One of the most popular varieties planted in the country is Jelly potatoes. It was bred by Dutch breeders (EUROPLANT PFLANZENZUCHT GMBH). This variety was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements recommended for cultivation in 2005. These potatoes are intended for table use and have good taste.
Jelly is grown mainly in the central regions, but it is also cultivated in other regions. It is planted both in the fields of large farms and in private plots.
Characteristics of the variety
The tops of this potato can be quite tall and spreading, so it is necessary to leave a gap of 75–85 cm between the rows, and about 30–35 cm between the plants in the row. After just 1.5 months, they begin to selectively dig up the tubers for food. 3 months after planting in the ground, the potatoes are fully ripe and can be harvested for winter storage.
The peculiarities of the tubers are that their shape is oval, the eyes are shallow, and the peel is rough and yellow. The pulp of the tubers is also yellow. When ripe, the weight of one potato is 85–135 grams. They have an average starch content (13.4–17%).
One Jelly bush can produce about 15 potatoes. The yield per 1 hectare in the industrial production of potatoes of this variety is 156–292 centners. On small garden plots with 1 m2 3.5–4.5 kg of tubers are collected.
This varietal potato has good keeping quality. Tubers do not lose their presentation for a long time. Ripe tubers can easily survive winter. In case of mechanical damage, the cuts are quickly tightened.
The description of the variety indicates that this tuber is resistant to the golden cyst nematode, as well as to the causative agent of potato cancer. Both tops and tubers have moderate susceptibility to late blight.
Growing rules
Potatoes require fertilizers for normal development and growth:
- nitrogen;
- potash;
- phosphorus-containing.
It is also necessary to provide for the addition of magnesium, calcium and other elements. On average 1 m2 add 5–7 kg of humus or compost, 30–40 g of superphosphate and 15–20 g of potassium sulfate. Light soil requires less fertilizer, while heavy loamy soil requires more. They are brought in during the autumn digging of the earth.
Tubers need access to oxygen. Not only the yield of the crop, but also its taste depends on this. To lighten the soil and increase its breathability, sand is added to the beds before planting potatoes (10–15 kg per 1 m2). This is also facilitated by increasing the dose of compost applied to loamy soils. To facilitate air access to root crops, regular Hilling up planted potatoes.
This plant requires enough light for normal development. Therefore, it is planted only in open areas without shading.
During the dry season, the Jelly potato variety requires watering. But waterlogged soil can cause root crops to rot. To prevent this from happening, sand is added to the loamy soil (2–3 buckets of sand per 1 m2). It is recommended to dig up heavy soil in the spring. This helps it warm up faster.
If the groundwater is too close to the surface, then the potatoes are planted in beds that are 15–20 cm high.
Rules for preparing potatoes for seeds
To speed up the first harvest, root crops are germinated before planting in the ground. The selected seed material is removed from the cellar approximately 1–1.5 months before planting in the soil. The tubers are exposed to sunlight for 1 week. At this time, corned beef is formed in it, which contributes to resistance to diseases and pests.
After this, the potatoes are placed in shallow boxes or plastic containers and placed in a shaded, warm room for germination. After about 1 month, small sprouts 1–1.5 cm long appear in the potatoes.
Large tubers are cut into several parts before planting. In this case, you should pay attention that there is at least 1 sprout on each part.To prevent a putrefactive process from occurring after cutting the potatoes, they are kept for a week until coarsened tissue forms at the cut sites.
Landing in the ground
Planting potatoes begins after the soil has warmed to about 7–8 degrees. Jelly is planted in rows. Sprawling bushes of this variety can interfere with the development of neighboring plants. Therefore, it is recommended to leave row spacing of at least 75 cm.
In order to plant plants maintaining the same distance between the bushes, the soil is first marked. You can stretch the strings along the planned rows (the distance between them is 75–85 cm). A shallow ditch is then dug along them and fertilizer is added if necessary.
After this, the tubers are placed in the furrows at a distance of 25–30 cm from each other. Then the next furrows are made in the same way. In this case, the soil from subsequent furrows is poured into the first furrows. Some people add a handful of onion peels to the hole to repel pests from the tubers.
After planting potatoes, the soil is harrowed to crush the clods and facilitate the emergence of seedlings. At the initial stage of plant development, it is recommended to carry out hilling so that possible frosts do not harm young plants. The optimal temperature for potato growth is 18–22 degrees. At higher temperatures, the formation of root crops is inhibited.
Hilling
Potato tubers are formed on the lateral shoots of the root system. To ensure their growth at depth, bushes are hilled. It is carried out several times during the season, once every 7–10 days.If the first time you only loosen the soil, then the next time the bushes, which have grown to 10–12 cm in height, are raked with soil so that 4–5 cm of tops remain on the surface. This strengthens and forms the root system, and also ensures the formation of new tubers under the soil layer.
If during the growth process the tubers protrude above the soil surface, they will become green under the sun's rays, which will make them unsuitable for consumption. Also, during hilling, small depressions are made near each bush so that rainwater accumulates in them.
Fighting the Colorado potato beetle
Another difficulty with growing potatoes considered to be the fight against the Colorado potato beetle. Large plantations are treated with chemicals. In small garden plots, young beetle larvae are shaken off by hand into a bucket. This is not a complicated procedure, but it requires regularity.
The appearance of late blight
In rainy weather conditions, the Jelly variety can be affected by late blight. To prevent this phenomenon, when small brown spots appear on the leaves, the tops are sprayed with Oxychloride or Oxychome. During the season, such treatment is carried out 2-3 times, but the last one should be no later than 20 days before harvesting. The tops affected by late blight are mowed and removed from the site, and the tubers are dug up 15 days after this.
Harvesting
Digging up ripened potatoes is carried out in dry weather so that the process of drying and laying the tubers for storage for the winter is carried out correctly. The harvest selected from the beds is dried in a dark barn for 2 weeks, and only then brought into the cellar. During sorting, suitable tubers are laid aside for seeds.Some farmers green the seed in the sun before bringing it into the cellar.
Reviews
Reviews from gardeners also speak about the positive properties of Jelly potatoes:
Elina, 29 years old: “I planted Jelly potatoes on my plot. From the five tubers I planted, I harvested almost a bucket of potatoes in the fall. It has a pleasant taste and a smooth shape without deep eyes.”
Mikhail, 59 years old: “I was pleased with the potatoes I planted. But some bushes were affected by late blight. I advise you to plant the Jelly variety only in dry areas with deep groundwater.”
