Contents
Lyubava potatoes are well adapted to the climate. Its value lies in its high yield, good taste of root crops and early ripening. Planting potatoes is carried out in the spring, and in the summer the plants are cared for.
History of origin
The potato variety Lyubava was the result of selection by Moscow and Novosibirsk specialists. Since 2000, tests have been carried out on the variety, which was included in the state register in 2003.
Description and characteristics
Lyubava potatoes are recommended for growing in the Urals, Siberia and the Far East. The tubers have a table purpose.
Features of the Lyubava variety:
- early fruiting period;
- upright bushes of medium height;
- small open type leaves with wavy edges;
- purple flowers;
- friendly ripening of tubers.
Variety Lyubava brings reddish rounded tubers with a rough skin. The average weight is from 110 to 210 g. The pulp of the potato is white, the taste is good. The starch content is 11-17%. Commodity qualities are estimated at a high level.
The yield of the variety ranges from 288 to 400 c/ha. Compared with the reference varieties Pushkinets and Beloyarsky early, from 1 hectare of Lyubava potato plantings, they harvest 50-100 centners more.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of growing and the disadvantages of the Lyubava variety are shown in the table:
| Pros | Cons |
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Landing
Potatoes prefer medium to light soil. The culture grows well on sandy and sandy soils, in loam and chernozem. In clay soil, tubers develop slowly and are prone to rot.
The best predecessors for potatoes are beets, cabbage, cucumbers, green manure. After tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and eggplants, planting a crop is not recommended.
Tubers are planted in April or May, depending on the weather conditions of the region. The soil should warm up well to a depth of 10 cm. Healthy tubers weighing about 80 g are selected for planting, without signs of decay and damage.
1,5 months before the start of work, Lyubava potatoes are kept in a bright place to stimulate the appearance of sprouts. When the sprouts reach a length of 1 cm, it’s time to start planting. Immediately before planting, root crops are treated with Epin or another growth stimulator.
Lubava tubers are planted in holes or furrows. If the soil is heavy, the roots are deepened by 4-5 cm. The planting depth in light soil is 10 cm. 30 cm is left between the tubers, the rows are placed every 70 cm.
Care
Before germination, planting care consists in loosening the soil. So the tubers will receive more oxygen, necessary for the active growth of the root system. During loosening, weeds are weeded. The procedure is best done after watering or rainfall.
When the first buds appear, intensive watering of the potatoes begins. Moisture is added as the topsoil dries out. It is necessary to constantly keep the soil moist.
Under each bush make 2-3 liters of warm settled water. Lubava potatoes are watered in the evening when there is no direct exposure to the sun. After watering, the soil is loosened between the rows.
Hilling and top dressing
Due to hilling, Lyubava potatoes form stolons on which tubers develop. The soil supports the shoots and prevents them from falling apart. When hilling, the earth is raked from the row-spacing to potato bushes. For manual processing, forks are used; special equipment is used to simplify hilling.
Hilling is performed twice per season:
- with a bush height of 15 cm;
- 2-3 weeks after the first treatment, before flowering.
Regular top dressing ensures a high yield of the Lyubava variety. Processing is carried out 2-3 times per season, taking into account the condition of the bushes.
The procedure for feeding Lyubava potatoes:
- when forming tops;
- in period buttoning;
- 3 weeks before harvest.
The first top dressing is necessary with a slow development of potatoes. Thin stems and pale green leaves of plants testify to the need to apply fertilizer. For irrigation, prepare a solution enriched with nitrogen. It is best to use natural ingredients: bird droppings or manure.
For the second treatment of the Lyubava variety, a complex fertilizer is prepared containing 15 g of potassium sulfate and 30 g of superphosphate per 10 liters of water. The bushes are watered with a solution under the root. Processing stimulates the formation of tubers, improves their taste and keeping quality.
Fertilizing with phosphorus and potassium is repeated after the end of flowering before harvesting. An alternative way to feed is to use any complex fertilizer for vegetables.
Diseases and pests
The most dangerous disease of potato Lyubava is late blight, which affects tubers and tops. It is identified by dark oily spots. Plants are also susceptible to rot, scab, Fusarium and other fungal diseases. Spores of harmful fungi enter the site along with poor-quality planting material and tools.
To protect plantings from late blight and other fungal diseases, the bushes are treated with Bordeaux liquid or other copper-based preparations. Mandatory preventive measures are the careful selection of tubers for planting, digging the soil, fertilizing and weeding.
Potato attracts the Colorado potato beetle, nematode, wireworm. Spraying with solutions of Sumi-Alpha or Karate preparations is effective against the Colorado potato beetle. Processing is carried out when the first beetle larvae appear.
The nematode looks like a worm no more than 1,3 mm long. The pest feeds on plant sap and provokes the appearance of malignant tumors. Preventive measures help protect plantings from nematodes. Be sure to observe crop rotation and weed weeds.
Harvesting
The harvest of the Lyubava variety is carried out at an early date. Potato harvesting begins 45-55 days after the emergence of seedlings on the bed.
The tubers are dug up when the potato tops have turned yellow and dried up. It is recommended to harvest no later than 3 weeks after the appearance of such signs. If the root crops are kept in the ground, their taste and transportability will deteriorate.
Then, for 2 weeks, the roots are kept in a dark barn. During this time, signs of disease will appear, which will allow the potatoes to be discarded. Healthy tubers are stored in a cool, dry place.
The yield of the Lyubava variety depends on the period of digging potatoes. If the work is carried out on the 45th day after the germination of the crop, then the yield will be from 140 to 200 c/ha. When carrying out the second digging on the 55th day, 1-200 centners of potatoes are obtained from 270 hectare.
Conclusion
Lyubava potato is a proven productive variety. It is valued for its early ripening, good taste and commercial qualities. Regular planting care helps to get a high yield: loosening, hilling, watering and top dressing. Due to proper agricultural technology, the risk of developing diseases will decrease.
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