Lugovskoy potatoes: variety description, photos, reviews, diseases and pests, cultivation features

Breeders are constantly working to create improved varieties of vegetables, increasing their characteristics and taste. As an example, we can take an improved hybrid based on the Sineglazka variety - Lugovskoy potato. It is characterized by increased productivity and good shelf life.

Due to its high yield, Lugovskoy potatoes are suitable for growing on an industrial scale

Description of culture

The Lugovskoy potato was bred in Ukraine in 1987 on the basis of Sineglazka, which is well known to many Russian gardeners. It belongs to the table vegetable varieties. Excellent for growing in a regular garden plot, although it is also grown on an industrial scale. It is loved by many customers for its beauty and excellent taste, which is why it can often be found on the market.

The characteristics of potatoes of the Lugovskoy variety say that they are mid-season. The first fruits can be dug up already 75 days after emergence. The tubers are small, oval and starchy. They have white flesh and a skin that is smooth to the touch, on which there are a few small eyes. They weigh from 50 to 130 grams. They are perfectly preserved until the next harvest, without losing their presentation. Potato yields are high. With strict adherence to the rules of agricultural technology, you can get up to 1.4 thousand fruits from 1 hundred square meters.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of the variety include:

• excellent taste;
• early maturation;
• high productivity;
• possibility of long-term storage;
• good commercial quality of tubers;
• high nutritional properties of root vegetables;
• resistance to mechanical damage;
• tolerance to the vagaries of the weather;
• ease of care;
• resistance to many diseases.

The variety has practically no disadvantages. A feature can be considered sensitivity to soil nutrition and proper watering .

In the table below you will find indicators of the main important characteristics of other potato varieties for comparison with Lugovsky:

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of Lugovsky potatoes are innumerable. These include excellent taste, high consumer characteristics, as well as:

• resistance to various diseases, including late blight;
• high content of vitamin C, protein and starch in fruits;
• abundant and short-term flowering (virtually no berries are formed);
• high yield level (up to 1 kg per bush);
• the tuber is easy to clean due to its excellent shape and evenness;
• excellent commercial qualities (transportability, keeping quality);
• demand from buyers;
• absence or minimal amount of small things and ugly fruits.

There are practically no disadvantages. One of them can only be considered the need to renew seed potatoes almost every year.

Description of the variety

Potatoes "Lugovskoy" have smooth oval tubers with small superficial eyes, which makes them easier to peel. The tubers are almost the same in size.

The peel of the fruit is thin and smooth pinkish in color, the flesh is white.

Root vegetables are rich in:

• starch;
• vitamins B and C;
• proteins;
• carotenoids;
• amino acids.

Potatoes have excellent taste properties. It is equally good with any method of preparation:

• cooking;
• stewing;
• for first courses;
• cooking in uniform;
• use in salads;
• puree.

Not really suitable for frying or stuffing, as it gets very overcooked.

It is used for the production of starch, which is contained in large quantities in tubers.

The culture is resistant to diseases:

• fungus;
• potato cancer;
• scab;
• late blight.

"Lugovsky" bushes are erect with a developed root system and few leaves. The bush blooms with small cream or white flowers, which then ripen into large green berries.

After what to plant potatoes?

On an industrial scale, vegetables are sown constantly in the same place. To prevent this from negatively affecting the yield, winter rye or wheat are sometimes grown in the fields. These green manure plants are planted under potatoes in the fall, and harvested in the spring as soon as the ground warms up to 6-8 degrees. In garden plots, the places where cucumbers, zucchini, beans, white cabbage or peas previously grew are used for sowing vegetables. These plants are considered the best predecessors for them.

It is also a good idea to plant root vegetables after those plants whose edible part ripens underground, namely: carrots, beets, onions and garlic. But what you absolutely cannot plant potatoes after is after eggplants, peppers and tomatoes. These plants from the nightshade family greatly impoverish the soil, which has a bad effect on the yield of the subsequent “sister” crop.

Growing

The Lugovskaya potato variety is not picky about the type of soil. Productivity directly depends on compliance with the rules of care and agricultural technology. Most often, root crops are used for propagation, specially selected for seeds during harvest. Agrotechnical requirements will differ depending on the purpose of growing potatoes: seed or food.

In conditions of large farms or, on the contrary, too small, when it is not possible to change the planting site every year, in the autumn after harvesting, the territory is sown with green manure plants. These include:

• winter crops;
• cucumbers;
• legumes;
• grass.

In cold regions, it is more advisable to use winter crops or grass, because cucumbers simply do not have time to ripen. Although some people prefer to simply fertilize the soil with manure in the fall and the potato yield does not suffer from this. The main thing is that the area is well lit, because in a humid climate, the crop will suffer from late blight. The description of the Lugovskaya potato allows it to be planted in the ground when the ground warms up to 8 ℃.

Good care will ensure a rich harvest

For cultivation, you should not choose too large potatoes; it is better to choose small tubers with thick sprouts. For any varieties, Lugovskoy is no exception, it is recommended to germinate the seed material before planting. This move significantly speeds up the ripening process.

Soil preparation

Fertilizing the soil should begin in the autumn. If it is possible to change the location of the potato planting, it would be better. First you need to remove all the weeds and dig up the ground. The digging depth should be at least 30 cm, this will protect the plants from many diseases and pests. The collected tops can be burned and the soil can be fertilized with ash. The following types of fertilizers are applied to the soil in the fall:

• compost;
• superphosphates;
• saltpeter;
• phosphorus or potassium fertilizers.

Seed preparation

The characteristics of Lugovskoy potatoes allow the crop to be planted in mid-May, when the soil is well warmed up. You should choose good planting material without rot with large eyes. Potatoes are sprouted using various methods. One of the most successful options is germination in a bag.

Lugovskaya seed potatoes are placed in a bag with pre-made holes to ensure air flow and avoid overheating. Sprouts appear in just 1-2 weeks. There is no need to wait until they become too large; literally 3-5 cm is enough. The main thing is that the sprouts are powerful and not thin.

Before planting, you should spray the potatoes with insecticides or dip them in a manganese solution for 30 minutes. If solutions are used to disinfect or accelerate growth, the seed must be dried before planting. If you cover the ground after planting, the crop will sprout faster.

Disembarkation process

In the spring, a month before planting, you need to plow the soil again. Then add organic matter or superphosphates. Before planting, you should make a marking, taking into account that there should be a distance of about 40 cm between the holes for edible potatoes, and 10 cm for seeds. The greater the distance between the bushes, the larger the tubers will be.

Between the rows you need to leave a distance of 70 cm. When planting, the first feeding of the plants is carried out. Ash or chicken manure is usually used.

Features of cultivation

View the description of the variety, photos, reviews about Lugovsky potatoes is not enough to grow a good harvest. You need to invest your own time and energy into growing it. It would be a good idea to remember some of the features of the root vegetable:

• It grows and bears fruit best in high ridges;
• responds well to deep loosening and hilling;
• needs feeding with special mineral fertilizers (occasionally).

With good care, it forms a multi-stemmed tall bush with large dark green leaves, white flowers and a powerful root system on which 10-15 large tubers are formed.

How to harvest and store crops

On one bush, 10 - 15 large tubers ripen.
After the potatoes are harvested, they are spread indoors or outdoors using a dry surface to dry. After a few hours, the tubers are sorted. Rotten, bad-smelling fruits are discarded. Small ones, with a smooth surface, without flaws, are selected for seed material. These potatoes are left in the sun for 3 days: they will turn green and become less attractive to rodents. Large tubers are placed in a cellar or other dark, cool place.

Potatoes of the Lugovskoy variety, under the right storage conditions, have a shelf life of 97%. For better storage, take dry, whole, unsprouted, without signs of disease, tubers of uniform color.

The room temperature should be maintained at 2-3°C. At lower rates, the fruits will have a sweetish taste; at higher rates, the potatoes may sprout.

For reference! It is often practiced to layer tubers with a layer of beets. During storage, potatoes become damp, and root vegetables absorb moisture, maintaining their turgor.

Preparing for landing

Before planting Lugovsky potatoes, they must be taken out of storage and transferred to a room heated to 10-14 degrees so that they “wake up” and can germinate in the future. Then it should be moved somewhere to a sunny place and spread out in a thin layer. At the same time, it is advisable to make sure that in case of rain it does not get too wet.

When sprouts appear, seed potatoes can already be used for planting. But it is also advisable to treat them with special preparations to protect them from bacterial and fungal infections, for example copper oxychloride, Bordeaux mixture or Maxim. This should be done like this: 1 day after planting, dip the tubers in the chosen product, leave for half an hour, remove and dry.

If it was not possible to get the required amount of seed potatoes for any reason (they are not available, it is too expensive, and so on), they can be propagated using new sprouts. To do this, you need to dig the tubers a little into a box of soil and place it on the window. When the sprouts reach a height of 5-10 cm, they, along with small roots, must be very carefully separated from the potatoes and transplanted into a separate pot. And so on until the required number of bushes is collected. By doing this, you can get a large harvest from just 1-2 kg of root vegetables.

Agrotechnical features

In the agrotechnical field, Lugovskoy potatoes are completely unpretentious, planting and growing conditions are standard, and care is minimal. What is important is that it is not picky about soils and bears fruit well even in depleted ones, but prefers black soils with a high sand admixture. The only thing it doesn’t “like” is clay soil, it takes root in it extremely poorly, the tubers are sparse with small root crops, and high yields cannot be collected in such places.

Isle of Jura Potatoes

Otherwise, the cultivation feature looks like this:

1. It all starts with the purchase of seed material, if potatoes of this variety have not been grown before. It is better to buy it at trusted retail outlets, but not on the market, especially if you have little idea of ​​what the culture looks like and by what signs it can be easily recognized. Root vegetables must be dry, healthy, and free from damage. It’s not scary if they are in last year’s soil - this is a sure sign of proper preservation, but washed ones are not suitable for planting for many reasons;
2. The next step is preparation for planting, expressed in germination. If seed material is stored in the basement, it should be moved to a warm place with good air circulation 3-4 weeks before the planned planting. Some vegetable growers advise immediately before planting in the ground, 2-3 days in advance, to spread it in the sun in a thin layer. But you should not do this - there is a high probability of damage to the sprouts, such a procedure will only cause harm. You need to leave it as is, the crop will germinate perfectly in a box, already on the day of planting, treat it with preparations that protect against pests, accelerate growth, and dry thoroughly;
3. Immediately before planting, you need to select a place and prepare it. It is not worth introducing humus into the soil - this is done in the fall, preferably with humus or ash with the ash of burnt wood. The area where potatoes will be planted does not have to be fully illuminated, the main thing is not too shaded; in such places the stem grows well, taking moisture away from the tubers. It is advisable that in the previous year other root crops should not grow in the selected area: carrots, beets, turnips and others;
4. The usual time when it is recommended to plant potatoes varies for individual regions; for the middle zone it is the second half of May. It is not the time that is important, but the accompanying conditions: the soil must be loosened, soft and fluffy, sufficiently moist and heated to at least +8-100. The holes or grooves are made 10-12 cm deep, the ideal distance between them is 40 cm, more than a human foot. Many people note that the main condition for planting material is its integrity, but this is not necessary - if the potatoes are large, they are cut in half and laid cut side down;
5. If it does not rain at the time of planting, and it is not expected in the near future, after the potatoes are in the ground, the entire area must be watered and mulched generously so that the moisture is retained longer. Such measures are of primary importance - the culture needs to take root and then endure dry periods;
6. The main care required for potatoes is periodic weeding, if the planted area is overgrown with weeds, and hilling, carried out 2 times during the season, this is necessary for the formation of additional tubers, which increases the yield. The first time they hill up when the bush rises to a height of 18-22 cm, the second time - before flowering, when the buds appear. It should be carried out after rain or watering, when the soil is sufficiently damp, raking it towards the trunk. There is no point in doing this when the ground is dry;
7. If the soil is too depleted, the planted potatoes will need to be fertilized. At the moment when its growth begins, it urgently needs substances such as potassium and phosphorus. If their concentration in the soil is insufficient, they must be added independently. Nitrogen-based fertilizers are used for this purpose, but they cannot be applied directly into the holes during planting; fertilizing granules are simply sprinkled on top of the ground before rain or watering. Upon contact with water, they dissolve and, together with the liquid, evenly penetrate into the soil, saturating it with useful substances;
8. If pronounced signs of late blight appear on the bushes, this is rare, but this also happens with the Lugovskaya potato variety, you need to immediately sprinkle the plants with special preparations to prevent their spread. Modern means, such as “Kuproksat”, “Fitosporin” and others, quickly cope with this problem, the main thing is not to exceed their permissible concentration, so as not to burn the bushes. Spraying is also applicable in pest control, with products like “Intavir” or “Commander”, which are good at ridding potato bushes of the dominance of the Colorado potato beetle, spider mites and cicadas.

Important! When treating before planting with growth stimulating agents, there is no need to abuse them - it will still not grow faster than nature allows, but it will increase the growth of green mass to the detriment of the tubers. The use of young potatoes for food if they have been treated with such preparations is undesirable - during this growth period they retain a high concentration of chemicals.

Landing rules

To reap a good harvest of Lugovsky potatoes, they still need to be planted. You can start this procedure as soon as the earth warms up to 8-10 degrees. In the middle zone, the approximate time for its implementation is the twentieth of May. You should do everything in your areas according to the following scheme:

• loosen and harrow the area for root crops;
• manually remove weeds from it (you can spray it with Amethyl instead);
• draw an even, deep line using two sticks and a rope (this way the rows won’t go askew);
• make holes along the resulting furrow approximately 8-10 cm deep;
• carefully place the prepared potatoes in them (they can be planted whole or separated, the main thing is that there are eyes on each half);
• bury them with soil from above;
• repeat the procedure until the end of the plot;
• level the area with a rake.

If you have the desire and strength, you can add 500 grams of humus and 1 handful of wood ash into each hole, this will increase the yield. If it is not possible to change the planting area once every 3-4 years, you can plant green manure under potatoes in the fall. The best of them are beans, peas, soybeans, wheat, lentils, mustard or rapeseed. These crops reliably protect the soil from weathering and deep freezing, enrich it with oxygen, and retain snow.

Care instructions

Potatoes require minimal care. It consists of watering, fertilizing, weeding and hilling.

During the growing season, watering should be carried out no more than three times. During planting, during the period of active growth and before the end of flowering.

Attention! After flowering, it is undesirable to water potatoes, since their immunity decreases, and waterlogging can provoke the development of fusarium, alternaria or late blight.

If the soil is nutritious, then you can limit yourself to only fertilizing the soil in the fall when preparing the site for winter. If the soil is depleted, humus or wood ash is added to the hole during planting. This fertilizing is sufficient to obtain a good harvest.

Weeding and hilling are carried out throughout the entire growing season. These steps begin as soon as the sprouts reach at least 10 cm, then repeat after rain and watering.

Removing weeds is necessary for better soil aeration. Hilling is important for Lugovskaya potatoes due to the close formation of tubers to the surface of the earth, this way you can minimize exposure to sunlight on them.

During the growing season, hilling is carried out at least three times

Features of care

The variety is able to grow and produce crops even in unfavorable conditions. However, with proper care, the root vegetables will be larger, better, and without defects. Undoubtedly, watering is important for Lugovsky potatoes. It can be carried out either by the drip method or manually. In the latter case, it should be done 2-3 times per season. The soil should be wet by at least 45-50 cm.

It is imperative to apply fertilizers to Lugovskaya potatoes (at least 2-3 times per season). They will help the vegetable crop increase its resistance to disease and productivity. For this purpose, it is most recommended to spray the tops of plants during the budding period. To do this, you can use "Lurastim", "Akarin", "Fitoverm" or "Bitoxibacillin". They must be used according to the instructions.

Some gardeners also advise feeding potatoes during the season with bird droppings, diluted mullein, superphosphate, magnesium or potassium sulfate, or better yet, all of these in combination. In order not to have to worry about creating the composition, you can buy Biolan (not washing powder!), Bona Forte, Fertika and so on in a specialized store. When choosing, you should ensure that the amount of nitrogen does not exceed 10%; the preparation should not contain any urea at all. These substances, while helping the development of green mass, interfere with the good growth of root crops.

It is also very important, when caring for Lugovsky potatoes, to periodically hill up the plants by sprinkling soil on their lower part. The first time this must be done after the first shoots appear, the next time - after watering or rain. In this case, you should be careful not to accidentally cut down the green mass.

Description and characteristics of the variety

The plant is erect, of medium height, branched stems, small leaves, deep green in color, with sparse hair, matte with clearly visible venation. The flowers are white and medium in size. Potatoes of the “Lugovskoy” variety have an oval shape, the skin is smooth and pink. The average weight of the root vegetable can vary from 85 to 125 g. The pulp is white with a starch content of 12-19%; the potatoes do not change color during cooking. Lugovskoy is a mid-season variety; 90-110 days pass from germination to harvest.

Thanks to the work of breeders, the Lugovskoy variety is resistant to potato golden nematode, cancer, late blight, and common scab. Another value of the variety is its high uniqueness, starting from 52 kg per 10 m². Lugovsky potato tubers are well stored until the new harvest and have a marketable appearance.

Preparing tubers. A month before planting potatoes, it is necessary to germinate the tubers. This will allow you to get earlier shoots and then a harvest. The seed material is brought into a warm room, laid out in a lighted place at a temperature of about 20-25 o C. After 7 days, the temperature is reduced to + 10 degrees, this is necessary so that the sprouts do not outgrow. Immediately before planting, the tubers are treated with the preparation “Prorostok” (1 liter of working solution is enough for 100 kg of potato seeds).

Site preparation. The bed for planting potatoes should be located in a well-lit place, away from groundwater. It’s good if the predecessors of potatoes are beans, peas, cucumbers, cabbage, beets, peppers, marigolds or marigolds. In the fall, manure (7-8 buckets per hundred square meters) or complex mineral fertilizer is applied to the plot.

The soil is dug up and leveled with a rake. Winter rye can serve as a natural fertilizer. The plant is sown before winter; in the spring, two weeks before planting the tubers, the green part is cut off and embedded in the soil. This fertilizer contains all the necessary microelements. Rye roots suppress weed growth and loosen heavy soils.

In spring, you can improve the soil structure by planting green manure such as mustard. This plant helps get rid of wireworms and inhibits the development of pathogenic microflora. The green part is used as fertilizer.

Landing. Lugovskoy potatoes are planted in holes or grooves to a depth of 10-12 cm, and the soil must be warmed to +8+10 o C. A distance of 35 cm is maintained between tubers, and 60-70 cm is left between rows.

Care. The “Lugovskoy” variety is unpretentious in care and produces stable yields even in unfavorable climates. As soon as the young bushes grow up, they are hilled up; this is done by raking the soil to the trunk of the plant. Hill up a second time before flowering. This procedure promotes the formation of additional tubers. Hilling is carried out on moist soil.

If it rains from time to time, there is no need to water the potatoes. However, during prolonged drought, plants are watered two to three times per season. The first watering is needed when the sprouts have just appeared, then the plantings are watered when the buds appear and the last time after flowering.

If the soil is poor, the potatoes need to be fed. At the beginning of the growing season, nitrogen fertilizers are applied; before planting buds, potato bushes need potassium and phosphorus. When using fertilizers, follow the manufacturer's instructions. Additional nutrition is added after watering or rain.

Diseases and pests

Despite the high resistance of Lugovsky potatoes to diseases and pests, including potato cancer, blackleg and common scab, it can still be affected by them. As a preventative measure, it is recommended to treat the tubers before planting, remove weeds from the site in a timely manner (along with the roots), and carry out timely fertilizing.

If potatoes are infected with late blight, you can spray them with special fungicide preparations - “Maxidom”, “Fitosporin”, “Artsedil”, “Ditamine M-45”, “Kuproksat”. They are diluted in different ways: from 10 to 50 grams per 10 liters of water, so it is very advisable to read the instructions before use. It is worth spraying 3-4 times per season with a frequency of 1 week.

Of the insects, juicy potato tops are most often favored by the Colorado potato beetle. You can get rid of it either the “grandmother’s” way (collect insects by hand in a jar of kerosene and then burn them), or with the help of special modern means: “Karbofos”, “Commander”, “Golden Spark”, “Intavira”, “Karate” or "Bison". To avoid harming yourself when spraying, you should wear personal protective equipment and carefully read the instructions provided by the manufacturer.

In addition to the Colorado potato beetle, the following insects may like potatoes: spider mites, cicadas, and midges. You can get rid of them by spraying with the same preparations. Also, products such as “Calypso”, “Killer” or “Regent” will also be quite effective.

History of creation

Even a superficial description can convince many that few varieties can compare with Lugovsky. In all respects, it is far superior to Margarita and Hostess combined, which are quite popular among Russian gardeners.

As an artificially bred variety applicable in farming in different climatic zones, it is relatively young. This is the result of the work of Ukrainian breeders, one of the new varieties bred in 1987 in the Lugansk region, which is reflected in its name. The patent belongs to the Ukrainian Institute of Potato Growing, the breeding department of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The basis for the creation was Sineglazka, another popular potato variety, most suitable for planting. Lugovskoy is radically different from it in all characteristics: color, ripening time, yield, starch content, resistance to diseases and cold. In this, Sineglazka cannot be compared with him and is inferior in all characteristics.

Potatoes Lugovskoy

Harvest

The cultivation of Lugovsky potatoes is completed by harvesting them. It is carried out after the potato tops turn yellow, wither and fall off. To ensure that the tubers are ripe, you need to dig up one potato. If it does not peel off when rubbed with your finger, and also easily separates from the stem, it is really time to harvest. The time for carrying out the procedure in Russia usually falls on the end of August - beginning of September.

It is important not to skip the correct harvesting period so that the tubers do not lose a set of essential nutrients, are well stored in the winter and do not get sick. In addition, in warm autumn with frequent rains, root crops may begin to germinate again; this should also not be allowed. If water is pouring from the sky incessantly, and there is no hope of a clear day, the potatoes need to be dug up, and then dried and lumps of earth removed from them. This work, of course, is very hard, but it is better not to let the harvest rot.

Gardeners have different digging methods. Some people mow down the potato tops in 5-7 days so that the tubers become even larger, others remove them along with them. This is not important; the owner of the site must decide what is best. After digging, the tubers must be laid out in the sun to dry. Keep it this way for no more than 2 hours so that a toxic substance does not form in them under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.

Next, the potatoes need to be distributed: the largest ones - for storage or sale, medium ones - for planting next year, accidentally damaged ones - immediately for food, very small ones (sometimes very few) - at your discretion, sick ones - for throwing away. Tubers deposited as seeds need to be greened within 3-4 days. This will help them become more shelf stable and less attractive to rodents.

Description and characteristics of the variety

Potatoes "Lugovsky" are mid-season varieties, the ripening period of the fruit is 80-100 days. The stems of the plant are thick, the bushes are low and erect. The leaves on the plant are medium in size, the veins are well drawn, and a light fluff is visible on the surface of the leaf blade. The potato corollas are white, collected in bunches. Easy to care for. If you follow the rules of agricultural technology, you can harvest 500-514 centners of potatoes from one hectare.

The tubers grow oval, almost the same size and weight. One root vegetable averages 50-130 grams. 10-15 potatoes are tied under the bush. The pulp is very starchy (12-19%), its color is white. The peel is thin, colored light pink. The eyes are hardly noticeable and are located on the surface of root crops. Young potatoes are smooth; in autumn the skin becomes denser and covered with a rough mesh. The taste of the fruit is rich and not watery.

In winter, tubers are stored well and can be transported over long distances. The tubers do not grow, but are all located near the bush. High yields are observed on black soil and sandy soil. Potatoes are used to prepare various hot first and second courses, and to process root vegetables into starch.

How to properly store Lugovskoy potatoes?

Only whole and healthy potatoes that are free from contamination, foreign odors and all kinds of defects are suitable for storage. They should be culled very carefully, since even a few damaged tubers can lead to disease of the entire harvested crop. The storage period is divided into 4 stages:

1. Medicinal. At this time, after digging, the potatoes should be left in the garden for 1-2 hours to dry out a little. Then transfer it to a couple under a canopy to “increase” its protective properties and “heal” its wounds.
2. Cooling period. Now you need to start hardening the potatoes by lowering the storage temperature from 13-18 degrees to plus 2-4. This should be done gradually, over 10-15 days.
3. Basic. This is the time from harvesting potatoes for storage until February-March. Now it is very important to observe the lighting regime (the room should be dark), humidity (at 85-90%) and temperature (from 2 to 4 degrees plus).
4. Spring. This period is marked by the emergence of tubers from dormancy. Usually begins in February or March and continues until they are planted in open ground. At this time, seed potatoes can already begin to harden.

It is worth noting that from the moment the potatoes are harvested until they are stored for storage, they should not be wetted. So no washing! You also need to make sure that the tubers are not soaked by rain or dew.

Harvesting and further storage

Next, put the potatoes into bags or boxes. The seed tubers should be left in the sun for a few days to allow them to turn green. In this case, they will not be to the taste of rodents and will be better stored.

The prepared storage should be dark. Re-inspect the seed tubers three weeks after digging. If tubers with defects are noticed, remove them from the total mass.

At the beginning of storage, set the temperature to 15-19 degrees, then reduce it to 4-5 degrees. Maintain indoor humidity at 85-90%.

It is very important to choose the optimal time for harvesting root crops. Otherwise, there is a risk of them losing nutrients, nutrients and the ability to be stored for a long time without losing their presentation. After yellowing, wilting and lodging of the tops to the ground, you should start digging the tubers

Most often, depending on the region of growth, this occurs in late August or early September.

After yellowing, wilting and lodging of the tops to the ground, you should start digging the tubers. Most often, depending on the region of growth, this occurs at the end of August or at the beginning of September.

After removing the tubers from the ground, they must be dried in the sun, but not longer than 2 hours, since a longer period is fraught with the formation of the harmful substance solanine in the potatoes. This does not apply to tubers intended for planting next year. On the contrary, they should be brought to green over the course of a couple of days in order to improve their safety and ability to resist rodents.

Tubers intended for human consumption should be stored in a dark room where the temperature is within 20... 40°C with a humidity of 85%. Usually this is a basement, which must first be disinfected with a concentrated lime solution with the addition of copper sulfate.

The basement can also be fumigated with burning sulfur, and wooden equipment can be treated with a high concentration of manganese solution. In urban environments, potatoes are often stored on balconies and loggias in wooden boxes insulated with foam plastic.

The first root crops are dug up already in mid-summer, but full harvesting takes place in late August-early September, in warm and dry weather

It is important to dig up the tubers on time, otherwise they may lose their taste or become infected with late blight.

The dug up tubers are laid out in the sun for 2-3 hours to dry, and then sorted, getting rid of damaged and rotten potatoes.

The leaders in yield are the following varieties:

1. Luck - up to 1500 kg per hundred square meters.
2. Gala - about 600 kg per hundred square meters.
3. Idaho - up to 550 kg per hundred square meters.
4. Rosara - 350-400 kg per hundred square meters.
5. Bellarosa - up to 350 kg per hundred square meters.

If the tops have withered, turned yellow and fallen to the ground, it’s time to harvest. It is not necessary to remove the greens, but to obtain larger tubers, cut them a week and a half before harvesting. After digging, leave the tubers in the air for a couple of hours to dry completely.

Next, put the potatoes into bags or boxes. The seed tubers should be left in the sun for a few days to allow them to turn green. In this case, they will not be to the taste of rodents and will be better stored.

The prepared storage should be dark. Re-inspect the seed tubers three weeks after digging. If tubers with defects are noticed, remove them from the total mass.

The time to harvest potatoes is signaled by yellowed and withered tops. It is not recommended to postpone harvesting tubers to a later date; this will worsen the taste of the potatoes. Before harvesting, the tops can be mowed, but it is not at all necessary. Rather, this is necessary for the convenience of gardeners.

The dug up root crops are laid out in the sun for a couple of hours, this helps to ventilate them and make it easy to clean them from adhering soil. They are then sorted and put into boxes. It is recommended to leave the seed fruits in the sun for 1–2 days. Green root vegetables are less susceptible to rodents and last longer.

Only those tubers that have no damage or softened areas can be stored.

To do this, it is important to carefully sort, otherwise there is a risk of losing a significant part of the harvest. It is best to store potatoes in a dry basement. Its ventilation plays a key role in the safety of the crop.

Its ventilation plays a key role in the safety of the crop.

Where to store potatoes?

At dachas they usually do this in cellars or vegetable pits. If there is nothing like that, the potatoes can be put in the basement, basement, pantry or dark, cold room. In any case, the room must be prepared before storing it:

1. It is good to dry and disinfect the surrounding area using a concentrated solution of lime, its mixture with copper sulfate. You can also fumigate with sulfur (this procedure is usually carried out in basements). Then ventilate well.
2. Treat all wooden boards, drawers, and shelves three times with a strong solution of potassium permanganate. They should then be dried in the open air.
3. Organize hoods or vents if there are none. They help improve air exchange and remove excess dampness.
4. Insulate using polystyrene foam, hot bitumen, roofing felt or modern polyethylene materials. This is important so that the Lugovskoy potatoes, the storage of which is so carefully organized, do not freeze in winter.

After this, the tubers can be collected and brought indoors. It is worth noting that in apartments they are most often stored on balconies. In order for them to be well preserved throughout the winter, they should be placed in boxes lined with clapboard or organoplastic. It is advisable that the outside of this container be insulated with foam plastic.

Final part

Lugovskoy potatoes were selected in Ukraine. It has good keeping quality and high quality indicators. Resistant to many diseases, such as potato cancer, scab, blackleg. Distributed throughout the post-Soviet space.

The variety has gained particular popularity due to its unpretentiousness to soil composition. It responds well to regular deep loosening of the soil and fertilization. The main advantage of the variety is its lack of tendency to degenerate. If other varieties should be changed after 2-3 years, maximum 5, then Lugovskaya potatoes can only be bred using seed material obtained independently. Today this is the most popular variety among private landowners and large farms. The description of quality indicators allows the species to be widely used for the preparation of various dishes, commercial activities, as well as the production of starch.

Use in cooking

If you look at the description of the Lugovskoy potato variety, photos, reviews, you can immediately understand: it is ideal for preparing various dishes, as it has a pleasant rich taste and good consistency, not dry and not watery. Thanks to the large amount of starch it contains, when cooked it becomes tender, crumbly, and literally melts in your mouth. It doesn't get dark!

Various chefs say that Lugovskaya potatoes can be used to create airy or freeze-dried purees, various children's dishes, fillings for pies and pies, as well as for stewing and producing starch. Dishes with it such as beef in a pot, French pork, dumplings and so on are especially tasty. But this variety of potatoes is not suitable for frying in a pan or deep-frying. The same as for stuffing with various fillings (vegetables, minced meat).

Description and characteristics

This hybrid was bred in the 40s of the 20th century by the scientist-breeder S. Demin. The variety was obtained by crossing wild and cultivated varieties of potatoes. Unfortunately, it did not pass industrial tests, but it was loved by amateur gardeners.

Before you start buying seeds or seed tubers of Sineglazka potatoes, you should read its description.

Appearance of the variety

The bush of this variety itself is spreading and large. It has strong stems, which are decorated in large quantities with foliage. The leaves are dark green and medium in size. The flowers of the bush are very small, light blue in color, and appear in small quantities. Very few berries are also formed.

Potatoes have a well-developed root system, and tuber formation begins quite early. Once fully ripe, potatoes become large, weighing approximately 70-150 g each. Their shape is round or oval, slightly flattened. The peel, although thin, is quite dense. It has a dotted pale blue color.

The potato flesh is dense and white. There are not very many eyes on it, they are small in size and lie shallow. They are painted in a bright blue (sometimes even purple) color, due to which they stand out well against the general background of pale pink potatoes.

Taste qualities

Many housewives value this variety very much for its versatility. Because from such potatoes you can make both gorgeous mashed potatoes and aromatic fried potatoes. These tubers are also suitable for stewing and are ideal for baby food. Their flesh is dense, juicy, and crumbles during cooking.

Beneficial features

Sineglazka potatoes not only taste great, but they contain more nutrients than some other varieties. Due to the low percentage of starch content (15-17%), these tubers are easily absorbed by the body and are dietary. So, each potato has the following composition of microelements and vitamins important for humans:

• proteins;
• mineral salts (magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, calcium, etc.);
• provitamin A;
• vitamins C and group B.

Distinctive features of the variety

The description of the Sineglazka potato variety should be completed with its characteristics. Thus, this crop is characterized by average ripening periods and a fairly extended growing season. The first harvest can be harvested already in the last days of June, but root crops can remain in the ground until September.

Other distinctive characteristics of this variety include:

• ripening period is about 3 months;
• abundant growth of foliage on the branches;
• rare formation of berries with seeds on the bushes;
• tall bushes;
• the color of the tuber skin is pinkish-gray;
• the preferred types of soil for growth are sandy, nutritious, light (the variety does not bear fruit well on poor and heavy soil);
• thick shoots;
• ripening of 8-12 tubers under each bush;
• resistance to popular diseases of nightshade crops (nematode, late blight, scab, potato cancer);
• high probability of damage to thin skin by wireworms (larvae of click beetles);
• rapid degeneration of the variety, due to which potatoes lose their strong qualities (therefore, you should not grow this crop for several years in a row, using your own planting material for planting);
• poor storage of tubers (especially in large quantities) due to the rapid destruction of most potatoes by fruit rot;
• the dependence of the quality of tubers and the yield of bushes on the composition of the soil and weather conditions.

It is possible to fully preserve the varietal qualities of potatoes only if you grow them from seeds. And in order for Sineglazka bushes to maintain a high yield, good disease resistance and excellent taste, it is necessary to constantly update the planting material.

Below you can see a photo of the Sineglazka potato to clearly understand what appearance and varietal characteristics it has.

Sowing green manure

To prevent the size of Lugovsky potato tubers from becoming smaller over time when planted in the same place, some gardeners sow special plants for the winter - green manure. The article has already said which of them are better, we will not repeat ourselves. We'll tell you how to sow correctly. It’s worth saying right away that this procedure is carried out at different times: before, after, or together with planting potatoes.

In the first case, sowing is carried out in the spring, when the first 3-5 cm of the top layer of soil warms up to a temperature of 8-10 degrees. The plants chosen for this purpose are white mustard, phacelia or oats. They are harvested 2 weeks before planting root crops in open ground by cutting with a flat cutter and deep digging of the soil. At the same time, it is important to ensure that the green manure blooms and produces seeds, otherwise you will get tired of fighting weeds.

In the second case, it is recommended to sow potatoes together with mustard, which prevents weeds from developing, maintains a good level of moisture in the soil, saturates the soil with nutrients, and repels pests. The green manure plant should be removed immediately after its leaves and potato tops are equal in growth. After elimination, it can be left in the aisle or thrown into a compost pit.

The third method is the most common. Green manure for potatoes is sown in September, 2-3 weeks after harvesting. The soil under them is well loosened, the seeds are planted to a depth of 5-6 cm at the rate of 1.5-2 kg per 1 hundred square meters. Then the plot is leveled with a rake and covered with compost. With the arrival of warmer weather, green manure is either removed or cut and left in the garden bed, sprinkled with earth. When they rot, they will become an excellent fertilizer for vegetables.

Planting and cleaning

Medium-sized tubers with good sprouts, without defects: rot, mechanical damage, are prepared for planting.

The day before planting, seed potatoes are disinfected and treated with fungicides. For better germination, seeds can be treated with Kornevin.

The soil fertilized in the fall is dug up, freeing it from weeds. If the soil is not fertilized enough, you can additionally add onion peels or wood ash to the hole when planting. The soil layer should be warmed up to 10-12°C; in cold soil the tubers may rot.

To make it convenient for grown bushes to hill up, the distance between the ridges is left at least 70 cm, and between the holes - about 25 cm.

Planting material is laid to a depth of 10-15 cm.

For planting, you should choose a place where water does not stagnate.

To avoid diseases and pests, it is better to change the planting site next year. You can dig up potatoes already at the end of July. Harvesting occurs after the growing season. A week before harvesting, the tops are cut off to get larger fruits. A dry day is chosen for harvesting the crop.

After digging, the harvested crop lies for some time between the ridges or under a canopy to dry, and then the potatoes are put away for storage.

Reviews from gardeners

If you surf the forums for the sake of curiosity, you will notice: most gardeners speak of Lugovsky potatoes as if they were a good old friend. People like that it gives a good harvest, contains a large amount of starch, thanks to which it boils very quickly, forming a kind of rose, keeps the vines green for a long time, and perfectly withstands the onslaught of late blight. Perfect for baking in the oven and boiling in their skins. Many people plant it as their main plant.

Of course, there are also negative reviews. For example, some summer residents write that it begins to form a harvest late (only at the end of July), in bad weather it does not gain the required amount of starch, and after 2-3 years it degenerates and becomes empty inside. In addition, they say that it is now very difficult to get good seeds in many cities.

As a rule, most of the existing problems can be solved. To increase productivity, for example, you should observe crop rotation, plant green manure, select seed correctly, and renew it once every 2-3 years. You can purchase Lugovskaya seed potatoes today via the Internet. When choosing, you should look at the photo of the tubers, description of the variety and price. It would be useful to find reviews about the company itself. As a rule, time-tested gardening companies that have received positive feedback always have good planting material.

Potatoes "Lugovskoy" - description of the variety, photos, reviews, its advantages

The period from planting to harvest is 70-80 days.

Plant of medium height, compact. The main stem is erect, the lateral ones are not too spreading, the amount of green mass is moderate. The leaves are medium in size, matte dark green in color, covered with inconspicuous hairs, the veins are well defined. The flowers are large, white or cream in color, collected in compact corollas.

Flowering is short-lived, there are practically no berries, or they quickly fall off. The root system of the Lugovskaya potato is well developed, 10-15 large tubers weighing 85-125, sometimes up to 160 grams are formed in one nest; there are practically no small ones.

Tubers are oval-shaped, smooth. The peel is thin, light pink in color, glossy, and smooth to the touch. The pulp is white and does not darken when cut. The eyes are small, superficial, almost invisible. The yield is high; according to state tests, its maximum value can reach 514 c/ha.

It is consistently possible to collect about 1 kg of tubers from one plant. Marketability is excellent, keeping quality is 97%. The taste of the variety is very good. The pulp is crumbly, without excessive wateriness and dryness, melting in the mouth. Potatoes are ideal for mashing, stewing, and will also be an excellent ingredient for fillings.

Suitable for industrial processing to produce starch. However, the variety is not suitable for frying and stuffing due to its good boilability. The amount of starch in tubers ranges from 12-19%, and there is a relatively high content of protein and vitamin C.

Lugovskoy is undemanding to the type of soil and climatic conditions of growth, due to which it has become widespread throughout almost the entire region of Russia and Ukraine. It is worth noting, however, that the best yield is shown on light fertile soils, especially sandy loams.

The plants do not require much attention, but respond well to watering and fertilizing.

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Advantages and disadvantages

The variety has numerous advantages such as:

1. excellent taste;
2. high yield;
3. good keeping quality of fruits;
4. exemplary commercial quality of potatoes;
5. resistance to mechanical stress on tubers;
6. the ability of potatoes to peel well due to the smooth surface of the tubers;
7. decent nutritional qualities of root vegetables and high content of ascorbic acid in them;
8. unpretentiousness when grown in different weather conditions;
9. resistance to many potato diseases;
10. increased demand from consumers.

There are no serious deficiencies noted in this potato. Some vegetable growers have some complaints about the noticeable dependence of the variety on the nutritional properties of the soil and proper watering. Also, not everyone is satisfied with the unsuitability of these root vegetables for frying.

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Reviews from gardeners

You may notice that most gardeners speak of Lugovsky potatoes as if they were a good old friend. People like that it gives a good harvest, contains a large amount of starch, thanks to which it boils very quickly, forming a kind of rose, keeps the vines green for a long time, and perfectly withstands the onslaught of late blight.

Perfect for baking in the oven and boiling in their skins. Many people plant it as their main plant. Of course, there are also negative reviews.

For example, some summer residents write that it begins to form a harvest late (only at the end of July), in bad weather it does not gain the required amount of starch, and after 2-3 years it degenerates and becomes empty inside. In addition, they say that it is now very difficult to get good seeds in many cities.

As a rule, most of the existing problems can be solved. To increase productivity, for example, you should observe crop rotation, plant green manure, select seed correctly, and renew it once every 2-3 years. You can purchase Lugovskaya seed potatoes today via the Internet.

When choosing, you should look at the photo of the tubers, description of the variety and price. It would be useful to find reviews about the company itself. As a rule, time-tested gardening companies that have received positive feedback always have good planting material.

• Marina, 37 years old:
  Boiled Lugovskoy potatoes are delicious and crumbly. We have been growing these tubers on our plot for the third season. During this time there was always a harvest. Our soil is clay, so we add manure in the fall. In the spring, before planting potatoes, I plant mustard, thanks to which the tubers are not damaged by the wireworm.
• Alexey, 41 years old:
  The Lugovskoy variety is popular in our gardening community. The plant does not require care; I do two hillings per season, weed it a couple of times and treat the plantings against the Colorado potato beetle. I store the harvest in the cellar at a temperature of +1 degree, we eat our potatoes until June, then the early varieties ripen.
• Valentina, 53 years old:
  I have been growing this variety for the third season, there is always a harvest, since the plants are not demanding of external conditions, and here in the Urals there are prolonged rains and cold snaps occur in August. Potatoes taste delicious, especially boiled and fried. Next season we plan to replace some of the seeds so that Lugovskoy does not degenerate.
• Ekaterina, 45 years old:
  I have been growing Lugovskoy potatoes for a very long time. Even as a child, they constantly dug it in the garden, and to this day my parents only grow it. The harvest is good, the taste is excellent. The tubers are medium in size, but for me this is ideal, since large and small ones are difficult to peel. We grow as many as we can, except for the Colorado potato beetle, there are no problems. Maybe you were lucky with the site, or maybe the variety itself is really good. In general, I recommend it for growing.
• Victor, 56 years old:
  Normal variety. Lugovskoy started growing it only 5 years ago, although it is a fairly old variety. For five years only positive emotions. Of course, we are constantly affected by the Colorado potato beetle, but any variety that we grew faced this problem. And in general, I think that nothing helps from Colorado. Any variety will bite.
• Olga, 50 years old:
  We grow potatoes for sale. Not on an industrial scale, but quite a lot. Among the varieties is Lugovskaya. The potatoes are great. The appearance is perfect, there is almost no eye, the shape is even, without depressions or tubercles. It is easily sold on the market, especially when it is young. Transports well.

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Potato care

The “Lugovskoy” variety is unpretentious. It shows good results even in adverse weather conditions. However, in order to support the immunity of plants and enable them to realize their potential, you should systematically care for the plantings: feed the potatoes, hill them, carry out preventive treatments against pests and, if necessary, irrigate.

Watering

Water procedures are carried out under conditions of prolonged drought. Thanks to the presence of moisture in the soil, the tubers develop up to 120-150 g and have excellent shelf life and marketability. A drip irrigation system helps ensure the required level of moisture. If it is not possible to organize it, water procedures are carried out at the root using a watering can. The right time to carry out irrigation activities is in the evening, when the sun's rays are inactive.

Soil treatment

The soil is loosened for the first time a week after planting. Depth – 3 cm. This allows you to avoid damaging the sprouts. As weeds grow, they are removed regularly. To ensure breathability, the bushes are hilled. The agrotechnical event is carried out twice:

1. After the tops reach a height of 20 cm.
2. Two weeks after the first procedure.

Top dressing

The soil is enriched with nutrients in the fall when preparing the site. Then the crop is additionally fed throughout the growing season, providing optimal conditions for the formation of a highly marketable crop. At the beginning of shoot growth, nitrogen-containing fertilizers (ammonium nitrate, bird droppings solution, urea) are used. During the budding phase, the plantings are fed with a mixture of superphosphate and potassium sulfate. And during flowering, complex agrochemicals (nitroammofoska) are placed under the bushes.

For your information!

At all stages of crop development, wood ash, which contains phosphorus and potassium necessary for potatoes, can be used as a top dressing.

Protection from diseases and pests

To dig up a rich harvest of marketable tubers, the plantings are treated with a solution of fungicide against diseases and insecticides against pests. The Colorado potato beetle can cause significant damage, so spraying is carried out several times at the beginning of the colonization of shoots by adult individuals. Untimely implementation of protection measures can cause a crop shortfall of about 30%. You can spray the plantings with pesticides for the last time before mowing the tops.

Cleaning and storage

On the 65th day, the slightly yellowed tops are mowed down. This technique allows the tubers to accumulate more nutrients and become stronger. However, you should not keep potatoes in the ground: they may begin to rot. Digging begins in dry weather. In order to easily remove soil residues from the tubers, the latter are left on the beds until all work is completed. During this time they will dry out a little.

The tubers are transferred to a shaded place, where they are well dried. They sort through, sort, placing planting material (potatoes weighing 70-80 g) in a separate container. The remaining healthy tubers are distributed into wooden boxes or nets and stored. A dry basement or cellar with ventilation and a temperature of 3-4 °C is suitable for storage.

Reviews about the Lugovskoy variety

The advantages of the variety make Lugovskaya practically the number 1 choice for Russian gardeners and collect only positive reviews:

Alexander, Orsk : “An excellent variety, I have been growing it for more than 5 years, and every year it pleases me with an abundant harvest and quality of tubers that grow large and even. The only negative is that it is affected by Colorado potato beetles, but this is a problem with all varieties of potatoes.”

Larisa, Volzhsk: “We grow potatoes not only for ourselves, but also for sale. There are only 6 varieties, among them Lugovskaya. At first we planted it quite a bit, but we are constantly increasing the volume, because it is in demand - the tubers are tasty, look perfect, store well and can withstand transportation.”

Mikhail, Tver: “I’ve been growing only Lugovskaya for about 10 years. A neighbor recommended this variety to me, for which I thank him very much. I didn’t even think about replacing the variety with some other one - I don’t see any need for it. Of course, fighting Colorado potato beetles gets boring, not without it, but in my memory there is no variety that these insects would not be interested in.”