Characteristics of Madeline potatoes
Foreign potato varieties are increasingly appearing on domestic markets. One of these is the Madeleine potato. The fact is that planting and caring for bushes is not difficult. In addition, its yield is high. It can reach 250 c / ha.
Characteristics of Madeline potatoes
It was bred in the Netherlands. It got into the register of varieties of Russia in 2011, but despite its "youth", it quickly became popular among domestic gardeners.
Characteristics of the variety
The description of the bushes is unremarkable for the gardener. The variety is medium-sized, semi-erect shoots with large leaves. Ejects flowering - medium, white. It is not afraid of sudden changes in temperature. It can be grown both in the central regions of Russia and in the Far East.
The characteristic of the plant is its advantage. Its high yield (up to 1.7 kg per bush), as well as the quality of the tubers themselves, make it possible to use the product both for personal consumption and for trade. According to the declared characteristics, the yield of marketable tubers is 89-99% with keeping quality of 95%. That is, this product is competitive with other popular plant varieties available on the domestic market.
It belongs to the early table varieties. From the moment of planting to harvest, 75-80 days pass. Bushes grow up to 1 meter in height. During this time, 7-9 tubers are formed, with a total weight of 1.1-1.5 kg. The shape of the vegetable is oval, even. The starch content is medium (11%). The skin is light, with small eyes on the surface. For the consumer, the appearance of the product is attractive and the taste is excellent. The pulp does not boil well, which is why the vegetable is appreciated. It is perfect for frying and baking.
disadvantages
According to gardeners, the most significant are the following disadvantages:
- susceptibility to certain diseases (fusarium, late blight tops, scab);
- cultivation requires preliminary heating and germination of tubers;
- capriciousness to fertilizers (does not like nitrogen fertilizing).
Planting tubers
Correct cultivation - a good harvest
Like all early potato varieties, Madeleine requires vernalization of the tubers. This process is part of the preparatory agrotechnical operations, consisting of heating tubers, germination in the light, their selection and calibration. It is these procedures that determine not only the quality, but also the quantity of the crop. The very process of planting the material has the following features:
- Planting in open ground is carried out only in heated soil up to 3-4 C °. Higher soil temperatures can affect the development of tubers.
- Seating is carried out according to certain norms. The distance between the rows is 0.6 - 0.7 m, and between the planting material - 0.3 m.
- In the prepared holes, the planting material is placed with the germinated eyes up.
After the operations performed, the tubers are buried and watered. Better room or warm, settled water.
Bush care
Taking care of Madeleine's bushes is easy. Already in May, the flowering period begins.Therefore, it is important to give the necessary nutrients to the bushes for their active growth and fruiting. You can use complex mineral fertilizers, as well as humus. It is better not to use nitrogen fertilizers.
Watering is also important. Madeleine loves water, but quality should be preferred over quantity. That is, watering should be rare, but abundant. 10 sq.m. the planted area can be up to 400 liters. water.
It is also important not to forget about hilling bushes. Do not be afraid to damage the tubers. They are resistant to mechanical damage and quickly "tighten" with proper care. But, nevertheless, it is better to wet the soil before this procedure. So, the root system will recover faster in case of damage.
Treatment against diseases and pests
The plant is processed by spraying with special preparations, as well as solutions prepared according to folk recipes:
- Spraying with a solution based on wormwood with the addition of laundry soap or preparations of systemic contact action ("Medex", "Kuprosat", etc.) will help against late blight.
- From fusarium. Copper sulfate will help, as well as preparations "Baktofit" and "Fitosporin".
- From scab. It is eliminated by the use of fungicides ("Aquaflo", "Fitoplus", etc.).
Preventive actions against diseases and pests are limited to the processing of planting material in a solution of copper sulfate. Also can be used and special fertilizers for the soil - green manure.
Conclusion
Madeleine is an early table potato. It is resistant to most diseases and pests, has a good yield, presentation and taste characteristics.
It also has disadvantages. When planting, the tubers should be warmed up and germinated; moreover, it is not recommended to apply nitrogen fertilizers.