Potato variety Palace: description and characteristics, photos, reviews

History of appearance

The Palats potato variety was created in Belarus by specialists from the local Scientific and Production Center of the National Academy of Sciences for potato and vegetable growing in 2022. It was included in the domestic Register of Breeding Achievements after all the necessary variety tests four years later. It is officially recognized as the most suitable for cultivation in the Grodno region.

In Russia, Palace potatoes appeared on the public market a season later. At the same time, an application was submitted for its registration in the State Register, but so far all the required procedures have not been completed.

Almost all Belarusian potato varieties are successfully taking root in Russia

Description of the Palats potato with photo

The Palace potatoes look quite presentable. But the appearance of the tubers is not all that a gardener should consider when choosing a new variety to plant on his own plot.

Bush

The bushes are low (40-50 cm). The stems are erect, which ensures compact plants. The leaves, on the contrary, are larger than those of most varieties and hybrids; there are few of them. The flowers are a rich pink-lilac hue, the inflorescences are bright and catchy, “lush”. The Palace potato bushes cannot be called thickened; the leaf plates are completely “opened”.

Important! The bushes of this variety have a very powerful and developed root system. This allows them to make maximum use of soil resources for the growth and formation of tubers.

Tubers

The weight of tubers even in one “nest” varies greatly (70-150 g). But there are practically no “little things” that are unsuitable for long-term storage and inconvenient to clean. The percentage of “marketable” potatoes is very high – 95%.

The shape of the tubers is regular, from round to elongated oval. The peel is thin, pink or pale red, quite durable, almost smooth.

There are very few “eyes”, they are mostly superficial

The pulp is creamy or yellowish, elastic and dense, with a relatively low starch content (14%). Accordingly, Palace potatoes retain their shape during any heat treatment. Some even consider its poor or moderate “cookability” to be a disadvantage of the variety.

Important! In one “nest” of Palace potatoes, from 8-10 to 15-20 tubers are formed. The fewer there are, the larger they are.

Characteristics of potatoes Palace

The main goal of the breeders who created the Palace potato was to obtain a high-yielding, early-ripening variety, the productivity of which minimally depends on the vagaries of the weather and other negative “external” factors. Gardeners do not yet have much experience in growing it, but the available data from variety trials and reviews suggest that it has been achieved.

Taste qualities of Palats potatoes

The taste of Palats potatoes in Belarus is rated as “good” or “excellent”. The dense pulp does not have the slightest “hint” of wateriness or mealy taste, but there are light sweetish-creamy notes.

The tubers are universal in their culinary purposes. However, professional tasters classify it as category AB (the pulp after boiling does not “fall apart” when cut). In everyday life, Palace potatoes are successfully used for boiling, frying, baking, stuffing, any first courses and side dishes.

Tubers are quite suitable for homemade preparations and freezing.

Important! After cooking, the pulp of Palats potatoes does not darken.

Ripening time for Palats potatoes

Palace is an early ripening variety. The harvest “en masse” ripens within 50-70 days after the planted tubers give “friendly” shoots. Such a “scatter” in terms can be easily explained by the nuances of the regional climate, the influence of weather factors during the season, and the quality of planting care. The first “sample” from the beds can be taken after 45-50 days from the moment of “mass” germination.

Productivity

According to data obtained during variety testing in Belarus, the yield of Palats potatoes when cultivated on an industrial scale is 550-600 centners per hectare. On personal plots, taking into account that 8-10 tubers are formed on one plant, you can count on 1.5-2 kg per bush or 250-400 kg per hundred square meters.

The variety’s yield is not record-breaking, but this is fully compensated by its “reliability”

Growing regions

Since the Palace potato is not yet listed in the Russian register of breeding achievements, there are no “officially recommended” regions recognized as the most suitable for its cultivation. But, based on the varietal characteristics, it can be argued that it is able to “take root” and produce a harvest in almost any territory, if farming is possible there in principle. Thanks to their early ripening, the tubers have time to ripen even in northern regions with short, cool summers.

Disease resistance

The general hardiness of the Palace variety includes good resistance to pathogenic microflora and pest attacks. In addition, breeders provided it with “innate” protection against golden root nematode, bacterial cancer and most viral diseases that “kill” plants.

Important! The description of the variety given by the originator (reviews and photos of gardeners confirm this information) indicates that Palace potatoes are characterized by average resistance to fusarium, various types of scab, Alternaria, and late blight of tubers (but not leaves).

Leaves affected by late blight quickly dry out, the development of bushes and the ripening of tubers stops

Pests are also not too interested in Palats potatoes. This applies to wireworms, potato flea beetles, and leafhoppers. The only exception is the Colorado potato beetle. To prevent its invasion of the beds, targeted prevention is needed.

Description of the variety

The palace is unpretentious to weather conditions and is characterized by high productivity . It contains a small amount of starch - 14%. They often grow it for their own consumption.

Origin and development

This variety was bred in the Republic of Belarus in 2017 . It participates in variety trials and, due to its adaptability to different types of soil and climate, is quickly spreading among gardeners.

Distinctive features, appearance

Tubers contain pectin, fiber, natural sugar, minerals and vitamins . It also contains trace elements that are necessary for the human body (potassium, calcium, magnesium, chlorine, phosphorus, iron, sodium).

The tuber, namely its peel, contains beta-carotene and organic acids. The most important value of the variety is considered to be the content of food coloring anthocyanin in the fruits, which has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects.

The oval-shaped tubers are large and medium, weighing up to 150 g . The surface of the potato is smooth, the skin is red, the flesh inside is yellow. It has wonderful taste. The flesh inside is dense; when cut when boiled, the potatoes do not fall apart. Suitable for frying, making soups and salads.

Plant and Harvest Characteristics

The bushes are compact with large dark green leaves, the stems are straight . The flowers are red-violet and contain large amounts of the plant poison solanine.

High yield is the key advantage of the variety . Each plant produces an average of 8-10 tubers weighing up to 150 g each (average weight - 70-90 g). Up to 400 kg are collected per hundred square meters, and up to 600 centners per hectare. The marketability of the crop is also high - 92-94%.

Other potato varieties from Belarus:

Mid-early potato variety "Breeze"

Frost-resistant potato variety “Zhuravinka”

Potatoes "Lileya" with smooth tubers and excellent taste

Advantages and disadvantages

Potatoes Palace are characterized by good transportability and keeping quality. In optimal or close to optimal conditions, 95% of tubers retain their “marketable appearance” and health benefits.

Potato Palace is a successful exception to the rule that early-ripening varieties do not differ in outstanding taste

Pros:

• compactness of plants, their suitability for “dense” plantings;
• general endurance, including drought resistance, the ability to tolerate heat, cold, and sudden temperature changes;
• the presence of “innate” immunity against the golden nematode, incurable viral and bacterial diseases, good resistance to fungal microflora;
• undemanding regarding growing conditions and agricultural technology;
• early and “friendly” harvest ripening;
• good keeping quality and transportability;
• attractive “appearance”, a high percentage of “marketable” tubers, a minimum of “trifles”;
• versatility for culinary purposes, outstanding taste;

Minuses:

• tendency to become infected with late blight of leaves;
• the possibility of an attack by the Colorado potato beetle in the absence of prevention;
• poor “cookability” of tubers.

Diseases and pests

The Palace variety is practically invulnerable to potato cancer and rhizoctonia. However, he quite often suffers from blight. This disease affects all parts of the plant, including tubers. If you do not take timely measures when the first signs of this disease are detected, you may be left without a harvest.

The first symptoms of the disease are the appearance of brown or purple spots on the lower part of the bush, and a white coating on the bottom. Tubers affected by late blight have putrefactive manifestations on the pulp and emit an unpleasant odor. The disease progresses quickly and the plant dies. As a rule, this happens at the end of July - beginning of August.

Late blight on potatoes

The appearance and spread of late blight can be prevented if:

• monitor compliance with crop rotation;
• carry out weeding and loosening in a timely manner;
• strictly observe the watering regime;
• apply fertilizer according to schedule;
• Before planting, treat the seed material with root or phytohormone.

If infection with late blight cannot be avoided, you need to resort to the use of antifungal drugs.

The Colorado potato beetle is another danger threatening Palace potatoes. It is recommended to use both chemical insecticides and manual collection of larvae and adults. It is important to stop applying chemicals three weeks before harvest.

Palace potatoes are suitable for many gardeners and farmers - even novice gardeners can easily grow them. Following simple agricultural techniques will allow you to get a good harvest of large tubers, and with proper storage you will be able to enjoy delicious potatoes even in the spring of next year.

Every person has tried a potato dish at least once. This vegetable is perfectly stored in the cellar for a year, maintaining its taste. However, potatoes that are just dug out of the ground are considered the most delicious and healthy. This is why early varieties of the crop are so valued.

Landing rules

Potato Palace is insensitive to drought and does not suffer from direct sunlight. To plant it, choose an open area, without shading. The quality of the soil is also important - a substrate that combines looseness and nutrition, with a neutral or slightly acidic pH, is best suited.

The time for planting Palace potatoes depends on the climate in the region. You need to wait until the soil warms up to 8-10 °C, and the risk of return frosts is minimized. In central Russia, the procedure can be planned for the end of April or the first ten days of May.

The Palace potato bed was dug up last fall, adding humus in the process. 3-4 days before planting, it is loosened by adding complex fertilizer to the soil.

The tubers are pre-germinated. This process takes 4-5 weeks. To prevent late blight infection, Palace seed potatoes are treated with a solution of any fungicide. Spraying with a biostimulant is also recommended; these drugs have a positive effect on germination, the rate of plant development, and the taste of tubers.

The optimal length of the sprouts is 2-3 cm; if they stretch out more, they will most likely break

To plant Palace potatoes, choose a dry, warm day. It is advisable to throw a handful of sand or other drainage material at the bottom of the hole so that water does not stagnate near the tubers. You can also add a little humus mixed with ground eggshells and sifted wood ash.

Planting Palace potatoes follows a standard algorithm

Important! The recommended planting pattern for Palace potatoes is 30*70 cm. The “lighter” the soil, the deeper the hole should be (from 6-8 to 12-15 cm).

Harvest

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Compared to many other potato varieties, Tiras has a fairly high yield. This can be seen in the comparison table below.

The harvest begins after the onset of technical ripeness. For this variety, this occurs 70-80 days after planting. Ripeness is determined by the condition of the ground part. If the tops have bent towards the ground and dried out, you can begin harvesting. To collect potatoes, use a shovel, pitchfork or special technical devices.

The dug up tubers are scattered on the ground to dry. They dry for at least 2 hours, and if the potatoes were removed from damp soil, then it is worth keeping them in the sun a little longer. After the potatoes dry, the remaining soil can be easily removed from them.

Sorting potatoes is another important step. Damaged specimens that have been damaged by pests or were accidentally cut with a shovel are immediately discarded. Large, high-quality potatoes are placed in nets or bags made of natural fabric to be stored. Medium-sized tubers can be left to be used as seed material next season. Small potatoes will be used as livestock feed or processed into starch.

After drying and sorting, the harvest can be sent to storage. The Tiras variety has good keeping quality. The comparison table is presented below.

How to care

Caring for Palace potatoes will not take a gardener a lot of time and effort. Agricultural technology includes only basic activities:

1. Watering. Drought resistance allows Palace potatoes to cope with natural precipitation. But there are periods when it especially needs water, and the volume and quality of the harvest directly depends on this. The beds must be watered when the seedlings reach a height of 10-12 cm, at the moment the buds appear and 3-4 days after the end of flowering.
2. Feeding. Palace potatoes are sensitive to excess nitrogen fertilizers in the soil, so it is not advisable to use natural organic matter for fertilizing. Since it ripens quickly, it is enough to apply fertilizer once - 4-5 days after flowering, when the tubers form.
3. Hilling. The procedure is carried out as needed, but not more than twice a month. Plantings are first planted when the Palats potato stems grow to 12-15 cm in height.

Hilling helps maintain normal air exchange

Important! Hilling up Palace potatoes must be combined with weeding. It is also advisable to loosen the soil in the beds every 10-15 days.

How to grow this variety

Before planting, it is customary to germinate seed potatoes to speed up the emergence of seedlings . For this, two types of germination are used: dry and wet. If dry, it is necessary to spread the potatoes in one layer and keep them in the light for up to 40 days. Wet germination helps to achieve the desired results faster, in just 2-3 weeks. Wet sawdust or moss is placed in the box and potatoes are laid on top in one layer. This way you can make 2-3 layers.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

The time for planting the Palace variety is chosen depending on the climate . For example, in the southern regions of Russia you can start planting at the end of March, while in the Central District the favorable time begins at the beginning of May. In the northern regions, the earth warms up later, so it is recommended to plant potatoes here only at the end of May.

There are several methods for planting potatoes, but the most popular method is “under the shovel” . It saves space and maintains soil moisture. In the spring, the selected plot of land is dug up and loosened with a cultivator or pitchfork. The planting holes are not made too deep - 6-8 cm is enough for small potatoes and 10-15 cm for large ones.

It is recommended to pour a handful of humus into the hole, and then put in the seed tuber. Palace potatoes are planted in rows, the distance between which should be 75 cm. 30-35 cm are left between the holes.

Care

To obtain a rich harvest and the formation of marketable tubers, proper care is required during the period of potato growth.

Hilling

To better aerate the roots and get rid of weeds, farmers hill up the potatoes twice . The first hilling is carried out three weeks after planting, when the leaves of the seedlings are located 7-8 cm above the soil level.

The second hilling is carried out two weeks after the first. At this point, the height of the stem should be at least 12 cm. The procedure is carried out after watering or rain, raking the soil towards the tubers.

Watering

For tubers to grow, soil moisture must be moderate , otherwise the plant will be attacked by fungal diseases and pests and the yield will decrease. Water only after the first shoots appear, about a month after planting. Potatoes are watered at the root with settled water at the rate of 3-4 liters per plant.

Before the first buds appear, the frequency of watering should not exceed once a week. In very hot weather, additional moisture may be necessary. You can check this by lowering your palm into the soil. If there is no moisture at a depth of 10 cm, watering is needed.

During the flowering period, the plant is watered twice a week in the morning or evening by sprinkling, spending 12-15 liters of water per bush. Then mulch with sawdust or hay to protect the soil from drying out.

With the appearance of the first signs of wilting of the tops, watering is reduced . During this period, the plant requires 3 liters of water every 10-12 days. Watering is stopped 10-14 days before harvest.

Weeding

In addition to removing weeds, weeding softens the soil . The first time the potatoes are weeded three weeks after planting, the second time when the height of the bushes reaches 40 cm.

Top dressing

Wood ash or slurry is often used as fertilizer . Nitrogen promotes the development of the leafy part of the stem, and minerals promote a quick harvest. Double superphosphate, urea, potassium, and nitrate can be used as mineral fertilizers.

To obtain maximum yield, it is recommended to apply organic fertilizers together with mineral fertilizers during planting. Fertilizing during the germination period is carried out if the young shoots are weak and thin. Experienced gardeners use urea (carbamide) for this at a rate of 2 tsp. per 1 sq. m and 3-4 glasses of liquid humus.

The second time, fertilizer is applied after 15-20 days : potassium sulfate (2 tsp) and wood ash (5 tbsp) per 1 sq. m. m directly under the root.

Diseases and pests

Palace is resistant to potato blight and rhizoctonia, but is highly susceptible to late blight. This disease affects stems and roots and, if left untreated, can destroy large numbers of tubers. The following methods are used to combat the disease:

• compliance with crop rotation;
• loosening the soil and reducing watering when a disease is detected;
• fertilization with minerals;
• treatment of seed tubers with a growth stimulator;
• use of chemical fertilizers “Quadris”, “Maxim”, “Celest TOP”.

The main pest of potatoes is the Colorado potato beetle. It is difficult to control due to its rapid adaptability to insecticides. The beetle's body contains toxic substances, so birds and animals do not touch it.

The use of chemicals makes potato farming easier, but they have to be changed frequently. To spray leaves you can use :

• 5% con;
• 20% con.

They are used twice a season in the morning and evening . The last spraying should be carried out no later than 20 days before harvesting. Summer residents collect beetles and larvae as they appear, but this method is only suitable for small gardens.

Harvest and storage

The approximate harvest date for Palats potatoes is the last ten days of August. But it is better to focus on the condition of the aboveground part of the plant. The tubers fully ripen, acquiring the most intense taste when the stems and leaves completely dry out, lying on the bed.

Some gardeners practice mowing the tops about a week before harvesting, but then the bushes will be more difficult to find in the garden

Palats potatoes are dug up “by hand” with a pitchfork or shovel, although, in principle, mechanized harvesting is also possible. The harvest is immediately sorted, rejecting “substandard” ones and setting aside planting material separately for next year. Potatoes selected for storage are scattered to dry, leaving for several days outside under a canopy or in a cool room with good ventilation. Drying before storing is necessary, in particular, in order to get rid of soil stuck to the tubers.

Important! It is recommended to leave seed potatoes in direct sunlight until the skins turn green. During the “processing” process, the tubers accumulate solanine, making them inedible for insects and rodents.

It is best to store Palace potatoes in a cellar or basement. It’s easier to create optimal conditions there:

• air humidity about 70%;
• temperature 2-4 °C;
• darkness;
• constant access of fresh air.

Any container that allows air to pass through is suitable for storing Palace potatoes.

Important! In order for Palace potatoes to last until spring without problems, not only optimal temperature and air humidity are important, but also the absence of their changes.

Reviews

Reviews from those who have already become acquainted with the variety are mostly positive.

Ekaterina, Bryansk : “I planted the Palace for the first time in 2018, when I saw the photo. I got a big harvest. I dug up the first tubers for testing in July. Potatoes are tasty, but do not cook well; they are best suited for making salads. Otherwise, it is no different from other varieties.”

Albert, Krasnovishersk : “The weather in our area is unstable, so for planting we have to use vegetables that can adapt to such a climate. Potatoes of the Palace variety are just like that. However, late blight appeared during cultivation. The disease was eliminated, but the harvest was less than expected. The potatoes taste wonderful, so we decided to plant them for early harvest and consumption in the summer and autumn.”

Oksana, Penza : “The Palace potato is not yet so popular in our region, so I planted it in a small area. But imagine my surprise when the harvest was higher than the others. In addition, it withstood diseases that affected other varieties. When boiled, potatoes keep their shape, and Palats has an excellent taste, so I decided to plant this variety every year.”