Potatoes have long been considered the “second bread” due to their availability, satiety, and harmonious combination with many products. It turns out to be especially tasty and healthy if grown in your own garden. But here there is a need for certain knowledge and experience, otherwise there is a high probability of not only getting a small harvest, but also not waiting for shoots at all. In the article we will tell you why potatoes do not sprout well, and we will give advice on proper planting and caring for tubers during storage.

In order to choose the time to plant potatoes in the garden, you need to focus on the following criteria:

• Air temperature.
• Soil moisture, which should promote germination and not rotting or drying out of seeds.
• The planting schedule for early and late varieties will also be different.

If the air temperature can be seen on a thermometer, then the level of soil heating can be monitored by natural phenomena. Early varieties of potatoes can be planted when earthworms begin to come to life in the ground, and late varieties that are subject to storage can be planted during the flowering of dandelions. Many experienced gardeners also focus on lunar calendars landings cultivated plants. .

What prevents the emergence of seedlings

Usually, from the day of planting in steadily warm weather, seedlings begin to appear within 10 days. Maximum term waiting up to 20 days, which is typical for northern latitudes, as well as in cool May conditions. It is considered inappropriate to wait any longer for the emergence of seedlings; even if they appear, the tubers most likely will not have time to properly grow and ripen. What can cause the lack of seedlings within the recommended time frame?

Violations of landing conditions

Even if the timing and certain weather conditions are observed during planting, if subsequent days are not warm enough or cloudy, the emergence of seedlings may be delayed. What requirements and possible deviations from the norm you need to know:

Terms	Violations
The air temperature should remain at least 10°C.	If temperature regime is not observed, that is, there is a possibility that the potatoes will simply lie in the ground in the form in which they were planted. Unforeseen weather conditions include only unexpected night frosts, but already planted seeds can tolerate a short-term drop in temperature quite easily.
Soil moisture	If the ground has not had time to dry out a little from melt water, the planting material may simply rot. This risk also exists when planting in lowlands. Conversely, planting potatoes in dry soil without subsequent proper watering will not allow the plant to develop. The same applies to planting using unconventional methods without digging under grass, straw, and hay. In this case, it is necessary to more carefully monitor the soil moisture, since it dries out faster.
Planting depth	Choose a suitable depth planting material follows depending on the composition of the earth. In heavy soils, planting on the recommended spade bayonet may result in young shoots not breaking through. top layer land. In sandy soils and loams, shallow planting can lead to accelerated drying of the soil at the level where the tubers are located and, as a consequence, a lack of moisture for the development of shoots.
Tillage	Pre-planting tillage includes plowing and harrowing, unless we are talking about non-traditional growing methods. When planted in unbroken plowed soil, the sprouts will develop under clods of earth and emerge weakened and at different intervals.

Quality of potatoes intended for planting

What to watch out for here:

• tubers affected by diseases, and the assessment should take place not only by external signs, but also on the cut;
• varieties not suitable for cultivation in this region;
• tubers that do not have developed sprouts;
• too large or small sizes;
• rotten or damaged planting material;
• treated with chemicals that prevent potatoes from sprouting.

Damage by diseases or pests

In addition to carefully selecting healthy potatoes for planting, due attention must be paid to possible contamination of the soil for planting. If last year the crop in this place was susceptible to any diseases, then there is a high probability that the infection will persist in the soil. They can only be saved by carrying out measures to disinfect the land, or changing the planting site..

Pest invasion after burrowing into the ground

Planting potatoes under hay, straw, grass without first drying the covering material can lead to colonization and reproduction in it harmful microorganisms, which will have a detrimental effect on planting material. Plus, there is a risk of mice settling under the covering material; this is one of the disadvantages of this planting method.

Tip #1. Young shoots can be destroyed by mole crickets, moles, as well as wireworms and beetle larvae that make passages and sometimes settle in the tubers themselves.

How to increase potato germination

Based on the reasons listed above that reduce the quality of potato seedlings, actions to improve them partially become clear. But in practice it is possible to use additional ways increasing the germination of planting material.

Methods	Description
Pre-germination (vernalization)	Traditionally, for this purpose, the seed material is laid out in one layer (maximum two if there is not enough space) about a month before planting. bright room with a temperature of 10-16°C. Usually for these purposes I use a veranda, loggia, summer buildings, where during the day the room is heated by the sun, and at night, if there is a threat of frost, the seeds can be covered. It is recommended to spray the seeds with water daily, but it is better to determine the required frequency of this procedure individually. There are many other ways to revive tubers: wet germination, in plastic bags and others.
Treatment with biological products	At the germination stage or immediately before planting, treat with humic fertilizers - preparations that improve seed germination.
Disinfection	Treatment is carried out followed by drying before planting with one of the following solutions: copper sulfate(0.011%), potassium permanganate (0.001%), boric acid (1%).
Careful sorting of planting material.	It is carried out before and after germination. Spoiled and diseased seeds are removed. Tubers with thick sprouts 2-3 cm are best suited for planting. It is recommended to plant small potatoes two in one hole.
Soil preparation	At traditional methods When planting soil in holes, the dug up soil must be harrowed or clods of earth must be broken up with a rake. In case of planting seeds under hay, straw, compost, covering material must first be dried. If necessary, organic fertilizers are applied.

Tubers with at least three well-developed thick sprouts no more than 1 cm long are suitable for planting. You can sprout potatoes in wooden boxes.

Tip #2. P It is better to prepare soil for planting in the fall. IN autumn work includes digging, mulching, and application of organic fertilizers.

To improve seedlings and potato yield in general, the method is now often used natural farming: There is no digging with turning over layers of earth. Fertility and improved structure are achieved by constant mulching with grass. Preparation before planting includes harrowing or loosening followed by digging a hole or furrow for seeds or seedlings.

How does germination in a greenhouse differ from open ground?

Planting potato seeds in a greenhouse or hotbed can not only improve the quality of seedlings, but also contribute to greater yields than when planted in open ground. Factors that determine the difference between the emergence of seedlings in greenhouse conditions and open ground:

• The possibility of earlier planting of seeds contributes to the emergence of seedlings earlier than planting outdoors.
• The risk of destruction of planted tubers by insects is reduced.
• Low disease threshold, subject to careful seed selection.
• It is possible to create a certain temperature and light regime, eliminating the threat of frost, and being able to maintain the required humidity.

In greenhouse conditions, plant growth and development are less affected unfavorable factors external environment, therefore, planted seeds in most cases germinate 100%.

What questions do gardeners most often encounter when growing potatoes?

Question No. 1. Is it necessary to carry out any preparation of potato tubers before planting?

Seed preparation, if possible, will certainly serve big role. For example, potatoes that have not been germinated in advance can sprout, but this process will take longer and it is not a fact that sprouting will be uniform. On the contrary, potatoes laid out a month before planting in a bright and warm place will begin to sprout even before they hit the ground. In addition, during this time, healthy and diseased seeds will outwardly manifest themselves, which will make it possible to pre-sort them.

Question No. 2. Is it possible to plant green potatoes?

Typically, when exposed to sunlight, a substance is formed in potatoes that causes the tubers to turn green. It is not recommended to use such a product, but, on the contrary, it is more suitable as a planting material. It is believed that such potatoes are more resistant to diseases, adverse weather conditions, and are also protected from rodent invasion.

Question No. 3. Is it better to plant potatoes with long shoots or small ones?

Often, when storing potato seeds in a cellar or other damp places, they begin to germinate earlier than necessary due to the onset of above-zero temperature. As a result, by the time of planting, you can get long, thin sprouts more than 10 cm long. But as a result of the lack of a sufficient quantity sunlight The sprouts turn out twisted, weak and brittle. It is advisable to monitor their occurrence and initial stage remove carefully. It is better to plant when the eyes have just begun to move or when there are strong shoots of short length.

Question No. 4. What primarily affects the germination and subsequent quality of potatoes?

The very first step in preparing to plant potatoes is right choice seeds They must be collected from healthy bushes. You can also purchase healthy, virus-free material from the manufacturer. Sufficient attention should be paid to how the tubers were stored in winter. .

Not only is it assessed appearance, but also on the cut, where there may be signs of damage various diseases. Presence and condition of eyes. It is also worth choosing varieties suitable for growing in a given climate. The second stage will be preparing the soil, and maybe even just choosing a planting method. Because now they are increasingly moving away from traditional digging of the garden.

Question No. 5. Do I need to water potatoes immediately after planting?

Here it depends on the situation, everything depends on the climate zone, soil composition, planting time. As a rule, seeds are planted in April-May, when the soil has not yet lost moisture from melt water. Therefore, with this approach, watering during planting is not necessary. It would be advisable, in the absence of rain, to water a few days after planting. Later sowing assumes that the soil is already sufficiently dry, so rain or watering will be required to revive the seeds in the ground.

The most common mistakes that lead to deterioration of potato seedlings

• Skip the sprouting step for potatoes before planting. This means planting seeds that have not revived after winter and which do not know how they will behave in the soil. Store-bought potatoes, for example, may be processed and not sprout at all.
• Choosing a place for germination. WITH winter storage Potatoes intended for planting are obtained in about a month, at least two weeks. Place them in a well-lit place, because if there is not enough light, the sprouts will be long and weak. At the same time, the room where the seeds are to be germinated should not be hot. Otherwise, the tubers may dry out greatly and, as a result, lose strength for the further development of the plant.
• Selecting a site for planting where the predecessors were nightshades: peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and potatoes themselves. In addition to tired soil, you can also get diseases that are common to these plants.

Kira Stoletova

How many days does it take for potatoes to sprout after planting? To answer the question, let’s look at the factors on which the yield of such a crop depends.

Temperature

One of important indicators Successful seed hatching is ensured by well-warmed soil. If the soil is below 8°, then agricultural work cannot be started. To prevent the sprouts from freezing, it is necessary to determine the average daily temperature at a depth of 12 cm.

To determine the landing period, you can use folk signs. Root crops are buried in the ground after flowering has begun. perennial plants, and the birch leaves became the size of a penny coin.

If the earth warms up to 10° C, then the potatoes wake up within 25 days. When the temperature increases to 20°C, hatching occurs on the 15th day. An early harvest can be harvested if sprouted tubers are planted. This option reduces the time by a week from the variety declared by the manufacturer.

“For the southern regions, the onset of phase 1 (emergence) after 20 days in most cases is a deviation from the norm, but for the northern regions this period is quite acceptable.”

The depth of planting can also affect germination. The earth is slowly warming up in the lower layers, which negatively affects growth. The thicker the soil layer above the seed, the longer it takes for development. In addition, pipping depends on soil moisture. Wet soil does not hold temperature well and does not allow air to pass through; tubers rot from lack of heat and oxygen.

Uneven shoots

It happens that potatoes take a long time and sprout unevenly. If temperature standards were not violated during planting, then you should understand other reasons:

1. Different shapes of tubers. Large specimens need more time to germinate, while small ones hatch first. Small seeds produce nonviable shoots that quickly die.
2. Mix of varieties. Each species has its own development time, so the processes appear unevenly. If the potatoes rise unevenly, then this is an indicator of the farmer’s carelessness.
3. Depth. Planting is carried out according to a strictly selected scheme. If the holes are not the same size, the tops will hatch late.
4. Uneven germination.

If you plant potatoes according to the rules, then the likelihood of a problem occurring is reduced to zero. The longer a person spends time in the first days, the less trouble awaits in the future. Errors are difficult to correct; they can only be prevented in the initial stages.

Planting order

In order for the planted potatoes to germinate on time, you need to ensure proper preparation for planting and caring for crops. All work begins in the fall and continues throughout the growing season.

Plot

Potatoes prefer to grow in nutrient soil, therefore, during digging, humus is added to the ground. For normal development, one bucket per 1 sq.m. is enough. In spring, the soil is thoroughly plowed, removing plant debris. The lack of microelements affects not only fertility, but also the germination of raw materials.

When choosing a site, give preference to a well-lit place. In the shade, the crop develops poorly, and the timing of hatching from seeds may be delayed. Do not forget about the rules of crop rotation - do not plant vegetables after nightshade species. Recommended predecessors:

• green manure;
• zucchini;
• garlic;
• legumes

A week before planting, you can start laying out the beds. Remember that the plant will not produce a bountiful harvest in soil that is too dense, so it is necessary to “dilute” the structure with sand. Two tablespoons of superphosphate are poured into the bottom of each hole, after which the plantation is covered with polyethylene.

Preparation of raw materials

To get good harvest potatoes, you need to take only high-quality varietal seeds. At favorable conditions Potato shoots appear a month after planting. However, there are varieties of the popular root vegetable that will produce a bountiful harvest 6 weeks after being buried in the ground. If you want to get young potatoes, then we recommend choosing early-ripening and ultra-early varieties.

Harvesting begins in the fall after the last harvest. Select correct, even tubers, without damage or stains. The raw materials are left for several days under the diffused sun for greening. Such fruits are perfectly stored until the next season, and low-quality specimens appear immediately.

In the spring, the sorted and sorted seeds are transferred to a room with access to light and a temperature of 15 to 20 C. We advise you to lay out the products in two layers on racks or in vegetable boxes. After 3 weeks, shoots with roots appear on the potatoes. Before starting work, remove all ungerminated specimens or those with irregular shape(single, thread-like).

If you don’t have time to sprout potatoes, then you can give preference to heating. The procedure begins 10 days before planting in the ground. To do this, the raw materials are left in the dark at an elevated temperature - 18-20 C. A longer stay in such conditions leads to the formation of long shoots, which break off when buried in the ground.

Large tubers take longer to germinate than small ones. Huge fruits take a long time to form large bushes with a highly developed root system. If you don’t want to get giant specimens, then give preference to medium-sized raw materials - no larger than a chicken egg.

You cannot take tubers without eyes, otherwise you may not see shoots at all. The potatoes should be healthy, without cracks or dents. In addition, it is prohibited to store seed material in white plastic bags. Under such conditions, pipping is zero.

To ensure the health of the raw materials, we recommend cutting two potatoes for inspection. Additionally, pay attention to the shoots of sprouted tubers. The shoots should be short and thick. The longer the branches, the more likely they are to break during transportation or planting.

Landing

In order for potatoes to sprout, you need to bury them to a depth of 8 to 10 cm; the recommended planting pattern is 80x35 cm. Some gardeners prefer to place the tubers more densely, but densely planted vegetation will interfere with development. The tops are poorly blown by the wind, which increases the likelihood of getting late blight.

When growing root crops, it is important to adhere to the rules of agricultural technology. Knowing how many days it takes for potatoes to sprout, you can ensure the most comfortable conditions for a crop such as potatoes.

Planting potatoes takes a lot of time and effort. Finally, the tubers are already in the ground, neat ridges adorn the beds, and all that remains is to wait for the shoots, preparing to repel the onslaught of weeds, Colorado potato beetles and other pests. But what to do if, three to four weeks after planting, the potatoes have not sprouted? First you need to figure out why this happened.

How long does it take for potatoes to sprout?

Knowing how many days it takes for potatoes to sprout, you can calculate the time when the first shoots appear. In the temperate climate of the central regions, sprouts appear approximately 21 days after planting. In the south, this period can decrease to 14-15 days, in the north it can increase to 25-28.

If the tubers are planted already properly germinated, with shoots 3-4 cm long, then in warm weather, seedlings should be expected at least a week ahead of schedule - after about 14 days.

Sprouted potatoes sprout faster

Early potatoes are usually vernalized for 5 weeks, laying the tubers on wet sawdust. By the time of planting, such potatoes will already have not only shoots, but also root system. Tubers germinated using this method sprout a week after planting.

Despite the fact that potatoes adapt perfectly to different climatic conditions and soil types, there are several reasons why tubers planted in the ground may not germinate at all or may produce frail, non-viable shoots.

Potatoes may not sprout for the following reasons:

• weather, soil conditions, violations of planting rules;
• poor quality of seed material;
• pests and diseases.

The influence of climate and planting timing on tuber germination

Potatoes do not sprout for a long time if:

• tubers are planted too deep;
• potatoes were planted too early, in cold soil that did not have time to warm up;
• the soil is too damp or, conversely, dry.

If the soil on the site is loamy, optimal depth planting potatoes - 7-8 cm. In sandy loam or peat soil, the holes can be a little deeper - about 10-12 cm. It should be borne in mind that the larger the layer of earth that separates the tuber from the surface, the harder it is for the sprouts to break out. Potatoes planted in holes 20-25 cm deep will sprout no earlier than in a month, and only if the soil is properly warmed up.

Planting timing is of great importance. The soil temperature must be at least +8°C. In colder soil, potatoes lose their viability. If there is frost after planting, the tubers and barely hatched sprouts may freeze. Therefore, in cold weather, when there is a threat of frost, experienced gardeners cover potato beds with agricultural canvas.

One of the most reliable agricultural signs: potatoes should be planted when the young leaves of birch trees grow to the size of a small coin.

If there are prolonged rains, due to which the soil is too damp, oxygen access to the tubers is difficult, they begin to suffocate and rot. But even in soil that is too dry, the development of potato shoots stops. During drought, plantings should be watered at least once a week, maintaining moderate humidity.

Seed quality control

The most serious disadvantages of seed material:

• tubers do not have eyes;
• potatoes are too small;
• the sprouts are very thin, thread-like;
• the tubers have deteriorated over the winter or begun to rot;
• Before planting, potatoes are treated with too much fungicide.

Shoots are formed from eyes, so if a potato does not have them, it will not sprout.

The larger the tuber, the more nutrients the shoots will receive. Too small potatoes, if they sprout, are very weak. Therefore, tubers smaller than 40 grams should not be left for seeds.

It is better not to store seed material in plastic bags so that the potatoes do not suffocate. As a last resort, holes are cut in the bags for ventilation. Tubers for seeds are carefully selected in the fall and stored separately from the rest of the potatoes. It is advisable to hold the seeds in the light for some time before storing them so that their skins turn green.

In the spring, 20-30 days before planting, the seeds are sorted out again, sprayed with a weak solution of copper sulfate (2 grams per 10 liters of water) and laid out for vernalization in a cool, dry room (at a temperature of 10-15°C). Seed shoots should be thick and strong.

Tubers with frail thread-like shoots are discarded: such shoots will not have the strength to break through the thickness of the soil. In no case should sick, rotten potatoes vernalize: they will not only not produce healthy shoots, but will also infect neighboring tubers.

Sometimes gardeners themselves are to blame for the fact that high-quality potatoes do not sprout: in an effort to protect the tubers from diseases, they are treated with a large number of pesticides. This should not be done under any circumstances. When using fungicides and other drugs, you should strictly follow the instructions and in no case exceed the dosage.

Potato diseases and pests

Even one tuber with rhizoctorosis or black leg, is capable of infecting several neighboring beds. The danger increases in cool, damp weather. In this case, spores of pathogenic microorganisms are carried along with rainwater and dew drops.

If potatoes are planted in the same place for several years in a row, pathogenic bacteria and fungi overwinter in the soil, and in the spring they literally attack the seeds. As a result, the tubers rot in the ground without sprouting.

Fungicides are used to combat potato diseases. Also, the spread of infections can be prevented if winter rye, oats, and legumes are planted as green manure before potatoes.

Insects that can damage tubers and nibble young shoots also overwinter in the soil:

• mole crickets;
• larvae chafer;
• wireworm larvae.

The wireworm can destroy the tuber even before germination

There are several simple folk ways get rid of these pests. In the fall, it is necessary to dig up the ground to a depth of 20-25 cm. Most of the insects that have gone to winter will end up on the surface and freeze.

May beetle and wireworm larvae are repelled by the smell of onion peels. A small amount of it can be thrown into each hole when planting potatoes. A handful of crushed eggshells It will not only protect the tuber from mole crickets, but will also serve as a fertilizer. The larvae are also repelled by nitrogenous compounds contained in nodules on the roots of peas, beans, clover and other legumes.

A week before planting, you can set traps for mole crickets. To do this, they dig into the ground in several places. liter jars, at the bottom of which beer or water with honey is poured. Insects crawl to the smell of food, fall into traps and cannot get out.

What to do if potatoes don’t sprout

If the potatoes have not sprouted by the pre-calculated date, it is necessary to check the condition of the tubers. Perhaps they were simply planted too deep, and the shoots will hatch 7-10 days later than at the normal planting depth. If the weather is too dry, watering can speed up the growth of potatoes.

It is much worse if the tubers, along with the sprouts, rotted in the ground or were damaged by pests. In this case, all rotten potatoes need to be dug up and burned, and the ground should be treated with fungicides.

It is better to sow the infected area with legumes, rye or oats, but for potato beds you will have to choose a different place. If you plant potatoes in new beds early ripening varieties ripening within 70 days, then, despite the first failure, it will still be possible to harvest in the fall.

(Some tricks for growing potatoes) Potatoes are grown by all rural residents and many city dwellers. It is believed that it is easy to grow and everyone knows how to do it.

In practice, potatoes actually grow almost everywhere, they are not as demanding as other types of root crops and caring for them is not very difficult. This is true, but what kind of potatoes will grow, what kind of harvest will be and at what time is often not taken into account, but in vain, your work must be valued and besides, the profitability of your farm depends on this and is very pleasant feeling satisfaction with the results of their efforts.

Everyone is used to the fact that the planted the potatoes will sprout on the 21st day, will grow until autumn, harvesting in September. This is traditional, with everyone together and of course there is no sales (mass cleaning is underway), there is no normal price, the income is either meager or zero.

But if you work thoughtfully and diligently, you can have a completely different result. Do you want to grow excellent harvest, clean up in June, sell at a good price and make a profit? I see you want it. Then be patient and read this page to the end.

How to grow early potatoes. The site is selected on a hill, which dries out in the spring earlier than others. The composition is better than loam.

In spring add potassium and phosphorus.

Early and mid-early varieties are taken.

Germinate at a temperature of 12-15 degrees in 30-35 days.

You can germinate in the light or in the basement with electric lighting, while the tubers are laid out in 2-3 layers.

Spray with copper sulfate every week, boric acid or potassium permanganate (m. vitriol - 2 g per 10 liters of water, b. acid - 50 g per 10 liters of water, potassium permanganate - 10 g per 10 liters of water).

Tubers with short thick shoots are ready for planting.

If germination has not been carried out, then a week before planting, you can keep the potatoes in a bright room at a temperature of 15 degrees to warm up.

It is better to plant whole tubers - 70-80g (chicken egg), but you can also cut them, leaving 2-3 sprouts on each part. Cut 2-3 days before planting. Disinfect cutting knives (potassium permanganate) or heat them on fire for 10 seconds.

Planting in late April - early May at a soil temperature at a depth of 10 cm equal to 8 degrees Celsius.

If there is a threat of frost, hill up (you can fill up completely, it will break through).

With a height of 10-12 cm, it is necessary to carry out hilling and loosening of row spacing.

A month after planting, feed the sulfate with ammonium (25 g per sq. m.) or urea (12 g. per sq. m.).

At the beginning of budding, the second feeding (potassium 30-50g per 10 liters of water).

Cleaning can begin at the end of June. Complete removal by August 1st.After harvesting, green the potatoes in the light for 10-15 days, which will be used for seeds.

It is strictly forbidden to green food products.If you do everything as written, you will be in grief. Act with God! After planting potatoes for the first time, there is nothing to worry about; we all know that potatoes take a long time to sprout, and we just need to wait.

But when there are still no shoots, you involuntarily begin to worry: is everything okay? Our relatives had real case, when the potatoes have not sprouted at all! So, when to expect potato sprouts to appear, why are they not friendly and why have our relatives’ potatoes not sprouted...

The dependence of the emergence of potato seedlings on soil temperature or When to plant potatoes?

Most main factor successful emergence of potato seedlings - soil temperature. If the soil has warmed up at a depth of 10-12 cm to 7..8 degrees (the average daily temperature is usually +8 degrees) - you can start planting potatoes. Of course, not all gardeners check soil temperature with a thermometer in hands. You can trust folk signs, or rather, natural conventional signs.

For example, the time of flowering and blooming of perennial plants. When to plant potatoes? According to popular wisdom, we begin planting as soon as the leaves on the birch tree become the size of a penny coin. Signs of soil warming and natural indicators for the start of sowing work - in THIS ARTICLE

When will potato shoots appear?

When the soil warms up to +10 degrees, potato seedlings appear in 23-25 ​​days. When the soil temperature is 18-20 degrees, seedlings appear in 10-20 days. Sprouted potatoes sprout 6-10 days earlier. If planting occurs early, there is no need to bury the tubers, they will “sit” for a long time, the upper layers warm up faster, and if planted shallowly, the potatoes will sprout faster. If the soil moisture is more than 75%, planting potatoes is not advisable , in such conditions there is a high probability of tubers being damaged by putrefactive diseases.

SIDERATS at the dacha: how to SOW and COLLECT SEEDS

Why are there uneven shoots?

There are several reasons for the appearance of uneven shoots:

• Various planting depths. The soil warms up unevenly - and those tubers that are closer to the surface sprout earlier, those that lie deeper wait for warmer weather.
• Planting tubers of various sizes.
• Unevenly sprouted tubers, or not sprouted at all.
• A mixture of varieties of different ripening periods, with different periods peace. You've probably noticed that each variety behaves differently during storage. Much depends on the rest period. Those varieties in which it is short are in no way intended for long-term storage, only for processing (for example, for chips). But there are also well-stored varieties - their dormant period is quite long. If you have a mixture of varieties, it is quite possible that seedlings will appear at different times.

Can potatoes not sprout at all?

Quite, our relatives had such a sad experience. And the whole thing turned out to be improper storage planting material. The planting potatoes were stored in the cellar, as always, but... they were not poured out of white synthetic bags.

So it stood in them until spring. Everything seemed to be fine, they planted potatoes, but they still didn’t see any shoots. Such negligence cost a lot of money and nerves; at the beginning of summer I had to look for new potatoes and plant them again. But now we all have a lesson - we try not to leave potatoes in white bags even for a short time and always remember this incident. : detailed instructions HERE

Potatoes, proper planting of tubers, care after planting

When to plant potatoes correctly

Tubers are planted when the soil temperature at a depth of 10 cm will reach 7-8 degrees. Usually in the Moscow region this happens in early May. Delay in planting potatoes entails a 30% loss of yield.

Well sprouted tubers To obtain early potatoes, you can plant them a little earlier - at a soil temperature of 5-6 degrees. Experience shows that such early boarding planting in insufficiently warmed soil produces a greater yield than planting it late in heated soil.

Potatoes are being planted on flat surface, and on waterlogged and heavy soils - in ridges. With this planting, the soil warms up better and more air flows to the tubers.

Distance between rows of potatoes when planting

Before boarding In order to evenly place the plants on the area, the area should be marked. To do this, use a marker to make shallow grooves along which the planting is carried out. For the first pass of the marker, pull the cord along which its outermost tooth is guided.

You can plant tubers directly under the cord, but this is less convenient and takes more time. To increase productivity after planting, the soil can be mulch(sprinkle with a 2-3 cm layer of peat).

The optimal distance between rows of potatoes for early-ripening varieties is 70-75 cm, for late-ripening varieties - 80-90 cm. Planting density depends on the size of potato tubers. Small ones are planted after 18-20 cm, medium and large ones after 26-28 cm.

Tubers are planted deep in heavy soils 6-8 cm, on light ones - 8-10 cm, counting the distance from the soil surface to the tuber. With such planting, approximately 350 large tubers, 450 medium ones, 500 and smaller ones will be required per hundred square meters.

Caring for potatoes after planting

Potato care basically comes down to keeping the soil loose and killing weeds.

Harrowing potatoes. The first harrowing is carried out 4-5 days after planting. Then two or three more before germination and one or two after the plants appear on the surface.

Typically, 16-28 days pass from planting to germination. Loosening and hilling potatoes. After the rows are well defined and the plants have sprouted so much that it is impossible to harrow, they begin to loosen the rows.

The first time the soil is loosened deeply - by 12-14 cm, and the second and third shallower - by 6-8 cm. When the plants reach a height of 12-15 cm, the first hilling is carried out, with a ridge height of 15-20 cm. The second time the potatoes are earthed up before by closing the tops.

Feeding potatoes after planting. Before loosening the rows and hilling, it is advisable to feed the plants. This is especially important for mid-season and late varieties potatoes. It is enough to carry out two feedings.

First time You can add two handfuls of humus under each bush with two teaspoons of ammonium nitrate added to it, or you can add two handfuls of ash mixed with the same amount of earth, or you can add 15 g of chicken droppings. For the second feeding dilute 2 tbsp in 10 liters of water. spoons of superphosphate and 1 tbsp. a spoonful of nitrophoska.

Plants are watered with this solution at the roots, and then watered clean water. Keep in mind that fertilizing is given only during the initial development of plants. After flowering, they lead to late ripening of tubers and the accumulation of nitrates in them.

In case of lack of moisture Potatoes are watered in furrows or by sprinkling. Drought 2-3 weeks after emergence, during the appearance of buds and in early August, when the tubers are growing, can significantly reduce the yield.

After watering, the soil must be loosened so that a crust does not form. Advice. To avoid damaging the potatoes, keep in mind that in hot and dry weather you should not carry out deep loosening around the bushes or hill up the plants.

This leads to dehydration and overheating of the soil, stops the growth of tubers and contributes to the emergence of diseases. During drought, shallow loosening of row spacing is sufficient.

Caring for potatoes after planting

• Vegetable growing

Timely and careful care of potatoes after planting (during the entire growing season) - prerequisite to obtain large yields. For potato seedlings to emerge, weeds must be vigorously combated, otherwise they will be able to take root and bloom. The main mass of weeds are usually annual weeds; before the rosette emerges to the surface, they sprout thin, large seedlings. Even with shallow tillage, they are easily torn off or pulled out, and the remaining part does not grow and dies.

IN given time harrowing can kill almost all annual weeds and some of the rhizomes that overwinter in the surface layer. In this case, the timing of work to care for potato crops before germination is very important. It is necessary to harrow a potato field immediately after the formation of a soil crust or when only a small part of the weeds have emerged that have not yet taken root and are not colored.

In this state, weeds buried in soil die from exhaustion, and those on the surface dry out very quickly. Harrowing of potatoes before germination begins 5-6 days after planting and, depending on the weediness of the field and precipitation, it is done two, and sometimes three times, interrupted when the potato shoots reach ten centimeters. Loosen (harrow) the soil before germination potatoes and shoots using a light harrow or a very heavy rake. Protecting young potato shoots from frost is a necessary procedure when cultivating early potatoes.

It may be that the seedlings are severely damaged by frost, but the crops do not die: the mother potato tubers will sprout new shoots. However, as observations show, the yield on crops damaged by frost decreases and shifts to more late dates.If there is a threat of frost, you need to cover the seedlings with soil and lightly hill up the plants. The next stage of work on the potato field is processing, which can be done with hoes, rippers with teeth or shovels. Manual model cultivators have proven themselves to be excellent. Number inter-row cultivation associated with the nature of the soil and meteorological factors.

As a rule, such treatments are carried out after heavy rainfall and watering and continue until the tops close. A mandatory technique for caring for potatoes is hilling. Using a hiller, they loosen the soil between the rows, lift it and roll it to the base of the stems, on which, after a short time, stolons appear that end in tubers, and additional roots. In the hilled ridge, the most optimal water-air regime is formed for the formation of the root system of potatoes: the soil here There is little compaction and there is no excess moisture.

In addition, the resistance of stems to lodging increases, and this, in turn, makes the assimilation activity of the middle and lower tier of leaves longer. The ridge protects potato tubers from greening and the accumulation of solanine in them, as well as from temperature changes in the ground layer of air. Hilling up potatoes should be started as early as possible in order to provoke the early emergence of new root systems and potato tubers.

As a rule, hilling of potatoes is carried out during the beginning of budding, timing this work to heavy rainfall or watering. Later hilling (at the beginning of flowering) is accompanied by greater damage to root systems and stolons, which during this period are localized close to the surface. The number of hillings directly depends on the potato variety, soil properties and weather factors (as a rule, in the conditions of the central zone of the Russian Federation one or two ).

The first hilling of potatoes is shallower, the second - to a depth of 15-20 cm. After each hilling, you need to loosen the bottom of the furrows between the ridges.

This saves moisture and increases the potato yield. If, for one reason or another, before planting potatoes and during it, it was not possible to fill the area with fertilizers in sufficient quantities and the plants do not form satisfactorily, the potatoes must be fed (before the first hilling) with those nutrients, which are lacking in the soil. A potato plant consumes an average of approximately 100 liters of water to produce one kilogram of tuber crop. But there is no need to limit yourself to this norm, since in addition to the consumption of moisture for transpiration, a significant amount of it also evaporates from the soil surface. In the early stages of formation, potato plants consume a little water, but its lack during this period gives rise to profound changes in metabolism.

Their consequences are revealed later, even with an optimal irrigation regime. The observations carried out show that in potato plants exposed to drought in the initial phases of formation, the time of creation of stolons changes and the formation of tubers is greatly delayed. Under satisfactory water supply conditions, early varieties In potatoes, the formation of stolons and the setting of tubers occurs in the first 4-5 weeks after emergence.

A decrease in soil moisture at this time suppresses growth processes and limits the likelihood of obtaining big harvest potatoes. Potatoes consume the most significant amount of water during their flowering period. At this time, the tubers in particular are growing very quickly.

But potatoes are most unstable to a lack of water in the soil during the budding period, when stolons, secondary roots appear and tubers begin to grow. Rapid fluctuations in soil moisture lead to an increase in the percentage of small and ugly-looking tubers, and rains and watering in the initial phases of formation promote accelerate their ripening and increase their dry matter content. An increase in humidity at a later date inhibits the ripening of potatoes and reduces the presence of starch in it. Depending on the meteorological conditions of the year, the first growing season watering is timed to coincide with the potato budding stage, subsequent ones - after 10-12 days.

It is best to water the furrows with a small stream. After watering and drying the soil surface, loosening or hilling is done.

Caring for potatoes after planting: watering, loosening, hilling, fertilizing

In previous articles we talked about sprouting potatoes, growing seedlings and planting potatoes in the ground. Today we’ll talk about caring for potatoes after planting, namely: watering, loosening, hilling and fertilizing.

Watering potatoes

It is not recommended to water the potatoes for the first time after planting, since at this time the root system is being formed. With moderate humidity, the roots branch and penetrate deep into the soil, but if the soil is over-moistened, the roots will not be located deep enough, which will subsequently negatively affect the development of the potato bush, since it will be more difficult for it to obtain moisture.

The first watering of potatoes after planting is best done with the emergence of seedlings. Water the potatoes sparingly. When bushes begin to form, the potato's need for water increases.

You should not rely on rain: as soon as you notice that the lower leaves begin to wilt slightly, be sure to water the potatoes. Potatoes experience the greatest need for moisture during the period of budding and flowering. If the amount of moisture at this time is insufficient for the potatoes, this will have a bad effect on their harvest - the potatoes will be very small. It is best to water the potatoes not cold, but lightly warm water, preheated to “room temperature” in barrels or tubs. The best time to water potatoes is early morning or evening.

Loosening the soil

Surface loosening of the soil, carried out to a depth of 2–3 cm, is a very useful procedure for potatoes, increasing the flow of oxygen to the tubers. In addition, in the process of loosening you destroy small weeds.

The first loosening is carried out a week after planting the potatoes. Subsequently, the soil is loosened as needed after watering and rain, thereby preventing the formation of crust and helping to saturate the soil with oxygen. Loosening must be done very carefully, trying not to damage the sprouts and not pull the tubers to the surface.

Hilling up potatoes

Hilling has a very positive effect on the potato yield and can significantly increase it. Hilling accelerates the processes of bush development, flowering and tuberization.

In addition, hilling protects potato tubers from late blight, preventing the penetration of infection from the affected tops to the tubers. During the season, potatoes must be hilled 2 - 3 times. The first hilling of potatoes is carried out when the tops reach a height of 13 - 15 cm.

The soil used for hilling must be moist. How is hilling carried out? It’s very simple: the soil is raked in small portions to the tops using a hoe so that a mound is formed around the bush.

The second hilling of potatoes is carried out 10 - 12 days after the first. Third - as needed.

Fertilizing potatoes in the garden

To get a good potato harvest, you need to periodically feed it during the growing process. During the growing season, root feeding of potatoes is carried out three times; the composition of fertilizers depends on the development phase of the potato bush.

In addition, when seedlings appear, potatoes can be sprayed with a solution of macro- and microfertilizers. Root feeding It is better to carry out on wet soil after watering or rain.

• First root feeding carried out during the growth of tops if the potato bushes are poorly developed, have thin stems and pale leaves. Feeding composition: 1 tablespoon of urea per 10 liters of water or half a liter of mushy mullein or bird droppings per bucket of water. Dosage: half a liter of solution for each bush.

• Second root feeding potatoes are carried out during the budding period to accelerate flowering. Feeding composition: 1 tablespoon of potassium sulfate + 3 tablespoons of wood ash per 10 liters of water or just 1 glass of wood ash per bucket of water. Dosage: half a liter of solution for each bush. Third root feeding carried out during potato flowering to speed up the tuberization process. Feeding composition: 2 tablespoons of superphosphate + 1 glass of mushy mullein or chicken droppings per 10 liters of water. Dosage: half a liter of solution for each bush.

Root feeding of potatoes with fertilizer solutions is carried out in cases where we are talking about a relatively small number of bushes. If the area of ​​the potato plot exceeds 100 m2, that is, 1 hundred square meters, fertilizing is carried out with dry fertilizers, scattering them under each bush:

• first feeding (to accelerate the growth of tops) - 1/2 teaspoon of urea + 200 g of manure or plant humus per 1 bush; second feeding (during budding) - 1 tablespoon of wood ash + 1/2 teaspoon of potassium sulfate or 1 teaspoon a spoonful of nitrophoska per 1 bush; third feeding (during flowering) - 1 teaspoon of powdered superphosphate per 1 bush.
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