Recently, a new exotic variety of purple-colored potatoes appeared on the shelves of grocery stores. It has become widespread among summer residents, due to its unusual appearance, taste and useful properties. It is possible to grow it on the site with a detailed study of the characteristics of the tubers and adherence to the rules of agricultural technology.
General information about the variety
Purple potatoes were identified by an artificial method – gene modification, by crossing a common potato with a wild variety of tubers grown in South America. Previously, before crossing, this colored hybrid had never been used in the culinary field in European countries.
In Russia, this kind of root crop appeared only in 2007. It is grown by summer residents in various regions, both in the central and southern parts of the country, as it germinates and ripens in the same places as ordinary potatoes.
Characteristics of the bush and fruit
Bushes of purple potatoes grow sprawling, abundantly covered with dense green tops. The height of the plant culture is up to 40 cm. The leaves, in comparison with the bushes of other varieties of potatoes, are darker, differ in a dissected shape. Abundant flowering, but short-lived.
The peculiarity of this unique variety is the pink or purple skin color atypical for potatoes. The characteristics of the tuber include:
- oblong shape up to 10 cm;
- preservation of the intense color of the skin and pulp even after prolonged heat treatment;
- thick rind;
- pleasant taste, similar to a nut;
- the weight of one tuber is from 50 to 200 g.
Purple potatoes are used just like the regular variety. It is used for making soups, mashed potatoes, salads, stews and other hot and cold dishes. It goes well with meat, fish, mushrooms and vegetables. Dishes made from it acquire a bright color and new interesting taste.
The yield of this variety is high. Up to 10-15 large tubers can be removed from one bush, the total weight of which will be up to 5 kg. Summer residents plant it in small quantities, since it is rarely used in cooking, and the growth of fruits is always pleasing. In addition, because of the thick skin, the potatoes are difficult to damage during the harvesting process and they are stored for a long time, therefore, crop losses are minimized.
On a note!
Colored tubers are widely used in dietary nutrition. This is due to the fact that they have a low calorie content, contain a high amount of useful elements and vitamins.
Pros and cons of the variety
Any food product has positive and negative sides. The benefits of purple potatoes include:
- Healing effect on the body. With the regular addition of this type of root vegetables to the diet, blood pressure in hypertensive patients decreases, the walls of blood vessels are strengthened. They serve as the prevention of atherosclerosis and the development of cancer.
- Contains a high amount of vitamin C, which is necessary to improve the immune system.
- Slowing down the aging process due to the presence of antioxidants in the composition.
- The high starch content prevents the risk of obesity and overweight.
One of the downsides is consumer preference. Not every person is ready to experiment, so he may be confused by a purple vegetable in a dish familiar to him, he will not like its smell and taste. It is also a negative trait that not all people can add such roots. It is contraindicated for those who suffer from low blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, chronic constipation, malfunctioning of the stomach, especially gastritis or ulcers.
A dish made from this vegetable, eat it strictly in moderation. Overeating will provoke pain and bloating. If you add it to the diet for the first time, then first eat a small amount and continue to use it only if there is no allergic reaction, in the form of skin redness, rash, itching or swelling. Take an allergy medication if you see any side effects.
Resistance to diseases and pests, adverse conditions
The purple potato variety is a capricious type of crop that requires favorable conditions and proper care. It begins to rot quickly if rainy weather is on the street for a long time. Such roots are often exposed to the following types of pests and diseases:
- cancer;
- scab;
- Colorado beetle;
- clickers.
Due to the impact of a negative factor, the yield of fruits decreases and their appearance deteriorates. To prevent the formation of diseases or pests, thoroughly treat it with potassium permanganate before deepening the planting material into the soil. When growing crops for several years in a row, periodically change the planting site, alternating with legumes or cabbage.
Features of agricultural technology varieties
Success in growing purple potatoes depends on adherence to all planting rules, further care and collection. Since this variety belongs to a thermophilic culture, it is better to prepare a place for planting located in the southwestern part of the garden so that the plant receives a lot of sunlight.
Landing
A fundamental step in growing is choosing the right soil. It is better if it is light, in which case it will be well equipped with oxygen throughout the season, and excess moisture will not stagnate. The ideal option is sandy loam or sod-podzolic soils. To plant do:
- Dig up the soil before winter. So, it will be possible to move up all the larvae of pests that will die immediately when frost sets in.
- Dig the soil again in the spring before planting, mixing it with superphosphate or potash fertilizer.
- Deepen the planting material at the same time when planting potatoes, usually varieties – at the end of April – mid-May. By this time, the minimum temperature of 5 degrees Celsius should have already been established.
- Dig a hole, add wood ash to it if necessary, its depth should be approximately 10 cm.
- Plant the potatoes in a row so that the distance between them is at least 30 cm.
- Cover each hole with soil, leveling the top soil in the garden bed.
In addition, rotted manure can be used during planting to improve the growth of this potato variety. You can add it in one of 2 convenient ways – evenly distribute it with a pitchfork over the entire ridge, then completely dig it up with a shovel or walk-behind tractor, or add one handful of fertilizer to each hole. But, do not overdo it, do such a top dressing no more than once every 2-3 years.
Care
As for the care of purple potatoes, it is exactly the same as for all of its relatives. The only difference is that it is more susceptible to the appearance of pests or diseases. Therefore, in order to prevent, pre-treat the planting material and the hole with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Watch the bushes of the plant more often and at the first signs of deterioration in its condition or the appearance of insects, take measures to eliminate them.
Water the soil only in dry weather – at least 2-3 times in one season, first after it rises, then before flowering, during and after it. Weed the crop regularly from grass and weeds that hinder the full development of fruits, loosen, huddle the soil and process it to prevent pests.
Collection and storage
The ripening period for purple potatoes varies from 70 to 100 days. Therefore, the digging process takes place at the end of August and the beginning of September. Place the dug potatoes in a well-ventilated place with moderate humidity. You can store it for a year in a dark and cool place.
On a note!
While the potatoes are drying, carefully check each fruit and transfer only high-quality vegetables to the storage container. Weed out spoiled rotten or bitten tubers as they can infect the entire crop and render it unusable.
Reviews
Alain
“I have been growing purple potatoes for several years and noticed that I can grow large tubers and a decent harvest after feeding it with chicken droppings. Pre-dilute it with water in a ratio of 1 to 15 and leave for 1 hours in a dark place. Water each bush with XNUMX liter of this solution. “
Yana
“The whole family loves colored potato dishes because of its interesting almond flavor. At first I bought it in the form of seeds, grew seedlings at home, then transplanted it into open ground, but the harvest was poor. I managed to get a lot of big potatoes after I started using tubers as planting material ”.
Purple potatoes are one of the rarest and most delicious plant varieties. To make the harvest at the end of the summer season happy, plant and care for the potatoes correctly. Before use, study the possible contraindications so as not to harm your health.
