Dark potatoes - it's already interesting! Many gardeners love to grow exotic crops or just something original. Variety "Black Prince" - of these. Its main difference is the purple peel. But is appearance really the only thing that makes dark potatoes interesting? We will figure out whether this variety has, in addition to the original form, other advantages.
Dark potato selection
Experts say that dark potato came to Russia from the countries of South America - here this culture is grown especially actively. Today, our gardeners, hungry for exotic on the plot, are offered, in addition to the "Black Prince", the following varieties of potatoes:
- Violet Viking;
- "Negro";
- "Chinese Truffle."
But the exact origin of the Black Prince variety is unknown. There are only hypotheses. It is assumed that this variety was bred by Dutch or Israeli breeders. There is also an opinion that under the same name several similar varieties are combined at once. “Black Prince” cannot be found in the State Register of Cultures of the Russian Federation - he is not included here. Nevertheless, the variety is very popular among gardeners from different countries.
Table 1
Varieties of characteristics "Black Prince" | |
Ripening category | mid early |
Ripening period, days | 90 |
Starch,% | 12-16 |
The mass of tubers, g | 70-170 |
The number of tubers in one bush, pieces | 5-7 pieces |
Productivity, t / ha | up to 100 |
Tuber shape | oval, slightly elongated |
Skin color | dark purple |
Pulp color | light beige |
Consumer qualities | good taste, balanced, not watery, after cooking the tubers retain a pleasant potato aroma |
Keeping% | 97 |
Growing regions | cultivated in all regions |
Attitude to diseases | resistance to potato cancer, golden nematode, common scab |
The appearance of the bushes | tall, erect, with moderately sprawling branches |
Leaf appearance | medium-sized, light green in color, edges wavy |
Bloom | corolla of large bluish flowers, low berry formation |
Degree of leaf | average |
The yield of dark potatoes is low, no more than 7 tubers under one bush. But they are all large - the variety practically does not produce marketable small potatoes.
Since the variety does not differ in productivity, they grow it only as an addition to other varieties of potatoes, planting part of the site. The tubers of the "Black Prince" are quite beautiful - even, unusually colored, with a moderately thin and smooth skin. The eyes are shallow - they do not interfere with the cleaning of tubers.
Comparison with other varieties
To evaluate the consumer qualities and characteristics of Black Prince potatoes, compare it with other popular varieties. In table 2 - a comparison of productivity and keeping quality, in table 3 - the content of starch.
table 2
Grade name | Productivity, t / ha | Keeping quality% |
Black Prince | up to 100 | 97 |
Queen Anne | 390-460 | 92 |
Sifra | 180-400 | 94 |
Mozart | 200-330 | 92 |
Vector | 670 | 95 |
League | 210-360 | 93 |
Milena | 450-600 | 95 |
Elmundo | 250-345 | 97 |
Serpanok | 170-215 | 94 |
The taste of tubers and their digestibility depend on the starch content. The "Black Prince" does not darken when cut, and during cooking it does not boil, becoming tender and crumbly. From tubers you can cook lush mashed potatoes, french fries, fry, stuff, bake.
Table 3
Grade name | The starch content,% |
Black Prince | 12-16 |
Santana | 13-17 |
Desiree | 13-21 |
Openwork | 14-16 |
Purple Haze | 14-17 |
Yanka | 13-18 |
Tuscany | 12-14 |
Artemis | 13-16 |
Cherie | 11-15 |
Svitanok Kiev | 18-19 |
Cast iron | 12-15 |
The benefits of dark potatoes
Potatoes with a dark skin are interesting for cooks and gourmets. The composition of the tubers includes:
- minerals;
- vitamins
- phenolic acids;
- antioxidants;
- anthocyanins;
- carotenoids.
The effect of daily use of purple potatoes:
- retardation of aging;
- improvement of the gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system;
- restoration of vision.
But in dark root crops there are also harmful substances. For example, solanine is a natural poison found in small quantities in any potato. If potatoes are not stored properly, the concentration of solanine increases. Green areas need to be cut without regret.
Advantages and disadvantages
Planting dark potatoes brings more moral satisfaction than real benefits. It is not grown by agricultural holdings and large farms. Usually amateur gardeners and summer residents are interested in dark potatoes - they grow it, rather for the sake of pleasure, than because of any agrotechnical or taste advantages. Pros and cons of the variety "Black Prince" - in table 4.
Table 4
Benefits | disadvantages |
Little food interest from the Colorado potato beetle | Tubers attract bear |
High in protein, vitamins, beta-carotene, valuable amino acids | In the place of the tuber tail there are stains or spots of green color - here the solanine poison accumulates |
Grows on different types of soil | Cooking takes twice as long as ordinary potatoes |
Cancer, scab and nematode resistance | Low yield |
Tasty and fragrant tubers | Sensitive to soil nutrition |
Well stored and transported | Sensitive to black leg and late blight |
Resistance to heat and drought | Low yield |
Soil preparation
The preparation of soil for potatoes can be divided into two stages:
- Autumn. Under the potato plantations, the soil is prepared in the fall. The earth set aside for potatoes is dug up. It is recommended to fertilize during the autumn digging, then you will not have to do this in the spring. For each square meter - 10 kg of humus and 200-300 g of wood ash. Some gardeners sow siderata - rye, oats, etc., which plow in the spring.
- Spring. In April-May, dolomite flour or complex mineral fertilizers are introduced into the soil. Make repeated digging. To increase productivity, humus and ash are added directly to the wells.
If potatoes are planted on a site with heavy soils and with frequent stagnation of moisture, it is necessary to use the comb method.
Preparing potatoes for planting
Rules for preparing potatoes for planting:
- Healthy tubers of medium size, saturated dark color are selected for landing. Seed is taken during harvesting. In spring, the tubers are sorted again - the diseased, not overwintered potatoes are harvested.
- 2-4 weeks before planting, seed potatoes are put in a lighted place - for germination. Root crops need to be greened. They accumulate poison in the light - corned beef, which scares off rodents.
- Tubers are treated with Fitosporin or a solution of copper sulfate. You can also soak tubers in a growth promoter.
Dates and methods of landing
Exotic potatoes do not require any special planting. This variety is unpretentious, its cultivation is available even to beginner gardeners. It is enough to follow the standard rules of agricultural technology. What you need to remember when planting any potato:
- The landing place is chosen in a well-lit area, without drafts and with protection from flooding.
- The optimal planting time is determined by the temperature of the soil - it should reach + 7-12⁰С. The landing period for each region is different, in addition, specific weather conditions must be taken into account.
Landing methods:
- Standard. In areas where there is no stagnation of moisture, potatoes are planted in rows. Tubers are laid in holes or dug trenches. Landing Options:
- distance between tubers - 20-30 cm;
- the depth of the hole is 10 cm;
- the distance between the rows is 70 cm.
- Grebneva. This method is used on waterlogged heavy soils. Combs with a height of 25-30 cm are prepared manually or using a walk-behind tractor. Tubers grow well in them and do not rot. The interval between the ridges is 65 cm.
Care Rules
Violet potatoes need a standard set of agrotechnical measures for the development and formation of large root crops:
- Watering. The variety likes timely hydration. For growth, he needs abundant watering. The best option is the organization of drip irrigation. The number of irrigations depends on weather conditions. In favorable weather, three waterings may suffice:
- when shoots appear;
- when buds appear;
- when the potato bushes bloom.
- Hilling and weeding. In order to improve soil aeration and ensure moisture conservation, potato plantings periodically spud - they rake up the soil for seedlings. Hilling begins when the bushes reach a height of 15-20 cm. After 20 days, the potatoes are re-cultivated. The earth is loosened, raked and weeds are weeded out at the same time.
- Top dressing. The variety is demanding on the quality of the soil. Recommended application times:
- 1st feeding - 2 weeks after emergence. Add diluted, semi-liquid mullein or urea - 1 tbsp. l on the bucket. For each bush, spend 500 ml of fertilizer.
- 2nd feeding - during budding. Add a mixture of 1 tbsp. l potassium sulfate and 3 tbsp. wood ash. Consumption - 500-700 ml per bush.
Major pests and control measures
Most violet potatoes are damaged by Colorado beetles and wireworms - the larvae of the nutcracker beetle, gnawing passages in the tubers. In addition to processing with chemical and biological drugs, in the fight against all pests, it is recommended to resort to agrotechnical measures:
- mulching the aisles with straw, sawdust or mowed grass (read more about mulching the soil here);
- timely cleaning of weeds.
Table 5
Potato pest | Control measures |
Colorado beetle |
|
Wireworm |
|
Volatile insects - potato moth and others. |
|
The most effective drugs against the Colorado potato beetle are Aktara, Regent, Corado, Prestige, Commander, Lightning, Apache, Tanrek, Taboo.
Dangerous diseases and control measures
The variety is resistant to most potato diseases, but it may not resist phytophthora. The "Black Prince" can also be affected by a black leg and ring rot. Disease control measures are shown in table 6.
Table 6
Potato disease | Preventive measures | Control measures |
Late blight |
| At the first sign of late blight, the bushes are dug up and destroyed. |
Ring rot |
| Treatment with complex action insecticides - Shar Pei, Sirocco, Tanrek and others. |
Blackleg |
|
|
Preplanting treatment of tubers will help prevent many diseases:
- Autumn seed treatment with Maxim KS - 0.2 ml per 1 kg. Or spring - 0.4 ml per 1 kg.
- Processing with any bacterial preparation. For example, “Fitosporin” - 0.4-0.5 kg / t, “Bactofit” - 3-5 kg / t, “Integral” - 2 l / t.
How to harvest and maintain a crop without losses?
Harvesting purple tubers can begin 2-2.5 months after planting. What you need to know:
- A week before harvesting, they cut all the tops.
- Before laying the tubers for storage, they are dried for 1-2 hours in the sun.
- This variety is convenient in that it does not need sorting - all tubers grow the same size. "Black Prince" does not give small potatoes.
- After drying, the tubers are laid out in boxes and placed in a dry, dark place. You can sprinkle a few sawdust on top - they will protect root crops from excess moisture.
Reviews gardeners
For farmers, dark potato varieties are not of particular interest - they have a low yield, and this factor for industrial production is crucial. But amateur gardeners are always happy to experiment, planting unusual varieties of vegetables, including dark potatoes "Black Prince".
Lidia Nikolaevna, 48 years old, Kursk region. Purple potatoes are called Negro or Gypsy. Very tasty potatoes, but requires care - if not watered, there will be no harvest. I haven’t considered the variety exotic for a long time, I have been growing potatoes with a dark skin for a long time - I like its taste, aroma and appearance
Valentina Dmitrievna, 55 years old, Novosibirsk region. This variety is soot for the soul - pleasing to the eye and taste buds. For mass harvesting, I plant more productive and unpretentious varieties. The "Black Prince" is beautiful in fried and baked form.
Hide
Add your review
"Black Prince" attracts gardeners, both in appearance and in their taste. The variety grows well in cold and rainy weather, which cannot but interest vegetable growers from regions with cool summers.
Posted by
12
Russia. City Novosibirsk
Publications: 276 Comments: 1