Contents
Juwel potatoes are grown commercially in the southern and southwestern regions with mild climatic conditions, mainly for the sale of early potatoes to the population in the northern regions. It is planted in late March or early April, and after 2 months (May-June) they are already digging up the crop. The Juvel variety cannot be stored for a long time, but it completely eliminates the shortage of this product in places where potatoes do not ripen until September. Vegetable growers of the northern latitudes, who are interested in growing early varieties of potatoes, also do not refuse this variety, because even in a cool climate it ripens a month earlier than ordinary varieties.
Juvel potatoes are a great product for a profitable business. In all its parameters, it deserves to occupy not the last place in trade: it has an excellent presentation, excellent taste, a high percentage of safety when transported over long distances. We want to tell our readers about the Juvel potato in more detail, describe its excellent (or not so) qualities, and the reviews of vegetable growers who have already planted this potato variety will complement our story.
Originator
The main originator of the Juvel potato variety is the Bavaria-Saat GbR company, which unites several enterprises for the development of new potato varieties, but is not the legal patent holder. In 2003, the partnership “Bavaria-Saat Vertriebs GmbH” was founded as part of the company, dealing, among other things, with the sale of seed material in Germany and abroad. Thanks to the successful activities of the partnership, the Juvel potato has become popular in Europe, as well as in Our Country, Belarus, Ukraine and many others.
Description
Potato originator Juvel Renata Bettini (full name) declares the following characteristics of the variety:
- bushes – medium height, dense, slightly prone to lodging, tubers form quickly, flowers are dark purple;
- tubers – have an oval or elongated-oval shape, eyes are superficial, not buried, the peel is smooth, without roughness, the color is light yellow, inside the flesh is a tone lighter;
- resistance to diseases – to scab, late blight and rotting of tubers is good, to the nematode – medium;
- yield – at early harvesting dates, you can get an average of up to 400 centners of potatoes per hectare, at later dates (usual) – up to 750 centners / g;
- Juvel potatoes are not crumbly, tasty, it contains from 10 to 13% starch, the roots are even, mostly the same size, the yield of substandard tubers is insignificant.
Advantages and disadvantages
We have already noted the two main advantages of the Juvel variety above – this is a high yield and early ripening:
- from 10 to 20 root crops can be obtained from one potato bush, at least 750 centners per hectare are obtained in potato-growing enterprises if all technological growing conditions are met;
- early terms (vegetation 50-65 days) are beneficial in that on fertile lands and in a warm climate, you can grow two crops of potatoes per season on one site;
- Juvel potatoes have a wonderful presentation: smooth tubers of the same size with small, shallow eyes;
- during transportation, the tubers are well preserved, they are resistant to minor damage, the wounds dry quickly without becoming infected with a fungus that causes decay.
The downside for potato growers is that the Juvel variety is demanding on soil moisture, it needs additional watering during the dry season, only by ensuring this requirement can significant yields be achieved, tubers stop growing in dry soil, which leads to weight loss.
Landing
Before planting potatoes, germination of tubers begins 20-30 days in advance, this will ensure their earlier germination in the ground and increase the yield, since other activities are carried out simultaneously during this procedure:
- After storage, all seed potatoes are taken out of dark and cold cellars to lighter and warmer rooms.
- Sorted tubers, removing damaged and non-viable.
- Tubers are disinfected in a solution of boric acid.
Juvel potatoes are planted in furrows 50-70 cm apart from each other, tubers are placed in the furrows every 25-30 cm. The planting depth is not more than 20 centimeters.
Care
Juvel potatoes, except for additional watering (if necessary), do not require special conditions for growing, they are the same as for ordinary potato varieties.
Hilling and top dressing
The main fertilizers that potatoes need for normal vegetation are applied in the fall or a month before planting: manure (preferably rotted), complex mineral fertilizers (phosphorus, potassium, magnesium) and a small amount of stimulants for tuber growth. After flowering, potato bushes are sprayed once with liquid top dressing, these are the same fertilizers, only less concentrated.
The soil in the aisles and near the bushes must be loosened and hilled at least 2 times per season: once, as soon as the first few stems and leaves appear, again after flowering ends.
Diseases and pests
Preventive treatment of tubers before planting in the ground helps to successfully fight diseases and pests of potatoes Juvel. The stores offer the most diverse range of special chemicals used for these purposes.
Harvesting
Juvel potatoes begin to be harvested at the end of June, if planting was carried out early (in April), but when planted at a later time, the tubers ripen and gain the required weight and size a month or two later. Harvesting potatoes in June is beneficial for generating income from its sale in the off-season shortage of potatoes in the markets. Late harvest has the advantage of producing a fuller crop. In general, it turns out that harvesting is profitable both earlier and later.
One important fact should be taken into account, potato tubers of the Juvel variety lose their qualities during long storage, the longer it is stored, the higher the percentage of losses becomes. The originator claims only 94% out of 100 possible, and we think this figure is a little too high, but the manufacturer will not underestimate the quality of its product.
Immediately before digging up potatoes, the tops of the plants are mowed, burned or removed by hand if it is already sufficiently dry and well separated from the roots. In summer cottages and small garden plots, potatoes are dug up with shovels or pitchforks, but craftsmen are able to make simple devices from improvised means with their own hands that facilitate this tedious work. An example of such a device is shown by a vegetable grower in the attached video.
Conclusion
If you need early potatoes, feel free to plant the Juvel variety. You will not be disappointed with the results, we all know that German goods and products are of excellent quality. Start with a small area, the cost of varietal potatoes is above average, but if you like it, you can always increase your planting stock by setting aside a few tubers for planting next season.