Early Morning potatoes are mid-season varieties for table use. Its worthy characteristics allow this potato to be grown not only by summer residents and owners of personal plots, but also by large agricultural enterprises that produce products for sale. Taste qualities and growth rates are rated very highly by experts and amateur gardeners. Included in the State Register, the variety is most popular in the central Russian regions.
Characteristics and description
The growing season of Early Morning is 100 days.Medium-sized plants with erect stems and light green leaves of an open type, bloom with voluminous white flowers with a soft lilac tint.
Description of root vegetables: oval shape, pink skin, light pink flesh, small eyes. The fruits grow up to 120 grams and contain starch ranging from 14 to 17%. Taste quality on a five-point scale - 4.5. Up to 250 centners of harvest are obtained from one hectare.
Growing
Early Morning potatoes are planted using a smooth, row, trench or ridge method according to a 60x40 cm pattern, to a depth of 11 cm.
Preparing potatoes for planting:
- Germination in a room with an air temperature of +10 degrees and sufficient lighting.
- Ideal predecessors are legumes.
- A week before planting, fertilize the soil with mineral compounds.
- Add humus during digging in the fall in the amount of 3–4 kilograms per 1 m².
This variety of potato is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and ability to grow on literally any soil. Therefore, to obtain an excellent harvest, it is enough to follow the recommendations discussed above.
Features of care
For the normal development of the plant, you should follow simple rules:
- Feed before the first buds appear or at the very beginning of flowering with nitrogenous fertilizers, avoiding ammonium chloride.
- Keep the soil loose.
- Remove weeds and various debris in a timely manner.
- Watering can be stopped 2-3 weeks before harvest to increase shelf life if the weather is not too hot and dry.
- Regularly irrigate the soil while the bushes are growing.
- Perform several hillings.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of the variety Morning Earlier:
- Easy to care for.
- High and stable yield.
- Low cost of seed material.
- Possibility of growing on different soil types.
- Excellent keeping quality.
- Resistance to common diseases.
- Average starch content and good taste.
- Possibility of preparing delicious dishes.
The disadvantages of the vegetable plant include:
- The need to apply fertilizers before planting.
- Sensitivity to nematode.
- The need for treatment with special preparations that protect against certain types of pests.
Pests and diseases
The manufacturer stated that Early Morning potatoes are a variety that is not susceptible to potato cancer, but is vulnerable to late blight and nematode.
For prevention purposes, you should:
- Burn the remains of tops and diseased root vegetables.
- The collected tubers should be thoroughly dried - in dry weather in the open air, in rainy weather - under a canopy.
- Before laying on potato storage sort through.
- Destroy infected fruits.
- Plant only healthy seeds.
- Change the planting location annually.
- Before planting, treat the seeds with Immunofitsit or Agate.
- Spray the bushes with late blight products.
Harvest and storage
The formation of the harvest begins when the lower leaves of the tops dry out and lasts about three to four weeks. When the tops die, the tubers accumulate starch and substances that provide the unique taste and aroma inherent to the variety. Dried bushes should be mowed one to two weeks before harvesting and the potatoes should be left to ripen for the peel to harden and dry eyes to form.
Storage features that lead to positive results:
- Place fully ripened root crops for wintering.
- Dig up potatoes in dry, clear weather to allow the fruits to dry in the sun before moving them into the shade.
- The approximate cleaning time is from mid-August to the end of the month.
In areas with warm climates, it is recommended to allow the tubers to ripen in the ground. Harvest in cold regions is determined according to weather conditions.
Storing potatoes in the soil for a long time is not advisable: the risk of autumn rains increases. If root crops become saturated with water, their shelf life will deteriorate significantly. Long-term ripening of potatoes in the soil during dry periods is undesirable: loss of moisture leads to excessive softness.
The quality of the harvest can be maintained within reasonable limits if the following requirements are met:
- It is imperative to maintain a temperature in the room from +2 to +4 °C in order to provide the potatoes with a dormant state in which they do not freeze and do not grow roots. Elevated temperatures activate the process of root formation, while lower temperatures promote the conversion of starch into sugars. Therefore, the storage facility must be equipped with thermometers and conditions must be provided to stabilize the situation when the temperature changes. In the event of an accelerated increase in temperature, it is recommended to ventilate the room using air vents.
Indoor air humidity is shown to be between 70–85%, which is determined using a hygrometer. Dampness causes mold to appear. To prevent this from happening, you will need to dry the air or use ventilation.