Content
Alvar potatoes are one of the best European crops in terms of taste and yield. At the same time, it is characterized by increased resistance to adverse external factors and rapid adaptation to any climatic conditions. This explains the growing popularity of this species among Russian gardeners. However, to achieve maximum productivity of the variety, it is necessary to follow the rules of planting and further care, so they need to be studied in advance.
Alvar potatoes are resistant to degeneration
History of origin
Employees of the German company Saatzucht fritz lange KG worked on the development of this potato variety. The purpose of its creation was to obtain a type of crop that would be superior in characteristics and taste to the Desiree variety.
Selection work was carried out over ten years. And as a result of multi-stage selection, a variety was obtained that fully met the expectations of its creators.And in 1985, Alvar potatoes were officially registered in Germany.
It appeared in the State Register of Russia in 1999. The results of variety trials fully confirmed the declared characteristics of Alvar potatoes. And, judging by the growing popularity of the variety among gardeners, it really surpasses many well-known types of crops in productivity.
Description of Alvara potato variety with photo
Alvar potatoes have characteristic differences in the appearance of bushes and tubers. This allows it to be unmistakably distinguished from other varieties.
Bush
Alvara is characterized by tall bushes of an intermediate type, the length of which reaches 60 cm. Each of them consists of 3-4 shoots, with a diameter of 0.8-1 cm. Initially, the stems are erect, but as they grow, they deviate slightly in different directions. The leaves of the Alvar potato are small, 6-8 cm long. They can be light or dark green in color. The edges of the plates have a slight waviness. The shoots are densely leafy at the top and bare at the bottom.
The root system of this type of crop is well developed. Under each bush, 8-14 large tubers are formed per season.
Alvar potato flowers are small, red-violet in color. They are collected in small inflorescences of 3-4 pieces. When planted in mid-May, the variety blooms in the second decade of June and lasts about 10-14 days.
Alvar does not produce berries
Tubers
The variety is characterized by a high yield of marketable tubers of about 85-90%. They are elongated oval in shape, aligned. Moreover, under one bush, potatoes grow almost the same size. The average weight of tubers varies between 90-140 g.
The peel is smooth, uniformly red in color. The eyes are superficial, unnoticeable, which minimizes waste during cleaning. The pulp is dense, light yellow in color, and does not darken when exposed to air. During the cooking process, Alvar potatoes are slightly overcooked. The starch content in its tubers is 12.8-14.1%. But this component accumulates gradually and reaches its maximum level at the end of the potato growing season.
Alvar tubers are resistant to mechanical damage
Characteristics of Alvar potatoes
To assess the productivity of this type of crop, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with its characteristics. This will also make it possible to understand what conditions are necessary for the Alvar species in order to achieve maximum efficiency when growing it.
Taste qualities of Alvar potatoes
The taste of this potato is rated as excellent at 4.8 points out of five possible. The tubers do not lose their shape during heat treatment and look appetizing.
This variety is suitable for:
- salads;
- boiling in its purified form and “uniform”;
- baking;
- frying
It is also used for processing purposes. Alvar potatoes are suitable for making chips, crackers, starch, and freeze-dried purees.
Ripening time
This species is considered mid-early. The duration of its growing season from planting to harvest is 75-80 days. Therefore, you can dig up tubers for long-term storage in mid- to late August. However, the timing may vary depending on the climate of the growing region.
Productivity
Alvar potatoes are characterized by high yield.Varietal tests have shown that, given favorable conditions, its productivity reaches 295-500 kg per hundred square meters, which is an order of magnitude higher than the generally accepted norm.
Where is it grown?
The variety is recommended for cultivation in the North Caucasus and North-Western regions. But, judging by the reviews of gardeners, it shows high productivity in other regions of Russia, if proper care of the crop is provided.
Disease resistance
Alvar potatoes are highly resistant to viruses. It also does not suffer from scab, golden nematode, or cancer, but its tops and tubers can be affected by late blight. Therefore, when growing Alvara, you should not neglect preventive treatments of bushes with fungicides throughout the entire growing season.
Pros and cons of the variety
This variety, like others, has certain advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with them in advance in order to know the strengths and weaknesses of Alvar potatoes.
The variety shows good performance even on infertile soil
Main advantages;
- excellent taste;
- high stable yield;
- resistance to degeneration;
- undemanding to soil composition;
- has excellent commercial qualities;
- versatility of application;
- good keeping quality;
- high natural immunity;
- suitable for transportation.
Flaws:
- requires preliminary germination before planting;
- needs to observe crop rotation;
- susceptible to late blight.
Landing rules
Alvar potatoes are suitable for open areas that are well lit throughout the day. The crop can be grown in sandy, loamy soil and black soil with a neutral acidity level. It is recommended to prepare the area for planting in the fall.To do this, you need to dig it up and add 5-10 kg of humus per square meter. m. It is also recommended to add 300 g of wood ash for the same area size. With the arrival of spring, the soil on the site needs to be loosened to a depth of 10-15 cm to enrich it with oxygen. This will allow the root system to fully develop.
Alvar potato tubers require mandatory germination before planting. Therefore, three weeks before the procedure, they need to be brought into a room with a temperature of +15 ° C and laid out in one layer. It is recommended to rotate the planting material periodically to ensure uniform development of sprouts. By the time of planting, their length should be 1.5 cm.
The optimal depth for planting tubers is 8 cm on light soils and 6 cm on heavy soils. The distance between the holes should be 35 cm, and in the rows it is recommended to maintain a distance of 70 cm.
How to care
Alvar potatoes are drought resistant. But with a prolonged lack of moisture in the soil, its productivity decreases. Therefore, it is recommended to water as needed, soaking the soil by 10 cm.
Ten days after planting, the soil must be loosened to prevent the formation of a crust on its surface. Its depth should be 1.5-2 cm. The first hilling for Alvar potatoes is recommended when the shoots are 17 cm high, and the second - two weeks later. In addition, it is necessary to weed as the weeds grow until the rows close together.
Alvar potatoes respond well to feeding.At the initial stage of growth, you can use organic matter: chicken manure 1:15 or mullein 1:10, and in its absence you need to use ammonium nitrate 30 g per 10 liters of water. It is recommended to do the second and third feedings at the stage of formation of inflorescences and after they wither. At this time, potatoes must be fertilized with 30 g of superphosphate and 25 g of potassium sulfide per bucket of water.
Under each bush you need to pour 0.5-1 liters of nutrient solution, taking into account its stage of development
Alvar potatoes may suffer from the Colorado potato beetle. Therefore, when the first signs of the pest and its larvae appear, the bushes need to be treated with an insecticide. If necessary, the procedure is repeated throughout the entire growing season, alternating drugs.
Harvest and storage
It is recommended to dig up Alvar potatoes when the shoots suddenly wilt, which indicates the maturation of the tubers. This usually occurs in the first or second ten days of August, depending on the growing region. Harvesting is recommended in clear, dry weather. The tubers must initially be laid out on the area to dry for two hours, and only then transferred indoors.
After four weeks, the crop must be sorted and sorted out, defective, small and planting specimens. After this, Alvar potatoes can be transferred to the basement for long-term storage. Optimal storage conditions: temperature +4-6 °C and humidity within 70-75%. With this regime, the crop is well stored for ten months.
The keeping quality level of the variety is 90%
Conclusion
Alvar's potatoes truly exceed all gardeners' expectations in terms of taste and yield. It bears fruit well even with minimal care and at the same time retains its species properties for five years. Therefore, it can be grown even without the ability to provide regular watering. This contributes to the growth of its popularity.
