Rodrigo Potato: Variety Description, Characteristics, Reviews

The Rodrigo potato variety has received numerous positive reviews with photos, confirming its widespread popularity in Russia. This variety is grown in fields and private plots. The plant is not at all fussy and ripens quickly.

According to the description, the Rodrigo potato variety is foreign, brought to Russia from Germany. This vegetable's widespread popularity stems from its high-yielding nature, the tubers storing well, and ripening in 80 days. Therefore, in warmer regions of the country, Rodrigo potatoes can be grown twice a year.

Despite this lengthy growing season, it's permissible to begin eating the potato a little earlier. The tubers will be fully formed at this point, but the skin will be thin, so cooking the potatoes will be somewhat faster.

As for the characteristics, the Rodrigo potato is as follows:

1. The bush is large with a long stem, which helps prevent excess moisture accumulation or, conversely, soil drying out when watering independently.
2. The leaves are small in size and rich green in color.
3. During the flowering period, large, beautiful red-violet flowers form on the bushes.
4. Rodrigo potato tubers are round or oval, with a medium-thick, firm, pink skin and a scattering of easily peeled eyes. The yellow flesh contains sufficient starch, allowing for the production of potato starch without turning the potato into mush when cooked.

The tubers are quite large, averaging 2000-300 g, but can reach 500-800 g. Therefore, the yield is very high, and with proper care and cultivation, a single plant can yield up to 5 kg of potatoes.

This vegetable stores well; spoilage rates can reach 5% of the entire harvest. It's suitable for commercial use due to its excellent shelf life and excellent taste. The plant is resistant to some diseases and pests and requires little care during cultivation. Therefore, this variety has gained great popularity and is widely grown in our country.

Advantages and disadvantages of Rodrigo potatoes

Based on the description and characteristics of the Rodrigo potato variety (photo), it was determined that the vegetable has no disadvantages, but only advantages, which are determined by the following:

1. Unpretentious in care and soil selection.
2. Good tolerance to temperature fluctuations, drought and humidity.
3. The tubers are resistant to mechanical stress.
4. Potatoes have excellent taste.
5. High starch content is noted.
6. The vegetable is resistant to diseases and many pests.
7. High level of marketability.
8. It is stored well and almost does not spoil.
9. The tubers reach a large size and mass, resulting in high yields that are almost independent of weather conditions.

Growing rules

Although the Rodrigo variety is easy to grow, it's important to follow certain growing and care guidelines to ensure a bountiful summer harvest and sufficient supplies for the winter.

To do this, you need to adhere to the basic principles of planting potatoes:

1. Preparing the tubers is an important step in growing potatoes, as it speeds up the ripening process and allows for harvesting as early as July. To do this, spread the pre-selected seeds on the ground, exposing them to sunlight to encourage sprouting. Spraying the tubers with water once a week will help prevent them from wilting. When planting large tubers, they can be cut in half. After each potato, treat the knife with alcohol and sprinkle the cut surface with wood ash to prevent disease, especially rot.
2. Soil selection: Although the Rodrigo variety isn't particularly picky about soil, it's still best to plant potatoes in sandy loam and loamy soils. The pH shouldn't exceed 7. The growing area should be well-lit. In the spring, it's recommended to apply fertilizer such as ash, superphosphate, ammonium nitrate, or potassium chloride. The fertilizer should be distributed over the entire soil perimeter and then thoroughly dug in.
3. Growing technology: Potatoes are typically planted in rows, digging small holes about 20 cm deep. Potatoes should be planted 30 cm apart, with a 70 cm gap between rows, as potatoes are good bushy plants and require sufficient space for proper growth and development.

The holes are filled with soil to a depth of 5-8 cm. When distributing the tubers, they should be placed with the sprouts facing up, so the bush will develop faster and the seedlings will emerge evenly.

Care instructions

An equally important aspect of growing Rodrigo potatoes is proper care. This includes timely watering, loosening the soil, weeding, hilling the bushes, and pest and disease control.

Potatoes are hilled for the first time no earlier than when they reach a height of 20 cm. This method enriches the soil with oxygen, prevents waterlogging, and eliminates weeds. Typically, Rodrigo is hilled only once, but if necessary, especially after heavy rainfall, this procedure should be repeated more frequently.

Watering is also important for potatoes, especially during the growing season. In dry climates, watering should be done manually once a week. During heavy rainfall, it's necessary to loosen the soil more frequently and control weeds. It's best to water the plants early in the morning.

To prevent diseases, it's important to begin treating them promptly. When pests infest the bushes, resort to chemicals, hand-picking insects, such as the Colorado potato beetle, or other control methods.

Diseases and pests

The Rodrigo potato is considered highly resistant to many diseases, but it can often be susceptible to late blight if cultivation techniques and subsequent care are improper. This disease is characterized by the development of dark spots on the leaves and tubers. These spots can penetrate deep into the potato, rendering it unfit for consumption.

Common vegetable pests include the Colorado potato beetle, mole cricket, aphids, and wireworms. These insects cause significant damage to crops, disrupting the growth and development of plants. Since these pests live both underground and on the surface, they affect not only the leaves and tops but also the tubers themselves.

Harvesting and storage

It's not advisable to over-harvest Rodrigo potatoes; it's best to harvest them on time. Harvesting typically begins two months after planting, or after the plant's leaves and tops have dried out and turned yellow.

It is recommended to first lay the dug-up tubers out on the floor in a well-ventilated room, but away from direct sunlight, so that they can dry out.

Vegetables should be stored in a cellar or other room where a constant temperature of at least 3°C ​​can be maintained. Beforehand, the storage area should be ventilated and checked for rodents and other pests. If any are present, poison should be sprinkled in the corners or other pest control methods used.

Reviews

Ilya, 36 years old:

"I'm happy with the Rodrigo potato; I like its taste, it's easy to grow, produces a good yield, is disease-resistant, and ripens quickly."

Anna, 26 years old:

"This is my second year planting the Rodrigo potato variety. Since I have black soil and there was little rainfall the first summer, I watered the plants myself. I didn't fertilize them; I simply spread compost around the perimeter in the spring and tilled the soil. Despite the challenging weather conditions, the harvest was excellent; the tubers are large and delicious."

Kristina, 38 years old:

"Rodrigo potatoes are my favorite variety. Since I'm a big fan of potato dishes, this vegetable is a godsend for me. Most importantly, it grows quickly, and I can harvest in just two months. And thanks to the climate, I plant potatoes twice a year."