Early Potatoes - General Information

more than 260 varieties of potatoes grown in Russia. They differ in the group of ripeness, yield and resistance to diseases. Early potato varieties are especially popular with Russian gardeners due to their short ripening periods.

These varieties begin to actively grow and develop as soon as the earth warms up to +10 ° C.Harvesting the first harvest can be started after flowering. During this period, tubers with very thin peel mature. The fruit quickly loses moisture, so it can not be stored for a long time. Such potatoes are eaten or sold on the market in the summer. When the peel is stronger( usually August - September), you can harvest the main crop for long-term storage in winter.

The ripening period of a variety most often depends on the quality of the seed, the timing of planting, sufficient moisture and useful elements in the soil, the degree of protection of the plants from parasites and diseases, and weather conditions.

The best varieties of early potato that are cultivated in Russia are:

• RedCarlet;
• Bellarosa;
• Gala;
• Adretta;
• Karatop;
• Zhukovsky Early.

Experienced gardeners use several early potato varieties for planting. First, under different weather conditions, each variety behaves in its own way. And it is difficult to predict which one will give the best result. Secondly, it is also advisable to use different varieties for cooking: a firm variety is better for salad, and for mashed potatoes it is better to take potatoes, which are well boiled soft.

Grade Red Scarlet

Early high-yielding table variety, imported from Holland. Red Scarlet's potato ripening period is 45–70 days. Main characteristics:

• Root crops are large, oblong-oval in shape, weighing 85–120 g. The peel is red, the surface is smooth, with shallow eyes.
• The flesh is yellow, does not darken due to mechanical damage. Color after heat treatment does not change. In the process of cooking Red Scarlet potatoes do not tend to darken and do not boil soft.
• The starch content is 10–15%.
• Good resistance to drought, diseases( viruses, golden potato nematode, late blight, leaf rolling, potato cancer).
• Productivity - 400 kg / ha.
• Well kept in winter.

In order to ensure a high yield of Red Scarlet potatoes, it is necessary to loosen the soil well in the area where the tubers are located for the smooth penetration of moisture and air. This has a positive effect on the formation of a good root system and powerful tops.

Bellaroza variety

High-yielding early variety bred by German breeders. The ripening period from planting to harvest is 45–60 days. The main characteristics of the potato Bellaroza:

• The tubers are large, oval in shape, weighing about 200 g. The skin is pink, the surface is rough, with a small number of small eyes.
• The flesh is yellowish, does not darken when cooked, has a low susceptibility to mechanical damage. The potato variety Bellarosa is well boiled soft, has a medium sweet taste.
• The starch content is 15.7%.
• Very high resistance to diseases( viruses, nematode, potato cancer, leaf curl) and drought.
• The yield is 400 kg / ha.
• Good potato storage.

In the more southerly regions, one can harvest 2 varieties of Bellarosa potato per season. To do this, after harvesting the first harvest in early July, you can re-plant the vacated areas. The second harvest should ripen in early September.

Variety of potatoes Gala

Early ripe variety.70–80 days pass from planting to ripening. Description of potato gala:

• Root crops of medium size, weighing 100-120 g, have a rounded or oval shape. The peel is yellowish, the surface is smooth, with shallow eyes.
• The color of the pulp varies from light yellow to dark yellow. It has good taste. During cooking does not boil soft and does not darken.
• A low starch content of 11–13%, therefore suitable for dietary nutrition.
• One of the main characteristics of the Gala potato variety is good resistance to mechanical damage and scab.
  However, plants are prone to fungal infection with rhizoctoniosis, and therefore require mandatory dressing;
• Productivity - 340–600 centners per hectare;
• Well preserved in winter.

2 weeks prior to harvesting Gala potatoes, it is recommended to first completely remove the tops. This contributes to the long shelf life of tubers in good condition.

Variety Adretta

Medium early high-yielding table variety imported to Russia from Germany. Maturation occurs 60–80 days after planting. The main characteristics of the Adretta potato variety:

• . The tubers are oval in shape, weighing 120–140 g. The peel is yellow, with occasional small eyes.
• The flesh is pale yellow, with excellent taste. Well boiled soft when cooking.
• The average starch content is about 16%.
• Variety Adretta has an increased resistance to many diseases, pests, rot and low temperatures. However, it is susceptible to such diseases: scab, rhizoctoniosis, late blight and black leg.
• The yield is 450 kg / ha.
• Suitable for long-term storage.

As the potato variety is Adretta medium-early, it is advisable not to perederzhivat it in the soil in order to avoid rotting of tubers during the period of heavy autumn rains.

Variety Karatop

Early ripe high-yielding table variety. From planting to maturation takes 50–70 days. The main characteristics of the potato cultivar Karatop:

• . The tubers are small, oval-circular in shape, weighing 90–100 g. The skin is yellow, the surface is smooth, with small eyes.
• The flesh is pale yellow, with good taste. Potato cultivar Karatop retains a relatively solid structure after cooking and a pleasant yellow color.
• Starch content 14.4%.
• Highly resistant to viral and other diseases( nematode, potato cancer).
• Productivity - 450 kg / ha.
• Has good keeping quality.

For good yields, it is advisable to plant the Karatop potato variety on the site where leguminous crops and herbs used to grow, and on sandy soils - lupine.

Potato variety. Zhukovsky early

. Early, early table variety of potatoes, bred by domestic breeders. The ripening period is 60 days. The main characteristics of potato Zhukovsky early:

• Tubers are large, oval, weighing 100–150 g. The surface is smooth, light pink or beige, with few pink eyes.
• The flesh is white, does not darken when cutting. Early Zhukovsky potatoes are not boiled soft and suitable for frying.
• Starch content - 15%.
• Particularly unpretentious and resistant to most diseases( nematode, scab, rhizoctoniosis).High resistance to drought and low temperatures.
• The yield is 380 kg / ha.
• With moderate humidity and temperature it can persist until mid-spring.

Early Zhukovsky potatoes can be planted as early as April. However, to protect against frost and to increase the temperature of the soil, planted potatoes should be covered with agrofibre. When the threat of frost has passed and the air temperature rises, the cover is removed.

Obviously, planting early potato varieties has a number of undeniable advantages.

1. Probability of combining the biological properties of a variety with suitable weather conditions. Potatoes are not susceptible to the harmful effects of drought at the end of summer.
2. Young plants do not have time to get damaged by the Colorado potato beetle, and mature plants do not carry viral diseases( aphid, cicada).
3. A small number of chemical treatments. As a result, pollution of the environment and potatoes by pesticides is reduced, and the cost of goods is also reduced.
4. Limited amount of laborious watering.

However, by planting only varieties of early ripening, you can lose without knowing the weather. Therefore, it is recommended to allocate 50% of the plot for early potatoes, and the rest of them to be planted evenly with mid-season and middle-late varieties.

Planting early potatoes - video