Potato agate

When choosing potatoes for planting, many farmers and gardeners prefer Dutch varieties that adapt well to almost any soil and climate, and also give high yields. These include the mid-season Agata variety.

Potato Agata, bred by Dutch breeders by crossing two species - Sirco and BM 52-72, is a medium-sized shrub with erect stems, moderate foliage, slightly wavy green leaves and a developed root system, thanks to which it grows up to 10-15 large tubers on the shrub, while non-marketable fruits, the minimum amount.

A characteristic feature is the average spreading of the bushes. During the flowering period, large snow-white flowers, collected in corollas, appear on the bushes.

Agata potatoes have an attractive presentation. The root crop has a regular oblong-oval shape with a smooth surface, on which there are a few small eyes. The color of the vegetable is light yellow, uniform. The average mass of potatoes varies between 70-140 grams. The peel of the tubers is dense.

A huge advantage of the variety is good transportation, as well as the possibility of long-term storage of the harvested crop without losing consumer and taste qualities.

Dutch potatoes have an excellent, balanced flavor. The white-yellowish pulp, which contains 12-14% starch, is characterized by a dense and oily structure. When cleaning and heat treatment, the pulp does not darken, it remains snow-white, acquiring a pleasant taste. It is worth noting the beneficial composition of Agate potato pulp, which contains many minerals, vitamins and beneficial chemicals.

The table potato variety is suitable for frying, freezing, baking, stuffing, making chips and soups, salads. The species is not very suitable for making mashed potatoes, since the tubers do not boil too well.

Agata is a medium-early ripening variety. From the moment of mass germination to the appearance of the first tubers, only 80-85 days pass. You can evaluate the taste of potatoes, that is, carry out the first digging in, after 2 months. The massive harvest is in mid-August.

The variety is famous for its high yields, regardless of weather conditions. Growing potatoes on an industrial scale, you can count on a yield of about 400 centners per hectare. On average, 1.5-2 kg of potatoes are dug from one bush.

Planting of Dutch potatoes is carried out in the third decade of April, when the air temperature has stabilized (+ 8-10 degrees), the soil is warmed up to a depth of 8-10 cm. For planting, undamaged tubers of approximately the same size are selected. Before planting in the ground, planting material with good sprouts must be treated with antifungal drugs. It is recommended to grow potatoes in a place where legumes and cereals were previously grown. The optimal layout for planting is 25-30x70-75 cm.

During cultivation, the crop should be provided with standard agricultural techniques - mandatory watering, since the variety tolerates only a short drought (drip system), top dressing (it is recommended to alternate mineral with organic matter), periodic hilling and mulching of row spacings with hay or straw, prevention of diseases and pest attacks.

The first loosening of the soil is carried out after the mass appearance of shoots, and the subsequent ones - after abundant watering, which will ensure deep penetration of moisture. If there is a threat of recurrent spring frosts, it is recommended to huddle the sprouts and completely cover them with earth.

Agate potatoes are absolutely unpretentious to the quality of the soil - they can grow in light soils and in heavy ones, but the most comfortable culture is to grow and develop in loamy and sandy loam soils. It is important that the soil is nutritious, breathable, moisturized and with deep groundwater flow.

Agatha is a thermophilic culture that loves light, moderate moisture and sun. That is why potatoes are planted in well-lit areas, forming high ridges or ridges. When planting, it is important to remember the space and air circulation that the potato variety needs.

Agate is the owner of good immunity, due to which the plant is able to withstand the golden nematode, fusarium wilt, phytophthora of tubers and twisting of foliage. Most often, potatoes are exposed to late blight of foliage and common scab. A huge problem of the variety is the attractiveness of the bushes for the Colorado potato beetle, so preventive measures should not be neglected.