Sorokodnevka potatoes are an ultra-early variety of the crop that is ready for harvest already on the fortieth day after cultivation. Ideal for Russian regions with short periods of heat. The fruits have good taste, the yield is high or average depending on the growing conditions.
Sorokadnevka potatoes are quite tasty, but not particularly aromatic
Description of Sorokodnevka potato variety with photo
Potatoes of the Sorokodnevka variety, descriptions, photos and reviews of which are presented below, are famous for their early ripening and short storage period. Depending on the variety, it may differ in some characteristics and care requirements. The most popular varieties include: Scarlett, Alena, Lapis Lazuli, Impala, Vesna.
Bush
The bushes of the variety are spreading, with a large amount of green mass, and are of medium size, but tall and short varieties are also found. The leaf blades are medium-sized, wavy at the edges, their color is bright, emerald. Inflorescences on the stems are formed in moderate quantities, the color is white, they are not present on the bushes for long (they quickly fall off).
Comment! The tops of the variety grow rapidly, but this is not an indicator of the maturity of the root crops.
In place of withered flowers, Sorokodnevka potatoes practically do not form berries
Tubers
Magpie tubers can have different sizes, but on average their weight is 80-150 g. One bush can contain both large and small potatoes, but there are very few ugly ones. Their shape is usually round or oval, the color is yellow or pink, the peel is thin, slightly rough or smooth. The eyes on the tubers are present in small numbers; they are uncolored and shallow, small. When cut, the pulp of early varieties is pale yellow or cream in color. The starch content in tubers is moderate, ranging from 11 to 15%, protein, carotene and amino acids are high.
Warning! Sorokodnevka potatoes are not suitable for transportation over long distances.
Tulunsky early
The Tulunsky early potato variety is intended for cultivation in Eastern Siberia and the Far East. Despite the very early technical ripening, root vegetables can concentrate a lot of vitamins, minerals, and starch in the pulp. Starch level 16%:
- red potatoes with white flesh. The peel is smooth;
- tuber weight up to 150 g, yield up to 500 kg/hundred;
- the crop does not suffer from putrefactive diseases and is protected from nematodes.
Potatoes of the Tulunsky early variety respond well to fertilizing. When using potassium and phosphate fertilizers during the growing season, root crops are stored for a long time in winter, up to 6 months. The flesh does not turn black. An infusion of crushed pine needles and cones is used as a top dressing.
More on the topic: What are Empress potatoes?
Characteristics of early ripening potatoes Sorokodnevka
The main characteristics of the ultra-early variety include the fact that it is highly resistant to adverse weather conditions. The plant can withstand light frosts, copes well with drought, and rarely gets sick. Potato Sorokodnevka produces a harvest, even growing on not very fertile soil. In some areas it is planted two or even three times per season.
Taste qualities
The taste of Sorokodnevka is pleasant, satisfying, with a creamy aftertaste. When cutting, the tubers do not darken and do not boil too much. Many varieties are suitable for universal use and preparation of any dishes: root vegetables are fried, boiled, and used for processing. The tubers are neither watery nor dry.
The taste of ultra-early potato varieties is not as bright as that of regular varieties.
Ripening time
On average, Sorokodnevka ripens 45 days after the first shoots appear on the surface of the beds. If the weather in the growing region is cold, then this period may increase slightly, and in hot areas, on the contrary, it may decrease. Also, in addition to the climatic characteristics of the planting site, the ripening period of Sorokodnevka is influenced by the varietal characteristics of the plant.
Productivity
Potato Sorokodnevka is a productive variety. According to average data, from a plot of one hundred square meters you can collect about 50 tons of tubers, from 1 hectare to 300 c. One bush produces 8-15 root crops.
Growing regions
Sorokodnevka potatoes can be grown in almost all Russian districts; they have also been very popular in neighboring countries for several decades. The variety is ideal for planting in the harsh conditions of Siberia, the Urals, and the Far East. In the Krasnodar Territory and the Volga region it manages to produce two harvests per season.
Disease resistance
The crop is distinguished by a fairly stable immunity to common potato diseases and is practically not affected by late blight and golden nematode. But even despite this fact, experienced vegetable growers advise treating seeds before planting against viral diseases: scab, cancer.
In addition, it is recommended to grow Sorokodnevka in different areas every year, and if this is not possible, then change the top layer of soil before planting.
Among insects, aphids and the Colorado potato beetle pose a danger to plantings. Less commonly, potatoes are attacked by wireworms. In order to prevent a decrease in crop yield due to their invasion, it is recommended to carry out preventive spraying with special preparations once during the period of its cultivation.
Nadina
Another representative of the German selection is the Nadina variety. It is recommended to be cultivated in the Moscow region, the North Caucasus, and the Volga-Vyatka region. On days 40-45, the pulp gains up to 16% starch, but it retains its shape during heat treatment. Potatoes are tasty, sweetish:
- The bush is small, but its leaves are large and green. The inflorescences are large, the corolla has an anthocyanin tint;
- tubers weigh 132 g. Gardeners harvest up to 329 kg from one hundred square meters;
- The shape of the root vegetable is oval, the peel is smooth, yellow. The pulp is pigmented with carotene.
German breeders made the plant unpretentious. It does not suffer from bacterial and fungal diseases. Tubers are protected from nematodes. For potatoes of the Nadina variety, it is important to properly prepare the soil.
Advantages and disadvantages
Judging by the numerous reviews from gardeners, Sorokodnevka is a pretty good potato variety with a large number of advantages.
The variety is more suitable for growing on small farms rather than on an industrial scale
Advantages:
- rapid ripening;
- good taste;
- high immunity;
- stable yield;
- drought resistance;
- low maintenance requirements;
- universal purpose.
Flaws:
- thin skin;
- the need to harvest manually;
- short-term storage.
Reviews
Maria Petrovna
We have lived in the village all our lives, our pension is not big, and our salary has never been enough to live on. We live mainly off our vegetable garden; it’s large even for a rural area. It takes a lot of effort, but we’ve already gotten used to it a long time ago. We grow only early ripening varieties for sale; there is much less hassle with them, they are not picky about the composition of the soil, they tolerate weather changes well, and do not get sick. Our favorites among the forty-day ones are “Alenka”, “Scarlet”, and our favorite is “Luck”. Planting material does not degenerate for a long time, does not need to be replaced, and the yield is excellent.
Paul
I’ve been growing potatoes for sale for many years now. At first I planted mid-season and late-season potatoes, but about five years ago we decided to try forty days. I will say that it is much more profitable to grow it, they buy it better, and the price is higher. The downside, of course, is that you can’t store it, but we found a way out for ourselves. Previously we sold ourselves, but now we sell wholesale. And time is saved, and the goods do not deteriorate. We plant twice during the season, and after harvesting we sow the field with mustard, it perfectly restores the soil.
Despite some disadvantages, the forty-day plant is in great demand among gardeners and agronomists. It has a short growing season, excellent presentation and excellent taste. Suitable for growing for any purpose. The cost of new potatoes is quite high, so many people plant them for sale. The plants tolerate drought and light frosts well and rarely get sick, so the yield does not decrease.
Landing rules
Since Sorokodnevka potatoes have a fast growing season, the area for planting them needs to be prepared in early spring, in April. To do this, you should dig up the ground well and add humus to it. It is advisable to choose a plantation where cereals, herbs, legumes or pumpkin crops previously grew, but not nightshades. It is good if the site is located on black soil or sandy loam soil with an average level of acidity, under the open rays of the sun.
With the arrival of stable heat, trenches are dug in the ground at a distance of about 0.8 m from each other, planting holes up to 10 cm deep are made inside them at a distance of 30 cm, one hardened potato is placed in them, kept outside for three days, and covered with earth.
Magpie planted in May can be harvested as early as June
The process of growing a crop
Grapes Violet early
Spring potatoes need to be planted in open ground. It is best to grow root vegetables in areas where potatoes have not been cultivated for 3 or 4 years. It is preferable to plant pure-grade tubers weighing 70-100 grams. For planting, take only whole potatoes, without cuts.
Whole potatoes for planting
Note! The more living (not dried) eyes on a potato, the greater the likelihood that the result will be a large, lush bush with the maximum number of root crops.
To obtain high yields, follow the following planting rules:
- Experienced vegetable growers recommend planting potatoes after winter crops, flax, annual or perennial grasses, legumes, lupine (on sandy soils). This is important for maintaining crop rotation. Only then can you get a rich harvest of early potato varieties 40 days old;
- Choose a well-lit area, and right before planting, dig it up to the depth of one bayonet shovel and thoroughly loosen the soil with a rake;
- Then you need to mark the bed into rows with an interval between them of 75-80 cm;
- Dig small holes in the row (about 7-8 cm), with a distance of 30 cm between them;
- You need to fill the bottom of the hole with high-quality humus. Never fertilize with fresh manure. Planting material is very sensitive to unrotted manure;
- Place one potato in each hole and cover it. For prevention, it is better to treat seed root crops before planting with copper sulfate (1 teaspoon per 3 liters of water). To eliminate rust on tubers, root-feed the plantings with a superphosphate solution (3 tablespoons per bucket of water);
- The optimal temperature for effective development of root crops is from 18 to 22C.
Important ! Any deviations from the optimal temperature have a bad effect on the yield of root crops.
Care instructions
- Timely loosen the soil between rows and rows with the appearance of the first shoots;
- Control weeds using any convenient method. A very popular method is mulching;
- Apply fertilizing (nitrophoska) and carry out hilling after the first leaves appear;
- Additional watering only if necessary. Usually in the spring there is enough melt water for the entire short growing season of the plant.
Additional Information. Even if you plant an early ripening root crop in early May, the harvest will still be ready by mid-June. Therefore, there is no need to rush planting and expose the root crops to the risk of freezing.
How to care
As for caring for early ripening potatoes, it comes down to standard procedures for this type of crop. Immediately after planting, the beds are not watered, since in the spring the soil is already damp; then moistening is carried out several times, only if necessary.
A couple of weeks after the shoots appear, the ground is loosened. If there is a threat of night frosts, the plantings are covered with special material or film. When more than six leaves form on the sprouts, the potatoes are hilled up and fed with nitrophoska. Before flowering begins, they try to periodically remove weeds from the beds.
Harvest and storage
With the arrival of the first summer days, the tops of the Sorokodnevka potato become spreading and lush, but it is still too early to start digging the crop. They prepare for harvesting after the fifteenth of June. Harvest in the traditional or protracted way:
- Dig up the whole bush and remove all the potatoes.
- Without removing the plants from the ground, only large specimens are collected, and small ones are left to ripen for another 15-20 days.
Comment! The bushes left for seedlings are not touched until the end of the month.
Magpie is a quickly perishable potato. It is not suitable for long-term storage; it should be processed and used within the next month after collection. Within two weeks, the skin of the root crops will become dense and begin to be difficult to peel off, and gradually the tubers will begin to wither and deteriorate.
Potatoes left for seeds are dug up in the last week of June, dried well and stored in a ventilated, dry room.
In areas with warm climatic conditions, vegetable growers manage to obtain two harvests of Sorokodnevka
