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It is always not easy for those who have just decided to try growing potatoes on their plot. The experience of previous generations, on the one hand, shows that this is not an easy task and requires good physical shape, on the other hand, there are so many varieties around that it can be dizzying. But you want everything to work out the first time, otherwise you’ll give up later. Therefore, beginners should take the choice of planting material very seriously so that their efforts are not in vain. And the variety must be proven and reliable. It’s as if the Aurora potato was created especially for beginners. In terms of reliability, unpretentiousness to various weather conditions and yield, few varieties of potatoes can compare with them, and they are also tasty. So, first things first.
Description of the variety
It’s best to start describing the Aurora potato variety with its history. This potato variety was obtained by a group of breeders from JSC Vsevolzhskaya Breeding Station more than 10 years ago. The same organization is also the originator of the variety. In 2006, it was registered in the State Register of Russia with recommendations for use in nine regions of Russia. It is interesting that these regions occupy almost the entire European part from the North to the North Caucasus and the Far Eastern region is separately included.
Bushes of this variety are tall and powerful, so they receive more sunlight, but they also tend to fall apart. Therefore, hilling of these potato plants must be carried out repeatedly, otherwise most of the stems will simply lie on the ground. The leaves are also large, foliage is above average. The leaves themselves are light green, with slight waviness at the edges.
Potato bushes of the Aurora variety bloom for a short time, but very beautifully. The corollas of the flowers are large, violet-red in color.
Characteristics of the variety
The Aurora potato variety is mid-season in terms of ripening. That is, the harvest can be harvested 75–90 days after planting.
Potatoes have fairly high yields. On average, you can get 250-300 centners of potatoes from one hectare. The maximum yield is about 400 centners per hectare.
The safety of potato tubers is also very good and amounts to 94%.
The characteristics of the Aurora variety would be incomplete if we did not mention its resistance to diseases. The Aurora variety is highly resistant to golden potato nematode and potato cancer. Resistance to late blight of tubers and the aboveground part of the bush is quite average.
Characteristics of tubers
Potato tubers of the Aurora variety are distinguished by their oblong shape and rather large size. On average, the weight of one tuber ranges from 90 to 150 grams. But tubers weighing 300 and even 500 grams are quite common. The pulp is creamy in color.Starch content varies from 14 to 17%. This percentage of starch content allows you to enjoy crumbly, delicious boiled potatoes.
The color of the Aurora potato peel is light brown, the peel itself is smooth and thin. The tubers of this variety have a rather attractive appearance.
There are usually few eyes, they are small in size and not very noticeable, which creates comfortable conditions when peeling potatoes.
The marketability of tubers is quite good and ranges from 85 to 95%.
The taste characteristics are simply excellent. It is for its taste that Aurora potatoes are often chosen for replanting. You can use it to prepare almost any potato dish.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Aurora variety has many advantages, thanks to which it is planted year after year, even despite the emergence of new interesting varieties.
- High yield;
- Excellent taste - when boiled, the potatoes turn out aromatic and crumbly;
- Resistance to many diseases;
- Attractive presentation;
- Good keeping quality.
No shortcomings were noticed in the Aurora variety, except for its mid-ripening. In order to enjoy fresh potatoes as quickly as possible, you will have to choose from other, earlier varieties. But its productivity and good preservation of tubers allow you to provide your family with tasty and healthy potatoes for the whole winter.
Features of cultivation
Aurora potatoes, as you probably already understood, are not at all picky about growing conditions, but in order to get record yields, you still have to do everything possible to make the plants feel comfortable.
For faster and more reliable germination of tubers, they must be placed for gardening and germination in a bright and preferably cool place about a month before planting. To plant potatoes, you need to make sure that the soil has already warmed up sufficiently.
Planting should be done in the manner accepted in your area - in the north it is better to do it in ridges, and in the south, on the contrary, deepening it into the ground to protect the tubers from drying out. However, the planting method also depends on the composition of the soil; on heavy soils, even in the south, it is better to plant potatoes in ridges.
This potato variety tolerates drought very well, so when grown in the middle zone, there may be no need for watering.
Hilling up Aurora potatoes will not only help protect the tubers from frost, but will also save a sufficient amount of moisture in the potato plantings. Since the variety is characterized by a sufficient height of the bushes, hilling continues until the beginning of flowering.
A good technique to allow the tubers to ripen as well as possible is to cut off the entire above-ground part of the potato about two weeks before harvesting. After harvesting, the tubers must be thoroughly dried and stored.
Reviews from gardeners
Despite the fact that the Aurora potato variety has been grown for just over 10 years, it has received many excellent reviews from people who have already added it to their favorites and do not intend to change their preferences in the coming years.
Conclusion
Aurora potatoes enjoy well-deserved love throughout Russia, including even the Far East.
