Planting and caring for potatoes in Siberia and the Urals

Today, planting and caring for potatoes in areas with a cool climate cannot be called an overly complex task.This thesis is also true for such cold regions of Russia as the Urals and Siberia, which are distinguished by relatively short summers. Practice shows that many varieties of potatoes can be successfully grown on their territory, following simple recommendations that will be listed below.

Considering that the climatic conditions of the Urals and Siberia are much more severe than in the European part of Russia, the work on planting potatoes on their territory starts significantly later. For the first, the best time is the end of May - the beginning of June, when the temperature of the soil reaches + 8 ° C. At the same time, earlier laying in the ground should be abandoned in order to avoid slowing down the germination of the culture by 1.5-2 times. In addition, in the Urals you should not plant potatoes for the winter - this is due to the prolonged freezing of the earth and the high probability of strong spring frosts.

As for Siberia, its climate has much in common with the Urals, differing somewhat cooler in summer. Thus, planting potatoes in this region should also begin with the arrival of consistently warm weather, when the soil warms to a temperature of + 7 ... 9 ° C or 20 cm deep. In the western part of Siberia, such conditions occur in mid-May, and in the center and in the east - about 2 decades later.

Despite the impressive number of potato varieties present on the domestic market, not every one of them is suitable for the regions covered in this material. Taking into account the climatic features of the latter, gardeners should choose varieties for the northern latitudes - possessing increased resistance to adverse environmental factors.

All varieties of potatoes suitable for cultivation in this region can be divided into 3 groups - speed, medium and late ripening. The most remarkable of the first, which can be dug out after 2 months from the moment of germination, are several options.

• "Bullfinch". One of the best "red" varieties with minimal susceptibility to cancer solanaceous crops.
• Vineta. This "yellow" variety of potato is primarily interesting in its resistance to moisture deficiency.
• "Spring is white". This variety, containing about 15% of starch, is popular due to its ultrafast ripening.

Mid-season potato varieties, ideal for growing in the Urals, are most in demand. They fully ripen in 80-90 days, and the most popular of them are three species.

• "Crown". This variety belongs to the "yellow", and its main advantage is the high drought resistance.
• Aspia. Most often, this "beige" variety is chosen by those who care about the low susceptibility of the plant to diseases and pests.
• "Bezhitsky." The main feature of this “pink” variety is the increased starch content (about 20%).

Separately, it is worth mentioning those varieties of potatoes, which need 3-4 months to ripen. Because of the harsh climatic specifics in the Urals, they are used infrequently, and the most popular of them are "Santa" and "Spiridon". The first “yellow” variety can ripen relatively quickly (within 90 days), and the second, “red”, is distinguished by an impressive weight of its tubers (up to 160 g).

Considering the particular climate of the region in question, it is reasonable to abstain from growing late-ripened varieties of potatoes on its territory. When choosing a suitable variety, it is important to remember that the present summer in Siberia begins only in July, and therefore the time for ripening of tubers is relatively small.

To solve the above problem, professionals recommend several varieties of potatoes.

• "Alyona". This “red” variety is characterized by medium ripening times and the ability to withstand moisture deficiency without problems.
• "Zhukovsky". The described "pink" variety is primarily interesting for its precocity (ripening period - about 60 days).
• "Adretta". This "white" variety belongs to the early ripening, and its main advantage is its high resistance to fungal diseases.
• "Priekulsky early." It has a record-short ripening period, for which he received the nickname "Forty-Day." At the same time, the “Priekulsky” potato has a tangible shortcoming - it is poorly stored.

Before embarking on the procedure for planting potatoes in Siberia or the Urals, A gardener needs to take into account a few simple rules regarding the selection of suitable material:

• on each of the tubers intended for planting into the ground, there must be at least 3 ovaries;
• minimum weight - 30 g, maximum - 100 g;
• The optimal size of the tuber is 6x4 cm (like a large chicken egg).

In addition, regardless of the selected grade, you must:

• remove tubers from storage about 45 days before planting and place them in a warmer place;
• daily sprinkle potatoes with water;
• 7 days before the tubers are planted in the soil, their skin should be rubbed evenly with wood ash - the source of the microelements they need;
• sanitize the tubers with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

As in other regions of Russia, gardeners in the Urals and Siberia are used 4 main ways of planting potatoes.

• "Under the shovel." The simplest technique involves placing rows and holes in the eye.
• Ridge. The variant, the implementation of which involves the creation of elongated earthen hills about 15 cm high. Having made 7-10 cm indentations in them, the gardener remains to place the tubers in them (this way the optimum heating of the plants is achieved).
• Trench. This method involves the use of extended recesses instead of single ones. For best results, humus and other organic fertilizers are placed at the bottom of the wells.
• In the container. This method allows you to achieve a good warm-up of the soil and helps retain moisture and nutrients.

In addition, experienced gardeners advise planting tubers from north to south (so that plants get maximum heat and light) and stop growing potatoes in shady places.

With regard to the location of the tub under the mulch or straw, then it should be treated with caution. This recommendation is relevant for regions characterized by strong spring frosts and cold June.

There are several main activities that provide care for potato bushes in the Urals and Siberia. We list them.

• Hilling. It is made three times per season, provided that the planting was carried out in the furrows or “under the shovel”, and provides for pouring the soil under the stalks of the plants.
• Removal of flowers since the beginning of the growing season.Helps shrubs more efficiently dispose of nutrients.
• Cutting tops. It is carried out after the plants are finally formed, and allows you to increase the yield of culture.

After two weeks from the moment of emergence of shoots the potatoes need the first watering. Repeat the procedure is necessary with the onset of the phase of budding - provided that the soil dries to 7 cm or more in depth. Further watering depends on the amount of precipitation: the smaller it is, the more often it will have to be done (in the dry season - up to 5 times, consuming 5 liters of water per bush). It is especially important to monitor soil moisture in Siberia - a region that is drier than the Urals and the European part of Russia.

To grow potato bushes to please their owner with high yield, they should be fertilized. As a rule, three feedings are enough:

• the first - carbamide (for increasing green mass);
• the second - potassium sulfate and ash (necessary during budding);
• the third - superphosphate (promotes the development of tubers).

Do not forget about the protection of plants from diseases and pests: the first primarily include blight and scab, and the second - the Colorado potato beetle, a bear and wireworms. To effectively combat diseases caused by fungi, fungicides of a wide spectrum of action are used. As for pests, other drugs are needed against them - insecticides, the most effective of which are Karbofos, BI-58, Inta-vir and Aktara.

Speaking about the cultivation of potatoes in Siberia and the Urals, it is worth noting that the yield of this crop in most cases is 3.5 kg per square meter. m or about 800 g per bush. In this case, the collection of tubers should begin in accordance with the characteristics of cultivated varieties, the specifics of the region and the timing of planting.

• Most often, the Ural gardeners prefer mid-season potato varieties, which allow harvesting in September. If the varieties used are late, this period is shifted 2-3 weeks later.
• Choosing the right time to harvest potatoes in Siberia, one should be aware of the aridity of this region. With the approach of autumn, this feature of the climate is becoming more pronounced, and therefore cleaning can begin at the junction of September and October without any fear.

In general, professionals advise taking up a shovel after half of the tops of the potato leaves (or slightly less) remain on the potato bushes. This recommendation is relevant for most varieties - except those that continue to turn green until late autumn.

Finally it remains to list the basic rules for the storage of potatoes, the consideration of which allows you to avoid damage to this root crop:

• temperature from +2 to + 4 ° C;
• air humidity - 90-92%;
• pre-cleaning and drying;
• rejection of damaged or diseased tubers.

As a rule, potatoes are stored in cellars or closets. Bags are also suitable - provided that they have a sufficient number of ventilation holes, which nullify the likelihood of rotting root crops.

In the next video, you will see a seminar on the topic "Potatoes in Siberia" of the Krasnoyarsk Center for Natural Farming "Revival of the Earth".