It would seem that you can dig up potatoes at any time after the formation of root crops. In fact, a number of factors are taken into account in order to ensure good keeping quality in winter and excellent taste. For this, the timing and readiness of young potatoes for harvest are accurately calculated.
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Factors affecting the maturation of root crops
The main criterion is the variety (its characteristics). It must be taken into account first of all. However, there are general recommendations. So, the timing and readiness of potatoes depend on environmental conditions. If the rainy season has come in the region, which is not typical for this area, or the air temperature during the day has increased significantly, the digging of root crops may be delayed or, conversely, accelerated. Other factors affecting the timing of harvesting potatoes:
- planting date: early varieties ripen faster than others, and, conversely, late planting of root crops with standard characteristics will not allow to get a harvest on time;
- violation of the recommendations for plant fertilization, for example, an excess of nitrogen during flowering and the formation of ovaries will lead to an acceleration of the growth of green mass;
- deficiency of nutrients;
- the collection of young potatoes can be started earlier if sprouted planting material is laid in the ground.
The lack of periodic watering against the background of the dry season helps to accelerate the growth of tubers. But they will be small.
Determining the timing of the harvest
The main sign is the beginning of the flowering period. Ovaries appear during budding. Young potatoes are poured when in bloom. A potato size of 5 cm or more is sufficient for collection. To get large roots, you need to wait 20-25 days. You can also navigate by faded flowers. By this time they have fallen off. If the tubers remain in the soil longer, they grow (exceed 5 cm).
It should be borne in mind that the thin peel remains within 1 month from the beginning of the flowering period. Before digging, check 1 bush. The root vegetables should not taste watery, insipid. If such properties are inherent in them, you need to postpone the collection for 2 weeks. Full maturation is determined by a number of criteria:
- flowers have fallen;
- the tops began to fade, dry out;
- the skin gains density; if damaged, it does not separate as easily as before;
- there was a rise in the soil around the stem - a sign of an increase in the mass of tubers.
After the plants dry out, harvest is carried out after 15-20 days. But the appearance of the tops may vary. Sometimes some bushes are already dry, while others are still green. In this case, you need to check the different planting sites. If the condition of the root crops is the same, the skin is dense, you can harvest. Another sign is the strength of the potato attachment. You need to dig out one bush, if the roots are easily separated, then you can remove the rest.
In the rainy season, the tops remain green for a long time. In this case, you need to focus on the timing. Count 2-3 weeks for the emergence of seedlings, another 15-20 days before flowering. Taking these factors into account, the average duration of the potato ripening period is determined - from 30 to 35 days.
Do you know the approximate dates for harvesting young potatoes?
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Read about planting and growing potatoes in the following article:Planting and growing potatoes according to the method of Galina Kizima