Who grew the largest potato in the world and what does it look like
Gardeners and farmers often compete to produce the most outstanding fruit or vegetable. Some are achieving incredible success in this business - the whole world begins to talk about them. Their giant record holders are simply amazing. Today you will find out who grew the largest potatoes in the world and how to achieve such success yourself.
The content of the article
Record potato size
The title "The largest potato in the world" since 2008 belongs to a vegetable weighing 11 kg 200 g.
The farmer who raised the giant
The record holder was raised by the farmer Khalil Semkhat from Saudi Arabiaahead of European and American vegetable growers. Khalil and his huge potato are included in the Guinness Book of Records. The size of a vegetable is equal to the girth of three human heads. Variety - sweet potato (sweet potato).
The Arabian bypassed the previous achievement of the Englishman in 1975 by growing a vegetable three kilograms heavier. Khalil himself admits that he did not expect to excavate such a huge tuber on his site and was surprised a lot by weighing this "monster".
The most popular question that the record holder now hears is how he managed to grow such potatoes and how he fertilized it. However, professionals will be disappointed: Semkhat did not use "secret technologies". Moreover, the farmer admitted that he did not fertilize the vegetable and did not even take special care of it. The potatoes grew on their own, and this is what came of it. You can feed a whole village with such huge potatoes! The size of the crop is striking even in the photo.
Having become a celebrity, Khalil Semkhat became even more interested in vegetable growing. Now his harvest is particularly popular with buyers, and the farmer himself continues to actively grow a variety of fruits and vegetables. Perhaps the Arabian hopes to find another record holder in his garden.
Second largest potato
For a long time, the title was held by potatoes grown Englishman Peter Glazebrook. However, in comparison with the modern record holder, his competitor had a modest size - 8 kg 730 g. The Briton presented his vegetable at the 2010 National Gardening Show.
After achieving success and fame, the inspired gardener set out to break his own record. The 66-year-old gardener shares his secrets with others. Unlike Semkhat, who let the growth of the vegetable take its course, Peter believes that it is important to carefully choose the planting material and observe some of the nuances of growing. It takes a lot of effort to get the world's largest potato.
Today the British farmer can easily be called a professional growing giant vegetables. His achievements were not limited to potatoes. Over the past 10 years, Peter has raised:
- carrots 5 m long;
- parsnips weighing 16 kg;
- huge beets 6.5 m.
Third place
Until 2010, the palm was held by another British farmer - K. Sloan. His potato weighing 3 kg 500 g was considered the largest and was listed in the Guinness Book of Records in 1975.
Interesting on the site:
Russian records
Record potato yield in Russia... V.G. Gorelov, a resident of the Kemerovo region, is listed in the Guinness Book of Records in 1989. The potato crop on his plot was 14 kg / m².
The largest potato varieties
More than 270 types of potatoes are registered in the register of vegetable crops... There are also large varieties among them.
Gulliver
Gulliver - one of the youngest potato varieties... It was officially registered and allowed for implementation in 2018.
The variety has a high yield... On one bush, 5 to 11 potatoes ripen at the same time. It is very popular due to its unpretentiousness (it grows at high temperatures and drought) and resistance to various kinds of potato diseases. Gulliver ripens early: the first crop is dug up 45 days after planting.
The tuber has an oblong shape and a weight of 150 g... You can get about 2 kg of vegetables from one bush. The yield of healthy potatoes is 98%, keeping quality is 95%.
Reviews
It's rare to hear a bad review about Gulliver potatoes.... It is called a kind of elite among potato varieties due to its yield, unpretentiousness and taste.
Elizaveta, 32 years old: “Our family cannot live without potatoes, so we really like the early Gulliver variety. In early June, old potatoes from the cellar do not taste very good, because they lie there for the whole winter. But the new one is swept off the table in a matter of minutes. Unfortunately, the land on our site is not very good, so we try to fertilize it abundantly, add lime and dolomite flour. Otherwise, the potatoes will grow small and tasteless ".
Nina, 44 years old: “For beginners and inexperienced gardeners, to whom I belong, the Gulliver variety is the best option. It grows quickly, it is easy to care for, and the yield is large. Earlier I tried to grow other varieties, but they sometimes get sick, sometimes they do not yield. I was pleasantly surprised that Gulliver is also suitable for long-term storage. There is such a big harvest that there is no way without it ".
Description of other large varieties
No less other varieties are popular large potatoes:
- Idaho... Differs in large size and regular shape. It is from it that chips, slices, french fries, etc. are prepared. It has a high yield and immunity to many diseases. Nutritious and healthy due to the high content of starch and carbohydrates.
Bellarosa (on the picture). The variety is grown in Russia, Belarus, Poland and Slovakia. Its distinctive feature is its large size. The tuber can reach 500-600 g, especially with regular watering. The variety is early ripe, so in the southern area they manage to harvest 2 crops per season.- Gala... Mid-season potatoes of yellow color and large size - up to 400 g. On average 5-6 potatoes ripen under one bush. The yield is high, with 85% of the tubers being large. The variety is resistant to disease.
- Luck... An elite variety that requires careful maintenance, regular watering and a lot of fertilization. But he generously rewards the gardener for careful care - potatoes grow up to 400 g (set record - 4.2 kg). Easily tolerates low and high temperatures. Up to 25 tubers ripen on one bush.
- Rosara... An early ripe variety with a high starch content. The weight of one potato is from 150 g. Under one bush there are up to 20-30 tubers. The variety loves abundant watering, is resistant to fungal diseases.
Read also:
What is the danger of potatoes and can they be poisoned
How to grow large potatoes yourself
If you want to compete for the palm in growing the largest potato, it is recommended to follow these tips:
- Collect tubers before planting. Try to use only large, whole, sprouted and strong potatoes as planting material.
- Watch your temperature. Potatoes do not like heat and do not tolerate a cold snap.
- Arrange the potato beds from north to south. This will allow more sunlight to enter the crop.
- Use mineral fertilizers as top dressing: potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen.Professional agronomists also recommend using slurry or an aqueous solution of bird droppings.
- Monitor moisture levels. The need for watering depends on the stage of potato ripening: young and faded potatoes do not need abundant moisture. But during the flowering period, potatoes are picky about watering.
- Do not grow it in soil after peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes.
- Adjust the depth of the holes depending on the type of soil. The lighter the soil, the deeper the tubers should be buried: in loamy soils - 5 cm, on sandstone - up to 15 cm.
- Grow potatoes in one field no more than once every 2-3 years. It is best to plant it in the place of cereals, cabbage, cucumbers or beets.
Conclusion
An ordinary potato can really surprise - remember at least the giant record holder weighing more than 11 kg. To grow large potatoes and compete, it is important to choose the right variety and follow vegetable care guidelines.