Content
Dutch potatoes The Mozart variety is a table variety. It has proven itself to be excellent when grown in the North-Western, North Caucasus, Central Black Earth, Central and Volga-Vyatka regions of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
Description
Bushes of the Mozart variety grow in different heights (from medium to high) and form erect or semi-erect stems. The reddish flowers with a purple tint look quite large. The leaves are usually medium in size.
The ripening period of root crops is 80-110 days. In one bush, 12-15 potatoes weighing 100-145 g are formed. The peel of the fruits of the Mozart variety is red, and the flesh is yellow (as in the photo). According to reviews from summer residents, potatoes do not overcook, have a pleasant taste and are well suited for preparing a variety of dishes. Starch in Mozart potato roots is in the range of 14-17%. This variety is perfectly stored for a long time (keeping quality 92%).
Advantages and disadvantages
Potatoes of the Mozart variety are popular among summer residents and farmers due to simple agricultural technology and many other advantages:
- excellent taste;
- mid-early tuber formation;
- excellent commercial quality;
- resistance to drought and heat;
- tubers tolerate long-term transportation well due to their high resistance to damage;
- insensitive to potato cancer, scab and golden nematode.
The disadvantage of the Mozart variety is its low resistance to late blight.
Landing
As soon as warm weather arrives, you can start planting Mozart potatoes. To reap a high harvest, several activities are carried out:
- In the fall, they prepare an area allocated for potato beds. Carefully removed weeds, remains of vegetable crops. The soil is covered with a thin layer of compost and watered with EM preparations (Baikal-EM-1, Siyanie, Vozrozhdenie), which improve the soil structure, heal the soil, destroy pathogenic bacteria, increase the mineral nutrition of plants and the quality of Mozart fruits. After this, the soil is loosened. This compost “powdering” of the soil accelerates the ripening of the crop by about two weeks.
- For planting, the tubers are carefully sorted: only large, whole and healthy ones are selected. To speed up potato germination, the seed is placed in a warm, illuminated place until powerful shoots appear. You should not allow long sprouts to grow, otherwise they will simply break off when planting. Mozart potato planting material is sprayed with disinfectants (Prestige fungicide) and growth stimulants (Poteitin, Epin, Bioglobin).
If a small area is being planted, then holes can be made using a shovel. Common planting scheme: row spacing - 70-80 cm, in a row the distance between holes - 30-35 cm. To maximize the germination of Mozart seed, wood ash and a little earth mixed with humus are placed in each hole.
Care
Only timely and proper care of potato plantings will be the key to a good and high-quality harvest.
The soil around potato bushes should always be soft to ensure air access to the roots. The first time the beds are loosened is 5-6 days after planting the Mozart potato tubers. And repeat the process as necessary - as soon as a dry crust forms on the surface of the soil.
The frequency of irrigation is determined by the climatic characteristics of the region. If the weather is cool and rainy, there is no need to additionally moisten the soil. In dry weather, slight wilting of the tops is a signal of a lack of moisture. In order to properly saturate the soil and provide water for planting Mozart potatoes, it is recommended to pour approximately 45-50 liters of water per square meter of plot area.
In regions with hot, dry summers, it makes sense to organize a drip irrigation system for potatoes.
It is better to start irrigating plants in the morning.
Hilling and feeding
Selection and planting of seed are important stages in growing Mozart potatoes. But to get a high yield, you need to pay attention to the beds throughout the season.
Features of hilling
Experienced gardeners recommend hilling up Mozart potato beds twice per season. The bushes are treated for the first time when the stems grow to a height of approximately 20 cm. This procedure is repeated when the potato tops reach a height of 35-40 cm.
If the need arises, hilling is done more often. After all, this event significantly affects the yield of the Mozart variety. Thanks to hilling, the soil is loosened and the root crops receive air. The earthen beds allow additional tubers to set.Loosening the soil prevents it from drying out quickly, and at the same time removes weeds.
If the temperature is high, it is better to set aside time for the procedure in the morning and pre-moisten the potato beds.
How to fertilize
The Mozart potato variety is a mid-late variety, so it especially needs feeding during the period of green mass growth and tuber setting. It is most effective to use a local method of applying fertilizers. This way the nutrients will go directly to the root system.
In order not to make mistakes with the application of fertilizers and to get a good yield result, it is recommended to feed Mozart potatoes three times during the season:
- During active growing season, use a mixture of humus (15 glasses) and urea (10 tsp). This composition is sufficient to process a ten-meter row of potatoes.
- To stimulate the formation of buds and flowering of the Mozart variety, a combined composition is used: 30 tbsp. l wood ash is mixed with 10 tsp potassium sulfate. The dose is calculated for a bed 10 m long.
- To make tubers more active, use a solution of mineral fertilizers: dilute 2 tbsp in 10 liters of water. l superphosphate and potassium sulfate and 1 tbsp. l nitrophoska. Half a liter of fertilizer is poured under each bush.
It is not recommended to use organic matter during the flowering of Mozart potatoes, as this causes increased weed growth.
Diseases and pests
The development of diseases in Mozart potatoes is caused by fungi and bacteria. The most common are:
| Signs of the disease | Treatment options | |
| Late blight affects the leaves of the Mozart variety. Appears after the bushes bloom | Favorable conditions are cool, rainy days. The first symptoms are dark brown spots on the lower leaves. The whole bush gradually rots | The main way to combat it is through preventive measures. The rules of crop rotation are observed and tomatoes are not planted nearby. It is effective to spray Mozart potato bushes with chemicals - a solution of a mixture of copper sulfate and Bordeaux mixture |
| Blackleg is a bacterial disease | The lower part of the stem is painted black. Favorable conditions are cool, damp weather. Tops and tubers rot | Diseased bushes are removed by the roots. Prevention: seed material is warmed up and germinated before planting. Potato tubers of the Mozart variety are also dried before storing |
| The Colorado potato beetle eats the leaves of bushes. The main damage is caused by larvae | Adult insects overwinter in the soil and appear when the air warms to +12-18˚С | Insects are collected by hand. Spraying potato beds with chemicals is also used: Tsimbush, Dilor, Volaton |
Harvesting
Approximately 15-20 days after flowering, it is recommended to bend the stems at a height of 10-15 cm from the ground. To prevent photosynthesis from stopping and the plant from withering, the stems of the Mozart potato are not completely broken. This technique can significantly increase potato yields. Since plant substances will not fully enter the top of the bush, but will “return” to the roots. But this method can only be applied to healthy plants.
As soon as the lower leaves of the tops turn yellow, you can mow them. After 7-10 days they begin to dig potatoes. The harvest is not immediately harvested for storage. In dry weather, the tubers are left on the field to dry.If the weather is damp or rainy, then it is better to place the Mozart potatoes under cover. The harvest must be sorted. Tubers are selected separately for future planting. Do not leave damaged, limp or diseased potatoes over the winter.
Wooden containers that are ventilated are suitable for storing crops. The boxes are installed in a dark, dry, cool room.
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