Content
At the beginning of the 20th century, on the basis of a station for the development of new varieties of potatoes, (a research institute in the Moscow region), the breeder A. Lorkh created a debut potato variety named after the scientist. The culture is zoned in the Central black earth region, intended for the food industry. The variety quickly gained popularity, in 1931 it entered the list of the State Register. For more than 80 years, it has been one of the five most popular varieties grown in Central Russia. For those who are not familiar with the culture, a description of the Lorkh potato variety, photos and reviews will help you get a general idea of the plant.
Description of the potato variety Lorkh
The Lorkh potato belongs to a medium late variety, after planting it sprouts within 14 days, after 120 days the tubers reach biological ripeness and are ready for harvest. The Lorkh potato variety shown in the photo, according to the description of the originator, is a frost-resistant crop. In case of damage to young shoots by recurrent frosts, it fully recovers in a week, the negative factor does not affect fruiting, the ripening time does not increase.
The culture is light-loving, for photosynthesis it requires a sufficient amount of ultraviolet radiation. In the shade, the vegetation slows down, the tops brighten, stretch, become brittle. Tubers are formed in a smaller quantity and with a reduced weight, small roots prevail in the bush. The variety is distinguished by high drought resistance, it perceives drying out of the soil normally, waterlogging causes rotting of the root system and stems, which is the cause of the development of fungal infections.
External characteristics of Lorkh potatoes:
- A tall plant, reaching a height of 80 cm. Forms five powerful, thick stems. The bush is compact, the tops are upright, not spreading. With an excess of moisture, the stems do not lose their elasticity, do not break.
- Leaves are light green, large, opposite, fixed on a long petiole. The leaf plate is rounded, slightly dissected, the surface is corrugated, densely pubescent with veins. The edges are wavy.
- The flowers are simple with the presence of anthocyanin along the edge, collected in panicles, the core is bright yellow. The variety forms an insignificant amount of berries.
- The root system does not grow to the sides, occupies only the space of the hole, forms 10-12 root crops.
- Tubers of the same size, weighing 90–115 g, oval, non-marketable potatoes no more than 2% per bush.
- The peel is thin, yellow, with fine pigmentation, smooth, the eyes are small, sunken, present in an insignificant amount.
- The pulp is dense, juicy, white, does not oxidize when peeled, does not darken during cooking.
Lorkh potatoes are well stored, safely tolerates transportation. Created for the food industry, suitable for cultivation in summer cottages and backyards.
Taste qualities of Lorkh potatoes
Before entering the variety into the State Register, the culture underwent tasting testing. On a 5-point scale, she received an assessment of 4.8 points. 20% of the chemical composition of tubers is starch. In the food industry, the variety is used for starch production. In cooking, potatoes are used to prepare first courses, side dishes.The variety has proven itself well when stewing, frying. The fruits retain their shape after hot processing. Moderately crumbly potatoes with a characteristic taste.
Pros and cons of the variety
According to the characteristics of the variety and reviews of the Lorkh potato, the culture has a number of advantages:
- high productivity. Fruiting does not depend on weather conditions;
- frost resistance. After freezing of seedlings, it quickly forms a substitution;
- fruits of the leveled mass, convenient for mechanized harvesting;
- root vegetables with a high tasting rating, universal use, with an optimal starch and dry matter content;
- undemanding to agricultural technology and soil composition;
- drought resistance, watering is not required;
- long-term storage and good transportability.
The disadvantages of potatoes are: poor tolerance of waterlogged soil, average resistance to infections.
Planting and caring for Lorkh potatoes
To shorten the growing season, in the characteristic of Lorkh potatoes it is indicated that it is better to plant medium-late varieties with sprouted seeds. The optimal length of shoots is 3-4 cm, longer ones break when planting, and the potatoes will take time to form new ones, and the ripening time is prolonged.
Planting material is harvested in the fall in boxes, they are taken out of storage, placed in a lighted room, germinated at a temperature not higher than +15 0C. Provide normal air circulation in the room.
Seeds can be selected in spring (in March) from the total mass of potatoes. Pour into drawers or spread in a thin layer on a flat, well-lit surface. The planting stock will be ready in 45 days. Potatoes are planted in early May.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
The place for planting Lorkh potatoes is set aside in a sunny area. Lowlands, where rainwater accumulates, are not suitable for the variety; you cannot plant potatoes in an area with nearby groundwater. The composition of the soil should be neutral, light and well-drained. The plot is prepared in the fall, 30 days after harvest:
- Plowing or digging by hand.
- Remove the remaining tops weeds and roots.
- If the composition of the soil is acidic, add products containing alkali.
- Scatter organic matter.
It is not recommended to use a lot of organic fertilizer. A high concentration of nitrogen will affect the weight of the fruit. The bush will look strong, the tubers will be small. In the spring, the site is dug up again, ammonium nitrate is added.
Preparation of planting material
Before planting potatoes in the garden, the germinated seeds are stratified. The temperature is lowered within 2 weeks. Hardening will ensure rapid vegetation after placing the tubers in the soil. If the seed potatoes are large, they are cut into pieces a week before planting. Each fragment should contain 2 full-fledged sprouts. Potatoes are treated with copper sulfate or placed in a solution of boric acid and manganese. This measure will prevent the development of fungal diseases.
Landing rules
Lorkh potatoes are planted in two ways: in holes or furrows. If the garden bed is small, it is advisable to plant it under a shovel (in the holes), on a large area it is planted in furrows. The seed distribution pattern is the same in both cases:
- Landing recess - 15 cm, row spacing - 50 cm, distance between nests - 30 cm.At 1 m2 - 5-6 bushes.
- Tubers are placed in 2 pieces. into the nest, the distance between them is 8 cm.
- Top covered with a layer (5 cm) of peat mixed with ash.
- Cover with soil.
Spread the potatoes upside down, take them carefully so as not to damage the shoots, do not water them after planting.
Watering and feeding
Lorkh potatoes are a drought-resistant crop, it tolerates drying out of the soil better than excess moisture. The bushes have enough seasonal rains, watering for the growing season is not required. If there is an abnormal drought, the plant is abundantly watered under the bush in the furrows once a week.
Fertilizers are applied 30 days after the seed tubers are laid, urea or phosphate agents are used. After flowering, potash fertilizers are given to the potatoes. Organic matter is not used, the amount that was introduced during the preparation of the site is enough.
Loosening and weeding
Lorkh potatoes are not touched until the seedlings define clear boundaries of the rows. At the beginning of the growing season of potatoes, weeds grow intensively on fertile soil, so loosening and weeding coincide in time. The frequency of weeding is determined by the appearance of weeds, it is removed constantly until the variety fades.
Hilling
Single nests are covered with earth from all sides, it turns out a hill, potatoes are piled up on the upper leaves. Seeds planted in furrows are covered with a ridge on both sides. Sequence of work:
- The first hilling - the tops grew up to 20 cm.
- The second - after 3 weeks.
- After 10 days, the embankment is trimmed, the topsoil is loosened.
After flowering, weeds are not terrible for potatoes, the tops no longer grow, all the nutrients go to the growth and maturation of the tubers. The plant no longer needs to be cared for.
Diseases and pests
Hybrids are obtained in laboratory conditions, they have a high immunity to infections and pests at the genetic level. The Lorkh potato is a varietal representative of the culture, created by over-pollination of varieties in a natural environment. Therefore, the plant's resistance is average.
In the rainy season at low temperatures, Lorkh potatoes are affected by late blight. Fungal infection manifests itself in the second half of summer with brown spots on the tops. The disease can destroy the plant, including the tubers. For preventive purposes, planting material is treated with manganese and boric acid. At the first signs of the disease, antifungal agents are used: Exiol, Oxygumat.
Rhizoctonia is a threat to potatoes - this is a fungal disease that develops at any stage of the growing season. Initially localized on the leaves, the lesion spreads to the tops and roots. The disease develops quickly, the infection rapidly spreads to neighboring plants, and within two weeks it can completely destroy the potato plantation. Signs of Rhizoctoniae: black spots on tubers, dry areas on the tops. Infected plants are removed from the site and burned. For the next three years, the site is not used for planting nightshade crops. Potatoes are processed with Agatom-25 or Baktofit.
The Colorado potato beetle parasitizes the culture. If there are few larvae, they are collected by hand and burned. With the massive spread of insects, the bushes are treated with "Aktellik" or "Decis". The gall nematode causes great damage to the crop, the parasite affects the root system, the plant lags behind in development, the leaves dry, the tops are bare, the tubers are small, underdeveloped. It will not be possible to destroy the worm completely and save the plant. There are no drugs against nematodes. The plant is completely removed from the ground, removed from the site, and the planting site is poured with boiling water. Neighboring plants are sprayed with "Aldicarb", "Heterophos".
Potato yield
According to the characteristics of the variety and reviews of vegetable growers, Lorkh potatoes are highly productive. For many years of cultivation, the variety does not lose its leading position in terms of yield and taste. The culture grows on any soil, is frost-resistant, tolerates drought well, these qualities are the guarantor of the stability of the crop. One bush of the Lorkh variety gives about 2 kg of root crops, with 1 m2 collect 10-12 kg.
Harvesting and storage
The medium-late Lorkh variety reaches biological ripeness in early September. Harvesting is carried out before the onset of the first frost. After ripening, the tubers are well preserved in the ground for a long time, do not lose their presentation and taste. An indicator that the growing season is over, and the roots are ready for harvest, is the state of the tops, it dries and falls on the garden bed.
Potatoes extracted from the ground are poured into a darkened place. It is not recommended to leave the tubers in the light, as the surface turns dark green. The cause of pigmentation is corned beef - a toxic substance, the synthesis of which proceeds under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.
Before being placed for storage, the roots are scattered in a thin layer to dry. Then the potatoes are sorted, the damaged ones are removed, and distributed by weight.
Planting material is collected in separate boxes, taken out to an area open to the sun. Solanine synthesis will protect the crop from rodents and increase immunity to infection.
Tubers are preserved until the beginning of June, losses are small, within 4%.
Conclusion
The description of the Lorkh potato variety, photos and reviews of vegetable growers fully correspond to the characteristics given by the originator. Medium late variety, suitable for cultivation in private plots and in large farm fields. In the food industry, it goes into the production of starch. The culture is grown according to standard agricultural techniques, the yield is high, the indicator does not depend on weather conditions.
