Red Scarlet potatoes (30 photos) - description, characteristics of the variety, taste and reviews

Advantages and disadvantages

Harvesting and preparation for storage

The first fruits of Scarlet can be enjoyed in the middle or end of July. Potatoes are fully ripened by the end of summer. You need to dig up the tubers in dry weather so that the ground is not wet. Potato tops can be used as fertilizer for the next year.

The dug up crop is cleared of soil and dried well in a warm, dry place. When the tubers become dry, they are sorted. Seed potatoes are set aside separately - those that will be needed for planting next year. The tubers are sorted into bags and lowered into the cellar or basement. In the harvest storage room, the temperature should not rise above 10 degrees Celsius, otherwise the potatoes will begin to sprout.

In which regions of Russia can the Red Scarlet variety be grown?

The variety has certain requirements for climatic conditions.

Ural

Red Scarlett potatoes react negatively to the slightest drop in temperature. The bushes stop growing for a week or more. Therefore, you need to use this variety with great care and not make a mistake with the planting time.

Siberia

The same can be said about planting the variety in the conditions of Siberia. Although the growing season of Red Scarlett is short, it is still quite problematic to successfully grow this variety in the conditions of Siberia and the Urals. It is not for nothing that these regions are called risky farming zones.

Moscow region and central Russia

You can try to grow the Red Scarlett variety in central Russia. But you need to study the microclimate of your region well in order to get the declared yield. Most likely, you will have to use covering material in the spring.

Southern regions of Russia

Here the growing conditions for the variety are almost ideal. A short growing season, good drought resistance and unpretentiousness make Red Scarlett suitable for growing in the south.

Description with photo and characteristics

The variety was bred in Holland in the last century. In the central part and south of the country, the variety has spread so much that it occupies a leading position and has not given up for decades. The variety has a high yield potential: up to 600 centners of potato crop can be harvested per hectare of land.

In terms of external characteristics, Red Scarlet clearly stands out among other potato species. The tuber has a red, slightly rough skin, an oblong shape, and the cut flesh is yellow. A lot of tubers are formed, from 15 to 20 pieces, ripening and growth occur in all potatoes simultaneously, without delay. The potato size is medium. Weight is usually 100g, but can go up to 160g.

The starch content is low, 11-14%. Potatoes do not cook well, the tubers do not lose their shape and appetizing appearance after cooking. It is rarely used for making puree; the tubers are mainly used for cooking soups and baking.

Interesting! Red Scarlet is grown on an industrial scale. Potatoes are then used to make chips and fries.

The potato bush is small and stunted. After planting, the tops form quickly and become thick. The color of the tops is dark green, rich. The stems are small, but powerful and erect.

Potatoes bloom in early summer with light lilac flowers, and begin to sing in mid-summer. The ripening period takes 60-65 days. Productivity depends on weather conditions. If the summer was warm and it rained heavily, then less than 50 tons per hectare will definitely not grow.

Red Scarlet is suitable for growing in any region: potatoes are not afraid of drought and frost, and are not too picky about the soil. The variety has strong immune qualities; diseases and viruses are not afraid of it. It even resists potato cancer and nematode. There are rare cases of infection with Alternaria, late blight and scab.

The positive qualities of the Red Scarlet variety are:

• short period of tuber ripening;
• unpretentiousness in planting and further care;
• universal purpose;
• good taste;
• compact tuber size;
• possibility of cultivation regardless of the region;
• strong immune qualities.

The variety has no obvious disadvantages, so it is still in active demand for planting among gardeners.

Planting Red Scarlet Potatoes

Let's consider the main points that need to be taken into account when planting. The most important thing is well-prepared, fertilized, loose soil. It is better to prepare it before winter, but it is also possible in the spring, but then the labor costs will be greater.

Proper preparation of seed tubers is also important. They must be warmed up in a warm room before planting for at least 3 weeks. During this time, the sprouts should wake up and begin to grow. They should not be allowed to stretch too much, otherwise they can easily break off when planting.

And one more important point is the temperature of the soil where the potatoes will be planted. It should not be very cold, not lower than +8-10°C. Otherwise, the tubers will need at least 10 days to adapt to unsuitable conditions.

Landing Features

Potato tubers are planted in the first half of May or in the middle of the month. The ground should warm up a little before planting, otherwise the potatoes may freeze. Be sure to germinate potato tubers before planting so that their eyes awaken after winter. When the sprouts are 2-5 mm in size, the potatoes are ready for planting.

Since Scarlet grows with moderate formation of tops, the distance between holes can be approximately 15-20 cm. The depth of the hole is approximately 25-35 cm. In each hole you need to put 1/3 cup of stove ash and one tuber. The tuber sprouts must be directed downward so that they grow into the ground. The potato field should not be crushed after planting; the soil should remain loose. If possible, if the field area is small, you can water it.

Reviews about the variety

Reviews from gardeners about the Red Scarlett variety can be divided into two groups. Residents of the more northern regions of our country are unhappy that the harvest does not correspond to that given in the description and almost no large tubers are found in the bushes. This is understandable; the cold climate does not allow the variety to manifest all its positive characteristics. Yes, you can plant it, the appearance is excellent, but there are no large potatoes and the yield leaves much to be desired.

The second group is simply delighted with Red Scarlett. These are, of course, residents of more southern regions. Digging up these potatoes is a pleasure - so they say. Large beautiful fruits do not leave anyone indifferent. The only remark of amateur gardeners concerns the excessively large specimens (200-250 g), which, although rarely, are found among tubers. It would seem good when the potatoes are large. But if the weather is rainy, then small voids form in many of these large potatoes. This is not a disease; there is no need to treat potatoes. But the taste of these fruits also deteriorates significantly.

Features of care

Red Scarlet sprouts quite quickly; within a couple of weeks, green tops will appear above the ground. You need to wait until the tops sprout a little, then the soil needs to be loosened and weeded. The formation of young tubers is influenced by weeds and foreign grass. Plants take nutrients from the soil, so they need to be pulled out immediately as soon as they sprouted. Loosening the soil is necessary for potatoes to grow.

If the soil is fertile and porous, then no fertilizing is necessary for yield. If you plant potatoes in clay soil with a low organic content, you can scatter ash mixed with sand over the area. Scarlet responds well to watering with potassium permanganate. To do this, you need to dilute a weak solution of potassium permanganate so that its color is pink. Water the ground with the solution, you can irrigate the leaves with it. In addition to nutrition, potassium permanganate has antibacterial properties and prevents the development of bacteria and viruses.

Attention! Fertilizing with potassium permanganate is carried out before the potato tops begin to flower.

Diseases and pests

During prolonged wet weather, the variety may be affected by common scab. The main symptom of this disease is the formation of dry, raised ulcers on the skin of the tubers. If affected bushes are found, all tubers must be dug up and the soil in the hole should be treated with ammonium sulfate. Good results are obtained by sowing green manure as precursors, which will significantly reduce the likelihood of this disease occurring. You can choose green manure for your site here.

The most dangerous pest is the Colorado potato beetle, since this insect has a high reproduction rate and is capable of completely destroying potato bushes in 2-3 days.

To combat this disease, preventive measures are very effective. First of all, this is compliance with the recommended crop rotation and deep autumn plowing. If, nevertheless, the Colorado potato beetle has settled on potato bushes, then if there are more than 5 pieces on one bush, it is necessary to immediately spray them with Bombardir or Metaphos insecticides.

Another dangerous pest of potato tubers is wireworm. Removing it is quite problematic, but many cope with this task. If you are familiar with this pest, then look at what methods of controlling wireworms exist.

Nutrients and nutritional value

Potatoes could be a dietary vegetable, because they contain only 77 kcal/100 grams, but the high starch level of 12%, as for PP products, does not allow it to be among the dietary products. But despite this, potatoes contain many vitamins and microelements:

Vitamins B, E, K, C, Beta-carotene.

Microelements: iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, copper, zinc, selenium, manganese.

In addition, the protein found in potatoes is 1.5-2%, carbohydrates - up to 16%

Application and benefits

These potatoes with a pleasant noble taste are a source of microelements. Its main advantage is its high potassium content, which helps normalize metabolism. Therefore, the Red Scarlet variety is included in various therapeutic diets.

Potatoes also contain vitamin C, which improves immunity. A person needs 100 mg. of this substance per day, and 100 g of plant replaces 15% of the norm. Red Scarlet also contains vitamins A, B, H, PP. If you exclude vegetables from your diet, these useful elements will have to be purchased at the pharmacy in the form of capsules. After all, the symptoms of vitamin deficiency can be very serious.

The variety is so popular in public catering not only due to its taste and preservation, but also its low price compared to other varieties of this crop. Potatoes can be used to prepare both ordinary dishes such as mashed potatoes or fried slices, as well as real delicacies.

Red Scarlet in cooking

From high-quality Dutch potatoes you can prepare:

1. Baked wedges with herbs. To do this, the tubers must be washed and cut into even pieces without cleaning. Then cook for 2 minutes without closing the lid. Next, each slice should be spread with olive oil, covered with herbs and garlic powder. The potatoes should be placed on a baking sheet and placed in the oven, in which the temperature should be maintained at 200 degrees, and bake until golden brown. All that remains is to sprinkle the dish with pepper and add decorations.
2. Potatoes baked in foil with crab meat. Take 6 root vegetables and 200 grams of crab meat (or sticks), 100 grams of lard, dill, other greens, 4 tablespoons of sour cream. The vegetable is not peeled, but placed on foil on top of a piece of lard. It is salted and wrapped in foil. Then bake in the oven at 200 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Crab sticks are cut and mixed with other ingredients. After baking, the potatoes are taken out and decorated with the resulting mixture, vegetables, and herbs.

Use for cosmetic purposes

Potatoes are great for making masks and body care mixtures.

This variety of vegetable is good for the skin of the hands and face.

It helps fight wrinkles and even acne. To do this, grate the potatoes on a fine grater and place the resulting pulp between two gauze strips, and then place it on the face for 15-60 minutes. You can place clean slices or peels of root vegetables on your neck. The juice supplies the skin with nutrients and smoothes out wrinkles.

To make the effect of the masks stronger, the face must be cleansed. Grated potatoes mixed with half an egg yolk and a spoonful of honey will also help. This mask stays on the face for 20 minutes. It deactivates the sebaceous glands.

After preparing cosmetic mixtures, they need to be covered with a napkin. Wash off folk remedies with cold water.

Medicinal properties of Red Scarlet

Potatoes have been used medicinally since the 19th century. These days it is also recommended for people with various diseases.

The steam coming from boiled potatoes warms the respiratory tract. One procedure is enough to stop even a strong dry cough. It is simple: you need to bend over a container of boiled potatoes, cover your head with a long towel and inhale deeply for 10-20 minutes. However, such an operation every day is harmful, so it is performed once every three days.

Potato slices help relieve minor burns, for example, if the skin burns from the scorching sun in summer. Root juice relieves pain and redness.

Doctors often advise patients to drink potato juice to treat ulcers, heartburn, constipation, and high acidity. The pain goes away after taking 200-300 ml. per day.

Characteristic

Those who like soggy potatoes won't like Red Scarlet. This is a dense fruit that retains its elasticity even after long cooking. Potatoes have a normal taste. No sweetness. To a greater extent, this type of potato is recommended for frying or making French fries. Also great for salads, as it is easy to cut (it doesn't crumble). But it is also suitable for consumption boiled.

As mentioned above, the fruit is excellent for sale. It has a long shelf life and almost all fruits (96%) are suitable for sale after digging.

It is worth noting that Red Scarlet potato tubers are resistant to one of the main fruit pests - potato nematode. In the fields where this fruit is grown, it is extremely rare.

Growing rules

To grow a good harvest it is not necessary to spend a lot of effort and energy. Red Scarlet is a rather unpretentious variety and anyone can grow this crop. But at the same time, do not forget about the classical rules of growing.

Seed potatoes are selected in the fall, in a separate container during sorting. Only healthy tubers without visible defects (growths, cracks, etc.) are selected.

Red Scarlet is an early ripening variety, so there is no need to rush with planting. In any case, you need to wait until the soil warms up to +8-10 C to a depth of at least 10 cm. You can navigate by the birches. If the buds have begun to bloom on this tree, then you can safely start planting potatoes.

Planting patterns are standard, either 60x35, 60x40, or 70x35, 70x40. The maximum planting depth is 10 cm. However, it is not recommended to plant tubers so deep; the ideal is 5-7 cm.

We recommend reading: “Description of the Mayak potato variety”

Typically, the first shoots appear 2-3 weeks after planting, even if the seed material has not been germinated beforehand.

To get the maximum amount of products, you must follow a number of the following rules:

1. Plant the crop only in well-lit areas with high-quality natural aeration.
2. Regularly loosen the soil after rains and waterings.
3. Hill up the bushes twice a season.
4. Clear the area of ​​weeds.
5. Water the potatoes three times a season.
6. In the fall, dig up and fertilize the garden.

Is it worth choosing? Farmer reviews

Theoretical knowledge and characteristics are important, but still nothing tells more about a product than practical experience and opinions of real people. Especially for you, we have collected several reviews from gardeners who have already tried the Red Scarlet potato variety.

Alyona:

“Not so long ago we wanted to try to grow Red Scarlet potatoes, a new potato for us: the description of the variety, photos, reviews - all this captivated us, and I don’t regret my decision at all, since all the promises and expectations came true: the fruits are smooth, almost without eyes, and the dimensions are like bricks, there’s no other way to describe it! The taste is simply excellent, everyone in the family quickly devours just boiled potatoes, you don’t even need to try to cook something tastier - they’re already asking for more. A miracle, not a potato!”

Anatoly:

“We planted the potatoes in June - we weren’t in a particular hurry, because it was an early variety. Within a month, potato bushes grew. The yield is beyond all praise and expectations: from 10 kg of planting material we got 36 buckets of potatoes - and what a lot! All the tubers are perfect: smooth, large, not a single “defect in production.” The taste is amazing! I recommend it - you won't regret it! The price is also affordable: quality + savings.”

Elena:

“They planted them like ordinary potatoes; they didn’t do anything special in cultivating the land or caring for them. As a result, 4 buckets (12 liters each) of selected, large, even potatoes were collected from 10 bushes. We cooked it: it turned out deliciously yellow, did not crumble, the taste was excellent.

Potato propagation methods

The variety is easily propagated by dividing the tubers into several parts. In this case, it is very important that viable eyes are located on all parts of the tubers.

It is also quite effective to obtain high-quality planting material using young seedlings. To do this, you need to place the tubers in shallow containers and cover them with peat or sawdust. After this, the substrate is regularly moistened. After a certain period of time, young shoots appear on the surface, which can be carefully separated from the mother tuber and transplanted to a permanent growing location.

It is important that in order to obtain friendly shoots, the air temperature in the room should be at least + 16 degrees Celsius.