For Russian gardeners, German Vineta potatoes became available at the beginning of the 2000s. In 2001, it was included in the register of the Russian Federation as a variety suitable for zoning in two districts: Central and North Caucasus. By appointment, dining room, early. Popular in both large farms and small private plots. In some sources it is designated "Veneta".
Distinctive features of the bush and tubers
Bred by German breeders in African Morocco. The plants are spreading with light green foliage. Leaf waviness is weak or medium. Flowering with small white corollas with a bright yellow center.Stems are straight, ribbed. Plant height is 0.7 m. The full growing season is 70–75 days.
Description of Vineta potato tubers:
- oval-round or oblong;
- average weight 60–90 g;
- root crops of the Vineta variety are free from external and internal defects;
- the eyes on the skin are slightly noticeable;
- starch content 12–15%.
Potatoes of the Vineta variety have been subjected to laboratory tests and meet all international quality standards.
The pulp and peel of the fruit are yellow and almost identical in color. A kind of mesh is barely noticeable on the peel. Varietal characteristics of potatoes - retains its color during heat treatment and does not boil over. Main uses: salads, frying, French fries, general baking. Reviews about the taste are high. Good keeping quality (87%) and marketability (up to 97%) are noted.
Growing conditions
Potatoes are genetically resistant to prolonged droughts. The Vineta variety is quite popular in Central Asia, where the climate is not entirely favorable for growing potatoes. Not prone to the following diseases:
- leaf curling;
- golden nematode;
- mosaic viruses (stripe, wrinkled);
- potato cancer.
Susceptible to late blight in wet, damp weather.
The Vineta potato variety is undemanding to soil composition. Gives high yields on infertile, poorly fertilized soils. Prefers well-lit places. It responds to increased nitrogen content in the soil by growing tops, which delays the harvest date. It is not recommended for cultivation in places with constant stagnation of moisture and on heavy clay soils.
Well suited for beginner gardeners and gardeners who do not have much experience in growing potatoes. The first digging of the Vineta potato variety is done 45 days after emergence.
Preparing tubers for planting
To shorten the growing season, potato tubers are sprouted. To do this, the selected material is spread in an even layer in a room at +15 °C. The humidity level is at least 90% to prevent the potatoes from drying out.
Choose a bright place so that the “eyes” grow faster. At this stage, all rotten, gnarled root vegetables are discarded. Leave small potatoes weighing no more than 70 g.
The process of sprouting Vineta potatoes lasts about a month. The first shoots will appear in 15–16 days. Seeds are treated with growth preparations:
- Planriz.
- Poteytin.
- Epin.
Treatment is carried out one day before planting. To disinfect tubers, Vineta potatoes are sprayed with a solution of manganese, copper sulfate or wood ash.
If there is not much seed material, then the tubers are cut into slices 3 days before planting. Leave 2-3 sprouts in each part. The minimum weight of each share is 35 g. The divided tubers are dried with the cuts facing up.
Planting in open ground and care
The early ripening variety Vineta is planted in early May. Work is carried out in dry weather after precipitation. Humus and ash are used as fertilizer, which are placed between the rows. The seeds are placed at a depth of 7–10 cm. 55–60 cm are left between bushes and 40 cm between ridges.
Potato seedlings of the Vineta variety appear 10–12 days after planting the germinated material. 5–6 days before this, the first harrowing of the field is carried out. In small areas a rake is used, in large areas a cultivator is used. Harrowing will destroy thread-like shoots of weeds, loosen and saturate the soil with moisture. Post-emergence harrowing is carried out several times.
To form a larger number of tubers with high commercial properties, potatoes are hilled.Several approaches are made during the season:
- The height of the stems is more than 5 cm. An earthen mound protects young plants from external factors.
- The height of the stems is 15–20 cm. Before the corollas appear, the potatoes are hilled a second time.
It is possible to carry out additional hilling when the stems of the bushes are too elongated.
Vineta needs artificial watering if the soil has dried out deeper than 8 cm. In regions with hot and dry summers and there is no possibility of irrigation, hill up potatoes no need.
Apart from spring fertilizers, additional fertilizing is usually not performed. If the soil is poor, then support with liquid organic matter is possible. Before flowering, you can apply potassium fertilizers.
Pest control and harvesting
Vineta is rarely affected by diseases, as noted in the description of the variety. Susceptibility to late blight is compensated by proper agricultural technology and care. Do not allow the furrows to become overgrown with weeds and follow the rules of crop rotation. The best predecessors for early potatoes are: cabbage, cucumbers, onions, any legumes. It is acceptable to plant after corn and root crops (carrots, beets, turnips).
Some gardeners carry out preventive spraying of Vineta potatoes with the following preparations:
- Acrobat.
- Ridomil-gold.
Fungicides will prevent spores of dangerous fungi from developing.
The potato field will be protected from the activity of the Colorado potato beetle by planting legumes along the edge of the plot. There are many known phytoncidal plants, the smell of which repels pests: marigolds, parsley, peppermint, geranium. Striped beetles are eaten by sparrows, starlings, crows and domestic chickens.
Main characteristics of Vineta are similar in many properties to the German variety Adretta. Interestingly, yellow potatoes were previously used only for animal feed.The varieties presented by the breeders created a sensation and became the best among the premium class.
Some disadvantages of the Vineta variety include the spread of stolons over a long distance from the mother plant. This can cause some inconvenience when harvesting potatoes.
With the massive wilting of the tops, the top part of the Vineta potatoes is mowed down. The skin on the tubers becomes rougher at this time, which helps avoid damage during harvesting. Before storing the crop in storage, the potatoes are dried, sorted, and damaged fruits are discarded.
