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Early ripening potatoes have a big advantage - within one and a half to two months after planting, you can dig up the tubers and eat them. Farmers are also aware of the disadvantages of early varieties, the main one of which is the mediocre and watery taste of root vegetables. Impala potatoes can be called the “golden mean”, because its tubers ripen very quickly and also have a rich, pleasant taste. Advantages Dutch variety It doesn’t end there; it’s not for nothing that Impala has been one of the most popular types of early potatoes in the country for twenty years. The unpretentiousness of this potato allows you to use any method of growing root crops.
Photos, reviews from farmers and descriptions of Impala potatoes are collected in this article. Here we will talk about all the advantages of early potatoes, and provide recommendations for planting and caring for the crop.
Qualities of an early ripening variety
The Impala potato variety was bred by breeders from the Dutch corporation Agrico in the early 90s of the last century. This potato was included in the State Register of Russia already in 1995 - since then Impala has been one of the most popular varieties in the country.
The characteristics and photos of the Impala potato are as follows:
- very short growing season - 40-60 days after planting, the tubers are ready to eat;
- the possibility of long-term “rest” - tubers can remain in the ground until mid-August;
- the earliest the dug up tubers have a slightly watery taste, but after 3-4 weeks the potatoes are already well boiled and have excellent taste;
- Impala's bushes are tall - about 70-80 cm;
- each plant consists of 4-5 stems, which ensures good bush density;
- Impala grows very quickly, this is especially noticeable at the beginning of the growing season;
- The potatoes bloom abundantly, the inflorescences are snow-white;
- the number of tubers under one bush depends on the care and varies from 12 to 21;
- the share of marketable root crops is 89-94%;
- potatoes are quite large, oval in shape, light yellow in color;
- ocelli superficial, small;
- the skin on the tubers is smooth, thin, but durable;
- the average weight of commercial potatoes is 120-130 grams;
- Tuber mass gain continues until the first days of August;
- the pulp of the Impala variety is dense and yellow;
- taste qualities are rated highly - Impala scores 4.9 points out of five possible among tasters;
- the variety is excellent for frying, stewing, baking, preparing soups and salads; Impala is also good in the form of mashed potatoes - universal table potatoes;
- average starch content - from 11 to 14 percent;
- dry matter – about 17.7%;
- the yield, as for an early variety, is very good - 360 centners per hectare;
- Impala has good keeping quality - at the level of 95-97%, which is also rare for early-ripening potatoes;
- the variety is characterized by good stress resistance - temperature changes and other external factors have virtually no effect on yield;
- early potatoes have excellent immunity to golden nematode, cancer, and viral diseases;
- Impala's average resistance to late blight of tops and tubers, common scab, and leaf curl is noted.
Early Impala potatoes really deserve the love of gardeners. Thanks to its qualities, it can be successfully grown on absolutely any scale: in gardens and cottages, on farm and industrial fields.
You can also use the Kubanka harvest in any way: large tubers can be used to make chips and French fries; Impala is good in mashed potatoes, first courses, salads and other culinary masterpieces.
Advantages and disadvantages
Photos and descriptions of the Impala potato variety show it only from its best side - it seems that Kubanka has absolutely no shortcomings. Really, This potato has many advantages:
- high productivity;
- short growing season;
- excellent taste characteristics;
- resistance to the most dangerous potato diseases;
- large size of tubers and their attractive appearance;
- resistance to drought, temperature fluctuations;
- ripening of most of the crop before the peak of late blight;
- excellent keeping quality;
- excellent presentation;
- high nutritional properties.
Among the disadvantages of Kubanka, one can note its weak immunity to diseases such as rhizoctonia and powdery scab. This early-ripening potato has no other, more serious disadvantages.
Smart cultivation
Impala potatoes, like other related crops, prefer light to medium, not waterlogged soils with normal acidity. Basically, These potatoes are unpretentious to the composition of the soil and are able to produce a good harvest in any conditions.
In order for potato growing to be effective, it is imperative to observe crop rotation: you cannot plant potatoes or other nightshade crops in the same place for two years in a row. The best predecessors for potatoes are legumes, winter crops, and perennial grasses.
Preparation
It is very important to carry out proper pre-planting preparation of Impala tubers. It consists of the following:
- At the beginning of April, potatoes should be removed from storage and brought into a warmer room. The first couple of days the temperature should be maintained at 18-23 degrees. Subsequently, the temperature must be reduced to 12-14 degrees and kept at this level until the potatoes are planted. At the same time, the lighting in the germination room should be good.
- If there are few germinating eyes on the tubers, you can try to increase their number.To do this, make a circular cut on the potato closer to the top.
- Immediately before planting, it is recommended to treat the tubers with chemical fungicidal or insecticidal preparations. To reduce the toxicity of the treatment, you can use gentle agents such as potassium permanganate, boric acid, and wood ash.
Landing in the ground
You can grow Impala potatoes in absolutely any way: in open ground, on high ridges, in bags or under straw. However there is a couple of conditions for effectively growing early potatoes: the soil should be well heated, and the tubers themselves should not be buried too deep underground.
For example, a farmer settled on a method of planting potatoes on ridges. The suitable planting scheme for Impala is 60x60 cm. Sprouted potato tubers are laid out at a certain interval and closed, using a hoe to create a ridge with a total height of 13-15 cm.
Approximately 7-10 days after planting, the earthen ridges should be harrowed with a rake. Harrowing will get rid of filamentous weeds growing through the soil and improve aeration, allowing the potatoes access to air.
After heavy watering or heavy rain, you can add organic fertilizers: cow manure, bird droppings or humus. Fertilizers can be worked into the soil with a hoe or diluted with water and applied directly under the Impala bush.
Rules of care
Reviews from those who planted Impala potatoes on the plot are mostly positive - these potatoes have established themselves as an extremely unpretentious and very reliable variety.
Impala potatoes need the simplest care:
- Infrequent but abundant watering. During the watering process, the soil should get wet to a depth of 40 cm, so for 10 squares of potato beds you will have to use 400-500 liters of water. During the season, Impala will have to be watered 3-4 times, keeping an interval of 10 days between waterings.
- It is best to fertilize Impala potatoes in the early stages of the growing season. Before flowering, you can use foliar fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. You should not apply a lot of nitrogen to the bushes, as this will cause the tubers to become smaller and the potatoes to hurt more.
- Despite their excellent resistance, Impala potatoes will have to be treated for infections and parasites. If the tubers were treated before planting, you need to monitor the condition of the plants and spray only when necessary. Otherwise, preventive spraying will be needed, which is performed 3-4 times per season.
It is better to dig Kubanka potatoes in August, when they gain maximum weight and the taste of the tubers improves. A couple of weeks before harvesting, it is recommended to mow the Impala tops - this will further improve the keeping quality of the tubers.
Review
Conclusion
Impala is a reliable and very resistant variety with early ripening. These potatoes were bred specifically for chip production and were intended to be planted twice a season.
As a result, it turned out that Impala is actively grown by gardeners from all over Russia; its tubers are used to prepare a wide variety of dishes and are successfully stored until the next season. And that’s not all the benefits of Dutch potatoes!
