A garden crop such as potatoes is very popular in Russia. Almost every gardener today grows this root crop on his site. Breeders are constantly creating ever new varieties of vegetables.
In this article, we will examine in detail what constitutes a potato bast. Description varieties, photos, reviews of gardeners will also provide.
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Potato variety "bast" refers to varieties of folk selection. Today, almost nothing is known about its origin. The first mention of this variety dates back to the 50s of the last century. It was widely used among gardeners in the Far East and Siberia. He has not lost his popularity to this day, although new domestic and foreign root crops are his competitors. Often there is a "bast" in those regions that are called the risky farming zone. Traditionally, this potato is grown by gardeners of Transbaikalia.
Characteristic
What is the difference between other varieties of potato "bast"? The description of this variety primarily highlights the large size of tubers and high productivity. In the summer, under favorable conditions from hundreds of square meters, you can get from 400 to 500 kg of tubers. The weight of potatoes averages from 120 to 180 grams. On each bush there is a record-breaking tuber, which reaches a length of 20-25 cm and has a mass of 500-800 grams. Potatoes usually have an elongated, oval, flattened shape resembling a large patty. Apparently, the variety got its name just because of the size and shape of the tubers.
The fruit has a pale pink, slightly rough skin. There are few eyes on the surface of the tuber, and they are all superficial. The variety is characterized by a low starch content - only 10.5-14%. This does not affect the taste characteristics. The pulp of root vegetables has a pale yellow color. In color, it resembles butter. On average, 6-10 potatoes are removed from one bush.
Productivity
Why did you get so popular potato bast? The description of the variety would be incomplete if you do not pay attention to its stable high yield. "Bast" is a medium early ripening variety. The duration of the growing season is 65-85 days. The exact time of the harvest is difficult to call. It can begin in the second decade of August and end only in the 20th of September. It largely depends on the weather in the summer. With the digging of potatoes you can take your time. This does not affect the keeping quality. Potato bushes usually have an average height (50-65 cm) and dense foliage. They bloom very abundantly snow-white inflorescences.
Origin
Many agronomists hold the view that potato "bast shoes" as a variety does not exist. In principle, this applies to almost all varieties of folk selection. They believe that these are just wild cultural varieties that have long been cultivated in a particular locality, and their official name has simply been forgotten. Agronomists believe that the "bast" is one of the varieties bred back in the USSR by crossing the "Cuban" and "American". Of course, in the process of long-term cultivation, the variety has somewhat changed.
Benefits
Why do many gardeners prefer to plant potato bast? Photo and description of the variety will help to identify the benefits of this variety.
Here are the main ones:
- "Lapot" is not grown on an industrial scale, but is quite suitable for cultivation in the household. It well tolerates transportation over long distances. Tubers of this variety rarely deteriorate during storage and for a long period retain their characteristics even with minor mechanical damage.
- Variety "bast" has a universal purpose. According to the official classification, it belongs to the varieties AB. Such potatoes are suitable for cooking, frying, cooking first courses and salads.
- "Bast" is resistant to cold. With the onset of frost, you can not even cover the seedlings. A cool summer will not affect the quality and quantity of tubers. The only thing that will change is the timing of the harvest.
- "Bast shoe" has good immunity to many diseases that are typical for culture. However, this variety does not have good resistance to fungi.
- The variety is characterized by "plasticity" and unpretentiousness. It does not impose special requirements for soil quality, watering. “Lapot” easily adapts to the climate, brings a consistently high yield, despite the cool, rainy or excessively hot weather.
Variety disadvantages
Does potato have any disadvantages? The feedback from experienced gardeners reveals the following disadvantages of the variety:
- Low resistance to alternariosis, late blight. The bast shoe also does not tolerate the effects of pests such as wireworms.
- Lack of quality planting material. Lapot is not included in the State Register and does not have an official originator. In this regard, this variety is almost impossible to find in nurseries and catalogs. In garden plots, it is gradually being superseded by new official varieties. So getting tubers for planting will be quite difficult.
Preparatory phase and landing
One of the advantages that the potato variety "bast" has is its unpretentiousness. However, if you want to get a stable crop, you still have to allocate some time for planting and care. It is also worth remembering the need for the prevention of diseases that pose a particular danger to this culture.
The article contains photos of potato "bast". Description of the variety and reviews of gardeners confirm that it is a large and beautiful root crop. What should be done first if you decide to plant it in your summer cottage? The most important step is the choice of place for the beds. This species loves sunlight and warmth, so it is better to allocate an open place for it. As already mentioned, the "bast shoe" is unpretentious to the type of soil. But he will not grow in the swamp either. Groundwater should not come closer than 65-70 cm to the soil. Like any other potato, the "bast" does not tolerate acidic soil. Determine the acidity value in advance and, if necessary, introduce a “deoxidizer” into the soil. This composition can be prepared independently, using sifted wood ash, dolomite flour and crushed eggshells. Prepare a bed for planting potatoes should be in advance, since the fall.
Harvesting tubers
So what do you need to know about this? The tubers themselves should be sprouted before planting. This will have a positive effect on the abundance of the crop and reduce the ripening time. Usually the procedure takes about 1.5 months, so you need to start somewhere in April. Tubers selected since the fall should be checked for signs of disease. Potatoes are placed for 35-40 days in a well-ventilated area with an air temperature of 13-16 degrees. It is better to sprinkle it in 1-2 layers on fabric or paper. After 20-25 days, the first shoots will appear on the surface of the tubers.
Specialists recommend treating the tubers with a solution of Bactofit, Maxim, Prestige or Integral a few days before planting. These tools will help minimize stress when planting plants and improve their immunity. You can also dip the potatoes in the prepared composition for 15-20 minutes, only the concentration of the solution should be made half as much.
When is it better to plant?
Many beginner gardeners are interested in when it is best to plant potato varieties "bast". The reviews confirm that there are no unambiguous recommendations on this issue. It should focus mainly on soil temperature. It should warm up to 7-10 degrees at a depth of 8-10 cm. As a rule, this happens in late April - early May. You can focus on folk items. Potatoes are recommended to be planted at the beginning of flowering of bird cherry, dandelion and blooming birch leaves.
A potato planting bed has been prepared since the fall. In the spring it will be enough just to plow up, choose weed roots and other plant debris. Wells should be dug using a landing pattern. In each recess put 2-3 handfuls of humus or compost, a spoonful of wood ash, a little dry chicken droppings, onion husks or eggshells. All these fertilizers at the bottom of the hole should be mixed with soil and sprinkled with earth a little. Fresh manure should not be added: the flesh of the potato will then become watery and will have an unpleasant taste. In addition, manure creates a favorable environment for the development of bacteria.
How does potato variety grow? Photos of adult plants allow us to say that the bushes are not tall, but not too compact. Therefore, when planting, it is recommended to leave a distance of 35-40 cm between the tubers and 70 cm between the rows. In rainy summers, the distance between the rows can be increased to 90 cm. You should not deepen the tubers by more than 7-8 cm. In light sandy soils, the planting depth decreases by another 1-2 cm. If the soil is heavy and clay, then the distance should be increased by a couple of centimeters.
Growing Features
What you need to know in order to grow potato "bast" in your area? Description of the variety, reviews of gardeners and recommendations of experts confirm that this species does not tolerate prolonged drought. All varieties of potatoes need to be watered at certain points, for example, when buds appear or tubers gain mass. At least the “bast shoe" will need to be watered three times - at the end of June, mid-July and early August. If possible, in hot periods, seedlings should be moistened every 3-4 days. In cool rainy weather, it will be enough to water once every 10-12 days. About 2.5-3 liters of water should be allocated to the bush. The best irrigation method is sprinkling, especially for large plantings of potatoes. Since in August it may already get colder at night, it is better to water it in the morning. Then the leaves have time to dry in a day. High humidity and low temperatures can contribute to the development of pathogenic phytophthora, and the “bast shoe” is very susceptible to it.
Top dressing
Mulching rows is used to trap moisture in the soil and save time when weeding rows. It is best to use freshly cut grass or peat chips for this purpose. Sawdust can lead to severe soil oxidation. In addition, mice often settle in them.
How to fertilize potato "bast"? The characteristic of this variety confirms that it is quite unpretentious to environmental conditions. But nevertheless, for the harmonious development of plants and high productivity, special feeding is required. When the first seedlings of the crop should be fertilized with nitrogen fertilizers. For 10 liters of water, you should take 15-20 grams of ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate or urea. This solution is watered at the roots of the plants. For each bush should be allocated half a liter of fertilizing. Nitrogen-containing fertilizers contribute to the growth of green mass.
During ripening, tubers need potassium and phosphorus. During this period of time, plants need top dressing in the form of superphosphate or phosphate. For 10 liters of water, you should take 35-40 grams of the substance in the first case and 20-25 grams in the second. You can also add a couple grams of potassium permanganate, zinc sulfate and copper sulfate to the fertilizer. Magnesium has a great influence on the tuberization process. When dolomite flour is added to the soil before planting, additional preparations containing this component are no longer required. Otherwise, you will need to make 2-3 dressings with a solution of Kalimagnesia.
Diseases and Pests
What else can you learn from the description of the variety and reviews on potato "bast" (photo of the root crop is presented in the article)? What diseases is culture susceptible to? Reviews of experts confirm that this variety is resistant to most diseases typical of a vegetable. If there are other varieties on the site, the pests are likely to bypass this plant.
But the "bast shoes" have their own weaknesses. One of them is susceptibility to late blight. With this disease, brown spots of irregular shape are formed on the surface of the sheet. For the prevention of late blight, you should water the bed 3-5 days before planting potatoes with a solution of "Ridomil Gold" or "Thanos". The roots themselves should also be treated with "Prestige", "Zircon" or "Agatom-25". When seedlings appear, another 4-5 treatments are allowed.
Reviews
What do gardeners say about potato bast shoes? Description of the variety, photos, reviews confirm that the tubers are simply giant. Even under adverse weather conditions, the harvest of this variety will not disappoint. Compared to other varieties, "bast shoe" is highly resistant to diseases, frosts and pests. Although its germination is longer than that of ordinary varieties, it is 7-10 days.