Watering potatoes: the timing when you need a good harvest

Planting potatoes in the ground is half the battle, then you should properly care for them. What are the terms for watering potatoes, how to do it correctly, what methods to use - every novice vegetable grower asks these questions. There is a dilemma between summer residents, some argue that the culture does not need to be watered, others prefer to moisten the plantings. How to be, everyone decides individually, and experts advise watering the beds with potatoes.

Do I need to water

It is necessary to water the potatoes. Plants take moisture from the soil during development. In the absence of natural rainfall, you need to water the crop yourself.

Besides green mass, potatoes form tubers. Features of their cultivation suggest timely watering. It should be carried out not only on time, but also in a certain amount. Root crops cannot be poured, but they should not dry out either.

If you create the necessary conditions, the culture will give the declared yield.

Signs of excess and lack of moisture

To properly grow tubers, you need to carefully monitor their condition. In appearance, it is not difficult to determine the excess or lack of moisture. Potato watering is carried out after a careful study of the appearance of plants.

If the plant lacks water:

leaves on the bushes droop and begin to turn yellow;
stems do not grow, buds do not open;
the smallest stems wither.

Lack or excess of moisture during the budding period leads to a loss of 20% of the crop.

When plants have excess water:

leaves are drooping, but their color is rich, dark and the texture is watery;
wet spots form on the lower part of the stem, covered with white or gray bloom;
tubers begin to rot.

When the humidity is low, potatoes react badly to top dressing, as they do not reach the goal.

You should strictly monitor the appearance of plants in order to detect deviations in time. Receiving 4 liters of moisture, the plant grows and develops normally.

How best to water, all ways

The variety of methods for irrigating potatoes provides for the choice of the appropriate method by summer residents. Everyone chooses the most convenient for himself and applies it on his site.For the root system, which develops during the entire growing season, a constant but measured application of moisture is necessary. In this case, the roots of the plant should receive no more than 4 liters of water. Methods are divided into 2 types: manual and mechanized.

Hand Watering

For watering potatoes in the open field, this method is used if the plantings are small. Manual watering is carried out using hoses, watering cans, buckets and other improvised means. The summer resident will accurately calculate the rate, provided that all means except the hose are used for irrigation.

The advantage of this method is that water is poured directly under the roots. Thus, you will pour more accurately than with a mechanical method. And there is no need to flood the entire area. Watered approximately 1 liter for 1 approach. Then repeat and bring to the desired amount.

If you use a watering hose, it is better to have a nozzle, a sprayer. It does not wash away the soil at the roots. It is better to water one area, then move to the second, then return to the first again.

The disadvantage of the method of watering from a hose is that it is impossible to determine the exact amount of water consumption per 1 plant.

Not all summer residents have the opportunity to use this method, as it is difficult to carry buckets and watering cans. For convenience, a second type of irrigation methods has been created.

Mechanized irrigation

Carried out with icy cold water or heated in the sun from special containers using sprinklers.

They are divided into 2 types:

drip;
sprinkler.

Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantages of both mechanical structures for irrigation is the high cost of installation and purchase of equipment.What methods of irrigation the summer resident will use, he decides for himself. Drip irrigation delivers water directly to the roots of plants, while moisture does not evaporate and does not compact the soil. This is its advantage over sprinkler sprinklers.

If watering with sprinklers is used, then the droplet size must be selected correctly.

Large drops strongly compact the soil, which is categorically unacceptable for planting with potatoes, and very small ones settle on the leaves and simply evaporate on them. Summer residents tout the benefits of drip irrigation. Its plus is that you can water at any time. Drops do not fall on plants and do not cause burns.

"Dry watering"

If the weather is rainy, then potato plantings do not need irrigation with water, but loosening. In other words - dry watering. This method will help not only retain moisture for plants, but also provide oxygen access to the root system. Potatoes do not tolerate dense soil.

Mulching with various improvised materials - beveled green manure, sawdust or weeds will help to save moisture.

Irrigation Rules

Potato watering must be done correctly. To do this, it is necessary to comply with the requirements and rules, thanks to which the declared yield indicators are achieved.

It is recommended to use warm water heated in the sun. Cold water reduces yields.
Irrigation with mechanical irrigation using rain sprinklers is carried out in the evening after sunset. This is necessary in order to avoid sunburn on the leaves.
The volume of water is from 3 liters per plant and above. For proper irrigation, the irrigation rate depends on the composition of the soil, climate and rainfall.
Culture requires more moisture during the budding period. For 1 plant, the water consumption rate is 5-6 liters.
The first watering is carried out when the sprouts reach a size of 10 cm from the ground. Irrigation is not recommended for the reason that the mother tuber will begin to rot and will not sprout.
Early potato varieties are watered less than late ones.

To keep more moisture in the soil, the soil is loosened after watering.

When to water

The term for watering potatoes depends on related factors. Therefore, it is difficult to give a general answer to this question. No need to rush with the first watering. Until sprouts appear that reach a size of 10-15 cm, it is not worth irrigating the land at all. The norm is 3 liters of water per plant, provided the weather is not dry. Approximate time - 2 weeks after hatching.

As the plants grow, water them abundantly. If the summer is rainy, then 3-4 liters per bush. Otherwise, 6-12 liters. In case of severe drought, water 2 times a week.

If the summer is cool, then watered every 10 days. Potatoes require special attention when they bloom. Then the number of irrigations and the volume of water are increased several times. The signal to start watering is the appearance of the first flower. At this time, the culture begins to form tubers. Plantings continue to be abundantly irrigated throughout the entire period until the buds begin to fall off.

Proper watering of potatoes is half the battle. A summer resident seeking to get the maximum possible from planting a crop must comply with the rules, norms and terms of irrigation, while not forgetting about standard agrotechnical cultivation methods.