Potato "Cherry" is an amazing variety that attracts with its smooth tubers with a pinkish peel. The official name of the variety is Bellarosa. Gardeners appreciate it for its unpretentiousness, ease of cultivation, and accessibility to care. The article will find useful recommendations for planting potatoes and harvesting.
"Cherry" appeared in Germany, where they engaged in potato cultivation specifically for the exhibition of breeders. After it was possible to achieve a good result, having obtained a disease-resistant and early-ripening plant, many research institutes took up the variety description, publishing articles in scientific journals. So the variety became very popular. In 2006, it was entered in the State Register of the Russian Federation.
Description and characteristics of "Cherry"
A distinctive feature of the Cherry potato is the height of the plant - an erect bush reaches up to 75 cm in height. It has large dark green leaves with wavy edges. Tubers are round or oval, the surface is smooth, sometimes with a slight roughness. When blooming, the flowers have a red-violet hue.
The weight of one tuber varies from 115 to 210 g, occasionally it can reach 800 g. Gardeners collect up to 10 potatoes from one bush. The root pulp is dense, creamy or yellowish, and the potato peel is pink. During heat treatment, the potato loses its shape, boils, but does not darken. Contains 12-16% starch. It has a sweet taste.
The variety is considered to be ripening, because they dig up potatoes already 60 days after planting. And gradually digging potatoes is permissible after 45 days. Growing "Cherry" in the southern regions provides growers with a double crop per season. The first collection is carried out in early July. As soon as the bed is empty, potatoes are re-planted. The second crop is harvested in early September.
"Cherry" - a variety characterized by high productivity. Gardeners from one hectare of land collect about 400 quintals of potatoes. Potatoes are also resistant to drought, therefore suitable for growing in large areas. For planting, there is no need to choose a special soil - potatoes grow on almost any soil, except for sites with clay heavy soil.
Despite the fact that the variety "Cherry" is early, its feature is considered to be excellent and long-term storage. Keeping quality is 93%. Potatoes are resistant to mechanical damage. When harvesting, they harvest a crop with an indicator of 99%.
Detailed characteristics of the variety | |
Name | Cherry (Bellarosa) |
Ripening period | 50-60 days |
general characteristics | excellent early table variety |
Productivity | up to 400 kg / ha |
The number of tubers in the bush | 8-10 |
The mass of commodity tubers | 120-200 g |
Starch content | 12-16% |
Keeping | 93% |
Pulp color | light yellow |
Skin color | pink |
Disease resistance | highly resistant to many diseases |
Preferred growing regions | suitable for all types of soil, recommended for the Central Black Earth Region |
This potato variety is characterized by a lack of flowering, but not always. Many gardeners, noticing this, are worried, because in other varieties this is considered a sign of a disease or a decrease in yield. But in this case, the reason for this is early maturity. The tubers grow very quickly, respectively, and ripen at high speed.
Growing Features
To get a good harvest, it is important to adhere to certain recommendations, know how to properly prepare the site, process the tubers before planting and take care of the grown plants.
Soil and seed preparation
Start the preparation with the choice of the site. They prefer territories where the sun shines well and there are no strong winds. In autumn, they are engaged in loosening the plot and fertilizing the soil - they make humus or compost: 5 kilograms per 1 square meter. In the spring, they re-dig the site and fertilize.
With top dressing, the main thing is not to overdo it. Although the plants respond well to fertilizers, they will either grow and grow faster, or the tubers will begin to rot.
Potatoes deplete the soil, therefore it is important to observe crop rotation. It is better to plant potatoes in areas where such predecessors previously grew:
- onion;
- garlic;
- beet;
- cucumbers
- legumes;
- pumpkin;
- cabbage.
Preparation of planting material begins a few weeks before planting. To do this, put the tubers in wooden boxes, or leave them in bulk on the floor. A prerequisite is the provision of sunlight and the installation of the correct temperature regime - +15 degrees. Under such conditions, tubers are left for germination. Before planting, choose smooth, healthy fruits, without damage.
Landing
Bushes are powerful, root crops are large, which is why it is recommended to plant plants not close to each other. Adhere to a distance of 30-40 cm, between rows - 70-90 cm.
For planting, dig holes with a depth of 10 cm. Add 1 tsp to each well. potash and phosphorus fertilizers. It is permissible to add 15 g of nitrophosphate or a mixture of 700 g of humus with 100 g of ash. Next, put the potatoes in the holes, fill it with earth.
Care Features
Variety "Cherry" needs regular care, the yield and taste of potatoes depend on it. It is important to comply with all requirements in order to get healthy and smooth fruits suitable for consumption:
Weeding and cultivation | Watering | Top dressing | Hilling |
Weeding is carried out three times per season:
| "Cherry" receives all the necessary moisture from the soil and from the rains; it does not need additional watering. | Spend three times. When young shoots appear, make chicken droppings or manure. Before flowering, fertilize the plant with urea, wood ash (100 g) or potassium sulfate (10 g). When the potatoes begin to bloom, a mixture of 200 g of mullein with 40 g of superphosphate per 10 l of water is introduced into the soil. This is required to stimulate the growth of tubers. All dressings are carried out after rain. | Carried out twice in the following order:
Next, the potato bushes are spudded as necessary. |
Pests and diseases
"Cherry" is characterized by increased resistance to almost all diseases: common scab, golden nematode, spotting, potato cancer, late blight, bacterial rot. But with prolonged rains, potatoes can still suffer from late blight.
Take into account such moments:
- The "Cherry" may be attacked by Colorado beetles. Numerous chemicals will help protect against them. But it is best to collect larvae, ovipositor and beetles by hand.
- Potato tubers can be damaged by wireworms - it eats up numerous moves in them. Fighting the pest is recommended by a folk remedy: chop potato slices on pegs and bury the “bait” to a depth of 10 cm. After a day, the traps are dug up and destroyed. Only after this they begin to plant the crop.
- The variety ripens early, which is why it most often does not become infected with late blight. But in regions where heavy rains fall in the summer, prophylaxis is recommended. An effective way is the introduction of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. The plant, upon reaching 30 cm in height, is treated with copper sulfate several times with a break of 10 days. 10 grams of water accounts for 2 grams of vitriol. Also use fungicides, Bordeaux liquid.
Read more about pests and methods of controlling them in this article.
Harvesting and storage
Harvest 60 days after planting. Yellowing tops are a sign of complete ripening. A week before digging, the tops are cut off at a level of 15 cm above the ground. During this time, the tubers ripen, the peel becomes rougher, so it is not damaged during harvesting and transportation of the crop.
After digging, it is left to dry in fresh air for 7 days, after getting rid of sick and damaged tubers. Seed is taken for planting next year. Laid in storage. Variety "Cherry" in a ventilated room at a temperature of +4 degrees can be stored for 7-8 months.
Advantages and disadvantages
The variety is widespread, due to the fact that it has many advantages and a minimum of disadvantages. Gardeners most appreciate the "Cherry" for such qualities:
- Precocity. After 1.5 months, they dig in the first crop, picking new potatoes. This allows you to grow Bellarosa twice a season. After harvesting potatoes in July, planting is repeated and the crop is harvested in early autumn.
- Excellent presentation. Tubers have an even shape, mostly they always collect beautiful fruits.
- Stable productivity. The variety is resistant to any climatic and weather conditions. Due to this, about 400 centners of potatoes are harvested from one hectare.
- Strong immunity. Potato "Cherry" is resistant to common scab, rhizoctonia, black leg, potato cancer, bacterial rot, golden nematode.
- Drought tolerance. The variety tolerates heat and can grow in dry soil.
- Long-term storage. Root crops are well stored for a long time.
- Undemanding to the ground. The variety is able to take root on any type of soil, except for heavy clay soils.
- Great taste. The sweetish taste of potatoes is a feature of the variety. It is well boiled, recommended for making mashed potatoes.
The disadvantage of “Cherry” potatoes is demanding on light: with a lack of sun, the tubers become small and do not develop. Potatoes can also suffer from the development of late blight.
Farmers Reviews
About potato "Cherry" speak both positively and negatively. But most farmers prefer this variety.
Leonid, 48 years old, gardener. I decided to plant the “Cherry” variety last year, and I can say with confidence that the potatoes are really good. It is not exposed to diseases, there is no need to spend a lot of time on leaving, easily tolerates drought and does not decay with an excess of moisture. Received smooth, rounded oval fruits. He noted that potatoes are stored for a long time and do not deteriorate. The wife says that she likes to cook mashed potatoes from Cherry - the tubers are quickly digested, and the taste is a bit sweet.
Svetlana, 41 years old, summer resident. For 7 years in a row, neighbors in the country have been planting Cherry potatoes. I decided, was-was not, I’ll try and plant, I’ll suddenly like it. I’m not mistaken. The bushes are strong, tall. The tops are thick. Tubers grow very fast. For processing from phytophthora I use different drugs, but most often “Revus” and “Ridomil Gold”. We begin to dig young tubers before active flowering. I like the taste, long-term storage and preservation of the presentation when transported over long distances.
Christina, 34 years old, housewife. Once I went to the market for vegetables, there I came across a beautiful potato with a pink peel. I took a sample, immediately checking with the seller the variety. He answered that it was Bellarosa. I tried and fry and boil, really liked the taste. They decided to plant on their site. She noted that the variety is unpretentious, with good care provides high productivity. When I harvested it, I sent it to the basement for storage - it lay perfectly there all winter.
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Potato "Cherry" is a variety that many have managed to truly appreciate and fall in love with. Those who once tried to grow it on their site, give preference only to him, because there is no need to regularly water the potatoes, moreover, it is resistant to many diseases.
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