According to Vyacheslav Maslov, chief agronomist at the Timiryazev Academy, gardeners should not rely solely on calendar dates when planting potatoes in 2026. The most critical factor is soil temperature: planting should begin only when the ground at the required depth warms to 10–12°C (50–54°F). For southern Russia, the optimal window is late March to early April; in central regions including Moscow, it is late April to early May; while in Siberia, the Urals, and northern areas, planting is best done from mid-May to early June. If spring is unusually cold, these dates should shift until the soil reaches the proper temperature.
For a record harvest, Maslov recommends using super-elite seed potatoes weighing roughly 100 grams (about the size of a chicken egg). High-yielding early varieties include “Riviera,” “Zhukovsky Early,” and “Red Scarlet,” while reliable mid-season options are “Gala,” “Queen Anna,” and “Tuleevsky.” A general planting rule is to bury tubers at a depth equal to three times their diameter, adjusting for soil type: shallower in dense clay soil and deeper in light sandy soil. The agronomist also emphasizes the importance of timely watering during dry spells, early spring nitrogen-based fertilizers, and, in rainy summers, harvesting as early as August to protect against rot and late blight.
