What kind of potato varieties exist! Choosing the right kind is very important, because success will be dependent on this when growing such a valuable vegetable. Many farmers consider the best potato varieties Kolobok, Lorch, Zhuravinka.
Potato Zhuravinka known for less than two decades. But he already managed to get wide distribution among farmers due to the excellent taste and good yield. The Zhuravinka potato variety is appreciated by cooks and is present in the kitchen of many homes. The variety was bred in Belarus, but gained popularity in many countries of the world.
Potato Zhuravinka: variety description
The variety was obtained after crossing the Polish Ces and the Dutch Sante. It is entered in the State register of the Republic of Belarus in 2004.
Zoned for the Volga region, the Central and North-Western regions of Russia.
The variety has medium or late ripening. The tubers are medium in size, with a red peel. One bush can produce up to 18 potatoes.
Description of the Zhuravinka potato variety ascribes it to varieties with high palatability. It differs in average growth rate.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The advantages of the Zhuravinka potato variety are:
- resistance of potatoes to viruses, cancer, scab and other diseases;
- developed root structures;
- resistance to low temperatures up to 7 degrees and high to 38 degrees;
- undemanding to leaving;
- increased productivity;
- excellent sweet taste;
- good digestibility during cooking.
Cons are considered:
- drought intolerance;
- the appearance of late blight with waterlogging.
These are the main characteristics of the Zhuravinka potato variety.
Soil preparation
Any farmer wants good potato harvests. Experts call the three laws of soil fertility:
- First law. The nutrient medium of the soil is provided by millions of bacteria, fungi and other living organisms living in the earth. It is these living organisms that provide soil fertility, which, in turn, guarantees an excellent harvest.
- Second law. The main plant nutrition is carbon dioxide. In the earth, it is formed as a result of the vital activity of microorganisms. To save carbon dioxide in the soil, you should not get involved in digging and plowing.
- Third law. Microorganisms live in the upper soil structures. Digging the soil with a shovel dissipates all the carbon dioxide from the soil, bacteria from the inside get out and die. On the contrary, bacteria living on top turn out to be down and die too.
To achieve high yields, it is worth remembering the beneficial effects of humus. In the soil, where there is a lot of humus, a large number of necessary bacteria live. All plants live off the decomposition products of these microorganisms.
After winter, the soil is poor in bacteria and humus; their necessary amount is at the end of June. How to prepare the ground to get a high yield?
The actions of the farmer should be aimed at increasing the volume of soil microorganisms. For this, you should not dig in the usual sense.
Digging is as follows.
A furrow is dug along the perimeter of the site for planting potatoes and filled with a cut of grass, leaves and other organic matter. Then sprinkle with chopped brown coal.
The rest of the soil is loosened with forks to 15 cm and deeper.
Fertilize plants in the planting process. 500-700 grams of manure fertilizer or compost is poured into the wells.
Preparing tubers for planting
Potatoes for planting are selected from the fall, having harvested. Prepare tubers that weigh from 30 to 100 grams.
Planting tubers keep 10 days in the light to green. As a result, solanine appears in the tubers, because of which the potato is unsuitable for food, but the substance perfectly protects the tubers from dangerous organisms and mice.
In spring, tubers for planting are kept in the light for 30-50 days. In this case, the temperature in the first week should be 16-18 degrees, then it gradually decreases and reaches 4-6 degrees before planting. This procedure, called vernalization, hardens the tubers.
Spring vernalization helps to reduce the maturation period of potatoes, thereby reducing the risk of crop shortages during the onset of autumn frosts.
Landing
Each potato bush needs a 45–50 cm wide platform. The best planting scheme is in the form of a triangle. Stages of planting potatoes:
- the site is loosened with a pitchfork;
- leveled with a rake;
- perform markup;
- make manure;
- planting tubers.
All work is done in one day.
Description of the seed potato variety Zhuravinka offers this process of planting potatoes:
- Pull the rope, on the sides of which make grooves of 10 cm.
- The bottom of the grooves is covered with straw.
- Tubers prepared for planting are laid in checkerboard order at 30 cm intervals.
- Each tuber is sprinkled with a mixture of ash and humus.
- Furrows fall asleep.
- The following pegs are driven in at a distance of 140 cm from the first groove.
The first sprouts spud, closing completely. Hilling is repeated until spring frosts are possible.
Then form ridges and grooves between the rows.
Potato variety Zhuravinka does not tolerate drought. How to help the plant not suffer from a lack of moisture?
For this, experienced farmers give such advice:
- plant potatoes as early as possible when the soil temperature reaches 6-7 degrees at a depth of 10 cm;
- Landing to a depth of 10-12 cm;
- aisles to reduce to 55-60 cm;
- watering bushes in the aisles.
Hilling bushes
When cultivating potatoes, it should be remembered that its roots grow in the upper layers of the earth. The roots grow more in width than in depth. In occulted bushes, the roots in light soil occupy the largest territory in the aisles. Smooth neat potatoes appear under the roots.
In heavy soil, potato roots grow down. The tubers are uneven, with many growths, small in size.
On heavy soils, hilling is a must. In areas where it rains frequently, it is better to plant in the ridges, as they heat up faster, are saturated with oxygen and protect potatoes from waterlogging.
With the help of holes and grooves, it is easier to use rainwater, as well as easier and hilling.
When hilling, it is important to understand in which climatic zone potatoes are grown. In the northern territories, the plant is spudded 5-7 times per season, while in the southern territories, 1-2 hills are enough to grow a similar crop.
Description of Zhuravinka potato varieties and reviews of farmers about it give recommendations on the earthing up after irrigation has been completed or the rain has passed.
It is important to carry out these works also during the formation of buds. At this time, it is important to spud and spread the stems in different directions. This will provide the plant with an influx of sunlight.
After hilling, the bushes should be fed, and the aisles should be mulched.
Top dressing
Nutrient solutions are applied "under the count." With a sharp stick, you need to push a hole up to 20 cm deep in the soil between the bushes, fertilizers are poured into it. Top dressing is done before hilling.
A similar method will help burn the roots of the plant. Fertilizer will remain in the ground, and the plant will use it if necessary.
As fertilizer, bird droppings are well suited. It contains phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen. And if you add wood ash, the benefits will only increase.
It is good to feed silt from a lake or river.
Potato tops are sprayed with dissolved copper sulfate and ammonium nitrate in the morning or evening.
Diseases and parasites
The Zhuravinka potato variety is susceptible to many parasites and diseases. The most dangerous of them are:
- Colorado beetle;
- wireworm;
- nematode;
- aphid.
Diseases of the Crane:
- late blight;
- scab;
- dry and wet rot;
- rhizoctoniosis.
Unfortunately, there are no effective ways to get rid of diseases and pests. The use of chemicals can degrade the nutritional qualities of potatoes, as well as make the vegetable dangerous to human health.
For this reason, it is important to carry out timely prevention, which will help protect potatoes from diseases and parasites.
One of the preventive measures is to change the planting site. Pests tend to accumulate in the soil if the potato grows in one place. Therefore, when growing it is important to follow the principles of crop rotation and plant potatoes in the previous place no earlier than 4 years later.
Farmer Reviews
Reviews about the variety and characteristics of Zhuravinka potatoes are the best. Farmers growing this variety notice the excellent taste characteristics of potatoes and excellent digestibility. Making mashed potatoes from this potato is very simple.
In addition, the variety is characterized by excellent productivity and long keeping quality with minimal effort in caring for the bushes.