A productive, unpretentious and disease-resistant potato variety "Ivan da Marya"

It is curious why the potato variety got such a romantic name - Ivan da Marya. The culture with bright yellow-raspberry tubers is distinguished by high yield, excellent taste and unusual color of tubers. All this makes the variety a desirable inhabitant of any vegetable garden. Maybe because of this, the people began to call the Dutch potatoes that way?

Features of the variety

In common people, the variety is called Matryoshka, Ryabinka, Little Red Riding Hood. And all because of the bizarre color of the tubers.

Origin and development

The Ivan da Marya variety is the result of the renaming of the Dutch Picasso potato variety by domestic breeders. Picasso was created at the end of the 20th century by AGRICO U.A. in the homeland of potatoes - in Holland.

In 1995, the Picasso variety was entered in the State Register of Russia and received the popular name Ivan da Marya.

Distinctive features, appearance

Potatoes Ivan da Marya is difficult to confuse with another variety: the surface of the tubers seems to be painted with an intricate artist's brush.

The main external differences characteristic of the variety:

1. Unusual color of tuber skins - bright crimson eyes and spots on a yellow background.
2. Vegetation period - 110-130 days
3. The average starch content is from 7.9 to 13.5%.
4. Good keeping quality of tubers - more than 90%.
5. Large size of tubers: the average weight of one potato is 100-180 g.
6. High vitamin C content, which reaches its maximum during the harvest season.
7. The ability to grow in any region due to the good survival rate of the variety.

Description and characteristics of the plant and crop

The Ivan da Marya bush is formed straight with spreading stems and large dark green leaves. The plant is characterized by large white, lilac-cream inflorescences that quickly fall off. The variety is characterized by large tubers. The peel on the tuber is two-colored - yellow- or creamy-raspberry color. The eyes are crimson, small, in small numbers and unevenly spaced. The pulp is creamy.

The variety is considered a high-yielding variety - from one plot of 10 × 10 m in size, 190 to 320 kg of potatoes are harvested. This is approximately 200-320 kg / ha. Each bush usually produces up to 20 medium to large potatoes.

How to grow this variety

In order for the Ivan da Marya variety to please with easy care and an excellent harvest, you must follow the growing recommendations.

Timing, scheme and landing rules

Since the variety is late-ripening, tubers must first be germinated in order to ripen the crop on time. This helps to reduce the vegetative development of the culture. The process takes about 30 days, that is, it should start one month before the intended planting.

The germination process of Ivan da Marya consists of the following stages:

1. Arrange the tubers in one or two layers in a place that provides access to light.
2. Maintain a temperature of + 20˚C for 10 days to awaken the sleeping eyes.
3. After the appearance of the first sprouts, the time remaining before planting is to maintain the temperature no higher than + 15˚С.
4. Spray the seed with a weak solution of mineral fertilizer (1-2 times).

In order for the prepared seed material to bring a good harvest, it is necessary to turn it over several times during germination - this way the sprouts will form more evenly.

A well-lit area with slightly acidified fertile soil is well suited for planting Ivan da Marya. The area for cultivation must be prepared in the fall - dig it up to a depth of 25 cm and add compost and ash. Soil acidification is especially necessary for soils prone to liming. This is done to prevent fungal scab.

Potatoes are planted when the soil has warmed up to a temperature of + 8 ... + 10˚С. Usually this time falls at the end of April - beginning of May. The soil should be slightly moistened before planting.

When planting in holes or trenches, it is important to follow the planting pattern. It is necessary to maintain a distance of 35 cm between the holes, and 60-70 cm for row spacing.

To protect plantings from wireworms, it is recommended to place a handful of ash or onion husks in a planting hole or trench. Humus is added for feeding under ash and husk.

At the end, they are covered with a layer of soil (8-10 cm).

Attention! Since the roots of the plant are located above the tubers, fertilizer is applied when planting after the tuber is placed in the hole. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the plant to obtain nutrients.

Care

Caring for Ivan da Marya is standard and consists of the following steps: irrigation, hilling, weeding, top dressing.

Irrigation

Watering is recommended as needed: the drier the climate, the more often you need to water. At the same time, excessive waterlogging of the soil must be avoided - tubers can rot. The watering regime is determined based on the period of the beginning of budding.

It is preferable to irrigate once a week before bud formation and until the potatoes have bloomed. The approximate water consumption is 3 liters per bush. It is better to give preference to drip irrigation.

Hilling

For the entire period of growth, it is necessary to spud the potatoes twice.

The first procedure is carried out no earlier than 10-12 days after germination. The second - after 2 weeks, usually in parallel with the formation of flowers.

Hilling allows you to achieve:

• uniform distribution of moisture in the soil;
• protection of tubers from excessive exposure and landscaping;
• uniform heating of the soil, which prevents the caking of tubers in the soil.

In regions where abnormal frosts in summer are possible, the first hilling should be done as soon as seedlings emerge from the ground, in order to avoid freezing of the plantings.

Weeding

The procedure is carried out as needed, without waiting for the weed to become high, and in parallel with hilling. The last time it is advisable to weed after the complete vegetative ripening of the tubers.

Attention! The grass not only blocks the sunlight needed for the development of potato tops, but also draws valuable nutrients from the soil.

Top dressing

Fertilizers make two times. The first time - before the formation of buds. For this purpose, a mullein is suitable, which is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:15. Best combined with watering.

The second feeding is carried out when the first flowers appear. The substance used is 3 tbsp. l. superphosphate and 3 tbsp. l. ash - diluted in 10 liters of water. The mixture is also applied to the soil along with watering.

Disease and pest control

Despite its unpretentiousness, Ivan da Marya potatoes are susceptible to diseases and pests.

Colorado beetle

If you miss the appearance of this dangerous pest, you can say goodbye to most potatoes in a matter of days. The most popular and effective drugs in the fight against the beetle are "Masterpiece" and "Prestige". You can also use folk methods: to reduce the number of pests by spraying the foliage with a decoction of celandine, wormwood or horsetail. Insects do not tolerate being near beans, beans, calendula and marigolds.

Wireworm

So called click beetle larva, which hatches in the weed grass, and then feeds on the pulp of the potato, leaving winding passages in it.To preserve the harvest, it is recommended to add onion husks to the hole when planting, which the pest does not tolerate.

Such drugs as "Bazudin", "Zemlin" and "Pochin" are effective for fighting the pest. The best way to fight is to regularly weed the weeds in which the pest larvae live.

Late blight

Fungal disease in a short time it affects large areas of planted potatoes. In the fight against the disease, spraying with "Fitosporin" and preparations containing copper is effective. Processing must be done at least five times from the beginning of budding of potatoes almost to the very harvest - 10 days before digging.

Leaf roll virus

The disease greatly affects the yield of potatoes and leads to the death of plantings. The cause of leaf curling is the ingress of aphids on them, which infects the leaves and tops. The disease cannot be cured, so the affected bushes should be removed and destroyed.

Collection, storage and use of the crop

The variety is late-ripening, so it is recommended to harvest it 4 months after planting:

1. 2 weeks before the expected digging, cut the tops at a distance of 15-20 cm above the ground.
2. Dig on a warm day to allow it to dry a little after harvest.
3. It is better to dig out tubers with a pitchfork - this reduces the risk of damage.

After harvesting, the crop is left to dry for 2-4 hours, depending on the weather. The cloudier the sky, the longer the potatoes will dry. After that, additional drying is carried out for 1-2 weeks in a dark place. Then the crop is sorted out for food and planting. Unsuitable tubers are removed. Selected potatoes are poured in a place prepared for storage.

Attention! Optimal conditions for storing potatoes- temperature + 2… + 4˚С and dry, dark place. At least once a week, it is necessary to sort out the crop, getting rid of rotten and spoiled potatoes.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Ivan to Marya, like any variety, has its pros and cons. There are much more advantages:

1. High productivity.
2. Good taste.
3. High keeping quality - more than 90% of the crop is preserved until spring.
4. High marketability, which provides an attractive appearance.
5. Resistance to the main potato pests and diseases - nematodes and cancer.
6. Slight formation of berries - all the forces of the potato are spent on the formation of tubers.

Disadvantages:

1. Rapid loss of varietal traits. Complete degeneration occurs within 4-5 years, so it is recommended to replace the seed with a new one.
2. Poor resistance to late blight, scab and leaf curling.

Growing regions

Ivan da Marya is suitable for cultivation in the Central Black Earth and Central regions, which include the following areas:

• Belgorodskaya;
• Voronezh;
• Kursk;
• Lipetsk;
• Tambov;
• Vladimirskaya;
• Ivanovskaya;
• Kaluga;
• Kostroma;
• Moscow;
• Ryazan;
• Smolenskaya;
• Tverskaya;
• Tula;
• Yaroslavskaya.

Farmers reviews

And what do those who have already tried to plant Ivan and Marya think? What are their impressions of this potato variety?

Valery, Vologda: “Two years ago I tried to plant the variety Ivan da Marya for the first time after I saw it in the photo. It tolerates drought well, so I water it only once or twice for the whole season. After each harvest, I must fertilize the site and dig it up. Maybe that's why this potato gives 19 tubers from one bush. "

Nadezhda, Tambov: "The variety Ivan da Marya took for planting from neighbors. Before that, I did not even imagine that there is such a potato. Now I plant only him. The taste is good, and the harvest is good. One thing is upsetting: the Colorado potato beetle has already gotten into the habit of the tops. We have to carry out 2-3 treatments with drugs every year. "

Conclusion

Ivan da Marya, due to its characteristics, does not leave negative impressions during cultivation, therefore it is recommended for planting to everyone who wants to get an unusual and rich harvest. He does not leave indifferent even the most experienced and picky gardener: the unpretentiousness of the variety makes him a welcome guest on the table.