Potato Zekura: description of the variety, features, real reviews

Origin story

German quality is not only about things and equipment, it is about the selection of new varieties that have become hits in industrial and private plant growing for decades. Zekura potatoes are just such a success of the Germans, which is better known throughout the world. The variety has been grown in Russia for more than 20 years.

Zekura potatoes inherit the main advantages of European varieties, such as high disease resistance, productivity, stability, and high commercial characteristics. There are also a number of disadvantages due to the place of selection.

Pests and diseases

If you read the reviews, it becomes clear that Zekura has a fairly strong immune system, which protects her from most fungal diseases. If the crop encounters a fungus, then special fungicides are used for treatment.

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Another thing is parasites, from which no immunity helps. The following products can be used to control pests:

1. For severe infestations, insecticides are used.
2. Alternatively, you can resort to traditional methods, which involve treatment with ash or corn flour.
3. To ensure that insects avoid the area, garlic is planted near the potatoes. They cannot stand its aroma.

Description of the potato variety Zekura

Zekura potatoes belong to the mid-early ripening varieties and at the same time they have fairly high keeping characteristics. When properly stored in a cellar, potatoes are able to maintain their ideal appearance and high nutritional qualities for 4 to 6 months.

The Zekura potato bush is compact, slightly spreading, low - up to 35 cm. At the same time, 20 tubers of different weights are formed under the bush.

The high taste qualities of the Zekura variety are especially noted. The tubers contain a large amount of carotene, which not only determines the color of the potato when cut - rich yellow, but also allows the variety to be classified as dietary. With a fairly high starch content - up to 18%, potatoes do not become overcooked and have a rich, very distinct taste.

History of selection and distribution

The Zekura variety was bred in Germany in the early 90s of the last century.

German breeders who worked on the creation of this variety wanted to obtain early-ripening and disease-resistant potatoes with high yields and excellent taste.

Initially it was assumed that Zekura potatoes would be grown only in Central Europe, but the plant adapts well to unfavorable climatic conditions and is grown even in Siberia and Kazakhstan.

Main characteristics

• Ripening period: mid-early,
• Harvest: 90-100 days from planting,
• Productivity: 350-370 centners per hectare,
• Demanding on soils
• Requires watering
• Bush: low-growing, compact, about 35 cm
• Excellent for mechanized planting, processing and harvesting,
• The tubers are sandy outside, clearly yellow inside,
• Number of tubers per bush: 15-20 pcs.
• Average tuber weight: from 60 to 135 g.
• Disease resistance: average. The variety is resistant to scab and leaf curl virus,
• Easy to grow variety
• Taste qualities are high,
• The variety is classified as dietary due to its high carotene content.
• The starch content is up to 18%, it cooks poorly.

These characteristics of the variety have made it very popular in private breeding in Western Siberia, the Far East, the Middle Volga and Central Black Earth regions.

Description and characteristics of culture

Zekura potatoes were created by crossing several varieties of vegetable crops, and therefore have unique properties and characteristics.

Bush

The bushes are low-growing, with small branches, rarely grow more than 35 cm, which makes the crop very convenient for growing on small plots of land. Green leaves densely cover the bushes; during the flowering period, inflorescences with small purple flowers are formed.

Productivity and taste of tubers

Root crops ripen within 3-3.5 months. Ripe tubers from 100 to 150g with yellow pulp and light brown or yellowish skin. The starch content in root vegetables is from 13 to 18%, depending on the size of the vegetables.

With proper care, from 12 to 18 tubers are harvested from each potato bush. And since the variety is distinguished by its yield, it is also grown in industrial quantities. From 1 hectare of land, up to 50 tons of root crops are harvested.

Scope of application of fruits

In the food industry, the variety is used for the production of semi-finished products, frozen foods, chips and dry concentrates. In cooking, Zekura potatoes are widely used for preparing soups, salads, and other dishes. Root vegetables do not become soft when cooked, but are excellent for both pureeing and frying.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of the Zekura variety include:

• Stability of yields,
• A large number of tubers in the nest,
• Smooth tubers, suitable for both mechanized and manual harvesting,
• Good keeping quality
• Excellent presentation,
• Excellent taste and dietary properties,
• Early harvest
• Suitability of the variety for cultivation in almost all regions of the Russian Federation,
• The compactness of plants, which facilitates their agricultural technology.

On the downside:

• Demanding requirements of potatoes to the soil: the variety reveals its full potential only on nutritious soils and with the application of organic and inorganic fertilizers,
• The variety requires regular watering.

Advantages and disadvantages

Zekura has virtually no flaws. It is drought-resistant, but during periods of drought and extreme heat it should still be provided with abundant watering. Otherwise, the growth of tuber crops may stop prematurely. If periods of drought alternate with heavy watering, the fruits may turn out gnarled and ugly.

It is important not to go from one extreme to another

The main advantages of the variety are:

• disease resistance;
• unpretentiousness to environmental conditions;
• good keeping quality;
• beautiful tubers;
• pleasant taste, the ability to use potatoes for preparing various dishes;
• possibility of cultivation in many climatic zones;
• high yield.

Landing

Zekura potatoes have their own characteristics of agricultural technology, and they relate, first of all, to soil preparation. The variety does not tolerate poor podzolic soils. Therefore, starting in the fall, a number of organic and mineral fertilizers must be applied to the area allocated for potatoes. But the variety tolerates slightly increased acidity, so you should not lime the soil.

For organic matter, rotted manure and soil from compost heaps, previously sifted and disinfected, are preferable. Pre-sown green manure works well: rapeseed, peas, mustard, which, when dug, make the soil lush, richer, and fight weeds and pests.

Before planting, the seed material should be prepared in advance: warm it up, drive out strong shoots, stimulate root formation.

Zekura potatoes are planted either under a shovel or in furrows, the main thing is that the soil has time to warm up well, but remains moist. Folk omens recommend sowing potatoes on the days when leaves appear on the birch tree. For earlier harvests, you can cover a well-lit area with covering material in advance, wait a couple of days for the soil to warm up and, after planting potatoes, cover the area again with textiles.

The planting scheme for the Zekura variety allows you to save a little space. Due to the compactness of the bush, the distance between holes can be reduced to 35-40 cm, and between rows - to 55-60 cm.

Questions and answers

How often do you need to renew Zekura potato seed?

The Zekura variety is not prone to rapid degeneration. To ensure that the potatoes remain large and productive, it is recommended to renew the seeds every 7-8 years.

What are potatoes better suited for, boiling or frying?

The main area of ​​application of Zekura potatoes is for boiled dishes (mashed potatoes, pureed soups). It can also be used for stewing and baking. When fried, potatoes turn out tasty, but lose their shape.

European potatoes Zekura are one of the most delicious varieties. It is almost perfect, not dry, not watery, boils well. Moreover, the plants are not painful and grow well in most regions of Russia on different soils and in different climatic conditions. Zekura has been tested by many years of experience among summer residents. By choosing it for planting, you can be sure of a good harvest.

Care

Zekura potatoes are quite demanding to care for. Already a week after planting, it is necessary to walk with a rake over the area with potatoes to break the top crust.

Two weeks after germination, it is important not to miss the first hilling. The ground is raised as high as possible due to the characteristics of the variety - the nest of tubers is located very close to the surface. The second hilling is carried out during the period of color development.

Important! All work on hilling, weeding, loosening and fertilizing is carried out only on wet soil! If there has been no rain for a long time before work, deep watering of the potatoes should be carried out.

Zekura potatoes should be fertilized twice during the growing season. These can be either organic fertilizers: infusions of manure, vermicompost, herbs, ash, or mineral complexes that are scattered around the plant at a distance of 10-15 cm and lightly sprinkled with soil.

The first fertilizing is carried out with potassium fertilizers. They allow you to increase green mass, improve plant nutrition, and stimulate root formation. The second feeding is done during the period of color development with sulfate-based preparations. These fertilizers provoke an increase in tuber mass, and also increase the resistance of potatoes to rot, scab, and late blight. The tubers not only absorb nutrients, but also “build” a strong skin around themselves, which will ensure better preservation of the crop in the cellar.

Separately about watering. During the dry season, Zekura potatoes require 3-4 abundant waterings. The first at the moment of germination, the next two with an interval of 3 weeks. After flowering has ended, watering potatoes is contraindicated.

Important! It is best to water potatoes in the early morning hours before the sun appears. An increase in temperature will cause abundant vaporization, which will create conditions for the development of fungal and viral diseases. When watering, try not to get water on the leaves.

The crop is harvested 90 days after planting, dried thoroughly without exposure to sunlight, excess soil is removed and stored.

Harvesting and processing

Harvesting is carried out 90-100 days after planting. The procedure is carried out on a dry day when rain is not expected. The dug up tubers are laid out on the ground and allowed to dry. After this, you need to wipe them off from excess soil, sort them by size and send them for storage.

Zekura potatoes of this variety can be used for boiling, stewing, and frying.

Store Zekura potatoes in 2-3 layers in boxes. The harvested crop is well stored, and yet experts recommend sorting it once a month. The storage temperature should be around +2…+3, the room should be dark, with good ventilation.

Potatoes of this variety can be used for boiling, stewing, and frying. But since it does not boil well, it is rarely pureed. It is also suitable for freezing and drying.

Reviews

Anna Vladimirovna, 53 years old, Smolensk region

Zekura is the most delicious potato I have ever tried! The potatoes are soft when boiled, but completely retain their shape, while being richly yellow, the oil on them looks like a white spot. I get the harvest in the Smolensk region at the end of July, and the variety seems to have been created for our humid and not always warm summer.

Ivan Andreevich, 44 years old, Dalnegorsk

It’s a good variety, stable. I’ve been planting Zekura for 15 years now, and the potatoes haven’t gotten smaller, and the number of tubers under the bush hasn’t decreased. It is very easy to hill up - the plants are compact and do not lie down. The most difficult thing is to save the seed material until April. You have to dig it out already in August, and in January-February the potatoes in the basement begin to wrinkle.

Dmitry Konstantinovich, 38 years old, Salavat

It’s rare that a European variety produces good yields here in the Trans-Urals, so Zekura was a great and pleasant surprise. It’s nice to dig and choose when there are a lot of tubers under the bush and all are even. A small drawback for potatoes is that part of the harvest is less than average, so I don’t leave it for winter storage, because it pleases us from July to September, until the main potato varieties ripen.

Igor Sergeevich, 37 years old, Kostomuksha

I was not impressed by the variety, the yield was average, there were a lot of small potatoes slightly smaller than a chicken egg - just boil them in their uniforms. I planted it for two years, then bred it, not an interesting variety.

Features of caring for potatoes after planting

The Zekura potato variety is unpretentious in terms of cultivation techniques and will not require much time from the gardener. To achieve the maximum harvest of large and beautiful tubers, it is enough to provide the potatoes with standard care, consisting of weeding, cultivating the soil around the plant and proper watering.

Did you know? China ranks first in the world in potato production. About 80 million tons of product are grown there annually.

The basic rules for caring for the Zekura variety are described below:

• watering - carried out when the soil has dried out significantly to a great depth. The first watering is recommended after the appearance of small green shoots 5–10 cm high. The best results are obtained by drip irrigation of the bushes;
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• weeding - carried out in June, before the plant blooms. In the future, weeds are removed as necessary so that they do not cover the potato bushes from light and do not draw out all the useful substances from the soil;

• loosening the soil - carried out periodically as needed, especially after rain or watering. This procedure removes the hard crust that forms on the ground, facilitates access of air and moisture to the tubers, and stimulates their growth;

• mulching the soil around plants — helps prevent the appearance of weeds, keeps the soil moist and loose longer. Rotted sawdust or humus is used as mulch;

• hilling bushes - carried out in the first half of July with the aim of forming a compact nest of tubers. Thanks to hilling, the soil around the bush remains moist longer.

How to properly care for the variety

Potatoes of the Zekura variety are unpretentious in care, but some agrotechnical measures will help to get a good harvest of the vegetable crop. Before the first shoots emerge, the beds are cleared of weeds and lightly loosened.

Irrigation and watering

The variety easily tolerates lack of moisture and drought and does not require systematic watering. But during the growing season and flowering, additional soil moisture is a necessity.

As soon as the young bushes reach a size of 10-15 cm and buds begin to form, irrigation work becomes more frequent. Water the potatoes carefully, trying to avoid excess moisture getting on the green bushes.

Fertilizer application

Usually, for plant growth and root ripening, fertilizers applied to the soil in autumn and spring are sufficient. But in particularly infertile soil, potatoes are fed throughout the season.

1. Before the first hilling, the vegetable crop is fed with organic fertilizers.
2. During the formation of inflorescences, potatoes need potassium supplements.
3. During flowering, organic matter or fertilizer containing phosphates is added to the soil.

Loosening and hilling beds

In order for root crops to develop correctly, it is necessary to carry out work on hilling the potatoes and loosening the soil. During the entire growth period, it is necessary to hill up the vegetable crop at least 3 times. Such measures help the formation and development of tubers, and protect the plant’s root system from drying out.

Loosening the soil helps enrich it with oxygen and retain the moisture necessary for the growth of root crops. Also, during the work, weeds and weeds that interfere with the growth of potatoes are completely removed.

Protection and prevention from insects and diseases

The main protection against diseases is proper planting and care of vegetable crops. To combat pests, professional preparations or folk recipes for infusions and sprays are used.

Step-by-step instructions for growing

To get a good harvest, you need to follow all agricultural techniques, as well as take good care of the plant.

Inventory

In case of manual planting, the following tools are used:

1. An ordinary shovel or a so-called miracle shovel, which can be used to simultaneously make a hole of the required depth and plant tubers.
2. Marker – allows you to maintain the same distance between rows of plants.
3. A hand plow helps cut rows for planting, loosens the soil and hills up the potatoes.
4. Cultivators are manual, electric and with gasoline engines. In addition to loosening the soil, planting and hilling, it can sow seeds and weed weeds.

You can make this equipment yourself or buy it in stores for gardeners and farmers.

If the area of ​​the plot is more than 50 acres, you can use the following equipment:

1. A mini-tractor for which you need to purchase a disk drive or a regular harrow. Such devices will weed the weeds and loosen the soil.
2. Hedgehog - loosens the soil, weeds and hills. It consists of discs with spikes that are fixed at a certain angle. This is a very convenient and versatile technique for growing potatoes.
3. Motoblock. It can be confused with a cultivator, but it is equipped only with side cutters and a wheel for transportation, while the walk-behind tractor is more powerful and has drive wheels. Used for plowing, weeding and hilling.

Preparation

Soils

The soil at the proposed planting site must be fertile, free from weeds and groundwater. The ideal conditions for growing Zekura are alternating vegetables and changing the planting location. However, this does not always happen, so in spring and autumn the soil needs to be sown with green manure to improve its health, which is then incorporated into the ground as fertilizer.

Important!

The best green manures for potatoes are mustard, oilseed radish, and rapeseed.

Zekura is best planted where cucumbers, corn or some legumes used to grow. In spring, acidic soils are sprinkled with lime and fertilized with ash and potassium. In the fall, organic fertilizers (beam or manure) or superphosphate are applied. Nitrogenous fertilizers cannot be used: they promote the growth of tops, but inhibit the development of root crops. Also, do not plant potatoes near other nightshades to avoid cross-pollination.

Planting material

1. For planting in the fall, medium-sized tubers are selected and stored separately from the rest of the potatoes.
2. Throughout the winter, they are inspected, damaged sprouts are removed and sprouts are torn off so that by spring they do not take away the strength to sprout.
3. Two to three weeks before planting, the planting material is germinated. To do this, you need to take it to a warm and bright spacious room and lay it out on the floor in one layer or place it in shallow boxes.

Boarding time

Potatoes begin to be planted when the soil warms up to +10°C. The time for planting mid-early varieties is different in each region:

• North Caucasus - early April.
• West Siberian - late May-early June.
• Volga region, Central Black Earth, Volga-Vyatka - until May 10.
• Far Eastern – second half of May.

1. Hilling. The first hilling is carried out 25 days after planting to protect the shoots from frost and unstable weather. The second time the potatoes are hilled up during flowering so that the bushes do not lean toward the ground.

   Advice

   It is better to hill up early in the morning before lunch and sufficiently moist soil (after rain, dew, watering). During hilling, an earthen mound is formed around the bush, which helps the soil retain moisture longer.

2. Watering. Water the potatoes once a week in dry weather and once every two weeks in rainy and cold weather. After watering, the soil is usually loosened.
3. Loosening. Carry out as necessary, loosen the soil between the rows. This helps break up the hard crust on the ground and provides the tubers with access to air and water, stimulating their growth.
4. Weeding. Weeds are weeded in early June before flowering and subsequently as needed.
5. Feeding. Fertilizing is carried out only if fertilizers were not applied before planting. Zekura is especially fond of organics. Bird droppings, manure or ash must be diluted with water and watered between the rows. If mineral fertilizers are applied, it is better to choose ones that contain calcium, phosphorus and potassium. They also need to be diluted with water.
6. Other care measures. Mulching the soil is carried out to protect the soil from overheating and moisture evaporation. For this purpose, sawdust, pine branches, and humus are used.