An exotic variety with bright, attractive tubers - Chudesnik potatoes: description and characteristics

Correct fit

To grow strong and healthy bushes, you must adhere to the generally accepted planting stages, the first of which is plantation planning.

Site selection

The landing site must meet the following criteria:

1. Illumination. The length of daylight for normal potato growing should be at least 12 hours a day;
2. Ventilation. The area must be well ventilated on at least three sides, except the north;
3. Lack of groundwater. Closely approaching moisture leads to rotting of the plant roots;
4. Correct crop rotation. It is not allowed to plant potatoes in the same place for more than 3 years in a row or in a place where eggplants and tomatoes were planted. Good predecessors for potatoes are cucumbers, carrots, beets, and legumes.

IMPORTANT: It is advisable to “stretch” the beds along a north-south line.

Soil preparation

On depleted soils, the decisive factor for high yields is the application of fertilizers during autumn plowing. The most affordable and high-quality option is rotted manure in an amount of 7-10 kg/sq.m. Winter sowing of green manure crops is also widely practiced: alfalfa, oats, rye.

Seed preparation

For planting, root crops are selected from pre-designated powerful bushes and stored separately from the rest of the crop. At the end of March - beginning of April, preparations are carried out before germination:

• Seeds are sorted, leaving only healthy and dense tubers, without damage or bites;
• A month before planting, germination begins. To do this, take the box with seeds into a well-lit room with a temperature of 10-15 * C;
• Before planting, root crops are treated with growth stimulants "Epin", "Zircon" or soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate to destroy surface microbes.

Popular potato varieties:

Recommended planting pattern:

• The interval between bushes is 30 cm;
• Row spacing – 60 cm;
• Planting depth – 10 cm.

Boarding time

“Borovichok” is planted in late April – early May, depending on climatic conditions

It is important that the soil is warmed to 10-12*C. In the central regions, planting in a ridge is recommended, as it better protects young shoots from temperature changes

Potato varieties alphabetically, photos and descriptions

Potatoes are considered a perennial crop, but in reality the tubers are planted and harvested every season as an annual plant. To get a good harvest of this crop, you need to choose the right potato variety. In this article we will look at the best and most popular potato varieties in alphabetical order.

Inexperienced amateurs believe that no special skills are needed to get a good harvest. Of course, potatoes do not need greenhouses or expensive fertilizers, but several important points must be observed. This plant does not tolerate drought and does not tolerate stagnant water.

The plant needs abundant moisture, but without stagnation, which can be difficult to achieve in average regions located north of the central ones. Any novice gardener can find a lot of useful information about the rules of growing potatoes.

One of the nuances is choosing the optimal potato variety for the existing growing conditions. When choosing potato seeds for planting, you need to consider the following characteristics:

Potatoes can be early-ripening or mid-ripening according to their ripening period.

First in the alphabet we have the Adretta variety - it has a medium-early ripening period, complex resistance to bacterial and fungal diseases. The mass of the tuber is large, 150 grams, round in shape, with yellow skin and pulp. The starch content is 13-18 percent, this variety has very high taste.

A technical late variety, moderately resistant to damage, not susceptible to late blight, wet rot and viruses. Suitable for starch production.

It has a mesh yellow skin and creamy flesh. One bush produces up to 14 round-oval tubers. The Mountaineer variety cooks well and has high taste.

Potato diseases photo description and treatment

Growing early and seed potatoes

Potato propagation by tubers

The second variety in the alphabet is Breeze, a mid-early variety with remarkable taste. Large root vegetables have an oval shape. You can collect up to 12 potatoes from one bush.

The level of boiling is weak. Breeze was developed not so long ago, but is popular among gardeners. Shelf life is long.

The crop has an attractive appearance, which gives it an advantage in sales.

Veneta is an early ripening variety weighing about 100 grams. They have rounded tubers of a red hue, the flesh is yellow. The peel is yellow and smooth

The keeping quality of the potato is average, it survives dry weather well, the variety is immune to striped mosaic and potato cancer. Not tolerant to potato diseases such as top blight.

Next in alphabetical order is the Vyatka variety. The yield of the variety is up to 470 kg per hundred square meters. The ripening period is from 70 to 75 days. The tubers are light and round, weighing from 100 to 140 g. The peel is smooth or slightly mesh. The eyes are few in number, small, pitted.

The flesh is white and does not darken when cut.
The variety has good taste. Resistant to late blight, viruses and scab. The flowers are red-blue-violet with white tips.
Fifth in the alphabet is the Gala variety. The Gala potato variety is the most popular early ripening with good yield. The Gala variety is resistant to golden nematode. The ripening period for the crop is 70–80 days from the moment the seeds are planted.

Tasty, unpretentious and easy to grow. But in order to achieve a high yield, you need to follow the rules of agricultural technology when growing potatoes. Green, erect bushes with wavy, veined leaves are the above-ground part of the plant.

Blooms with white flowers. The potato itself is oval-round in shape with a smooth yellow skin, underneath it there is dense yellow flesh. The tubers weigh approximately 120 grams. Medium grade. The harvest ripens in 2.5 months. Up to 25 tubers can ripen in one nest.

Origin

Ivan da Shura is an original variety developed in the only experimental nursery in Russia specializing in new promising hybrids.

The farm is located in the Kaluga region, they offer several interesting varieties that have already been tested and have shown themselves well in experimental fields. According to the creators, Ivan da Shura is the real star of the collection, distinguished by unprecedented productivity.

Under favorable climatic conditions, at least 750 centners of selected potatoes can be harvested from 1 hectare.

The variety has not yet been included in the State Register of the Russian Federation, but seed potatoes are available for sale. Recommended for cultivation in temperate climates, the variety is suitable for large production fields, farms and personal farmsteads.

Peculiarities

Characteristic features include:

• Mid-early ripening period. The growing season lasts from 60 to 85 days;
• The maximum yield is up to 750 centners per hectare;
• The seed material does not degenerate. Seed tubers are dried and stored separately from the rest of the crop;
• For planting, give preference to selected tubers.

REFERENCE: It is not recommended to plant small specimens, since the harvest will consist of non-marketable small items.

Botanical description

The general characteristics of the variety largely coincide with the botanical description of other plants from the Nightshade genus.

The bushes are formed moderately spreading, powerful, and erect. The stem part is quite massive, which is due to the genetic component (fertilization with nitrogenous components can cause the bushes to grow even more massive). On large farms where potato care is automated and standardized, the length of the shoots can reach 70 cm.

The leaves are formed on the shoots, one opposite the other, have 3-7 lateral lobes, and are colored in a characteristic dark green color. The fruit is multi-seeded, shaped like a small unripe tomato. The flowers are collected in a shield shape on the top of the shoots.

With proper care, about 6-8 root crops are formed in each bush. The total weight of the tubers can reach 300-400 g. The tubers have an oblong oval structure and are covered with a thick, dense peel. The color of the peel varies from light pink to raspberry red.

The tubers have a pleasant aromatic taste. High taste qualities make it possible to use Krasa potatoes for various culinary purposes: frying, boiling, baking, stewing.

The pulp is dense, crispy, and has a light yellow tint. The starch content in tubers is 15-19%. The eyes go slightly deeper into the root crop and are creamy in color.

Disease resistance

states that the Krasa potato is resistant to all viral and fungal diseases that can affect members of the Nightshade genus. However, you will have to deal with pests yourself.

The Colorado potato beetle should be sprayed with chemicals (pesticides, insecticides).

Ripening time and yield

These indicators will directly depend on growing conditions, climatic region and proper care of the variety. “Krasa” is a mid-early variety, and the first harvest appears 80-100 days after planting. The average yield per 1 hectare of area is 400-450 centners.

If the storage conditions are met, the keeping quality of the variety is quite high. Root vegetables can be stored for about 6 months (in the cellar, at low temperatures and average air humidity). Experts note that the storage capacity of the Krasa variety is 95%.

Preparation of planting material

The degree of germination of plantings will depend on the correct preparation of planting material.

And it doesn’t matter how you plant potatoes (seedlings or tubers)

The step-by-step process for preparing potatoes for planting is as follows:

1. 10 days before planting begins, potatoes should be removed from storage and placed in a warm place.
2. Sort potatoes (select non-viable tubers and discard).
3. Treat the planting material with fungicides (Alirin-B, Binoram, Albit).
4. Treat the tubers with ash. This procedure allows you to protect planting material from future diseases and pests, as well as increase the starch content in the root crop.
5. If planting is carried out using the seedling method, then treating the bushes with fungicides and ash is also necessary.

Planting scheme

The holes for planting Krasa potatoes should be dug with the bayonet of a shovel; this depth will be more than enough. Nitrophoska and/or 300 g of humus are added to the bottom of the planting hole. Each hole with planting material should be watered with a liter of warm water. The distance between plantings in a row is 35-40 cm. The distance between rows should be 60-70 cm.

My impressions of growing “Chudesnik” potatoes

“Chudesnik” is a potato variety with purple flesh and a uniform dark purple skin. This variety, an achievement of Russian breeders, was bred by employees of the Ural Research Institute of Agriculture under the leadership of Elena Shanina. The “Chudesnik” potato is the only purple variety that has high immunity against fungal diseases. It is also well suited for growing in the rather cold Russian climate. It has particularly high levels of vitamin C. Unlike many varieties of purple potatoes, they do not turn colorless after cooking.

The bush has strong spreading foliage, green leaves with a purple tint, and white flowers. The tubers are round or oblong, slightly flattened, with intermediate or shallow eyes. The skin and flesh are purple. The “Chudesnik” variety is mid-season; the harvest can be harvested 60-90 days after planting the tubers. Productivity is low.

Flowering potato "Chudesnik".

The stems of the Miracle Potatoes were dark purple and appeared almost black. The young leaves of this potato were dark purple in color, but as they grew they turned green. At first they had purple markings on a green background, after which the old leaves became completely green, but the petioles retained a dark anthracite color. Thus, variegated foliage could be observed on one bush throughout the entire season.

When “Wonderful” bloomed, it surprised me even more. The petals of its flowers were crystal white, and the stamens, collected in the shape of a cone, had black and yellow stripes. It looked like a bee had perched on the flower, and there was a large brownish-yellow star at the base of the stamens on the petals. Although it is often recommended to pick off the inflorescences of flowering potatoes, I was sorry to pick off such beauty, and the blue potatoes bloomed very profusely.

We harvested “Chudesnik” at the end of August. It’s difficult for me to judge the yield, since I planted the variety with microtubers, which in the first year produce a small harvest of small-sized nodules. The “Chudesnik” potatoes were dark purple, almost black. But when cut, its pulp turned out to be not at all monochromatic, like that of beets, but had a frequent purple pattern on a white background.

During cooking, the potatoes only lightened a little, but the purple hue was, in principle, retained in the boiled tubers (it is noteworthy that for some reason the water in which the potatoes were boiled turned noticeably green).

As for the taste, unfortunately, I cannot say that it was brighter than that of ordinary potatoes. Rather, on the contrary, its taste seemed peculiar to me. It was different from usual, but for me - not for the better. Most likely, “Chudesnik” did not have enough of that slightly sweetish taste that some varieties of potatoes have that I consider tasty. The purple potatoes instead had a rather slightly bitter taste. But, in principle, when added to soup, such features are not critical.

So far we have tasted only a few nodules of the “Chudesnik” potato, leaving the rest for seeds. Next year we hope to try this variety better.

Rules of care

Nikulinsky, like most potato varieties, is not particularly demanding in terms of care. However, if all agrotechnical rules are followed, the chance of getting a high-quality harvest is almost 100%.

Basic rules of care:

• Do not allow the area to be contaminated with weeds. This is especially true during the period when potatoes are just beginning to develop. Weeds significantly inhibit its development.
• Be sure to hill up the rows. Hilling can increase yield by 20-30% due to the formation of new stolons, on which tubers are born. In addition, in addition to this function, hilling allows you to loosen the soil, saturating it with oxygen, and remove the same weeds.
• Be sure to water the potatoes. Potatoes are a strong crop that can survive without watering (purely on natural precipitation). However, then the tubers will not be as juicy and large. Potatoes need to be watered at least three times: after the tops appear, during flowering and before it ends. It is not recommended to water the bushes after they have bloomed, as there is a risk of contracting late blight, which is active during this period of time.
• Loosen the soil. Ideally, it is necessary to loosen the soil after each watering or rain. Tubers that do not receive enough oxygen and grow in hard soil develop very poorly. In addition, due to the density of the soil, they often become deformed, losing their attractive presentation.

The final formation of root crops begins after the tops dry. It is during this period that the tubers form a dense shell and accumulate starch. Many gardeners mow the tops immediately after flowering to promote faster ripening of the tubers. However, it has already been proven that this procedure reduces yields by 15-20%. Instead, it is necessary to mow the tops 7-10 days (maximum) before the planned harvest. Then the yield will remain at the same level, and the tubers will be better prepared for long-term storage.

The ideal temperature for storing crops is +2-3 degrees Celsius.

Diseases and pests: how to fight

Plants are treated against pests with insecticides, the most popular of which are: Fitoverm, Agrovertin, Tabu and Boverin. Manual collection of parasites is no less effective. Wireworms are caught with pieces of potato on a stick, placed 10 cm underground for a period of about a day. The baits are pulled out and destroyed.

Diseases are treated with fungicides and more highly specialized drugs strictly in accordance with the instructions in the description. This variety of potato is not in first place in terms of its yield, but can outperform more prolific varieties in terms of stability of fruiting and development, regardless of the region.

Gardeners rate its resistance to diseases as satisfactory. Delicious Nikulinsky potatoes are widely in demand in Russia and abroad.

Diseases and pests

Potato Chudesnik f1 has strong immunity to many diseases. However, the variety needs to be treated against late blight, brown rot and black leg. We suggest studying the description of pathologies and methods of eliminating diseases.

Late blight

Late blight is an infection, the main symptom of which is the formation of brown spots on the tops of potato bushes. As a rule, rings of mold form around the formed spots. If the Chudesnik bushes are not treated for late blight during the fruit storage period, the potatoes will become covered with small dark spots and will be susceptible to rotting. It is necessary to spray potato bushes against late blight with Oxychom and Ridomil.

Brown rot

Brown rot is a dangerous disease of the crop, in which a change in the color of the tops is observed (the bushes become dark brown), as well as curling and wilting of the foliage of the plant. On fruits, brown rot appears as brown circles from which white mucus oozes. It is impossible to cure a root crop from a disease. However, experts note that the chemical preparations “Grifon” and “Rovral” can save you from the disease if you treat the tubers with them before planting.

Blackleg

Black leg is the most common pathology, affecting not only tubers, but also the tops of Chudesnik bushes. The disease appears immediately after the formation of sprouts: the foliage turns yellow, begins to curl, and the stem itself begins to turn black. Ultimately, the tubers also succumb to pathology and rot. To prevent infection with blackleg, the tubers of the variety are treated with Integral or Maxim substances.

Reviews

Evgeniy Ivanovich, Yekaterinburg, 45 years old.

I somehow managed to taste this miracle potato. What can I say, there are no special differences from white or yellow potatoes. It just tastes a little bland. As for the color, it is truly amazing. I initially thought it would resemble beets, but no, these are real potatoes.

Olga Vitalievna, Ekaterinburg, 56 years old.

Last year we bought Chudesnik at UralNIISKHOZ for testing. I immediately liked the variety, as it has a completely unusual pulp color for potatoes. After the harvest we drew some conclusions for ourselves. Firstly, the yield is very weak when compared with the varieties that we grow. Secondly, the taste is almost no different from regular potatoes. Thirdly, even when cooked, a characteristic purple tint remains. Can it be grown as a main potato? I don't think so yet. As exotic, yes, they can decorate salads, borscht, etc. But we are not yet ready to mass produce. It did not replace the classics for us.

1 Comment for “Description of the potato variety Chudesnik”

Intrigued by the color, I bought it and grew it. But after cooking, the tubers turned out to be of a dirty color; I tried baking them with duck. I wasn't impressed with the color. Guests thought I added blackened potatoes.

Source

Harvesting and storage

When digging up tubers, you should be careful and try not to damage them. The potatoes are dried for 3–4 hours in the open air in dry weather.

If the days turn out to be rainy, they organize a temporary shelter and dry the vegetables there for 2-3 weeks. Then the crop should be sorted and the best quality potatoes should be stored for long-term storage.

You will be interested to know when is the best time to dig potatoes for storage.

Storage takes place at a temperature of +1...+5°C and air humidity of 85–90%, and the room must be equipped with exhaust ventilation. Potatoes can be stored in bags made of natural materials that will allow air to pass through, or in wooden boxes. Often the harvest is simply piled up on the floor, always leaving free space up to the ceiling (at least 0.5 m).

So, the Nikulinsky potato variety is suitable for growing on personal plots and farms in most regions. This vegetable combines unpretentiousness to growing conditions and good commercial qualities.

Harvest and storage

14 days before harvesting the fruits of Miracle f1, experts recommend mowing the tops of the plant. It is necessary to dig up potatoes in dry weather. It is advisable that the soil is also dry. Before storing the potato variety, it is dried for 24 hours. Store the root crop variety in cool rooms with temperatures up to 4 degrees. Potatoes are often stored in basements and cellars.

Wooden boxes are used to store Chudesnik potatoes. Vegetable growers note that storing the fruits of the variety in a bag is strictly prohibited. This is due to the fact that burlap does not allow oxygen to pass through, as a result of which the potatoes begin to rot and rot.

Agrotechnical procedures

Despite the unpretentiousness of the Chudesnik f1 hybrid to care, potatoes require standard procedures: hilling, loosening, fertilizing and watering. Below is a description of the necessary agrotechnical processes.

Watering

Wonderful bushes are watered several times during the entire growing season. Watering is especially important when the plant is flowering. This is due to the fact that during this period the tubers form the number of fruits of each bush, so they need to be moistened.

Hilling and loosening

It is recommended to hill up and loosen the soil 2 times. For the first time, the procedure is carried out at the moment of germination of seedlings (when the bushes reach a height of 30 cm). The second time the beds are hilled at the moment of flowering.

The procedures help remove a dense layer of earth that does not allow oxygen and moisture into the plant’s root system. Hilling also helps strengthen the main root of the potato.

Top dressing

In order for Chudesnik potatoes to show the best results, vegetable growers advise feeding the bushes of the variety with mineral and organic substances. The beds are fed with manure, compost, litter, complex fertilizers, as well as substances containing potassium and phosphorus.

Features of planting and growing

When cultivating this vegetable, it is recommended to take into account some nuances. The culture is demanding to care for and requires patience and certain skills.

Preparing for landing

Tubers begin to be prepared 1.5 months before planting. They are transferred from storage to a warmer place and laid out in one layer.

Important! The ideal temperature for tuber germination is +10…+12°C. To speed up the appearance of sprouts, the seeds are periodically sprayed with water.

When the sprouts reach 2 cm, the potatoes are brought out into the light so that the sprouts do not stretch too much.

Soil requirements

The yield and taste of vegetables depend on the composition of the soil. The most unsuitable soil for purple potatoes is loam, the most favorable is light and fertile, saturated with air. The vegetable does not tolerate drought well, but stagnation of water must also be avoided.

Before planting, the soil is dug up twice: in the fall, before the first frost, and in the spring, immediately before planting. If the soil is too hard, add river sand.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

The vegetable is planted in the spring, when the soil warms up to +5...+7°C, since the plant does not tolerate late spring frosts.

Holes about 10 cm deep are made in the dug up soil, and wood ash is added for disinfection. The holes are made according to a 35x60 cm pattern to provide enough space for rooting and formation of bushes. Potatoes are planted in the prepared holes using one of the selected methods.

Features of cultivation

Growing purple potatoes is no different from cultivating regular varieties.

There are two planting methods:

With the eye method, the prepared seed material is buried in the holes, sprinkled with wood ash. The first shoots usually appear 10–14 days after planting.

In the second option, the seeds are sown at home for seedlings. After this, the finished sprouts are transferred to a permanent place. Replanting begins in May, when the soil warms up to +5...+7°C.

Nuances of care

To successfully cultivate purple potatoes and obtain a rich harvest, you need to feed the plants, water and weed in a timely manner.

Watering mode

Caring for plants involves constant monitoring of soil moisture. If there has been no precipitation for 10–15 days, the seedlings are watered with warm water. Irrigation is especially important during budding and after flowering. It is necessary to avoid stagnation of water in the soil.

When an earthen crust forms, it is thoroughly loosened.

Top dressing

Weeding and hilling

The first hilling is carried out after the appearance of friendly shoots. This will protect young bushes from return frosts and retain moisture. The procedure is repeated when the plants reach a height of 30–35 cm.

Weeding is carried out several times during the summer as needed.

Disease and pest control

Many varieties are resistant to major potato diseases, but precautions are never superfluous.

Attention! Before planting, the seeds are treated with a fungicide and treated with potassium permanganate. This will protect the plants from late blight and some pests.

It is important to change the planting location, alternating crops on the site with legumes and cruciferous vegetables.

For potato diseases, Bordeaux mixture, copper sulfate, Kuprikol, Kurzat R (preparations based on copper salts), Ditan M-45 (active ingredient - mancozeb), Shirlan, Thanos are used.

Colorado beetles and click beetles are the main enemies of the crop. They spoil the tops and appearance of tubers, reduce productivity and negatively affect the shelf life of vegetables. Pests are eliminated using insecticides.

Description and characteristics of the variety

Nikulinsky belongs to the group of mid-late potato varieties, whose growing season ranges from 115 to 120 days.

Description of the plant and fruit

The bush and tuber of this variety demonstrate the following features:

• bush height - up to 80 cm;
• leaf elongated, jagged;
• stem erect, many lateral branches;
• tuber weight – 70–135 g, on 1 bush – 8–12 pieces;
• round tubers;
• the peel has a mesh texture, light, yellowish-beige color;
• the pulp is white, does not darken;
• eyes small, in large numbers;
• the taste is good, the type is boiled.

Important! Experienced gardeners recommend starting to plant potatoes only after the birch buds have opened. The stability of the crop allows you to obtain a sufficient mass of tubers even in an unfavorable season. The variety is resistant to cancer, but is susceptible to black leg and scab.

The vegetable has an average level of susceptibility to late blight (the disease affects tubers more strongly), resistance to viruses, and immunity to the Y virus. The originators promise relative resistance to the Colorado potato beetle. The attractiveness of the variety is added by good marketability (71–95%) and excellent keeping quality (95%)

The variety is resistant to cancer, but is affected by black leg and scab. The vegetable has an average level of susceptibility to late blight (the disease affects tubers more strongly), resistance to viruses, and immunity to the Y virus. The originators promise relative resistance to the Colorado potato beetle. The attractiveness of the variety is added by good marketability (71–95%) and excellent keeping quality (95%)

The stability of the crop allows you to obtain a sufficient mass of tubers even in an unfavorable season. The variety is resistant to cancer, but is affected by black leg and scab. The vegetable has an average level of susceptibility to late blight (the disease affects tubers more strongly), resistance to viruses, and immunity to the Y virus. The originators promise relative resistance to the Colorado potato beetle. The attractiveness of the variety is added by good marketability (71–95%) and excellent keeping quality (95%).

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

• The described variety has the following advantages:
• stable yield;
• good taste;
• unpretentiousness to growing conditions;
• excellent keeping quality.

• Sometimes among the disadvantages of a variety they indicate:
• bland taste and problems when grown in the rainy season.

Potato care

The miracle worker, like any other potato, loves when you give it time. This does not mean that you need to live in the garden, but basic procedures should still be carried out. These include:

1. Hilling.
2. Irrigation.
3. Loosening the soil.
4. Clearing the area of ​​weeds.
5. Fertilizer.

Watering

They begin to water the potatoes only when green sprouts appear from the ground. Before the budding period, Chudesnik is watered only once. After the bush acquires flowers, you need to regularly water the crop, keeping the soil constantly moist (no need to water the potatoes). Usually, with each watering, 1 bush uses 2 to 3 liters of water.

Reviews from vegetable growers

The value of the “Udacha” potato variety is its high yield and marketability, as well as resistance to a range of diseases and good preservation of the crop throughout the winter period. It is worth remembering that adding a large amount of potassium chloride fertilizers to the soil on planting areas provokes the formation of tubers that are prone to darkening of the flesh.

Most potato growers are satisfied with the variety, regardless of where they purchased planting material. In previous unfavorable weather years, many advertised varieties unpleasantly surprised vegetable growers with terrible tuber blights. “Udacha” turned out to be one of the varieties that showed stable yields and formed the most even and large tubers.

Under winter storage conditions, Udacha potatoes show excellent qualities, fully retain their excellent appearance and bring great profits to companies and farms involved in the sale of this vegetable crop.

Advantages and disadvantages

Pros:

• unusual attractive appearance;
• unpretentiousness in cultivation;
• weather tolerance;
• stress resistance;
• interesting taste;
• dietary prescription (suitable for diabetics);
• culinary versatility;
• undemanding to the soil;
• low susceptibility to disease.

Minuses:

• productivity is low;
• During transportation, mechanical damage is possible due to the thinness of the peel;
• difficulties with purchasing seed material (cultivated in experimental fields).

Alternaria blight (early dry spot) of potatoes

Alternaria blight is another fairly common potato disease. On average, it destroys about 5% of the crop, but during heat and drought in some areas losses can reach 50%.

As a rule, this disease begins in mid-June. The lower and middle leaves of the potato are the first to be affected, followed by its stems and petioles. There are 2 pathogens of the disease, and depending on which of them “attacked” the plantings, 2 patterns of Alternaria development are possible. In the first case, small angular-rounded spots with a diameter of 10-35 mm appear first in the center of the leaves, and the tissue in this area becomes dry and brittle. Approximately 20-28 days after the first signs appear, a coating of fungal spores can be noticed on the underside of the leaf.

In the second case, chlorotic pinpoint spots will first appear along the edges of the leaves and between the veins. Then these spots will merge and may even “take over” the entire leaf, turning brown. In this situation, fungal spores in the form of an olive-colored coating will appear on the leaves within 5-6 days.

Alternaria rarely harms tubers directly, but if this happens, small deep spots with a coating of spores appear on the potato. In this case, diseased tissues are very easily separated from healthy ones.

The best protection for potatoes from diseases is prevention. One of the effective methods of prevention is the selection of suitable varieties that are resistant to diseases.

Description of the variety

Purple potatoes have a delicate, nutty flavor and are distinguished by interesting tuber colors: from pale lilac to bright purple. It is especially valued for its beneficial properties and chemical composition.

Origin and development

The lilac-colored peel and pulp are not related to genetic engineering. Presumably colored potatoes originated in South America, then they became widely used in many countries around the world.

Reference! About 120 intermediate potato samples are involved in the development of breeders, which will make it possible to obtain new varieties and hybrids in the future.

Culture appeared in Russia relatively recently. Scientists are working to improve potato keeping quality and disease resistance.

Varieties of varieties

There are several varieties of purple potatoes of foreign and domestic selection. Some have an unusual color only on the skin, others are purple and purple inside.

Blue Danube

This mid-early variety of English selection is resistant to diseases, mechanical damage and drought. It has a dense peel of a lilac-violet hue. The yield of Blue Danube potatoes is about 350 c/ha. The white pulp is tasty and does not become overcooked. Used for soups, salads and frying.

Gypsy

The variety is mid-early, does not tolerate drought well, is resistant to cancer, gray rot, and scab. The flesh is yellowish and tender. The tubers have thin skins, so it is recommended to dig them up by hand. Productivity is 200–250 c/ha, from 6 to 14 potatoes are produced in one bush.

All Blue

The name of the variety of this purple potato means “All Blue” in English. The tubers have an interesting color: the peel and the middle of the pulp are dark blue, and the top layer is light blue. If you cut a potato, a light ring is clearly visible on the cut. During heat treatment, the color of the pulp is preserved.

The oval tubers are large: some weigh up to 200 g. The harvest does not last long, about 3 months, and germinates quickly.

Lilac

Russian mid-season variety. Tubers are medium in size, yield is 150–180 kg per hundred square meters. The potato flesh is lilac with a slight almond flavor. Good for salads.

Miracle Man

The mid-season potato Chudesnik was created at the Ural Research Institute of Agriculture. The peel and pulp are violet-amethyst, the taste is more delicate than that of ordinary tubers. Vegetables are rich in vitamin C.

The culture is resistant to fungal diseases and unfavorable climatic conditions. Productivity is low: 100–180 c/ha.

Adirondack Blue

Mid-season potatoes of American selection. Productivity reaches 400 kg per hundred square meters of land. The crop is susceptible to scab and late blight. The harvest is poorly stored; already in the middle of winter it begins to germinate and becomes soft. The pulp is inky in color, does not boil well, is more suitable for frying.

Miami

A mid-early variety, resistant to late blight, suitable for growing in the Moscow region, Siberia, and the Urals. Productivity - 350–400 c/ha. The peel and pulp of large tubers (weigh up to 110 g) are blue-violet. Miami potatoes have a sweetish taste; the vegetable is suitable for mashing.

Vitelot (French truffle)

A late variety, the tubers produce small ones (no more than 10 cm in length). Under the bush, 6-8 vegetables are formed, weighing 60-75, less often - up to 100 g. Gardeners note low yields: even under favorable conditions, no more than 200 kg are harvested from 1 hectare of land.

Reference! Alexandre Dumas especially liked this variety.

Truffle potatoes have a pleasant nutty taste and have good shelf life due to their thick skin. It is considered a gourmet variety. The dark purple pulp contains a lot of anthocyanins and starch. Suitable for purees.

Purple Peruvian (Peruvian purple)

Medium-yielding and fairly late variety. The mass of the tuber is about 80 g; about 180 kg of potatoes are harvested from one hundred square meters of land. The pulp has a pronounced hazelnut flavor, so it is often added to salads, even raw. The vegetable is purple outside and inside.

Chemical composition

All purple potato varieties contain:

Tubers contain 12-13% starch, which is significantly lower than that of their white-yellow counterparts. Therefore, this unusual vegetable is classified as a dietary product.

Ripening period

Typically, 60–90 days pass from the appearance of the first shoots to full ripening. These values ​​vary depending on the variety.

Productivity

Most varieties of purple potatoes have high yields: up to 400 kg per 1 hectare of land. The exceptions are the Lilac, Vitelot and Peruvian Violet varieties. Their yield does not exceed 200 kg per 1 hectare.

Disease resistance

Lilac-purple potatoes are less resistant to diseases and pests than regular potatoes.

Main diseases:

Characteristics of tubers

Depending on the variety, the pulp is white, yellow or inky in color, and the peel is always colored and quite dense. The weight of oblong tubers varies from 60 to 150 g.

Climate requirements

Potatoes with colored pulp are not yet grown on an industrial scale in the CIS. However, summer residents who are ready to experiment are equally successful in cultivating this vegetable in all regions of Russia, except Siberia and the Far East: due to the harsh climate, the crop grows poorly. Some varieties (Miami, Chudesnik) are more resistant to adverse weather conditions.

Correct fit

To achieve maximum yield, you must follow the pre-sowing recommendations:

1. In the fall, fertilize the area with manure at the rate of 5-10 kg per 1 sq.m for deep plowing;
2. Before winter, it is advisable to sow green manure (lupine, alfalfa, mustard). They will protect the bare ground from freezing, thanks to dense planting they will “knock out” weeds, and in the spring they will rot and turn into additional fertilizers;
3. Seed potatoes are carefully sorted, leaving the largest and healthiest tubers;
4. A month before sowing, the seeds begin to germinate. The best temperature for germination is 10-12*C. At the time of laying in the ground, the sprouts should grow to 3 cm;
5. 2 weeks before planting, the area is loosened and checked for weeds. If necessary, herbicides such as “Arsenal” or “Titus” are used to clean the land;
6. On the eve of sowing, seed potatoes are treated with growth stimulants “Prestige” or “Tabu”. The procedure protects tubers from fungal diseases and pests at an early stage of the growing season.

IMPORTANT: A good stimulating effect is obtained by adding humus, ash and peat to the planting hole.

Planting Density

Recommended planting pattern:

• Row spacing – 70-90 cm;
• The interval between bushes is 34-40 cm;
• Planting depth is 8-10 cm.

The table shows data on the growing season of different potato varieties:

It must be taken into account that bushes grow strongly in nutritious soil, and the lack of free space can affect the yield.

Features of planting, growing and care

With proper care and compliance with the rules of agricultural technology, you can achieve an increase in yield. Therefore, you should strictly adhere to the prescribed standards.

Landing site, soil preparation:

• Purple potatoes should grow on the sunny side, usually in southwestern areas.
• The plant loves a lot of oxygen, so the soil is very carefully dug and loosened before planting. The soil should be fluffy and light.
• The best soil is loamy, floodplain, neutral, soddy-podzolic.

Preparation of planting material:

• If you are going to plant seeds, you should initially soak them in the traditional way and give them time to germinate. At home, germinated seeds are planted in pots, after which seedlings appear.

When using tubers, they should be germinated within a month. The air temperature should not be less than 14 and more than 18 degrees. Root vegetables should receive enough sunlight.

Hilling and loosening:

• The first digging of the soil is carried out before the onset of frost. This is necessary so that pathogenic microorganisms die during the cold weather.
• Loosening and hilling are carried out regularly after the first shoots have appeared.
• If a dry crust has formed on the ground, be sure to loosen and hill up the soil.

Watering:

1. The first watering is carried out after germination.
2. The second time the plant is flooded after the buds are set.
3. The third is when the flowers fall.

Fertilizer:

• The first fertilizer is produced at the preparatory stages before planting. Humus is used in the amount of 60-75 kg per 1 hectare of land. Additionally, mineral fertilizer is added from 3 kg of superphosphate and one and a half kg of potassium salt (per 1 hundred square meters).
• During planting, pour a handful of wood ash and 1 tsp directly into the hole. nitroammophoskis or nitrophoskas.

Drop off rules:

• depth – 9-11 cm;
• distance between holes – 29-31 cm;
• distance between rows – 59-61 cm.

Disease and pest control

The advantage of purple varieties is immunity to diseases such as scab, rot, cancer (subject to compliance with agrotechnical rules). Average resistance is noted to Colorado potato and other beetles, late blight. Therefore, it is necessary to treat plants with appropriate preparations.

For preventive purposes, it is advisable to treat seedlings or tubers with a manganese solution prepared according to a standard recipe before planting in the ground. To avoid pest attacks, periodically change the planting location, alternating potatoes with beans, phacelia, and cabbage.

How to store purple potatoes?

Purple potato varieties like cool, dry, and dark conditions. Only under such conditions are root crops not susceptible to disease.

Before storing, be sure to check each tuber, selecting damaged ones. Periodically sort through the potatoes, removing spoiled potatoes.

Features of cultivation

Potatoes Kamensky

The process of growing and caring is no different from the agricultural technology of other varieties of potatoes.

Selecting a location

A bed where other nightshade crops previously grew is not suitable for planting. Potatoes can “inherit” common diseases. Plots after mowing rye, oats, wheat and planting legumes and root crops are ideal. Like other varieties, Nikulinsky loves warm and moist soil. Being heat-resistant, it tolerates high air temperatures.

Loves warmth

The soil can be different: sandy loam, loamy or clayey. The variety will definitely show the best results on fertile gray forest soils and chernozems.

Moreover, their reaction should not be sour. Although potatoes are considered cold-resistant and can withstand spring cold snaps, they should not be planted to obtain early produce.

Landing rules

Before planting tubers, you should describe the planting process, which consists of the following steps:

1. Prepare planting material, for which you should select standard size potatoes. Large ones are also perfect - they can be cut, leaving 2 or 3 buds (eyes).
2. Carry out greening (vernalization) of tubers for 15 days.
3. Sprout the seed potatoes for a month, turning them over from time to time.

Note! Vernalization plays an important role in the formation of a good harvest. Warming up promotes more powerful germination of the eyes. In addition, solanine formed in tubers under the influence of light is a protection against diseases and pests.

Vegetable growers, from their own experience, advise selecting large tubers for planting that can be cut. In this case, at least 2-3 eyes must be left on each part.

The planting depth, which affects the quality and quantity of the crop, should be approximately 5-10 cm. It depends on the size of the planting tubers and the composition of the soil:

• on clay and loamy soils, potatoes are laid to a depth of 6 cm;
• the most acceptable depth on sandy loam is 6-10 cm;
• in lowland and peat areas, potatoes should be deepened by 10 or 12 cm.

When planting small potatoes, the planting depth is 4-5 cm, large specimens are placed 8-9 cm deep.

Important! With all the above methods, large tubers are introduced deeper than others.

Watering and fertilizing

To grow large potatoes, adding a mixture of ash, humus and mineral fertilizers into the holes and furrows will help.

Also, potato beds need to be fed and watered during the growth process, combining these two agrotechnical measures. During fertilizing, the potatoes receive the necessary nutrition. The nutritional components of slurry or a fermented solution of chicken manure will be very useful for bushes.

To avoid its harmful effects when fresh, it is poured into a bucket or barrel and filled with water. After fermentation for 7 days, it is ready for use, but can only be used after preparing a solution of 1 liter of infused manure and 10 liters of water.

Attention! Fresh chicken droppings should absolutely not be used! It will harm the plants.

At the end of the procedure, it is advisable to water the ridges where the potatoes are planted 3-5 times per season. The soil moisture on them will remain longer if the row spacing and distances between the bushes are mulched. In addition, you should not neglect the hilling of bushes and deep loosening of the space between the rows.

Storage

Upon completion of harvesting, Nikulinsky potatoes are dried in a place inaccessible to light. Then they are sent to prepared storage facilities. These can be basements, cellars, pits and trenches. For convenience, the tubers are placed in nets, boxes and containers. In an apartment, you can successfully preserve the harvest in the refrigerator, pantry, on the balcony or loggia.

Pantry room

What's so attractive about purple potatoes?

Well, firstly, purple-colored potato varieties allow you to create new and interesting dishes, which is highly valued by lovers of exotic cuisine.

Fried cauliflower potatoes

Secondly, despite the fact that boiled potatoes (and experts recommend boiling rather than frying these tubers to preserve their nutritional value) are blue in color, their taste is completely no different from traditional white-cream varieties. Therefore, although the dish turns out to be original in appearance, its taste properties do not suffer from this.

Purple Potato Puree

But the most important thing that made breeders so interested in purple potatoes is the anthocyanin pigments, which give the tuber pulp this amazing color. Anthocyanins have enormous healing potential, which has been used since ancient times in folk and now traditional medicine. The sources of anthocyanins were blueberries, grapes, pomegranates, blackberries, black currants, mulberries, beets, peppers and other fruits that have a violet-blue, purple and red color.

Anthocyanins are substances of a glycosidic nature, the color of which is determined by the pH of the environment. In an acidic environment they acquire red tints, in an alkaline environment - yellow-green, in a neutral environment - purple. Therefore, people who introduce purple potatoes into their diet should not be surprised if suddenly, when adding citric acid or vinegar, the vegetable changes its color. At the same time, heat treatment does not destroy these substances, so the tubers can be boiled, fried, stewed, or steamed.

Purple potatoes are indicated for people suffering from the following diseases:

• diabetic reticulopathy;
• hypertension;
• cardiovascular pathologies (atherosclerosis);
• poisoning;
• reduced immunity;
• inflammatory diseases of bacterial and viral etiology.

Antioxidants in purple potatoes can slow down the aging process, destroy free radicals that cause cancer, and strengthen the walls of blood vessels.

In addition to antioxidants, these unusually colored tubers contain a large amount of vitamin C. According to some data, its content is only half that of a lemon, that is, two tubers can replace one fruit of this citrus fruit. However, unlike lemon, purple potatoes do not contain essential oils, which often cause allergies.

In addition, scientific research has proven that purple potatoes reduce blood pressure due to the increased content of chlorogenic acid and are involved in the regulation of hormonal balance (affecting the production of estrogens - female sex hormones). Carotenoids (which include provitamin A) were also found in the pulp of this vegetable. And what’s most surprising is that, despite the high starch content, amethyst-colored potatoes do not increase the risk of obesity. The latter is explained by the high metabolic activity of other substances that make up blue-violet potatoes.