Features of the Romano potato variety: characteristics, planting and care

Romano potatoes are a mid-early table variety of Dutch selection. The culture is suitable for cultivation on an industrial scale and for personal consumption. The tubers are distinguished by their uniformity, pink skin, excellent taste and are not prone to germination.

The plant bears fruit even in drought, subject to moderate watering. In the article we will talk about traditional and Dutch methods of potato cultivation, measures to prevent common scab and methods of getting rid of the Colorado potato beetle and wireworm, and we will share reviews from summer residents.

Characteristics and history of the variety's creation

The breeding of the Romano variety was carried out by breeders of the Dutch company AGRICO UA. The culture was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation in 1994.

Description of the variety is presented in the table:

The photo shows the Romano potato variety.

Agricultural technology varieties

Growing Romano potatoes is a task that is feasible even for a novice gardener. The crop needs moderate watering, loosening the soil, hilling, weeding and fertilizing . The variety is grown using standard and Dutch technologies. Productivity remains at a high level.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

Romano potatoes are planted in mid-April in the southern regions, and at the end of May in the middle zone. The soil should warm up to +15-20°C.

The culture grows on any type of soil . Before planting, the area is dug up and fertilized with manure. If groundwater lies close to the surface, the beds are formed at a level of 40 cm.

Tubers for planting are selected in the fall . In the spring, they are re-sorted and laid out for germination in a bright room on a flat surface in one layer. The optimal air temperature is +14°C.

To disinfect, tubers are soaked in a solution containing:

• 40 g urea;
• 60 superphosphate;
• 10 g boric acid;
• 5 g copper sulfate;
• 1 g potassium permanganate;
• 10 liters of hot water (+80°C).

The components are mixed in an enamel container and the tubers are soaked in the liquid for 15-20 minutes. Then dry.

Before planting, the material is treated with stimulants Poteytin, Epin, Fumar.

Reference. Unsprouted tubers sprout within three weeks. Treated planting material germinates 1-1.5 weeks earlier.

in the area 20 cm deep at a distance of 30-35 cm . The gap between the rows is 60-70 cm. 200 g of wood ash is poured into the holes. Small tubers are planted in the ground in groups of 2-3, large ones are cut in half and the cut is sprinkled with ash.

Other potato varieties:

Unique looking and great tasting Picasso potatoes

Early low-growing potato variety "Juvel"

Delicious early ripening potatoes "Colomba" (Colombo)

Care

Rules for caring for plantings:

1. Regular watering once a week in regions with a temperate climate, 2-3 times in the southern regions.
2. Organization of a drip system on the site to control moisture levels.
3. Loosening the soil after each watering to prevent the formation of an earthen crust.
4. Regular weeding.
5. Hilling is carried out two weeks after planting and again after flowering. Thanks to this, the soil is saturated with air, more tubers are formed.

Potatoes are fed twice with root fertilizers :

• before planting, add a solution of chicken manure (1 tablespoon of dry chicken manure per 10 liters of water) or mullein (500 g of mullein, 20 g of urea per 10 liters of warm water);
• after flowering, fertilize with mineral compounds (15 g of potassium sulfate, 15 g of superphosphate per 10 liters of water).

For better absorption of minerals, foliar feeding is used :

• Dissolve 2 g of sodium humate in 10 liters of water;
• Dissolve 200 g of urea and 10 g of boric acid in 10 liters of water;
• Dissolve 10 g of granulated yeast and 50 g of sugar in 10 liters of water, leave for three hours and dilute with water in a ratio of 1:5.

Nuances of cultivation and possible difficulties

When growing potatoes, it is recommended to observe crop rotation . Planting tubers in the same place year after year leads to infection with viral and fungal infections. The best predecessors of potatoes are legumes, white and cauliflower, and pumpkin.

Summer residents practice another technology for growing Romano potatoes - Dutch . It involves a complete abandonment of beds and holes in favor of long furrows in which prepared tubers are planted.

Reference. To check the soil for readiness for planting potatoes, take a handful of soil, lightly squeeze it and throw it back. If the lump has crumbled, then you can start working.

Advantages of the method:

1. Tubers are planted to a depth of 10-15 cm for unhindered air penetration to the root system.
2. No moisture accumulates in the soil and the root system does not rot.
3. The bushes receive a sufficient amount of sunlight, which has a positive effect on productivity.
4. 1.5-2 kg of selected potatoes are collected from each bush.

This result can be achieved only if you follow the planting rules :

1. Tubers are placed in the holes immediately after preparing the soil. The delay leads to drying out of the earth.
2. For 1 sq. m have 6-8 tubers, sprouts up.
3. The holes are filled with fertilizers so that the tubers are located under them. Humus, manure, chicken droppings, wood ash or crushed eggshells are used as fertilizers.
4. Row spacing is 70-80 cm, distance between bushes is 25-35 cm.
5. The first sprouts are hilled up with earth, forming ridges 8-12 cm high. A month later, the procedure is repeated, raking the earth to a height of 25-30 cm. Further earthing up and weeding are not carried out. Herbicides “Titus”, “Centurion”, “Lazurit” are used against weeds.
6. The area is watered three times: before flowering begins, 10 days after the flowers appear and at the end of flowering. Installing a drip irrigation system will help make caring for bushes easier.

Diseases and pests

The culture has a strong immunity to cancer and is characterized by average resistance to mosaic and leaf curl virus, late blight, and rhizoctonia. Potatoes are susceptible to common scab .

Scab spores develop at air temperature +30-35°C, soil temperature - +25-27°C. Favorable habitat is alkaline soil with moisture deficiency. Spores form on unharvested plant debris and spread to tubers through damaged skin. The pathogen is distinguished by its enviable vitality and can “sit” in the ground for years.

Reference. Common scab spores attack potato varieties with red or pink skins.

Fighting methods:

• planting healthy tubers without signs of infection;
• disinfection of planting material in copper sulfate, potassium permanganate, “Fitosporin”;
• timely watering of beds;
• fertilizing the soil with copper, manganese and boron;
• compliance with crop rotation;
• acidification of alkaline soils with ammonium sulfate (2 tbsp. per 10 l);
• sowing green manure plants after harvesting (wheat, rye, lupine, rapeseed, peas, mustard);
• treating bushes with Zircon to suppress the growth of scab spores;
• spraying plantings with fungicides: “Maxim”, “Albit”, “Colfugo”, “Acrobat MC”, “Mankozeb”, “Ordan”.

To destroy the Colorado potato beetle, one treatment with fungicides is enough: “Prestige”, “Tabu”, “Aktara”, “Korado”, “Killer”, “Fitoverm”, “NO Colorado potato beetle!”

Traditional methods:

1. The bushes are dusted with cornmeal. After entering the stomach of insects, small particles swell, causing their death. The procedure is carried out in the morning, sprinkling leaves damp from dew for better adhesion.
2. Pour 1 kg of leaves or green walnut fruits into 10 liters of hot water, leave for a week, strain before use.
3. Chop 100 g of dry elecampane roots and pour 5 liters of hot water, leave for 2-3 hours and treat the bushes.

Chemical preparations will help fight wireworms : “Decis”, “Aktellik”, “Barguzin”.

Folk remedies:

• treating beds with ground eggshells;
• Pour 500 g of fresh nettle into 10 liters of hot water, leave and pour into the holes before planting, then treat the beds three times during the week;
• sprinkle the area with ammonium nitrate (30 g per 1 sq. m).

Secrets to Successful Potato Growing

Many summer residents complain about the poor quality of the harvest and constant potato diseases.
However, they do not realize that they are making the biggest mistake when growing this crop - they use seed tubers of dubious origin when planting. The most important rule for successfully growing potatoes is to use proven varieties. Buy planting material from specialized stores or seed farms. A good variety of potatoes will produce a high harvest, and will give you more free time - you won’t have to constantly fight diseases!

In general, disease and weed control takes a lot of time and effort. How to solve these problems? Not that difficult!

To get rid of weeds once and for all, use glyphosate-based herbicides. Two to three weeks after treatment, the weeds die, and you can safely cultivate the soil.

Diseases are a real scourge of potatoes, as they not only worsen the appearance and taste, but also reduce yield. You can reduce the number of diseases using various fertilizers.

The best organic fertilizers are manure, chicken manure and compost. They will help make the soil loose, improve its structure, and avoid soil infections. When applying manure, compost and other organic fertilizers, you need to consider the type of soil.

Potatoes also respond well to the application of mineral and green manure fertilizers. The most effective mineral fertilizer is wood ash. It reduces soil acidity and improves the taste of tubers.

And legumes, mustard, and rye can be used as green manure or green fertilizers. They improve the structure of the soil, saturate it with nutrients, and protect potatoes from many diseases.

When storing potatoes, the most significant factor is humidity. It should not be lower than 70%, otherwise the tubers will lose their elasticity.

Good ventilation is also important when storing potatoes. Tubers are stored very well in mesh bags. But you should not store potatoes in large quantities to prevent sweating.

Collection, storage and use of crops

Experienced farmers advise mowing the tops 6-7 days before harvesting . Digging should be carried out in dry, sunny weather. Sort the tubers and dry in the sun for 2-3 days. A special feature of the Romano variety is the slow development of tubers. Therefore, when planting in the second ten days of May, digging is carried out in mid-August.

The harvest is stored all winter until the next season in a cool place . Tubers are placed in boxes or bags. A layer of beets is laid on top, which absorbs excess moisture, preventing the tubers from rotting.

If there is no cellar, but you need to stock up on potatoes for the winter, a balcony or loggia is suitable for storage. The tubers are placed in homemade boxes made of polystyrene foam or boards and placed on a raised platform so that the bottom does not touch the floor and the fruits do not freeze. Old blankets, corrugated cardboard, and foil material are used as insulation.

There are balcony cellars on sale that resemble a large backpack. Their volume is designed to store 1-3 bags of potatoes at air temperatures down to -40°C. The cellars are powered from the mains, consuming 120-240 W.

Romano potatoes are suitable for boiling, stewing, baking, frying . The pulp does not overcook and retains its shape. When deep fried, a crispy golden crust is formed.

Landing

Tubers are germinated for 20–25 days. They use a convenient method: flooring, boxes with periodic moisture. A good method is germination in moist peat or compost (the sprouts form thick and strong).

For planting, seeds weighing from 50 to 80 g are selected. Larger tubers are cut so that there are more than 3 eyes on the segment.

The plot is dug in the fall to a depth of 30 cm. When planting in trenches, the furrows are immediately filled with plant waste and left until spring. Fertilizers are applied during plowing or into holes during planting.

Norm for 1 hole:

• 15 g Kemira;
• 100–150 g compost;
• 15 g phosphorus-potassium supplement;
• 50 peat.

To protect against wireworms and Colorado potato beetles, add onion peels and citrus peels to the holes. The ash is mixed with soil and when planting, the tubers are covered, which are laid out with the sprouts facing up.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

• high productivity;
• excellent taste;
• keeping quality;
• high level of transportability;
• ease of care;
• drought resistance;
• rapid adaptation to climate and soil type;
• resistance to diseases.

Disadvantage : low resistance to frost.

Growing regions

Potatoes have received permission to be grown in the Central, Volga-Vyatka, Central Black Earth, Ural, and Far Eastern regions. The crop is suitable for cultivation in dry areas, provided there is sufficient watering.

Reviews

The crop has been highly appreciated by gardeners and consumers due to the excellent taste of the fruits, retention of shape when cooked, stable immunity, and high productivity.

Valentina, Pavlovsk : “I planted Romano potatoes last year to replace the previous variety. I noticed that the stems and leaves of the plant are more rigid, and the larvae of the Colorado potato beetle cannot gnaw through them. I collected single specimens by hand; I didn’t even have to spray them. Potatoes have pink skin and slightly yellowish flesh and can be stored in the cellar for a long time.”

Daria, Moscow : “The year before last we were left without potatoes for the winter. One little thing grew. On the advice of neighbors, we bought Romano seed potatoes. There was so much harvest that they didn’t know what to do with it, but they managed to sell some of it. We carried out one treatment for colorados, harrowed them twice and fed them with chicken manure before flowering and with minerals after. The tubers are perfectly preserved in the basement and do not grow.”

Oleg, Stary Oskol : “I grow several varieties of potatoes in the village, but Romano is among my favorites. The fruits have an excellent taste, the pulp retains its structure when boiled and fried. I collect up to 1 kg of potatoes from one bush. There were no small tubers even once in all four years. When planting, I treat the seeds with copper sulfate to prevent scab. I fight the Colorado potato beetle using the drug “Killer”. I store it in the cellar in boxes until summer.”

Proper care for Romano

Romano potatoes are not demanding in terms of growth conditions and care; they easily tolerate drought, but are sensitive to spring frosts. By following simple agrotechnical rules, the variety will delight you with an abundant harvest of tasty and satisfying root vegetables.

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Irrigation and fertilization

Potatoes of this variety do not require specific watering schedules. But during prolonged absence of precipitation and high temperatures, the vegetable crop is watered once a week.

Also, additional watering is necessary for plants during the formation of buds and flowering.

If the plants were fed during planting, then after the potatoes have flowered, they are watered with a solution of wood ash.

Hilling and loosening beds

Loosening the soil helps to kill weeds and increase the time the soil is moistened. Therefore, work on loosening the beds is usually carried out together with watering the vegetable crop. Tall Romano bushes need to be hilled several times a season.

The first time potatoes are hilled when the young plants reach 10cm. With this procedure, the potatoes will be protected from sudden spring frosts. The next hilling of the crop occurs during the period of preparation for flowering. The bushes of this variety are tall, so you should make sure that the soil supports them well. The last time potatoes are hilled is after the flowering period ends.

Important! Hilling up potato beds is the most important procedure for the rapid and proper development of root crops.

Preventive and therapeutic treatments against insects and diseases

Subject to the rules of planting and crop rotation, there is a minimal risk of potato infection by diseases and pests.

But if a vegetable crop is sick with potato cancer or nematode, then treatment with special preparations is necessary.