There are many varieties of potatoes. Some of them have a large crop, and some - withstand the attacks of diseases and / or pests. But one of them stands out especially, and this is Courage. What is so special about this potato variety that makes it stand out from the rest? Let's figure it out.
Grade characteristics
Potato variety “Courage” was created in Holland, and was entered in the State Register of the Russian Federation in 2007. This variety has a relatively impressive yield and can produce 16-27 tons of fruit per hectare.
With proper care and compliance with key requirements, Courage can bring up to 40 tons of potatoes per hectare. Perhaps this is not the most prolific potato variety, but given its resistance to heat and its high resistance to disease, it is quite capable of competing with many.
This variety also has a serious shelf life, that is, it is able to withstand a long shelf life in appropriate conditions (while other varieties are already beginning to deteriorate and rot). The courage level at “Courage” is stable at 91%, which is a very impressive indicator.
“Courage” is a medium-late variety of potatoes, that is, the crop should be expected in 85-95 days after the first seedlings. The marketability of emerging fruits is estimated at 83-99%.
Next will be listed Main characteristics potato varieties "Courage":
- Courage is critically resistant to drought;
- stands out with beautiful and even tubers;
- has a high starch content (14-20%);
- the mass of marketable tubers is not lower than 100 grams (up to 140 g);
- one bush accounts for 6–9 tubers;
- productivity is at around 160-270 kg / ha;
- the color of the peel is red, and the flesh is light yellow;
- the preferred growing region is central;
- It has serious resistance to potato cancer, scab and golden cyst-forming nematode;
- the fruits have very good friability;
- tubers have an elongated oval shape.
"Courage" does not have the property to darken after physical damage (as well as during cooking and frying), and therefore is ideal for sale and transportation over impressive distances.
The bushes of this potato are upright or semi-upright, grow quite high. The leaves are dark green in color, as well as medium / large in size.
What “Courage” looks like, you can see in the following photo:
Key rules for growing “Courage”
This type of potato belongs to the table type, but if you delve into the study of its basic characteristics, it becomes clear that it can also be used for processing on pure starch in industry.
But first you need to carefully study the basic rules for the care and cultivation of potatoes. If they are neglected, then the plants will die in the shortest possible time, and never mature.
Landing
It is extremely important to choose the right time for landing "Courage". This potato variety is seriously resistant to high temperatures, however, it passes in before cold and frost. And in the regions prescribed for "Courage", the cold can be even in May. If young shoots endure cooling and freezing, this can affect their growth and development, and therefore the fruits will be of much lower quality than they should.
The ideal time for landing is the first 10 days of May (approximately, since everything depends on temperature).
Planting material should be germinated in advance (at least 20 mm of the length of the shoots on the tubers), and it is necessary to plant the soil in a soil heated to about 10 degrees.
For greater efficiency, right before planting, you can treat the tubers with special growth regulators (Heteroauxin, Zircon, Kornevin). They will increase the likelihood of tuber formation, improve the immunity of plants, and may even accelerate the moment when the fruits finally ripen.
The main thing is not to overdo it - everything is fine, but in moderation.
Landing pattern
Potato variety “Courage” feels best on moderately acidic soil, where the pH is average. Planting should be carried out 70x35 (that is, 70 cm between rows, and between tubers in a row - 35 cm). Regarding depth, in light sandy soils - 10 cm, in light loamy soils - up to 8 cm.
If you plan to use fertilizers, it would be more appropriate to use those that do not contain chlorine and are water soluble (potassium sulfate, urea, etc.).
Planting material
Before planting, tubers need not only to be treated with growth regulators, but also directly heated in the sun for one and a half hours. The best planting material is medium-sized tubers with sprouts up to 20 mm.
Hilling
Within 1 season, it is recommended to conduct a minimum of 3 hills:
- the first is when plants grow by more than 10 cm;
- the second - 2-3 weeks after the previous one, usually this occurs at the time of flowering;
- the third - when "Courage" reaches a height of 20-25 cm.
Loosening
In addition to keeping the soil clean (for granted), its friability is also important. The soil must be loose - this way oxygen will more efficiently saturate the earth, which is critically important for any plants, not just Courage.
If the soil is loose by itself, then digging it up is not required. But if on the contrary - the procedure for loosening should definitely be carried out. This will help the tubers develop properly and the harvest will be impressive.
Watering
Potato varieties "Courage" must be watered. Moreover, this should be done throughout the growing season - from the time of planting to harvest.
To understand the required amount of water for irrigation, you need to analyze the soil in which the potatoes are grown. But t. "Courage" needs to be cultivated in loose soil, then 3-4 liters of water should be poured onto one bush. If the soil were harder / denser, much less water would be needed.
If the season stood out by the abundance of rain, then additional watering is not necessary. At least not in large quantities.
Before watering, you need to pause for several days until the surface of the soil is completely dry.
Diseases and Pests
As already mentioned, “Courage” is resistant to serious diseases, but rather weak against late blight pathogens. Phytophthora can well destroy 60% of the total crop, if you do not take measures against its effects in advance.
The main actions to be taken are:
- preliminary germination of planting material;
- the use of various growth stimulants and accelerated plant development.
Thanks to the rapid development, phytophthora literally will not have time to form on potatoes.
Also, as a preventive measure, it will be a good idea to treat the fields with fungicides. Such as Ridomil, Avixil, etc.
It should be remembered that phytophthora spores are found in dead tops and weeds. Therefore, it is critical that weeds be disposed of very responsibly as soon as they appear. It is better, of course, to take all possible measures so that weeds do not appear in principle.
Colorado potato beetle, bear, wireworms, potato moth and aphids are considered to be pests of Courage. These insects can cause catastrophic harm to potatoes, so it is very important to deal with them as well.
Collection and storage
Harvest "Courage" is harvested in the last days of August - in early autumn. This potato variety should be stored in the same way as any other variety: indoors, in bulk or in boxes. It is very important to make sure that the Kurazh tubers are completely dry and have no visible damage. Otherwise, the process of decay will spread to the rest of the fruits, and the entire crop will deteriorate in a matter of weeks.
Advantages and disadvantages of "Courage"
Pros This variety of potatoes is considered to be:
- the possibility of using starch for industrial purposes;
- lack of a changing color during cooking (cooking or frying);
- rather friable flesh;
- excellent characteristics that manifest themselves as much as possible in the process of making chips.
But as for disadvantagesthen them not. Absolutely. The vast majority of gardeners and farmers consider this potato variety ideal.
Is that poor resistance to frost can be considered a minus, but due to the fact that this variety can not be grown in such conditions, this is rather a feature of “Courage”, and not its drawback.
And this is not without meaning, that is, with proper care of plants and soil, “Courage” will thank the crop in large quantities. Other varieties can boast better results in some points, however, when compared entirely, the Kurazh potato literally has no competitors.