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In recent years, many vegetable growers have given preference to hybrid varieties of potatoes, when creating which breeders try to take into account all the positive properties of an ordinary vegetable. Colombo potatoes are especially popular.
This table variety has excellent characteristics, thanks to which it is planted both on large plantations and in summer cottages.
Variety description
The Colomba variety was bred in Holland and has been successfully grown in Finland for a long time. In Our Country, it is popular in regions with a warm and temperate climate:
- central regions of Our Country;
- in the North Caucasus;
- in Ukraine;
- in the northwest of the country;
- in the Volga region.
Potato Colombo, as gardeners mistakenly call it, is intended for planting in open ground. The height of semi-spreading bushes reaches a little more than 0,5 m, the color of the leaves is green with an emerald hue. When flowering, wonderful snow-white flowers with a delicate purple hue are formed.
The fruits of the Colombo potato are distinguished by their uniform size and rounded shapes. Their mass averages about 100 g, starch – 11-15%. The thin skin and flesh are yellowish in color.
Positive properties
Description of the Colombo potato variety, photos, reviews testify to its excellent qualities:
- delicate, mild taste, thanks to which a lot of various dishes can be prepared from potatoes;
- excellent presentation, which provides high sales volumes;
- early ripening – the Colombo potato crop can be obtained in 2-2,5 months, and in a warm climate it gives two crops per season;
- high productivity – under favorable conditions, it can reach 40 tons per 1 ha;
- unpretentiousness – Colombo potatoes do not require laborious care;
- resilience in dry seasons;
- high resistance to common pathologies.
Potato farming
The Colombo potato variety is simple in agricultural technology, but it has its own characteristics, the knowledge of which will help to achieve high yields.
Site Selection
Colombo potatoes grow well on chernozem or sandy loamy soils, light loams. Suitable for growing and drained peatlands, if their acidity does not exceed 5-7. Acidic soils should be limed a few months before planting. For liming, the soil is often dug up with dolomite flour, observing the required rate, otherwise scab may occur. You can reduce the acidity and the introduction of ash.
Good predecessors of the Colombo potato, according to those who planted it, are crops such as cabbage, pumpkin, beans, peas. You can not grow it in areas where cereals, tomatoes grew. Potatoes also grow poorly in virgin lands.
One of the main factors when choosing a site for the Colombo variety should be the degree of its illumination – the soil should warm up well. On clayey or swampy soils for planting potatoes, you need to prepare high beds in the fall. They will warm up in early spring, which will allow you to plant it earlier and get a good harvest.
Landing in boxes
In small areas, a new way of planting Colombo potatoes is becoming popular. The characteristic of the method notes its advantages:
- there is no need to dig up the entire site every year;
- reduced fertilizer costs;
- the labor intensity of potato care is reduced, as weeding of the beds is facilitated;
- it is also important that the beds look more neat;
- the method is especially convenient if it is necessary to propagate an expensive elite variety.
The essence of the method is to plant Colombo potatoes in the beds-boxes. Having prepared two dozen such boxes, you can provide your family with a potato harvest for the whole summer. The technology of their manufacture is simple and does not require professional skills:
- boards pre-impregnated with an antiseptic are knocked together into tall boxes without a bottom;
- put them on the beds and fill with fertile soil;
- plant potatoes in them;
- It must be remembered that high beds require more frequent watering.
Tuber germination
About a month before planting potatoes, Colombo recommends decomposing the description of the variety into germination. The tubers are laid out in a bright place at a temperature of about +15 degrees. If the air in the room is too dry, the tubers should be periodically sprayed with water. Gradually, plump sprouts will begin to appear from the eyes.
Medium Colombo tubers are planted as a whole, while large ones can be cut into two or four parts. However, each piece should have at least 2-3 sprouts. Places of cuts are disinfected by sprinkling with wood ash. After that, they are placed in a dry place to dry the sections.
Well preparation
For planting Colombo potatoes, reviews of summer residents recommend preparing holes in advance. The optimal depth for them is 10-15 cm, depending on the purpose of planting. If you want the potatoes to germinate faster, then you should not deepen it too much. The holes are placed at the rate of 3 holes per 1 m, and the row spacing should be increased to 0,7 m. This distance will provide the Colombo bushes with sufficient space for lighting and tuber formation. It is good to add a handful of ash and humus to the wells. Under no circumstances should fresh manure be added to them.
Planting potatoes
Gardeners advise planting a Colombo potato variety only in warm ground. Cold soil will slow down its germination or may even cause tubers to rot, especially in high humidity. Usually, during the flowering period of dandelions, the soil already has time to warm up to 10 degrees to the depth of planting potatoes. In order to speed up this process, you can cover the beds with a film or agrofibre immediately after the snow melts. Under it, the earth will warm up in a few days.
The tubers are laid out in holes and covered with a layer of earth. For clay soils, its thickness should not exceed 5 cm, and for light soils it can reach 8 cm. After planting, the potatoes must again be covered with agrofiber. It will help speed up the germination of tubers and protect the sprouts from recurrent frosts.
Care
According to the characteristics of the variety and reviews, Colombo potatoes should be hilled and harrowed in time. The first hilling is carried out after the emergence of seedlings up to 15 cm high. Hilling promotes the formation of more tubers, so it is advisable to carry it out every two weeks. If there is a threat of return frosts, already sprouted bushes can be protected by spudding them to the very top.
In the absence of rain, Colombo potatoes require regular watering, especially during flowering. After each watering or the next rain, loosening should be carried out to increase the access of oxygen to the roots.
pest resistance
The Colombo potato variety has good resistance to pathogens such as the golden nematode. It also exhibits high resistance to cancer. Since the variety is early, late blight does not have time to hit the potatoes. But if the landing is repeated, then it is better to carry out preventive treatment of the bushes.
By observing crop rotation, you can protect potatoes from infection. The Colorado potato beetle is also dangerous for him, as well as for other varieties. It is necessary to periodically check the bushes for the presence of pests in order to timely treat the bushes with fungicides. You can fight the Colorado potato beetle with the help of green manure. Lupine is an excellent remedy against the beetle, and mustard effectively fights the wireworm. At the same time, green manure is an excellent top dressing.
Testimonials from truck drivers
Both experienced vegetable growers and novice gardeners are unanimous in their assessment of the taste qualities of Colombo potatoes and give it only a positive characterization.
Conclusion
Potato Colombo successfully combines a lot of positive qualities. Although the variety is new, it has already managed to get an excellent characteristic. By following simple agricultural techniques, you can collect excellent yields from small plots.