How long to wait for potato shoots after planting and what does the timing depend on?

An important agrotechnical process is the preparation of potatoes for planting. When the gardener ignores this stage of growing, does not take into account the peculiarities of his climatic zone, the first shoots have to wait a long time. It is worth taking urgent measures if after a month there are no signs of life on the soil surface. There are several important factors that determine how long it will take for potatoes to grow. These include the region where the gardener lives, the variety of tubers and, of course, a wealth of life experience.

Temperature indicators

If after planting the potatoes warm weather is established, there are no night and morning frosts, then the first shoots will delight the owner of the site in three weeks. For tubers to start germinating, the temperature around them should not be less than 10 ° C. The root crop does not start producing green shoots in cold soil, the movement of juices in it will slow down until the onset of heat. Some potato tubers will freeze during this time or will go to feed the first spring pests - a bear or worms.

Advice

When the earth is not yet completely warmed up, but has already come it's time to plant potatoes, then you should not bury it strongly. The optimum depth of the hole for proper cultivation is 5-6 cm. Even under the weak rays of the April sun, the soil will warm up to the required temperature, and the first shoots will appear in 21-23 days.

Gardeners who have planted potatoes in well-warmed soil do not wait long. After 10-14 days, the first leaves peck amicably between the furrows. When steady heat quickly sets in after a cold winter, many site owners make the big mistake and start planting. The fact is that it takes a certain time to warm up the soil with the sun's rays:

• for northern regions - 2 months or more;
• for southern areas - 4-5 weeks.

Air humidity is of great importance. With a significant concentration of water vapor in the surrounding space, the earth will dry out for a long time. When the air is moist and humid, it is best to postpone planting the potatoes for a few days. Otherwise, all the planting material, and with it the first shoots, will become a breeding ground for various types of putrefactive bacteria.

Seed quality

You should not wait for early shoots of potatoes if tubers of different sizes and with poor-quality sprouts were planted.

What seed should be:

• each tuber has several large eyes;
• large potatoes, about the same size;
• shoots are thick, not very long;
• there are no damaged areas on the tubers, traces of putrefactive processes;
• before planting, the potatoes were treated with moderate doses of fungicides.

Each shoot is formed from a peephole, so seedlings will appear only if available. Even one "empty" tuber can spoil the crop in the hole. Seed that has not sprouted will become a source of rot or mold. Small nodules will germinate only after 4-5 weeks, but the seedlings will be frail and unviable. For planting, experienced gardeners recommend choosing potatoes over 40-50 g. The amount of the crop harvested in summer depends on how much the tubers weigh.

Even if there is no visible damage, the seed can present unpleasant surprises after germination. It depends on how much potatoes were stored and in what conditions. Tubers that have wintered in airtight bags or boxes are often unsuitable for planting. The seed is carefully selected in the fall and stored separately from the main crop. Place for containers should be dark and dry.

Advice

You cannot select tubers for planting in spring on a residual basis. In this case, the potatoes will sprout only after 25-30 days, and the sprouts will be weak, too elongated. A gardener should not wait for a rich harvest from such seed.

The sprouts appear on time when all the rules for processing tubers before planting are followed. About a month before the onset of stable heat, potatoes are sorted out, examined and discarded substandard. Then the seed must be immersed in a solution of any fungicide.

How long does it take to soak:

• medium-sized potatoes - 10-15 minutes;
• large tubers - about half an hour.

Now the tubers need to be laid out in a dry place for airing and sprouting. How long germination takes depends on the air temperature. For the correct preparation of the seed, provide it with 12-15 ° C.

Only tubers with thick and powerful sprouts are lowered into the holes. The first shoots will sprout in 15-20 days. Potatoes with weak sprouts that look like brittle threads are best discarded. They simply will not be able to break through the soil even a month after the tubers are buried and will start to rot, putting the neighboring tubers at risk of damage.

Often, site owners make a big mistake before planting: they treat the tubers with highly concentrated solutions of pesticides. Toxic substances accumulate in the seed, it germinates for a very long time. Bears will not eat such potatoes, but it is absolutely unsuitable for human food. Before using fungicides, exactly the dilution recommended by the instructions is necessary.

Gardeners' tricks

In the southern regions, land owners manage to plant and dig up potatoes twice with an interval of 50-60 days. Undoubtedly, a lot depends on the type and temperature of the air. But some landing tricks also help. One of them is the application of fertilizers during soil preparation and during cultivation. After the tubers are buried, the soil should be watered with a solution of any complex fertilizer. This will provide the potatoes with the nutrients they need for growth, and the first green shoots will appear in a couple of weeks.

Advice

Potatoes emerge faster when the eyes are facing up. As it grows, a powerful root system is formed, and there will be few voids in the soil. Such a planting will speed up the germination of tubers by several days.

After the tubers are buried, the surface of the holes should be covered with high-moor peat. This will avoid the invasion of harmful insects, big lovers of the first tender shoots. Mulch will warm up the soil better, which is very favorable for early germination. After a few days, it is necessary to carry out the first loosening to provide the tubers with fresh air. After that, the sprouts will appear much faster, even thin and frail, initially unsuitable for planting, will sprout.

When a varietal mix is ​​used, the germination rate of potatoes can vary. The early species will germinate after 10-15 days, while the later ones are characterized by a longer formation of shoots.

What is the average germination time:

• for southern regions - 10-14 days;
• for middle latitudes - 2-3 weeks;
• for the northern regions - about a month.

How long to wait for seedlings if germination time is significantly delayed? Experts say that if after 1.5 months of waiting, green leaves do not appear, then you should not wait for the harvest. Poor seed or rotting tubers may be the cause. The next time you land, you need to take into account any mistakes.