How to properly germinate potatoes for planting in spring?

Summer residents who are going to sprout potatoes for planting, the timing of this event will need to be calculated based on the characteristics of their region. Somewhere spring comes early, in other climatic zones it is late. At the time of planting the tubers, warm weather should be established without the threat of recurrent frosts. Germination allows you to get young tubers half a month earlier than the usual date.

Why sprout potatoes before planting?

Sprouting potato tubers prior to planting is optional but desirable and offers a number of benefits.

• If the tubers are prepared in advance, their germination improves, the percentage of yield increases.
• At this stage, the potatoes are calibrated: they are sorted out and discarded with rotten, damaged by rodents, covered with mold, too small tubers.
• After the eyes germinate, it will be possible to select the highest quality and strongest material for planting.

Practice has shown that pre-germination increases the amount of subsequently harvested potatoes by one third. As a result of this preparation, dense green shoots 3.5–5 cm long appear on the root crops.

The choice of planting material

Tubers prepared for planting are first sorted in the spring, selecting only full-fledged potatoes for germination.

In the process of sorting, 3 types of tubers are rejected:

• too small;
• affected by disease;
• those that have an irregular shape (their ugliness speaks of degeneration - such potatoes will not give a normal harvest).

Small tubers are not used for planting due to the fact that only a small crop can be obtained from them. Too large potatoes are also undesirable to take: plants with an overdeveloped aerial part and small roots develop from such tubers, which at some stage will inevitably lead to growth retardation.

The optimal mass of potatoes for planting is from 30 to 90 grams. The preparation of the material begins 30–35 days before the expected date of planting work.

Having rejected those potatoes that have deteriorated during storage, the remaining tubers are sorted by size, dividing into 3 fractions:

• large,
• average,
• small.

The best seed is considered to be medium fraction vegetables weighing 50–70 g.

Potatoes of different sizes are germinated and planted separately, since each type will use its own scheme and planting depth. Seedlings and subsequent harvest can also be obtained at different times. Plants grown from large potatoes will form tubers first.

Purchased breeding material sold in specialized stores is considered to be the best for sowing. You should not buy tubers for planting from random people - in the market, near the road. Instead of elite potatoes, in this case, material that is far from ideal quality can be sold.

Germination terms by region

Tubers in each climatic zone begin to germinate at their own time, starting from when the weather allows sowing. For example, in the south of Russia, potatoes are planted at the end of April, in the Moscow region, these works are carried out in the first ten days of May, and in Siberia and the Urals, it is customary to start planting from the second half of May.

Approximate dates for the start of germination:

• South of Russia - from late March to early April;
• Central region - early April;
• Siberia and the Urals - the second decade of April.

The weather may vary from year to year, so the timing is usually adjusted taking into account the forecast given by experts for the current spring. If it was not possible to predict the cold snap that happened at the time of planting, you can use a temporary shelter for beds made of lutrasil, spunbond or agrospan.

Preparing tubers for planting

After the tubers are selected and sorted, they are washed and then heated in hot water (42–45 ° C). After the water has cooled down, a solution of potassium permanganate, prepared in a separate container, is added to it. Crystals should not be thrown directly into containers with tubers, otherwise vegetables may burn. As a result, the water for soaking potatoes should turn a bright pink color.

Potatoes are kept in this solution for 15 minutes, after which additional processing can be carried out with growth stimulants, biofungicides, humates or other means as desired. Such preparation is not mandatory, but it makes it possible to increase the amount of the crop, reduce the risk of diseases, and spend less time in the future on caring for the plants.

Treating tubers may include the following solutions:

• Fitosporin-M. The drug will help protect plants from fungal and bacterial infections. To process one bucket of seed tubers, a solution prepared from 4 tbsp. spoons of the drug and 1 liter of water. The composition must be applied to each tuber.
• Potassium or sodium humate. Soak for 12 hours. Potatoes treated in this way better withstand adverse conditions, develop well, and grow more tubers. The solution is prepared from 1/3 teaspoon of the drug per 1 liter of water.
• Insecticide "Tabu". The preparation will protect potatoes from wireworm and Colorado potato beetle for a long time. To spray 10 kg of tubers, it is enough to use 10 ml of the drug per 1.4 l of water.
• "Bioglobin". It is a growth promoter. Its use increases productivity, increases stress resistance of plants, accelerates sprouting and root formation, and improves the taste of tubers.
• Copper sulfate. Spraying or soaking seed potatoes in such a solution for 2-3 minutes will protect the plants from fungal diseases and dangerous pests. For the preparation of the composition, only glass or enameled dishes are used (you cannot use metal and galvanized containers). The solution is prepared from 1 teaspoon of the drug in 3 liters of water.

After processing, you can begin to germinate the tubers. This can be done in different ways.

How much to sprout potatoes and how to do it correctly?

You can germinate tubers using different methods. Each summer resident chooses the method that seems most convenient to him and corresponds to the possibilities in terms of the premises used and the necessary materials.

In the light

The traditional method involves sprouting potatoes in the light. This does not mean that the lighting has to be of high intensity. Scattered natural light is quite enough, and in the absence of windows in the room, you can organize backlighting with lamps.

If there are few potatoes, they can be scattered in one layer right on the floor. A significant number of tubers will require plastic or wooden boxes with large through holes in the walls. In this case, containers can be placed in several tiers. The topmost drawer must be covered with a piece of loose fabric or gauze.

You can assess whether the tubers have enough light by the appearance of the sprouts that have appeared. With sufficient light, they will be small and sturdy, otherwise they will stretch out.

The room temperature should be in the range of + 12–17 ° C. The higher it is, the faster the germination process goes. At + 15 ° C, sprouts will appear in about a month.

In the dark

It is not always possible to sprout potatoes in the light, but this is not a problem. The procedure can also be carried out in the dark. The tubers are also placed in boxes, having previously lined the bottom and walls of the container with several layers of paper or newspapers. This is necessary so that the formed shoots do not get stuck in the cells of the lattice surface.

The room must be dry and well ventilated. Germination is carried out at a temperature of + 12-15 ° C. In the case when the process is slow, it can be accelerated by raising the temperature to + 18–20 ° C. If everything was done correctly, the sprouts will turn out to be light, powerful.

In plastic bags

This method will be convenient for those who need planting material in small quantities:

1. The tubers are placed in ordinary transparent T-shirt bags from the supermarket (several small holes must first be made in them for air exchange).
2. A dozen potatoes are placed in each such bag and hung near the light source, but without access to direct sunlight (for example, in the opening of the northern window).
3. After 2-3 days, the bags are turned upside down to the light. The action is repeated during the entire germination period.

This method allows you to get the material ready for planting much faster, since the film creates a greenhouse effect, the tubers are in a warm, humid environment in the light. Residents of a private house sometimes hang packages from the inside of a fence in their yard.

Using top dressing

To germinate quickly for planting tubers, you will need to create a moist, nutrient-rich environment for them.

The step-by-step method of planting with fertilizer looks like this:

1. the bottom of the box is lined with plastic wrap;
2. lay the potatoes in 2 layers and cover them with peat, sawdust or chopped straw;
3. alternate layers of potatoes with organic matter several times;
4. gently pour water over the resulting "sandwich";
5. as soon as the potatoes begin to sprout, it is necessary to water it with a solution of complex mineral fertilizer (1 tsp per 1 l of water) or infusion of ash (1 tbsp per 1 l of water);
6. after a few days, water the tubers with the nutrient mixture again.

After 5-7 days, potatoes can be planted on the ridge. The entire process will take 15 days or less.

This technique will allow you to quickly get a large number of sprouts on the tubers and in the future rely on a significant harvest.

In an apartment

At home, potatoes are germinated by those who do not have a more suitable room for this procedure. Preparing tubers for planting in this way will take exactly one month.

The potatoes will need to be placed in three-liter glass jars or five-liter cut-off plastic bottles. Prepared containers should be cleanly washed and dried.

1. The containers are not filled too tightly with tubers and left directly in the room.
2. Cover each pot with gauze on top.

Since germination will take place at room temperature, it is desirable that the room is light, then the sprouts will turn out to be green and strong. You need to remove sprouted potatoes from cans carefully, without causing damage.

How to germinate tubers as quickly as possible?

Sometimes it happens that it was not possible to get potatoes for germination in time. The date for planting tubers is approaching, and the seed has not been prepared. In this case, you can use the fastest possible germination method - in large plastic bags:

1. The washed and treated tubers are put in bags, sprayed with water from a spray bottle and tied tightly.
2. Then the potatoes will need to be placed near a heat source (radiator or a turned on heater).
3. Every day the bags are untied for airing and tied up again.
4. If there is not enough moisture inside, the tubers can be re-moistened with water.

With this method, sprouts can appear within a week.

Accelerated germination is possible when using a greenhouse, where it is warm and humid in early spring. Potatoes can be planted in boxes or pots in advance, and planted in the ground as seedlings when the weather permits. The seedling method will help to get early young potatoes to your table in a short time.

The whole complex of agrotechnical measures preceding the planting of potatoes in the ground is called vernalization. This includes dressing tubers, treatment with growth stimulants and fertilizers, and the germination process. All of these measures allow for healthier and stronger plants with an eye on an early and bountiful harvest.