Potatoes are one of the most popular vegetables in our country. It is easy to grow, it is stored for a long time, the fruits are nutritious, healthy, and suitable for a variety of cooking methods. An important criterion for the quality of potatoes is the variety. We will introduce you to the Red Scarlet potato, which is relatively new for Russia, but has already won love and recognition. Why did farmers love him so much and deserve the praise of agronomists? Potatoes “Red Scarlet”: description of the variety, photos, reviews - we will tell you all this and more below.
Description of the variety
The word "red" means "red". This is no coincidence, because root vegetables have a red tint to the skin. At the same time, their flesh is yellowish. Red Scarlett potatoes were bred by breeders from Holland. Imported from Europe several years ago, it quickly gained popularity. Most often it is grown in the south of Russia and in the central regions in sunny open areas.
It is believed that among the varieties of Dutch selection, the Red Scarlet potato is the best. Description of the variety, photos, reviews and technical characteristics will be indicated in our article.
Appearance
The shape of the tubers is slightly elongated, they are quite large oval. The weight of one potato can reach 100-120 grams. Small, shallow eyes make peeling easy. This is important for every housewife.
The peel has a red tint, and the flesh is light yellow. Taste and density are determined by the starch content of the tubers. The optimal content (from 10 to 15%) ensures a dense consistency and delicate taste. When cooked, the potatoes become a little crumbly.
The yield of the variety is very high, and resistance to diseases ensures a guaranteed high number of root crops. More detailed information about the Red Scarlet variety is collected in the table.
Table
When choosing a potato variety, the gardener proceeds from its qualities. Technical characteristics come to the rescue. The most important aspects are considered to be:
- productivity;
- disease resistance;
- appearance and taste;
- scheme and features of cultivation.
We have collected all this data in a special table.
| Options | Description of the variety |
| Maturation speed | An early ripening variety, 45-55 days pass from the moment of emergence to technical ripeness |
| Description of external data | Oval-shaped root vegetables, weight from 60 to 120 grams with yellowish pulp |
| Disease resistance | To the golden nematode, to late blight, to cancer |
| Commercial qualities | Excellent, long and well stored, rarely affected by rot |
| Features of cultivation | Loosening the soil, controlling weeds, timely watering and fertilizing |
| Description of the plant | Semi-erect, low bush, corolla of flowers red-violet |
| Productivity | High, up to 19 kilograms per square meter |
The variety is valuable primarily due to its resistance to nematodes, preservation of commercial qualities during long-term storage and high yield.
Useful qualities
Some citizens believe that there are no useful elements in potatoes other than starch, and that they should be eaten as rarely as possible. Of course this is not true. Potatoes, like any other product, should be consumed in moderation.
Potatoes contain:
- vitamins of group A;
- B vitamins;
- vitamins of group C;
- vitamins H and PP.
The lack of vitamins in the body is primarily due to poor nutrition and limited consumption of certain foods. Even the process of losing weight needs to be approached carefully. The Red Scarlett variety also has the ability to protect our body.
How to care for Red Scarlet potatoes
In order for Red Scarlet potatoes to produce a bountiful harvest and be able to resist various diseases and harmful insects, they need to be provided with proper care. It consists in:
- watering;
- feeding;
- weeding and loosening the soil;
- hilling.
Watering mode
This variety requires timely watering. The soil should be moistened for the first time after the soil has dried to a depth of 3-6 cm. After this, the bush should be watered based on weather conditions (in hot and dry weather the amount of watering should be more, in rainy weather - less, or not at all), but not more than 3 times a month. Watering is especially important after the flowering phase and at the beginning of tuber formation.
Important! 2-3 weeks before harvesting begins, you need to completely stop watering the plant.
On average, 12-15 liters of water should be used per 1 m2. In order for the moisture to saturate the bushes well and bring maximum benefit to the plant, watering must be done in the evening.
Top dressing
Fertilizers should also be applied to the soil at certain intervals:
- Initially, fertilizing should be done a month after planting the potatoes.
- Then fertilizers should be applied 2 more times approximately once every 4 weeks.
Good to know! It is recommended to use mineral fertilizers, for example, potassium sulfate, urea, superphosphate.
Hilling
The first hilling should be carried out after the young potato bushes rise 10-12 cm above the ground. The soil must be carefully raked to each plant; it may be necessary to sprinkle them to the very top leaves.
This procedure is necessary to protect tender sprouts from:
- too bright and sultry sunlight;
- unexpected frosts.
You need to hill up the potatoes a second time when the bush grows to 40 cm in length. At this time, you can not only hill up the plants, but also mulch them - put tops, cut branches of other plants or hay under the branches of the bushes.
Mulching the bush will help retain moisture longer and prevent the soil from drying out.
Weeding and loosening
Potatoes require these procedures throughout the growing season. Overgrown weeds take away all the nutrients and moisture from the bushes. Also, its hard rhizomes can pierce the thin skin of root crops, and sometimes even grow into them. As a result, the quality of the crop suffers significantly.
Therefore, it is necessary to carry out weeding and at the same time loosen the soil. You should select weed roots from it and remove them from the garden bed along with the stems, and then burn them. In the future, grass ash can be used as fertilizer for various vegetable crops. But it’s not worth making compost out of it, because the weeds will not rot in the general heap, and if they fall back into the ground, they will begin to actively grow.
Growing rules
In order to get a rich and healthy harvest, you need to spend a lot of effort and energy. Nothing will work if you don’t take care of the plants, even if the variety is very resistant to external influences.
Seed potatoes are purchased in the spring and are prepared in advance for sowing in May. Since the variety is early, there is no need to rush into planting Red Scarlett.
In May, the air temperature will be optimal, the ground will warm up, and seedlings will appear quickly.
Advice! If you purchased few seeds, do not despair. You can separate the tubers by cutting them. The main thing is that at least one eye remains on each of the parts.
Additionally, check that there is no rot or damage on the potatoes.
Planting pattern 60x35 or 75x35. Even if you did not germinate the tubers in advance, the first shoots will appear after 14-20 days. Only cold weather can prevent this. The planting depth is average; Red Scarlett potatoes need to be deepened by about 7 centimeters. From the moment the sprouts appear, the gardener will have to care for his crops for a month and a half. The Red Scarlett potato variety is capable of producing a harvest after 45 days.
In order for the yield to be excellent, it is important to comply with the following conditions:
- plant Red Scarlett root crops in open sunny areas;
- loosen the soil regularly;
- apply fertilizing.
You can use ash and superphosphate as fertilizers. If you plan to dig up your crop, remove the tops a week before. The video shows grown Red Scarlett potatoes:
You can see the bushes falling to the ground. This is noted by many gardeners; this property does not affect productivity.
Advice! Trimming the tops will strengthen the tubers and increase their shelf life.
One of the most important properties of potatoes, including the Red Scarlett variety, is shelf life and the preservation of basic qualities.
Landing Features
Potato tubers are planted in the first half of May or in the middle of the month. The ground should warm up a little before planting, otherwise the potatoes may freeze. Be sure to germinate potato tubers before planting so that their eyes awaken after winter. When the sprouts are 2-5 mm in size, the potatoes are ready for planting.
Since Scarlet grows with moderate formation of tops, the distance between holes can be approximately 15-20 cm. The depth of the hole is approximately 25-35 cm. In each hole you need to put 1/3 cup of stove ash and one tuber. The tuber sprouts must be directed downward so that they grow into the ground. The potato field should not be crushed after planting; the soil should remain loose. If possible, if the field area is small, you can water it.
Storage
Storing potatoes is very important, because high yields are needed so that there are enough root crops for both autumn and winter.
The keeping quality of the Red Scarlett variety is high. If you first sort the crop for the presence of rot and place it in a cool and ventilated room, the potatoes will retain not only their excellent presentation, but also their taste.
Disease resistance
"Red Scarlett" is resistant not only to diseases, but also to some viruses, for example, type A and Yn. This also has a positive effect on shelf life. Only healthy and mature root vegetables can remain in the cellar until spring.
Important! You cannot dry the crop in the sun, this will only harm the potatoes.
Productivity
The largest harvest (up to 700 centners per hectare) can be harvested in the Republic of Belarus, since it is there that the climatic conditions are most suitable for the Red Scarlet variety. As for central Russia, here the largest harvest volume is approximately 270 centners, and in the southern regions - 300-400 centners.
Under one potato bush, from 18 to 24 tubers are formed, the weight of each of them is 100 g or more. Accordingly, with the right agricultural technology, in a garden with an area of 100 m2, you can harvest approximately 350 kg of potatoes.
Where is the best place to grow?
Scarlet potatoes are drought-resistant ; at elevated temperatures, high ridges should be formed, constant watering should be provided and additional doses of fertilizers containing calcium should be added.
Areas of favorable growth:
- Northwestern.
- Central.
- Central Black Earth.
- Volgo-Vyatsky.
- Southern.
- West Siberian.
- Territories of Belarus.
- Territories of Ukraine.
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Reviews
As they say, it depends on the taste and color... but let's see what amateurs and professionals say about Scarlet. Forum Your garden:
Another rave review:
Conflicting opinion from Dandelion:
And one more approving review:
Diseases and pests
During prolonged wet weather, the variety may be affected by common scab. The main symptom of this disease is the formation of dry, raised ulcers on the skin of the tubers. If affected bushes are found, all tubers must be dug up and the soil in the hole should be treated with ammonium sulfate. Good results are obtained by sowing green manure as precursors, which will significantly reduce the likelihood of this disease occurring. You can choose green manure for your site here.
The most dangerous pest is the Colorado potato beetle, since this insect has a high reproduction rate and is capable of completely destroying potato bushes in 2-3 days.
To combat this disease, preventive measures are very effective. First of all, this is compliance with the recommended crop rotation and deep autumn plowing. If, nevertheless, the Colorado potato beetle has settled on potato bushes, then if there are more than 5 pieces on one bush, it is necessary to immediately spray them with Bombardir or Metaphos insecticides.
Another dangerous pest of potato tubers is wireworm. Removing it is quite problematic, but many cope with this task. If you are familiar with this pest, then look at what methods of controlling wireworms exist.
Characteristics
This variety is characterized by earlier ripening; the growing season of potatoes is approximately 75 days. Potatoes are drought tolerant. The rest period is medium-long. Stores well for a long time, remaining unchanged in appearance. Characterized by high marketability. The starch content is 11 - 15%, dry matter - 18.6%. The boiliness of the potatoes is weak, the excellent appearance of the tubers does not change after cooking. During cutting, potatoes do not acquire the dark color characteristic of other varieties. Resistant to various types of mechanical damage and secondary germination.
Red Scarlet is grown both for the industrial production of French fries and chips, and for grocery stores and markets.
