Potato variety "Labella": description of a high-yielding beauty from Holland

Origin story

The authors of the variety are breeders from Germany. The Solana company is known in all corners of the world, because they specialize in creating hybrid varieties of different vegetable crops. In Russia, Labella potatoes were approved for cultivation in 2011, as they were included in the State Register. The variety was recommended for cultivation in some areas:

• Central;
• Central Black Earth;
• Volgo-Vyatka;
• North Caucasus;
• Far Eastern.

Over the past few years, the geography of cultivation has expanded. Today, reddish-pink tubers can be found in almost all Russian regions.

Attention! Vegetables after harvesting do not require re-sorting, since all tubers are almost the same in size.

Labella potatoes: description of the variety with photos, cultivation features, reviews

The Labella Potato variety is one of the most popular among gardeners. Thanks to its unpretentiousness, even beginners in this business can grow it.

Potatoes "Labella" - description

The following characteristics are typical for potatoes of this variety:

• all fruits are approximately the same in size (there are no tubers that are too small or too large);
• unpretentiousness in care (the plant does not have any characteristics and/or mandatory requirements);
• high productivity;
• drought resistance (“Labella” tolerates high temperatures well);
• excellent taste;
• due to its excellent commercial qualities, such potatoes can be grown not only for personal consumption, but also for sale;
• the harvested crop is perfectly stored and can be transported over long distances;
• resistance to disease;
• the variety is excellent for processing;
• low starch content in fruits (up to 12%);
• high content of B vitamins, mineral salts and protein;
• re-sorting after harvest is not required.

The only disadvantage of this variety is that it does not tolerate low temperatures (there is no frost resistance).

Characteristic

Labella potatoes have the following characteristics:

• low, compact, erect bush without spreading branches;
• small dark green leaves;
• the edges of the leaves are slightly wavy;
• during flowering, small flowers of pink-violet color are formed, which are collected in compact corollas;
• the shape of the potatoes is elongated-oval, leveled;
• the eyes are superficial, small, dark red in color;
• the peel is smooth and thin, reddish in color;
• The flesh of the potatoes is light yellow.

It is important to note that this variety is still quite young, so the tubers do not degenerate.

In addition to all this, Labella has excellent resistance to damage. Bushes that have been touched by a harvester or hoe very quickly restore the damaged areas. The plant has an excellent presentation regardless of the harvesting method.

Productivity

"Labella" has excellent productivity. On average, you can get 10-14 large potatoes from one bush. On average, up to 300 kg of fruit can be collected from one hundred square meters of land.

The maximum yield level is reached towards the end of the growing season. The number of unusable potatoes is minimal.

In order to increase productivity, it is necessary to use balanced mineral fertilizers, which must be applied to the soil at the beginning of the season.

After the crop has been harvested, it must be dried. To do this, the potatoes are laid out on special furrows under a canopy. Fruits must be stored in a cool and dry place.

Origin

This variety of potato was first bred by German breeders. The creator of Labella is the large company Solana, which specializes in high-yielding hybrids of various crops.

“Labella” was introduced into the Russian State Register relatively recently, in 2011. The variety is grown in the following areas:

• Central;
• Central Black Earth;
• Volgo-Vyatsky;
• North Caucasian;
• Far Eastern.

Such potatoes can be grown in a personal backyard, but they are mainly intended for cultivation in industrial complexes and farms.

Taste qualities

This potato variety has good taste, so it is intended for table use.

The taste of “Labella” is rich, not watery, slightly sweet.

The degree of cooking is average. When cutting and cooking, the tubers do not darken.

Such potatoes can be fried, boiled and subjected to any heat treatment - they retain their shape well.

Labella tubers are great for making freeze-dried purees, chips and other ready-made products.

Features of cultivation

"Labella" is resistant to various weather conditions. Frequent watering is not required. Sandy soil is best for growing, but regular soil will do.

For sowing, you can use crops that you grew yourself.

You cannot grow potatoes in one place. It is recommended to change fields every few years. Fields that previously grew various herbs, early cabbage and legumes are best suited for cultivation.

During the period of insect pest invasion, areas must be treated with insecticides.

It is necessary to prepare for the next sowing immediately after harvesting the previous crop. First of all, it is necessary to remove all tubers from the ground to prevent them from rotting and, as a result, contamination of the soil.

Then potassium and phosphorus complexes are added to the soil. In the spring, it is necessary to carry out cultivation using nitrogen-containing fertilizers: urea or ammonium nitrate.

The distance between rows of potatoes should be 70-75 cm.

In the intervals between plantings, potato plantations should rest.

Hilling promotes the formation of new underground shoots (stalons), and the quality of potatoes increases. In addition, hilling is an excellent protection for the plant from the spring cold.

Loosening

Loosening must be carried out in order to ensure air flow to the potato tubers, as well as to remove small weeds from the soil (loosening with a rake to a shallow depth, which is carried out in advance).

Feeding

For the first time, fertilizing is applied when planting tubers. To do this, use one tablespoon of urea or the “soluble” preparation, which must be diluted in 7-10 liters of water.

It is necessary to carry out the second feeding of the plant during the budding of “Labella”. To do this, use the following composition:

• one tablespoon of potassium sulfate;
• three spoons of ash;
• ten liters of water.

The third, also the last, fertilizing is carried out during the flowering of the plant. It will help speed up the formation of tubers. This time, it is advisable to use a solution of bird droppings or mullein as a top dressing.

Diseases and pests

This variety of potato has excellent resistance to many diseases that are typical for nightshades. Such potatoes are extremely rarely affected by viruses, tuber rot and potato cancer. The plant very rarely develops leaf curl and tobacco mosaic. “Labella” is not susceptible to various epidemics of late blight.

To prevent the occurrence of diseases, it is necessary to treat the bushes once with special protective agents.

If the bush is affected by the disease, do not forget to mark it, as it is no longer suitable for sowing.

Tubers from affected bushes must be dug up as soon as possible. Tops and leaves must be cut and burned.

In addition to various diseases, potatoes can be affected by insect pests. Colorado beetles and wireworms (larvae of click beetles) are especially dangerous for nightshades.

When harvesting, it is very important to carefully select all potato fines, which can decompose, becoming an excellent source of food for insect pests.

Reviews

"Labella" is recognized by potato growers as one of the best potato varieties. Here's what some gardeners say:

I have been growing Labella on my plot for three years now. This is my favorite variety. These potatoes are unpretentious and have high yields. The fruits are very tasty and do not get overcooked.

The only negative is that the plant is not resistant to low temperatures. With some cold weather, several bushes were affected, but the losses were not large.

A year ago, my wife and I purchased a summer cottage and decided to start gardening. One of the first crops that we decided to grow was Labella potatoes. There were no difficulties with him. We got an excellent harvest. The fruits are very tasty. I will be happy to continue growing Labella.

Description and characteristics

The Labella variety stands out for its low, compact bushes with erect stems. The plant does not spread shoots during the growing season. The leaves are rich green in color, small, with ruffles along the edges.

During flowering, the potato field turns purple with a barely noticeable pinkish tint. Flower corollas are neat.

The root system is well developed; a rich harvest of 14-16 large, even potatoes is formed on a large number of stolons. Although small things occur, their quantity is minimal.

Potatoes of the Labella variety have elongated oval tubers weighing 78-102 g. Dark red eyes are located on the surface. Tubers with smooth and thin skin of pinkish-red color. The pulp is dense, light yellow, as in the photo.

During cooking, Labella potatoes do not darken or lose their shape, so they have a wide variety of uses in cooking.

Advantages and disadvantages

Landing

Advice! To improve the soil structure, in the fall the area is sown with mustard and phacelia, and in the spring it is simply plowed up.

The Labella variety is planted in fertile soil. Before planting, the tubers are germinated. It is removed from storage a month before planting so that the tubers warm up and produce good strong sprouts.

The Labella variety is planted in rows at a distance of about 70 cm, with at least 30 cm between holes. Potato tubers are laid out in the holes carefully so as not to break the bores. If the area is small, then when planting, throw a handful of wood ash into the hole. Cover the top of the hole with earth.

How to plant Labella?

Planting potatoes

Planting potatoes

The soil for planting the Labella variety must be well heated. Potatoes are planted in soil with a temperature of at least + 8 degrees at a depth of 10 cm. If planting is carried out in cold soil, there is a risk of yield loss at times.

Landing dates

The planting time for Labella potatoes depends on the characteristics of the growing region. In the central part of the Russian Federation, this variety is planted in late April - early May. In areas with colder climates, the planting date is postponed by one to two weeks, as there is a risk of frost on the soil.

Seed preparation

Before planting the Labella variety, it is necessary to prepare the seeds for planting. For this purpose, potatoes intended for planting are removed from storage and placed in boxes or on racks in a dry, well-ventilated area. The seed material is kept for germination for 3-4 weeks until the tubers produce sprouts 1 cm long. The seeds are periodically moistened so that the sprouts form evenly.

Site preparation

The Labella potato variety is planted on loamy or sandy loam soils. The crop is unpretentious to the soil, but the best harvest is obtained on fertile soil rich in nutrients. The site should be prepared in the autumn. The following activities are carried out:

• select all the roots of the weed;
• dig up the area well;
• apply fertilizers containing minerals.

In the spring, the soil is dug up again, furrows are formed, into which humus and compost mixed with wood ash are placed.

Planting scheme

You can plant Labella seed potatoes not only as whole tubers. It is allowed to cut large seed potatoes into pieces. You can cut the seeds only before planting, into 2-3 parts, with the presence of several eyes on each piece. A planting scheme is used with the characteristics given below:

• row spacing with a distance of 70-75 cm;
• between seeds 30-35 cm;
• planting depth no more than 6-8 cm.

The tubers are carefully placed in the furrows, trying not to break off the sprouts, and covered with soil.

Care

From the description and characteristics of the Labella potato variety, as well as from reviews from gardeners, it is clear that the plant is unpretentious in care. Even a novice gardener can cope with cultivation. Agrotechnical measures come down to:

• loosening and weeding;
• hilling and weeding;
• treatment of plantings from diseases and pests.

Loosening

After a few days, weeds will begin to appear on the potato plot. Don't wait for them to grow up. Labella potatoes are first plucked, and the grass dries out once it reaches the surface of the plot. Loosening will rid the area of ​​weeds and saturate the soil and plants with oxygen.

Important! It is necessary to loosen the plantings at a shallow depth so as not to damage the root system.

Watering

According to the description, the Labella potato variety is drought-resistant, so watering is carried out only during drought. From 12 to 15 liters of water are poured under each bush.

Hilling and feeding

Hilling is one of the important agrotechnical activities. Additional soil encourages the growth of underground shoots. In the scientific world they are called stolons. It is on them that tubers are formed.

We recommend hilling the Labella potato variety twice. The first time is when the shoots rise to a height of 15-20 cm. The second hilling is carried out a week later, until the potato tops have closed over the rows.

Potatoes need feeding:

1. The first replenishment is carried out during planting. In large areas, it is impossible to add fertilizer to each hole. Therefore, you can soak the potatoes before planting in a urea solution (1 tablespoon of fertilizer per bucket of water).
2. Labella potatoes are fertilized a second time during the formation of buds. In 10 liters of water, dilute 1 tablespoon of potassium sulfate and 3 tablespoons of wood ash.
3. When mass flowering begins, the potatoes are fed again so that tubers form faster. A solution of mullein, chicken droppings or fermented grass is suitable for feeding the Labella variety.

Advice! Any fertilizing is combined with watering or timed to coincide with rain.

How to fertilize?

Feeding potatoes
Feeding plays an important role in growing potatoes. If fertilizers are not applied in time, the plant will not be able to develop normally, but an overabundance will also have a negative impact on the bush.

The best option for fertilizing:

• carry out the first fertilizing during planting (1 tablespoon of the medicine “Solution” or urea per bucket of water);
• perform a second feeding at the beginning of budding (potassium phosphate and ash are diluted in 10 liters of water);
• the third - during the flowering period: it promotes faster formation of potatoes.

Diseases and pests

The description says that the Labella potato variety is resistant to many diseases characteristic of this crop. But since several different varieties of potatoes are planted on the site, among them there may be those that have weak immunity. Therefore, preventive measures must be taken. At the first signs of disease, plantings are treated with herbicides. Labella potato bushes treated with herbicides should be dug up before all others, and the tops should be burned.

Warning! It is not recommended to use potatoes from treated bushes as seed material.

If the variety is highly resistant to many diseases, then pests will have to be fought. The larvae of the click beetle (colloquially wireworm) can damage young potato tubers.

Wood ash, which is sprinkled under each bush, helps against wireworms. It is advisable to etch the seed. As for the Colorado potato beetle, the larvae will have to be collected by hand.

Important! To get rid of diseases and pests, it is necessary to use crop rotation: areas for potatoes are changed every 3 years.

Necessary conditions for growing crops

Labella potatoes prefer to grow in light, sandy soil. To increase the yield, fertilizers are periodically added. The variety is quite young, therefore, the fruits do not degenerate. To sow potatoes, you can use ripe tubers. There are no special nuances in planting and growing Labella. It is cultivated in the garden according to the same scheme as other potato varieties.

Required soil composition for Labella potatoes

The soil should have medium acidity, without clay impurities, and be sandy or soddy-podzolic. Weeds will help determine the acid level: if there are a lot of dandelions, coltsfoot, clover, and chamomile on the ground, this indicates a rich soil with a balanced acidity level. Clay impurities are detected by water absorption.

If puddles appear quickly on the surface, seep slowly or do not seep, we are talking about clay soil. When water is immediately absorbed, this soil is suitable for growing Labella potatoes.

Harvesting

Dry, sunny weather is chosen for harvesting. The bushes are dug up with a pitchfork or a shovel, then the tubers are selected. Each hole of the Labella variety produces up to 16 large potatoes, suitable for processing and storage. There are practically no small things.

The harvest is what you need, see for yourself:

The harvested potatoes are dried for several hours in the sun, then removed for ripening in a dark, dry room for 10 days. The sorted and sorted tubers are stored in a cellar or basement. The harvest is stored well; by spring, 98% of the harvest is preserved.