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For those who have just decided to try to grow potatoes on their site, it is always not easy. The experience of previous generations, on the one hand, shows that this is not an easy matter, requires good physical shape, on the other hand, there are so many varieties around that the eyes run up. But you want everything to work out the first time, otherwise then your hands will drop. Therefore, beginners should be very serious about the choice of planting material so that their work is not wasted. And the variety must be proven and reliable. As if specifically for beginners, the Aurora potato was created. In terms of reliability, unpretentiousness to various weather conditions and productivity, few potatoes can be compared with it, but it is also delicious. So, first things first.
Description of the variety
The description of the Aurora potato variety is best started with its history. This potato variety was obtained by a group of breeders of Vsevolzhskaya breeding station CJSC 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 East region is included separately.
The shrubs of this variety are very tall and vigorous, so they get more sunlight, but they also tend to fall apart. Therefore, the hilling of the plants of this potato 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, there is a slight waviness at the edges.
Potato bushes of the Aurora variety bloom for a short time, but very beautiful. Corollas of flowers are large, violet-red in color.
Variety characteristics
The potato variety Aurora belongs to the mid-season in terms of ripening. That is, you can harvest the crop in 75 - 90 days after planting.
Potatoes are distinguished by fairly high yield rates. On average, 250-300 centners of potatoes can be obtained from one hectare. The maximum yield is about 400 centners per hectare.
The preservation of potato tubers is also very good and amounts to 94%.
The characteristics of the Aurora variety would be incomplete without mentioning its resistance to diseases. The Aurora variety is highly resistant to potato golden nematode and potato cancer. Resistance to phytophthora of tubers and the aerial part of the bush is rather average.
Tuber characteristics
Aurora potato tubers are distinguished by their oblong shape and rather large size. On average, the mass of one tuber is from 90 to 150 grams. But tubers weighing 300 and even 500 grams are quite common. The pulp is creamy. The starch content varies from 14 to 17%. A similar percentage of starch content allows you to feast on crumbly tasty boiled potatoes.
The skin color of the Aurora potato is light brown, the skin itself is smooth and thin. Tubers of this variety have a rather attractive appearance.
The eyes are usually few, they are small and not very noticeable, which creates a comfortable environment for peeling potatoes.
The marketability of tubers is quite good and ranges from 85 to 95%.
The taste characteristics are excellent. It is for their taste that Aurora potatoes are often chosen for re-planting. Almost any potato dish can be prepared from it.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Aurora variety has many advantages, thanks to which it is planted from year to year, even despite the appearance of new interesting varieties.
- High productivity;
- Excellent taste - when cooking potatoes, it turns out fragrant and crumbly;
- Resistant to many diseases;
- Attractive presentation;
- Good keeping quality.
There were no flaws in the Aurora variety, except for its mid-ripeness. In order to enjoy fresh potatoes as quickly as possible, you will have to choose from other, earlier varieties. But its yield and good preservation of tubers allow you to provide your family with tasty and healthy potatoes for the whole winter.
Growing features
Aurora potatoes, as you probably already understood, are not whimsical to growing conditions at all, but 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 put on 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 ground is already warmed up enough.
Planting should be done in a manner accepted in your area - in the north it is better to do this in ridges, and in the south, on the contrary, burrowing into the ground in order 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 perfectly, therefore, when grown in the middle lane, watering may not be necessary.
Hilling Aurora potatoes will not only help protect the tubers from frost, but will also save enough moisture in potato plantings. Since the variety is distinguished 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 aerial portion of the potatoes about two weeks before harvest. After harvesting, the tubers must be well dried and stored.
Reviews of gardeners
Despite the fact that the potato variety Aurora has been grown for just over 10 years, it has received many excellent reviews from people who have already registered it as their favorites and are not going to change their preferences in the coming years.
Conclusion
Aurora potatoes are well-deservedly loved throughout Russia, including even the Far East.
