Content
After planting, it is necessary to water potatoes during flowering and then weekly until the end of summer. In this case, two weeks before harvesting, watering is completely stopped. The consumption rate is from 2-3 to 4-5 liters of water per bush, but no more. The basic rules and methods are described in the article.
Do I need to water potatoes?
Not all summer residents consider it correct to water potatoes in open ground. Opinions on this matter are often contradictory - some believe that water must be given, others say that the crop is unpretentious, so it is enough to just feed it.
We can say that watering potatoes after planting and further during the growing season is mandatory, since all plants need water.Typically, moisture is given every week, maintaining a norm of 2-3 liters (maximum up to 5 liters) per bush. In this case, the regularity of watering potatoes depends on several factors:
- climatic conditions of the region;
- characteristics of the variety (there are more and less drought-resistant varieties);
- soil type.
In Russia, most territories belong to regions of insufficient moisture. There is a constant lack of precipitation here, and drought is often observed in summer. It is very easy to understand that the soil does not have enough moisture. If the surface layer is completely dry and even cracked, you urgently need to water the potatoes for a good harvest.
Among potato varieties there are drought-resistant crops that can withstand prolonged heat relatively well. These include, for example:
- Typhoon;
- Partner;
- Sorcerer;
- Talent;
- Nagorod;
- Kiranda;
- Slav;
- Legend;
- Tiras;
- Nevskaya;
- Arrow;
- Fantasy and many others.
Even these varieties need at least rare watering (during drought, water is given weekly). This ensures a good harvest and improves taste.
Finally, the frequency of watering potatoes during flowering and ripening is also affected by the type of soil. If the soil is dense, loamy, clayey, black soil, then moisture is retained in it much longer. Accordingly, the frequency of watering is reduced. If it rains, you don’t need to give water, but if there is a drought, watering once a week is enough.
But in many regions the soils are sandy and sandy loam. Then, in summer, potatoes are watered weekly, and in drought - twice as often.To keep the soil moist longer, the row spacing and the plantings themselves are mulched with straw, sawdust or other natural materials.
Humidification is carried out weekly, based on the weather forecast
When to water potatoes
When planning to water potatoes, you should decide on the timing, drawing up a rough schedule in advance. There is no single standard - it all depends on the weather, the type of soil and the characteristics of the crop itself. Early varieties are watered at least four times, and middle and late varieties - six times.
Do I need to water potatoes after planting?
Watering during and after planting should not be provided. The seed tubers are very small, and there is a chance that some of them will rot before they even have time to sprout. This is especially dangerous if cool, rainy weather is expected. Therefore, you should not give water at first (until flowering). Watering can be planned only after the emergence of seedlings, if the weather is too hot or there is a drought. Then for each bush they give 1-2 liters.
Do I need to water potatoes during flowering?
During flowering, watering potatoes is required. The first time this can be done after the appearance of mass shoots with a height of 10 cm. Then, during flowering, watering is done twice a week until the buds wither. If the weather is dry, water can be given three times a week, ensuring that the surface soil is not too wet. During this period, water consumption is maximum - up to 5 liters per bush.
Do potatoes need watering after flowering?
After flowering, it is also necessary to water the potatoes in July, because at this moment the temperature during the day often rises above +30 °C. If there is no rain at all, water should be given weekly, and if there is precipitation, they are guided by the condition of the kidneys.Consumption is reduced to 3-4 liters for each potato bush.
When to stop watering potatoes
The last time you need to water the potatoes before harvesting is 10-15 days. Even if there is a drought, there is practically no rain, they definitely don’t provide water anymore. At the same time, it is recommended to mow the tops, leaving stems 10 cm (for early varieties) or 15 cm (for middle and late varieties). The purpose of this event is to direct all the nutrients to the root vegetables. If you continue watering, the tubers will not have time to fill up and dry well before harvesting. This will have a bad effect on keeping quality.
Thus, you should no longer water potatoes in August. The only exceptions are late varieties, which ripen in early September. They are given water for the last time in the middle or second ten days of August. Then they wait two weeks and begin harvesting.
Two weeks before harvest, moisturizing is completely stopped.
How often to water potatoes in open ground
The frequency of watering potatoes from a well or from other sources depends on the stage of the growing season and weather conditions:
- In the first period after planting and before the mass emergence of seedlings with a height of 10 cm or more, no water is given at all.
- Next, watering is carried out according to the general rule - once a week.
- If it rains, the weather is cool, you can not give water at all or reduce the frequency - once every 10 days.
- During flowering, the maximum frequency is 2-3 times a week.
- If drought has established, water is given with the same frequency at all stages, including after flowering.
Two weeks before harvest, watering is stopped completely, even if it is hot. You cannot water potatoes from mid-August and September. At this point, the tubers should be completely dry so that they can be immediately stored.
Is it possible to water potatoes with cold water?
Almost all plants need watering with settled water at room temperature. You can water potatoes from the tap, but only if you first let them stand for at least 12 hours. The containers can be left outside (if the temperature does not drop below +15 at night) or brought indoors, kept in room conditions.
If you simply water the potatoes with cold water from a well, the root system can be severely damaged. It is quite weak, and tender cuttings can rot due to temperature changes. As a result, part of the harvest will be lost, and the taste will deteriorate.
How to properly water potatoes in open ground
Watering potatoes with a hose can be done in different ways. The traditional option is to pour it along the furrows or give it directly under the root. But there is also a method of dry irrigation, sprinkling. The main methods are described below.
Watering potatoes at the roots
If the field is small and the work is done manually, the easiest way is to water each bush at the root. You can use any watering method, for example, pour from a watering can, bucket or canister. Standard consumption is 4 liters per bush, during the flowering period and in the heat - up to 5 liters. You can also take a hose, but then it will be more difficult to measure the volume; you will have to work “by eye”.
Along the furrows
Watering along the furrows is an easier way than at the root
This is a more efficient way to water potatoes by hand. It is suitable for small fields located on an uneven area, such as a slope. First, take a hoe or chopper, make several furrows at intervals of 70 cm, so that a ridge remains on each edge.
After this, recesses are formed in the same way in the transverse (perpendicular) direction at intervals of 5-6 m.The ridges are trimmed one at a time on each side so that water can pass through them freely when watering. The remaining waves level and compact the furrows. Earthen ramparts are formed around the perimeter to prevent water from draining.
Then they water the potatoes and after 3-4 days they loosen the soil and rake up the earthen heaps in those places where they have been washed away. The procedure is carried out twice - after hilling, and then after flowering ends.
Watering potatoes by sprinkling
Watering potatoes by hand is not always easy. Therefore, convenient and inexpensive mechanized methods have been developed that are accessible to almost all summer residents. One simple method is sprinkling. This is the name given to an irrigation system consisting of sprinklers installed at certain intervals along the furrows. They imitate rain, so that moisture flows evenly and the entire field is thoroughly moistened.
There are many advantages to this method of watering potatoes:
- saving effort and time;
- you can work even on relief areas;
- imitation of rain – conditions are as close to natural as possible;
- it is easy to calculate the volume and regularity, you can change the intensity;
- At the same time, you can give liquid fertilizers.
There are also disadvantages. They are associated with costs incurred during installation of the system, its maintenance, as well as electrical energy consumption. If the region is arid and the soil is dense, then moisture will not reach great depths - puddles will remain on the surface. In these cases, you will still have to periodically water the potatoes by hand.
Dry watering
This is one of the classic methods, which comes down to traditional watering from a watering can or hose, but in combination with mulching and hilling. It is most often used in regions with excess moisture, for example, in the Far East.The following can be used as mulching materials:
- mown grass, including green manure;
- sawdust;
- hay;
- straw.
Mulch retains moisture in the soil well and protects it from overheating and hypothermia. In addition, it inhibits the growth of weeds, enriches the soil with useful substances and even repels some pests.
Plantings can be mulched with straw
In order for dry watering of potatoes to proceed correctly, you must follow several recommendations:
- After the first moistening, hill up each bush.
- Before flowering begins, another 2-3 procedures are required.
- After flowering has finished, loosen the soil between the rows.
Signs of improper watering
When planning to water potatoes, you need to observe the timing, volume of water and regularity. Damage can be caused by either too little or too much moisture. In the first case, the following signs are observed:
- the leaves wither, droop, and sometimes become lighter;
- bushes grow slowly;
- inflorescences do not open for a long time;
- the shoots begin to dry out.
If there is a lot of water, the main signs are as follows:
- leaves droop and become dark;
- weeping spots appear on the stems, sometimes with a coating of fungus;
- the tubers rot.
Features of watering early varieties
When planning watering of potatoes, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the variety. Early varieties consume water very actively, but the total volume needs to be reduced. As a rule, 2 liters are spent on one bush, and 3 liters during drought periods.
Maximum water consumption occurs at the stage of bud formation and flowering. In this case, during drought, watering is given 1-2 times with an interval of seven days. After all the inflorescences have opened, water in small volumes (up to 2 liters per bush) no more than once every 10 days. The total number of procedures is three times per season.
Conclusion
It is not necessary to water the potatoes after planting in the first two weeks. The procedure begins after seedlings with a height of at least 10 cm appear. Water is given especially intensively during the flowering period and during drought - at least once a week. The liquid for irrigation should be settled; cold water is not recommended.
