Potatoes are not called second bread for nothing. It is difficult to find a vegetable garden or plot of land where at least 2-3 beds are not allocated for this crop. In order to start digging up young potatoes as early as possible, gardeners try to plant them as early as possible. However, in April there may be repeated frosts; there is a high probability that the seeds will sit in the ground for a long time until the first shoots appear. In May, more stable heat sets in; a large number of days off allows you to devote a lot of time to the garden. And the lunar calendar will tell you favorable days for planting potatoes in May 2022.
Moon phases in May
The Moon is not just an astronomical object, a satellite of the Earth. It has long been known that the night star influences all natural matters. Under the influence of Selene's powerful gravitational field, the earth's biosphere and the force lines of our planet are changing. Depending on the phase of the Moon, the movement of water and nutritional fluids in living organisms changes.
There are four stages throughout the lunar month:
- new moon is a period of three days during which a new moon is born in the sky. At this time, gardeners are not recommended to carry out any work related to watering, sowing seeds and planting seedlings. Loosening the soil and weeding the beds is also impractical;
- during the period of the waxing moon, juices and nutrients rush upward from the roots. The period is favorable for planting and replanting;
- full moon, another “critical” period of time when it is better to leave the garden alone. You cannot plant or replant at this time; there is a high probability that the young shoots will not take root and the seeds will not sprout. this time can be devoted to weeding the beds - weeds destroyed during the full moon will not sprout again longer;
- defective Moon - plant juices go back to the roots, so there is no need to work with the underground part. But you can safely plant, water, and feed the crops.
Attention! If you plant the seeds closer to the full moon, then after germination the plant stem will not stretch much in length.
Watering potatoes
Watering potatoes is especially necessary in arid regions, if it rains frequently, there will be enough moisture in the soil. Potatoes have the greatest need for watering during flowering. Lack of moisture during this period will affect the number of tubers being formed; there will be fewer of them. In dry weather in the middle zone, potatoes are watered approximately once every 2 weeks. In the south, irrigation is carried out weekly.
Watering can be done by sprinkling, in furrows or through a drip irrigation system. If you water potatoes with a watering can or hose, try not to get it on the leaves and stems, so as not to provoke late blight. In addition, water washes away insecticides applied to the leaves.
When watering in furrows, significantly more water is required; a hard crust forms on the surface of the earth, preventing oxygen from entering, so the soil will need to be loosened the next day. The drip irrigation system works perfectly, but requires financial costs. Potatoes need to be loosened regularly. The procedure is repeated until the crown of the bushes closes. You need to loosen the soil to a depth of 3 cm.
Shift in planting dates by region
On the territory of Russia there are four climatic zones - from the Arctic to the subtropical. Since potatoes are grown in open ground, consistently warm weather does not occur according to the calendar.
In the southern regions - Kuban, Stavropol, Crimea - potatoes are planted in early spring. Usually the soil warms up to the required temperature already in late March or early April. Similar weather conditions exist in Ukraine. If you follow the lunar calendar, then planting potatoes in 2022 can start in these areas as early as the first days of April.
Dutch method
Generally speaking, the essence of the Dutch method of growing potatoes is the absence of holes and beds, instead of which long furrows are organized where tubers are planted.
This method has many advantages:
- the planting material is located shallow from the surface of the earth, so oxygen easily penetrates to the root system of the crop;
- water does not accumulate or stagnate in the furrows, so the roots of the plant are not subject to rotting;
- each bush receives a sufficient amount of sunlight.
Influence of variety on planting dates
Experienced vegetable growers rarely plant only one variety of potato on a plot, even if it produces an excellent harvest and is distinguished by high taste. Usually there are several varieties on the plantation - this makes it possible to feast on young potatoes all summer, and in the fall to harvest a harvest suitable for long-term storage.
The growing season of a tuber crop ranges from 40 to 140 days, depending on the variety:
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- ultra-early - 40-55 days (Alena, Ariel, Timo, Riviera);
- early ripening - 60-80 days (Udacha, Bryansk, Rosara, Idaho);
- mid-early – 80-90 days (Romano, Condor, Adretta, Sprint);
- mid-season - 90-100 days (Dauphine, Dubrava, Pai, Lugovoi);
- medium-late – 100-120 days (Nevsky, Sineglazka, Zhuravinka, Chaika);
- late – 120-140 days (Temp, Kiwi, Alpinist).
In order to dig up the first potato bushes in June, several rows of early varieties should be planted in early May, weather conditions permitting.
For winter storage, it is better to plant mid-late varieties - in three summer months they will have time to produce a good harvest of starchy, tasty tubers.
Unfavorable days
The lunar calendar for planting potatoes clearly dictates the dates when the cosmic schedule prohibits sowing work in the garden. Such days are associated with the presence of the night luminary in the phases of the full moon or new moon, as well as during the period of a lunar eclipse.
Common mistakes
In the first years of gardening, many amateurs make a considerable number of mistakes. It would seem that the fruitful varieties were chosen, the planting dates were met, and the weeding and hilling were carried out on time - but when digging it up, it turns out that the bush produces small tubers or the potatoes are affected by fungal diseases.
To get a high potato harvest in the fall, you need to avoid common mistakes:
- dense/sparse planting - in order for the tubers to develop normally, they should be planted at intervals of 20-25 cm, the distance between the rows is 50-60 cm. Failure to comply with these parameters will lead to the fact that neighboring bushes will oppress each other; due to the crowdedness of the potatoes, they will not will grow to normal size;
- chaotic planting of different varieties - a decrease in yield occurs due to the fact that different varieties require separate digging times. If it is planned to grow several varieties of potatoes on one plantation, then they should be planted in different beds depending on the ripening period;
- long-term cultivation of potatoes in the same place leads to depletion of the soil, accumulation of harmful substances in it that contribute to the development of fungal infections and pests;
- the use of low-quality varietal material - most often, gardeners in the spring plant tubers sorted from their last year's harvest. It should be remembered that each subsequent year reduces the reproductive qualities of seed material by 8-10%. For this reason, it is advisable to update varieties every 5 years;
- delay in planting potatoes - for successful germination it is necessary that spring moisture is retained in the ground, the soil is warm and loose. Late planting may result in the tubers not having time to fully ripen, especially if a mistake was made in choosing a variety based on ripening time;
- improper preparation of seed material - heated tubers should be planted in the ground, on which 4-6 eyes have been formed. Before sprouting, potatoes need to be calibrated, and after sprouts appear, they need to be treated against pests and diseases. Cold tubers that fall into the garden immediately from the basement will take a long time to “wake up”, and shoots will appear late;
- planting in the shade - to save space in small areas, gardeners plant potatoes near bushes and under garden trees, next to outbuildings. Insufficient sunlight leads to slower growth of the potato bush, yellowing of the leaves and death of the plant.
Tuber preparation
In order for the planted tuber to become active and hatch faster, it must be properly prepared. One of the ways to germinate planting material is vernalization. To do this, you need:
A month before the planned day of planting in the ground, remove the boxes with it from the storage location.
Inspect the tubers. If specimens affected by disease or pests are identified, they must be removed and disposed of. Potatoes with mold or cracks are also subject to rejection. It is recommended to plant only healthy medium-sized tubers.
Place the planting material in a dark place, placing it in boxes in one layer. It should not be exposed to the sun's rays. During the day, the room temperature should be maintained at +13-16 °C, and at night – 10 °C. The optimal time for germination is 3-4 weeks; quality sprouts will be an indicator of the success of the manipulation.
Warm up the tubers. They should be kept at a temperature of 20-22 °C a week before planting in the ground.
Growing Tips
“Second bread” is considered a very unpretentious plant. Weeding, hilling - these are all agrotechnical techniques that novice summer residents perform. But such actions are not enough to obtain a bountiful harvest. In order to collect even, healthy and tasty tubers in the fall, you need to make efforts before planting and during the growing season.
Soil requirements
Potatoes feel good in light, loose soils - loams, black soil, soil with a high content of sand or peat. If the site is dominated by heavy clay soil, then to grow potatoes you need to mix it with compost, humus, and wood ash. A good result can be obtained if you add sand to organic fertilizers and dig the resulting mixture with the main soil.
A potato plantation must meet simple conditions:
- flat area, without hills or slopes;
- absence of lowlands in which water can stagnate;
- good uniform lighting;
- annual change of place for planting tuber crops.
When digging a site in the fall or spring, you need to add mineral fertilizers to the ground:
- humus/compost – bucket for 1 m2;
- superphosphate, potassium sulfate, urea - in a ratio of 20/25/30 g per 1 m2;
- nitroammophoska – 20 g per 1m2.
In order not to mix additives yourself, you can use special fertilizers for potatoes - Fertika or Fasco. A handful of compost or wood ash is added to each hole immediately before planting.
Need to know!
For comfortable development of potatoes, the soil must receive a sufficient amount of oxygen. This is facilitated by pre-planting loosening and the formation of ridge-shaped beds. Constant aeration is the key to a bountiful harvest.
Hilling up potatoes
Harvesting hilled potatoes is faster and harvesting is convenient. During hilling, weeding is also carried out. The procedure can be carried out manually, with a hoe or a chopper. You can do this faster by using a walk-behind tractor, cultivator, or plow.
Hill up potatoes in the morning or evening on damp soil (after rain or watering). In total, the procedure is carried out 2 times:
- Potatoes are first earthed 2-3 weeks after planting the tubers. The height of the seedlings at this stage should be approximately 10 cm. The bushes are covered with earth so that only the tops of the shoots remain on the surface. This will give impetus to root growth and protect the crop from return frosts.
- The second hilling must be carried out in areas with heavy clay soil; it can be omitted on loose soil. Time of implementation: 15-20 days after the first hilling. The bushes are covered with earth so that no more than 5 cm of the above-ground part of the plants remains on the surface.
On a note! It is impossible to carry out hilling more often, so as not to disturb the plants once again, otherwise you can get the opposite effect in the form of a decrease in yield and an increase in morbidity.
