When To Stop Watering Potatoes? 2 Times You Should Notice
Watering potatoes can help them flourish and yield a bounteous harvest. However, not every stage is necessary to water the plant. So, when to stop watering potatoes?
When the plant’s leaves turn yellow about 2 to 3 weeks before harvest. The fruits in this stage need time to dry before being ready to harvest.
Some gardeners may forget that potatoes have different water needs at each stage. So, read to the end because this secret can be of great help to your plants.
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When To Stop Watering Potatoes?
When the potato leaves begin to turn yellow, about 2 to 3 weeks before harvest, you should stop watering the plant.
You can ensure that your potato plants are healthy by keeping track of rainfall, and moisture level, and understanding how much water they need.
Then, when do you stop watering potatoes? When the plants start to turn yellow and are harvested, you should stop irrigating them.
Maturity stage
The potatoes will dry and harden at this period, picking them. This period may last anywhere from one to two weeks.
During the last week of drying, you should cover the potato bed using a waterproof, breathable tarp to let little light in. In places with thick clay soil that will never dry up, this idea can help.
The curing method stiffens the skin of the potato tuber, allowing it to stay fresh for a longer time.
Harvest time
When you discontinue watering the potato crop, you don’t need to irrigate the mature fruits. Any water contact may cause your tubers to rot, leading to a very poor potato harvest.
After harvesting potatoes, allow them to dry for two to three days in a dry, cool location to remove any soil before storing it.
More to read: How Many Potatoes Grow Per Plants?
Make sure you store them in a dry, cool place too. Also, put them away from any direct sunlight and moisture.
Stop giving your crop water when it is closer to harvest time
How Much Water Does A Potato Plant Need?
Your potatoes need 1 to 2 inches of water per week. The amount of water directly affects the quality of the potato at harvest.
Watering too little when the plant begins to form or too much right after planting can cause the bulbs to deform.
It has many different characteristics when it comes to growing potatoes in the yard and in pots.
The planting soil should have a uniform consistency with sufficient drainage and many organic substances for nutrients. Then, you won’t need to fertilize your crops during the growing period.
Next, we’ll check how much water you need to give your potatoes, depending on how you’re going to grow them.
In the garden
The key to healthy potatoes is to remember that they are rooting plant that thrives in moist soil.
Because potatoes are not water-loving plants, showering the garden with water frequently would rot and kill them.
Too much moisture at the root system is why you must ensure well-draining soil, especially if you grow potatoes in a high-rainfall location.
You can use the rainwater gauge to determine how much water your plants obtain quickly. The video below will show you how to do it.
When you examine the gauge after a big rain or hose down, you may discover you need to feed your crops another half-inch or more water during the week.
In a container
Potato plants in containers require at least one inch of water per week.
Growing potato plants in pots has the advantage of allowing you to assess the soil moisture content readily. You may either sense the wetness with your finger or employ a moisture meter.
Make sure any pot you choose has drainage holes or at least two inches of gravel at the base, so the roots don’t get too wet.
The growing conditions determine how much water your plants need
Water Requirements For Potatoes
You may need to water potatoes adequately during the growing period. They can get what they need at the right time during their development.
Proper watering will boost productivity and keep the potato plants healthy, reducing the risk of diseases.
First stage
Begin by sowing your seeds in damp but not too wet soil. At this point, a three-inch covering of mulch around the plants can help keep the soil moist.
Then, if the soil is still moist, wait about one to two weeks for new leaf formation before starting frequent watering.
More to read: How Far Apart To Plant Potatoes? Every Gardener Should Know!
Light rain is fine. However, at this stage, you want the roots to expand by searching for moisture in the planting soil, and fresh vine formation is a good indicator of root development.
Second stage
The watering schedule varies now that the potato plants are flourishing. You need to work on preventing the soil from running dry.
Begin with about one inch of water each week if your plants are still small, and remember to maintain a suitable soil moisture level.
Then, increase the moisture level a little every week as the potatoes mature with the proper amount of sunshine until you reach about two inches.
The best way to deal with this phase is to keep an eye on the soil conditions every day until you notice a pattern.
To protect the soil from running dry entirely between waterings, wet your crops every three days.
You’ll keep watering your potato plants in this manner until the vines become yellow and fall off, signaling that the plant’s growth is slowing.
The water requirement is different from stage to stage
What If You Keep Watering Your Potato Plants?
Your crops require different moisture levels at specific points in their life. Stop giving them water once you’ve determined when your plants are at their peak.
Many people assume that potato tubers need more water in this stage, but the excess moisture will ruin potato roots. The fruits will perish before you can pick them.
If the potatoes get flooded, they are more vulnerable to infection. Bacteria and molds flourish in moist environments, and if you don’t cease watering, your crops will suffer.
Overwatering will ruin the crop
How Often To Water Potatoes?
Potatoes require varying quantities of water at different periods to produce their maximum potential.
Potatoes need at least 1 to 2 inches of water every week to keep from drying out. During the growing time, your plants demand the following amounts of water:
- During the first 30 days: Low
- 30 to 60 days: A lot
- 60 to 90 days: A lot
- 90 to 120 days: Low
Deep watering is necessary for growing potatoes, especially when the weather is hot and dry. The moisture level in the soil should always be 8 to 10 inches deep.
Two weeks after seeding, make sure you don’t overwater your plants. The schedule of watering every four days is ideal during the first weeks.
Water potatoes every day or every two days during weeks 6 to 8. The plants are starting to produce new potatoes underground. Watering them will help them grow bigger and more uniformly.
Watering is good, but too much moisture might cause issues and result in the loss of some of your harvests. They may produce fewer and smaller potatoes.
Importance Of Watering Potatoes Adequately
When growing potatoes, make sure they have enough water. Offer them this treat at specific periods so that their roots will benefit.
It’s critical to provide them with plenty of water at the proper periods. It will assist you in harvesting more and higher-quality tubers.
Offering your crop the correct moisture level also helps it grow healthy, avoiding pests or diseases.
Overwatering encourages root rot, leading to uneven tuber development and increasing disease risk.
On the other hand, underwatering causes the soil to run dry entirely, delaying tuber growth and resulting in uneven tubers.
Even if you can correct this mistake, poor watering practices cause stressed crops that may not recover or take longer to heal.
Conclusion
Irrigation is a key component of agriculture. Once you understand the rule, your crop will be healthy and yield many fruits.
Aside from watering, you should also pay attention to other factors, such as fertilizing, soil, weather, and disease.
Hopefully, the complete guide we have shared can assist you in your gardening. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask us via Swipe Garden. Thank you for reading!
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