Early ripe potato varieties are very popular among agronomists. They are characterized by high yield and excellent taste characteristics. The Impala potato has established itself as a hardy and productive variety. Below we will consider its detailed description and talk about the features of cultivation.
Description
The Impala variety was first bred by breeders in Holland. This table potato has been successfully grown in the middle and southern regions of Our Country for more than 10 years. The plant has a fairly high stem up to 70-75 centimeters. One bush has an average of 4-5 shoots. The leaves during flowering and ripening are painted in a rich green hue. The flowers are white with a yellow center.
Now let’s move on to the description of the root crops themselves. This variety of potatoes has a smooth skin without deep eyes and roughness. The skin is quite thin, which is especially liked by consumers. Tubers have the correct oval shape. On average, subject to all the rules of agricultural technology, the weight of each potato is from 90 to 160 grams.
This variety has a low starch content (10-14%), so the root crops do not boil during cooking. According to the description of consumers, the Impala variety is convenient to use for frying, soups and salads. The flesh is colored in a light creamy yellow shade.
This variety is valued primarily for its precocity. The first crop is harvested within 45 days after planting the buds in the ground. If you need to harvest fully ripened root crops for long-term storage, you will have to wait 60 to 75 days. According to the description of industrial agronomists and home gardeners, this depends on the general climate of the area and weather conditions in a particular season.
Due to such a fast cycle in the southern regions, 2 crops can be harvested per year. Each bush on average produces about 15 tubers. The description of the breeders says that with proper care, the number of potatoes can reach 21 pieces. Thus, from 1 to 37 tons of crops per year are harvested from 60 hectare of land.
Stability
The presented variety adapts well to weather conditions. Long-term observations have shown that the Impala can tolerate both droughts and periods of high humidity. Planting in any type of soil is allowed, but the best results are noted in plants planted in open ground.
As far as diseases are concerned, the best resistance characteristics are noted for viruses A and Yn, potato cancer and nematode. The plant reacts somewhat worse to common scab and late blight of stems and tubers. The Impala variety is resistant to mechanical damage and is intended for long-term storage. On average, 98% of tubers retain their appearance after harvest.
Video “Impala Potatoes”
Agrotechnics
In the case of early ripe potato varieties, the correct preparation of seeds for planting and compliance with all standards play a very important role. For a good harvest, it is better to give preference to large seed tubers. The more live eyes on a potato, the more likely it is that as a result you will get a large and lush bush with many root crops. For high-quality distillation, we recommend selecting only healthy tubers of the presented variety. As for the cuts, they are not suitable for early planting. Only whole potatoes should be taken.
The Impala variety is different in that it can be planted without preheating the seed. If you want to get the earliest harvest as early as 40-45 days, we recommend preparing seedlings in advance. It is germinated in a well-lit room at a temperature of 12°C to 15°C for 25-30 days. Growing seedlings should begin in mid-March, so that the prepared material can be planted by the end of April.
Ready seedlings can be planted with or without the mother tuber. In the latter version, the seedlings are divided into separate stems and planted separately. The remaining mother tuber can also be planted. Water the seedlings as needed, taking into account the nature of the soil and weather conditions. For a good harvest, it is desirable to choose light soils on which legumes, corn and cruciferous plants have previously grown.
Early varieties, including Impala, love mineral and organic fertilizers. This is an additional source of heat and power. The introduction of manure improves the structure of the soil.
Nitrogen fertilizers must be clearly dosed and applied before planting the site. Phosphorus and potassium are recommended to be applied since autumn. The exact dosages are indicated in the description of these drugs on the packages and depend on the form of release and concentration.
The Impala variety should be planted in high ridges with sharp tops. So you provide the plant with additional heat. As mentioned earlier, the landing is carried out in the last decade of April, while an earlier landing is possible. It is not recommended to plant early varieties of potatoes later.
The width between rows should be 60 centimeters. The distance between the bushes in a row is 25-30 centimeters. Tubers are planted at a depth of 6-8 centimeters. To protect the shoots from night frosts, you can sprinkle the young stems with loose soil. Well warms up soil and plentiful preliminary watering. Further care for this potato variety includes weed control, row spacing and moderate watering.
Video “All about growing potatoes”
Everything you need to know about growing potatoes can be found in this issue. The video also examines the most popular characteristics of starch varieties.
