“Potato is the second bread,” they said in Russia. And it is justified, not a single fast food can be compared with young boiled potatoes sprinkled with finely chopped greens. And the sooner he appears in our gardens, the better, so early potato varieties are always held in high esteem, and super -early ones are worth their weight in gold. One of these varieties is the Riviera potato. Let’s try to figure out what is the advantage of this variety over the rest and in what it can be inferior.
History of Origin of the Riviera Potato
Riviera variety appeared relatively recently in the garden plots of Russian farmers. Only in 2007 this variety was entered into the State Register of the Russian Federation and was recommended for the Central region, but the Riviera has proven itself in the southern districts of the country. The variety is of Dutch origin and is the brainchild of Agrico.
The aforementioned company brings together in its cooperative thousands of farmers who are engaged in the development and cultivation of new varieties of potatoes. We are talking about hundreds of thousands of tons of seed potatoes and as many hectares of land. Since the founding of the company, namely from the 80s, dozens of elite varieties, including the Riviera variety, have been bred.
Potato Riviera: variety description
The main advantage of this variety is its high yield and super early ripening. From one bush you can get 12-15 tubers of medium size weighing 100-150 grams. And you can consume in food 40 days after planting.
Bushes of medium height, can reach from 70 to 90 cm, depending on weather conditions, the stems are straight, thick. Leaves are darker and larger than other varieties. The corners of the Riviera potatoes are painted pink, but usually it does not have time to bloom.
On loose soil, the tubers acquire an oval shape, but occasionally rounded potatoes can also be found. The peel is thick, light yellow with a slight roughness and small eyes. In terms of taste, I got 4.5 points out of 5. Due to the high starch content, the Riviera potatoes are cooked very quickly and after cooking it becomes friable.
Pros and cons of this variety
All varieties of potatoes, as well as any other vegetables and fruits, have their advantages and disadvantages. It is on them that the quality of the variety is determined. As for the potatoes of the Riviera variety - it deservedly occupies an honorable place among all other varieties due to its many advantages and almost complete lack of flaws.
Advantages:
Very early ripening - from planting to eating a little more than a month.
It tolerates weather vagaries, in particular drought.
Great taste.
Attractive presentation.
Carries long-term storage.
Has increased resistance to potato cancer, golden nematode, rot of bacterial origin, scab, viral infections.
Resistant to mechanical damage and transportation.
Disadvantages : the only drawback of this variety, perhaps, can be considered susceptibility to late blight, and then if you do not harvest the crop on time.
Pests and diseases to which the variety is susceptible
Although this variety is considered one of the most resistant to various diseases, nevertheless, with untimely harvesting and adverse conditions, serious damage to both the tops and tubers is possible.
Late blight: on the stems and leaves you can notice the spotting of a brown color, tubers lose their attractiveness, the flesh becomes brownish. Treatment of such a disease consists in spraying with solutions of Bordeaux liquid (1%) or copper chloroxide (0.5%). In order to avoid such troubles in the future, it is recommended that only healthy tubers be selected for planting and treated with copper sulfate.
Black leg: decay at the base of the roots, then the leaves turn yellow and curl. Potatoes acquire a brown color and lose weight and have a noticeable unpleasant odor. Unfortunately, the disease is not treatable, and the infected bush will have to be removed from the beds, and a mixture of ash and vitriol should be poured on the formed place.
Macrosporiosis: small dark spots appear on all parts of the tops and tubers, which subsequently become larger. After a while, the bush dies. The infected plant must be treated with funds from specialized stores. And in order to avoid such a nuisance, carry out preventive treatment during the growing season with Bordeaux liquid.
Landing rules
Before direct planting, it is necessary to prepare seed material. To do this, in early spring, you need to sort out the potatoes, throw out the spoiled and frostbitten tubers, and put the rest in a warm, dark room. Remember to turn the tubers periodically.
Potato Riviera, although a very stable variety, still to get the maximum yield it is worth choosing a plot with light loose soil for it. The ideal option is a well-lit, windproof area. It is worth remembering that it is strictly forbidden to introduce fresh manure or bird droppings into the soil. In extreme cases, humus is suitable. But the introduction of ash or nitrogen will only benefit the Riviera.
Another important point to consider when planting is that Riviera potatoes should be planted only after warming the soil to 10 degrees Celsius and relatively shallow compared to other varieties.
Proper potato care
Naturally, like all other varieties of potatoes, the Riviera requires timely watering, cultivation and hilling. Immediately after germination, weeding can be carried out in order to loosen the soil and get rid of weeds.
The first hilling is carried out with the growth of tops 15-20 cm, the second - after 15 days. It would be nice to feed before hilling, and if the fertilizer is dry, you should definitely water the plant abundantly. At the same time, liquid fertilizer is poured into moist soil.
As for loosening the soil - it must be carried out every time when weeds appear in the aisles or a crust forms on the soil after rain.
Collection and storage
Riviera potatoes are fully ready for harvesting 60 days after planting, and let green flowered tops not bother you - this is a feature of the variety. If you delay in cleaning, the risk of infection with various fungal diseases, which are more aggressive in the second half of summer, increases.
Experienced gardeners cut the tops a week before digging, this allows root crops to ripen in the soil and acquire a thicker peel. They dig up potatoes on a sunny day, while the tubers are left on the surface of the soil for a couple of hours to dry. Next, you need to collect the entire crop from the garden and bring it to the garage or shed and leave them there for 2 weeks.
During this time, hidden diseases will make themselves felt and manifest themselves on potatoes. Sick tubers are thrown away, and the rest are treated with a special decay agent, which are sold in any specialized stores and sent to a permanent storage place in the cellar.
Riviera potatoes: reviews of gardeners
If you do not take into account that the seed Riviera is very expensive, the variety is one of the most popular among summer residents and gardeners. Potato Riviera, the description of which was given a little earlier, pleases with its taste and endurance to natural conditions. Once they tried to grow this variety, they can no longer refuse it. In general, reviews of the Riviera potato are only positive.