Potatoes "Zekura": description of the variety, characteristics, photos, features of its cultivation

In this article we will give a botanical description of the Zekura potato variety, tell you how to prepare it for planting, what are the acceptable growing conditions, planting technology, as well as how to harvest and store the crop.

Potatoes "Zekura": the main characteristics of the variety

The most popular vegetable in every garden is potatoes, it is not for nothing that they say "potatoes are the head of everything." All gardeners strive to find a suitable variety for their site, so that the harvest is not only fruitful, but also tasty, and also well kept. In this article we will introduce you to the varieties of "Zekura".

Currently, the German variety "Zekura", which was registered in the Russian register in 1997, is quite popular.

Zekura potato bushes are of medium height, erect, small foliage, light green, inflorescences are light purple. The tubers of "Zekur" are oval in shape, the skin is smooth, bright yellow, the flesh is yellow.

The length of time between planting until the tubers are fully ripe is 80 - 95 days.

This variety has a good yield indicator, in each nest there are about 20 root crops, each weighing an average of 60 - 150 g. Up to 50 tons of root crops are harvested from one hectare, which is a very good indicator.

Potatoes of this variety have excellent taste characteristics, they boil well, but do not disintegrate. The starch level in Zekura is between 13 and 18%.

Also, this variety is well stored, it has a fairly high preservation rate - 98%.

Potatoes "Zekura": advantages and disadvantages

Choosing this variety, gardeners first of all refer to the following unquestioning advantages of the Zekura variety:

• wonderful taste characteristics
• high yield level
• good appearance
• easy to care for and grow
• well preserved
• works well for almost all regions.

There were no drawbacks against the background of the advantages of the Zekur potatoes.

Growing features

Potatoes "Zekura" do not require special care. But for a good, tasty harvest, some growing recommendations should be followed.

How to choose the right place

When choosing a place for planting potatoes, do not forget the rules of crop rotation, and also keep in mind that legumes will be the best predecessors on the site.

Like all varieties, "Zekura" prefers a sunny, bright area.

Soil requirements

For a good fruitful harvest, black soil will be enough, the acidity of the soil should be neutral - this will reduce the risk of infection with various diseases.

It is recommended to prepare the soil in the fall, free the site from weeds, apply organic fertilizers to the soil (manure, ash are ideal), and dig or plow.

What are the landing dates

It is recommended to plant Zekura potatoes in early - mid-May, when the soil warms up to at least +10 degrees, and the risk of possible frosts decreases.

Potatoes "Zekura": how to prepare potatoes before planting

A couple of weeks before planting, seed potatoes must be prepared, this requires:

- sort out potatoes and sort out poor-quality, rotten planting material;

- after which the potatoes need to germinate, for this they are transferred to a bright warm room, the potatoes first turn green, after which they sprout. As soon as the sprouts have reached 5 cm, the potatoes can be planted;

- if the roots are large, if desired, they can be cut into several parts, but at the same time observing the condition that at least 2 eyes remain on each part;

- sprouted potatoes are recommended to be treated against possible diseases and pests, this can be done either with a solution of potassium permanganate, or with special preparations that can be purchased in specialized stores, but used strictly according to the instructions.

How to plant Zekura potatoes correctly

When seed potatoes and soil are waiting for their "finest hour", we proceed directly to planting.

Seed potatoes are planted in holes or special grooves. To do this, pits are dug about 15 cm deep, the distance between the holes should be at least 15 cm, and the row spacing should be about 30 cm.The seed potatoes are laid in them (sprout up, and if the potatoes are cut into pieces, then the cut should look down), if desired, fertilizer or ash is applied, after which the holes are covered with earth.

How to care for potato seedlings

Although it is believed that "Zekura" is unpretentious in care, nevertheless it needs some care during the growing season.

How to water potatoes

"Zekura" will be extremely grateful to you if you water it, it should be done once a week in dry weather and once every 2 weeks in rainy weather.

How to loosen and huddle potatoes

Loosening and hilling are mandatory procedures for caring for potatoes.

Loosening is necessary in order for the root system to receive air. In order for the harvest to be fruitful, you need to regularly loosen the ground. Loosening is necessary after each watering.

Hilling bushes is carried out in order to protect the potatoes from temperature changes, as well as to maintain the bushes, as well as for air circulation and the ingress of nutrients and moisture to the root crops. The first hilling is done a month after planting the potatoes, this is done in order to protect the potatoes from temperature drops. Re-hilling is carried out in the flowering phase of the potato, this is done to maintain the tops.

Potatoes "Zekura": how to feed

Zekura potatoes respond well to both mineral and organic fertilizers.

You need to feed only if no fertilizer was applied before planting or at the time of planting.

The most popular organic fertilizers are manure, compost, chicken droppings, and ash.

Of mineral fertilizers, give preference to those containing potassium, phosphorus, calcium.

Possible diseases and pests, how to deal with them

Potatoes "Zekura" are resistant to almost all diseases, but they can become infected with late blight (this is a fungal disease that can appear from an excess of moisture). The disease is extremely dangerous, therefore, at the first sign, it is necessary to treat the bushes with special preparations (for example, Oxyhom) following the instructions.

Also on "Zekura" pests such as the Colorado potato beetle and the nematode adversely affect.

You can, of course, fight the Colorado potato beetle "in the old fashioned way" - manually, but there are now a lot of drugs on store shelves that allow you to quickly and effectively fight this pest (for example, Corado), you just need to dilute the drug and process the bushes according to the instructions.

A great danger to root crops is a nematode - these are small worms. The first sign is drying tops and whole bushes. At the first sign, the entire nest is dug up and thrown away from your site.In order to avoid nematodes, you need to do prophylaxis - treat the potatoes or the soil before planting with drugs (for example, Thionazine).

In any case, diseases and pests are more difficult to fight than to prevent. Do not neglect the pre-processing of seed potatoes, so you increase the chances of getting a tasty, fruitful, high-quality crop that will be stored for a long time and will not create unnecessary trouble for you.