Good afternoon!
I haven’t written an article for more than a week: no time, NO EVER! All the time left after work is occupied by chores on the site. And work is not a burden, but a joy. We go into the house only when it is already dark. And then only it is felt that the arms, legs and back are buzzing …
Since our spring is very early and warm this year, two or even three weeks earlier than usual, almost everything has already been planted. Including potatoes.
I plant varietal potatoes. Do not mix seed potatoes during storage. I am interested in comparing varieties in terms of yield, taste, disease resistance. The varieties selected over several years please with a high yield: from one and a half acres we have potatoes in abundance ourselves, and we often share them with relatives and friends. Sometimes I sell seeds.
My Favorite Potato Varieties
Both I and our whole family love potatoes with yellow flesh, so that they boil well and are tasty when fried. It is the taste that determines whether the variety will take root in my area. Productivity and disease resistance are also important, of course, but for me this is in second place.
At the moment I have four favorites:
- «Victoria»;
- «Tuleevsky»;
- «Ballad»;
- Red Scarlet.
All varieties have yellow or light yellow flesh. The peel of the first three is yellow, the «Red Scarlet» is red.
In terms of yield, the first place among my varieties is Tuleevsky. 15-20 potatoes in a bush is the norm.
According to the taste of my varieties, the champion, perhaps, is «Victoria». It is also the earliest of all four varieties.
Over the past four years, these varieties have shown themselves excellently — in any weather, in wet and dry summers, we have had a decent harvest. If the weather is favorable, then from our one and a half acres we get about 600 kg of potatoes. If drought or too rainy — 450-500 kg.
How do I grow
We have been plowing the land with a walk-behind tractor since autumn. If the weather permits in September, then I try to sow phacelia or white mustard on the plot — even before plowing. When plowing, add wood ash, humus.
In the spring, I repeat the procedure: as soon as it gets warmer, the earth dries up — I scatter the seeds of green manure, then I will lightly rub with a rake.
And we also have a weed tree growing everywhere — ash-leaved maple. We chop its branches with a branch chopper and mulch both the beds themselves and the paths. Then this mulch is also plowed up and makes our dense soil more loose, airy.
I plant potatoes in the grooves, fall asleep with a chopper. And, yes, “khimich”, I process tubers from the Colorado potato beetle. By what means — I will not say, you will think that I am advertising. But it’s not an expensive tool.
The earth, despite the super-snowy winter, is dry … The earth, despite the super-snowy winter, is dry …
Light blotches in the ground are just crushed maple branches, the remains of mulch.
After harvesting, the potatoes must be kept in the barn for at least two weeks. During this time, everything that should be spoiled will be spoiled. We sort it out, and only then we pour it into the cellar. Stored — great.
Novosel
This year I bought another variety, called «Gala — 6». This is an early variety, they say, very tasty. Planted already in April — fortunately, the weather allowed. Seedlings have already appeared. Maybe we’ll try again in July. I will share my experience then.
And what are your favorite varieties, dear summer residents? Which potatoes do best when fried?
