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It is almost impossible to find a worthy alternative to potatoes in your daily diet. Therefore, almost all gardeners strive to grow and harvest their own potato crop. As a rule, great importance is attached to the choice of variety. In this case, many factors are taken into account: the climatic characteristics of the region, the ripening time of the crop, the taste of the vegetable and the peculiarities of caring for the crop.
The Meteor variety cannot yet be called widespread, since it is quite young (only added to the register of varietal achievements in 2013). However, the excellent taste of the Meteor variety and ease of care ensure a significant increase in the number of its fans.
General characteristics of the variety
Meteor bushes grow tall, with medium-thick stems and dark leaves. White flowers are small in size. Each bush produces approximately 9-11 large potatoes.
The tubers are covered with a thin, cream-colored skin. The inner cut of this variety of potatoes has a light yellow color (as in the photo).
After planting, Meteor finally ripens in approximately 65-70 days, which makes it possible to classify it as an early ripening variety. There is an opinion that the potatoes are not dug until the color drops. However, for this variety it is possible to carry out the first “test” of the harvest after 43-46 days.
The Meteor variety is characterized by a high yield: 210-405 centners of tubers can be collected per hectare. Such a big difference is determined by the level of plant care, weather conditions, and location of the plots.
The distinctive quality of Meteor potatoes is excellent preservation, without loss of taste and appearance.
It is impossible to identify any significant shortcomings in the variety. It is quite natural that difficult weather conditions affect the size of the harvest. However, if you make every effort to properly care for the variety, the volume of the harvest will be quite satisfactory.
Features of cultivation
The main advantage of the Meteor potato variety is its ability to grow and bear fruit in different conditions. It is this quality that allows beginning gardeners to easily and effortlessly grow this variety and reap a decent harvest.
Planting potatoes
The optimal period for planting the variety is early May. According to popular belief, the appropriate period is when the bird cherry blossoms. The main condition is well-warmed soil. The area for the Meteor variety should be properly lit. Any shading is excluded.
Particular attention should be paid to preparing the land approximately two weeks before planting. The ideal option is when the following crops were grown on the plot in front of the potatoes: cucumbers, legumes, onions, and cabbage.
Planting stages
- Meteor potatoes are planted in rows. A distance of approximately 30 cm must be maintained between the holes. A strip of earth approximately 55-65 cm wide is laid between the rows.
- The holes are dug to a depth of approximately 8-12 cm. Organic fertilizer is added to each hole: 4-5 tbsp. l. wood ash and 650-700 g of dry humus.Alternatively, you can use bone meal (half a glass) and a tablespoon of nitrophoska. If you don’t want to rush around the area with a lot of bags, then you can buy a ready-made Kemira mixture in the store. Its manufacturers offer different compositions, but all of them help to increase the yield of Meteor potatoes, improve the quality of the vegetable and increase its ability to be preserved.
- Place two or three tubers in a hole and bury them.
To obtain maximum yield, it is recommended to adhere to the rules for caring for Meteor potatoes: regular loosening of the soil and hilling of plants, especially after rains.
The essence of the method: the sprouted Meteor tubers are laid out on the ground in a row with a step of 20-25 cm. A distance of 90-100 cm is maintained between the rows. Then the potatoes are not pressed into the ground, but soil is simply raked onto the tubers. A ridge is formed with a height of approximately 30-40 cm and a base of 55-60 cm. This shape of the bed must be regularly maintained, especially after rains, when the soil is washed away along the slopes.
The advantages of the method are obvious: Meteor potato tubers are located in ridges and no shovel or pitchfork is required to get the crop. It is enough to move the soil a little at the top of the bed.
Watering and fertilizing the soil
It is advisable to water every ten days. Of course, this indicator can be considered conditional, since different regions will have their own requirements for the frequency of watering.
When watering, you should pay attention not to the quantity of watering, but to its quality. The soil should get wet at least 40 cm deep. The indication for the need for watering is the loss of elasticity of the leaves and wilting of the tops. The best option for organizing irrigation is drip irrigation, in which water will constantly flow into the root system of the Meteor potato and a crust will not form on the soil surface.
To carry out proper feeding, it is recommended to take into account the characteristics of the growing season of the Meteor potato variety. During the season, three main periods of potato development can be distinguished.
- The first stage is from germination of tubers to flowering of bushes, it lasts approximately 24-26 days. This period is characterized by increased growth of tops and the formation of Meteor tubers. It is recommended to add urea and ammonium nitrate.
- The second stage begins after flowering and lasts until the tops begin to wilt, which is approximately 25-27 days. This time can be considered the most important, since intensive growth of Meteor potato tubers occurs. It is advisable to fertilize the soil with superphosphate or add potassium sulfate.
- The third stage is the final withering of the stems and foliage. The growth of the tuber mass is still continuing, but at a slower rate. Mineral-organic mixtures are used: superphosphate and mullein solution.
Meteor potatoes are harvested after the tops have completely dried and withered.
Not all areas have favorable conditions for growing potatoes. Therefore, the composition of the soil can be improved by the correct application of fertilizers.
Diseases and pests
An important advantage of the Meteor potato variety is its high resistance to a number of diseases: dry and ring rot, golden potato nematode.This variety is also characterized by average resistance to late blight, scab, and wrinkled/streaked mosaic.
Since the Meteor variety is characterized by protection against many diseases, there is no need to particularly treat the bushes. As a preventive measure, spraying potatoes with insecticides is encouraged to provide additional protection against insects.
Meteor potatoes can be classified as promising varieties due to their excellent nutritional qualities, disease resistance and the ability to be planted everywhere. Even with minimal but proper care, potatoes will give you a bountiful harvest.
The taste of young potatoes when boiled is incomparable; ripe potatoes in any form are not inferior in taste to the best varieties of potatoes. The tubers are huge, even in early digging. While they were digging young, they were disappointed and intended not to leave them for seeds, but at the end of August they realized that they were mistaken. In total, we plant 8 varieties of different potatoes on an area of 6 acres - there is something to compare with.I recommend it for growing. Moscow region
only inside the flesh is not yellow, but creamy. The color in the illustration has been edited.