Late-ripening variety of potatoes "Cardinal" is not afraid of sudden changes in the weather

The Dutch Cardinal potato surprises with its extraordinary resistance to disease and its ability to thrive in all weather conditions. The variety is not afraid of strong gusts of wind and short-term frosts and grows well in dry and humid climates. Despite the late ripening period, the culture is popular with gardeners throughout our country.

Description of the variety

Cardinal potatoes are not afraid of sudden changes in temperature, it will fully develop even with strong winds and short-term frosts... Thanks to these qualities, potatoes have become widespread throughout the world.

The bush is tall, erect, with emerald-colored leaves. The foliage is dense, the leaves are large, long, with sharp ends. During flowering, the flowers acquire a burgundy-lilac hue. Care during the growing season is simple and comes down to standard agricultural techniques.

Origin and development

The Cardinal potato variety was developed in Holland. Scientists from the Netherlands instilled in the crop high yields, long shelf life and the ability to grow in arid and humid climates.

reference... From Latin "cardinal" ("cardinalis") is translated as "chief".

Today the culture competes with many well-known potato varieties.

Chemical composition, trace elements and vitamins

Tubers are high in vitamins and minerals, organic acids. Fiber helps to improve intestinal motility, and starch has a beneficial effect on immunity.

Phosphorus, potassium and iron help to strengthen human bone tissue and maintain it in normal condition throughout life. And the level of vitamin C contained in potato tubers is sufficient to meet the daily requirement.

Oxalic, malic and citric acids regulate the acid-base balance.

reference... The variety does not cause allergies and can be used to feed children.

Ripening period

The culture is late ripening. From the moment of planting to full maturation, 110-120 days pass. The growing season is protracted. The formation of tubers is not the same: they are of different sizes, from small to medium.

Yield

The yield is high and reaches 300 kg / ha. The culture is considered unpretentious, does not require increased attention - it is enough to follow simple rules of agricultural technology. The variety is not bred on an industrial scale, grown for personal farming.

6-11 tubers with a total weight of 3-4 kg are formed on one plant.

Disease resistance

The variety is resistant to cancer, scab, rhizoctoniasis, potato nematodes are not afraid of it. This factor is decisive for most gardeners.

Characteristics of tubers, appearance

The tubers are oval-elongated, average weight 70-110 g, pink-red color. Excellent taste, light amber flesh color.During heat treatment, the pulp does not darken, the potatoes do not boil over, therefore it is used universally in the household, added to winter salads, made fries and chips.

Keeping quality is high, the yield is almost completely preserved when stored for 4 to 7 months in a cool dry room.

The starch content in tubers does not exceed 16%.

The photographs show the Cardinal potatoes.

Which regions is best suited for

Since the crop takes root in any climate, it can be grown in all regions. It shows high yields in the Moscow, Vladimir, Nizhny Novgorod, Yaroslavl and Kaluga regions. But most of the plantings are in the Krasnodar Territory - because of the good resistance to hot summer.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of the variety:

• survival in any climate;
• high productivity;
• immunity to diseases;
• simple agricultural technology;
• drought resistance;
• great taste;
• long preservation of the crop;
• universal application.

The downside is the long growing season, due to which farmers do not grow potatoes in large quantities. Another disadvantage is the uneven formation of tubers.

What is the difference from other varieties

High resistance to the main diseases dangerous for the Solanaceae family distinguishes the crop among potato varieties. Another important distinguishing feature of the Cardinal is its adaptation to any climate, thanks to which it successfully grows and develops in different regions.

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Features of planting and growing

The culture is recommended for open field cultivation. Description of the variety and photo of Cardinal potatoes indicate its ability to grow even in unfavorable conditions, but if the seed is improperly prepared, you can lose part of the crop.

Presowing preparation

After long storage, tubers intended for landingare carefully inspected for visible damage or discoloration. Only complete light specimens weighing no more than 100 g are selected for planting.

One month before sowing, the tubers are germinated in a bright room at a temperature of + 15 ° C. For a month, the sprouts reach 1.5-2 cm. Providing the optimal temperature regime during germination, the sprouts form strong and give quick shoots.

Greening of tubers occurs during the germination period. During this time, the skins accumulate solanine, a poisonous glycoside that changes color. Greened tubers stay healthy longer in the ground and are not damaged by rodents.

reference... Untreated sown potatoes are often damaged by rodents - field mice attack plantings after a hungry winter.

Ground requirements

To obtain a rich harvest, the crop should be planted in light and fertile soil. In heavy soil, the yield will decrease noticeably.

To make the soil lighter, river sand is added to it as a baking powder. Fertility is increased by introducing humus and wood ash.

Double digging of soil in spring and autumn not only loosens the ground, but also destroys the larvae of pests living in the ground, and prevents the spread of fungal spores.

Timing, scheme and landing rules

Sowing work begins in early May. Prepare holes 10 cm deep and put some wood ash on the bottom of each.

Planting scheme: 35 cm - distance between seedlings, 60-65 cm - distance between rows. With a greater distance between seedlings, crop productivity increases.

Growing features

Experienced gardeners advise planting the Cardinal for novice vegetable growers, since caring for him is extremely simple.

Watering mode

Water the culture as the top layer of the soil dries up, but not more often than once every 10 days... Increase the amount of watering only during flowering and tuber formation. 5-6 liters of water are consumed under each seedling.

After watering, loosening is carried out to improve air exchange. In loose soil, oxygen penetrates faster to the root system.

To keep moisture in the beds longer, mulching is carried out using peat or straw. Mulching also protects plantings from pests.

Top dressing

The first top dressing is applied as soon as the seedlings grow to 15-20 cm. Fertilize with nitrogen agents for accelerated growth of green mass.

The second time is fed one week before flowering. They use organic matter, bird droppings in a ratio of 1:10 with water, or a complex of minerals.

The third feeding is carried out during fruiting. The plant is fertilized with potassium elements. Since fruiting is extended, the crop can be fed twice, the second time using organic matter.

Important! All top dressing is applied to well-moistened soil.

Weeding and hilling

For the full development of seedlings, weeds must be removed from the beds, since it takes a lot of mineral elements from the soil. In addition, many pests live and multiply in weeds.

Seedlings are spud at least twice a season. The hilling procedure consists in raking the soil from the row spacing onto the plants. The higher the ridge, the more the tubers are protected from the penetration of pests and sunlight.

Disease and pest control

Due to the high resistance of the plant, potatoes are practically not affected by viral and fungal diseases. But since other crops grow on the site in addition to potatoes, preventive measures are taken for all plants. Seedlings are sprayed twice a season with a contact fungicide "Fitosporin" to prevent fungal spores from developing.

During planting, the seed is sprinkled with ash, which also disinfects it.

For seedlings, scoop butterflies are dangerous. They cause great harm to plants by penetrating the stem. Gradually, pests move to tubers and stimulate the development of microorganisms that cause rotting. In the fight against the parasitic butterfly, the insecticide "Decis" is used.

reference... A daily inspection of the seedlings will help identify deviations from the norm and take the necessary measures in time.

Harvesting and storage

Harvested in autumn, in September. Due to the late ripening time, the culture is rarely planted in cold regions, since at this time the first frosts are possible.

After harvesting, the vegetables are left outside for two hours to dry. They are then carefully inspected for damage and placed in wooden storage boxes.

Keeping quality of the variety

Vegetables are stored for a long time - 95% of the total mass retain their taste and presentation for 5-7 months. This requires a dry, dark and cool room. The optimum temperature is + 2-6 ° C.

Difficulties in growing

Usually, when growing these potatoes, difficulties arise if you follow the rules of crop rotation. Sowing material is best planted in the land where winter crops or legumes grew before. They saturate the earth with nitrogen, which is necessary for the growth and development of culture.

Advice and feedback from gardeners

Experienced growers give these tips to improve crop productivity:

1. When the bird cherry blossoms, feel free to start planting potatoes. Bird cherry will not bloom if there is a threat of recurrent frosts.
2. If the seed is not more than 50-60 g, put 2-3 potatoes in each hole. Otherwise, there will be few stems, which will lead to a decrease in yield.

Potatoes are not grown commercially and are only used in the household. Gardeners leave only positive reviews about him.

Anna, Kislovodsk: “I have been growing the Cardinal for two years.I read the characteristics of the variety on the Internet and decided to plant it in my garden. Care is quite simple, I fertilized it only twice a season with mineral fertilizers, and the harvest was excellent all two years. Vegetables are delicious in any dish, especially like boiled potatoes ".

Elena, Tver: “I grow several varieties on my site, one of which is Cardinal. I like its keeping quality and preservation of all qualities. The crop yield is excellent, I collect at least 3-3.5 kg from one bush. The seedlings are resistant to temperature extremes and do not get sick. "

Conclusion

Dutch vegetable crops are world renowned for their excellent characteristics. Cardinal potatoes are no exception. The culture is appreciated not only in Europe, but also in Russia for its high productivity, long-term storage, increased resistance to diseases and simple agricultural technology.