Potato Natasha is a variety characterized by high productivity and prospects. Compared to other varieties, it was bred recently, but this did not stop it from quickly becoming a favorite of summer residents and gardeners. Every year it gains more and more popularity. Studying the description of a culture allows you to be convinced of its advantages.
More about the variety
Potato bushes do not grow too tall. They have an erect intermediate type. Large leaves have a slight waviness. The tops are light or dark green.The whitish flowers are endowed with a noticeable blue with bright yellow pistils.
Varietal potatoes have medium oval dimensions. The root vegetables in the tubers are smooth, covered with even skin. In rare cases, clumsiness occurs. The light yellow potato skin is covered in places with almost invisible eyes.
The weight of one fruit ranges from 95–140 g. At the cut site, you can see delicate pulp of a uniform dark yellow color. Potatoes of the Natasha variety are valued for their high starch content. As a rule, the percentage is 11–13.6%.
Growing
The site on which the Natasha potato variety will be planted is prepared in the fall. The soil is dug up deeply and saturated with mineral and organic fertilizers. Organics are added in the following way:
- sandy soil - peat, rotted manure and clay (all 10 kg);
- clay soil - 10 kg of peat (humus);
- peat soil - sand, clay, rotted manure (1 bucket of each substance).
If there is no humus, it is replaced with bird droppings. 200 g are diluted in warm water and watered over the land. Regardless of the above actions, it is mandatory to add 200 g of wood ash, 20 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium fertilizer. 1 m of acidic soil where potatoes will be planted is slaked with 200 g of lime.
In the spring, the land for potatoes is dug up again. Remove weeds. When planting a potato variety, add 5 tablespoons of wood ash and 400 g of humus into the hole. It is sprinkled with earth so that it does not burn the root vegetables.
Landing
It is carried out according to the principles of planting early crops. Tubers are removed from storage at the end of winter for acclimatization. If necessary, they are sorted out. Medium-sized tubers that are not damaged must be germinated.
For quick and effective germination of potato varieties, sufficient lighting is required. After sprouts have appeared, the potatoes are treated with growth stimulants. This could be “Hercules” or any other product purchased in a specialty store. To protect potato planting material, it is sprayed with another preparation - “Prestige”.
General landing rules
To effectively plant vegetables, follow simple rules:
- On a small plot of land they use a shovel, on large plots they use a potato planter. In the first case, an ordinary bayonet shovel is suitable, which is easy to make holes.
- There is no need to bury potato tubers, as this creates inconvenience when digging. After hilling, a ridge will appear on top.
- The distance between holes is 30–35 cm. Between rows is no more than 70 cm.
The spacing parameters ensure uniform heating of the soil and the availability of lighting that the potatoes need. The variety germinates well, as evidenced by the large bushes. This distance makes it easy to remove weeds and hill up the plant. A fully planted potato plot is leveled using a rake or harrow.
Features of care
During the growing season, potatoes compare favorably with most early varieties in their resistance to adverse environmental conditions. Modern agrotechnical techniques make it possible to create a high-quality potato harvest. Among the total number are:
- Before the sprouts appear, the land area is cleared of weeds, preventing the formation of an earthen crust on the surface. Otherwise, it interferes with aeration, cutting off the access of oxygen to the roots of the plant.
- To protect the seedlings from late frosts, the first hilling of potato tops is carried out.By completely covering the sprouts with soil, they prevent the appearance of weeds and retain moisture in the ground.
- If the soil has been enriched with fertilizers since the fall, and additional amounts of them are added during planting of potatoes, only two additional feedings are required during the season of growth and development. One of them is foliar.
- Measures to care for the potato variety, including irrigation, contribute to the full formation of tubers. In this regard, caution should be exercised, since excess moisture causes crop rot. Questions about watering are handled carefully.
Despite following the rules of cultivation and care, it is necessary to periodically inspect potato tops. A number of factors can contribute to pest attack and disease development in potatoes. If the first signs of the disease are noticed, a number of protective measures must be taken. They include treating plants with insecticidal and fungicidal preparations.
Advantages and disadvantages
The potato variety is not as widely used as others, as it was registered in the country's registry not so long ago. The description of the variety indicates a significant number of advantages. By planting potatoes, the agronomist receives the following:
- marketability of root crops from 70 to 95%;
- a large number of tubers in one bush;
- early yield;
- high percentage of yield;
- impeccable taste of the pulp;
- keeping quality of tubers during long-term storage.
During storage, 5 to 7% of the potato mass spoils from the total harvest. The fruits of this variety have high taste and impeccable appearance. The variety does not have any obvious disadvantages that should be taken into account. Moreover, it does not lose its shape when boiling or frying.
Pests and diseases
The characteristics of the vegetable indicate the high protective properties of the immune system. This makes the potatoes immune to pests. The vegetable is resistant to many diseases, including potato canker, Y-virus, rhizoctonia, tuberous rot, and golden cyst nematode. This feature is provided by the protective properties of the immune system.
Harvest and storage
Experienced gardeners cut off the tops before digging up root crops in order to prevent the disease from entering the tubers. In this case, the potato skin becomes rougher and the flesh denser. Under no circumstances should you delay collecting tubers. The best period is a sunny day.
Before long-term winter storage, vegetables are kept in a dark and dry room. Potatoes are sorted for seeds and nutrition. Potato variety Natasha is stored in a basement or cellar in wooden boxes or nylon bags. If these are boxes, they are placed in stacks filled with potato mass.
Gardeners about potato varieties
If gardeners are in doubt about whether to try planting a variety of German selection on their plot, they should turn to experienced summer residents. In general, reviews about Natasha’s potatoes are only positive.
A vegetable that produces a large number of tubers is suitable for frying, boiling, stewing and baking. Many are attracted by the color of its pulp and rich potato taste.
Annual planting does not affect the yield of tubers in any way. The only thing is that you need to change the landing site. Shoots appear quickly, so you can soon enjoy fresh new potatoes. To ensure that the harvest is always pleasing to the eye, you need to follow the rules of planting, care and harvesting.
