Potatoes occupy a significant place in human nutrition. Therefore, there is hardly a garden plot without a place allocated for planting it. A huge number of delicious and favorite dishes are prepared from potatoes. Russian gardeners consider planting potatoes obligatory for themselves and allocate significant areas for culture.
A correctly selected variety is the key to a good harvest. The abundance of varieties makes it possible to choose a crop with the desired characteristics and flavoring properties. The Santa variety was obtained by Dutch breeders, and in the early 90s it was entered in the State Register of Russia. Since that time, it has been successfully grown by domestic gardeners and enjoys well-deserved popularity.
Description of the variety
Sante variety - medium early, 80 - 90 days pass between planting and harvesting. The yield depends on the fertility of the soil, weather conditions and the place of growth of the variety. Nevertheless, the yield indicators are quite high: from 275 to 500 centners per hectare. Experienced gardeners give a positive description of the Santa potato variety, confirming with reviews and photos.
- The bush is small, compact, of medium height;
- The plant does not form an abundant green mass;
- The root system is well developed, which promotes abundant tuberization. One bush gives up to 20 potatoes;
- Tubers are round or oval-rounded;
- Each weighs 150 g;
- The tubers are the same size;
- The peel is yellowish, thin but dense, protects the tubers from damage. Potatoes are well transported and have a marketable appearance, attractive to buyers, well stored;
- There are many eyes, but they are superficial, shallow. Tubers are easy to clean, remain even;
- On the cut, the potatoes are painted in a pleasant yellow color, the taste is very good;
- A feature of the Sante variety is a small proportion of starch (10 - 12.5%). This suggests that potato tubers will not boil during cooking, but will retain their shape. The Santa variety is best suited for making fries, fries, soups, baking and stuffing. Tubers have excellent taste, peeled, do not darken for a long time. A crispy crust forms during cooking;
- The variety is rich in vitamins of group B, C, amino acids and microelements;
- The choice of Santa potatoes is also supported by the fact that this variety is resistant to diseases, which are usually susceptible to early and mid-early potato varieties. The Sante variety is resistant to late blight, the most dangerous potato disease, in the defeat of which more than 70% of the crop can be lost. The variety does not affect potato scab, viruses and nematodes.
The Santa variety has a number of advantages. Therefore, he fell in love with Russian gardeners. Many remain faithful to the variety for many years also because it is not capricious when grown. Looking at the photo, it becomes clear that the description of the Santa potato variety is true.
Growing features
To enjoy the rich harvest of the Santa variety, it is worth following simple agrotechnical techniques.
Choose flat areas without slopes for planting. In the fall, the soil should be prepared. Dig up and fertilize. Manure and mineral fertilizers, ash should also be applied in the fall, since during the winter they turn into a form that is convenient for plants to assimilate. Moreover, the introduction of fresh manure in the spring can cause potato diseases... Potassium and phosphorus are what potatoes need, and an excess of nitrogen, on the contrary, can cause a decrease in yield.
Take care of the seed in the fall. The correct selection of tubers is important for the future harvest.For planting, select medium-sized Santa potatoes, about the size of a chicken egg. A common mistake is when very small tubers are left for seeds that are not suitable for food. This approach leads to the degeneration of the Santa variety, a deterioration in yield indicators.
To get an earlier harvest, strong friendly shoots, Santa's potatoes are advised to germinate before planting. For 3-4 weeks, seed potatoes are lifted from storage and placed in a bright room with a temperature of at least 15 degrees. Tubers are placed in boxes or bags with holes, or scattered on the floor if space permits. The sprouts should be no more than 5 mm before planting, since the longer ones break off during transportation.
The high temperature during germination accelerates the formation of seedlings, but also weakens the tuber itself. Watch the video on how to prepare Santa potatoes for germination:
When planting the Santa variety, some agrotechnical standards are required. Since the variety has a developed root system, plant the tubers at a distance of 35-40 cm from each other. The row spacing should be at least 50-60 cm. Compliance with the recommended distance between plants will allow you to have a supply of soil when hilling, and the bushes of Santa potatoes will feel in the best possible way, since this variety belongs to the photophilous.
The question of how much to deepen the tubers when planting directly depends on the type of soil. If the soil is clayey, dense, then it is better to plant tubers in prepared ridges, deepening them by 5 cm.When planting in sandy soils, potato tubers should be placed at a depth of 13-15 cm.
The Santa variety loves warmth. So too early planting potatoes into the ground is impractical. You should wait until the time for return frosts has passed, and the soil warms up to +9 degrees. At a lower temperature, plant growth freezes, and it will be very difficult to wait for a good harvest from plantings lagging behind in development. The optimal conditions for the growth and fruiting of Santa potatoes are a temperature of no more than +28 degrees and moderate humidity.
Regular care of potatoes consists in timely removal weeds, watering, hilling and feeding. If watering is required and you have the opportunity to organize it, then this should be used, since you can significantly increase the yield of your plantings. Santa potatoes respond best to drip irrigation. Fertilize regularly, alternating organic fertilizers with mineral fertilizers.
Weeding and hilling are traditional activities in growing potatoes. When hilling, additional tubers are formed, and the supply of oxygen to the potatoes improves, which is especially important if the soils are heavy. In addition, weeds are destroyed. Hilling collects the potato branches and makes them upright. So, the foliage will receive a maximum of sunlight, which is especially important during the period of bud formation, since at this time tubers are laid in the underground part of the plant.
The Santa variety is harvested 80-90 days after planting. Before harvesting, experienced gardeners mow the tops and leave the tubers in the ground for about 1.5 weeks. Such actions increase the preserved qualities of potatoes, the peel becomes stronger, is not damaged during harvesting and transportation.
The Santa variety keeps well. Before placing potatoes for long-term storage, they must dry well.
Conclusion
Sante potatoes are suitable for growing in small private farms and large farm companies selling vegetables. The variety is very promising, high-yielding, disease resistant. It is a godsend for restaurateurs, as during cooking it retains an attractive appearance, keeps its shape, forms a crispy crust when frying. For farmers, the variety is attractive because it is well stored, gives a consistently high yield, and is undemanding in growing conditions.
