It is impossible for a person to imagine life without potatoes, and gardeners - a plot. The cultivation of potatoes has many goals: it is cultivated as an essential component of many dishes, as a commodity, as a source of starch and even for use in cosmetology. One thing is important - a good and truly rich harvest is possible only as a result of hard work and care of the crop. Consider the features of the Merlot potato variety, as a bright representative of the culture.

Features of the variety

Merlot potatoes are a medium late variety bred by German breeders (NORIKA GmbH (Germany)). The growing season is 95-115 days, harvesting begins in mid or late September.

Characteristics of Merlot potatoes:

  1. Tuber parameters: medium to large, elongated-oval pattern. Potato mass - 80-140 gr.;
  2. The potato tubers are covered with a dark red skin. Skin tone is even, slightly reticulate. The surface is smooth, uniform, the tubers are aligned, the eyes are not impressive. The number of potatoes in the nest is from six to ten, in rare cases it reaches 14. The starch content is 15-16%, ideal for any type of culinary processing;
  3. Yellow, firm flesh with pronounced resistance to browning when peeled;
  4. A kind of table variety - high taste, pronounced potato aroma. It is universal during cooking, medium tuber variability, medium powdery, high protein and vitamin C content.

Merlot potatoes

Description of the plant:

  • Intermediate type, semi-upright, medium height;
  • Small to medium-sized, closed, green leaves;
  • Blossoming red-violet, rare.

Flowering begins 30-35 days after planting. When using sprouted tubers, flowering occurs 5-12 days earlier.

The yield is high - 190-355 (kg / ha). Appropriate agricultural technology will allow you to collect up to 720 kg of potatoes per hundred square meters.

Cultivation is common in the central regions of the Russian Federation. Adapts to any soil. The quality of the soil directly affects the yield.

Stored for a long time. Since the variety is medium late, then, in comparison with early species, the storage duration increases significantly. Store at a temperature of + 2- + 3 degrees. Dry the tubers before storing. A cellar or basement is perfect, an important condition is the lack of light.

Attention! The keeping quality of Merlot tubers reaches 98%.

Susceptibility to disease

The Merlot variety is resistant to a number of diseases:

  1. High resistance to black leg, scab, glandular spot, late blight, rhizoctonia, PLRV;
  2. Medium - to late blight of foliage, Y-virus, potato cancer, golden potato nematode.

Agrotechnics

Merlotte is not whimsical in leaving. Most of all, potatoes need watering and feeding.

Soil preparation and planting

Merlot potatoes in the garden

Alena potatoes

The planting site should not be after growing potatoes or tomatoes. Planting potatoes each year in the same area leads to the accumulation of pathogens, including the Colorado potato beetle, which significantly weakens the tubers by eating the foliage.

Important! Mandatory seed renewal and observance of crop rotation are required.

Potatoes do not like acidic soil. It is advisable to choose a potato plot in the sun, without shading. The absence of tall bushes and trees will be useful.

Before sowing, the soil should be dug to a depth of at least 20-28 cm.Fertilizers are introduced into the dug-up soil: humus, matured compost plus nitroammofoska. 4 kg of organic matter from 30 nitroammophoska is enough per square meter.

Attention! Fresh manure cannot be used - it increases the chance of scab damage to potatoes and weeds growth.

Council. Before planting, it is recommended to soak the tubers in a solution of Maxim or Bordeaux liquid - excellent disinfection and protection of the planting material.

Furrows run from south to north.

With a close proximity of groundwater, it is optimal to choose a ridge planting method.

Landing:

  1. For planting, medium potatoes are taken, weighing at least 70 grams. Germination is not required;
  2. By the day of planting, the soil should warm up to +8 ° C to a depth of 10 cm;
  3. Distance between tubers - ≥ 35 cm, rows ≥60 cm;
  4. Planting depth depends on the soil: heavy soil - 9 cm, light - 12, peaty - 15.

Potato care

Merlot potatoes have a large fruit

Hilling should be started when the sprouts have reached 10-15 cm in length, high, burying them almost completely, leaving only the tops on the surface, always after watering or rain.

Potatoes need nutrition and proper watering. The extent and frequency of irrigation depends on the climatic conditions of the region and the type of soil. The greatest need for moisture in potatoes occurs during the period of tuber formation, that is, when the bush begins to bloom. When watering, the soil should be moistened up to half a meter deep.

Drought resistance is average, does not like waterlogging.

The plant signals a lack of moisture - the leaves become less elastic, wither.

Top dressing

Weeding

Three dressings are enough for Merlot potatoes during the season:

  1. During intensive leaf growth. For one bush, half a liter of solution: for 10 liters of water, 1 tsp is taken. urea, 1 tbsp. l. "Effecton"; The need for feeding is determined by the condition of the bushes, powerful and healthy bushes do not need feeding;
  2. During bud formation. A solution of 1 glass of wood ash, 1 tablespoon of potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water;
  3. During active flowering. For 10 liters of water, 1 tablespoon of superphosphate and 1 tablespoon of Effekton. Half a liter per bush. Top dressing stimulates the tuber formation process.

Also, potatoes need regular weeding and preventive measures against pests.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Juvel Potatoes

The varietal feature of Merlot potatoes is a stable yield with high rates. The ability of potatoes to adapt to different climatic and soil conditions is allowed to grow it in different regions. Transportation over long distances does not affect the appearance of the tubers in any way, does not spoil their taste.

Potatoes are rich in antioxidants and nutrients. Yellow pulp indicates the presence of carotene in the composition.

The advantages of the variety:

  • Excellent taste characteristics;
  • Product demand;
  • Storage duration;
  • Unpretentious care;
  • Productivity;
  • Pest resistance.

There were no obvious negative aspects of the variety.

Despite the fact that breeders around the world are still trying to get the perfect potato variety, for many summer residents it has already become Merlot - an excellent root crop in all respects. But, unfortunately, without the required care, a truly tasty and healthy crop cannot be obtained. Knowing all the preferences of this variety and taking them into account, there is a huge guarantee of getting excellent potatoes for your dinner table.