Timing of watering potatoes in the open field

Potatoes are extremely sensitive to lack of moisture in the soil. The not too extensive, reaching a depth of 30 cm, the root system of this culture has a significant load. In a short growing season, the plant not only builds up a large amount of greenery, but also should give what it is cultivated for - tubers.

How to choose the optimal timing for watering, how often to water potatoes in the open field, so that the harvest does not disappoint either in quantity or quality? With a lack of moisture, you should not wait for a good potato harvest. But an excessive water content in the soil will also not be beneficial.

When to water potatoes after planting in the ground?

Until the first leaves appear above the ground, the potatoes do not need additional watering too much. If the planting took place on damp ground, then at first this moisture is quite enough for the plant. But with the development of the plant, and especially with the beginning of the formation of buds, the need increases sharply.

The time when watering the potatoes after planting is simply necessary comes:

• when potato sprouts rise by 5-10 cm above the ground level, that is, 2 weeks after sprouting;
• when plants set buds, which means the beginning of the formation of tubers;
• when tubers gain weight, which in the middle lane falls on the first half of August.

When using high-quality planting material and observing the rules of agricultural technology, potatoes can produce up to one and a half tons of tubers per hundred square meters.

The timing and amount of watering in hot weather

At the same time, experienced potato growers to the question: "Do I need to water the potatoes?" answer that watering is necessary. After all, the rains in the summer months are extremely irregular, and the gardener cannot be sure that the roots of the plant do not lack moisture. And in some regions, the heat is accompanied by strong winds, which facilitate the evaporation of moisture from the soil. How does the timing change in this case, how often to water potatoes in the open field in windy sunny weather?

• In this weather, potatoes need abundant watering every 4–5 days.
• If the air temperature is moderate, plantings can be watered no more than once every 8-10 days.

Although plants need solar energy and heat, a lack of moisture or irregular, unscheduled watering can negatively affect both the number of tubers and their quality:

• When potatoes are watered for the first time after planting, the aerial portion of the plant will grow.
• Water entering the soil in June and July, when plants are preparing to bloom, multiplies the number of tubers.
• Later waterings lay the foundation for large, full-bodied potatoes.

Features and timing of watering early potatoes

Bushes experiencing a water shortage, already at the beginning of the growing season, do not form enough stolons on which tubers could appear. As a result, instead of several dozen potatoes, 5 to 12 pieces appear on the bush. Therefore, especially for varieties of early ripening, spring-summer watering is so important.

How to properly water potatoes for an early harvest? The first watering is carried out in the middle of the bush, when the sprouts rise by 5-10 cm. At the same time, at least three liters of moisture should fall on each bush. Receiving at this time a sufficient amount of moisture, the bushes develop not only the aboveground part, but also give stolons diverging to the sides.

Compared to autumn harvest potatoes, early varieties consume less water, but do so more intensively. Therefore, it is unacceptable for the soil under the plants to dry out.

If a hand, immersed to the depth of fingers, remains dry in the ground, is it necessary to water the potatoes? Yes, this is a sure sign that plants are "thirsty".

• As the bush develops, the amount of moisture consumed grows to 6 liters per day.
• If we take into account that part of the water evaporates from the soil, then at least 12 liters of moisture should fall under each plant in hot dry weather.

This rule also applies when planting mid-season varieties.

Watering during the appearance and growth of tubers

It is extremely important to moisten the soil during the period of tuber formation, corresponding to the time interval between the appearance of the first buds and the mass flowering of potatoes. You cannot wait for the buds to appear in large quantities, even single flower stalks - this is a sign of the beginning of watering, which will not hesitate to affect the increase in yield by 15-30%.

Another critical period when watering potatoes after planting is extremely important is associated with the growth of tubers:

• The beginning of this period of time coincides with the end of flowering.
• The ripening of the future harvest ends with the dying off of the tops.
• For one watering, plants should receive about 20 liters of water, it is this amount that can completely wet the arable layer.

In order to avoid the development of late blight, potatoes should be watered so that by the night, when the air temperature drops, the foliage is dry.

How to properly water potatoes to avoid scab, cracks and deformities on the tubers?

When large, but ugly potatoes are found during the digging of tubers, this is perplexing for many gardeners. In fact, irregular tubers of irregular shape are the result of irregular watering, between which the plants were for a long time in conditions of moisture deficiency.

In a drought, the growth of potatoes is inhibited, and moistening the soil starts this process again. As a result, growth points develop unevenly, and the tuber gets a bizarre shape. If the time for watering the potatoes is met and the soil remains moist during the formation and growth of tubers, the potatoes turn out to be even, not affected by scab, and cracks do not appear on their surface.

Creating a comfortable environment for potatoes

How to properly water potatoes and timing when watering is really needed?

• The best time for watering in hot weather is the evening hours. Frequently used morning watering is dangerous due to the fact that the rapidly rising sun burns the wet tops.
• The minimum volume of water per bush is 3 liters. The specific amount of moisture is determined based on weather conditions, soil type and potato variety. Light, loose soils require more watering than loams and chernozems.

There are different opinions on how to properly water potatoes:

• Some gardeners consider root watering a priority.
• Others prefer to moisturize furrow crops.
• During a long absence of rains, irrigation is good for early potatoes, after which the soil is loosened to retain moisture.

Dry watering and mulch are an effective addition to watering

No wonder this method is called "dry irrigation". This technique not only successfully retains water in the ground. Loosening replaces watering and with sufficient moisture. Potatoes react poorly to overly dense soils. Loose soil is easily permeable to nutrients and air. However, such work is possible only with the emergence of seedlings.

You can save irrigation water and slightly extend the time for watering potatoes by actively using mulch from the mowed siderates, aged sawdust and other organic matter. With the onset of summer heat, mulch provides plants with a comfortable coolness, condenses moisture from the air and, as it overheats, becomes a top dressing.

Watering potatoes - video