Is it worth planting Cornflower potatoes: the pros and cons of the variety

Between the development of a new potato variety in 2007 by scientists at the All-Russian Research Institute of Potato Farming named after A.G. Lorch" and its inclusion in the State Register of the Russian Federation, seven years have passed. In 2014, the variety “Cornflower” was recommended for cultivation. “Vasilyok” was obtained by crossing two varieties of potatoes: “Chugunka” and the hybrid D-31-88.

Description of the variety

The variety "Cornflower" has elongated large oval-shaped tubers. The peel is thin, glossy with small superficial eyes, purple in color, and the dense potato pulp is white.

The uniqueness of the root vegetable is its rich content of vitamins and antioxidants, which is why it is considered dietary. Its tubers contain:

• starch about 16%;
• vitamins C and E – 20-24 mg;
• protein up to 3%.

The product has good taste. The pulp is dense, without excessive wateriness. The variety is suitable for boiling, frying, stewing, pureeing, cooking in its uniform and for soups. "Vasilyok" is excellent for baby food. During cooking, the shell of the root vegetable may burst, but the pulp does not lose its shape.

Potato bushes are semi-erect, low with a developed root system. The tops are thick with dark green leaves. During flowering it is covered with small purple flowers.

How to care for potatoes

Alvara's care is standard. It includes watering, fertilizing, loosening, weeding, hilling and preventive treatment.

Irrigation mode

The Alvara potato variety is drought resistant. It does not need frequent watering; it is enough to do it several times a season, more often in the southern regions. The signal for irrigation is when the soil dries out by 6–8 cm. In wet weather there is no need to water.

Although Alvara is watered rarely, it is plentiful. In hot summers, you may need half a bucket of water for each adult bush.

It is very important that plants are hydrated during flowering and tuber formation.

Feeding

Potatoes growing on fertile soil and fertilized during planting do not need further feeding.

But if there is a need, you can feed it during the growing season:

• during the growth of greenery - nitrogen mineral fertilizer (urea solution) or organic (mullein or chicken manure solution);
• during the budding period, before the start of flowering - phosphorus-potassium fertilizer (superphosphate with potassium sulfate and wood ash).

We recommend that you learn what and how to properly process potatoes.

Next, you can apply foliar feeding by spraying the bushes:

• after the start of flowering - a solution of ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and potassium chloride;
• during the growth of root crops - with a special fertilizer "Mag-Boron", containing magnesium and boron, which improve the taste and density of tubers.

Weeding and loosening the soil

The first loosening of the soil should be carried out even before the emergence of seedlings, about a week after planting. This measure will ensure air access to the planted seeds. You can loosen the soil while simultaneously removing germinating weeds with a rake or harrow.

Subsequently, these operations are carried out the next day after each watering and rain. Don't forget about hilling. The first time plants are 15–20 cm high, and again after 2 weeks. But in the southern regions, where there is little moisture in the ground, there is no need to hill up the bushes.

Read more about why hilling potatoes is needed.

Preventive treatment against diseases and pests

Alvar potatoes have strong immunity. Of all potato diseases, only late blight is susceptible.

Prevention from the disease is the following steps:

• compliance with crop rotation;
• planting only germinated seeds;
• treatment with special preparations before planting;
• compliance with the correct planting scheme so that the bushes are well ventilated and illuminated;
• in humid weather favorable for late blight, preventive spraying with fungicides (copper oxychloride, Modex, Azocene 5%, Polycarbacin 80%, Arcerid 60%).

The most dangerous pest is the Colorado potato beetle. Old and young individuals can destroy a potato planting in a few days. A preventive measure is to treat the tubers before planting. And you can fight the beetles that have already appeared by spraying the bushes immediately after the larvae hatch. Insecticides used: “Prestige”, “Aktara”, “Regent”, “Korado”.

Important! The last spraying with chemicals should be carried out no later than 20 days before harvest

Characteristics of the variety

The variety “Vasilyok” belongs to the mid-early variety and is characterized by high yield.

Potatoes were bred specifically for planting in the Central region of Russia, in the areas:

• Bryansk;
• Smolenskaya;
• Ryazan;
• Kaluzhskaya;
• Ivanovskaya;
• Moscow;
• Tula.

"Cornflower" can also be grown in the Central Black Earth and Northwestern regions.

Potatoes are not picky about soil, but the best harvest can be obtained from lightly fertilized soil.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of growing and disadvantages of the Lyubava variety are given in the table:

• early harvesting;
• simultaneous ripening of tubers;
• high productivity;
• presentation of tubers;
• good taste.

• low resistance to late blight of tops;
• high susceptibility to golden nematode.

Potatoes prefer medium to light soil. The culture grows well on sandy and sandy loam soils, loam and black soil. In clay soil, tubers develop slowly and are susceptible to rot.

The best predecessors for potatoes are beets, cabbage, cucumbers, and green manure. Planting the crop after tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and eggplants is not recommended.

Tubers are planted in April or May, depending on the weather conditions of the region. The soil should warm up well to a depth of 10 cm. Healthy tubers weighing about 80 g, without signs of rotting or damage, are selected for planting.

1.5 months before the start of work, potatoes of the Lyubava variety are kept in a bright place to stimulate the appearance of sprouts. When the sprouts reach a length of 1 cm, it is time to start planting. Immediately before planting, root crops are treated with Epin or another growth stimulant.

Tubers of the Lyubava variety are planted in holes or furrows. If the soil is heavy, root crops are deepened by 4-5 cm. Planting depth in light soil is 10 cm. 30 cm are left between tubers, rows are spaced every 70 cm.

Before the emergence of seedlings, caring for the plantings consists of loosening the soil. This way the tubers will receive more oxygen necessary for active growth of the root system. During loosening, weeds are removed. It is better to carry out the procedure after watering or precipitation.

When the first buds appear, intensive watering of the potatoes begins. Moisture is added as the top layer of soil dries. It is necessary to constantly keep the soil moist.

Under each bush add 2-3 liters of warm, settled water. Lyubava potatoes are watered in the evening, when there is no direct exposure to the sun. After watering, loosen the soil between the rows.

Hilling and feeding

Due to hilling, Lyubava potatoes form stolons on which tubers develop. The soil supports the shoots and prevents them from falling apart. When hilling, the soil is raked from the rows onto the potato bushes. For manual processing, forks are used; to simplify hilling, special equipment is used.

Hilling is performed twice per season:

• with a bush height of 15 cm;
• 2-3 weeks after the first treatment, before flowering begins.

Regular fertilizing ensures high productivity of the Lyubava variety. Treatment is carried out 2-3 times per season, taking into account the condition of the bushes.

The procedure for feeding Lyubava potatoes:

• when forming tops;
• during the budding period;
• 3 weeks before harvest.

The first feeding is necessary when the development of potatoes is slow. The need for fertilizer is indicated by thin stems and pale green leaves of the plants. For irrigation, prepare a solution enriched with nitrogen. It is best to use natural ingredients: bird droppings or manure.

For the second treatment of the Lyubava variety, a complex fertilizer is prepared containing 15 g of potassium sulfate and 30 g of superphosphate per 10 liters of water. The bushes are watered with a solution at the root. Processing stimulates the formation of tubers, improves their taste and keeping quality.

Feeding with phosphorus and potassium is repeated after flowering ends before harvesting. An alternative way to fertilize is to use any complex fertilizer for vegetables.

How to store

Before placing them for storage for the winter, the potatoes are carefully sorted, selecting seed material. It must be stored separately in a wooden container.

High-quality tubers, without damage or rot, are placed in boxes. Containers are stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area at a temperature not exceeding 3°C.

During storage, it is necessary to check potatoes for rot and sprouting eyes. Rotten tubers are selected and thrown away.

In a humid room, tubers can germinate quickly.

How to grow this variety

Cornflower is easy to grow and easy to care for. To get a high yield, it is important to correctly select seed material, prepare and fertilize the soil.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

Potato variety Cornflower is replanted in the middle or end of March, when there are no longer night frosts. Seed material is prepared starting from the last month of winter:

1. For planting, potatoes of the correct shape are selected, without damage or signs of disease. The optimal weight of each is from 55 to 75 g.
2. The tubers are evenly laid out in one layer for germination. It is advisable to sprinkle them with sawdust and irrigate them with water daily, using a spray bottle for this purpose.
3. The day before, the seed material is treated with a solution of copper sulfate prepared from 10 liters of water and 1 tbsp. l. copper sulfate powder. This measure will protect potatoes from diseases.
4. Having carried out preventive spraying, the tubers are dried and transferred to a warm, well-lit place, where they will warm up and germinate.

Advantages and disadvantages

The variety has a lot of advantages, but it is worth noting its disadvantages.

Diseases and pests

This potato variety is resistant to potato blight and many viral diseases that often affect plants and make them unfit for food: Alternaria, Fusarium, Verticillium.

Lyubava is also quite immune to late blight, which affects almost all representatives of the Solanaceae family. However, preventive measures should be taken against the occurrence of common scab, which mainly attacks plant tubers.

To combat the fungal disease common scab, you need to carefully and carefully select planting material. It must be healthy and treated with fungicides. On our website you will find detailed materials about spraying potatoes and the correct use of chemicals, including herbicides

On our website you will find detailed materials about spraying potatoes and the correct use of chemicals, including herbicides.

Also follow the simple rules of crop rotation. Use mulching to control weeds.

While growing Lyubava, you are likely to encounter such a harmful parasite as the Colorado potato beetle. It, like other pests, can be controlled using insecticides or folk methods.

Thus, the early-ripening Lyubava variety is ideal for those who want to dine on tasty and satisfying potatoes within a month after planting. The main thing is not to forget to fertilize the soil and remove pests, and then you will get a really big and healthy harvest!

We also suggest that you familiarize yourself with other interesting ways to grow potatoes. Read all about Dutch technologies, about growing under straw, in barrels and bags.

And in the table below you will find links to potato varieties with very different ripening periods presented on our website:

Planting and cleaning

The soil for planting potatoes is prepared in the fall: they dig up the ground, get rid of weeds, and apply organic fertilizers in the form of humus or compost. The area for root crops is selected following the rules of crop rotation.

The best predecessors of culture will be:

• legumes;
• green manure;
• cabbage;
• onion;
• beet;
• cucumber;
• zucchini;
• garlic.

In the spring, the soil is fed again, but with mineral fertilizers, loosened, and weeds are removed. If it is loamy, then add sand or peat to lighten it. Slaked lime or dolomite flour is added to acidic soil.

Medium-sized tubers, without signs of disease or mechanical damage, are selected for planting. Place them in a bright room and let them germinate. The day before planting, I treat the seeds with disinfectants against diseases and pests and growth stimulants.

For planting, holes are made 10 cm deep at a distance of 30 cm from each other, the distance between the rows should be 60-70 cm. Ash and nitrophoska are placed in the holes, onion peels are added to repel insects, potatoes are placed and covered with earth.

The soil for planting should be warmed to 10-12 °C.

You can tell that it’s time to harvest the potatoes by completely dry tops. The maturity of the root crop is determined by the peel: it must be dense enough to withstand pressure.

Potatoes are harvested in dry weather. The harvested crop is thoroughly dried, spread between the beds or under a canopy.

New and promising potatoes "Vasily"

A new and promising potato variety “Vasily” was bred specifically for cultivation in private plots. Currently, the variety has not yet been included in the State Register of the Russian Federation.

Characteristics of the variety

Potatoes "Vasily" belong to the category of mid-season varieties. A detailed description of the variety was given by the nursery NPO "Gardens of Russia", which is currently distributing the seed material of this potato. The variety is characterized by increased drought resistance, and also has a fairly high resistance to damage by major potato diseases.

It is noteworthy that potatoes of the “Vasily” variety are capable of very quickly forming above-ground vegetative mass. The bushes are quite tall, erect, and well leafy. The powerful stem part contributes to excellent shading of the soil and does not allow weeds to grow.

The flowering of the bushes is abundant and long-lasting. The corollas of the flowers are white. By the period of mass harvesting, from 5 to 10 large, aligned, round-shaped tubers have been formed under each potato bush.

High-quality seed potatoes are not a luxury, but it is important to carefully consider the choice of planting material, as well as to carry out proper planting and further care

Planting mid-season potatoes

Planting potatoes of the “Vasily” variety does not differ significantly from the technology of planting other mid-early and mid-late varieties. The basic requirements and nuances of proper planting of seed potatoes are as follows:

• depending on climatic conditions and weather factors in the cultivation zone, planting can be done from the end of April until mid-May; it is recommended to complete the activities before the first days of June;
• the soil in the area for planting potatoes must be warmed to at least 10°C;
• half an hour before planting, the seed material should be soaked in a weak pink solution of potassium permanganate or in a 1% solution of boric acid;
• the standard distance between planted tubers should be about 0.40-0.45 m with a distance between rows of 0.7 m.

Before planting potatoes, it is recommended to germinate prepared and sorted tubers. It is advisable to start germination about a couple of weeks before planting.

It must be remembered that this potato variety reacts very poorly to excessive soil moisture. In areas and planting areas where groundwater is located above 0.5-0.7 m or where excess water can accumulate in the ground under the influence of other factors, it is necessary to make raised ridges for planting.

Also read: Features of growing varietal cucumbers "Phoenix"

Potatoes of the “Vasily” variety are low-maintenance varieties that require the following simple technology to form a stable harvest:

1. Hilling should be carried out several times a season, which not only improves soil aeration, but also improves the process of tuber formation.
2. During drought, potato bushes should be watered, adding at least 10-12 liters of water to each bush.
3. It is recommended to supplement watering with root fertilizing. For this purpose, rotted manure is most often used, as well as high-quality complex fertilizers that do not contain chlorine and its compounds.
4. To protect against pests and the most common diseases, preventive spraying should be carried out several times throughout the season with Fitosporin-M, Ordan, Kurzat or Bordeaux mixture.

It is important to regularly inspect the plants and, if there are signs of insufficient nutrition, apply foliar feeding. It is also necessary to carry out weeding and loosening of the soil between the rows

After reading the corresponding article, you can also learn about the varietal characteristics of the “Courage” potato.

How to grow potatoes (video)

Reviews about this variety are currently few, and some vegetable growers are still receiving only the first harvests after planting the seeds. In recent years, there has been a strong attack of the variety by insect pests, which many potato growers dealt with using such products as Decis, Fastak, Ratibor and Arivo. The general impression of most gardeners who cultivate Vasily potatoes about this variety is quite favorable.

Attention, TODAY only!

Did you find an error in the text? Please select it and press Ctrl+Enter. Thank you!

Rating:

Features of agricultural technology

The Cornflower potato is not picky about soil and climate and does not need special attention, but if you follow the basic rules of agricultural cultivation: watering, hilling, fertilizing, pest control, it will give a good harvest with large tubers.

Watering

Potatoes are not very demanding when it comes to watering, but it is advisable to water them three times during the season.

• The plant is watered for the first time when the tops grow to 10 cm. During drought, the bushes are watered a little more often, as the soil dries out excessively.
• The second watering should be done when the flowers appear.
• The third is when they fade.

After this, the potatoes are not watered to avoid late blight.

2-3 liters of water are poured under the bush. The size of the tubers directly depends on the quality of watering.

Hilling

“Cornflower” is spudded for the first time immediately after emergence. To prevent potatoes from dying from return frosts, the soil is raked high towards the shoots.

The second hilling is carried out after the tops are closed.

In addition, potatoes must be regularly weeded and the soil loosened after watering.

Pest Control

The culture as a whole is quite resistant to traditional diseases; it is not characterized by:

• cancer;
• late blight;
• striped mosaic;
• wrinkled rot.

But it can “catch” ring and dry rot or scab.

Prevention will help in the fight against possible diseases:

• compliance with the crop rotation schedule;
• soil disinfection;
• application of nitrogen fertilizers.

There is no need to be overzealous with fertilizers containing nitrogen. Too much of it accelerates the growth of tops, but does not increase tuberization.

The most dangerous pest of Cornflower is the Colorado potato beetle. If the number of insects is small, they can be collected manually. Large colonies are best treated with chemicals.

A soap solution can help in the fight against aphids.

Marigolds planted around the perimeter of the potato plot will help reduce the number of pests.

Features of cultivation and care in open ground

Potatoes are fairly easy to plant;
It is also distinguished by its unpretentiousness in care, which makes the planting process quite simple. But at the same time, special attention must be paid to the selection of seed material and its preparation. In addition, soil fertilization is an important point, as this will directly affect potato yields in the future.

Optimal timing and conditions for planting

Planting is carried out at the moment when the night frosts pass. This could be mid or late March, depending on the climate.

Learn how to prepare potatoes for planting.

Potatoes prefer illuminated areas of the ground that are well protected from the wind. The soil requirements are small, the only thing is that the soil must be non-acidic, otherwise the variety will not produce a bountiful harvest. If the soil is very heavy, a lot of organic fertilizer must be added to it when preparing the holes.

On swampy or peaty soils, the variety will bear fruit only after mandatory crop rotation and reclamation. The soil itself should be dug up twice before planting the seedlings.

Important! Planting potatoes of this variety can only be carried out if the rules of crop rotation are observed - the variety is planted after growing a variety of root crops, cucumbers, cabbage, legumes or pumpkins

Preparation of planting material and planting scheme

It is very important to choose the right planting material. Due to the possibility of rot, it is important to select healthy and dense tubers, without signs of infection.

Since they germinate quickly, it is important to adhere to the rules for storing the crop - it is advisable that it lies in cool places and in the dark. Dry basements or pantries are ideal.

Around February, the tubers are taken out and laid in one layer so that they begin to germinate. You can speed up this process by sprinkling them with sawdust and spraying them regularly with a spray bottle.

Before planting, the tubers are also necessarily disinfected to prevent the appearance of late blight during growth (sprayed with solutions containing copper).

The planting scheme is quite simple and depends on the size of the tubers themselves. You can use the following standard patterns: 70 by 20 centimeters or 60 by 30 (sometimes 25 if the tubers are small).

That is, standard planting schemes are used, where the length of the bed can be 60 or 70 centimeters, and the distance between tubers varies from 20 to 30 centimeters.

Tubers are planted with their buds facing up to germinate faster. The depth is determined by the density of the soil - from 10-12 cm on light soils to 4-5 cm on clay soils.

Frequency of watering and fertilization

Fertilizing and watering greatly affect the fertility and quantity of the crop. To obtain maximum performance, it is necessary to fertilize regularly, since Cornflower loves fertile soil. The first application of fertilizers is carried out before flowering (only on well-moistened soil).

Fertilizer is added directly to the root. The interval between applications is approximately one and a half weeks. Chicken droppings, urea and manure are suitable as fertilizers.

Learn how to water potatoes correctly.

Watering before flowering begins is carried out as necessary (only if the weather is very dry or hot). As soon as the flowering period begins, you need to begin active watering, since at this moment tubers begin to form.

Watering is carried out mainly in the evening or in cloudy weather three times a week, and if the weather is hot, then every day. Afterwards, the earth is necessarily loosened, and the bushes are hilled up.

Important! Sprayers should not be used for watering. Moisture on the tops can cause late blight.

Water flows only at the root.

Weed control

Mulching also affects yields. Removing weeds guarantees an increase in yield. It is not recommended to use coniferous raw materials for mulching, as they oxidize the soil, and this variety does not tolerate acidic soils very well.

During the growing season, the bushes are hilled about three times. The procedure must be repeated until the gaps between the mounds disappear.

Farmer reviews

Although the Cornflower variety is new, it has many positive reviews from farmers and gardeners.

Tatyana, Ryazan: “Cornflower is similar to the Blue Danube and Tsyganka varieties. A little small, but there are a lot of potatoes in the bush. Disadvantage: affected by scab.”

Irina, Kursk: “I planted Cornflower, Golubizna, Kolobok and Charodey on the plantation. Cornflower gave the largest harvest (0.5 kg yielded 12–15 kg). I don’t really like that the variety gets a little soft when cooked.”

Nina, Nizhny Novgorod: “Cornflower potatoes do not like overly alkaline or acidic soil. To determine if the soil acidity is suitable for growing this variety, pay attention to the weeds growing in the area. If dandelions with coltsfoot and wheatgrass bloom profusely on the plantation, you can safely plant Cornflower. It will feel great in such land and will produce a good harvest.”

How to harvest and store crops

Harvesting work is carried out after the tops turn yellow and dry.

At this time, a hard skin forms on the potatoes. The collection is scheduled for a dry and sunny day; immediately after digging, the root crops are left to dry under a canopy. The total drying time is 3 weeks, after which the crop is sorted and sent to a permanent storage location.

Storage features and keeping quality of the Vasily variety

Tubers that are sent to the basement should not have obvious damage, thin skin or signs of immaturity.

The basement should have a temperature of 2-4 degrees, humidity from 45 to 60%, dry, with good ventilation.

Important! The culture has good shelf life - within 90-95%. If the storage rules are followed, it can easily survive the winter.

Collection, storage and use of crops

Providing good conditions for plants, using high-quality seed and fertilizers is the key to obtaining a high yield. It is collected in late summer or early autumn.

Cornflower potatoes can be stored for 3 to 4 months. In conditions of high humidity there is a risk of tubers sprouting.

A dry place out of direct sunlight is suitable for storage. It is important to ensure good air circulation and temperature conditions not exceeding +3°C.

Potatoes of this variety have pleasant taste characteristics. It is eaten boiled, fried and baked.