Potato is a very popular root crop, without which it is impossible to imagine a daily diet. However, the vegetable is rather capricious, it needs good care, otherwise you can lose the crop. To prevent this from happening, you need to carefully consider the choice of potato variety, which will take its rightful place in the garden.

Varieties of potato varieties and their characteristics

Today in the world there are about 400 varieties of potatoes. This tremendous variety can perplex any gardener. You must understand the purpose of the varieties. Since some of them are used for production needs. Others are intended for animal feed, etc.

Here are the main characteristics of potato varieties:

  • Canteens. These varieties, as the name implies, are intended for human consumption. They have high taste characteristics and form the basis of all varietal variety of potatoes.
  • Feed. These are varieties that go to feed farm animals. They are nutritious because the starch and protein content in them is much higher than normal.
  • Technical They are intended for use in the production of starch and alcohol.They do not have good taste, and it is not recommended to eat them. Because these tubers contain a small amount of protein.
  • Universal. The most common and convenient to use varieties of potatoes, since they perfectly go both in food, and for animal feed, and for production needs.

A variety of potato varieties is not limited to these characteristics. This root crop has a different ripening duration, compared with other vegetables. Therefore, potatoes are also classified according to the ripening period - early varieties, late, mid-ripening, etc.

We invite you to get acquainted with this important classification:

  • Early varieties of potatoes are unusually fast ripening, the period is up to 65 days.
  • Mid-early root crops can be harvested later than the early ones, up to 85 days.
  • Mid-ripening varieties ripen within 95 days.
  • Medium-late potato varieties can be obtained for a period of 95 to 110 days.
  • Later varieties - ripening occurs between 95 days and later.

How to choose the right potato for planting

Since varietal diversity is huge, then for your site you should choose the most suitable plants. It all depends on what result you want to get. Having studied the characteristics of the varieties, you can quickly navigate, make a choice and predict the future crop in advance. It is worthwhile to carefully read the description of the potato variety before buying seed material. This will avoid many problems when growing root crops.

What selection criteria are most important?

  1. Climatic conditions.
  2. Soil type.
  3. Productivity
  4. Ripening speed.
  5. Disease resistance.
  6. Resistance to certain pests.
  7. Taste qualities.
  8. Appearance.

Although the latter criterion is the least important, some gardeners still want to buy plants that are unusual in appearance for planting. Surprise your friends with an interesting tuber color, shape and even taste.

The best varieties of potatoes with a description

Climatic conditions for growing potatoes are crucial. After all, there are varieties from which you should not expect a crop in adverse weather conditions. And this is not only cold and rains, but also southern heat, drought. Therefore, all varieties are usually divided primarily by climatic zones.

For central Russia

Unfortunately, in the middle zone of the country are not very fertile soils, poor in some minerals. A lot of soils are not at all suitable for growing vegetables, including potatoes. Nevertheless, breeders were able to create unpretentious varieties that can grow on depleted soils and produce fairly high yields of one hundred, or even two hundred kilograms per one hundredth.

The best varieties of potatoes for the middle strip:

  1. Adretta - This is an excellent variety, universal, which can grow both on sandy and clay soils, and at the same time does not need special feeding. If it is well watered, then this potato can give a good harvest, 250 kg per hundred square meters. Variety fans among gardeners always especially note the very pleasant taste of potatoes.
  2. Elizabeth - It tolerates dry weather conditions. It is characterized by its unpretentiousness and is perfect for sandy and clay soils at the same time. Productivity is also very good - up to 250 kg. However, often more than late blight, and the Colorado potato beetle came to taste.
  3. Aspia - A very hardy variety that is immune to weather disasters. It tolerates both prolonged heat and cold. He does not care about drought and all kinds of diseases. Refers to varieties of medium early ripeness. Productivity is very high - up to 400 kg. Fans note that its smooth white tubers do not acquire a dark shade during heat treatment. It has an unusual pleasant taste with a fruity hue.

For Chernozemye, varieties are the same as for Central Russia. However, unpretentious potatoes should be chosen with reference to alkaline soils.

For Moscow region

The Moscow Region is not quite suitable for growing potatoes. The weather here is humid, so you should choose varieties that are resistant to such climatic conditions.

The following varieties are suitable for the Moscow region:

  1. Spring is white - A variety of good yields up to 400 kg, has medium disease resistance, precocious. It is suitable in order to receive two crops per summer.
  2. Nevsky - unpretentious, mid-season and good yield variety. Suitable for almost all types of soil. Resistant to various types of diseases, however, prone to a nematode. To increase fertility requires more sunlight.
  3. Romano - An excellent choice, since the variety provides high productivity, while there is no dependence on weather conditions. Even in the wettest summer, he will give over 800 g from the bush. It is universal in application, therefore it can be used not only in cooking, but also in production for sugar, starch, alcohol and even rubber. High resistance to diseases, especially late blight.

For Siberia

Siberia is famous for potatoes with excellent taste. However, a short cold summer suggests that only precocious varieties can be grown here. In addition, plants must have good resistance to a sharp change in weather - from cold to heat.

  1. Governor - One of the most popular precocious varieties. He perfectly survives in any, even the most severe climate, regardless of the type of soil. Productivity is very high, up to 700 kg per one hundredth. Immunity to diseases and pests is excellent. Feature - can be stored unusually long.
  2. Lyubava - A wonderful variety for the Siberian region, because it is extremely unpretentious and resistant to potato cancer. However, it is often enough struck by a nematode. Productivity is not bad, up to 400 kg. The tubers are large, with a red peel.

Potato Variety Classification: A Selection of the Best

Potato varieties are classified by maturity. This indicator is very important because it significantly affects the choice. Since this factor should be taken into account if you want to get more than one crop in the summer.

Ultra early

These plants grow very quickly and have an extremely short growing season. Fruits form and ripen at high speed. Such potatoes should be planted quite early in the spring, in April. And almost in a month and a half or two months you can begin to harvest the first crop. However, such early varieties are not suitable for laying for the winter, because they can not be stored for long.

The most popular among all the ultra-early is the variety Timo Hankkyan. It has a great taste, suitable for both frying and cooking. It feels great in a hot climate, soil moisture, this variety does not bother. However, it does not tolerate repeated frosts. The productivity is high, the quality of storage is good under conditions of decent ventilation of the room and compliance with the temperature regime.

Early

Early varieties of potatoes ripen very quickly, in 70 days, because they also grow unusually quickly and have a short growing season. The highest yield can be obtained at the very beginning of summer. However, storing early potato varieties for a long time is not recommended.

The list of early varieties includes many plants with excellent indicators and characteristics. This is an unusually productive variety of luck. As well as many others - adretta, tyras, bellarosa, impala, Zhukovsky, snow white, Kiev, karatop, ascamite, bronix, etc.

Mid early

These varieties are stored longer, less susceptible to disease. The ripening period is from two months to 80 days. One of the most popular mid-early varieties is Condor. It has good immunity to viruses.Latona - this variety is characterized in that it is resistant to late blight and does not boil during heat treatment. Romano also perfectly resists late blight and various viruses. Its peculiarity is large fruits.

Mid-season

Usually mid-season varieties are distinguished by excellent taste. They are very unpretentious and resistant to diseases, weather changes. They have a longer growing season, from two months to 100 days. Harvested most often in August, at the very beginning of this month.

Typical representatives are Sante, Red Scarlett, Nevsky, Yurga, Tuleevsky, etc.

Late ripening

These are the most unpretentious plants. The tubers of late ripe potatoes are perfectly stored all long winter, and even in the early spring they do not lose their nutritional properties and taste. They have a long growing season, which can last up to 120 days. They are very resistant to disease, are not afraid of moisture, sudden changes in weather and generally adverse situations.

The most popular, and probably delicious and high-yielding, is Picasso with very large tubers.

Many gardeners respect the Zhuravinka potato variety. Since this is a very unpretentious plant with a red skin and a very pleasant taste. It has excellent immunity to damage, viruses, cancer, and even the nematode. However, it happens that it does not always successfully resist late blight.

The late grades still loved by summer residents are Rodeo, Robin, Mondial, Romano.

Varieties of yellow fleshed potatoes

Potatoes with yellow pulp are rich in carotene, have a sweetish flavor, and are well-digested. It has high marketability when the number of fruits suitable for sale is much higher than their total number.

The rind of potatoes with yellow flesh can be of different colors. Varieties with red and pink skins have a high starch content, so they are better suited for cooking. With a yellow peel - less starchiness, respectively, it is preferable to fry it.

The most popular varieties of potatoes, the pulp of which has a yellow tint:

  1. Adretta - The very first table grade of yellow potato. Since before its appearance all such varieties were only fodder. Resistant to pests, has good immunity to various diseases. The main feature - this potato does not give a sweet aftertaste even after frosts.
  2. Bellarose - It tolerates extreme weather and temperature. It is good to grow in a temperate climate zone. It is immune to scab, late blight, blackleg, other diseases and even mechanical damage. It can produce high yields. The peel is pink, even after a long heat treatment it retains a pleasant taste.
  3. Vineta - early ripening variety, has increased productivity. It tolerates drought, various damage. Not susceptible to cancer, nematode, mosaic. It can produce record yields with good care. The skin color is dark brown.

Types of potatoes with white friable flesh

Potatoes with white crumbly flesh have become extremely popular in recent years. Therefore, breeders create new varieties every year. They have excellent taste and rich nutritional properties.

Basically, all white potato varieties are canteens. They are perfect for cooking, stewing, and frying.

In content, they are distinguished by a large amount of vitamin C, in addition to other major groups of vitamins, and vegetable protein tuberin. White potatoes are rich in useful acids - citric, malic, oxalic and others. Therefore suitable for dietetic nutrition.

The list of varieties of white potatoes:

  1. Aurora - Perfectly suitable for the southern regions, it is practically not affected by drought. You can grow even two crops a year, because the variety is early ripening. It has good resistance to diseases, including late blight and nematodes.
  2. Naiad - well suited for frying, fries and industrial chip making.Excellent resistance to various diseases and adverse weather conditions.
  3. Petersburg - It differs in that it perfectly adapts to any soil. Not afraid of cold and excessive humidity. Resistant to scab and cancer, slightly less resistant to viral diseases.
  4. Tiras - early ripening, suitable for southern and central regions. It tolerates drought, can be grown on any soil. Therefore, you can easily grow two crops in one season. However, his resistance to diseases is not as high as in the previous varieties. Its main “enemies” are scab and nematode.

The most productive potato varieties

Productivity is one of the most significant indicators.

We present a list of potato varieties that guarantee unusually high results:

  1. Bellarose - With good care, you can get almost 350 kg per hundred square meters.
  2. Rosara, aspect - slightly exceed this record, because they give almost 400 kg.
  3. Idaho - one of the three most productive varieties, up to 550 kg.
  4. Gala - It covers all previous indicators, since here it is quite possible to get 600 kg per hundred square meters.
  5. Luck - Indeed, corresponds to the name, because it has unsurpassed results in 1500 kg.

The most productive varieties are often precocious and therefore far from always can be stored for a long time.

Steady and hardy grades

Phytophthora, golden nematode, Colorado potato beetle - these are the main problems for gardeners growing potatoes. When the site is affected by these parasites, there can only be one way out - to acquire seeds resistant to them.

In areas with high humidity, frequent rains, plentiful dews, late blight was chosen. It is best to plant the following varieties in such a climatic zone: bellarose, chervona rue, gum, arose.

Pests don't like thick-skinned potatoes. The varieties of crimson, vineta, sante, as well as the already mentioned chervona ruta and bellarose are suitable where the larvae of the May beetle are most found.

Golden nematode does not affect the following varieties of potatoes - Laura, Finca, Sante, Arosa, Bellarose.

On alkaline soils, potatoes are often infected with scab and other diseases. Good resistance to it was shown by all the same arosa and bellarose, vineta, crimson, agave, karate. However, the best solution in this case would be to plant a Picasso variety.

For soils containing few minerals, suitable Karelia, titanium, Pushkin. However, do not forget that even plants that are resistant to depleted soils always need good care.

In southern areas, where drought is a frequent visitor, you can successfully grow varieties of agave, minerva, Slav, Picasso, sprint, as well as arosa and bellarose.

Best seed potato

Once every four years, it is necessary to renew potato seeds. Since gradually even the best variety of potatoes, which are constantly grown on the site, becomes less quality, yield decreases. In some cases, potatoes can completely degenerate. Since plants and seeds are infected with various diseases, they lose their resistance to weather conditions and pests.

This seed potato is best suited for the garden plot:

  1. Milena - the variety is considered ultra-early, with a very high yield, reaching up to 600 kg per hundred square meters. It has good resistance to diseases and pests. It has oval cream-colored fruits.
  2. Virgo - mid-season, with a good yield of up to 400 kg. He is not afraid of any, even the most severe weather conditions, he easily adapts to them. The peel of the fruits is red oval.
  3. Beauty - The yield indicators are the same as those of the maiden, and tolerates drought. Suitable for all climatic zones of Russia. The fruits are oval, red, with a high content of starch.