Growing potatoes in hot, dry summer conditions

Sometimes, after heat treatment, potatoes taste sweetish. This does not mean at all that the tubers are frozen. In some varieties, this feature develops at the genetic level. The sweetish taste does not in any way detract from the merits of potatoes, and the number of its admirers is growing. There are many varieties with this property, but we will touch on the five that are in demand.

Unpretentious potatoes

Potatoes are a cosmopolitan plant that easily adapts to life in long or short daylight conditions, so gardeners can get a good harvest in different climate zones. This crop is relatively cold-resistant, but in hot climates the plantings require frequent watering, since moisture is necessary for the growth of green mass and the formation of tubers.

A relatively simple and effective way to increase potato yields in arid and hot climates is to shift the growing season of the plant to an earlier date.

Gardeners in the south plant potatoes already in early April or grow seedlings at home, which are subsequently transplanted into open ground, so they bear fruit well. Late planting technology is also popular, when harvesting is carried out in October before the onset of cold weather.

One of the benefits of planting potatoes early or late is solving problems with the Colorado potato beetle and other pests. This greatly simplifies the care of the beds.

The gardener does not need to carry out any additional treatments against pests; accordingly, productivity indicators are significantly improved. When growing potatoes, you need to remember to preserve varietal qualities and update seed material every 3-5 years.

Description and characteristics of the variety

Seed potatoes Cornet are suitable for planting almost throughout Russia, with the exception of the coldest regions. It is also grown in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and Kazakhstan. The variety is mid-early, ripens approximately 80-90 days after planting.

The tubers are elongated, with smooth pink skin and small eyes. Their weight is from 100 to 200 g. The pulp is pale cream. It contains 19-22% starch. When cooked, the tubers crumble and are not very suitable for frying. But they can be processed into chips, potato powder and starch.

The taste is excellent. Keeping quality is good - 90% of the tubers do not spoil over the winter if stored properly.

Preservation of natural moisture in the soil

In hot climates, it is difficult to maintain the optimal level of moisture in the soil, which is necessary for potatoes and other crops for proper growth and abundant fruiting. Therefore, in the heat, you have to water the beds almost every day, otherwise the soil will dry out, the plants will weaken and productivity indicators will deteriorate.

You can save moisture by powerful autumn watering, planting green manure, or mulching the beds, which at the same time allows you to obtain the necessary organic fertilizer.

Planting green manure, which can be dove, oilseed radish, mustard and rye, will fill the soil with nitrogen and organic matter. Subsequently, these plants saturate the soil with moisture and give the potatoes organically pure nutrients necessary for good fruiting. It has been established that the use of green manure, which is planted in the fall after the main harvest, can improve the yield of potatoes and other garden crops by a third.

Planting and growing

Before you start planting potatoes, you need to carefully inspect each tuber. Rotten, damaged, too small are not suitable for use. It is better to take only large, strong potatoes, this will allow you to get a high yield.

Note! Some gardeners recommend treating each tuber with a growth stimulant. The drugs Epin or Bioglobin are suitable. Within a month, potatoes begin to sprout. To do this, each tuber is lightly moistened with water and placed in a warm, dark place. As soon as the roots reach a length of 1.5 cm, they can be planted in the ground.

Soil preparation

In the fall, potato beds are dug up and fertilized with organic fertilizer - mullein or liquid bird droppings. In the spring, the soil is loosened again and organic fertilizers are added again.

Choosing a potato variety

The correct choice of potato variety for arid hot climates is one of the conditions for obtaining a good harvest. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to purchase the desired potato varieties and hybrids at horticultural markets. Even if you manage to buy several kilograms of such potatoes, after 3-5 years there will be a significant loss of quality characteristics, which leads to a noticeable decrease in yield.

Popular drought-resistant varieties, including Agave, Karate, Bellarosa, Chinese Miracle and Slavyanka, have a powerful root system that can accumulate moisture, providing good yields from a small planting area.

It is best to purchase planting material from specialized nurseries, where they guarantee the quality and grade of potatoes.

The best mid-early varieties

Mid-early potato varieties are able to reach maturity on the 70th day from the moment of emergence. The tubers are eaten and used to feed livestock. Varieties belonging to this group are resistant to the main potato diseases, with the exception of late blight. These potatoes are also distinguished by their excellent presentation and excellent taste.

This is interesting! 2 weeks before the planned digging of the crop, you need to mow the tops, which will have a beneficial effect on the storage time of the tubers.

Below are the best varieties from the mid-early group.

1. Gala. A table variety, obtained in Germany and widely cultivated throughout our country. The tuber yield is 25 t/ha; under ideal conditions, 42 t/ha is obtained. The bushes are small, but the same cannot be said about the leaves. Flowers in white tones. The fruits are round, weigh 80-130 g, the shell and pulp are yellow. Starch content: 11-13%. The tubers are easy to transport and store.

2. Red scarlet. Red Scardet table potatoes from Dutch breeders have gained considerable popularity among farmers for their high yield and beautiful red color of the tubers. Potatoes are oblong with cream-colored contents. A cancer-resistant plant that grows well in dry areas.

3. Detskoselsky. Quite productive. The bush is small, but there are a lot of leaves. The flowers are painted white. Potatoes are small, can reach 120 g. The fruits contain 12-18% starch, they are covered with pink skin, the inside is white. Potatoes are flat oval. Differs in cancer resistance.

4. Amorosa. Belongs to table varieties. Gardeners are captivated by its delicious taste and excellent commercial properties. Potatoes are oval, large, with a reddish shell and white internal contents.

5. Marfona. It pleases farmers with its pretty yellow tubers, oval in shape. The inner pulp is yellow and not boilable. Potatoes are endowed with increased shelf life and can be stored until spring. The plant can withstand drought and excessive heat.

6. Romano. Produced by Dutch specialists. The bushes are large, heavily leafy, the flowers are painted in purple and red tones. The plant produces pink fruits with oval-shaped creamy contents, weighing 180 g. Starch contains 11-14%. The plant is cancer-resistant. Tubers are harvested 80 days after emergence.

7. Adretta. This is the result of the work of German specialists. Table potatoes reach productivity of 45 t/ha. The bush is low, blooms profusely, the corollas are painted white. Yellow, oval-shaped fruits reach 140 g, they contain 16% starch. One of the best varieties of mid-season potatoes.

Features of watering

In arid climates, it is necessary to ensure regular watering, using exclusively warm, settled water. It is prohibited to water the beds directly from the water supply or with water from a well, as this leads to plant diseases and a significant deterioration in yield.

It has been noted that young seedlings are not so demanding of moisture, so initially one abundant watering per week is sufficient. As soon as the first flowers appear on the plant, tubers begin to form; potatoes during this period need moisture, so watering should be done 2-3 times a week.

How often do you water your potatoes?

2-3 times a week

1 time per week

During the growing season, 50 liters of water are required per square bed area every 2-3 days. Experienced gardeners let water flow in a trickle along the rows and furrows, making small dams along the edges of the bed. The drip irrigation system also shows efficiency.

Agrotechnical procedures

In order for the bushes of the variety to grow well, it is necessary to follow the peculiarities of caring for them. Despite the fact that Vympel does not require special care, vegetable growers strongly recommend adhering to proper watering and hilling of the soil.

Watering processes

Potatoes do not need frequent watering. However, the following characteristics must be adhered to:

• The soil with Vympel bushes is watered for the first time 2-3 weeks after planting.
• The second watering must be carried out after another 3 weeks.

The soil with the bushes of the variety should be moistened in the evening, when the sun will not burn so much.

Hilling

It is recommended to hill up potato beds 3 times throughout the entire season. The first hilling is carried out 2 weeks after planting. During hilling, it is important to sprinkle the sprouts with soil. The second and third hilling of potato bushes is carried out every 2-3 weeks, carefully sprinkling the sprouts with soil.

Potato feeding

It will be impossible to get a good harvest of potatoes and other crops without the necessary nutrients in the soil. Many gardeners, hoping to grow an environmentally friendly crop in their garden beds, refuse to apply fertilizers. However, this negatively affects the yield and taste of vegetables.

If you correctly calculate the dosage of fertilizing, you can ensure an excellent harvest and maintain the environmental friendliness of potatoes grown in your garden.

During the growing season, three foliar feedings are performed, including when the plants reach a height of 10 centimeters, during budding and after the formation of green berries. However, in hot, arid climates, fertilizers should be applied more often, combining fertilizing with protective treatments of plants against late blight and the Colorado potato beetle. At the same time, growth stimulants can be used.

In the fall, rotted manure or other organic matter is added to the soil. And during the growing season, fertilizers based on superphosphate, potassium, urea, potassium magnesium and boric acid are used.

There are ready-made mineral mixtures on sale that have a composition optimized for this crop.

It is recommended to apply fertilizers in the evening immediately after abundant watering. This eliminates the occurrence of chemical burns of foliage and the delicate root system of potatoes.

Harvesting and storage

Harvesting must be done at the moment when the tops begin to wither. Potatoes are dug up and harvested a day so that they dry, after which they are sorted: rotten or damaged fruits are removed. Some of the tubers are left for the next planting.

It is recommended to store potatoes in a cool place where the temperature reaches 4 degrees Celsius. Then the root crop will not sprout. With proper storage of the crop, 90% of potatoes retain their appearance.

Many people store potatoes in bags. However, experts say that it is impossible to store vegetables in a heap, and even without air. In this case, the vegetable begins to rot. It is recommended to store the harvest in wooden boxes, where the vegetable will be ventilated, therefore, the likelihood of rotting of the fruit will be reduced.

The potatoes are distributed throughout the box in layers. Tubers should be systematically reviewed. If rotting is observed on any potatoes, remove not only the rotting product, but also all the potatoes that came into contact with them. Some people sprinkle sawdust on top of the potatoes because they can absorb unwanted moisture.

Harvest

The timing of harvesting will depend on the characteristics of the variety and climatic conditions in the region. The growing season for early hybrids is about 90 days; therefore, potatoes planted in April can be harvested as early as July. It should be taken into account that after the tops begin to dry, potato roots do not increase in size, which allows you to correctly determine the time of harvesting.

As soon as the tops begin to dry and fall off, you should mow them and remove plant debris from the area. After this, wait about 10 days until the skin of the tubers hardens, and after that you can begin harvesting.

They dig up the tubers with a walk-behind tractor or a pitchfork, but you should avoid using a shovel, as up to a third of the crop can be damaged.

The dug up tubers are left in the shade in the open air for 2-3 days, then, without clearing them from the ground, they are hidden for storage in a disinfected cellar or dry garage. A prerequisite for storing potatoes is to insulate the room, as well as to prevent the entry of water or humid air into it. In such conditions, vegetables can be stored for up to six months without fear of loss of taste characteristics.

You can grow potatoes in any conditions if you take the time to care and put in the effort. In hot climates, it is necessary to water the plantings daily, fertilize and treat the plants in a timely manner. If you follow all care procedures, you will be guaranteed a tasty and abundant potato harvest.

The best ultra-early varieties

These ultra-early potato varieties differ from others in having the shortest growing season. They are resistant to diseases and are able to grow marketable tubers in 1.5 months. They are planted at the junction of April-May, waiting until the soil at a depth of 10 cm warms up to +10 degrees. To store it, you will need to wait until the outer shell of the tubers is fully formed and thicker.

Potato tubers contain many useful substances, are marketable and very tasty when boiled. The following potatoes from the ultra-early group received the greatest interest from farmers.

1. Timo. A table plant that forms tubers in 45 days. Suitable for cultivation in any area of ​​the country. Endowed with increased resistance to cancer and other insidious cultural diseases. It is realistic to get 35-60 tons from each hectare. The tubers are small, round, with a light shell and creamy flesh. After storage, potatoes retain their commercial properties for a long time.

2. Riviera. This is perhaps the earliest variety; it is dug up 35 days after germination. Obtained in Holland, has good disease resistance. Productivity reaches 400 c/ha; there can be up to 12 potato tubers under a bush. In years with long summers, in the South, they manage to grow 2 crops. The plant is rapidly increasing its vegetative mass. Potatoes are endowed with excellent taste, oval in appearance, and of considerable size. The skin is yellow, not smooth. The pulp is light yellow.

3. Lapis lazuli. Super early potatoes from Belarusian breeders, excellent resistance to nematodes. From 1 hectare it is possible to collect up to 260 c. The shell is yellow, the internal contents are white. Tubers contain 13-16% starch. Full ripening of the tubers occurs after 55 days, but harvesting begins after 1.5 months.

4. Ariel. It is classified as a table plant and has good resistance to nematodes and late blight. Potatoes are dug up after 55-70 days. Capable of increasing 2 harvests during the warm season of the year. The skin of the tubers is light yellow and the inside is creamy. Potatoes are oval and can be stored for a long time.

5. Vineta. Developed by German scientists. It is the best among early ripening varieties, with a strong immune system that allows it to resist common diseases. During the summer season it produces up to 40 t/ha. The bushes are straight, low, spreading. The bush grows up to 15 tubers. Potatoes are oval, small in size. The shell is yellow, the inside is of a delicate consistency, light brown. Harvesting begins on day 55.

6. Impala. They are classified as super-early, the first potatoes begin to be dug up after 1.5 months. Designed for cooking. Feels good in the southern regions, tolerates heat and moisture deficiency. From 1 hectare they get 17-35 tons. Potatoes are oval, elongated, reaching 150 g. The fruit shell and internal contents are yellow. Moderately resistant to viruses, weakly resistant to other ailments.

"Riviera"

Another early potato, which was included in the State Register of Plants of the Russian Federation in 2013. Recommended for personal use and for subsequent sale on the market (often washed). The latter quality increases the demand for the variety, since not everyone can tolerate the removal of the protective layer - they are poorly stored in the future. Suitable for growing in most types of soil.

Plants are leafy, medium-sized, semi-erect to spreading. The leaves are light green in color and medium to large in size. Foliage of medium density. The flowers are white. Plants have accelerated growth rates at the initial stage of the growing season. If the cultivation standards are observed, marketable tubers are leveled and weigh about 100 g.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Vympel potato has many advantages, which sets it apart from other crop varieties. But it also has certain disadvantages. Therefore, it is necessary to become familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of this type in advance.

Potatoes Vympel are resistant to degeneration

Main advantages:

• high productivity;
• ability to adapt to different climates;
• drought resistance;
• suitable for mechanical harvesting;
• versatility of use;
• excellent consumer qualities;
• good keeping quality;
• undemanding to care and soil composition;
• high life potential.

Flaws:

• average resistance to late blight,
• susceptible to the Colorado potato beetle.

Potato variety Condor

Medium early, table purpose. The color of the flowers is dark red-purple. Berry formation is rare. The tubers are long-oval, red with light yellow flesh. The eyes are medium deep.

Commercial yield in the Central region is 184-330 c/ha, 27-67 c/ha higher than the Nevsky standard. The maximum yield is 357 c/ha, higher than the standard by 156 c/ha (Bryansk region).

In the Central Black Earth region, the marketable yield is 250 c/ha, 116 c/ha higher than the Bryansk early standard. Nor Weight of marketable tuber is 88-176 g. Starch content is 9.2-13.8%, at the level of the Nevsky standard. The taste is satisfactory.

Marketability 92.0-95.9%, 3.0-9.4% higher than the standard. Keeping quality 74-91%. Resistant to cancer, susceptible to late blight above average, moderately susceptible to viral diseases and common scab. Value of the variety: high productivity and marketability of tubers.