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High yield, disease resistance, excellent keeping quality, excellent taste – these are the qualities that a relatively young Rodrigo potato variety has. It was bred by German breeders, and entered into the State Register in 2009. The originator is Solana GmbH & Co.
Distinctive features of the variety
Despite the fact that gardeners have recently grown Rodrigo potatoes on their plots, this variety has already earned a lot of positive feedback and is becoming increasingly popular.
The variety showed excellent results in the southern regions, as well as in areas with more severe climatic conditions. However, the catalogs indicate that experts recommend growing the Rodrigo potato variety in the middle Volga region.
Rodrigo is a mid-early variety in terms of ripening. The growing season is 70 to 85 days. This is how long it takes for the skin of a potato of this variety to become dense and tough enough. However, just 2-2,5 months after planting, you can already try the first young potatoes by digging a few bushes.
Rodrigo potato bushes, according to the description of the variety and reviews (which can be clearly seen in the photo), consist on average of 3-5 shoots. The stems are high, reach 75-80 cm. In the process of potato ripening, the bush gradually disintegrates, the stems droop.
Rodrigo does not have so many leaves, but they are large, with barely noticeable wavy folds along the edges. During flowering, the number of inflorescences is insignificant. Petals pale lilac, sometimes reddish with a pink tint.
According to the description of the variety, the tubers of Rodrigo potatoes in the phase of full maturity reach a weight of 90-150 grams. However, in fact, many gardeners note that, subject to the rules of agricultural cultivation, a richer harvest can be harvested. Some tubers reach a weight of 300-350 grams, and even up to 0,5 kg.
From one bush you can collect 7-10 potatoes. Small and clumsy tubers are not observed. For the most part, all potatoes of this variety are medium or large in size, even, without flaws, elongated, oval in shape.
The skin of the Rodrigo potato is pale raspberry or dark pink in color, smooth to the touch, quite dense in order to endure a long shelf life. A small number of eyes are located on the surface, without excessive deepening. Any housewife will appreciate this feature of the variety, since peeling potatoes does not take much time.
The flesh of Rodrigo potatoes is yellowish-creamy. The starch content is low, at the level of 12,5-15,5%, which leads to a wide range of its application. Does not boil soft and does not crumble during cooking, keeps its shape perfectly.
Advantages and disadvantages
Despite the fact that this variety was brought to us from Germany, gardeners from different regions of Our Country have already managed to appreciate its merits. According to numerous reviews, Rodrigo potatoes have a lot of advantages with an absolute absence of disadvantages.
- Unpretentiousness of potatoes to the composition of the soil, calmly endures prolonged drought and heat.
- The high yield of the variety is: from a bush – 7-10 rather large potatoes, from one hundred square meters – up to 600 kg, from one hectare – up to 180-210 tons.
- Varietal characteristics of Rodrigo potatoes persist for 5-7 years, providing gardeners with high yields and excellent quality.
- Excellent taste qualities.
- Excellent presentation, which is of great importance for owners of farms.
- Transportability.
- Tubers damaged during collection and sorting can be safely stored for long-term storage. In places of damage, the potato does not turn black and does not deteriorate.
- The variety has a very high, genetically determined resistance to many viral and fungal diseases.
- Wide scope.
According to the description stated by the originators, Rodrigo potatoes have no significant shortcomings. The only drawback is the excessive and premature spreading of the bushes. This circumstance makes it difficult to hill potatoes. However, this disadvantage can be rather attributed to the advantages of the variety.
The soil under sprawling bushes stays wet longer, which means that potatoes will require many times less watering.
Cultivation technology
According to numerous reviews, growing Rodrigo potatoes is not particularly difficult due to the unpretentiousness of the variety. However, there are some growing nuances that you need to know about in advance.
Love does not love
In general, based on the characteristics of the variety, Rodrigo potatoes are not whimsical to the composition of the soil. However, to obtain guaranteed high yields, the crop must be provided with a sufficient amount of nutrients.
Like any potato variety, Rodrigo loves loose and fertile soils with excellent moisture throughput. Unsuitable for growing too heavy and sandy, poor soil. Potatoes will not give you a rich harvest in such areas.
Before planting, it is desirable to enrich the earth with humus or complex mineral fertilizer.
The characteristic of the potato variety Rodrigo involves growing a crop on soils with medium acidity. Potatoes do not like too acidic soils. Therefore, pre-determine the indicators of acid in the composition of the soil. Ideal indicators should vary between 5,5-7.
With increased acidity, slaked lime (fluff), dolomite flour or crushed chalk should be added to the soil before digging. Not bad deoxidizes the soil and powdered eggshells.
Positively variety Rodrigo reacts to the abundance of sunlight. Deficiency immediately affects the appearance of the crop and yield. Potato shoots become thin and weak, and tubers become smaller. Consider this factor when choosing the ideal place for planting potatoes.
When growing potatoes of the Rodrigo variety, chemicals to kill weeds should not be used. Therefore, it is desirable to remove weeds from the site manually or by treatment with herbicides even before planting.
Rules of crop rotation
The characteristic of Rodrigo’s potatoes and the reviews of gardeners indicate that the main rule of growing agrotechnics is to observe a competent crop rotation.
It is undesirable to plant potatoes in one place for more than two or three years in a row. When choosing the ideal site, keep in mind that plants of the nightshade family are undesirable predecessors for potatoes. But the beds on which onions, legumes, cabbage of any variety, corn, radish, beets, spinach grew in the past will be an excellent option for growing crops.
Green manure planted in autumn or spring before planting will saturate the soil with nitrogen and oxygen, reduce the number of weeds and loosen the ground well. Professionals say that the yield of potatoes planted after green manure increases by 30-40%.
Preparation of planting material
A month before planting, all tubers must be carefully sorted. Choose only healthy, undamaged tubers of approximately the same size. Potatoes the size of a chicken egg or a little more are suitable for planting.
The selected seed material is laid out in boxes in 1-2 layers and placed in a warm, sufficiently lit room for germination. The longer the sprouts of the potato, the faster the entrances will appear.
If, according to preliminary forecasts, you do not have enough material for planting, large tubers can be cut into pieces. The main thing is that on each separated part there are 2-3 full-fledged, healthy sprouts. Cut potatoes preferably no more than 2-3 days before planting.
When to plant
You should not rush to land Rodrigo, however, it is also undesirable to postpone this event for too long. In the southern regions, potatoes are planted in the last decade of April or early May. But in areas with more severe climatic conditions, this period can be shifted by 2-3 weeks. That is, planting potatoes occurs in mid-late May.
To more accurately determine the optimal landing time, watch the weather. If the air temperature for 5-7 days stays within + 18˚С + 20˚С, and the soil warms up to + 10˚С at a depth of 8-10 cm, then you can start planting.
Landing scheme and rules
Given the individual characteristics of the variety, the planting pattern of Rodrigo potatoes differs significantly from generally accepted norms. The spreading of the bushes requires an increase in the distance between the planting holes.
The minimum distance between nearby potato tubers is 30-35 cm. It is advisable to leave the aisles more spacious – 70-75 cm. The depth of the planting hole depends on the quality of the soil. For heavy soil, 6-8 cm will be enough, but for loose and light soil, you need to dig a hole deeper, at least 12-15 cm.
At the end of planting work, it is advisable to water the beds and mulch with straw or peat chips. This procedure will help you protect Rodrigo potatoes from freezing in case of unpredictable return frosts.
Care after landing
Any crop after planting needs care. Rodrigo potatoes are no exception. Regular weeding and loosening, watering and hilling – each procedure has long been familiar to every gardener.
Cleanliness in the beds is a guarantee of a rich harvest. Therefore, weed potatoes as needed, combining weeding with loosening the soil. And Rodrigo will definitely thank you for your diligence.
Rodrigo potatoes are spudded 2-3 times per season. The first procedure is carried out after the emergence of shoots. Young shoots are completely covered with soil. Potatoes need to be spud again before the stems reach a height of 12-18 cm. Subsequently, it is advisable to loosen the soil between the rows after rain or as the soil compacts.
But with the watering of potatoes of the Rodrigo variety, judging by the reviews of gardeners, there are no special problems. Spreading bushes help keep the soil moist for quite a long period. Therefore, the Rodrigo variety is not afraid of drought. However, pay special attention to the condition of the soil during flowering.
If it is hot during the budding period, and precipitation is not expected in the near future, water the beds abundantly. It is undesirable to water the potatoes with a hose so as not to violate the integrity of the row spacing. Give preference to drip irrigation or sprinkling.
Who or what can threaten culture
Due to the genetically determined resistance, the Rodrigo potato variety is extremely rarely affected by any diseases. The only one that can threaten this culture is the well-known Colorado potato beetle.
You can fight the pest with the help of chemicals (Inta-Vir, Prestige or Taboo). You can also use folk remedies (plant along the edge of the garden or between the rows of calendula, garlic).
Collection and storage rules
Rodrigo’s potatoes are harvested as soon as the first signs of ripening appear. Yellowed and dry tops signal that it is no longer possible to delay. After digging, the entire crop is sorted. Potatoes intended for long-term storage are dried in the shade for 2-3 days. The tubers cleaned of dirt are laid in a basement or storage room in which the following conditions are met:
- temperature within +3˚С +5˚С;
- humidity within 75-85%;
- good ventilation.
Rodrigo potato tubers selected for planting should be greened in the sun for 5-7 days and put away for storage.
The author of the video will share with you the results of growing potatoes of the Rodrigo variety under hay
Conclusion
Potatoes are grown in almost every area. After all, it has long been considered the most important culture, which has long and firmly entered the diet and was honored to be called the second bread. That is why every gardener scrupulously selects varieties that are guaranteed to give a rich harvest. And judging by the description and photo, the Rodrigo potato variety is worthy of the attention of the most sophisticated gardeners.