When to dig potatoes according to the lunar calendar in 2018

They begin to dig up potatoes at a time when the tops are practically dry, seed boxes will ripen, and the skin of the tubers will become coarser.

Depending on the type of vegetable and the cultivation region, digging potatoes is necessary from late July to early October. According to agronomists, the time of digging tubers should be optimal. After all, too early harvesting will lead to shortage of tubers by weight. Digging too late threatens to damage the potato with rot.

Excavation dates according to the lunar calendar

Thousands of years ago, people knew that the monthly luminary affects all living organisms on the planet. Therefore, they used knowledge about the influence of the Queen of the Night in the cultivation of cultivated plants. Until now, many vegetable growers adhere to the lunar calendar in order to properly plant potatoes and harvest their crops in a timely manner. However, in addition to the monthly phases and the effects of the zodiac signs, weather phenomena should also be taken into account.

In September, abandoning the digging of the crop is:

• thirteenth;
• fourteenth;
• seventeenth;
• eighteenth;
• twenty-third;
• twenty-fourth;
• twenty-sixth;
• twenty-eighth.

The most favorable days for picking tubers from soil in September are:

• second;
• the third;
• the fourth;
• sixth;
• seventh;
• the eighth;
• tenth;
• eleventh;
• twenty-ninth;
• thirtieth.

Digging dates in the regions

The timing of digging a vegetable depends on weather conditions, the biological characteristics of each variety, planting dates, as well as a specific area.

In outskirts of Moscow

From August 20th to September 20th, potato harvesting begins in the Moscow Region. At the end of the last summer month, early and mid-early varieties are excavated, until late October, early. Most residents of the Moscow region begin to harvest at the moment when the apical part of the vegetable is completely dry. However, dry stems are not always a sign that potatoes are in the stage of technical maturity.

The vegetative part of plants can dry out and heal before the due date in cases of damage to the vegetable by pathogens or an excess of nitrogen-containing substances in the soil. With a high content of nitrogen in the soil, the tops are stretched, and the tubers do not gain enough mass.

And some varieties have a green vegetative mass until the end of the cultivation season. Therefore, before massively digging up a vegetable, you should check two or three bushes for the maturity of the tubers, and after checking start digging.

In the region of St. Petersburg

For planting in this rainy and cool region, ultra-early and early potato varieties are chosen. Indeed, in the conditions of heat that comes to this region only at the end of May - beginning of June, it is difficult to grow late varieties without film shelters.

Therefore, the process of digging potatoes is carried out from the first days of September until the night air temperature drops -1 degree. In this region, you should not wait for the complete roughening of the skin of the tubers and the maximum mass of the vegetable. After all, choosing a potato in the season of prolonged rains will not be a pleasure to any gardener. In addition, after waiting for the passage of autumn showers, you just can not find the tubers.Indeed, during this time, the vegetative mass rots, and tubers cannot be found. Potato drying before laying for preservation in this region should occur only in dry weather.

In the Urals

The climatic conditions of the Ural region are characterized by: May temperature drops to -10 degrees, September early frosts, rainy July and August days. Such climatic conditions do not provide the opportunity for growing any varieties of potatoes. For this region, gardeners pick only ripening varieties of vegetables that they start digging from the fifth to sixth of August, ending the harvest in early September.

In Siberia

The Siberian Federal District is characterized by sharp changes in climate. In the eastern region of this geographical region, usually very severe and long-lasting winter cold, short summer days, frosts until mid-June. Part of Siberia, located between the Ural Mountains and the Yenisei River, has a milder climate. However, there are sharp changes in daily temperatures and a small amount of precipitation during the summer.

Therefore, growing potatoes in the Siberian Federal District is quite problematic. For planting, Siberians choose ultra-mature varieties of potatoes, which are dug from July 10 to the end of August.

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In the Rostov region

The climatic conditions of the Rostov region are not the same throughout the region. However, in general, all vegetables are successfully grown throughout the region. Digging potatoes here begins in late June. But early-ripening varieties dug during this period are used only for sale and cooking. Middle and late potatoes are harvested from August 20th to September 30th.

Experienced vegetable growers in the Rostov region determine the time of digging tubers for: varietal features, weather conditions and features of the technology for growing potatoes.

In Samara

Samara province is the region of the country in which the volumes of potatoes are grown, providing the product not only to the region. Vegetable harvesting begins here in early August in dry weather as the potatoes mature. Harvest ends on the fifth to tenth of September.

In Ukraine

The period of digging vegetables in Ukraine depends on the method of planting, the characteristics of the variety, as well as the soil and climatic zone. In the southern and eastern regions of the country, early planting and harvesting is carried out in the month of June, since when growing a vegetable in the conditions of July heat, potatoes are subject to degeneration.

In the central and western part of Ukraine, the digging of potatoes is carried out after the great church holiday of Apple Savior, which falls on August 19. By this period, the potato tops become dried up, and the tubers gain a dense skin, are easily separated from the root system.

In Krasnoyarsk

In the Krasnoyarsk Territory, they do not dig potatoes until the vegetative part of the plants turns yellow, becomes sluggish. In this region, potato tubers are gaining mass even at low daytime temperatures. At the same time, listening to the forecasts of weather forecasters, you need to dig a crop in time for frost. Harvesting begins in this region from August 25 to September 20.

Drying bushes and plants with signs of disease are dug up primarily in early August. Such tubers are poured separately from the rest of the crop and are used primarily, since they are not subject to long-term storage.

In the Kemerovo region

The climate and soil of the Kemerovo province allow growers to cultivate only early and medium varieties of vegetables. Late potatoes are not grown in this region. Determining the timing of excavation of products, take into account its variety accessories. Early varieties are harvested 55-70 days after planting, medium - after 75-90 days. Mass harvesting in the Kemerovo region begins from August 20 to September 10.

How to collect

Digging potatoes in the field is carried out using special harvesting units. The same method is applicable in large suburban areas. In small gardens, vegetable growers adhere to the traditional method using forks, shovels and hoes. When cleaning, the following rules are observed:

• Harvesting is carried out only on a clear fine day. In rainy weather, digging up vegetables is not carried out;
• in the process of digging, try not to cut the tubers. After all, through wounds, an infection will get into the vegetables, and such a product cannot be stored;
• after sampling, the products are dried in the sun for five hours, and then three days in a well-ventilated room;
• after drying, the potatoes are sorted by size, damaged tubers are separated from healthy ones and stored separately;
• high-quality medium-sized seed material is selected from the sorted potatoes for the next season.

How to store

For use in food for many months after harvesting, potatoes need proper storage. Qualitatively dried tubers, when kept in specially equipped vegetable stores, save their qualities for up to 11 months. In order to get healthy products from the harvested and planted in the cellar by spring, the following rules are followed:

• in bins of any type they maintain air temperature from +3 to +5 degrees. This temperature regime will prevent the growth of milk roots and sprouts, as well as the development of pathogenic fungi;
• humidity in storages is maintained at the level of 75% -85%. Increasing its parameters will contribute to the formation of mold spores;
• artificial lighting in bins is not used for a long time, since this process will cause the formation of toxic glycoalkaloid-solanine in the tubers;
• vegetables are stored in containers of not more than 20 kg.

Properly performed work related to digging potatoes, preparing for storage and proper conservation will ensure the safety of the harvested crop.