Planting early potatoes

Sprinkled with fragrant dill the young friable potatoes brewed in June - sounds like music, right? Of course, grown in early summer, tubers of vegetables are not expensive at the bazaar or in the store. But who prevents to grow a few early potato bushes on your own site? So, we are talking about the features of planting early potatoes.

Preparation for planting early potatoes

Land for planting is prepared in advance - even in autumn. Choose a place sunny, warmed up, preferably on the southern slope, which will quickly dry out after melting snow. In the soil, preferably friable and fertile, fertilizers are introduced and excavated.

For planting early potatoes, usually early maturing varieties suitable for your region are chosen. These are the varieties that can harvest tubers on day 53-70 after emergence (Fink, Early Rose, Zhukovsky Early, Sparkle, Spray, Call). In the middle of March - beginning of April, selective, medium-sized tubers (whole, without signs of decay) of potatoes are placed in a bright and warm room (with an optimum temperature of 10-15 degrees) to germinate the kidneys of the eyes.

Planting early potatoes in open ground

In regions with a temperate climate, the planting dates for early potatoes are determined by heating the soil to 7 degrees at a depth of 10 cm and lack of frost. Usually this is the second half of April. In areas with a later spring, the landing time shifts to the first week of May. Planting of early potatoes is made in rows, the distance between which should be 55-60 cm. The pit holes 7-8 cm deep are located at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. At the bottom of each hole carefully put the tuber, sprouted eyes up and fall asleep on the ground.

In regions where winter ends early, potatoes can be planted early in the spring under a film, which will allow to harvest at the end of May - early June. True, germination of tubers should be carried out from early March. The very planting of early potatoes under the film is made in early April, when the earth warms up to 5-7 degrees. Planting holes are not deep - about 3-4 cm. At the bottom of each we put a tuber, which must be covered in such a way that a hillock with a height of 5-7 cm is formed. If possible, the mounds can be covered with mulch (hay, humus, grass , fallen leaves). For additional protection from frost and warming, the beds are loosely covered with a film whose edges are covered with earth. As the shoots appear on warm days, the film needs to be removed for ventilation. When the danger of frosts completely bypasses, the film is removed.