Colombo potatoes: description and characteristics of the variety, opinion of gardeners with photo

No family can do without this culture. It is not difficult to grow Colombo potatoes on the site, you need to follow simple agricultural practices, show diligence and patience. Received recognition among summer residents for early ripening and excellent taste.

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A summer resident, before planting something on the site, is looking for information about the plant. A description of the Colombo potato variety will facilitate the search process. This species is a very early, relatively young variety of Dutch selection.

In many catalogs, the potato is called Colombo, although it is correct to call it Colomba. Due to the fact that the variety is grown in large quantities in Finland, it is mistaken for a Finnish species. In fact, his homeland is Holland.

Potato ripens within 45 days, the full vegetation period of the variety is 65 days. Yield depends on harvest time. At the stage of initial maturity, it is 1-3 kg with 1 m^{2, at full maturity 3-4.5 kg.}

Description of tubers:

Shape: round oval.
Weight: 80-130g
Flesh: yellow.
Skin: thin.
Eyes: shallow.
Starch content 11-15%.

Plants:

Semi-spreading.
Height 55 cm.
The flowers are white, sometimes there is a lilac tint.

The Colombo potato variety is gaining favor with summer residents at a rapid pace, becoming a favorite for many.

Dignity

There is no better advertisement for the species than the positive feedback from the people growing the crop on the site. The main positive properties are called:

The ability not to crumble during cooking and frying. Excellent taste.
Presentation affects demand. Neat tubers are willingly bought by consumers.
Maturing term. Some regions manage to harvest 2 crops of potatoes of this variety.
Unpretentious care.
Plant immunity.
Drought tolerant.
Rich harvest.

The only, but very significant minus root crops are poorly stored.

Selection of a place

Special attention is paid to the choice of a site for planting a variety. Beds with tubers are located on the sunny side.Do not forget about crop rotation. For several years in a row, potatoes planted in the same place often get sick, and their overall yield decreases. Feels good after legumes, pumpkin and cabbage crops.

Don't grow Colombo potatoes next to tomatoes as they belong to the same family and suffer from common diseases. If the land is plowed up for the first time, there is a risk of damage to the crop by wireworms.

Preparation of seed material

Usually, potato tubers are selected for planting in the fall, but in the spring you need to sort out the potatoes again, select only he althy root crops that do not have damage. Each is about the size of a chicken egg.

Vegetables are taken out of storage in 25-35 days. Lay out in one layer in a well-ventilated, bright room. A temperature of +15 ⁰С is considered suitable for this purpose. If it is higher, the potato quickly loses moisture and begins to shrivel.

To get an early harvest, the tubers are left whole. To get a large amount of vegetables, root crops are cut. Do not forget about disinfection. The knife is treated with alcohol after each root crop. The cut is sprinkled with wood ash and left for another 4-5 days for the appearance of a protective crust. It will prevent the vegetable from rotting in the ground.

Landing

Potatoes are planted in well-heated soil. The optimum temperature is +7-10 ⁰С.

A characteristic sign that the soil is warmed up to the right temperature is the flowering of dandelions and the appearance of leaves on a birch.

Holes for root crops are placed at a distance of 35 cm from each other, the row spacing is 8 cm. 250 g of wood ash is added to each. Planting depth is 7 cm.

Care

Further care consists in watering, hilling and processing from pests and diseases.

Particular attention is paid to hilling the beds. The first time this is done when the plant reaches 15 cm in height. At the same time, weeds are removed that clog the tubers, preventing their normal growth. After that, it is necessary to spud 2 more times, providing a favorable environment for the formation of more tubers.

Watered in hot weather about 1 time per week, after the soil dries, fertilize. In rainy summers, water as needed. The field of each irrigation is recommended to loosen the ground, prevents the formation of a crust.

Pests are treated in a timely manner using folk methods of control or chemicals. We should not forget about the dangers of chemicals for humans, if the area is small, then insects are collected by hand.

Variety immunity

The characteristic of the variety shows that the Colombo potato resists:

Golden nematode.
Raku potato.
Parche.
Late blight.

The last two diseases are moderate. That is, it is not 100% stable. An important condition for growing a crop is the implementation of simple agricultural practices that are the same for all varieties. Their use can help in the fight against diseases.

Harvesting, storage

The first crop is dug up during flowering.

This species starts tuber formation at the same time as stems grow.

When digging potatoes, it is important to choose a sunny, dry day. Potatoes are immediately sorted, rejecting those root crops that are not subject to long-term storage. Dry in a dark room for several days. After being cleaned in storage.

Growing planting material

Variety potatoes cost a lot, but it is possible to propagate the seeds yourself. To get a he althy root crop, breeders advise:

Change growing area.
Plant separately from the rest of the potatoes.
Be sure to germinate the tubers before planting, thus culling diseased roots.
Plant less often than regular potatoes.
Inspect plantings to identify diseased plants. Bushes with pathology should be destroyed immediately.
Dig up individually.
For seeds, select planting material the size of a chicken egg.

Fulfilling these requirements will allow you to grow a he althy varietal root crop.

The opinion of summer residents regarding Colombo potatoes

Numerous reviews of vegetable growers provide invaluable assistance to a novice gardener. They contain useful tips and tricks.

Amazon: “They planted it on a high bed at the end of April. Only 14 pieces, with a total weight of 1200 g. The crop was harvested at the end of July - 37 kg. Most of them are selected root crops. Planting material was purchased at the store. The whole family loves it.”
Zolotunka: “Very unpretentious, calmly endures drought. Grows on black earth and sandstones.”
Alex: “I tried it with a friend for the first time, I liked it, I decided to grow it myself. I grow it constantly with my husband, an average of 15 tubers is obtained from a bush. No need for frequent watering, still like disease resistance.”
Evgeny: “We tried to grow Colombo on the site, we liked everything. It does not require special attention to itself, it ripens quickly. Very tasty in cooked dishes. The only negative is that it does not last long.”

Colombo is an early potato variety, which features resistance to adverse conditions and undemanding care. Those who grow the crop for sale are satisfied with its characteristics, transportability and preservation of the presentation.