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Potato varieties “Luck” fully justifies its name. Among domestic varieties of potatoes, this is one of the best. Many summer residents, having experimented with other varieties, opt for this. The purchasing demand for the Udacha potato variety remains consistently high. What are the main characteristics of the variety, what is the secret of its success, popularity and “luck”?
Inference history
The potato variety “Luck” was bred in the 90s of the last century. The basis of the variety was the potato “Vilnia” and “Anoka”. Breeders set a goal – to achieve the creation of an unpretentious potato variety that gives good yields in different climatic zones with different soils. As practice has shown, agronomists coped with their task perfectly.
Newly baked potatoes “Udacha” have proven themselves in various regions: from the North-Western regions of Our Country to the Black Earth region, from the Volga region to the Far East. Its main feature is high adaptability. The yield per hectare is 40-45 tons, even in hot and dry summers.
Description and characteristics
The plant is characterized by powerful 40-centimeter bushes with thick leaves. The shape of the sheet with a characteristic dissection, the color is bright green. The variety blooms for a short time, but plentifully. Inflorescences are collected in small brushes. The flowers are snow-white in color, with sepals bent downwards.
Potato tubers are round and oval in shape, with a small number of eyes. The color of the tubers varies from yellowish-cream to brownish. The tubers of this variety are characterized by a thin and smooth peel, so there are very few cleanings during cooking. In its raw form, the flesh of the potato is white, while cooking turns a little yellow. This is especially noticeable if mineral fertilizers were used when growing the plant: potash and chloride.
The characteristic of the “Luck” potato is as follows:
- The duration of the growing season is from 80 to 90 days;
- The mass of 1 tuber is on average 150 g;
- The number of tubers on one plant is 10-15;
- The percentage of starch is 12-14%;
- Productivity per 1 ha (on average) – 42 tons;
- Productivity from 1 bush – 1,7 kg;
- The percentage of marketable products – 88-97;
- Taste qualities are excellent.
The yield of “Luck” potatoes is affected by the weather and agricultural technology, and the type of soil does not have a special effect on the yield.
Advantages
The advantages of the variety, which distinguish it from other breeding products, are as follows:
- Resistance to low temperatures. For active germination of tubers, an air temperature of plus 10 degrees is sufficient. Potato sprouts develop well in both cloudy and moderately cool weather. The landing date for the central regions is the end of April. Closer to the north, potatoes are planted in mid-May.
- Rapid tuber set. Approximately 1,5 months after germination, young potatoes are quite edible. The mass of tubers varies from 60 to 80 g. Young potatoes are pleasant and delicate in taste. The yield value from 1 ha after 2 months of vegetation is from 20 to 25 tons.
- Disease resistance (potato cancer, rhizoctoniosis, mosaic, scab). Viral infections are very rare.
- Excellent keeping quality. When ripe early, potato tubers are perfectly preserved “from harvest to harvest”. It is only important to ensure normal storage conditions. At the same time, potatoes do not lose their taste.
- Resistance to mechanical stress. The variety is very well suited for mechanical harvesting and transport. This is especially important if potatoes are grown commercially.
- Excellent taste characteristics. The tubers are not watery, and are equally well suited for mashed potatoes, baking and frying. This variety is rightfully considered one of the most delicious.
Lack of variety
First of all, this is insufficient resistance to “potato” diseases.
- Phytophthora.
- Alternaria.
- golden nematode.
He does not like this variety and excessive thickening of the rows. However, if you follow agricultural practices, you simply will not encounter these problems.
How to grow “Luck”
The main thing in which the “Luck” potato differs from other hybrids and varieties is its unpretentiousness in terms of soils. It grows not only on chernozems, but also on clay soils, loams and sandy loamy soils. But potatoes require some care. For example, beds need to be prepared in the fall. Potatoes grow best after gourds, cabbage and cucumbers. If you plant tubers in the same place for a long time, the risk of diseases increases. In addition, the variety is degenerating.
The tubers grow best in soft soil. Therefore, the area intended for planting the variety must be dug up in advance to a depth of 2 cm. At the same time, the soil is fertilized with compost or humus, based on 1 weave from 40 to 45 buckets.
For clay soils, it is most convenient to plant tubers in pre-formed ridges 15-20 cm high, with a distance between ridges of 70 cm. With this planting, the soil will warm up better. It will also increase its breathability. For chernozems, planting with “ridges” is optional, since the soil warms up well without it.
Landing
The optimal weight of the planting tuber of the Udacha variety is from 50 to 80 g. The variety is characterized by large potatoes, so each of the tubers is cut so that three or four eyes remain on each part.
For planting, you need to take only healthy potatoes. Tubers with visible signs of the disease should be discarded, as there is a risk of getting infected plants.
It is recommended to process tubers with wood ash. Ash disinfects and plays the role of potash fertilizer for planting material. Then the potatoes need to be laid in one layer in a germination box. The optimum temperature for germination is 16-18 degrees.
The optimal planting time for the Luck variety, depending on the region, is from the second half of April to mid-May. The distance between the holes within the row is at least 20 cm. The interval between the rows is from 30 to 40 cm. To feed the plant, you need to mix compost and wood ash in equal proportions. More top dressing is not needed, it is better to feed the bushes at the first hilling.
After the emergence of seedlings, it is advisable to spud them to protect them from possible night frosts. Further plant care consists in weeding and loosening the soil. This improves the air supply to the root system. It is best to loosen the soil after rain, while it has not yet had time to dry.
Potato “Luck” loves nitrogen fertilizers, but they need to be fed with great care so that they do not get on the leaves and stems of the plant. In terms of watering, the variety is undemanding, so abundant watering is needed only during severe drought and hot weather.
Pest and disease control
The variety has good disease resistance, but individual diseases should be feared.
Phytophthora
Manifested by the appearance of dark gray spots on the leaves and stems. The disease affects the entire plant down to the tubers. They start to rot.
Phytophthora can be prevented by:
- Compliance with crop rotation.
- Weeding and removal of weeds.
Before the appearance of flowers, seedlings are treated with Ridomil (25 g per 10-liter bucket of water). After the appearance of flowers, the Hom remedy is used (10 g per 30-liter bucket). If affected plants are found, they must be immediately dug up and destroyed.
The stem nematode
A plant affected by a nematode is characterized by increased tillering. The leaves are colored paler than is typical for the variety. Spots appear on tubers. Prevention: adding wood ash when planting. If affected plants are found, they must be dug up and destroyed.
Colorado beetle
On plants affected by the beetle, tubers are formed worse than on healthy ones. It helps to plant plants with a strong smell next to potatoes (calendula, dill). Processing with such means as Karate, Corado, Tanrek, etc. helps. Before using the drugs, you must carefully study the instructions. And, of course, the tried-and-true hand-picking of the beetle helps. A good protection against the beetle is adding wood ash to the holes when planting.
Reviews
Most of the reviews about the variety are positive.
