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In recent years, many vegetable growers have preferred hybrid potato varieties, in the creation of which breeders are trying to take into account all the positive properties of an ordinary vegetable. Colombo potatoes are especially popular.
This table variety has excellent characteristics, thanks to which it is planted both on large plantations and in summer cottages.
Description of the variety
The Colomba variety was bred in Holland and has been successfully cultivated in Finland for a long time. In Russia, it is popular in regions with warm and temperate climates:
- central regions of Russia;
- in the North Caucasus;
- in Ukraine;
- in the northwest of the country;
- in the Volga region.
Colombo potatoes, as Russian gardeners mistakenly call it, is intended for planting in open ground. The height of the semi-spreading bushes reaches a little more than 0.5 m, the color of the leaves is green with an emerald hue. During flowering, wonderful snow-white flowers with a delicate purple tint are formed.
Colombo potato fruits are distinguished by uniformity of size and roundness of shape. Their mass averages about 100 g, starch - 11-15%. Thin skin and flesh are yellowish in color.
Positive properties
Description of the Colombo potato variety, photos, reviews testify to its excellent qualities:
- delicate, mild taste, thanks to which a lot of different dishes can be prepared from potatoes;
- excellent presentation, which ensures high sales volumes;
- early ripening - Colombo potatoes can be harvested in 2-2.5 months, and in warm climates it gives two harvests per season;
- high productivity - under favorable conditions, it can reach 40 tons per hectare;
- unpretentiousness - Colombo potatoes do not require laborious care;
- sustainability during dry seasons;
- high resistance to common pathologies.
Potato agricultural technology
The Colombo potato variety is simple in agricultural technology, but it has its own characteristics, the knowledge of which will help to achieve high yields.
Site selection
Colombo potatoes grow well on black earth or sandy loam soils, light loam. Drained peatlands are also suitable for cultivation if their acidity does not exceed 5-7. Acidic soils need to be calcified several months before planting. For liming, the soil is often dug up with dolomite flour, observing the required rate, otherwise scab may appear. You can reduce acidity and the introduction of ash.
Good predecessors of the Colombo potato, according to those who planted it, are such crops as cabbage, pumpkin seeds, beans, peas. You can not grow it in areas where crops and tomatoes were grown. Potatoes grow poorly on virgin soil.
One of the main factors when choosing a site for the Colombo variety should be the degree of its illumination - the soil should warm up well. On clay or swampy soils for planting potatoes, you need to prepare high beds in the fall. They will warm up in early spring, which will allow you to plant it earlier and get a good harvest.
Landing in boxes
A new method of planting Colombo potatoes is becoming popular in small areas. The characteristic of the method notes its advantages:
- there is no need to dig up the entire site every year;
- the cost of fertilizers is reduced;
- the labor intensity of caring for potatoes is reduced, since weeding of the beds is facilitated;
- it is also important that the beds look more neat;
- the method is especially convenient when it is necessary to reproduce an expensive elite variety.
The essence of the method is to plant Colombo potatoes in box beds. Having prepared a dozen such boxes, you can provide your family with a potato harvest for the whole summer. Their manufacturing technology is simple and does not require professional skills:
- boards, pre-soaked with an antiseptic, are hammered into high boxes without a bottom;
- put them in the beds and fill them with fertile soil;
- potatoes are planted in them;
- it must be remembered that high beds require more frequent watering.
Sprouting tubers
About a month before planting potatoes, Colombo recommends spreading the variety description for germination. Tubers are laid out in a bright place at a temperature of about +15 degrees. If the air in the room is too dry, the tubers should be periodically sprayed with water. Gradually, plump sprouts will begin to appear from the eyes.
Medium tubers of the Colombo variety are planted as a whole, and large tubers can be cut into two or four parts. However, each piece should have at least 2-3 sprouts. Places of cuts are disinfected by sprinkling with wood ash. After that, they are placed in a dry place to dry the sections.
Hole preparation
For planting Colombo potatoes, reviews of summer residents recommend preparing holes in advance. The optimal depth for them is considered to be 10-15 cm, depending on the purpose of planting. If you need the potatoes to sprout faster, then you should not go too deep. The holes are arranged at the rate of 3 holes per 1 m, and the row spacing must be increased to 0.7 m. This distance will provide the Colombo bushes with sufficient space for lighting and tuberization. It is good to add a handful of ash and humus to the holes. In no case should fresh manure be added to them.
Planting potatoes
To plant the Colombo potato variety, gardeners' reviews are advised only in heated ground. Cold soil will slow down germination or even cause rotting of tubers, especially in high humidity. Usually, during the flowering period of dandelions, the soil already has time to warm up to 10 degrees by planting depth of potatoes... In order to speed up this process, you can cover the beds with foil or agrofibre immediately after the snow melts. Under it, the ground will warm up in a few days.
The tubers are laid out in holes and covered with a layer of earth. For clay soils, its thickness should not exceed 5 cm, and for light soils, it can reach 8 cm. After planting, the potatoes must again be covered with agrofibre. It will help speed up the germination of tubers and protect the sprouts from recurrent frost.
Care
According to the characteristics of the variety and reviews, Colombo potatoes should be hilled and harrowed in time. The first hilling is carried out after the emergence of shoots up to 15 cm high. Hilling promotes the formation of a larger number of tubers, therefore it is advisable to carry it out every two weeks. If there is a threat of return frost, already sprouted bushes can be protected by hilling them to the very top.
In the absence of rain, Colombo potatoes require regular watering, especially during flowering. After each watering or the next rain, loosening should be carried out to increase the access of oxygen to the roots.
Pest resistance
The Colombo potato variety has good resistance to pathogens such as the golden nematode. It is also highly resistant to cancer. Since the variety is early, the late blight does not have time to hit the potatoes. But if the planting is repeated, then it is better to carry out preventive treatment of the bushes.
If the crop rotation is observed, potatoes can be protected from infection.The Colorado potato beetle is just as dangerous to him as to other varieties. It is necessary to periodically check the bushes for the presence of pests in order to timely process the bushes with fungicides. You can fight the Colorado potato beetle with the help of siderates. Lupine is an excellent beetle killer, and mustard is effective against wireworms. At the same time, green manure is an excellent top dressing.
Reviews of gardeners
Both experienced vegetable growers and novice gardeners are unanimous in assessing the taste of Colombo potatoes and give it only a positive characteristic.
Conclusion
Colombo potatoes successfully combines a lot of positive qualities. Although the variety is new, it has already managed to get an excellent characteristic. Observing simple agricultural techniques, you can collect excellent yields from small areas.
