Description of the potato variety Red Scarlet, its characteristics and yield
A detailed description of the Red Scarlet potato variety is the best advertisement when choosing seed for the new planting season. Dutch potatoes - this already says a lot. Dutch selection means yield, disease resistance, presentation and good taste.
Benefits
The main advantages of Red Scarlett potatoes over other varieties can be considered its early maturity in combination with high yield. Tubers dug out at the correct time (75–80 days from the day of planting) retain their presentation for a long time, they tolerate transportation well over long distances, and do not lose their taste during storage. For summer consumption, young potatoes can be drilled in after 45 days.
The appearance of the tubers is not satisfactory, they have a marketable appearance, rarely suffer from mechanical damage. The pulp does not darken when cut and during cooking, it has excellent taste.
Potatoes are not boiled, they can serve as raw materials for making chips and cooking any dishes, they can be used fried, boiled and stewed as:
- side dish;
- salad component;
- dressings for soup and roast.
The state of the immune system of the Red Scarlett potatoes will delight vegetable growers, it is satisfactory. With proper care, the plant can cope with most infections and is rarely infested with pests.
disadvantages
When growing potatoes of the Red Scarlet variety, gardeners note the direct dependence of the yield on the structure of the soil. This can be attributed to serious disadvantages, since the yield on heavy clay soils without additional costs will be below the norm. In order for the formation of tubers to proceed normally, the soil will have to be loosened after each watering.
Alternatively, on heavy soils, you can plant Red Scarlet under straw. This method is practiced by many gardeners in different climatic zones; with this method of planting, the yield will not suffer. On loose soils, it takes no more time to care for Red Scarlet than for other varieties.
Description of the plant
Bushes are low, erect, covered with medium-sized leaves. The color of tops and leaves is deep green. The thickness of the stems is average. The edge of the leaf plate is slightly wavy. Flowers can be of different shades:
- light pink;
- lilac;
- red-violet.
The foliage grows actively, from 15 to 20 potatoes are formed on one bush... It is convenient to take care of the plantings, since the bushes are compact and, with timely hilling, do not grow in breadth. The likelihood of growing a good crop of Red Scarlett is high.By purchasing high-quality seed material, the gardener may well expect to receive marketable tubers in the fall in the required amount.
Tuber description
True potato lovers are interested in all the main characteristics of Scarlet potatoes. First of all, a description of the tubers of the Red Scarlet potato variety. All important parameters guaranteed by the description given by the manufacturer for this variety are given in the summary table.
Characteristic | Value |
appointment | table (frying, cooking, fries) |
richness of potatoes | weak |
taste | middle |
starch (%) | from 10.1 to 15.6 |
dry matter (%) | ≤ 18,6 |
maximum yield for industrial cultivation | 270 kg / ha |
maximum yield in household plots | from 16 to 19 kg / sq. m |
commercial quality of the harvested crop (%) | 96 |
keeping quality (%) | 98 |
mass of one medium-sized tuber | 50-120 g |
pulp (color) | from white to cream |
eyes (depth, number) | slightly, shallow |
peel (texture) | smooth or slightly rough |
peel (color) | root vegetables with red skin |
tuber size | medium, aligned |
the form | oval, elongated |
Seed preparation
Planning for Red Scarlett seed harvesting will begin in the summer. Pick the healthiest shrubs and tag them. There should be no signs of disease or pests on the tops. In autumn, digging up these bushes, the harvest can be assessed visually and decide whether the tubers are suitable as seed material.
Perhaps this approach will take more time, but the quality of the planting material will be higher. Requirements for Red Scarlett seed potatoes:
- the peel is an even red color without spots;
- peel surface without mechanical damage, smooth;
- the bulk of root crops in the nest from 50 to 100 g.
Scarlet seed potatoes selected for these characteristics must be dried. The average drying time is 10 days. Potatoes must be scattered under a canopy in one layer, after drying it should be greened. The tubers are not dried in direct sunlight.
Important! Red Scarlet seeds don't degenerate, their seed potatoes can be used for many years.
Before storing Red Scarlet seed potatoes, they need to be cooled, placed in boxes, lowered into a cellar (basement) or other storage location, where the temperature regime is kept within the range from 2 to 4 ° C throughout the storage period.
In the spring, large potatoes can be used for seeds. To do this, cut it into pieces, dry the slices. There should be several eyes on one segment.
Landing specifics
Red Scarlet potatoes are recommended to be planted in the combs. Reviews of summer residents about the variety, the description of this method and the resulting crop speak in favor of using this planting method. Before planting, the soil must be fertilized following proven planting rules:
- Dig a hole no deeper than 8 cm.
- Apply nitrogen fertilizers such as urea. It will stimulate the growth of the aerial part of the bush.
- Be sure to add ash to the bottom of the planting hole, about 1 glass. Place the tuber on the ash so that the sprouts look up.
- Form high ridges (12 cm) above the holes.
To make it convenient to look after the plantation, there was enough land for hilling each bush, it is recommended to adhere to the planting scheme 35x75 cm.In a row, the distance between holes is 35 cm, between adjacent rows - 75 cm.
Care secrets
There are no special secrets in caring for Red Scarlett. Before the bushes close, it is necessary to loosen the soil in the aisles, simultaneously removing weeds. For the whole the period until the potato ripens each bush must be spud at least 2 times. You can loosen the soil between the bushes with a flat cutter or an ordinary hoe.
According to the description of the variety, the drought resistance of the Red Scarlet potato is estimated at 6.5 points. If the summer is dry, then the potatoes need to be watered. The main features of Scarlet's care:
- watering;
- obligatory hilling;
- prevention of pests and diseases using insecticides;
- when planting, it is required to apply fertilizers to the soil;
- before digging potatoes, trim the tops at least 10 days before harvesting.
Scarlet bushes need to be watered at least 3 times per season. The first full watering is carried out before the potatoes have gained color. The second time was during mass flowering. The third time the potatoes need watering 7-10 days after the end of flowering.
For the entire season, Red Scarlet is fed at least 3 times:
- complex nitrogen-potassium fertilizer is applied a month after planting;
- the second time, fertilizers are applied during flowering;
- the third time feeding is also combined with the main watering.
Many gardeners practice cutting tops, thanks to this technique, the peel on the potato becomes strong and suffers less from mechanical damage during digging.
Diseases and pests
Thanks to Dutch scientists, Red Scarlett has a high immunity to potato cancer, but often suffers from scab and Alternaria. The aerial part of the plant (stems, leaves) is susceptible to late blight, tubers practically do not suffer from it.
Plants affected by scab develop ulcers on the tubers. Diseased potatoes are poorly stored and quickly lose their marketable properties. Symptoms of Alternaria are brown spots on the leaves and stems, dry in structure. The disease rarely affects tubers.
The advantage of the Scarlett variety is its resistance to the golden nematode. In the fields where the Red Scarlet potato variety is grown, this pest does not occur. The cultivar resistance to viruses A and Yn can be noted. Until the time of flowering has come, they carry out preventive treatment with insecticides from the Colorado potato beetle - the main potato pest... The most demanded funds:
- Aktara.
- Colorado.
- Corado.
- Actellic.
After treatment with chemicals, the tubers should be eaten only after removing the toxic substance from the fruit. The decay period is indicated in the instructions. Opponents of chemistry should use folk methods of protection against pests: ammonia, ash, laundry soap.
We must not forget about the prevention and treatment of diseases. From phytophthora on the tops are used: Celest Stop and Maxim, the effect of their use lasts 2 weeks.
Tips from a seasoned gardener
Novice gardeners can be helped by the advice of those who have long and seriously engaged in growing potatoes.
Julia, Novokuznetsk:
“Red Scarlet bought the first potato seeds six years ago. Since then it is my favorite variety. In the spring I am in no hurry with planting, the potatoes are early in terms of ripening, so we plant them in early June. Growing does not require much effort: weeding, hilling, loosening and watering if there is no rain. With the usual care, we add up to 40 buckets of even, smooth, tasty tubers. We get such a crop from one bucket of seed potatoes. "
Vladimir, Tula:
“We are not so hot as vegetable growers. From my grandmother I got a dacha, they decided that we could start growing our own potatoes. Seeds Red Scarlett was advised by the store manager. They planted them in the last days of May, at the end of June the tops were already sticking out with might and main, and in July it lay on the ground. Later, late blight attacked the bushes, but the tubers did not suffer. In the fall we had a harvest. Fertilizers were not applied, our land is good, fertile ”.
Anna, Omsk:
“We started growing Red Scarlet three years ago. The seeds were bought in a specialty store. The first year we planted 10 kg of seed potatoes. We were in no hurry with planting, since the variety is early, but we need it for winter consumption. Red Scarlet was planted in June. At the end of July, the tops grew good, strong. The yield of the variety pleased. With 10 kg of seed potatoes, 38 buckets of quality tubers of the same size, smooth, without flaws have grown. "
Alena, Tomsk:
“Red Scarlet is my favorite. I like everything about it: the taste, the shape, the color of the peel and pulp.It is a pleasure to peel the tubers, the puree from it turns out delicious, the son eats it by both cheeks. We no longer buy seeds, we select from our potatoes. We take care of the plantings as standard, if there is little rain, we water it 2-3 times over the summer. We huddle bushes at least 2 times over the summer. The first time, when the tops grow up to 25 cm, and the second time - just before it closes. We store the potatoes in the cellar, lie well, spoil a little, put the seed in plastic boxes, in April we get it for germination. "