Irrigation of potatoes and its effect on yield

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Potato has a poorly developed root system, so it really needs oxygen. The best air and moisture exchange is carried out in sufficiently moist and loose soil. However, prolonged watering of potatoes leads to waterlogging and death of the root system. Therefore, when looking for a site for planting, it is better to choose light soils that retain friability for a long time, which will not swim after precipitation, will have a neutral or slightly acidic reaction and contain at least 2% humus. If the soil is heavy, organic fertilizers must be added to it. And in heavily waterlogged soils, the plant is cultivated using ridges or ridges to avoid rhizoctoniosis and bacterial diseases.

Irrigation

An equally important part of caring for a plant is watering it. How often should you water potatoes to prevent waterlogging? After the potatoes are planted and until the seedlings appear, the plant is not watered, since during this period it forms a root system, which, whencomfortable moisture is able to branch well and penetrate deep into the soil. If the soil is waterlogged, the roots will be located at insufficient depth, which will subsequently affect the ability of the plant to extract moisture and negatively affect development.

As soon as the first shoots have appeared and bushes have formed, the plant begins to consume more water, but you should not overdo it with watering. The main signal for irrigation is the dried top layer of soil up to 6 centimeters deep. It is better to carry out this procedure in the evening hours to prevent moisture evaporation. As soon as the withering of the lower leaves becomes noticeable, it is immediately necessary to water the potatoes. The plant will need the largest amount of water during budding and flowering. It is important to provide him with a sufficient amount of moisture in order to prevent the germination of young tubers and subsequently dig up a vegetable the size of peas. The tops dry up in the month of August, during the period of drought and lack of rainfall. To reduce the temperature of the soil, it is necessary to irrigate the potatoes, thereby extending the growing season, which means increasing the yield.

Irrigation Rules

Very important question: how to properly water potatoes? In the first watering, each hundred square meters of land must be provided with a water rate of about 300 liters, and in the next - about 500 liters. To moisten the soil, it is better to use not cold, but the so-called "summer" water, which is preheated in barrels.

You can water potatoes only in the morning or in the evening. Irrigation of light lands should be done much more often than heavy lands, while preventing the formation of a dense crust on the ground and loosening the ground from time to time. During irrigation, under no circumstances should a stream of water be directed directly at the potato bush, but it is better to use a hose sprayer. It is not necessary to water the plant before harvesting - this can harm. If desired, you can make drip irrigation of potatoes, which significantly reduces water consumption, can be combined with top dressing and maintains the necessary soil moisture for a long time. The use of this equipment has a very good effect on the crop, but the price of such installations is quite high.