Gourmet potatoes: characteristics, planting rules and care methods

Gourmet - miracle potatoes on your table

Exotic and very popular variety! In many countries, rejuvenating face masks are made from this potato. Appetizing, plentiful, giving a lot of scope in cooking, potatoes are loved by almost everyone. In addition to their great nutritional value, potatoes are rich in vitamins.

Potatoes have a lot of useful properties. However, despite the enormous importance of potatoes as a product, many people simply refuse potato dishes due to their high content of starch and carbohydrates. Some people protect their figure, while others cannot afford this product due to health conditions.

In this regard, from year to year the direction of agriculture associated with the creation of dietary types of potatoes with multi-colored pulp: purple, reddish, pink and blue is developing more actively. At the moment, such potatoes are considered a curiosity, akin to the best delicacies. Dishes made from colored potatoes are served in restaurants in Europe and America. In some countries, these varieties are actively used by chip factories; their highlight is purple chips without dyes.

Reviews

I found a description of the variety with a photo on the Internet, and it turned out that Gourmet potatoes are a healthy product. As a follower of proper nutrition, I don’t really care for potatoes. I decided to try adding purple tubers to the salad, it turned out original: a beautiful color and a sweetish taste added variety to a boring dish. Now I’ll try to grow this miracle on my own plot.

Marina

I planted these potatoes just out of curiosity. I thought that nothing would come of it, but in the end I harvested a large harvest without any difficulties. I really liked the taste of the tubers, I will definitely plant this variety next year.

Olga

I love exotic things in my garden, so I decided to plant Gourmet potatoes. Seed material is not cheap compared to other varieties. I bought just a few tubers to fill a small garden bed behind the house. The plant is unpretentious, care for it is the same as for ordinary potatoes. In the fall I harvested my first harvest. The tubers are interesting, dark purple, but you can only eat them raw in salads. They don’t imagine almost black puree or casserole. This exotic is not for everyone, and the taste leaves much to be desired.

Irina

I suffer from diabetes. This is one of the few types of potatoes that I can eat. The tubers ripen quickly and are easy to care for. All winter they do not wither and do not germinate. I'm just delighted!

Svetlana

Potatoes for health

Such potatoes, of course, are not considered a medicine, but they are a good preventative measure for almost all diseases.

Its main secret is its low starch content and high (relative to ordinary types of potatoes) content of antioxidants: anthocyanins and carotenoids. Moreover, the more intense the color of the tubers, the higher their antioxidant content.

Studies conducted in US clinics and institutes over the past 10 years have shown the beneficial effects of such potatoes on the human body, namely:

• daily use of potatoes with multi-colored pulp reduces the risk of cancer and atherosclerosis;
• strengthens the walls of blood vessels;
• will have a positive effect on vision.

It has been confirmed that in potatoes with colored pulp, the antioxidant capacity is 6-7 times greater than in ordinary tubers with snow-white or yellowish pulp. This means that by introducing this dietary type of potato into their daily diet, people will be able to eat their favorite vegetable and help the body fight harmful radiation, carcinogens and other drugs. In particular, such potatoes are indicated for overweight people, unhealthy diabetes, as well as the elderly and children.

That is why the Becker company considers potatoes with multi-colored flesh to be a very promising course in potato growing.

Multi-colored potatoes A connoisseur of good cuisine combines extraordinary appearance, good taste, benefits for well-being, novelty and unusualness. Don’t forget about it when purchasing potato tubers for planting; grow a miracle vegetable on your own, even before it becomes popular in our country.

Related article: Potato variety “Desire” - description and photo

Loosening, weeding, hilling

Hilling
A hard crust on the soil surface prevents the free circulation of moisture and oxygen. After each watering, the top layer is carefully loosened so as not to injure the young tubers and roots.

Mulching will help retain precious moisture in the ground. It also stops the growth of weeds, so you don't have to weed the potatoes too often. Another important point is hilling. This procedure stimulates root growth and has a beneficial effect on yield. In regions with a temperate climate, early earthing of bushes is practiced so that they do not suffer from return frosts.

In some cases, the bushes are covered almost completely with soil. The second hilling is done before flowering, with the soil level reaching half the length of the stems.

Attention! During the formation of tubers, they can emerge to the surface through the layer of soil, and the bushes themselves seem to “fall apart.” To put them in order, they again resort to hilling.

Characteristics of potatoes of the Gourmet variety

The ripening period is medium early (75–80 days), for table use.

The plant is semi-erect, the corolla of the flower is snow-white with dark stamens. The tubers are oval-round in shape, the skin is dark purple in color, slightly reticulated, the flesh is slightly blue to dark purple in color, the eyes are medium. Possible yield is 35-40 t/ha, the number of tubers is 12-14 pieces, the average weight of a tuber is 80-110 g. The starch content in tubers is above 16%. Resistant to potato blight, moderately resistant to late blight, slightly affected by common scab.

Excellent preservation. Used fresh for making salads and for cooking. Dietary product. The pulp contains antioxidants that remove radionuclides from the body, reduce the degree of heart disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, cancer, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, and improve vision.

Taste qualities of potatoes

In addition to its exotic appearance, Gurman is endowed with an unusual taste, which when baked takes on a nutty hue. Raw potato pulp is also eaten. Sliced ​​tubers without heat treatment can be the basis of various salads.

Comment! The color of the pulp of the Gurman variety does not lighten during cooking. Potatoes become almost black when cooked.

The starch content in tubers is much lower than that of regular potatoes. Most often, the figure does not exceed 13%, which makes the variety suitable for dietary nutrition. The presence of a significant number of carotenes and substances exhibiting antioxidant activity allows us to classify such potatoes as products beneficial for human health.

Gourmet is recommended to be included in the diet for diabetes, metabolic disorders, and increased body weight. The rich chemical composition of potatoes is useful in the prevention of cardiovascular pathologies, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and ischemic heart disease. It is useful to replace ordinary root vegetables with purple ones when visual acuity decreases.

Mid-early table potato variety Gourmet purple

A distinctive feature of potatoes called Gourmet is the dark purple color of the peel and the purple color of the pulp with white splashes. In Russia, such varieties are considered exotic, but in European countries and the USA, the Gourmet variety has been actively used for preparing culinary masterpieces since the beginning of the 19th century.

Boiled fruits have a pleasant nutty aftertaste, contain a large amount of antioxidants that remove radionuclides from the body, and are widely used in dietary nutrition due to their low starch content.

Harvest and storage

Purple potatoes
The first digging of young tubers is carried out 1.5 months after full germination. In the southern regions, the harvest reaches full technical ripeness after 100–110 days.

Harvested potatoes are suitable for winter storage in a cool place (cellar, basement, glazed balcony). The material is immediately selected for further planting in the spring and the landscaping procedure is carried out. The tubers are laid out in one layer on a flat surface and kept in a bright place for 10–15 days, but not in direct sunlight. This prevents the germination of tubers in winter, accelerates germination, and increases protective forces.

Purple potatoes have an unusual taste; when boiled, they acquire a nutty flavor and become almost black. The product is suitable for preparing raw food salads, boiling and baking. Rich purple mashed potatoes will not leave your guests indifferent.

Origin and description of the variety

The exact origin of purple potatoes has not yet been established. Biologists suggest that the variety comes from South America (Bolivia, Peru). The Gourmet potato was recently developed, has not yet been entered into the State Register of Russia, and information about the manufacturer has not been provided.

It is engaged in the sale of seed material. The crop is suitable for cultivation in any region of the country, but feels best in the middle zone and in the south.

In the photo - Gourmet potatoes.

Distinctive features, appearance and yield are described in the table.

Pests and diseases

Purple potatoes are not susceptible to diseases such as scab and potato cancer. With proper care, bushes are practically not affected by rot. But viral infections can become a serious problem if preventive treatment is not carried out in time. First of all, you need to get rid of all the weeds and keep the area clean at all times. Don’t forget about pest control using the most effective drugs.

An excellent remedy is “Prestigerator”. It will help get rid of not only the Colorado potato beetle and wireworm, but also protect the potatoes from many diseases.

Comment! To minimize all risks, you need to follow the basic rules of crop rotation and use only high-quality planting material.

Agricultural technology varieties

The Gourmet variety is undemanding in care and adapts to any climatic conditions. The maximum yield is shown in the regions of the middle zone and in the south of the country when cultivated on peaty, sandy loam and slightly loamy soils.

The rules of agricultural technology provide for moderate watering, loosening, hilling and fertilizing.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

The culture is characterized by a short growing season and demanding air temperature. Seed material is planted at temperatures not lower than +10°C.

Gourmet potatoes are grown on slightly acidic, loose soils. If necessary, the soil is improved, guided by the following principles:

1. Peaty, loamy, sandy loam soil is best suited for this variety. If there is an excess of sand, the soil is fertilized with manure or humus.
2. Heavy loam is loosened using peat, river sand, rotted hay or sawdust. To maintain the airiness of the top layer throughout the season, the soil is mulched.
3. Sunny open areas are suitable for planting, but in the southern regions the beds are shaded with a special net or formed near bushes.
4. Lowlands with high humidity are not suitable for growing potatoes. In such conditions, tubers suffer from fungal diseases. In regions with heavy and frequent rainfall, plantings are located on slopes with unhindered outflow of rainwater.

Related article: Potato varieties for Belarus: a complete list of recommended ones

Large healthy tubers are used for planting. Small seeds are prepared according to the standard procedure (disinfection, soaking in growth stimulants, germination) and sealed with thickening.

Rules for preparing tubers:

• seed sorting;
• disinfection in Fitosporin, Bordeaux mixture - 40–60 minutes;
• germination in a bright room at a temperature not lower than +15 ° C with spraying with clean water once every 3-4 days.

Strong sprouts 1 cm long indicate the tubers are ready for planting. Seedlings that are too long are shortened and thin ones are broken off. Immediately before planting, the seeds are soaked in Zircon or Epin.

In 2-3 days, the tubers are taken outside and laid out in partial shade to warm up. Holes with a depth of 5–10 cm are formed on the site at a distance of 40 cm. The row spacing is 60 cm. Small tubers are planted at intervals of 30 cm.

This is interesting:

Plants react painfully to both deficiency and excess of moisture. The first time the soil is moistened after germination, the second time - during the flowering period. During drought, the frequency of watering is doubled.

Reference. When there is an excess of water, the potatoes become insipid; when there is a deficiency, the tubers grow small.

Loosening and weeding are carried out after each watering. The beds are treated superficially, taking care not to damage the roots and tubers. Mulching will help make planting easier to care for. Hay or straw prevents rapid evaporation of moisture and the growth of weeds.

Hilling is an important agrotechnical technique, without which it is impossible to obtain a rich harvest. The procedure promotes the growth of the root system and prevents drying out of the soil and stems. Early hilling protects bushes from cold in unstable climatic conditions. The first shoots are completely covered with soil.

Repeated manipulation is carried out taking into account the growth rate of the bushes until the budding stage. The stems are sprinkled with moist soil up to ½ of the height. Additional hilling is required during the period of setting tubers, which must be protected from direct sunlight.

It is convenient to combine fertilizing with watering. The soil is moistened with clean water, then watered with mineral compounds. Superphosphate, ammonium nitrate, urea, potassium chloride, and nitrophoska are used as fertilizers.

The root feeding scheme is presented in the table

Landing Features

To get a good harvest from the Gourmet variety, you should follow the standard rules of agricultural technology when planting and caring for the crop. Potatoes of the type described do not like cold. The air temperature, which has dropped to +10 degrees, is very unfavorable for plants.

Landing dates

Gourmet potatoes are planted in early spring. The planting time depends on the characteristics of the growing region. It is necessary to wait until the air temperature rises to + 12 degrees and the threat of night frosts on the soil has passed.

Seed preparation

Before planting the Gourmet variety, large, healthy tubers should be selected. Next, the seeds must be pickled in Bordeaux mixture for 1 hour. Then the seed roots are placed in a bright, dry room and left to germinate. When the potatoes sprout 1 cm long, they can already be planted.

Site preparation

The Gourmet potato variety can grow on soil with any characteristics, however, the greatest yield is harvested when the crop is cultivated on a loose, slightly acidic type of soil. The place in the garden where the potatoes will grow should be chosen as sunny. Light partial shade is allowed. An important characteristic of a potato plot is the depth of groundwater, which must be at least 1 m to the soil surface.

It is recommended to plant the Gourmet variety on the ground where carrots, legumes, onions, garlic or green manure crops were grown before, cultivating the soil. The soil must be prepared in the fall by carrying out the following work:

1. Removing weeds from the area.
2. Digging the soil to a depth of at least 35 cm.
3. Application of organic fertilizers (simultaneously with digging).

Fertilizers include humus or compost in an amount of 5-7 kg per 1 square meter. meter. In the spring, the soil is dug up again and mineral fertilizers are applied: superphosphate, potassium sulfate, 1 tbsp. l. per square meter.

Planting scheme

The Gourmet variety is planted to a depth of 5-10 cm, using a standard scheme with the following characteristics:

• between plants – 40 cm;
• between rows – 60 cm.

When planting small potato tubers, the interval between plants can be reduced to 30 cm.

Description of the variety

Roots:

• The tubers have an oval-round shape;
• Dark purple peel, slightly reticulated;
• The cut flesh is unusual: from faint blue to deep dark purple;
• Medium ocelli;
• The average weight of a root crop is 110-115 grams;
• The harvest from one bush reaches 14 tubers;
• Starch content - 16%.

Article on the topic: Potato variety “Nalchik” - description and photo

Escapes:

• The plant is semi-erect, medium in size;
• The bush reaches a height of 50-70 cm;
• The corollas of the flowers are white, with characteristic black stamens.

Purple potato variety, tasting:

Potato yield

The gourmet is highly productive. With full agricultural technology, up to 15 tubers are tied under each bush. With sufficient moisture and soil fertility, one potato can grow larger than 100 g.

The overall yield of the variety is higher than the average for potatoes: from 1 sq. m get up to 4 kg. Under average conditions and lack of care, the crop is guaranteed to provide 1 kg of tubers per bush.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages are:

• High yield;
• Resistance to various climatic conditions and diseases;
• Possibility of long-term storage, with preservation of the presentation of root crops 85-90%;
• The ability to grow in any area that is suitable for growing potatoes.

The disadvantages include the need to germinate the seed when growing Gourmand in areas with high humidity (western and northwestern regions), since there is a risk that the potatoes may be affected by late blight.

We choose potatoes “Sineglazka”, “Red Scarlet”, “Gourmet”:

Pros and cons of the variety

Potatoes of the Gourmet variety have a large number of advantages compared to the disadvantages.

pros

1. Cultivation in any climatic conditions.
2. Long shelf life.
3. Disease resistance.
4. Mid-season ripening.
5. Eating gourmet potatoes is good for your health.
6. Unusual taste.
7. High yield.

Minuses

Among the disadvantages of the variety, the only negative characteristic of Gurman should be noted - sensitivity to late blight.

Features and useful properties

Characteristics:

• “Gourmet” is a mid-early table variety, the growing season is 75-80 days;
• The yield of the variety reaches 35-40 tons per hectare;
• Potato juice contains a high percentage of dry matter, and the taste properties of root vegetables are different from other varieties;
• The “Gourmet” variety is a dietary product, since the tubers contain antioxidants that remove radionuclides from the body;

• Potatoes can be eaten raw.

Characteristics

“Gourmet” refers to “colored” types of potatoes with a medium-early ripening period.
The growing season lasts for 75 - 80 days from the moment the first shoots appear.

It was created relatively recently in Ukraine through the selection of several other varieties (detailed information about its selection has not yet been distributed), and has not yet been included in the State Register of the Russian Federation.

However, this does not in the least prevent many gardeners from growing it on their plots in different regions today.

It has good productivity; up to 40 tons of potatoes can be harvested from one hectare of crops . The keeping quality didn’t disappoint either, you don’t have to be afraid to leave it in the cellar for the winter.

Read more about how to store potatoes in winter, on the balcony or in drawers, in the refrigerator or peeled in the articles on our website. And also what deadlines need to be observed, what temperature is optimal and what problems may arise when storing potatoes.

You can compare the yield indicators of Gurman with other varieties in the table below:

Proper planting of purple potatoes

Basic landing rules:

• The highest yields can be achieved in regions with a temperate and arid climate, as well as sandy, peaty and slightly loamy soils;
• Give preference to large tubers as seed material;
• Planting should be done in soil heated to 10 °C. Temperatures below this level negatively affect growth and lead to the death of the bush;
• The distance between the bushes should be at least 30 cm, and the row spacing should be 60 cm. The seed should be buried 5-10 cm.

How to care:

• "Gourmet" needs sufficient moisture in the soil. If there is no rain for a long time, manual watering is necessary. Immediately after planting, potatoes do not need watering, since the spring soil still contains a sufficient amount of moisture. Watering is necessary as soon as the first shoots appear, as well as during the flowering period;
• Required amount of fertilizer applied per bush: 5.5 g of superphosphate, 3.5 g of potassium chloride, 2.5 g of ammonium nitrate or 11 g of nitrophoska;
• Regularly loosen the soil, as this variety does not tolerate the formation of a crust on the surface of the soil;
• To combat weeds, resort to mulching.

Potatoes with colored pulp:

Potatoes "Gourmet": variety with lilac pulp

The Gourmet potato is a fairly popular and exotic variety. The description of the variety reveals its qualities that are unusual for vegetable growers who practice growing traditional potato varieties.

Description of the variety

Potato bushes of this variety are semi-erect and medium in size. The height of the plant is from 50 to 70 cm. The corollas of the flowers are white, with characteristic black stamens. The tubers have an oval-round shape, the skin is dark purple in color, with a weak mesh. The color of the pulp is unusual: from faint blue to pronounced dark purple. The eyes are of medium size.

According to the ripening period, potatoes called “Gourmet” belong to the category of mid-early ones, forming a harvest of tubers in 75-80 days. Table variety.

Potential yield varies from 35 to 40 t/ha, and the average number of tubers reaches 14 pieces. As a rule, the weight of one tuber does not exceed 110-115 grams. The potato starch content of this variety is more than 16%.

Tubers have a high percentage of dry matter in potato juice, and their taste is slightly different from other varieties.

The plant is very resistant to potato canker and has average resistance to late blight. The “Gourmet” variety is rather weakly affected by common scab. The keeping quality of the harvested crop is relatively good, and the tubers can be used fresh for a long time for preparing salads and for cooking.

Potatoes of the “Gourmet” variety are classified as dietary products, which is due to the presence of antioxidants in the tuber pulp that promote the removal of radionuclides from the body. In addition, regular consumption of it helps reduce the incidence of heart disease and helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels.

Agricultural technology

Potato is a temperate crop that grows and develops very well with sufficient moisture, also in semi-arid and arid regions.

For early and mid-early varieties, the average daily temperature should not be lower than 10-15°C.

Vegetable crops are distinguished by the intensity of their consumption of nutrients from the soil, the optimal pH level of which should be 5.0-5.5.

The longer the growing season, the higher the productivity of the potato bush and the starchiness of the tubers will be. To increase productivity and get high-quality Gourmet potato tubers, you must adhere to the following tips:

• It is best to grow potatoes in areas with cohesive sandy loams, as well as peaty and light loamy soils enriched with a significant amount of humus;
• when cultivating potatoes on medium loamy as well as heavy loamy soils, it is extremely important to maintain sufficient soil looseness throughout the entire growing season;

• small seed material should be planted more often, and when using medium and large tubers for planting, it is necessary to maintain a greater distance (medium-sized tubers should be placed at a distance of 30 cm with a planting depth of 5-10 cm);
• Germination of potato tubers should not be neglected when cultivating this variety in damp areas in the western and northwestern regions, where there is a high risk of late blight affecting potatoes;
• Watering immediately after planting seed material is practically not necessary, especially since in the spring there is a sufficient supply of moisture in the soil.

As fertilizers, 5.5 g of superphosphate, 3.5 g of potassium chloride, 2.5 g of ammonium nitrate or 11 g of nitrophoska should be used for each bush.

Hilling up potato bushes is of very important agrotechnical importance, as it helps to increase the loose layer of soil and creates optimal conditions for the formation of new tubers.

It should be remembered that early harvesting of potatoes significantly reduces yield, but is very often an economically justified measure.

We also invite you to learn about the varietal characteristics of the Ryabinushka potato.

Reviews from vegetable growers

The distribution of the seed material of such potatoes, which have a blue-violet colored skin and pulp, is carried out by agro.

A small number of reviews from vegetable growers about the Gourmet potato variety indicates its lack of popularity in our country, which is due to the unusual and exotic appearance of the tubers.

Vegetable growers relatively recently began to cultivate potato varieties with unusual flesh color, including not only “Gourmet”, but also “French Truffle”, “Chinese Truffle”, and “Lilac”.

Diseases and pests

"Gourmet" has good immunity. It is not susceptible to potato canker, late blight, common scab and a number of other diseases. However, viral diseases are a big threat to him. It is necessary to use preventive means of protection in advance:

• Promptly remove and burn all weeds and plant remains of potato bushes;
• The main distributors of viruses are insects. To protect against insects, it is necessary to spray potatoes with insecticides;
• With proper crop rotation using virus-resistant varieties, the risk of disease can be eliminated for a long time.

Colored dietary potatoes:

Diseases and parasites

One of the important characteristics of the Gurman variety is good immunity to many diseases of vegetable crops. Potatoes are not sensitive to potato cancer and scab. It is relatively susceptible to late blight. The Colorado potato beetle or mole cricket can attack any variety of potato, including Gourmand.

Late blight

The causative agent of the disease is a fungus that adapts to life on various plants - potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and leads to the death of crops if no control measures are taken.

It is necessary to carry out preventive measures. Before planting, Gourmet potato seeds are treated with fungicidal preparations. The soil on which the crop is planned to be planted is also cultivated.

Characteristics indicating late blight:

• the appearance of brown spots on stems and foliage;
• the formation of a gray-white coating on the back of the leaves;
• brown, brown spots on root vegetables;
• rotting of tubers.

This fungal infection affects plants that have a deficiency of phosphorus and potassium, or an excess of nitrogen fertilizers. May appear from excessive humidity. At the primary stage, the variety can still be cured by treating the bushes and soil with fungicides. When neglected, the disease is incurable, and the plants must be destroyed.

Medvedka

A dangerous insect that attacks various cultivated plants, including potatoes, is the mole cricket. The pest gnaws the stem and the bush dries out. This parasite can gnaw out large cavities on tubers, making them unsuitable for storage and consumption.

If the characteristics of a mole cricket invasion on the Gourmet variety are detected: dead potato bushes, as well as holes on the surface of the bed, pest control should begin. Various chemicals are used that have repellent and destructive properties for the parasite. Medvetox and Grizzly products are effective.

Traditional methods of fighting mole crickets include traps made from sweet baits in the form of sugar water or honey. In addition to sweets, the pest loves beer. You should bury a glass jar with bait in the ground. The mole cricket falls into a trap from which it is impossible to get out.

Colorado beetle

The Colorado potato beetle, which attacks potatoes, is a very dangerous insect that can cause significant damage to plantings. The parasite eats leaves, stems, and tubers of vegetables.

When planting in small areas, Colorado potato beetles can be collected by hand. Then destroy the collected pests by pouring kerosene. When planting large areas, chemicals Colorado and Prestige are used, which have protective characteristics.