Potato occupies a significant place in human nutrition. Therefore, there is hardly a garden plot without a place allocated for its planting. A huge number of delicious and favorite dishes are prepared from potatoes. gardeners consider planting potatoes obligatory for themselves and set aside significant areas for cultivation.
The right variety is the key to a good harvest. The abundance of varieties makes it possible to choose a culture with the desired characteristics and taste properties. The Sante variety was obtained by Dutch breeders, and in the early 90s it was included in the State Register of Our Country. Since that time, it has been successfully grown by domestic gardeners and enjoys well-deserved popularity.
Variety description
Variety Sante – medium early, 80 – 90 days pass between planting and harvesting. The yield depends on the fertility of the soil, weather conditions and the place where the variety grows. Nevertheless, the yield indicators are quite high: from 275 to 500 centners per hectare. Experienced gardeners give a positive description of the Sante potato variety, confirming it with reviews and photos.
- The bush is small, compact, of medium height;
- The plant does not form an abundant green mass;
- The root system is well developed, which contributes to abundant tuberization. One bush gives up to 20 potatoes;
- Tubers have a rounded or oval-rounded shape;
- The weight of each reaches 150 g;
- The tubers are the same size;
- The peel is yellowish in color, thin, but dense, keeps the tubers from damage. Potatoes are well transported and have a marketable appearance that is attractive to buyers, and is well stored;
- Many eyes, but they are superficial, shallow. Tubers are easy to clean, remain even;
- On the cut, the potato is painted in a pleasant yellow color, the taste is very good;
- A feature of the Sante variety is a small proportion of starch (10 – 12,5%). This suggests that potato tubers will not boil soft during cooking, but will retain their shape. The Sante variety is best suited for french fries, fried potatoes, for seasoning soups, baking and stuffing. The tubers have an excellent taste, peeled, do not darken for a long time. When cooked, a crispy crust forms;
- The variety is rich in B and C vitamins, amino acids and microelements;
- The choice of Santa’s potatoes is also supported by the fact that this variety is resistant to diseases that early and mid-early varieties of potatoes are usually susceptible to. The Sante variety is resistant to late blight, the most dangerous potato disease, with the defeat of which you can lose more than 70% of the crop. The variety is not affected by potato scab, viruses and nematodes.
The Sante variety has a number of advantages. Therefore, he fell in love with gardeners. Many remain faithful to the variety for many years also because it is not capricious when grown. Looking at the photo, it becomes clear that the description of the Sante potato variety is true.
Peculiarities of growing
To enjoy the rich harvest of the Sante variety, it is worth observing simple agricultural practices.
For landing, choose flat areas without slopes. In autumn, prepare the soil. Dig and fertilize. Manure and mineral fertilizers, ashes should also be applied in the fall, since over the winter they turn into a form convenient for assimilation by plants. Moreover, applying fresh manure in the spring can cause disease in potatoes. Potassium and phosphorus are what potatoes need, and an excess of nitrogen, on the contrary, can cause a decrease in yield.
In autumn, take care of the seed material. For the future harvest, the correct selection of tubers is important. For planting, select medium-sized Santa potatoes, about the size of a chicken egg. A common mistake is to leave very small tubers on the seeds that are not suitable for food. This approach leads to the degeneration of the Sante variety, the deterioration of the yield.
To get an earlier harvest, strong friendly shoots, Santa’s potatoes are advised to germinate before planting. For 3-4 weeks, seed potatoes are lifted from storage places and placed in a bright room with a temperature of at least 15 degrees. The tubers are placed in boxes or bags with holes, or scattered on the floor if space permits. Sprouts should be no more than 5 mm before planting, as longer ones break off during transportation.
High temperature during germination accelerates the formation of seedlings, but also weakens the tuber itself. Watch the video on how to prepare Santa’s potatoes for sprouting:
When planting the Santa variety, certain agrotechnical standards are required. Since the variety has a developed root system, plant tubers at a distance of 35-40 cm from each other. The row spacing should be at least 50-60 cm. Compliance with the recommended distance between plants will allow you to have a supply of soil during hilling, and Santa’s potato bushes will feel the best, since this variety is light-loving.
The question of how deep the tubers are when planting depends on the type of soil. If the soils are clayey, dense, then it is better to plant tubers in prepared ridges, deepening them by 5 cm. When planting in sandy soils, potato tubers should be placed at a depth of 13-15 cm.
Variety Santa likes warmth. Therefore, too early planting potatoes in the ground is impractical. You should wait until the time of return frosts passes, and the soil warms up to +9 degrees. At lower temperatures, the growth of the plant freezes, and it will be very difficult to wait for a good harvest from plantings lagging behind in development. The optimal conditions for the growth and fruiting of Sante potatoes are a temperature of no more than +28 degrees and moderate humidity.
Regular potato care consists in the timely removal of weeds, watering, hilling and top dressing. If watering is required and you have the opportunity to organize it, then this should be used, as you can significantly increase the yield of your plantings. Santa’s potatoes respond best to drip irrigation. Fertilize regularly, alternating organic fertilizers with mineral ones.
Weeding and hilling are traditional activities in the cultivation of potatoes. When hilling, additional tubers are formed, and the supply of oxygen to the potato improves, which is especially important if the soil is heavy. In addition, weeds are destroyed. Hilling collects potato branches and gives them an upright position. Thus, the foliage will receive maximum sunlight, which is especially important during the formation of buds, since at this time tubers are laid in the underground part of the plant.
The Sante variety is harvested 80-90 days after planting. Before harvesting, experienced gardeners mow the tops and leave the tubers in the ground for about another 1,5 weeks. Such actions increase the preserved qualities of potatoes, the peel becomes stronger, is not damaged during harvesting and transportation.
The Sante variety keeps well. Before laying potatoes for long-term storage, they should dry well.
Conclusion
Sante potatoes are suitable for growing in small private farms and large farming companies selling vegetables. The variety is very promising, high-yielding, disease resistant. It is a godsend for restaurateurs, as it retains an attractive appearance during cooking, keeps its shape, and forms a crisp when frying. For farmers, the variety is attractive in that it is well stored, gives a consistently high yield, and is undemanding in growing conditions.
