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Potato is a vegetable crop that is widely distributed throughout the world. Breeders have bred many varieties of this vegetable, which differ in taste, color, shape and ripening time. For an early harvest, early ripening varieties are suitable. And for long-term storage, it is better to plant mid-season and late species. One of these is the Skarb potato, whose name translates as a treasure. We will give a detailed description of this variety, consider its photo and reviews of gardeners.
Origin
The potato variety Skarb got its start in Belarus. Its authors are Z.A. Semenova, A.E. Zuykov, E.G. Ryndin and L.I. Pishchenko. Breeders brought him to the Research Institute of Potato and Horticulture in 1997. And in 2002, the variety was officially included in the state register of Our Country. It became possible to import it into the country, propagate and sell planting material.
Potatoes are suitable for planting in the Central, Ural, Northwestern and Volga-Vyatka regions of the Federation. It is also popular in Moldova, Belarus and Ukraine.
Characterization
Potato Scarb has an average ripening period and has a table purpose. Compared to early varieties, the harvest is 25-30 days later. The growing season averages 95-110 days.
Description of the plant and tubers
The variety is characterized by the formation of semi-spreading and medium-sized bushes, the height of which can reach 60 cm. The plant is strewn with small, oval-oblong leaves with smooth edges.
Snow-white inflorescences of ten flowers are formed on light green stems. Pollination occurs naturally. Sometimes after it, green berries are formed, which usually crumble. They do not affect the yield.
Each bush can bring from 12 to 15 tubers. They have an oval shape and a smooth golden skin, on which small eyes can be found. The flesh of the potato is tender, rich yellow. The mass of the tuber varies from 160 to 250 g.
Since the sugar content of the Skarb potato is 0,4%, it has a sweetish taste. The vegetable contains no more than 18% starch, so it is widely used in cooking. Chips are made from potatoes, added to salads and soups.
Advantages
Advantages of Skarb potatoes:
- resistance to drought and low temperatures;
- excellent presentation;
- good yield;
- can be stored for a long time;
- excellent taste;
- resistance to many diseases.
Potatoes do not crumble when cooked, as they contain a large amount of starch. Skarb potato tubers are smooth and large, so this variety is in demand, and many gardeners grow it for sale.
Disadvantages
This variety also has a number of disadvantages:
- vulnerability to late blight of tubers and leaves;
- may be affected by ring rot;
- seedlings may appear unevenly and for a long time;
- a young plant is sensitive to waterlogging;
- tubers must be germinated before planting.
Cut potatoes are not used as seed. If you provide potatoes with regular care, you can avoid many problems.
Yield and maturity
For economic purposes, this is a table variety, which belongs to the middle late. No more than 85-95 days pass from the moment of emergence of seedlings to the full maturation of potato tubers.
Scarb is a high-yielding variety. Gardeners get from 12 to 15 tubers from one bush. With proper care, up to 7 kg of potatoes can be harvested per square meter of the garden, and up to 70000 kg per hectare of land.
Planting potatoes
To get a bountiful harvest, you need to study the features of planting this variety.
Skarb potatoes are planted in warm soil. The air temperature should not be lower than +20°C, and the ground temperature should not be lower than 10°C. Usually landing begins in the second half of May.
Site selection and processing
For planting a plant, you must choose a sunny and dry area with a flat surface. The vegetable grows well on fertile and slightly acidic soil. Plantain and clover usually grow on such land.
The best predecessors of this crop are legumes, cucumbers, onions, cabbage and winter rye.
A plot for potatoes Treasury begins to be prepared in the fall. It is dug up to a depth of 25-30 cm and cleaned of weeds and roots. At the same time, the following fertilizers are applied to the soil (per 1 m2):
- compost or humus – 1 bucket;
- superphosphate – 4-5 tbsp. l.;
- potassium salt – 2 Art. l
Add 1 bucket of sand to clay soil. In the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied to the site.
Preparing the tubers
A month before planting, the tubers are taken out of the basement. They are carefully examined, rotten and damaged are thrown out. Healthy potatoes of about the same size are suitable for planting.
In order to germinate tubers faster, they are removed for 2-3 days in a room where the air temperature is in the range from 35 to 40оC. Then they are put on the bottom of the box and placed in a lighted place with room temperature. When the sprouts reach 3 – 4 cm in height, the potatoes can be planted.
But before planting, it is advisable to spray it with Prestige or a solution of copper sulfate. To prepare it, you need 1 tsp. Add substances to 3 liters of water and mix thoroughly. Such treatment is the prevention of phytosporosis, which can affect potatoes of the Skarb variety.
Rules of landing
Potatoes are planted to a depth of 8-10 cm at a distance of 30 to 35 cm from each other. At least 60 cm should be left between rows so that it is convenient to take care of the crop in the future.
In accordance with the planting scheme, trenches are dug or holes are made. Rows are laid out from south to north. So the landings will be better warmed up and illuminated.
If the site has not been fertilized since autumn, a handful of humus and ash is added to each well. Also, under each bush, you can add a teaspoon of superphosphate and potassium salt. Then the tubers are placed in the wells with sprouts up and covered with a layer of soil.
Features of care
After planting, the Skarb potato variety needs attention and careful care. To do this correctly, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of watering, weeding, hilling and top dressing.
Loosening and weeding
For the entire growing season, loosening the soil is recommended to be carried out 3 times. It is convenient to combine it with weeding. Approximately 7-10 days after planting, a rake should be walked along a bed planted with potatoes. This will help get rid of young weeds.
After the appearance of sprouts, the area between the rows must be loosened again. This will make it easier for water and air to reach the potato roots.
Hilling
Hilling is the process of filling the lower part of the plant with fresh and loose soil. This contributes to a 20% increase in yield. The event should be held in the morning or evening after rain. The weather must be overcast or cloudy.
For the whole season, potato bushes Treasury spud three times:
- When the height of shoots reaches 10 cm.
- Two weeks after the first time.
- During flowering.
Hilling promotes the formation of new roots and tubers. The soil is saturated with oxygen, so the growth of root crops is enhanced.
Additional fertilizing
Potatoes of this variety are fed by spraying the above-ground part of the plant or by applying fertilizer to the hole. For the entire growing season, the procedure should be carried out three times:
- During the formation of tops. A solution is prepared from 300 g of ash and 10 liters of water, the plant is sprayed. Or make an infusion of weeds and water it.
- during bud formation. Potatoes are watered with a solution of 3 tbsp. l. ash, 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate and 10 liters of water. Per meter of bed – 1 liter of fertilizer.
- During flowering. Under each bush contribute 2 tbsp. l. superphosphate, or water it with a solution of 1 cup of mullein, 2 tbsp. l. nitrophoska and 10 liters of water. For one plant – 0,5 liters of fertilizer.
When applying dry fertilizers under a bush, it must be spudded. After rain or watering, the mixture will dissolve into the soil.
Watering
For the entire period of growth and development, the plant must be watered at least three times. In dry and hot weather, irrigation should be carried out as the soil dries out. Watering potatoes Skarb is carried out at the rate of 10 liters of water per 1 m2. If the summer is cloudy and rainy, you can limit yourself to loosening and weeding the soil. Watering must be stopped 15 days before harvest.
Diseases and pests
Skarb potatoes are resistant to leaf mosaic, viral diseases, scab, wet and dry rot. It is almost immune to golden nematode and blackleg. But the leaves can be affected by phytophthora, which is manifested by the darkening of the leaves and their death. Sometimes tubers can develop ring rot, which can be recognized by yellow and brown spots.
In order not to lose the crop, it is recommended to carry out preventive treatment of the bushes. Spraying with a solution of copper sulphate and high hilling prevents the appearance of phytophthora. Processing must be carried out before flowering.
The appearance of ring rot can be prevented by the application of potash fertilizers. Do not cut the root crop before planting.
If the Colorado potato beetle appears on Scrub potatoes, it is better to harvest it by hand. Chemical preparations should be used only with the mass appearance of pests, as they can change the taste of potatoes. The most common insecticides: Corado, Prestige, Aktara, On the spot and Prestige.
Collection and storage
Watering is stopped 15 days before harvesting, and the aerial part of the plant is mowed, leaving short stems without foliage. The tops are collected and burned. Cleaning is best done in dry and warm weather.
Potatoes are carefully dried and sorted. Damaged during digging or root crops with signs of disease should be set aside separately. Selected potatoes are stored for 2-3 weeks in a dry room for final ripening.
For the main storage, the belongings are removed to a room where the air temperature is maintained at 2 – 5оC, and humidity is 80 – 85%. Planting potatoes are put in a separate container.
Reviews of gardeners
Conclusion
Belarusian potato Skarb has a sweetish taste and golden color, so this variety attracts the attention of many gardeners. Fragrant dishes from it will satisfy any gourmet. But this variety of potato is picky about growing conditions. Therefore, a bountiful harvest can only be harvested if all recommendations for care and agricultural technology are followed.