Merlot potatoes: variety characteristics, taste, reviews

Merlot potatoes are a variety of German selection. It appeared on the Russian market relatively recently, but has already managed to win the love of farmers and consumers. Despite the demands on watering and fertilizing, the crop is among the leaders in cultivation in the central regions of the country. The tubers attract attention with the rich red hue of the peel and the bright yellow color of the pulp.

From the article you will learn how to grow Merlot potatoes, what difficulties farmers may encounter in the process and what ways to eliminate them.

Description of the Merlot potato variety

Merlot potatoes were introduced in Germany in 2012 (NORIKA company). He became famous in Russia a few years later. The variety passed successful tests and was included in the register of breeding achievements in 2015. The crop prefers fertile, light soils, grows in well-lit and moderately moist areas, and is therefore recommended for cultivation in the regions of Central Russia.

Main characteristics of the variety:

• late ripening – tubers are formed in 100–110 days;
• table – starch content about 16%;
• plant type: intermediate;
• medium height

The Merlot potato bush is semi-erect, moderately spreading, with small or medium-sized leaves of rich green color and red-violet corollas. The tubers are oval-shaped, the surface is smooth, red, with small eyes. The taste of potatoes is excellent, the flesh is rich yellow in color, moderately boiled. The average weight of tubers is 100 g, diameter is 4–5 cm.

Important! The commercial yield of Merlot potatoes is 85–96%.

The yield of marketable tubers reaches 200–350 kg per hundred square meters, making the cultivation of the variety profitable.

Merlot potatoes have an attractive presentation

general information

The Ramos potato was bred by German breeders. Thanks to its excellent taste and ease of care, the variety very quickly gained fans not only in Germany, but also far beyond its borders. Russia was no exception. The variety was included in the Register of the Russian Federation in 2006.

Ramos is suitable for planting in any region. If it is planted in the southern regions, then in a season you can get not one, but two harvests. This varietal potato tolerates both low temperatures and hot, dry conditions.

Ramos potatoes are a popular product in the domestic agricultural market

Characteristics of the Merlot potato variety

The variety is not resistant to drought and return frosts. Therefore, it is recommended to plant it only in mid-May, and during cultivation be sure to ensure a sufficient level of moisture. The variety is shelf-stable - under normal storage conditions, up to 98% of root crops are preserved. The peel does not crack, so the harvested crop can be transported to any distance. Potato tubers belong to category B: they are well suited for boiling, frying, and stewing.

Productivity

The Merlot variety fully ripens 3–3.5 months (less often up to 4) after germination. When planting in mid-May, you can dig up the bushes closer to the end of August or early September. Each hole produces 6–10 tubers.

The yield is:

• 0.6–1.0 kg per bush;
• 2–3.5 kg per 1 m2;
• 200–350 kg per 1 hundred square meters (maximum figure – 500 kg).

The yield is influenced by the place of cultivation (fertile, light soil - sandy loam or loamy) and compliance with the basic rules of agricultural technology:

1. Sufficient watering - in the hot season at least twice a week.
2. Apply fertilizing 2-3 times per season.
3. Regular hilling.
4. Periodic loosening and weeding.

Advantages and disadvantages

Merlot potatoes are popular among summer residents because of their excellent taste. It deservedly receives tasting scores of 4.8–5 points out of 5 possible. The variety also has other advantages.

The main advantage of Merlot potatoes is their pleasant taste.

pros

• attractive presentation;
• excellent keeping quality;
• transportability;
• good yield;
• Universal purpose - cooking, frying, stewing.

Minuses

• demanding care;
• immunity to late blight is weak;
• ripening later.

Farmer reviews

Reviews about the German Merlot variety are positive. Farmers value the crop for its high productivity, quality, presentation and shelf life ; consumers like the pleasant potato taste.
Vladislav, Roslavl : “What varieties of potatoes have I not grown in all my farming practice.
I try to periodically update planting material, looking for new interesting crops. Merlot potatoes attracted attention with their appearance: red skin and rich yellow flesh. The potatoes are very tasty, can be stored for a long time, do not spoil, and the skin does not crack when cooked.” Victoria, Kaluga : “Two years ago, Merlot potatoes became one of our favorites. The culture requires a meticulous approach to watering and fertilizing, but for me this is not a drawback. I feed the bushes three times: after planting, during the flowering period and two weeks after it. I installed a drip water supply system on the site, and I carry out loosening and weeding on time.”

Landing rules

Merlot potato tubers begin to be prepared for planting 3–4 weeks in advance:

1. The seed material is sorted out, discarding dried and damaged ones.
2. Pour in one layer into a cool, well-lit room (temperature up to 15 °C).
3. The day before planting, they are treated with Fitosporin, Oxyhumate or other means.

Advice! If the tubers do not sprout, they can be placed in an open place in the sun for several days.

If there is a lack of seed material, they should not be discarded - most of the healthy seeds will certainly sprout.

Simultaneously with the preparation of Merlot potato tubers, they begin to dig up the soil in mid-April. The area is pre-cleaned and leveled so that there are no strong differences. When digging, add 3–5 kg of humus, compost, and a few pinches of wood ash per 1 m2. If the soil is clayey, cover the same area with 200–300 g of sand.

After this, they begin planting Merlot potatoes. The optimal time is mid-May, when the soil warms up to 8–10 °C and the threat of return frosts is minimized. The sequence of actions is as follows:

1. Furrows are formed at a distance of 50–60 cm. When planting under a walk-behind tractor, the interval is adjusted to the track of the vehicle.
2. Dig holes to a depth of 10 cm, maintain a distance of 35 cm.
3. Place Merlot potato tubers and cover.
4. Water 2–3 liters of water per hole.

The optimal distance between holes when planting potatoes is 35 cm

Important! You can check the soil temperature using an outdoor thermometer. It is buried to a depth of 10 cm and kept for 15 minutes.

Agricultural technology of culture

variety is demanding in terms of care and soil type . It is preferable to grow the crop on black soil, sandy loam, peat, and loam. Potatoes do not tolerate acidic soil well, so it is recommended to conduct a pH test before planting. Optimal indicators are 5.2-5.7. For deoxidation, dolomite flour, slaked lime or chalk are used. Wood ash will help normalize the balance of alkaline soil.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

Planting work begins in early or mid-May . The soil should warm up to at least +8°C, and the air - to +15°C. According to the originator, the tubers do not need to be germinated. It is enough to soak in a disinfecting solution with copper sulfate, potassium permanganate or in Maxim and growth stimulants Epin, Zircon a day before planting.

Those who prefer standard preplanting preparation,
2-3 weeks before planting, place the seeds in sunlight .
The optimal germination temperature is +15…+17°C. In such conditions, sprouts will appear in 2 weeks. In the fall, the site is dug up, harrowed, weeds are removed and fertilized with humus . In the spring, green manure plants (lupine, wheat, flax, peas, rye, oats) are planted and mowed a month later. Plants are planted shallowly in the soil. Rotted green manure serves as an excellent fertilizer, loosens the soil, and inhibits the growth of pathogenic microflora.

The ridges are located in the direction from south to north . This way the potato plantings will receive enough sunlight.

Tubers are planted to a depth of 10 cm with an interval of 35 cm . The width of the rows is 50-60 cm. A handful of ash and superphosphate is added to each hole, sprinkled with earth on top, slightly leveling, but not compacting.

About other potato varieties from German breeders:

Young but promising German potato variety "Krona"

Mid-early resistant potato variety "Satina"

Medium-early, unpretentious potato variety "Red Fantasy"

Care

Rules of care:

1. Watering . Potatoes need timely and sufficient watering. The frequency of soil moisture depends on the climate. In the southern regions, a drip irrigation system is installed in the plots and water is supplied as the soil dries out. In the regions of the middle zone there is enough precipitation, but during the period of tuber formation, the moisture supply is doubled. The soil is moistened to a depth of 45-50 cm.
2. Loosening and weeding . It is recommended to loosen the beds after each watering. Weeding is carried out as necessary, preventing weeds from taking root.
3. Hilling up . The procedure increases the productivity of the variety by 30-40%. Sprinkling the bushes with soil stimulates the growth of the root system, protects them from night frosts, and ensures unhindered access of oxygen to the tubers, accelerating their ripening. Hilling is carried out when the sprouts reach 10-15 cm in height, during the flowering period, and repeat after 2-3 weeks. The beds are pre-moistened, and after that the procedure begins.
4. Feeding . Potatoes are fertilized three times throughout the entire season. Pay special attention to foliar mineral fertilizing during the growing season, since the plant absorbs only 50% of the nutrients when applied by the roots.

The table shows an approximate scheme for fertilizing potatoes .

Nuances of cultivation and possible difficulties

To increase productivity, follow the rule of crop rotation . Potatoes are planted after carrots, cabbage, lupine, alfalfa, cucumbers, peas, and beans. It is undesirable to plant the crop after tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers due to the tendency to the same diseases.

In addition to the traditional method of planting potatoes in beds under a shovel, gardeners practice the method of growing in a barrel .
This method is suitable for those who are limited in space, but do not want to be left without potatoes for the winter. Technology advantages :

• space saving;
• no need to weed or hill up plants;
• protection of bushes from fungi and insect pests;
• resistance of tubers to rotting;
• reduction of labor costs;
• reduction of the ripening period.

Disadvantage : careful preparation of the soil and collection of containers for growing are required.

Technological process:

1. To grow potatoes, metal and plastic barrels with a volume of 7 liters or more and a height of 30 cm are used.
2. The bottom of the containers is cut out and the inside is treated with boiling water and soda. Then wipe dry with a clean cloth. The outer surface is painted with light-colored paint so that the barrels attract less ultraviolet radiation.
3. Through holes with a diameter of 1 cm are cut out every 10-15 cm for ventilation.
4. The soil is prepared from compost, turf and humus in equal parts. The earth is first disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate.
5. The barrels are placed in the selected area and a 10 cm layer of soil and compost is poured onto the bottom. The prepared tubers are laid out along the diameter of the circle with an interval of 20 cm, and 10 cm of soil is poured on top.
6. After the sprouts appear (2-3 cm), they are sprinkled with a new layer (10 cm) of soil, repeating the procedure until the layer rises to a height of 1 m.
7. The bushes are watered 3-4 times per season.
8. Plants are fertilized with nitrogen and potassium after the first shoots appear. After flowering, feed with phosphorus.
9. The harvest is harvested 3 months after the last portion of fertilizing is applied, when the tops begin to turn yellow and dry. About one bag of potatoes is harvested per 1 m².

Diseases and pests

According to the All-Russian Research Institute of Phytopathology, the variety has moderate susceptibility to the causative agent of late blight on tops and tubers . In unfavorable growing conditions, gardeners are faced with late blight of tubers and tops. The spread of the fungus is facilitated by excessive soil moisture and low air temperature.

The best way to protect plantings is prevention :

• monitoring the level of nitrogen in the soil;
• crop rotation;
• cleaning weeds and potato tops;
• soaking tubers in potassium permanganate, Oxyhumate, Fitosporin;
• application of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers;
• treatment of plants with copper-containing preparations and whey with iodine.

At the first signs of infection, the tops are cut off , the bushes are sprayed with “Oxychom”, “Hom”, “Ridomil”, Bordeaux mixture, “Efalem”, “Bravo”. At the stage of tuber formation, the bushes are irrigated with Alufit once.

Potato plantings are more often affected by the Colorado potato beetle than other pests . Over decades of persistent struggle against it, farmers have developed effective tactics that take into account the beetle’s high adaptive abilities to fungicides. The best results can be achieved with a combination of chemicals and folk remedies.

Beetle larvae cause maximum damage during flowering and tuber formation. If the infestation area is small, the pests are collected manually by throwing them into a jar with a strong saline solution. With widespread distribution :

• dust the bushes with birch ash, gypsum, corn flour;
• water the bushes with a solution of birch tar (100 ml/10 l), infusion of sunflower (100 g of flowers/10 l), celandine (1 kg of grass/10 l), tobacco (500 g of tobacco dust/10 l);
• treat the plant three times with sunflower oil (200 ml/10 l);
• irrigate the plantings with “spray” 1-2 times a week (200 g of soda, 200 g of pressed yeast/10 l);
• they use fungicides “Stop-beetle + Eco potassium humate”, “Ampligo”, “TurboPresto”, “Rescuer of the garden”, “Troyan”, “Kolibris”;
• fragrant tobacco, marigolds, coriander, calendula, nasturtium, matthiola, and borage are planted nearby (to repel);
• attract ants, guinea fowl, starlings, ladybugs, goldeneyes, and ground beetles.

The Colorado potato beetle is capable of hibernating for up to three years , which allows it to wait out the hungry years. After this, he reproduces healthy offspring.

The larvae of the click beetle (wireworms) “sit” in the soil , weeds and infect potato tubers, gnawing through holes in them. This leads to decay.

Effective against wireworms:

• treatment with chemicals “Aktara”, “Bazudin”, “Prestige”, “Diazinon”, “Grom”, “Gromoboy”, “Zemlin”;
• watering the holes with a pink solution of potassium permanganate before planting;
• adding onion peels to each well;
• watering the bushes with herbal infusion (200 g of nettle, 100 g of dandelion and coltsfoot, 50 g of celandine / 5 l of warm water, leave for 24 hours).

Features of cultivation

Merlot potatoes are a rather demanding crop. Therefore, to obtain a good harvest, it is necessary to follow agricultural techniques more carefully than in the case of many domestic varieties. Basic actions:

1. Regular watering: in light rains weekly, in the absence of precipitation - 2 or 3 times a week. It is better to settle the water and pour it into the rows. When growing over large areas, you can organize a drip irrigation system.
2. Feeding 3 times per season: after entrances - with urea, during the formation of buds and immediately after flowering - with a mixture of superphosphate and potassium salt (in equal quantities). You can add wood ash, an infusion of cut herbs or other organic matter.
3. Hilling up three times per season: when the Merlot potato sprouts reach 15–20 cm, then every three weeks. The furrows can be moistened before hilling.

It is advisable to mulch potato plantings with straw, which will allow the soil to remain moist much longer.

Pros and cons of the variety

Before planting, you need to study in detail the pros and cons of the variety and carefully read all its characteristics. Merlot potatoes have the following characteristics:

• resistance to many diseases;
• high and stable yield;
• ideal fruit sizes;
• fast growing season;
• ability to withstand long periods of storage;
• commodity demand;
• excellent taste of tubers.

The only drawback of Merlot potatoes is that in the absence of the required level of agricultural technology and stable care, the quality of the fruit can suffer greatly.

Pests and diseases

Merlot potatoes have good immunity to the following diseases and pests:

• golden nematode;
• cancer;
• leaf curl virus.

Resistance to late blight of tops and tubers is satisfactory, but the risk of damage cannot be ruled out. In the summer, damage to Colorado beetles, wireworms, aphids, mole crickets, thrips and other pests is often observed. Therefore, when growing Merlot potatoes, it is necessary to observe basic preventive measures:

1. Treat tubers before planting.
2. Maintain crop rotation - change the planting location every 3-4 years.
3. Do not overuse nitrogen fertilizers: if the soil is fertile, the application rate should be reduced by 1.5–2 times.
4. At the first detection of spots, stripes on leaves, and wilting, treat with fungicides.
5. Regularly spray Merlot potato bushes with folk remedies or insecticides to prevent the appearance of insects.
6. After harvesting, immediately burn the tops.

Effective drugs are used to treat fungal diseases:

• "Fitosporin";
• "Home";
• "Oxychom";
• "Fundazol";
• "Prestige";
• Bordeaux mixture.

Folk remedies work well against insects, for example, dusting Merlot potato bushes with ash or gypsum. The bushes can be watered with a weak solution of birch tar - 5 spoons per 10 liters or tobacco tar - 2.5 cups per 1 bucket. Fresh sawdust is poured into the rows - they repel Colorado beetles well.

In case of severe invasion, potent drugs are used:

• "Fufanon";
• "Fitoverm";
• "Akatara";
• "Colorado";
• "Medvetox";
• "Decis" and others.

Advice! If possible, it is advisable to plant marigolds, calendula, coriander, aromatic tobacco, and dill next to the Merlot potatoes.

Rules of care

Start by loosening the row spacing that will be trampled at the time of planting. This will make it possible to remove weeds before the potato sprouts emerge.

The Merlot variety responds very well to proper watering and nutrition. It is these points that should be given the main attention. If you decide to hill up the bushes, then this procedure can be done before the plant begins to flower. At this time, the stem becomes coarser and stops forming stolons. You can limit yourself to mulching to protect the soil from excessive evaporation of moisture and overheating.

The degree and frequency of watering Merlot potatoes depends on soil moisture. Plants experience the greatest need for moisture during the tuber formation phase. This moment begins during the flowering period of the bush. If there is no rain at this time or it is very scarce, then additional watering is required. Usually the tops tell the gardener that watering is required. The leaves lose their elasticity and begin to wither. It is convenient to water in the furrows until the soil is moistened to a depth of 45-50 cm.

Feeding. During the season you will need to feed the Merlot potato bushes three times.

The first time this is done is during the period of active growth of potato tops. The need for such feeding is determined by the condition of the plants. If development is weak, then feed. If the bushes are powerful and healthy, then the first feeding can be skipped. For root nutrition, it is enough to prepare a composition of 1 teaspoon of urea, 1 tablespoon of “Effekton” and 10 liters of water. 0.5 liters of the composition are consumed per plant.

Important! Fertilizing is done on moist soil.

The second time Merlot potatoes need nutrition is during the bud formation phase. For 10 liters of clean water, take 1 glass of wood ash and 1 tablespoon of potassium sulfate. This composition stimulates the formation of flowers.

The third time the potatoes are fed to stimulate tuber formation. It is carried out at the moment of flowering, and for the composition, take 1 tablespoon of superphosphate and “Effecton”, dilute it in a bucket of water. Spend 0.5 liters per plant.

Such nutrition is problematic to implement over large areas. In this case, fertilizing with dry fertilizers will help.

Harvesting and storage

The harvest is harvested in late August or early September. Two weeks before this, the tops are mowed down to 10 cm, which allows the tubers to gain maximum weight. The cleaning itself is carried out only in warm, dry weather.

The tubers are sorted. Small ones are consumed immediately, and large ones are sent for storage. They are allowed to dry a little in the sun and put in a dark, cool place.

Merlot potatoes can be stored in boxes or in burlap

The first 2–3 weeks are maintained at a temperature of about +15 °C, and then in the range of 2–4 °C and a humidity of 70–80%.

Description and characteristics

Merlot potatoes are the fruit of the work of German breeders from the Norika company. This variety has many remarkable characteristics, and therefore has gained popularity among European farmers.

Description of potatoes and tops

Merlot potatoes are larger than average. The shape of the fruits is elongated-oval. The weight of one vegetable ranges from 80 to 140 g. The peel is reddish in color, homogeneous. The roots are smooth, the eyes are small. The pulp is yellow in color, dense.

The tops grow straight, the height is average. The leaf blades are closed, of different sizes, green in color. Flowering is not abundant, the buds are red with a hint of purple.

Taste qualities

Merlot is a table variety. Root vegetables have a pleasant taste and aroma. When consumed, no starchy taste is felt, since the vegetable is medium-mealy and rich in protein.

Productivity and ripening time

Root crops ripen 85–95 days after planting. The harvest takes place in the last ten days of September. With proper care of the plantings, gardeners harvest 715–725 kg of fruit per acre. Yields per hectare can range from 188 to 355 centners.

Variety resistance

The undeniable advantage of the Merlot variety is its resistance to a large list of diseases. Potatoes exhibit average resistance to dangerous diseases, namely:

There are also diseases that are practically excluded when growing crops. Among them:

• scab;
• leaf roll virus;
• blackleg;
• iron spot;
• black scab.

The variety has average resistance to drought. In hot weather, potatoes need watering.

Features of caring for the variety after planting

The agricultural technology for growing Merlot is the same as for other potato varieties. The crop needs to be regularly looked after - watered, fed, weeded, hilled and prevented from pests and diseases.

Fertilizer and watering

According to agrotechnical standards, the Merlot variety is fed three times during the growing season:

• during the period of active growth of bushes - a solution of 0.5 tbsp. l. urea and 1 tbsp. l. the drug "Effekton" in a bucket of water, fertilize at the rate of 0.5 liters per bush;
• during budding - 1 tbsp solution. l. potassium sulfate and 200 g of ash in a bucket of water;
• during the flowering period - solution 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate and 1 tbsp. l. "Effecton" products on a bucket of water.

Potato plantings should be watered as needed. The frequency and amount of water depends on weather conditions. During drought, frequent watering is needed; during rainy periods, it is better not to water.

In this case, the soil should be saturated with moisture to a depth of 0.4–0.5 m. The maximum intensity of soil moisture is necessary during the flowering of the bushes. At this time, tubers are forming, so the crop requires a lot of moisture.

Weeding and hilling

Plantings are checked daily for the presence of weeds. Weeding is needed as they appear. An important procedure when growing potatoes is hilling. In this case, the yield increases by a third.

Potatoes are hilled three times during the growing season:

• when the tops grow to 13–15 cm;
• during the flowering period;
• after flowering.

Hilling is carried out in the morning or evening, when there is no active exposure to sunlight. Before the procedure, it is advisable to water the soil.

Disease and pest control

The variety is resistant to many diseases, but is not protected from all diseases. Most often you can find the Colorado potato beetle and wireworms on plantings.

Colorado potato beetles can be collected by hand as they appear. This method is safe for the crop because there is no need to use chemicals. However, manual collection is a labor-intensive process that requires constant presence near the garden.

To combat the Colorado potato beetle, use an insecticide, for example, Aktaru. To prepare a working solution, stir 1.4 ml of concentrate per 10 liters of water. 5 liters of the product are needed to spray 100 m² of plantings. The waiting period when using Aktara on potatoes is 20 days.

The drug “Prestige” helps against wireworms. The working solution is prepared by diluting 15 ml of concentrate in 30 liters of water. This amount is enough to process two acres. Prestige also fights the Colorado potato beetle. If both parasites are found on the planting, only this remedy can be used.

Variety: ORLA

Description: A variety with excellent taste for the packaging sector in supermarkets, etc. An unpretentious, high-yielding variety with a high dry matter content. This allows you to save on planting and plant at a greater distance from each other. The variety demonstrates good resistance to late blight of leaves and excellent resistance to late blight of tubers. Orla is also suitable for organic production.Origin: O.R. 657 / 3 x SpuntaMaturity: mid-early variety (75 days)

Tuber characteristics:

Shape: Oval Skin color: Bright creamy white Flesh color: Light yellow Eye depth: Small Dormant period: 6 Dry matter content: 17.4% (sandy soil) / 19.6% (clay soil) General storage quality: Very good Mechanical damage: 7 Tuber injury : 7 Yield: High

Resistance to diseases and pests:

Common scab: 6 Powdery scab: 4 Leaf blight: 8 Tuber blight: 8 Blackleg: 6 Potato canker: InsensitivePCN Ro 1: ResistantPCN Pallida: Resistant