Content
Alouette potatoes have attracted the attention of gardeners with their strong immune system, thanks to which the variety can successfully resist pests and diseases. Another characteristic feature of this variety is its high yield and ease of care.
History of selection
The originator of the variety is recognized as the company “AGRICO U.A.”, located in the Netherlands. There, breeders were able to create potatoes with a highly resistant immune system, capable of producing good yields. The culture was registered in the State Register in 2018. The most successful place for cultivating the variety is the Volga-Vyatka region. Potatoes can also be cultivated in more southern regions. In northern regions, the length of summer and spring must be taken into account: if the crop is harvested too early, it will not survive the winter.
Description of Alouette potatoes with photos
Studying the individual characteristics of a plant allows gardeners to soberly assess their capabilities and prepare for possible problems.The Alouette variety, although unpretentious, has a number of characteristics that need to be taken into account before purchasing planting material.
Bush
A plant of medium height with strong, erect shoots. Leaf blades of various sizes: there are both large and medium dark green specimens. The root system is fibrous and well developed. The flowers are purple in color and bloom on the bush in large quantities.
Alouette potato shoots are spreading, so when planting tubers you need to plan the beds in advance
Tubers
The variety produces oblong-shaped tubers, similar to an oval. They are not rough, pleasant to the touch. In most cases, the bush produces approximately the same number of potatoes, similar in size. There may be ugly root crops if there were a lot of stones or other foreign objects in the hole.
Externally, the skin of the tubers is pink, inside the pulp is very dense, of a pleasant yellow hue.
The average weight of each potato is 125 mg
In terms of taste, the Alouette variety tubers deserve high praise. The pulp is slightly sweet, excellent for preparing second courses.
Characteristics of Alouette potatoes
This variety is characterized by average starchiness: the indicator varies between 14-18%. More than 96% of the harvested crop will safely survive winter frosts if stored correctly.
Taste qualities of Alouette potatoes
The pulp of the vegetable, although dense, is quite tender. When heated, potatoes become crumbly, aromatic, and rich in flavor. The Alouette variety can be used for cooking, frying, and baking. Tubers are stored well in cool rooms.
Ripening time
The planting region should be taken into account. In most areas, Alouette potatoes ripen 100-110 days after the tubers are moved into the ground.
Productivity
Maximum performance can only be achieved by those owners of the variety who take a responsible approach to planting and caring for the crop. From 1 hectare you can collect 198-388 c. The maximum yield that plantation owners were able to obtain was 450 centners per hectare. But it must be taken into account that this indicator is influenced not only by care, but also by soil fertility and climatic conditions.
Disease resistance
According to the description of the variety and photos with reviews, Alouette potatoes have a strong immune system. It perfectly resists cancer, late blight and nematodes.
Advantages and disadvantages
One of the main advantages of Alouette potatoes is a strong immune system and high marketability of root crops. The vegetable keeps well throughout the winter and can be grown for sale and personal use.
Excellent taste and a wide range of applications make the Alouette potato one of the most successful varieties in the eyes of gardeners.
Pros:
- high productivity;
- tender and crumbly pulp;
- low maintenance requirements.
Flaws:
- Maximum yields can only be achieved with good plant care.
Landing rules
The initial stage of work is preparing the field. Zucchini, cucumbers, radish and garlic, and legumes are suitable as predecessors.It is necessary to plant Alouette potatoes and tomatoes at the maximum distance from each other.
The soil must be dug up first in the fall to a depth of 30-35 cm, and then repeat the procedure in the spring. During work, it is recommended to add humus or compost to the ground before the onset of frost. And when the snow melts, during digging you need to enrich the soil mixture with mineral fertilizers.
An equally important part of planting is preparing the tubers. In the store, the planting material undergoes mandatory processing and sorting, so before transferring the tubers into the ground, they only need to be treated in a solution stimulator.
If you plan to plant your own Alouette potatoes, then you need to carefully sort and sort them. The tubers should be strong, whole, with several eyes.
Checking the quality of planting material is the germination of potatoes' eyes
The optimal time for the procedure is the end of spring frosts. Among folk signs, it is customary to focus on birch trees: as soon as the leaves appear on the tree, you can do agricultural work.
Algorithm of actions:
- Dig holes 30 by 70 cm for Alouette potatoes. Place 1 tbsp on their bottom. l. nitrophoska and wood ash.
- To prevent an attack by the Colorado potato beetle, you need to throw onion peels into the holes.
- Place the potato in the hole and bury it to a depth of 10 cm.
When choosing a planting method, you need to take into account the soil composition and climate. Most often, problems for gardeners are caused by areas where groundwater lies close to the surface of the earth.In this case, knowing the fastidiousness of Alouette potatoes to excess moisture, planting on ridges is a possible option. This method allows you to regulate soil moisture. The method consists of forming ridges 40-45 cm high and row spacing of 80 cm. Planting material should be placed on a hill, lightly sprinkled with soil.
On fertile lands with a stable warm climate, it is best to plant in rows. To do this, you need to prepare holes, scatter potatoes over them and cover them with soil. At the end of the procedure, it is recommended to harrow the field.
Features of care
Unlike most crops, it is not customary to water root crops immediately after planting. Most gardeners prefer to wait for the spring rains. It is dangerous to wet the soil prematurely due to the risk of return frosts.
In total, Alouette potatoes need 3-5 waterings per season, depending on the weather. Be sure to provide the plant with water during flowering and budding. The soil should be shed to a depth of 0.5 m.
One of the important stages of care is hilling, which should be carried out when the bush reaches 10 cm in height.
The first fertilizer for Alouette potatoes is nitrogen fertilizer. It must be added to the soil after germination. The variety needs complex mineral fertilizing during the flowering period.
Timely removal of weeds and loosening of the soil is mandatory. Regardless of the varietal characteristics, it is recommended to pay attention to the fight against the Colorado potato beetle. It is recommended to combine several methods at once: mechanical collection of insects and the use of chemicals. The most popular means designed to combat the Colorado potato beetle are Commander or Aktara.
Collection and storage
In most regions, the readiness of potatoes is judged by the aboveground part of the bush. As soon as the tops begin to turn yellow and dry out, it is time to dig up the crop. On an industrial scale, potatoes are cut three weeks before the tubers are harvested. This is aimed at preventing the appearance of wound rot and fusarium.
To preserve Alouette potatoes throughout the winter, you need to move them to a room where the air temperature is +5 °C. It is best to store tubers in wooden boxes. Gardeners often resort to the following method: they dig a hole in a dry cellar, line its bottom with wood and pour vegetables there after drying in the sun.
Conclusion
Alouette potatoes are one of the young but well-proven varieties. The culture is unpretentious in care, pleases with abundant yield and tasty tubers. The variety can be grown both for personal purposes and on an industrial scale.
Reviews from gardeners about Alouette potatoes
