Not a single family can do without this culture. It is not difficult to grow Colombo potatoes on a plot; you just need to follow simple agricultural practices, show diligence and patience. Received recognition among summer residents for its early ripening and excellent taste.
Type criteria
A summer resident, before planting something on his property, looks for information about the plant. A description of the Colombo potato variety will facilitate the search process. This species is a very early, relatively young variety of Dutch selection.
In many catalogs, the potato is called Colombo, although it is correct to call it Colomba. Due to the fact that the variety is grown in large quantities in Finland, it is mistaken for a Finnish species. In fact, its homeland is Holland.
Potatoes ripen within 45 days, the full growing season of the variety is 65 days. Productivity depends on the harvest time. At the stage of initial maturity it is 1-3 kg per 1 m2, full maturity 3-4.5 kg.
Description of tubers:
- Shape: round-oval.
- Weight: 80-130 g.
- Pulp: yellow.
- Skin: thin.
- Eyes: shallow.
- Starch content 11-15%.
Plants:
- Semi-spreading.
- Height 55 cm.
- The flowers are white, sometimes with a lilac tint.
The Colombo potato variety is winning the favor of summer residents at a rapid pace, becoming a favorite for many.
Advantages
There is no better advertisement for a species than positive reviews from people growing crops on their property. The main positive properties are:
- Ability not to crumble during cooking and frying. Excellent taste.
- Presentation affects demand. Consumers willingly buy neat tubers.
- Maturing period. Some regions manage to harvest 2 crops of potatoes of this variety.
- Easy to care for.
- Plant immunity.
- Drought resistance.
- A bountiful harvest.
The only, but very significant minus, root vegetables are poorly stored.
Selection of location
Particular attention is paid to choosing a site for planting the variety. The beds with tubers are located on the sunny side. Don't forget about crop rotation. For several years in a row, potatoes planted in the same place often get sick and their overall yield decreases. Feels good after legumes, pumpkin and cabbage crops.
Not worth it grow a potato variety Colombo is next to tomatoes because they belong to the same family and suffer from common diseases. If the land is plowed for the first time, there is a risk of damage to the crop by wireworms.
Seed preparation
Usually, potato tubers for planting are selected in the fall, but in the spring you need to sort through the potatoes again, selecting only healthy root crops that are not damaged. Each is about the size of a chicken egg.
Vegetables are removed from storage within 25-35 days. Lay out in one layer in a well-ventilated, bright room. A temperature of +15 ⁰C is considered suitable for this purpose. If it is higher, the potatoes quickly lose moisture and begin to wrinkle.
To get an early harvest, the tubers are left whole. To obtain a large amount of vegetables, root vegetables are cut. Don't forget about disinfection. The knife is treated with alcohol after each root vegetable. The cut is sprinkled with wood ash and left for another 4-5 days for a protective crust to appear. It will prevent the vegetable from rotting in the ground.
Landing
Plant potatoes in well-warmed soil. The optimal temperature is +7–10 ⁰С.
A characteristic sign that the soil has been warmed to the desired temperature is the flowering of dandelions and the appearance of leaves on the birch tree.
The holes for root crops are placed at a distance of 35 cm from each other, the row spacing is 8 cm. 250 g of wood ash is added to each hole. Planting depth is 7 cm.
Care
Further care consists of watering, hilling and treatment against pests and diseases.
Particular attention is paid to hilling the beds. The first time this is done when the plant reaches 15 cm in height. At the same time, weeds are removed that clog the tubers, preventing their normal growth.Afterwards, it is necessary to hill up 2 more times, providing a favorable environment for the formation of more tubers.
Water in hot weather about once a week, after the soil dries, apply fertilizer. In rainy summers, water as needed. It is recommended to loosen the soil after each irrigation to prevent crust formation.
Pests are treated in a timely manner using traditional methods of control or chemicals. We should not forget about the dangers of chemicals for humans; if the area is small, then insects are collected manually.
Variety immunity
The characteristics of the variety show that Colombo potatoes resist:
- Golden nematode.
- Potato raku.
- Parshe.
- Late blight.
The last two diseases are moderate. That is, it is not 100% stable. An important condition for growing a crop is the implementation of simple agrotechnical techniques, which are the same for all varieties. Their use can help in the fight against diseases.
Harvesting, storage
The first crop is dug up during flowering.
This species begins to form tubers simultaneously with the growth of stems.
When digging up potatoes, it is important to choose a sunny, dry day. Potatoes are immediately sorted, discarding those root crops that cannot be stored for long periods of time. Dry in a dark room for several days. Afterwards they are put into storage.
Growing planting material
Varietal potatoes cost a lot, but it is possible to propagate the seeds yourself. To obtain a healthy root crop, breeders advise:
- Change the growing area.
- Plant separately from the rest of the potatoes.
- Be sure to germinate the tubers before planting, thus discarding diseased root crops.
- Plant less often than regular potatoes.
- Inspect plantings to identify diseased plants. Bushes with pathology should be destroyed immediately.
- Dig separately.
- For seeds, select planting material the size of a chicken egg.
Fulfilling these requirements will allow you to grow healthy varietal root crops.
The opinion of summer residents regarding Colombo potatoes
Numerous reviews from vegetable growers provide invaluable assistance to the beginning gardener. They contain useful recommendations and advice.
- Amazon: “Planted in a raised bed at the end of April. There are only 14 pieces, with a total weight of 1200 g. The harvest was collected at the end of July - 37 kg. Most of them are selected root vegetables. Planting material was purchased at the store. The whole family loves it."
- Zolotunka: “Very unpretentious, tolerates drought calmly. Grows on black soil and sandstones."
- Alex: “I tried it for the first time from a friend, liked it, and decided to grow it myself. My husband and I grow them all the time; a bush yields an average of 15 tubers. There is no need for frequent watering, and I also like the disease resistance.”
- Evgeniy: “We tried to grow Colombo on the plot, we liked everything. It does not require special attention and ripens quickly. Very tasty in cooked dishes. The only negative is that it doesn’t last long.”
Colombo is an early potato variety, the characteristics of which are resistance to adverse conditions and low maintenance requirements. Those who grow crops for sale are satisfied with its characteristics, transportability and preservation of its presentation.
