Description of the Desiree potato variety
Desiree potatoes are a Dutch variety developed for mass production in farmers' fields with high yields. It is recommended to be planted in a southern climate, it is susceptible to feeding and a warm environment.
Description of the Desiree potato variety
Description of bushes and fruits
The bushes are distinguished by moderate greens of a dark green matte color and have a powerful root, giving up to 20 tubers. The variety is characterized by perfectly even small oval tubers covered with a red skin. The edible part is light yellow in color. According to the description, the starch content ranges from 13.5% to 21.5%. The fruits are rich in keratin, amino acids and proteins.
Fruits of this variety are non-watery, slightly sweet, do not darken when cut and are suitable for cooking in any form.
Yield
The variety has a high yield, resistant to late blight of tubers, phomosis, and various viral diseases. Desiree potatoes do not degenerate, so for many years new material can be collected for planting in the beds.
Potatoes love hilling, feeding and watering, but at the same time they can maintain high yields in hot climates in the absence of a regular supply of water.
Desiree potatoes are mid-season, the first harvest is harvested in mid-summer, but massively dug up potatoes by the end of September. The tubers are planted in warm spring weather, as the fruits are afraid of frost.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Smooth tubers
The advantages of Desiree potatoes include the fact that they:
- tolerates drought well;
- gives a high yield;
- suitable for planting in any soil;
- resistant to many diseases;
- stored for a long time;
- has tubers of ideal shape, even, without defects;
- suitable for the preparation of any dishes;
The disadvantages include:
- poor adaptation to soil with high humidity;
- susceptibility to late blight of stems and common scab;
- thick rind, which makes cutting and application difficult;
- susceptibility to attack by the Colorado potato beetle.
Landing
Before planting, potatoes are treated with growth stimulants and disinfectants in order to avoid the appearance of fungus. If you plan to land on the field, the area is treated with herbicides. Planting is carried out in warm soil, since the plant is susceptible to low temperatures. Humus, ash or fertilizers are poured into the holes, for example, ammonium nitrate, sulfates, etc.
The distance between the rows should be at least 75 cm, and between the bushes - at least 35 cm.
Ripening and harvest lesson
It is recommended to huddle the Desiree root crop at least 2 times during the ripening period.
To prevent the appearance of Colorado potato beetle larvae, the bushes are sprayed with insecticides several times. The tubers are dug out at the end of the growing season, when ripening reaches 100 days, after cutting off all the foliage.After digging, the potatoes are well dried to increase the storage duration and sorted out, leaving the fruits damaged by the shovel for use in the first place. It is advisable to immediately postpone the best dug bushes for future plantings. You can plant both a whole product and fragments with eyes.
Useful Tips
It is helpful to occasionally change where Desiree is grown to allow the soil to rest. At this time, radishes are sown in place of the tubers: it fertilizes the ground.
The best fields for planting are those on which bulbous or leguminous plants, as well as cabbage, previously grew. The yield on depleted soil will be about 13 tons per hectare, and on fertilized soil in a favorable climate and careful care - up to 38 tons per hectare.