable days for sowing. Crops planted these days will not fully develop.

Do not forget about the general agrotechnical rules. Traditionally, it is customary to plant potatoes in open ground at the end of April and complete all work at the beginning of May, but in recent years the weather has been unstable. Therefore, you should mainly focus on whether the soil has warmed up. If the work is done too early, the vegetable will take a very long time to germinate. And if there is frost at night, which often happens in the spring, it may even die.

For summer residents, there is such a thing as favorable days for sowing crops at their summer cottage. All activities related to planting, processing, watering, and weeding of the soil must be carried out depending on the location of the moon. However, not everyone adheres to these recommendations, and therefore the yield is lower than expected.

The position of the moon in 2017 will have a direct impact on the development of potatoes. Being in different phases, the moon influences all living organisms, this also applies to plants. In this regard, you should prepare in advance for future work and, using the lunar calendar, select a more suitable period for this.

Favorable days for planting potatoes in April and May 2017 according to the lunar calendar

In 2017 the most suitable days The dates for planting potatoes are as follows:

• April: 9, 18, 22, 27, 28;
• May: 4, 7, 9, 19, 24, 31.

Unfavorable days

If you believe the lunar calendar, then the following days are unfavorable for dacha work. During this period, it is advisable to postpone all work related to planting potatoes:

• April: 11, 26.
• May: 11, 25.

Care after landing

A rich potato harvest can be obtained if the crop is provided with proper care, which begins even before germination. The tubers must receive the required amount of air. To do this, you need to constantly loosen the soil and remove weeds from the area.

Before the emergence of seedlings, a rake can be used for loosening; after the seedlings have appeared, only row spacing can be loosened. Loosening is especially necessary after the soil is moistened or after rain.

Also, measures for caring for potatoes include the following procedures: watering, hilling, fertilizing, protection from diseases and pests.

Watering potatoes. After planting the crop, watering may not be necessary. However, during the budding period, the soil must be kept moist. Watering is recommended in the evening. In dry weather, watering will need to be done more efficiently and abundantly. After moistening the soil, loosening must be carried out.

Hilling potatoes. As the culture develops, it is necessary to cultivate it. This event influences the formation of the future harvest. Hilling must be carried out twice during the entire season.

Hilling is carried out for the first time when the plants reach 14 - 16 cm in height, the next time - after a few weeks. It is advisable to carry out the procedure after rain or soil moisture.

Potato feeding. It is recommended to use slurry or chicken droppings as a top dressing for potatoes. If necessary, it is possible to add mineral fertilizers. However, before applying fertilizers, it is necessary to analyze the composition of the soil. Perhaps the soil is already sufficiently fertilized; in this case, fertilizing is not necessary.

Activities for processing potatoes. When growing a crop, it is necessary to remember the main pest of the crop. He is Colorado beetle. To combat the pest, you can use both traditional methods and chemical means.

As traditional methods This includes treating the area with wood ash or planting beans near a potato field. The following chemicals are used: Prestige, Aktara, Confidor.

In addition to pests, potatoes can be affected by various diseases. The most common are the following: late blight, rhizoctonia, scab, canker, stem rot, macrosporiosis, phomosis, brown spot and leaf bronze.

These diseases develop due to the spread of fungal infections. To combat diseases, you can use fungicides: Maxim, Topaz, Skor, copper oxychloride.

However, it must be remembered that treating crops with chemicals can have a detrimental effect on the crop. It is important to comply with the basic requirements when cultivating potatoes, in which case the harvest will be high and healthy.

To increase productivity and carry out quality work, it is best to turn to the lunar calendar for help. He will tell you the most favorable timing for carrying out work on a summer cottage.

Video

In conclusion, a short video describing planting potatoes:

Potatoes are one of the staple foods of many nations. Its importance is so great that potatoes are grown not only in agriculture, but also in private gardens and summer cottages - after all, there are potatoes grown with my own hands both more pleasant and tastier. The yield of a crop depends on climatic and weather conditions, the quality of the soil and the method of its cultivation, the quality of planting material, the timeliness of preventive treatment of tubers and soil, the amount of fertilizer applied to the soil, as well as many other factors. We decided to devote our article to growing potatoes in conditions summer cottage and intend to cover the following questions:

• – timing of planting potatoes in different spring months;
• – preparing potatoes for planting;
• – preparing the soil for planting potatoes;
• – planting potatoes with tubers;
• – growing potatoes from seeds;
• – caring for potatoes after planting.

When to plant potatoes in 2018

Planting potatoes in March

Potatoes are planted in the spring, when all frosts have passed and the soil at a depth of 10-12 cm has warmed up to 7-8 ºC. At this time, the leaves of the birch tree begin to bloom, and soon the bird cherry tree begins to bloom. Most often this happens in May: in Siberia - at the end of the month, and in middle lane, for example, in the Moscow region, potatoes can sometimes be planted as early as mid-May, or even at the end of April. IN Leningrad region They start planting a week later than in Moskovskaya. But in Ukraine and Krasnodar region Potatoes are planted in mid- and early April, and early potatoes can sometimes be planted even in March.

What dates for planting potatoes this spring does the astrological calendar offer us? Favorable days for planting potatoes in March, provided that the soil has warmed up and no more frosts are expected, occur from the 27th to the 29th.

Planting potatoes in April

Favorable days for planting potatoes in April are the 9th, 11th, 22nd, 27th and 28th of the month. It is better, of course, to start planting after Easter, that is, April 22, 27 or 28. Potato tops do not tolerate frost and die at temperatures of -1-3 ºC. The optimal temperature for potato growth is considered to be from 16 to 22 ºC.

Planting potatoes in May

In the last spring month, potatoes can be planted on the following days: 4th, 7th, 9th, 19th, 24th and 31st. Ural gardeners should take into account that the further north their city is on the map, the later the earth will warm up and the night frosts will end. And Siberia is so large that in different parts of it the conditions necessary for planting potatoes occur in different times, and in some places potatoes can only be sown in early June.

Preparing potatoes for planting

Processing potatoes before planting

If you want to get a good potato harvest, you need to take the preparation of planting material responsibly. The tubers are sorted out, unproductive and diseased ones are discarded - those affected by rot, forming weak shoots or not forming them at all. Then the tubers need to be treated against diseases and pests. Our website already has an article about what means are used to treat potatoes against diseases, and what means against pests, and which of these means are the least toxic. Let us only recall that to repel the Colorado potato beetle, wireworms, aphids and others harmful insects the drugs used are Maxim, Matador Grand, Cruiser, Tabu, Imidor, Picus, Prestige, Commander and Celeste Top. And you can protect the tubers from fungal diseases by treating them with a solution of one teaspoon of copper sulfate in 3 liters of water or fungicides Fitosporin-M, Quadris, Maxim and Kolfug in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

For pest protection purposes, adjacent plantings of potato bushes with dill, basil, calendula, coriander or beans are used. A handful of wood ash thrown into the hole when planting also repels pests and pathogens of fungal diseases from potato tubers. Soaking the tubers for half an hour before planting in this composition protects potatoes well from diseases: dissolve 1 g of potassium permanganate in 10 liters of water, 20 g boric acid and 10 g of copper sulfate. After processing, the tubers need to be dried. There is another way to protect potatoes from fungal infections: dissolve 1 kg of wood ash in a bucket of water and dip the potatoes into the solution directly in the net. This method, moreover, allows the tubers to obtain a supply of potassium.

In order to prepare the tubers for spring planting, you will need from 3 to 30 days - it all depends on which method you choose. However, it is worth remembering that express methods are not always reliable, and it is advisable to use them in parallel with proven methods of preparing, planting and growing potatoes.

Before planting, the tubers need to be germinated - to stimulate the formation of strong, healthy sprouts from the awakened buds on the tubers. Germination can be dry or wet. For dry germination you will need from 20 to 40 days, a certain temperature regime, as well as good lighting for the formation of solanine in the tubers, which gives the potato resistance to diseases, rodents and exposure to adverse conditions. It is most convenient to germinate tubers on the floor or in boxes, laying them in one or two layers. For the first two weeks, in order to awaken sleeping eyes, the temperature is maintained within 18-20 ºC, but then it is gradually lowered to 10-14 ºC - in such conditions the sprouts will not stretch.

If you prefer to germinate the tubers using a wet method, sprinkle them with moistened peat, humus or sawdust and keep them at a temperature of 12 to 15 ºC, without allowing the substrate to dry out. During the germination process, not only sprouts are formed in the tubers, but also roots, thanks to which, after planting, seedlings appear much faster. Potatoes are germinated using the wet method for no more than 2-3 weeks. However, if for some reason the planting of tubers is postponed, you need to lower the temperature to slow down the development of the seedlings.

You can use dry and wet germination in combination: germinate the tubers in the light for three weeks, and when sprouts appear, transfer the potatoes to moist peat for 10 days to stimulate the regrowth of roots at the base of the sprouts.

To awaken the eyes, you can use the drying procedure. To do this, the tubers are kept for a week or two at a temperature of 16 ºC and above, spread out in one or two layers. During this time, the tubers lose moisture, but at the same time accumulate enzymes that awaken the eyes and accelerate the growth of shoots.

In cases where time is pressing, they resort to a preparatory procedure such as warming up. A week before planting, the planting material removed from the cellar is placed for 2-3 days at a temperature of 10-15 ºC, and then for 3-4 days the temperature is raised to 20-22 ºC.

There are cases when potatoes suddenly begin to grow ahead of time, but large sprouts should not be allowed to appear, because they easily break off and take too much strength and nutrition from the tuber. What to do in this case? You can carefully, trying not to damage the eyes, break off the sprouts as early as possible - this way you will delay the germination of the potatoes. However, you can resort to this procedure no more than twice - the third sprout will have to be left. You can also use the sprouts as seedlings: when they reach a length of 4-6 cm, and the beginnings of roots appear, the sprouts are carefully separated from the tuber and planted in a moist substrate - for example, a mixture of seedling soil, peat and sawdust. The planting pattern for the sprouts is 6x4 cm, and they need to be buried 2/3.

Fertilizing potatoes before planting

Potatoes, unlike other garden crops, do not need to be fed during growth, since during the growing season the nutrients are almost not absorbed by the tubers. It is much more important to fertilize the soil when preparing the site or to fertilize the potatoes when planting them in a hole to ensure high quality and large volumes of the future harvest. What fertilizers do potatoes prefer? He loves complex compositions, for example, Nitroammofoska, Azofoska or Kemira Potato, which optimally balance the elements necessary for the crop. Potatoes need potassium more than nitrogen, and wood ash, potassium chloride or potassium salt can completely provide tubers with potassium. Of the nitrogen fertilizers, carbamide or urea is preferred, which increases yield, but ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate can also be used to fertilize potatoes. And among phosphate fertilizers, ammophos, as well as ammoniated or double superphosphate, are more suitable for potatoes.

When growing potatoes over large areas, mineral fertilizers will cost you a lot, so it is better to use organic matter, which contains all the substances that potatoes need - nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, calcium and sulfur. In addition, organic fertilizers are a source of easily digestible compounds that allow the accumulation of humus in the soil and improve it physical properties, and in saline soils, organic matter weakens the inhibitory effect of toxic compounds on plant development. It is also important that the decomposition of organic matter contributes to a significant increase in carbon dioxide in the ground layer of air, which allows new tubers to grow healthy and large. Among organic fertilizers, bone meal, bird droppings, slurry, humus and compost have proven themselves well. Bird droppings must be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:15 before application. But the best way to enrich a potato bed is nutrients green manure.

For each type of soil there is its own norm of mineral and organic fertilizers per one hundred square meters of potato bed:

• for fertile soils - 2-2.5 kg of superphosphate and manure/compost and no more than 1.5 kg of potash fertilizers;
• for soils of average fertility, up to 3 kg of manure/compost, the same amount of nitrogen fertilizer, 2.5 kg of potassium and 3-4 kg of phosphorus fertilizers will be required;
• in poor, depleted soil you will need to add 1 kg of ammonium nitrate, 3 kg of superphosphate and a lot of humus.

However, it should be remembered that it is much more dangerous to overfeed potatoes with fertilizers than to underfeed them: on soil overloaded with nutrition, the tubers will grow frail, tasteless, indigestible, and only the tops will be powerful and thick. You need to be especially careful in this regard with potash fertilizers. As for manure, let us remind you once again that it can only be used in its rotted form, otherwise the potatoes will simply burn out. And as humus, manure can provoke potato scab disease.

When planting potatoes, mineral fertilizers are placed directly into the hole, because the roots of the plant develop only in the surface layer, but Nitrophoska and Nitroammofoska are applied during the spring digging of the site, and compost and manure - during the autumn. Green manures - vetch, clover, annual lupine or peas - are sown in a potato field before winter. When planting potatoes, you can add potassium sulfate, double superphosphate, ammonium nitrate, ash, humus and complex fertilizers into the holes. After planting, you can water the holes with a solution chicken manure at the rate of 1 liter of solution per 1 well.

How to plant potatoes

The most common folk method among amateurs is planting potatoes “under a shovel.” Less known is the trench planting method. They also use the Dutch technology (planting potatoes in ridges), the Mittlider method (growing tubers in ridges), the Gülich method (forming a multi-tiered bush), planting potatoes in a barrel, in a bag, in a hole, in a hill, under a black film, under straw and others in original and sometimes witty ways.

Planting potatoes with a hiller

Plowing, planting, weeding, hilling and other garden tasks can be made easier if you use a walk-behind tractor for these works. And for planting potatoes, a walk-behind tractor with a hiller is used. A hiller and lug wheels are mounted on the unit to cut even furrows in the soil into which the tubers are manually placed. Then the lug wheels are replaced with rubber ones corresponding to the track width, the tubers are covered with soil and compacted.

If you need to plant potatoes large area, then use a walk-behind tractor with a potato planter. The lug wheels and potato planter are mounted on the unit, after which the parameters are adjusted for further work. First, prepare the soil: plowing, harrowing and moistening the area. Then the correct ridges are cut. A potato planter, equipped with furrow makers, a device for feeding tubers and a hiller for embedding them, simultaneously makes furrows in the soil, places tubers in them and covers them with soil.

Methods for planting potatoes with tubers

Novice gardeners and vegetable gardeners often come to us with the same question: how to plant potatoes? There are many planting methods, and we will try to introduce you to the most productive of them.

Planting potatoes under a shovel

This is the most common planting method: dig holes 8-10 cm deep with a shovel, place potatoes in the holes, add humus/compost, ash or complex mineral fertilizers, after which the holes are sealed. When planting is completed, the surface of the area is leveled with a rake to prevent moisture loss. The disadvantage of this method is that caring for the bushes will not be very convenient.

Trench method of planting potatoes

This method of growing potatoes is more labor-intensive, but it allows you to grow a crop twice as large as when planting “under a shovel.” They prepare the area for the trench method in the fall: dig a trench along the length of the bed and up to half a meter deep, fill the trench with a mixture of humus, manure, peat and straw and leave it until spring. After the snow melts, the trench is covered with black film so that the soil warms up faster. As soon as optimal conditions for planting potatoes are formed, the prepared tubers are planted in a trench, covered with a mixture of humus/compost and turf soil in equal parts and again covered with film. Shoots usually appear after two weeks - they also need to be covered with a mixture of turf and humus and covered again with black film. As soon as the shoots appear again, the procedure is repeated, and only when the shoots grow through the soil for the third time, holes are made in the film for them. This technique allows you to retain moisture in the soil longer, suppresses weeds and frees you from hilling potatoes.

Planting potatoes using Dutch technology

The essence of this method is that the tubers are planted in ridges located at a distance of 75 cm from each other, and the distance between the tubers in the row is kept about 30 cm. This planting is carried out using a walk-behind tractor with a cultivator and a plow. During the growing season, potatoes are watered three times, and hilling is replaced by filling the ridges with soil from the inter-row spaces. Dutch technology makes it possible to obtain up to 2 kg of tubers from one potato bush, characterized by excellent taste and good shelf life.

Planting potatoes using the Mittlider method

The American vegetable grower Mittlider has developed a method in which potatoes are planted in beds about half a meter wide with row spacing of 75-100 cm. With such row spacing, it is very convenient to care for growing potatoes. In order to control weeds and to save water when watering, a shaft of earth is made around the perimeter of the beds. In areas with a slope, potatoes are planted in long boxes filled with fertile soil. During the growing season, potatoes are fed three times and watered regularly, but there is no need to hill up the bushes. Using the Mittlider method, you can reduce the sown area by three times, while increasing the yield - you can get up to 550 kg of potatoes from one hundred square meters.

Planting potatoes using the Gülich method

A special feature of the method is that an area of ​​1 m² is allocated for each bush. The plot for potatoes is divided into squares of 1x1 m, in each square a circular shaft of quail manure is formed, in the center of which loose soil is poured, into which a large tuber is planted top down. As soon as shoots begin to grow around the tuber, soil is poured into the center of the ring they form. This is done so that the soil rejects the shoots, and they begin to grow to the sides of the tuber, like rays. When leaves appear on the shoots, you need to add soil again to the center - this procedure is repeated several times until a potato bush with several tiers is formed around the tuber. With regular watering and feeding, one plant can produce up to 16 kg of tubers.

Growing potatoes under a hill

Using this method, you can get up to one and a half tons of potatoes from one hundred square meters of land. It was developed by Prokopchik, a potato grower from Belarus. In the fall, mineral fertilizers and rotted manure are applied to the site for digging at the rate of 2-3 buckets per m². In spring, circles with a diameter of 1.5-2 m are marked on the surface and potato tubers are laid out along their perimeter at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other. As sprouts appear on the tubers, use a hoe to rake a mound of soil 30-40 cm high, and make a funnel at its top so that when watering, the water does not flow down the walls of the mound, but gets inside the cone. With this method of cultivation, plants develop a powerful root layer with many tubers.

Growing potatoes in barrels

This method is suitable for those who have small plot and there is no way to allocate a bed for potatoes. For cultivation, use a metal or plastic barrel without a bottom, making small holes in the vessel around the circumference at different heights to drain excess water and aerate the soil. A 10 cm thick layer of compost mixed in half with soil is placed at the bottom of the barrel, on which potato tubers are laid in a checkerboard pattern. The potatoes are covered with the same layer of compost soil. As soon as the shoots appear, they are sprinkled with soil and compost - and so on until the barrel is filled to a height of 1 m. The potatoes are watered from time to time and fed with complex fertilizer. At proper care from one barrel you can get a bag of potatoes.

Growing potatoes in bags

This method is similar to the previous one: drainage is poured into sugar bags, on which the tubers are laid. As soon as they sprout, they are sprinkled with compost mixed with soil - this is done several times. Potatoes in bags require watering and fertilizing. This method significantly saves space on the site and does not require significant physical effort. Using the same principle, you can grow potatoes in a hole measuring 90x90 cm, about half a meter deep.

There is a great way to grow potatoes that is almost a hundred years old. The authorship belongs to the Russian vegetable grower Rytov. The potato bed is compacted and the tubers are placed on its surface, lightly pressing them into the soil. The potatoes are covered with a layer of damp, crushed straw 15-20 cm thick on top. There is no need to hill up the bushes with this method. And if you make a layer of straw 25 cm thick and cover the area with black film, you can rid the potatoes of weeds and pests. When the shoots grow and begin to come into contact with the film, you need to make slits in it for them.

On clay soils, potatoes are also planted under straw: shallow (10-15 cm) and narrow (the width of a shovel bayonet) holes are made at a distance of 1 m from each other, sprouted potatoes are placed in them and the entire area is covered with a layer of straw. As soon as the potatoes sprout, the field is covered with straw again. The third time, only the potato bushes are sprinkled with straw - instead of hilling. In such a field, the weeds die, and the potatoes grow well.

Planting potatoes under film

The area, filled with fertilizers in the fall, is loosened, watered and covered with black film, sprinkling it around the edges with earth or securing it with pegs. Cross-shaped slits are made in the film with a knife, through which sprouted tubers are planted into the soil to a depth of 5-7 cm, and covered with a mound of earth 6-8 cm high on top. Plants are watered and fed by pouring water or a nutrient solution into the slits in the film. When harvesting potatoes, the tops are cut off, the film is removed, and then the tubers are collected almost from the surface of the plot.

Growing potatoes from seeds

Some gardeners prefer to grow potatoes from seeds. Why are they attracted to the seed method of propagation? Firstly, seeds are much cheaper than elite tubers, especially since when purchasing it is almost impossible to distinguish ordinary seed tubers from elite ones, and by paying for the elite, you can get the third, fifth or tenth reproduction. Secondly, the seeds do not require keeping in a cold cellar, take up little space and remain viable for 6 to 10 years. Thirdly, bushes and tubers grown from seeds are not susceptible to bacterial and viral diseases. Fourthly, the yield of potatoes grown from seeds is much higher. Well, in the end, tubers grown from seeds give good harvests for 5-7 years: in the first year the seeds produce mini-tubers, in the second and third years - super-elite, in the fourth year - elite, in the fifth - first reproduction, etc.

When propagating potatoes from seeds, the seedling method is usually used. You will need soil, containers and a place on the windowsill. The soil should be loose and fertile: to one part of the soil you need to add four parts of peat and the biological product Trichodermin (5 grams per 5 liters of soil mixture). Potato seeds are sown for seedlings in late February or early March. Before sowing, seeds are germinated by wrapping them in a damp cloth and placing them in a plastic container. On the fifth to seventh day they will sprout small sprouts, but before that you need to ventilate them daily and make sure that the fabric does not dry out. The sprouted seeds are carefully placed on compacted, moist soil, covered with a 1 cm thick layer of sand, sprayed with a spray bottle, covered with film and placed on a well-lit windowsill. Some gardeners prefer to grow seedlings not in the ground, but in wet sawdust.

Potato seedlings are much more capricious than tomato and eggplant seedlings - they need a lot of light, nutrients and very loose soil, in addition, it is easily affected by blackleg, so the seedlings are watered moderately. From time to time, seedlings are treated with Epin's solution, fed with complex mineral fertilizer once a month and, if possible, provided with additional lighting. After three to four weeks, the seedlings are planted in separate large pots, deepening them along the cotyledons, and by the end of April, when it gets warmer, the seedlings can be moved to the balcony.

In general, it is better to plant seedlings in a greenhouse or hotbed, and only in the second year will the tubers be ready for planting in open ground, but since not everyone has the opportunity to grow potatoes in a greenhouse, in mid-May potato seedlings are planted in a garden bed, choosing a cloudy day for this. day. The holes are placed at a distance of 40 cm from each other, filled with humus and ash and watered. The seedlings are placed so that the stems are horizontal and covered with soil so that only the tops of the plants remain above the surface. After planting, the bed is mulched with last year’s leaves or straw, metal arches are installed and covering material is pulled over them, which can only be removed in June, when summer finally arrives.

In areas with a southern climate, you can grow potatoes from seeds in a seedless way: in a bed with loose soil, or even better, in a warm bed, make holes 10-12 cm deep at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other, place 2-3 sprouted seeds in them and sprinkle with a layer of coconut substrate, sand or loose soil half a centimeter thick. As the seedlings grow, soil is poured into the holes, then the plants are hilled up twice. Otherwise, caring for potatoes from seeds is the same as caring for those growing from tubers.

How to care for potatoes open ground? Care begins even before germination. Since the tubers need access to air, it is provided by loosening the soil, while simultaneously removing emerging weeds. It is advisable to loosen the soil on the site after each watering and rain, so that a crust does not form on the surface. Potatoes are earthed up when the seedlings reach a height of 15-18 cm.

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April and May are the main months for planting vegetables, including potatoes.

About how to prepare planting material, in what time frame according to Lunar calendar Gardeners and gardeners plant potatoes in April and May, you will learn from today's article.

The term “Gardener’s Lunar Calendar” is probably familiar even to beginners in this business. It is a list of calendar dates indicating the phases of the Moon and the zodiac signs in which it is located.

Such a calendar is an indispensable assistant for the gardener: crops planted in accordance with it are more stress-resistant and high-yielding, regardless of the variety.

The Moon, as a satellite of the Earth, influences all life on our planet, and garden plants are no exception. Depending on what phase it is in, waning, waxing, full moon or new moon, gardeners can find out whether it is worth planting on a particular day and when it is best to do it.

Root crops and potatoes in particular are usually planted during the waning Moon, since it is believed that with this phase of the satellite the roots and underground parts of plants develop better.

The most successful constellations in this case are Taurus, Virgo, Scorpio and Capricorn.

Using the Lunar calendar, a gardener has a much better chance of getting a healthy and rich harvest, avoiding the death of planting material in the ground and plant diseases. When to plant potatoes in April and May?

Favorable and unfavorable days for planting

The dates that are most successful for planting a particular crop are called favorable.

There are also unfavorable days on which it is not recommended to carry out a certain type of work.

In the case of plantings in general, it is better to wait out the new moon and full moon phases and do something else: for example, cleaning the area, or just relax.

Favorable days for planting potatoes:

In April 2019:

• from 21st to 22nd. The waning moon is in Scorpio;
• 25th. Waning Moon in Capricorn.

In May 2019:

• from 1st to 4th. The waning moon is in Aries. This is not the most favorable sign, however, given that on May 5 there is a new moon, and then a waxing moon until the 18th, it is better to finish planting potatoes on these days.
• if you did not manage to finish the work at the beginning of May, favorable days will also come on the 22nd and 23rd, when the waning Moon will be in the constellation Capricorn.

It is clear that you should not be guided only by calendar data; you also need to soberly assess the weather conditions at the site.

To plant potatoes, the ground must be warmed to 6 °C, otherwise the planting material will simply freeze.

The most unfavorable dates for planting potatoes in 2019 are:

• April 19, May 19. Full moon. Any type of work with garden crops is not recommended at all.
• April 5, May 5. New moon. All operations carried out with plants are also prohibited.

How to plant potatoes correctly in April and May

In order to grow the earliest potatoes, they are planted already at the end of the second or third ten days of April, provided that the ground has warmed up sufficiently. If due to weather conditions the ground has not warmed up to 6 °C, planting is postponed until May.

Variety selection

For April plantings, the most suitable are early potato varieties, the so-called “early ripening” ones, which can be dug up after 60...65 days. When planting potatoes for storage, it is better not to choose early-ripening varieties, but to plant them in May.

The choice of variety depends on the wishes of the gardener himself and on what he wants to get in the end.

Here, indicators such as the color of the pulp, peel, disease resistance, tuber size, harvest yield, etc. are usually important. Nowadays, there are varieties of potatoes on which the Colorado potato beetle does not settle. In this case we are talking about the stiffness of the tops.

However, there is a high probability that planting several varieties in one place will provoke a greater accumulation of them on the first ones.

Preparation of planting material

Gardeners receive planting tubers in different ways: some store and select them themselves, others buy ready-made material. It is a small tuber weighing about 50 grams.

Of course, they must be healthy, without signs of rot or other diseases.

In any case, the potatoes will have to be germinated before planting. Basically, boxes with decomposed tubers are taken to outdoor greenhouses and wait for sprouts to appear.

In addition, any other place where it is not too hot and has good lighting is suitable for germination.

Good planting tubers have plump sprouts, and the process of growing them lasts about two weeks.

It would not be superfluous to use some kind of fungicide to prevent the occurrence of fungal diseases, as well as soak it in a wireworm repellent.

Fertilizer application

Usually seat They prepare potatoes for potatoes in the fall; when planting, they only add the necessary fertilizers: from organic, humus is preferable in the amount of 1 bucket/m², and from minerals - 1 cup of ash and 2 tbsp. superphosphate per m².

Subsequently, the potatoes are fed with fertilizers high in phosphorus and potassium.

Landing in the ground

An important criterion for direct planting in the ground is maintaining a distance of 60x70.

Planting depth also plays an important role and largely depends on the type of soil on the site.

It is clear that on heavy clay soils, tubers are planted closer to the surface - a depth of 7...8 cm. For lighter types of soil, this parameter ranges from 8 to 12 cm. correct landing Shoots of early potato varieties will appear in early May.

Potatoes are one of the most popular crops grown in Russian areas. In order to be the very first to enjoy young potatoes, it is necessary to plant them at the end of April - beginning of May.

Guided by the simple instructions given above and the favorable days on the Lunar calendar for planting potatoes in April and May, even a novice gardener will grow a rich harvest.