Potatoes are one of the most popular garden crops. It is planted not only in spring, but also in summer, if the climate allows two crops to be grown per season. When choosing a date for sowing, you need to pay attention not only to weather conditions, but also to the lunar cycle.
How does the moon affect the planting of potatoes
The potato is a perennial tuberous plant from the nightshade family. It is grown in almost all regions of Russia. Potatoes are a source of complex carbohydrates, potassium, vitamins. The tubers formed on the roots are eaten. The yield of potatoes depends not only on proper agricultural technology, but also on the timing of planting. The development of the plant is influenced by the moon. For this reason, it is recommended to plant potatoes in accordance with the lunar calendar.
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In one cycle, the moon goes through several phases: new moon, growth, full moon, waning. On the growing moon, sap flow, the speed of germination of seeds and tubers is accelerated. This phase is suitable for planting operations. On the waning moon, shoot growth slows down. On such days, it is better not to plant potatoes.
Auspicious days for planting potatoes
When choosing the most successful days for gardening, you should be guided by the lunar calendar. Astrologers believe that tubers will grow best on the growing moon. On the new and full moon, it is better to refuse to plant. It is necessary to plant potatoes in 2021 according to the lunar calendar in accordance with the table.
Month Date April 1-7, 24-30 May 1-6, 22-31 June 1-4, 23-30 (for second crop) July 1-4 (for second crop)
It is worth noting that from the second half of June to the end of July, potatoes are usually planted after harvesting tubers from the spring planting for the second harvest. This technology allows you to get almost 2 times more tubers. In a small area, this helps to save space for other crops.
Cultivation for a second harvest is possible only in regions with a warm climate, as well as in central Russia when cultivating early varieties of tubers. In the northern regions, potatoes planted in July will not have time to grow.
Given the variety
When compiling a calendar for planting potatoes, one cannot ignore the varietal characteristics. All varieties are divided into early, mid-season and late. Early Potatoes (Luck, Red Scarlett, Rosara) are ready for harvest 80-90 days after planting. Mid-ripening (Altair, Lukovskoy, Tuleevsky) ripen in 100-110 days. The ripening period of late varieties (Zhuravinka, Chaika) is 110-120 days. Kiwi variety ripens in 130 days.
The early varieties are great for 2-crop cultivation, for cultivation in the Northern regions. It should be borne in mind that they are more demanding. In order for the tubers to grow large, all agricultural rules should be followed. Such potatoes are more susceptible to diseases, they are stored worse. For these reasons, it is more commonly grown for summer use. If there is no data on the variety of tubers, it is better to plant them not very early, but not too late. Planting potatoes in May is optimal in this case.
On a note!
Mid-season and late varieties are not only well kept, but also tastier. The content of starch and vitamins in them is higher than in tubers of early varieties.Β
Depending on the region
The timing of planting potatoes depends on the region. In Ukraine, in the southern regions of Russia, in the spring, tubers are planted in the ground from mid-April to early May. In central Russia (in the Moscow region, St. Petersburg), planting is carried out from late April to mid-May. In the northern regions, potatoes are planted from about mid-May to early June.
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These recommendations are average. You also need to be guided by the weather conditions. The air and soil must warm up to +10 Β° C. At the same time, it is necessary to exclude the threat of the return of frosts. A sharp cold snap can destroy young shoots. Planting tubers too early in cold soil increases the risk of fungal infections. These potatoes will not grow and may die.
Bad days
The lunar calendar marks the days on which it is not advisable to plant potatoes. Unfavorable landing days are shown in the table.
ΠΠ΅ΡΡΡ
ΠΠ°ΡΠ°
ΠΠΏΡΠ΅Π»Ρ
8-23
ΠΠ°ΠΉ
7-21
ΠΡΠ½Ρ
5-22
ΠΡΠ»Ρ
5-20
Unfavorable periods last more than 2 weeks. Sometimes the advice of astrologers contradicts advice related to weather conditions and other factors. If, before the onset of unfavorable days, plant potatoes early, and after – late, it is better to plant the tubers when the weather permits, in accordance with the timing. Only the new moon and the full moon should be strictly avoided. Potatoes cannot be planted on April 9 and 22, May 8 and 20, and June 6 and 21, July 6.
Preparation of potatoes for planting
Tubers need to be prepared for planting to get a good harvest. It is recommended to do this in 2 steps. The first stage is spraying with a biostimulant to improve germination (2-3 days before planting). You can use Epin.
The next step is the treatment with chemicals directly on the day of planting the tubers in the ground (fungicides and insecticides), which can be replaced with folk remedies. Fitosporin-M, copper sulfate can be used as effective fungicides. If there is a suspicion that the seed is not of very high quality, it is better to treat it with complex preparations (Prestige, Tirana).
On a note!
To improve and accelerate the germination of potatoes, the tubers should be germinated before planting. To do this, they are sorted out, rejecting all damaged specimens, and then exposing the boxes to the light for several days.Β
Are potatoes grown through seedlings
Many gardeners have not even heard of the seedling method of growing potatoes. It allows you to harvest 2-3 weeks earlier than usual. You can try young tubers already in mid-June. To grow potatoes through seedlings, you need to plant them in separate containers already in the first half of April.
On a note!
When growing seedlings, it is better to take small pieces rather than whole tubers as a seed. The main thing is that there is a peephole in each piece. You can cut out the eyes and plant them in loose soil. The first shoots will appear in a week.
When the soil and air warm up, the threat of recurrent frosts will pass, the seedlings can be planted in the field. This method is suitable for cold regions. It also allows you to harvest very early or plant potatoes a second time. Most often, gardeners grow some potatoes through seedlings, and the rest of the field is planted with tubers. This allows you to get some of the harvest very early, and some at the usual time.
The seedling method is essential for growing potatoes from seed. Planting material needs to be renewed every 4-5 years. You can buy other varieties of tubers or grow their seeds through seedlings. In the first year, the harvest will be meager. The tubers will grow small. But in the second year they will make excellent potatoes.
Basic landing rules
Potatoes are planted in spring and in the first half of summer in accordance with some rules. It is not necessary to use whole tubers as planting material. Large specimens can be cut into several pieces. The main thing is that each has a peephole from which the sprouts will go.
It is recommended to prepare the soil for planting in the fall. The field needs to be plowed, fertilized. Manure is applied no more often than once every 3 years. Phosphorus and potash fertilizers are applied annually at the rate of 2 kg of superphosphate and 1 kg of potassium salt per 1 hundred square meters.
On a note!
Excessive application of manure does not increase yields, but nitrates accumulate in the tubers. Such a crop is unhealthy and even dangerous.Β
Before sowing, you should check the condition of the soil. It should be loose and warm up to +8 – + 10 Β° C at a depth of 10 cm from the surface. Landing must be carried out in a specific sequence:
- Cut furrows in the field with a depth of 10 cm.The distance between the grooves is 50-60 cm.
- If fertilizers have not been used before, sprinkle the furrows with ash or complex fertilizing.
- Place tubers or parts of them in the furrows so that the eyes or sprouts are directed upwards.
- Fill the furrows with earth, level the soil in the field.
There is no need to water the potatoes after planting. In this case, it is advisable to plant the tubers in slightly damp soil. In the absence of precipitation, the field can be watered in a week.
Folk omens for potatoes
In the old days, people did not have the opportunity to measure the temperature of the environment and study the lunar calendars. I had to take my own observations into account. When choosing the time for spring planting, you can additionally be guided by folk signs. The most common is associated with the blooming of birch leaves. It is believed that it is time to plant potatoes when the leaves bloom and reach the size of a penny. This is an old royal coin. Modern gardeners can be guided by the size of a two-ruble coin.
According to another sign, it is time to plant potatoes when the dandelions bloom. Blooming bird cherry can also be considered a kind of signal. In doing so, it is important to take into account the dandelions and bird cherry growing in the area in which the potatoes are grown.
Common mistakes of novice gardeners
Due to the lack of the necessary experience, gardeners who decide to take up potatoes often make mistakes. The most common mistakes include:
- wrong choice of planting site (potatoes love light and grow very poorly in the shade of trees);
- lack of preparation of tubers before planting;
- the use of low-quality planting material (sick, very small tubers must be discarded);
- growing in one place (to get a good harvest, crop rotation must be observed, taking into account the fact that tubers do not grow well after nightshades);
- improper use of fertilizers (you need to fertilize the soil strictly according to the instructions, an excess of nitrogen fertilization leads to the active development of the tops and slowing down the growth of tubers);
- non-compliance with the distance between rows and tubers in one row;
- neglect of loosening the soil, hilling, watering and other measures.
Failure to meet landing dates is also a common mistake. Sowing too early is associated with the risk of death of tubers and young shoots. If you tighten up with planting, late varieties of potatoes may not ripen even by autumn.
Potatoes are considered an unpretentious vegetable crop. But to get an excellent harvest, you need to follow the rules of agricultural technology and pay attention to the planting periods. It is better to plant tubers in open ground or seeds for seedlings according to the lunar calendar, on favorable days.
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