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Along with early potato varieties, which are the first to please with their harvest, gardeners prefer to grow mid-late ones. This choice is based on the desire to have a tasty vegetable all winter. Late varieties They are distinguished by increased shelf life and stable yield. Among the popular varieties of this category, the “Sonny” potato occupies a special place.
It is enough to read the description of the variety, reviews from gardeners, and look at the photo, so that the “Sonny” potato becomes very desirable from the first acquaintance. To better learn about the quality characteristics of the “Sonny” variety, listing all its advantages will help:
- Shape and color of tubers. This indicator is important not only for farmers with their requirements for presentation. On the dining table it is also nice to treat your household and guests with smooth, beautiful “Sonny” potatoes. The slightly flat shape of the root vegetables with pink-cream skin gives the Sonny variety potatoes an attractive, neat appearance. The eyes are few, small, superficial and fit harmoniously into the mesh skin. Root crops reach a weight of 70-85 g.
- Bush. The plant forms an erect, compact, low bush. Some branches may be spreading, the green mass is medium, with the same size of leaves. When grown on fertile soils, the “Synok” potato variety forms larger bushes.When flowering, the corollas are compact, the flowers are large and white. It has low berry production. The root system is powerful, one plant produces up to 40 tubers. Potato “Sonny”, photo during flowering:
- Nutritional composition. The main nutritional value of potatoes is starch and protein. Varieties differ in the percentage of starch. Early potatoes have a low percentage, late potatoes have a higher percentage. “Sonny” contains about 14% of this useful substance. The biological value of potato protein is very high. It contains amino acids necessary for our body. The list of vitamins and minerals is also quite wide, so potatoes are considered an important food product.
- Taste parameters. Everyone who has tried Sonnok potatoes in any preparation notes its excellent rich taste. The pulp of the root vegetables is white. Heat treatment and damage do not lead to darkening, so the dishes look very appetizing. Potatoes do not get overcooked due to the low percentage of starch. Suitable for any culinary processing.
- Unpretentiousness. This potato variety is not certified, but its excellent parameters make it suitable for cultivation in all climatic regions. The resistance to weather changes, deficiency or excess of moisture and sun, and the low maintenance requirements that the Sonny potato demonstrates are very high.
- Disease resistance. The “Sonny” potato has very high resistance to common scab, potato cancer, nematode, and moderate resistance to late blight.
- Keeping quality, storage ability. This characteristic is one of the most important.The tubers are perfectly stored and can withstand even violations of humidity and temperature requirements during storage.
The description of the “Sonny” potato variety can be continued, but these advantages are enough to make a decision about growing it.
Getting ready for spring planting
Although “Sonny” potato tubers have the inherent ability to retain varietal qualities, it is still better to properly prepare for planting. Seed material is selected immediately during harvest. To do this, carefully inspect the tubers so that damaged or diseased ones do not fall into the general mass. For planting next year, on average, 45 kg of “Sonny” potatoes are required per one hundred square meters of garden. If small tubers are laid, they should be taken from healthy, well-developed bushes. They are celebrated during the flowering period. Important characteristics are strong stems and unfolded leaf blades. And at the time of harvesting, they make sure that from the marked plants they select those that have formed at least 10-14 potatoes. If they have typical characteristics of the variety and are not damaged mechanically or by disease, then the entire harvest from the bush can be used for storage for seeds.
From each part of the tuber a normal fruiting bush grows.
Preplanting treatment of tubers has a great influence on the quality and quantity of the crop. The most important stage of such preparation is germination in the light. It will take about 40 days to carry out the procedure correctly. Tubers of the Synok variety are placed in a warm, well-lit room with an air temperature of 12-14 degrees above zero.
Potatoes are laid out in a layer (2-3 tubers) on the floor, shelves or in boxes. Some gardeners, in order to save space, germinate the Synok variety in bags or nets. If there are enough holes in the mesh, you will have to make them in the bag. The optimal distance between the holes is 15 cm. This option will increase air access, but lighting for the Synok tubers must be provided.
High-quality germinated tubers are those that form strong, thick sprouts (up to 1 cm). To prevent them from stretching out, at night the temperature is reduced to 4-6 degrees. Spraying the passages in the storage room helps maintain the required percentage of air humidity. Do not delay planting germinated tubers of the “Sonny” variety. As soon as the soil warms up to +8 degrees, you can start.
Selection, site preparation and care
Potatoes "Sonny" can grow well in any soil if certain conditions are met. For example, you should not plant the “Sonny” variety in the area where its predecessors were tomatoes. The friendliest to this crop are cucumbers, cabbage, melons, alfalfa and meadow grasses. It is better to prepare the soil for potatoes in the fall. Choose an open, well-lit area. It will be great if it is also protected from the winds. The soil is dug up and leveled. In the spring it is necessary to loosen it. Potatoes of the Sonnok variety respond well to the combined application of organic and mineral fertilizers. It is better to add them in one go.
Of the mineral fertilizers, ash remains the most accessible and valuable.
Tubers are planted in holes or in rows. Planting pattern 70 x 35 cm.
Caring for Sonok potatoes begins already 5-6 days after planting. At this time, the most valuable operation is loosening the rows and removing weed.
Thus, the crust is destroyed, which prevents tender sprouts from breaking through. And the absence of weeds allows young plants to get enough light, moisture and nutrients.
Watering is carried out for the Synok variety during the period of tuberization (budding - flowering phase). If intensive watering is carried out earlier than this period, the tops grow strongly and then quickly wither. During the dry period, regular watering is necessary (every 1.5 - 2 weeks). Otherwise, the root vegetables will crack. Although the Sonny variety is extremely drought-resistant, if possible, do not refuse to water. The plant should not be completely deprived of moisture.
Hilling is done as necessary. This strengthens the plant trunks well and helps root formation. A powerful root system is the key to sufficient supply of water and nutrition to all parts of the potato. Don't get carried away with high hilling. It can disrupt the heat balance and is contraindicated for Sonny potatoes.
Cleaning can be done manually or mechanically.
It depends on the planting area and capabilities. Potatoes "Sonny" produce a high-quality harvest without rejection. The number of ugly, damaged or diseased tubers is always minimal.
Reviews from vegetable growers
Video about how you can grow “Sonny” from eyes:
