High-yielding potato variety "Ermak" with pinkish skin

Gardeners appreciate the potato variety Ermak for its early ripening period, high yield, marketable tubers and excellent taste. Once this variety was widespread not only in Russia, but throughout the world and was valued among farmers no less than the famous Dutch varieties. In the 21st century, Yermak's popularity declined somewhat, but adherents of traditional and proven agricultural crops still love him.

The article will tell you what kind of variety it is, what features it has and how to grow it correctly.

Description of the variety

Ermak is a domestic potato variety introduced to the State Register back in 1978... Refers to early ripening, table varieties.

Origin and development

Ermak - an improved version of the early rose elite tubers... The painstaking work of domestic breeders led to the receipt of an improved Ermak. It is under this name that the variety is listed in the State Register.

Reference. Several years later, an unknown farmer grew tubers of unprecedented size on his plot. The potato originating from this population was nicknamed Bast.

Chemical composition, trace elements and vitamins

Potatoes are distinguished by significant nutritional value and low starch content - 10-12%. The composition includes:

• vitamins of group A, K, B, E and carotene;
• macronutrients - potassium, calcium, iron, copper, manganese.

The low starch content determines the friability of the pulp in tubers... The potato acquires excellent taste and good keeping quality.

Characteristics of tubers, description of appearance and yield

The following parameters will help to describe the Ermak variety:

1. Tubers... The peel is pink, the flesh is white with reddish clear points. The weight of each fruit is 90-117 g.
2. Bushes... Erect, rarely covered with leaves. The flowers are pale purple. One bush yields up to 15 medium-sized potatoes.
3. Yield... The yield depends on the quality of care. From 1 hectare harvested from 350 to 470 centners.

Important! After heat treatment and peeling, the pulp does not darken. The tubers are suitable for boiling, frying, stewing. The variety is not suitable for mashing due to its low starch content.

Which regions is best suited for

Ermak recommended for growing in the West Siberian District... But there are no restrictions for other regions and CIS countries.

What is the difference from other varieties

Ermak is distinguished by frost resistance and generally unpretentiousness to weather conditions... It is noticeably inferior to modern varieties in terms of weight and number of formed tubers, level of immunity.

The main advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Among the advantages of the Ermak variety:

• high taste and marketability of tubers;
• good productivity;
• heat resistance and frost resistance;
• high keeping rates - up to 93%;
• suitability for long-term transportation and storage;
• universality of application.

disadvantages:

• low immunity - the variety is moderately protected from late blight and common scab, suffers from potato cancer and golden nematodes;
• low starch content, which makes it unsuitable for puree.

The advantages helped the Yermak variety to spread in Siberia, neighboring countries... But getting the best yields requires attention: regular feeding and hilling.

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Features of planting and growing

Yermak is planted in the traditional way in open areas, garden beds. Be sure to take into account the crop rotation and predecessors: the best are legumes, pumpkin seeds, siderates.

Preparing for landing

Activities include selection inventory, soil preparation and planting material:

1. Tool... Planting is done using markers, planters or cones. This will allow you to make even grooves, provide easy care for them. Used hedgehogs-cultivators, walk-behind tractors, special plows for the formation of ridges.
2. Planting material... Healthy, intact tubers are selected 3-4 weeks before planting. Healthy seeds are sorted by size. Selected tubers are germinated: laid out in a lighted room with a temperature of 12-16 ° C. After large potatoes can be cut into two or four parts, leaving 2-3 eyes.
3. The soil... The variety loves loose black earth soils, complemented by sand. Before planting, a shovel of humus, 2-3 g of a phosphorus-potassium mixture, a glass of wood ash are introduced into each hole.

Seed material must be soaked in a disinfectant solution before planting (1% potassium permanganate, boric acid or "Fitosporin"), liquid fertilizer (400 g of superphosphate and 400 g of saltpeter in 10 liters of water), activators "Zircon", "Agat", "Prorostok", "Heteroauxin".

Important. Preparatory measures will speed up the formation of tubers and increase the yield by 10-20%.

Timing, scheme and landing rules

Ermak boarding time depends on the region:

• in areas with a temperate climate - this is the first half of May;
• in the southern regions - mid-April;
• in Siberia and the Urals - mid or late May.

Weather conditions and natural clues are great help when choosing a landing date. Many vegetable growers claim that the appearance of a greenish haze on birches signals the start of work.

Landing scheme: distance between rows - 70-75 cm, between holes - 30-35 cm.The planting depth depends on the type of soil: in loose, light - 8-10 cm, loams and dense chernozems - 6-8 cm, heavy clays - 5- 6 cm.If the spring is hot and dry, then the depth of planting seeds is increased by 2-3 cm.If it is rainy, then it is reduced by 3-4 cm.

Growing features

They include proper planting care. Ermak is a variety with low immunity and additionally needs regular hilling and fertilization... Simultaneously with watering, dressing and pest control, it is required to loosen the topsoil, remove weeds.

Loosening will provide breathing for the root system, and weed control will minimize the appearance of harmful insects.

Watering mode

Ermak does not require regular watering... It does not apply to those varieties that die quickly without liquid. Water procedures are required only before the first hilling and during the formation of inflorescences. If the summer is dry, artificial irrigation with drip systems is used.

For maximum results, follow a few rules:

1. Exclude watering before the foliage appears. Perform the first water procedures when the bushes have reached 10 cm in height.
2. After the beginning of flowering, water a second time.
3. After the flowers disappear, water the third time.

Watering is stopped after flowering, when the ripening phase begins.... With waterlogging, Ermak's weak immunity may not resist diseases.

Top dressing

Nutrient application can increase yields by 20-25%... Experienced farmers use:

1. Biological herbal infusions with chicken droppings and ash: dilute 1 part of weeds (burdock, nettle, dandelions, runny) and 1 part chicken droppings in 2 parts of water.
2. Infusion of mullein, dung and wood ash.
3. Complex formulations "Ammophos", "Nitroammofosk" - to apply strictly according to the instructions.

Important! The frequency of fertilization depends on the type of soil and the preference of the farmer. The universal feeding regime is three times a season during the formation of sprouts, flowering, and development of tubers.

Disease and pest control

Ermak is weak before potato crayfish and nematodebeing attacked by the Colorado potato beetle. Potato cancer is easy to spot: the leaves are covered with a bubble net. Disease control methods include the use of drugs "Ridomil Gold", "Quadris", "Previkur", "Alett".

Unto eliminate the Colorado potato beetle and its larvae will help spraying tops with "Commander", "Mospilan", "Confidora", "Regent", "Prestige". Biological agents are less dangerous for bushes - "Agravertin" and "Fitoverm" have proved to be positive.

Prevention and methods of disease control:

1. Before flowering, spray the plantings with Ridomil Gold, Quadris, Previkur, Aliett. Repeat the procedure after two weeks.
2. If fungal infections of the stems are detected, treat with systemic fungicides.
3. Remove and burn diseased plants.

Attention! Neglecting the ground part of the potato can lead to the death of the crop. To prevent the plant from attracting pests with juicy greens, it is enough to plant calendula, marigolds, basil, garlic, celandine, tobacco between the rows to scare off the beetle.

Prevention and control methods with colorado beetles:

• treat the bushes with "Fundazol", "Fitosporin", "Gamair" or "Alirn";
• to collect adults and larvae manually in special containers;
• weed the area in a timely manner.

The Ermak variety has an even more unpleasant enemy... It is a golden potato nematode that lives on the root system. By affecting the roots, these small worms do not allow the stems and root crops to develop normally. The bushes turn yellow, wither, do not bloom. During harvesting, small rotten tubers are found in the hole or they are absent altogether.

Fight with nematode will help chemical preparations "Bazudin", "Nematicid", "Nemabakt", "BI-58".

Attention! Nematoda is a quarantine pest that is harmful and dangerous to humans. If large lesions are found, you should immediately contact the phytosanitary service.

Harvesting and storage

The timing depends on the subsequent use of the potato... For consumption in the near future, the potatoes begin to be dug two weeks after the end of flowering. For winter storage, the crop is harvested in mid-August.

How and when to collect

Optimal timing is 35 days after the end of floweringwhen the tops turn yellow and dry. The stems are pruned a week before harvest.

The tubers are dug out with a shovel or pitchfork, it is better to burn the tops... After digging, they are dried in a ventilated, shaded place for 2-3 days, then sorted, immediately postponed for sowing next year.

Storage features and keeping quality of the variety

Dried potatoes are placed in sand boxes or cloth bags and transferred to storage in a cellar, where the temperature should be from 0 to + 4 ° C, and the humidity should be 70-85%. Ermak has good keeping quality - up to 93%. Therefore, the tubers remain fresh and firm until spring.

What can be the difficulties in growing

There will be no special difficulties during the cultivation of Ermak... But difficulties appear at the stage of growth of bushes, when there is a high risk of contracting potato cancer, golden nematode. Here you should carefully monitor the plantings, observe the crop rotation.

Many summer residents consider the preparation of seed material a laborious process. But the volume of the crop will depend on the quality of measures for disinfection and germination of tubers.

Tips from experienced gardeners and reviews about the Ermak variety

Farmers recommend timely implementation of care measures, choose only high-quality planting material. Be sure to mow the tops before harvesting. The procedure will allow the tubers to ripen better and accumulate more nutrients.

Reviews about Ermak are positive:

Ekaterina, Krasnoyarsk: “My family is very fond of potatoes. Therefore, we tried many varieties. The last time I decided to plant the domestic Ermak. The results were pleasing - the tubers are large, tasty and soft. But I couldn't make mashed potatoes. Of the shortcomings, I would like to note the weakness in front of the larvae of the Colorado potato beetle. I had to process it with Gamair several times. I bet a solid 4 out of 5 ".

Ivan, Tambov: “I have been growing Ermak for a long time. Delicious and large tubers delight. I would like to note that without careful care and dressing, the yield and quality are noticeably reduced. Due to cancer, about a dozen bushes had to be destroyed. If you don't have time to grow this variety, you should try something different. ".

Conclusion

Ermak potatoes are a decent variety with good yields and keeping quality. But it needs attention: timely feeding, loosening, hilling.

Do not forget about the observance of crop rotation - this will help protect plants from infection with fungus and nematode. Preventive treatment of bushes will also reduce the risk of disease and pest attacks.