When to plant potatoes in April Planting potatoes. Favorable conditions for planting potatoes. Determination of landing dates

It should be noted that favorable days for planting potatoes do not primarily depend on the calendar date, but on what year it was. Sometimes spring is early, the earth warms up quickly, even the flowering of plants is ahead of the usual time. Sometimes, on the contrary, frosts last until the end of May, dampness and lack of solar heat do not allow starting planting work longer than usual. Therefore, gardeners and summer residents tie the dates of their work to the calendar very conditionally, focusing on a variety of signs of optimal time.

How not to miss the optimal time

Planting time directly affects the yield of this crop. If you plant potatoes too early, you can get seedlings damaged by frost, with excessive moisture, the potato becomes sick, as a result of which the conceived one dies altogether. In the case when the most suitable time is missed and the potatoes are planted too late, there is a risk of losing part of the crop due to the soil being too dry during planting.

The landing time also depends on the region. As you know, in different areas, warm weather sets in at different times. In the central part of Russia, potatoes are traditionally planted in mid-May, in the eastern regions - at the end of the month or even in June, depending on the depth of soil heating. To determine the optimal time, it is worth knowing that the earth should warm up to +7 ° C to a depth of about 10 cm. There are places where such indicators are observed only in June or July. In such regions, growing potatoes can be very difficult.

You can also determine the readiness of the soil for planting potatoes visually, in other words, “by eye”. There are a number of true signs that help summer residents to navigate in time.

In order to determine the appropriate time for planting, you should pay attention to the following signs:

various insects, worms have awakened and are actively swarming in the soil;
dandelions bloom;
small leaves appeared on the birch;
cherry blossoms bloomed.

As a rule, all these signs appear at about the same time - at the end or second half of May. However, there is such a thing as "bird cherry cold". This period falls on the time of cherry blossom and is characterized by a sharp drop in air temperature. This does not mean that frost will certainly come, it may be cool, but the soil will retain the desired level of warmth. If frost hits, and this also happens, then some part of the planting can be lost. Therefore, it is better to play it safe and study all available sources reporting the weather forecast.

By the way, you can also do this in order to find out at what time it is expected to rain. Precipitation is quite common in May. Of course, no one will plant potatoes during the rain, but time does not stand still, and the best time can simply be missed. Therefore, it is impossible to give an unambiguous answer to the question of what date it is better to plant potatoes. Finding the best time is a constant balance between climatic and weather conditions.

Sometimes it happens that the rain that began at the end of May continues with minor interruptions in June and July. If this is the case, then this is an extremely unfavorable environment for growing potatoes, since the tubers of this crop are prone to decay with excess moisture. Nothing can be done here, you just need to understand that in such conditions you can not expect a bountiful harvest.

The dependence of the result on the landing time

In this case, we are not even talking about the amount of the crop, which is influenced by the correctly determined planting date, but about other features. Some do not grow potatoes on a large scale, but plant a little, in order to taste young potatoes as early as July. It is not even the quantity of the crop that is important here, but its presence in principle. Therefore, if you want to get the result already in the middle of summer, you need to plant tubers in April. A more or less suitable time for planting the first potatoes is the second half of the month. Of course, this is possible if we are talking about the central and southern regions of the country, since in other regions it is unlikely that this crop will be planted before the end of May or even in June.

To grow potatoes for storage, they should still be planted taking into account the traditional requirements described above. First of all, because it is done for practical reasons. The harvest should be plentiful, and the tubers should reach a condition in which they will be able to lie in the cellar until spring. Therefore, it is recommended to massively plant potatoes not earlier than the second half of May, as a last resort, if the year is very cold and the spring is late, in June. If the term was chosen correctly, shoots will appear in less than a month.

Selection and preparation of tubers

Of course, it is very important to correctly determine the time when it is necessary to plant potatoes, but it is equally important to choose its variety. There are many varieties of this crop, each of which has certain characteristics, requirements for conditions, ripening period, etc. You can always choose the most suitable for growing in a particular region, even if the climate is neither particularly warm nor abundant in the sun. There are varieties of early ripeness or late ripening, you can plant both of them, while harvesting as the tubers ripen.

It is recommended to plant several varieties of potatoes at the same time, since each of them can end up with a different number of tubers. You should not plant the same variety from year to year, it is better to try new options, exchange planting material with someone, you can from time to time acquire varieties imported from other regions or even countries. The more choices, the better the result. For example, early ripening varieties planted at the end of April can begin to be tasted as early as July, and late varieties planted in the second half of May are perfect for winter storage.

Between the rows of potatoes during planting, rotted manure can be poured, this will greatly increase the yield.
Tubers intended for planting must meet the following main requirements:
the tuber is hard, without signs of decay;
the presence of small rudiments, or "eyes";
rudiments greenish, not dry and not rotten;
the rudiments are not too long (the possibility of breakage during planting is excluded);
tubers are not too small and not huge (a large tuber can be cut, but so that the rudiments are preserved on each piece).

The preparation of tubers does not require much effort, the main thing is to achieve pecking of the "eyes". To do this, it is enough to place the potatoes in a well-lit place for a couple of weeks. Then, when the time is right for planting, plant the tubers in the ground. The landing site should be as open as possible and well lit by the sun.
It is better to plant tubers in a checkerboard pattern, this saves space and allows you to process bushes more comfortably. Caring for potatoes during the growth period consists in hilling and spraying from pests. Potatoes also suffer from various diseases, such as late blight. There are two fairly effective methods of prevention. Firstly, it is necessary to carefully clean the area from which the potatoes were harvested, destroying the remains of tops and tubers. On the rotting remains of both, foci of various diseases develop. Secondly, it is worth choosing a variety that is resistant to this disease, especially if the problem is already taking place.

Even the smallest crop rotation allows you to increase the yield of potatoes by 2 times. If there are not so many options for choosing a place, you should at least alternate two of them, planting potatoes on one, and something else on the other. Swap next year.
In any case, it is worth trying and experimenting. Growing potatoes is such a common practice that you can always turn to someone for advice or planting material. A product grown on its own plot is always a great joy. It is both healthier and tastier than bought. And with large planting volumes, it also allows you to significantly save money, since you will have to go to the cellar for potatoes, not to the store. If you follow all the tips, choose the right potato variety and planting time, the result will definitely please the gardener.

A potato is an amazing root crop - with a competent approach, it gives ten from one bucket.

But this plant needs attention. A negligent summer resident can collect even less in the fall than he planted. So "where to plant, what to plant, when to plant" are far from idle questions.

Seven Conditions for a Good Harvest

1 Seed quality. A lot depends on it. The fact is that viral and fungal diseases are easily transmitted along with tubers. In addition, potatoes tend to degenerate. This should also be remembered when choosing planting tubers. Examine each potato carefully so that there are no spots, dents or scars on it. It is also important to consider where the varieties are zoned and the ripening time: early, medium, late. And, of course, the characteristics of the variety, such as resistance to diseases. Tubers can be selected according to the number and arrangement of sprouts. It is better to take those in which the sprouts are located over the entire surface.

2 Tuber size. Tubers weighing 25-30 grams are considered small, up to 80 grams are medium, and 80-100 grams are large. Often summer residents prefer to plant the same medium tubers. But it is these tubers that often appear from degenerate, weakened plants. So don't worry about size. You can plant even very small potatoes, but you should put 3-4 pieces in the holes. It is clear that large tubers are able to give a greater yield, but more of them are needed. Sometimes cut tubers are also used for planting, the main thing is that there should be at least three eyes on the cut, in extreme cases, two.

3 Tuber preparation. This is a very important step. Activities that ensure the preplant germination of seed tubers are called vernalization. You can not plant potatoes that have just been pulled out of the cellar. Before planting, seed tubers are placed in a room with a temperature of plus 12-15 degrees in diffused light for two to three weeks. Otherwise, the potatoes will germinate for a very long time. Light greens, and heat accelerates the development of the kidneys. When using germinated tubers, seedlings appear on the 8-14th day, and the crop ripens a week or two earlier. And, importantly, after that it can be half as high. In the tubers prepared in this way, the protective properties are enhanced, bacteria and pathogenic fungi are killed.

If you are not planting very many potatoes, you can do wet sprouting. The tubers are laid out in baskets or boxes with eyes up at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other and sprinkled with peat or sawdust, which should be kept moist during the entire germination period. Such potatoes germinate very quickly, but make sure that they do not suffer from frost.

Did not have time to germinate - spend at least wilting. To do this, potato tubers need to be decomposed in any dry place at a temperature of 14-16 C for 8-10 days.

Two days before planting, a solution of superphosphate should be prepared, and on the day of planting, add ammonium nitrate or urea. Dip the tubers in this solution. To resist the fungal microflora, you can put them for 20 minutes in a solution of boric acid: 50 grams per ten liters of water with the addition of 10 grams of copper sulfate. Before throwing the tuber into the hole, it should be powdered with wood ash.

4 Landing place. The most common mistake of inexperienced gardeners is to grow potatoes in the same place year after year. At the same time, we recall that it is not worth planting after tomatoes - both crops belonging to the nightshade family suffer from the same diseases. The best predecessors for potatoes are onions, garlic, cucumbers, radishes, radishes, cabbage, beans, green peas and other cruciferous or legumes. In the same place, potatoes can be planted only after 3-4 years.

Potatoes prefer light, cultivated loam or sandy loam soils. On heavy and stony, it develops poorly, the tubers grow deformed.

5 Fertilizers. Potatoes are very demanding on soil fertility. Therefore, it is necessary to apply nitrogen and potassium fertilizers to the area allotted for potatoes. Very tasty potatoes grow on rotted manure or on peat-and-dung compost. But fresh manure worsens its taste, besides it causes infection of tubers with scab and reduces the yield. Potatoes are very responsive to the introduction of ash - 300 grams per square meter. Organic fertilizers are usually applied for autumn digging, and in spring the soil is loosened with a pitchfork. If there is little fertilizer, then compost or humus and ash are applied directly to the hole.

6 Boarding times. The most successful time is considered to be the time of birch buds blooming. But in a spring like this, omens can fail. Plant potatoes better not by date, but by weather. She will not survive severe frosts. Has the soil warmed up at a depth of 10 cm to plus six or seven degrees? The time has come! And if the temperature is plus nine or ten degrees, the potatoes will feel even more comfortable.

7 landing technologies. Usually tubers are planted in rows. For early varieties, they maintain a distance between beds of 50 centimeters, and between holes in a row - 25-35. For mid-season and mid-late varieties, the distance between rows is 60-70 centimeters, and between tubers - at least 35-40. But a greater distance, if the area allows, can be done. It is better to plant potatoes on a string, then it will be easy to process. If there is little moisture, plant the tubers on a flat surface to a depth of 5-6 centimeters. Where groundwater is close, and in low areas it is better to prefer landing on ridges. In dry places - in trenches or separate holes.

Experienced Tips

With the same size, healthy tubers have more weight. You can select them by placing them in a solution of urea, potassium salt. Healthy ones sink, and sick, empty ones have buoyancy.

The timing of planting cut potatoes is very important. Freshly cut tubers are planted in warm soil. Cold cuts can rot. If you still decide to plant early, then the potatoes should not be cut immediately before planting, but ten days in advance. During this time, the sections will be covered with a cork layer.

When pre-germinating potatoes in the light every five days, the tubers are carefully shifted so that the lower eyes with sprouts are on top.

Beginning vegetable growers are wondering - When to plant potatoes outdoors? This question is very serious. In this article we will try to answer it in detail. We will tell you how to choose the right time for landing.

In Russia, potatoes are called the second bread. Today it is simply impossible to imagine those times when, a long time ago, in Rus' they did not know what a potato was. Almost all summer residents grow potatoes on their plots, and the owners of household plots, most of their gardens, are sown with this particular vegetable.

Potatoes in Russia are one of the most sought-after and popular food products. You can cook an unlimited number of different dishes from potatoes. Therefore, it is not surprising that this vegetable is grown almost throughout Russia.

In our country there is a certain cult of growing potatoes. The whole country in the spring on the May holidays seeks to plow gardens and plant potatoes.

When to plant potatoes? How to choose the right time for sowing seeds? These are very serious issues that require the right approach.

Only the correct calculation of the timing of planting potatoes will lead you to success. If planted too early, the tubers will germinate very poorly due to the cold soil. There is also a chance that the tuber will be affected by frost. If planted too late, there is a chance that the potatoes will not have time to grow and give a good harvest.

Deviation from the correct planting dates greatly reduces the yield.

The timing of planting potatoes is very dependent on such important factors as:

The climate zone in which you live.
Weather.
How to grow potatoes.

Let's analyze the issue of choosing landing dates based on these factors.

When to plant potatoes in the Moscow region and Central Russia?

In Central Russia, there are quite favorable conditions for growing potatoes. In the Moscow region and other cities in the central part of the country, potatoes are planted during the May holidays. People have a weekend and they consider this a great reason to plant potatoes. Unfortunately, this is not always correct. Here it is very important to look at the weather conditions and the "warmth" of the soil.

The most optimal time for planting potatoes in the center of Russia comes when the threat of frost has passed and the soil temperature at a depth of 10 centimeters is 7-8 degrees above zero.

You can determine this period very simply - bird cherry and dandelions begin to bloom.

These conditions are suitable in order to correctly understand when to plant potatoes in such regions of Russia as:

Tver region
Smolensk region
Yaroslavl region
Moscow region
Vladimir region
Kaluga region
Bryansk region
Tula region
Oryol Region
Kursk region
Voronezh region
Lipetsk region
Tambov Region
Penza region

and other cities and regions of Central Russia and the Volga region.

How to plant potatoes early.

You can plant potatoes much earlier. It is only necessary to change the method of cultivation from classical to cultivation under straw. The fact is that the upper layers of the soil are warmed up much better than the lower ones. And the method of planting potatoes under straw does not imply deepening the seeds under the soil. The tubers are laid directly on the ground, and covered with straw on top.

This is a very rational way.

You can read more about planting potatoes under straw in this article -.

When to plant potatoes in southern Russia?

In the south of Russia, excellent conditions have been created for growing potatoes. Some crafty vegetable growers manage to get a double crop of potatoes per season.

In the southern cities of Russia, potatoes begin to be planted in early spring - already at the end of March - mid-April. By this time, the soil will already warm up enough and it will already be warm. During this period, you can no longer be afraid of frost.

In the Volgograd region, they begin to plant potatoes in late April-early May.

In the Krasnodar Territory, potatoes are planted from the very beginning of May.

Foreword

In the south and in the northern regions, root crops begin to be planted at different times, but on average, planting potatoes in May is considered optimal. Let's find out which days in 2017 will be the most favorable for this task.

First of all, experienced gardeners recommend paying attention to the weather and the climatic features of the region as a whole. Usually every season the temperature pattern is repeated, it is more or less similar to last year, but there are exceptions. In particular, loosening the earth is practically impossible while it is shackled by often repeated night frosts. It is better to loosen when the soil warms up by the sun at a temperature of +8 degrees at a depth of up to 12 centimeters. For measurements, special thermometers in a tubular casing are usually used. You can also focus on shrubs, the first buds appear in them after sufficient warming of the soil.

However, you still need to rely on something in order to make the right decision and start planting potatoes on time, since starting work too early, as well as too late, can lead to the loss of tubers. This is especially critical with a short vegetative period: in the first case, the planting material will freeze, and in the second, there will be insufficient moisture in the soil. Many novice farmers prefer to schedule work according to the lunar calendar. It cannot be said that such a variant is unreliable; they were guided by the natural satellite of the earth many centuries ago. For example, the calendar for 2017 advises to start landing on May 7 or 18, depending on weather conditions.

Determine the timing of planting potatoes

The second option is to use the forecasts and tables of agricultural technicians, as well as the recommendations of experienced gardeners. This option is convenient for those whose farm is in a partnership, where more experienced owners of neighboring plots can suggest the best time. But the most optimal solution is considered to be planting in a greenhouse, since in its closed space it is possible to adjust and set any temperature regime for a long time. For this, a heating system, a temperature sensor and a relay for adjustment are mounted. You can use a conventional water heating boiler, a circulation pump and pipes with coils or radiators. Thus, in the greenhouse you can not really think about the timing of planting.

And, finally, as additional clues, you can use folk signs and your experience, which, already in the third year of cultivating the site, will help you not to make a mistake. As for signs, the start of planting of various crops began to be counted from the flowering of the coltsfoot, the queue reached the potato on the 30th day. In parallel, you can focus on other signs, for example, it is not recommended to plant potatoes before birch buds bloom and later than cherry blossoms. Late varieties of potatoes can be timed to coincide with the flowering of hawthorn. As for counting days according to the holy calendar (church calendar), this option is only suitable for flat terrain in the middle lane, and to the north and among the hills it works much worse.

First of all, you need to decide whether the soil has warmed up sufficiently - we have already talked about this. But, in addition to temperature, there is also such a factor as humidity. And it is very important to choose the right time for cultivating the soil for planting potatoes. So, let's start with external signs. If the season began with rains, you need to wait until the soil dries out a little, the same applies to melt water that feeds the soil.. Otherwise, there is a possibility that the tubers will be affected by late blight or brown rot. Therefore, you need to wait until, according to a number of signs, the soil “ripens”. In particular, this is defined as follows: take a pointed stalk from a garden tool or just a selected tree branch and run it over loosened soil. Lumps should crumble, not be smeared.

There are other ways to determine if the soil is ready for planting potatoes. For example, if you dig a hole about 12 centimeters deep (as for a tuber) and take some earth from its bottom, squeeze it in your fist, and then throw it on the garden bed, the lump should break up into small pieces. If it completely crumbles into small grains, the soil is too dry, and if it remains intact, it is too wet. If you have already plowed the soil and the rains have begun, after the onset of clear days, wait until the ridges are about two-thirds dry, the dried soil will become lighter. After that, you need to immediately start planting potatoes.

Preparing the soil and tubers for planting

Before planting, be sure to cultivate the land from nematodes and diseases that threaten potatoes, this will increase the chances of getting a quality crop. Preparations can be mixed with water for irrigation.

But while you are waiting for the “ripeness” of the soil, you need to start preparing the tubers for placement in open ground. To begin with, it is worth germinating them, especially since the eyes appear when creating suitable conditions very quickly. This process is called "vernalization". The easiest way is to put the potatoes prepared for planting in the beginning of the season in ordinary coarse cloth bags and place them in the fresh air so that they warm up at a positive temperature of about 15 degrees, but not in direct sunlight. It is desirable that the place be ventilated, for example - a balcony, a terrace with an awning or just a canopy. After 6 days, rather large eyes are already formed, and the tubers will be ready for planting.

When you can do it differently. In particular, put planting material in shallow boxes filled with sawdust 5 centimeters. Next, lay the potatoes in even rows and pour sawdust again. Periodically, you need to slightly moisten the wood filler. Boxes should be kept in a room where the temperature does not rise above 15 degrees. In such conditions, you will receive germinated planting material in 2 weeks. The humidity factor in the room should be noted - if its level is high, it is better not to water the sawdust additionally, otherwise the potatoes may rot. It should be borne in mind that tubers, in which the eyes have sprouted 2–3 centimeters, will sprout 15 days earlier than planting material without sprouts.

Regardless of whether you began to vernalize or not, you can start planting not only in the traditional way, you can also grow a new crop of potatoes in high beds with wooden sides. There are other options: under straw, according to the Dutch technique in a ditch, in barrels or in bags. But let's start with the classics. In early spring, when the soil warms up, it needs to be loosened and piled up, while they are brought in (organic matter is dug up with soil in the fall). You will need about 20 grams of nitrogen supplements, up to 50 grams of phosphorus and about 80 grams of potassium. In May, we slightly level the prepared ridges along the tops of the ridges and make holes in increments of about 40 cm and a depth of 8 to 12 cm, depending on the looseness of the soil and the early maturity of the variety.

Popular ways to plant potatoes

Landing in the Dutch way is not much different from the traditional method, the only difference is that initially hilling is not performed. On the contrary, ditches with a depth of about 20 centimeters are dug in a plot with loosened earth, and tubers are laid at the bottom of each with the step indicated above. The gap can be increased to 50–80 centimeters, but this depends on the yield of a particular variety and the tallness of the aerial part of the plant. Neither the root formations of tubers growing in the ground, nor the bushes should interfere with neighboring plantings. By the way, for cultivation, you should choose potatoes weighing at least 35 and not more than 50 grams, that is, slightly less than the average size. Further, the ditches are covered with earth or, alternatively, with straw, but this is a slightly different way.

The option of planting potatoes under straw has become quite popular, its yield is not lower than the classic one, and often higher, while there is no need to carry out earthworks. There are 2 fairly common methods of growing: simply in ridges of straw or hay, or laying potatoes on a bed of mowed grass, followed by piles of tubers. The convenience of the method is that, in addition to the lack of excavation, you end up with a much larger crop of completely clean tubers. In addition, the Colorado potato beetle hardly touches the potato in the straw, and it is easier to process from the nematode and wireworm.

It is better to prepare ridges from hay in the fall, but it is also possible in early spring, when the soil is still cold, so the earth warms up faster. Mowed grass or straw retains moisture very well in the depth of the backfill, so that the tubers will develop quickly. When laying potatoes in holes made in prepared beds, or on a bed of hay, you can add a handful of ash and a little sand, this will provide additional mineral elements for planting. When the bush rises 10–20 centimeters, you need to cover it with straw again, and repeat this 2–3 times. In this case, the crop will be formed in several tiers. To prevent the backfill from being carried by the wind, throw it with a thin layer of soil, for harvesting, it will be enough just to scatter stacks.

With the onset of spring, everyone begins to wonder "When can I plant potatoes." It is difficult to imagine a Russian person who does not like potatoes and excludes them from his diet. Almost the entire population of Russia, from small children to respectable old people, is happy to gobble up delicious mashed potatoes, zrazy or other delicious recipes based on this healthy tuber. The story of who first brought this root crop

His homeland is Holland, and he ended up in the hands of the Slavs only in the 18th century, thanks to Emperor Peter the Great. And since then, the Russian people, having learned to grow potatoes, fell in love with this product. But even in the 21st century, not every gardener knows how to get a good harvest. One of the main factors for obtaining an excellent result is landing on time. We will analyze the problem of when it is possible to plant potatoes today.

Place for sowing

Every experienced farmer knows the importance of remembering crop rotation. Often beginners, out of ignorance, make many mistakes and complain about a bad harvest season. You can not grow the same crop in the same place from year to year, for example: tubers absorb carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus from the soil; if you do not change the green "inhabitants" planted in this territory, you can get completely unsuitable soil. This is especially true for crops suffering from the same diseases: microbes that cause diseases can accumulate and infect new plants. If the plot is limited in size and there is no way to constantly change the place of cultivation, then it is recommended to cultivate the land with white mustard.

Potatoes love sunny and high places. Feels great in place after legumes, cabbage or cucumbers, and withers after tomatoes and peppers.

Sowing dates

And mid-season and late varieties are usually planted in May, when bird cherry blossoms.

As you know, the Moon is able to influence many processes occurring on the Earth. It is worth remembering at least the ebbs and flows, which are directly related to the strength of the Earth's satellite. The waxing or waning moon is able to change the balance of fluid in the human body and even more so affects tubers such as potatoes.

According to the lunar calendar, favorable days for landing are:

In March: 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26
In April: 4, 5, 8, 9, 19, 20, 21
In May: 1, 2, 5, 16, 17 19, 20, 29, 30

Normal planting in spring

According to the traditional method, potato seedlings, pre-grown from seeds, are planted in open ground (which can be planted next to). For this tuber, holes are dug in the ground with a depth of 7–11 cm. Planting seedlings close is strictly prohibited: a grown plant can become crowded with each other, the stems will begin to get confused, which may cause late blight.

The best option is an indent of 80–100 cm between different rows. When choosing this method, it is possible to avoid unwanted diseases, and it will be much easier for gardeners themselves to spud.

The main rules are simple: tubers should be planted at the same depth; the beds should not “wag”, but be straight and even; under the potatoes you need to leave loose soil.

Planting under straw

The way most people grow potatoes is not always easy for the beginner gardener due to the laboriousness and length of the process. But the ancestors of the Slavs also knew another way to grow potatoes, then they planted them under straw. This approach makes life much easier for farmers.

One of the options:

The soil should be moist and loose;
Hole depth - 5 cm, width - 10;
You can not put a meager amount of insulation material.

It is better to put too much than too little;

The planting method is as simple as possible: potato tubers are placed in pre-dug holes, they are covered with a thick layer of straw (about 30-40 cm). When the tops dry, you can harvest.

Knowing the right timing and methods for planting potatoes can help turn the tedious process of planting into a pleasure!