Medium early potato variety "Lilly" with high yield
The mid-early table potato variety Lilly was registered in Russia recently - in 2016, but quickly managed to prove itself from the very best side. Many farmers and private gardeners leave positive reviews about it, noting the high yield, excellent taste and keeping quality.
The article describes in detail the advantages and disadvantages of the variety, the features of its planting, cultivation and storage.
The content of the article
Lilly variety description
Lilly's potatoes are a mid-early table variety. Grown in most regions of the Russian Federation.
Origin and development
The variety was created by breeders of the German company Solana. In 2016, Lilly's potatoes were included in the state register of breeding achievements.
Chemical composition, trace elements and vitamins
The tubers contain the following beneficial substances:
- folic acid;
- organic acids;
- phosphorus;
- iron;
- calcium;
- vitamins of group B, H, PP, D;
- potassium;
- cellulose;
- vitamin C;
- iodine.
The nutritional value of Lilly potatoes is 76 kcal per 100 g.
The variety is suitable for baby food, for patients with diabetes, people with metabolic disorders and those suffering from diseases of the digestive system.
Characteristics of tubers, description of appearance and yield
Tubers are medium in size, uniform. They are easy to clean, wash and pack. The weight of one tuber is 100-150 g. The shape is most often round, sometimes oval. The peel is dense, elastic. The eyes are shallow.
Potatoes have excellent taste: they are oily, crumbly, moderately sweet, in the process cooking does not disintegrate and does not change color. The average starch content is about 12%.
Productivity is high: about 60-80 tons of potatoes are harvested from 1 hectare. It is important that to obtain such a high yield, a minimum amount of fertilizers is sufficient.
The high yield is also evidenced by the high level of keeping quality: potatoes can be stored for up to 9 months without losing their properties.
Which regions is best suited for
The Lilly variety is officially recommended for planting in the following macro-regions of Russia:
- Far Eastern;
- Northwestern;
- Middle Volga.
What is the difference from other varieties
Lilly is distinguished from most other varieties of potatoes by high yield, frost resistance, waste-free use of tubers, which is possible due to their uniformity.
What is the difference with a variety with a consonant name Lileya
Lileya's potatoes are a Belarusian variety. It also belongs to the category of yellow varieties, but it is an early crop that is somewhat inferior to Lilly in terms of yield. In addition, Lilly is more resistant to common potato diseases.
The main advantages and disadvantages of the Lilly variety
The advantages of the variety include:
- high productivity;
- tubers do not change color for a long time after washing and cleaning;
- has immunity to common potato diseases: hollowness, rhizoctonia, scab, late blight, alternaria;
- resistant to rot and rust;
- does not require a lot of fertilizers;
- versatile: suitable for baby and diet food;
- can be stored for a long time without loss of taste and presentation.
Disadvantages of the variety:
- high price;
- picky about watering;
- certain rules must be followed when boarding.
Features of planting and growing varieties
Growing technique Lilly's varieties are similar to other varieties, but there are still some nuances.
Preparing for landing
Potatoes can be cut into pieces, it is advisable to dry them just before planting.
The site is prepared in advance. Light loamy soil is preferable for Lilly. It is advisable to plant in an area where beets, cucumbers, cabbage, carrots previously grew. Acidic soil - deacidify, fertilize with organic matter, dig up. In the spring, fertilizers containing phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen are applied.
Timing, scheme and landing rules
It is recommended to plant potatoes in May, the soil should warm up to + 10 ° C. Dig holes with a depth of at least 10 cm.
An important condition. The rows must be even and the holes must be the same. It is recommended to add humus, ash, complex fertilizer to the holes along with potatoes.
Plant the tubers sprout down. Plants must be at a great distance from each other (at least 60 cm), otherwise the tubers will be small.
It is advisable to arrange potato rows from north to south: with this scheme, the potatoes will receive enough sunlight both in the morning and in the evening.
Growing features
Lilly's variety is unpretentious to care. Standard measures are required: weeding, hilling, prevention of the Colorado potato beetle.
The nuances of care
The main feature of caring for Lilly potatoes is abundant and timely watering.
Watering mode
The Lilly variety needs watering throughout the growing season, especially during flowering. Water the plants at least once a week, preferably in the morning or evening. The water should be warm.
Top dressing
When planting, organic fertilizers are added to the holes - manure or bird droppings. If desired, it can be replaced with mineral fertilizer with phosphorus and potassium (1 teaspoon of fertilizer per hole).
During the growing season, fertilizers containing superphosphates and potassium nitrate are applied 2-3 times.
Disease and pest control
The variety is resistant to most common potato diseases. Sometimes plants are affected by the fungal disease late blight.
Treatment and prevention consists in the use of chemicals according to the following scheme:
- The first treatment is carried out when the bush reaches a height of 20-30 cm. It is recommended to use copper sulfate, copper sulfate.
- Before flowering potatoes, plantings are treated with "Epin", "Exiol". If hot weather prevails, use "Crezacin".
- In case of severe damage, apply "Oxyhom", "Ridomil". The treatment is repeated after two weeks.
- During the period of ripening of the root crop, the plants are treated with the "Alufit" preparation.
Lilly's potatoes are attacked by the Colorado potato beetle, aphids, and a bear. For pest control, it is recommended to use the following drugs weekly: Bitoxibacillin, Akarin, Fitoverm, Corado, Zubr.
As a prevention of infection of potatoes with diseases and pests, it is recommended to treat the seeds before planting with such preparations as: "Prestige", "Epin", "Bioglobin".
Harvesting and storage
Harvesting Lilly potatoes is similar to other potato varieties.
When and how to collect
Potatoes are dug 50-60 days after they are planted in the soil. The growing season may vary slightly depending on the weather conditions in the region.
The readiness of the fruit for harvesting is determined by the change in the color of the tops - it should turn yellow.To facilitate the process of digging potatoes, the tops should be cut 2-3 days before harvesting.
Storage features and keeping quality of the variety
It is recommended to dry the dug potatoes. To do this, the tubers intended for eating are poured onto the floor in a well-ventilated area. The potato layer should be no more than 20 centimeters. It is important that the floor is not concrete, preferably wooden. Potatoes are dried for at least 10 days, periodically turning the tubers. Seed potatoes can be sun dried.
Lilly has a high keeping quality. In favorable conditions, potatoes are stored for 9 months without losing their qualities.
What can be the difficulties in growing
In general, the variety is unpretentious. Even inexperienced gardeners do not experience difficulties in growing it, the main thing is to give the potatoes enough watering and timely protect the planting of diseases.
Tips from experienced gardeners and reviews about the Lilly variety
Below are the reviews of experienced gardeners about Lilly potatoes.
George, Pskov: «I learned about this variety of potatoes from my neighbors. The price confused at first - it's expensive, but decided to buy it. I didn’t regret it - I like the potatoes: they are tasty and not boiled. And digging it up is a pleasure, because there are at least 10 large potatoes on each bush, small tubers practically do not come across. Now I myself recommend Lilly's potatoes to everyone. "
Maria, Tula: “Two years ago, we planted Lilly potatoes for the first time for testing, several rows. They did not take into account that it was necessary to make a large distance between the rows and when harvesting they were disappointed - they came across small tubers, and the seller told us that only large potatoes grow like this. Then I read on the Internet how to plant it correctly. The next year they planted them according to the scheme, and the result pleased us very much - they collected large, beautiful potatoes. So my advice is to follow all planting rules. "
Konstantin, Yoshkar-Ola: “A neighbor at the dacha advised the variety Lilly, I had never heard of this before. I decided to buy. As an experienced gardener, I know that each variety needs its own approach. I immediately learned from the seller how to plant and care for it. I fertilized potatoes with manure according to the scheme, treated them from beetles, watered them regularly. As a result, in the fall he harvested a delicious yellow potato. I was very pleased. "
Conclusion
Lilly's potatoes have won the trust of many farmers. The variety is unpretentious, the main conditions for a high yield are correct planting and timely watering. The high cost of the variety easily pays off, because as a result, the gardener receives high-quality potatoes that are well stored and have excellent taste characteristics.