Zhukovsky early is a domestic potato variety obtained at the V.I. A.G. Lorkha by crossing such varieties as Hydra and Berry. Included in the State Register in 1993, allowed for cultivation in all regions of Russia, except for the coldest (East Siberian and Northern). The variety is undemanding and unpretentious, the first collection can be carried out as early as 2–2, 5 months after planting. To get a good harvest, you need to adhere to simple rules of agricultural technology. Potatoes Zhukovsky early: characteristics, photos and reviews.
Variety description
Zhukovsky differs from most varieties of potatoes in that it has an extended ripening period. During the growing season, the stolons spread to the sides, when planted in straw, thanks to this property, it becomes possible to collect several potatoes from the nest without digging a bush. The entire growing season takes almost 90 days, but you should not wait for all tubers to fully ripen. If the summer is rainy, ripe roots can rot.
Attention!
The harvest of Zhukovsky potatoes must be harvested gradually, with too late harvesting, overripe tubers lose their taste.
The bushes are medium-sized, from 40 to 60 cm, semi-spreading, branchy shoots, numerous medium-sized leaves with embossed veins, glossy, saturated dark green color. The inflorescences are loose, the flowering period is short, the corolla is red-violet, the tips of the petals are white. Tubers are different in size and shape, but mostly round-oval with a blunt tip, 120–160 g each, some specimens can reach a mass of 400–600 g. The skin is thin and firm, slightly rough, reddish-lilac, bright. There are few eyes, they are shallow, of a more saturated shade. The pulp is white, juicy, not mealy.
In the Central regions, the average yield is 14–32 tons per 100 m², the maximum figures were recorded in Lipetsk – 380 kg per 100 m². According to the description of the variety of gardeners from the south, from 1 seed potato, you can collect 4–5, 5 kg of tubers. Appointment dining, Zhukovsky is suitable for frying, cooking chips, good baked and boiled. During heat treatment, the pulp does not crumble, does not lose its juiciness and does not darken.
Advantages of the variety:
- up to 95% of root crops (of the total crop) have an excellent presentation; in general, marketability is estimated at 90–92%;
- tubers do not deteriorate during transportation, they are kept well. Before storing, the potatoes are sorted out, thrown away or immediately used all damaged potatoes, the rest are dried under a canopy. The room should be dry and dark, the temperature should be kept at the level of 2-5˚С. In such conditions, the crop will lie for 6-7 months, will not rot and will not become sluggish;
- immunity to almost all typical diseases and pests is excellent, even in epidemic years it is weakly affected by nematodes, rhizoctonia, scab and potato crayfish;
- undemanding;
- tubers are resistant to mechanical damage, automatic harvesting is allowed;
- the variety does not degenerate for a long time;
- extended fruiting, early ripening;
- consistently high yields in difficult climatic conditions;
- versatility in use.
Attention!
Zhukovsky early is resistant to heat, drought, cold and unstable weather conditions, grows poorly only in clay or stony soil.
Among the shortcomings, one can note a weak resistance to late blight, the fungus is dangerous when plantings are thickened, beds overgrown with weeds, high soil and air humidity in warm weather. Another disadvantage is the low starch content (10-14%). The taste in many sources is described as mediocre or even bland, although the opinions of gardeners on this matter differ, many give a tasting score of 4-5 points.
Peculiarities of growing
In most regions, early potatoes are planted in the first decade of April, in the south – in March, under a film or other temporary shelter – 2 or 3 weeks earlier. Sprouted Zhukovsky tubers can be planted even in insufficiently heated soil (5–7˚C), and potatoes without seedlings only when the ground warms up to 7–9˚C. The plot is isolated open, well warmed by the sun, where nightshades, cucumbers or carrots did not grow last season.
Preparatory work and landing
When planting sprouted tubers, seedlings will appear in 5-8 days, and without preparation in 3 or 2, 5 weeks. In order for the sprouts to sprout, the potatoes are laid out in boxes in 1-2 layers or scattered on the floor in a dry, ventilated, lighted room, periodically turned over. The optimum temperature range is from 4 to 20˚С. Seed tubers must be sprayed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and right before planting they are sprinkled with wood ash for disinfection. Potatoes are planted when the shoots are 1 cm long. Germination takes 3-4 weeks.
The best results of growing Zhukovsky are observed when planting in fertile sandy or loamy soil. Site preparation is carried out in 2 stages. In autumn, the earth is dug to a depth of 25 cm, 5 buckets of rotted compost and a glass of wood ash are brought in. In the spring, the soil is dug onto the floor with a shovel bayonet, break up the lumps and fertilize with Ammophos (5–10 g). The amount of fertilizer is calculated for 1 m².
Attention!
To cleanse, improve the structure and nourish the soil before winter and in early spring, sow lupine or sweet clover (the greens are mowed, left in the garden).
Zhukovsky is most often planted in rows, row spacings are made of 60–70 cm, and a gap of 15–35 cm is left between the holes, potatoes are buried by 6 cm. It is undesirable to cut tubers, many gardeners notice that with such a planting the yield of the variety decreases. When planting early in a cool region, the beds are initially covered with a film (on arcs), before the onset of stable warm weather, they are removed only for watering or weeding.
How to care for potatoes
Most of the early varieties of potatoes are unpretentious, but the early Zhukovsky is the leader. A novice gardener will also cope with the cultivation, special knowledge, significant labor costs and a lot of time will not be required. High yields can be achieved by observing the rules of preparation, planting in a suitable place and performing just a few activities:
Read also!
- They begin to weed the aisles and loosen the soil as needed immediately after planting the potatoes. Weeds should not clog, shade seedlings, and crust should not be allowed on the ground. Loosening improves the structure of the earth, makes it breathable and moisture-absorbing, which contributes to the normal development of bushes and tuberization.
- As a prophylaxis for the Colorado potato beetle, young shoots are sprayed with a 1% solution of Copper sulfate, then several more treatments are done every 5-10 days, the last one a week before the tops close. Colorado gets used to chemicals, they are changed or alternated. Supporters of organic farming prepare infusions, decoctions of elecampane, tansy, mint, dill, etc., but the effect of such means is weak. It is advisable to place repellent plants (bush beans, coriander, basil) around the perimeter at the planning stage of the beds.
- Watering is carried out only in prolonged drought, at least 5 liters of water is poured under each bush.
- The bushes are spud three times during the entire growing season, a week after germination, when buds are formed and immediately after flowering. The height of the ridge is determined independently, stems of 5–8 cm are left on the surface. Hilling helps to increase yields and protects the bushes from falling apart.
- With proper soil preparation, you can do without additional fertilizing. Otherwise, the culture is fertilized with nitrogen immediately after germination, potassium during the budding period and a mixture of superphosphate with mullein during mass flowering. All fertilizers are applied in liquid form.
Attention!
The Colorado potato beetle is very fond of scented tobacco, if you plant several flower beds near the site, you can distract the pest from the potatoes for a while. You can get rid of the insect by dusting the foliage with cornmeal, gypsum or cement. 
Late blight is caused by a dangerous fungus that persists in the soil and on plant debris; spores are carried with water, insects and air. It is difficult to control the appearance of the fungus, but you can protect the beds by crop rotation, planting high-quality, disinfected tubers and maintaining cleanliness in the garden. Any nightshade are planted in one place every 3 years and only after legumes or meadow grasses. Options for preventive and therapeutic treatments:
- after emergence and before flowering – Artsdil, Ridomil, Oksikhom. Spraying is carried out every 2–2, 5 weeks;
- after withering of buds – Ditamin M-45, Copper chloroxide, Cuproxat. No more than 4 times with an interval of a week;
- with a strong lesion, a good result is given by the preparations of the Syngenta company (Metaxil, Ordan, Raek, etc.);
- growth stimulants strengthen the immunity of potatoes, increase resistance to late blight. The best drugs are Oxygumat, Ecosil, Epin;
- infusion of garlic – 100 g of cloves or herbs are cut, pour 10 liters of water, leave for a day in a warm, dark room;
- 1 liter of sour kefir is diluted in a bucket of water, stirred, infused for 3-4 hours, filtered.
Treatment with folk remedies is repeated every 5-7 days (from the beginning to the end of the growing season). All spraying is carried out in the evening in calm weather. During the morning treatment, the remnants of the funds accumulate on the leaves, burns are formed from the rays of the sun. With severe damage, photosynthesis will be disrupted, which will negatively affect the amount of the crop. To protect potatoes from late blight, in the later stages of the growing season, all tops are cut (10-12 days before harvest). Infected tubers cannot be used for planting and must not be stored for a long time, especially in the same room with other varieties.
Zhukovsky is popular not only in Russia, it is cultivated in many countries. The variety is also grown on an industrial scale – for sale, the production of chips, dry mashed potatoes, frozen mixtures and fries. Due to its high yield, the variety is ideal for cultivation in small areas, and in the south, with early planting, 2 crops can be harvested per season. The variety has a lot of positive reviews, which means it is worth taking a closer look at.
Reviews
Igor
Zhukovsky early – potatoes which can be taken care of only on weekends, and more often I do not have the opportunity to visit my dacha. I want to note that the characteristics of the variety from the originator are incomplete, it does not say anything about the taste, which, in my opinion, is good only for not fully ripe tubers. For 4 years of cultivation, there was no phytophthora, but I carry out preventive treatments with serum immediately after germination, at the beginning of flowering and immediately after it. Potatoes are stored well, but definitely not longer than six months.
Christina
In February last year, I found a description of Zhukovsky early, immediately bought seed tubers, planted it in the spring, without preparing the beds in autumn. I thought the positive qualities of the variety were greatly exaggerated, but no, the yield is high, the tubers are quite tasty, they do not boil over, they do not become dry. It so happened that tomatoes grew next to the potatoes, they were sick with Alternaria, the weather last year was not pleasing – either the sun was burning, then the rains were pouring in, Zhukovsky was all for nothing. I planted a variety this year, I will look at the result and most likely I will grow further.
