Colomba potatoes

Colomba potatoes (in everyday life - Colombo) is a variety that appeared relatively recently in Russia, and after that it was appreciated by Belarus and Ukraine. Breeders from Holland gave the result of their work really pleasant features for the gardener - the ability to grow in different regions with a temperate climate, unpretentiousness to conditions, beautiful appearance and excellent taste. It is not surprising that over the 8 years since its appearance in the Russian Federation, it has gained many fans and is in demand among manufacturers and consumers.

Colomba potatoes are a worthy representative of the numerous list of Dutch breeders' products, obtained by crossing the equally popular varieties of Carrera and Agatha potatoes. Another experiment was crowned with success. Scientists have achieved the goal they set for themselves - early potatoes, resistant to almost all diseases. It is distinguished by excellent yield and presentability of tubers.

Some sources say that it does not grow on all types of soil, while others claim that it is immune to soil quality. However, any description indicates that it can grow in regions with different climatic conditions, if the planting time is chosen correctly.

Tall bushes with relatively small medium-sized leaves, white or lilac flowers bring the gardener an abundance of oblong tubers with practically no flaws, weighing up to 120 g, tasty and crumbly after heat treatment. Undoubted arguments in favor of Colomba potatoes:

• a large number of root crops (with good care - up to 15 pieces from one bush);

• in the southern regions, you can get two harvests due to the rapid (two months) ripening of the crop;

• has an excellent presentation, which remains after long-term transportation;

• in winter it is stored without germination and does not lose its taste;

• contains a low amount of starch and can be used in dietary food.

In Russia, an early potato variety can be grown even in the Volgo-Vyatka, North-West and Central regions. The timing of planting and ripening is suitable for the features of a temperate climate - late spring and early September cold: the roots have time to fully form and ripen in a short summer period.

Colombo potatoes combine the best qualities of the sources, while also acquiring their own unique characteristics. On the site, bushes with medium-sized green and dark green leaves, mainly reaching half a meter in height, with erect, well-leafy stems, look aesthetically pleasing. Small inflorescences can be white or pale lilac. The plant is compact and does not require additional efforts to form.

On the roots there are up to 15 tubers, oblong-rounded, with a good brownish-yellow skin, practically without flaws. Even if we take the minimum weight of 100 g, this is a very decent crop, which is optimal for personal needs and for commercial cultivation.

Smooth, with a smooth skin, on which there are almost no eyes, root crops contain up to 15% starch, therefore they are not very suitable for making mashed potatoes.However, for all other methods, they are simply ideal - frying, boiling, side dishes and first courses are invariably successful, thanks to the excellent taste and weak boiling. Gourmets rate it at 6 points on a 9-point scale, but supporters of the variety are sure that the rating is clearly underestimated, and gourmet varieties should not be taken into account in it for greater objectivity in relation to ordinary potatoes. Reviews of Colombe are always in superlatives. They speak of aroma, pleasant sweetish taste, preservation of valuable components during heat treatment, persistent preservation of taste characteristics even during prolonged storage in winter.

The ripening period of an early table variety is about 60 days, it can vary in one direction or another depending on the climatic conditions of the region, but not significantly. Gardeners' reviews testify to Colomba's adaptability, simple adaptation to weather conditions. The only difference that is really determined by the region is the landing time. In the south, this may be the first decade of May, in cold regions, the end of May - beginning of June is considered the optimal time.

Therefore, southerners sometimes manage to grow two crops during the summer period, and northerners - only to avoid recurrent cold weather, late and early frosts. In the south, they begin to dig in young potatoes a month after the first shoots have broken through. To obtain large tubers, you need to wait 2 months indicated in the ripening period.

Yellow tubers with yellow, slightly crumbly pulp of a super early variety resistant to cancer, nematodes, late blight and scab, have excellent performance:

• short ripening period of tubers;

• the average yield is 224-300 c / ha;

• maximum yield - 420 c / ha;

• no darkening of the pulp;

• keeping quality - 95%.

You can increase the yield in simple and affordable ways for every gardener - water the bushes during the budding period at least once a week, do not water after the end of flowering (potatoes are drought-resistant, and this can lead to late blight). Increases the yield and feeding with natural fertilizers, which is enough twice per growing season - before the appearance of buds and the formation of tubers.

A tempting feature of cultivating the variety is the absence of the need for treatment against the Colorado potato beetle and late blight, which do not have time to develop or occupy the plant due to the short ripening period. Soil acidity is the main condition for success, potatoes grow normally only if it is not higher than 5-7 points. Another condition for proper agricultural technology is the regular change of the planting site, planting of green manure at the site of the former plantation. If there is no such possibility due to the size of the site, you can apply mineral and organic fertilizers to the soil in the fall.

The correct preparation of the planting material is important - sprouts are removed from the tuber (if they appeared in April), the potatoes are exposed in a well-lit place for solarization. This is done a month or less before the expected landing date. For this purpose, tubers the size of a chicken egg or large walnuts are good. Large tubers are not recommended, especially when cut.

Colomba can be grown in furrows, in herds; to get a super early harvest, plantings are covered with textiles. If the potato beds are regularly loosened, preventing the formation of a waterproof crust, and fed with bird droppings during the first hilling, they will gratefully respond to the efforts of the gardener.