Description and characteristics of potatoes

Potatoes are one of the most popular crops in our region. This product is indispensable on our tables. Let's take a detailed look at the vegetable's characteristics and its best varieties to help you grow truly high-quality and delicious potatoes.

Description and characteristics of potatoes

The potato is a nightshade crop native to Argentina and Peru. Initially, the vegetable was small and unproductive, but after being transplanted to its second homeland, Chile, it changed. The fruits became larger in size, but lost their flavor due to a decrease in protein content. This also made the potato less resistant to disease. Today, many varieties of the vegetable have been developed, each with its own unique properties.

Composition characteristics (all data are given per 100 g of product):

• caloric content – ​​77 kcal;
• proteins – 2 g;
• fats – 0.4 g;
• carbohydrates – 16.3 g;
• organic acids – 0.2 g;
• dietary fiber – 1.4 g;
• water – 78.6 g;
• ash – 1.1 g;

Potatoes also contain:

• vitamins (A, B group, E, H, etc.);
• macroelements (potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine);
• microelements (aluminum, boron, vanadium, iron, iodine, copper, etc.);
• digestible carbohydrates, essential and non-essential amino acids, various fatty acids.

Advantages and disadvantages

Benefits of potatoes:

• abundance of useful substances in the composition;
• it is an inexpensive, filling and nutritious food;
• undemanding to care, often grows even in poor conditions;
• good taste;
• range of uses from cooking to folk medicine;

Disadvantages of potatoes:

• unripe and sprouted fruits are toxic;
• abundance of carbohydrates and lack of proteins in the composition;
• Contraindications for diabetics and obese people.

Potato growth stages

From the moment of planting until complete death, the vegetable goes through 4 stages of development.

1. Seedling emergence. The mother tuber becomes a source of nutrients for the new plant. Growth begins from the upper buds.
2. Budding. During this period, the root system is sufficiently developed to no longer require the mother tuber. Tubers begin to form, stems and leaves actively develop, and buds appear.
3. Flowering. Flowers appear, tubers develop rapidly and gain mass.
4. Top death. Tops begin to die slowly and imperceptibly even before the fruit has fully formed. They should be removed from the garden approximately 10-12 days before harvest to speed up tuber ripening.

Soil for potatoes

Potato planting is influenced by many factors—temperature, light, humidity, pests, and more—but the most important is soil. Potatoes thrive best in loose, light soil. These include loamy, sandy, peaty, and black soil. It's important to keep in mind that potatoes tolerate acidic soil, but slightly acidic soil is preferred, and liming is recommended in other soils.

The most unsuitable type of soil is heavy clay. It's very dense and doesn't allow air to pass through, which is detrimental to the plants. Potatoes also don't like sandy or podzolic soil.

Generally, potatoes can grow in any soil, but unsuitable varieties require careful preparation and care. It's important to know the exact soil type in the chosen area to properly prepare it for planting.

Storage Features

Currently popular varieties are designed for long-term storage. To ensure your potatoes retain their quality until next spring, follow these important guidelines.

1. Before storing the potatoes, carefully sort them. Diseased or severely damaged tubers should not be stored with healthy ones, as they could ruin the entire harvest. All potatoes going into storage should be whole, dry, sprout-free, clean, and ripe.
2. Immediately after digging up the crop, it is better to leave it in the garden for a couple of hours to dry out.
3. Potato storage should be dark. Humidity should be 85-90%, and the temperature should be approximately 3°C.
4. In the spring, you need to reduce the temperature in the storage area by about 1.5-2°C to prevent the potatoes from sprouting.
5. The best storage options for root vegetables are in containers or boxes. Storing them in bulk can lead to rapid crop failure.

The best varieties for long-term storage, including winter storage: Gatchinsky, Zhuravinka, Atlant, Asterix, Saturn, Dauphine, Impala, Nevsky, RedScarlet.

The best varieties

To grow good potatoes, you need to know key information about the most common varieties: yield, tuber size, resistance, shelf life, and long-term storage. Let's look at the varieties recognized as the best and their key characteristics.

Dauphiné

This variety originates from Holland and boasts excellent flavor. The average yield is 250 centners per hectare. The roots average about 300 grams, and a single plant can produce up to 20. The roots are round and have light-colored skin. This variety is easy to grow, requiring only ample watering, and is resistant to various diseases and pests. It has excellent shelf life, retaining its flavor and attractive appearance for about nine months.

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This potato grows up to 80 cm tall, with strong stems and branches. The tubers weigh approximately 400 grams each, and a single plant produces approximately 15 potatoes. Each potato is round and a delicate beige hue. All the roots are approximately uniform in shape and size, which makes them attractive for sale. The yield is approximately 400 centners per hectare. Plantings are rarely affected by diseases and pests, and require regular watering and fertilization. This variety has a pleasant taste.

Gourmet

This is one of the colorful potato varieties, with a dark purple skin and white-purple flesh. The tubers resemble beets more than potatoes. This variety was developed relatively recently, but has already gained popularity among gardeners. Each fruit weighs approximately 100 grams, and a single bush typically produces 12-14 elongated oval-shaped fruits. Eyes are few and superficial. Bushes grow up to 70 cm tall, with small, light green leaves. It boasts excellent resistance, shelf life, and immunity.

Early varieties

Many gardeners prefer early-ripening potatoes. These varieties allow for a quick harvest, and in southern regions, they can yield two crops per season.

RedScarlet (Netherlands)

This variety requires ample sunlight, making it more suitable for southern regions. Ripening is uniform, the potatoes are drought and disease resistant, and have a long shelf life. Yield is approximately 500 centners per hectare, with tuber weights ranging from 80 to 120 grams. The tubers have yellowish flesh, and the tubers themselves are round and smooth. This is a table variety, widely used in all types of dishes.

Luck (Russia)

An elite variety, perfectly suited to the challenging climate of the Russian latitudes. It is undemanding of soil but requires careful care, watering, and plenty of fertilizer. Each tuber weighs approximately 180 grams, although giants (up to 600 grams) are also available. One bush produces an average of 20-25 tubers. With proper care, yields can be extremely high, up to 960 centners per hectare. The tubers are attractive, round, and uniform. They have excellent flavor and a long shelf life.

Rosara (Germany)

The plantings require abundant watering and fertilizer, but are otherwise undemanding. The bushes are large, up to 70 cm tall, vigorous and strong. The potatoes are small (up to 150 g), with 20-30 per bush, neatly shaped and smooth. Yields up to 400 c/ha. The skin can be reddish or brown. The fruits cook well and have a pleasant aroma. This variety is susceptible to attack by the Colorado potato beetle.

Bellarosa (Germany)

This variety is sometimes called Bela Rosa. The fruits are brown, smooth, and neat, averaging 200 grams each. The skin is pink and slightly rough. The average yield is 350-400 centners per hectare. The variety does not grow well in depleted soil, so it is usually planted in areas previously grown by legumes. It is resistant to mild frosts and drought. The fruits are rich in starch and have a pleasant flavor. Bellarosa requires watering three times per season.

Impala (Netherlands)

Oval, milky-beige root vegetables with a thick, smooth skin. Each potato can weigh up to 160 grams, with about 15 potatoes per hole. The total yield is approximately 40 tons per hectare. These potatoes are resistant to inclement weather, mechanical damage, and disease. They retain all their qualities well during long-term storage. They have a pleasant flavor and do not fall apart or darken during cooking.

Medium grades

This type of cultivar is one of the most popular. Most of its varieties are low-maintenance.

Gala (Germany)

Low and unattractive bushes (up to 50 cm tall), often yellowish and wilted. They require a lot of fertilizer, but are otherwise undemanding and disease-resistant. The roots weigh up to 400 grams each, and there are usually 5-6 of them under the bush. The yield is approximately 350 centners per hectare. The flesh is yellowish, the skin is rough and brownish.

Nevsky (Russia)

The tubers are elongated, beige, with a pinkish tint. The potato has a thin skin and a pleasant flavor. It has excellent shelf life, storing until spring. The average root weight is 120 grams, with 10-15 tubers per bush. The yield is 300 centners per hectare. This variety requires frequent watering and fertilizing with organic fertilizers. It has good resistance to various diseases and pests.

Sorcerer (Russia)

Medium-height bushes with lush flowers and smooth leaves. The average tuber weight is 100 grams, with about 10 per hole. Yields are good, approximately 30 tons per hectare. Large and heavy tubers, thin skin, and milky flesh. They have good shelf life and transportation, and are resistant to deformation and mechanical damage. This variety is undemanding to soil, tolerates heat and drought well, and requires little special care. Fertilizing with nitrogen-containing fertilizers is recommended.

Adretta (Germany)

The plants are resistant to viral diseases, temperature fluctuations, and harsh climates. The roots are oval and elongated, with a beige, peeling skin. Each potato weighs up to 250 grams, with up to 10 potatoes per hole. The variety's estimated yield is 350-400 centners per hectare. It is excellent for long-term storage and transportation.

Tuleyevsky (Russia)

A variety adapted to Russia's climate. It is deservedly considered one of the tastiest, with a thin skin. The overall yield is approximately 300 centners per hectare. This variety is quite demanding: it requires ample watering, does not have a long shelf life, and quickly wilts if stored improperly. The bushes are frost-sensitive.

Rocco (Holland)

One of the most popular varieties worldwide. It's important to remember that it can remain bloom-free while still developing normally. Each tuber weighs 125 grams, and a bush produces about 12 tubers. The yield is 350-400 centners per hectare in lean years and up to 600 centners per hectare in normal years. The fruits are red, medium-sized, and often uneven. They have a shelf life of at least 5 months and transport well. This variety is easy to grow, easily tolerates drought and rain, and requires little special care.

Aurora (Russia)

One bush produces 10-15 potatoes weighing 100-120 grams. The average yield is 30 tons per hectare. The tubers are round, with large eyes, and are beige with a pink tint. They easily tolerate adverse weather conditions, especially drought. They require careful soil loosening and hilling. They have average immunity and require no special care.

Late

Some gardeners prefer to grow later-ripening varieties. Let's explore the best ones.

Picasso (Netherlands)

This variety's low yield (up to 240 centners per hectare) is offset by its excellent taste. Because of its very thin skin, the potatoes aren't even peeled, just washed before cooking. When boiled, they're ready in just 15-20 minutes. Boiled potatoes are very crisp and delicate in flavor. This variety is fussy, requiring the right soil composition and fertilizer, and is often susceptible to diseases and pests. The tubers are elongated, beige, with pink spots.

Zhuravinka (Belarus)

The potatoes are round and reddish in color. Each potato averages 120 grams in weight, with a cluster typically containing 14-16 potatoes, sometimes up to 25. The approximate yield is 630 kg/ha. This variety is shelf-stable, undemanding in terms of growing conditions, and has moderate immunity to mechanical damage. It requires moderate watering. It is susceptible to the Colorado potato beetle.

Reviews

Gardening forums are full of discussions about this nightshade crop. Let's read the most interesting reviews.

Olya writes:

"How can you live without potatoes? They're second only to bread. "For feasts, for peace, and for good people"—potatoes are useful everywhere. They're a vegetable that goes in side dishes, salads, soups, and... you name it. There are hundreds of recipes that use potatoes! There are even diets based on them. And they can also be used for self-care and healing. It's a shame that everyone is eating all sorts of trendy dishes these days, forgetting about this traditional Russian vegetable. After all, potatoes can be quite delicious if prepared correctly."

Anastasia writes:

"How many potato dishes do you know? I've been sitting here thinking—I personally know 63. And I've been browsing cooking websites—there are hundreds, maybe even thousands... Basically, it's an essential product. I've been growing a little potato in my garden for several years now. It's a small bed, just 10 square meters, where I plant a few 'Rocco' potatoes in the spring. It's my favorite variety; it's delicious and easy to maintain. Of course, the harvest from such a small garden is small. But what could be more enjoyable than fresh, early potatoes, baked right in the skins?"