Scarb Potatoes - Description Of The Variety, Characteristics, Cultivation Features, Reviews + Photos

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 22:26

Skarb potatoes - all about the peculiarities of growing a Belarusian bulb

Skarb (Belorussian) - apart from the basic meaning of "belongings", the word is also translated as treasure, treasure. This is how Belarusian breeders boldly called their potatoes. Whether the variety justifies such a name, let's try to figure it out in the article, giving a detailed description of the Scarb potatoes with a photo.

Content

• 1 Brief history of the variety

• 2 Variety description

  • 2.1 Quantitative characteristics of Scarb potatoes, table
  • 2.2 Advantages and disadvantages of the variety, table
  • 2.3 Video: appearance

• 3 Planting and care

  • 3.1 Planting site selection and soil preparation
  • 3.2 Preparing tubers for planting

  • 3.3 Preparing the soil for planting and the layout of tubers

    3.3.1 Video: Protecting potatoes from pests with birch tar

  • 3.4 Watering, loosening, hilling, top dressing

    3.4.1 Care of potatoes, table

• 4 Diseases and pests

  • 4.1 Diseases of the variety, table

    4.1.1 Photo: potato diseases

  • 4.2 Pests of the variety, table

    4.2.1 Variety pests, photo gallery

• 5 Harvesting and storage

  5.1 Video: Comparison of Yields of 4 Potato Varieties, Including Scrub

• 6 Reviews

Brief history of the variety

The Skarb potato variety appeared in the State Register of the Republic of Belarus in 1997, and 2 years later an application was submitted for its inclusion in the State Register of Russia, which was satisfied in 2002. That is, this variety cannot be attributed to beginners, but it is zoned for the North-West, Central, Volgo-Vyatka and Ural regions. Naturally, Scarb is widespread in Belarus, as well as in Ukraine.

Description of the variety

The variety is mid-season, for table purposes. The plant is short, with dark green leaves and white flowers.

Scarb has short stems and white flowers

The tubers are oval, smooth. The peel and flesh are yellow, shallow eyes.

Scarb's tubers are oval, medium size

Quantitative characteristics of Scarb potatoes, table

Characteristics of potatoes	Its value
Average / maximum yield, c / ha	253-411 / 508
Tuber weight, g	94-138
Starch content,%	10.8-17.7
Marketability of tubers,%	84-99
Keeping quality of tubers,%	88-99

The size of the tubers is clearly visible, it is small

The growing season of this variety is 90-110 days, compared to the super-early varieties, its harvesting takes place a month later. The taste is good, although in the State Register of Belarus it is modestly assessed from satisfactory to good. It is used for various culinary treatments: frying, boiling, soups and salads. With prolonged cooking, it becomes crumbly.

A characteristic feature of the variety is its unsuccessful and delayed shoots with their subsequent leveling, as well as the need to warm up the potatoes during germination

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety, table

Advantages of the variety	Its flaws
High yield	Susceptibility to late blight of tops and tubers
Excellent keeping quality	Sensitivity to waterlogging during the initial period of growth
Good presentation - leveled tubers	More complex tuber germination process
Drought tolerance
Potato cancer resistance. nematode, mosaic; relative resistance to black stem and wet rot

Video: appearance

Planting and leaving

Planting site selection and soil preparation

To plant Scarb, you need to choose an even, sunny and dry place. The acidity of the soil should be low or medium; coltsfoot, clover, plantain, wheatgrass like to grow on such land. It is not worth planting potatoes in one place from year to year, and not so much because of the depletion of the soil, but because of the pests and pathogens that accumulate in it. Siderata, legumes, onions, cabbage, cucumbers are very good precursors for potatoes. Of the siderates, winter rye fits perfectly into the agricultural scheme of potato cultivation. Planted immediately after harvesting potatoes, it will have time to rise before winter, and before planting potatoes next year, it is simply plowed into the ground.

Rye goes under the snow during the winter

At the same time, the earth is enriched with nitrogen and its structure is improved. Belongings responds well to the presence in the soil fertilizer, so before sowing rye must dig portion to a depth of 20-30 cm with the introduction of these fertilizers (tablespoons per m. ²):

• superphosphate 3-6 pcs,
• potassium salt 2-2.5 pcs,
• potassium chloride 1.5-2 pcs.

The first numbers are for rich soils, the second for poor soils. Simultaneously with mineral water, 1–2 buckets / m ^{2 of} humus or compost are introduced for digging, and for heavy clay soils, also 1–2 buckets of sand.

Preparing tubers for planting

The excellent keeping quality of Scarb potatoes during storage has the reverse side of the coin, its insufficiently intensive germination in preparation for planting. Therefore, the germination of this variety is mandatory, and if necessary, it is supplemented by heat exposure. This process takes 3-4 weeks.

Belongings are planted in a well-heated soil, at least eight ^{of the} C to a depth of 10 cm. This temperature is reached when the daily temperature, more than 20 ^{of the} C stand for at least 3-4 days. In central Russia, this is usually mid-May. Therefore, from mid-April, Scarb can be placed for germination.

For germination, select healthy potatoes the size of a chicken egg.

Seed potatoes are placed in any transparent container in 1-2 layers. The germination room should be sunny, moderately warm (18–20 ^o C), with a humidity of about 90%. To ensure such humidity, you can put containers with water in the room. Diffused light is optimal for high-quality germination.

It is better to arrange tubers for germination in one layer

Germination of Scarba tubers has the peculiarity that its sprouts develop unevenly: first, one leading grows, and then the rest start to grow, there can be up to 7 pieces.

The dominant sprout first appears

When the shoots are 3 cm long, the tubers are ready for planting. If the soil has already warmed up, and germination has been delayed, you can resort to heating the tubers. For this purpose they are placed for 2-4 days in an ambient temperature of 35-40 ^{on the} C, after which withstand day at normal temperature, is prepared for planting.

This preparation consists in pickling the tubers for two minutes in a solution of copper sulfate (one teaspoon of vitriol is taken for 3 liters of water). This is a good prevention against phytosporosis disease, Scarb is prone to it. The solution is prepared only in a non-metallic container!

Preparing the soil for planting and placement of tubers

Immediately before planting, the ground is plowed to a depth of 25-30 cm with the introduction of urea 2-2.5 tablespoons / m ². If you have sown winter rye in the fall, then its seedlings are simultaneously buried in the ground. All weeds are selected, large clods of earth are broken. The readiness of the soil for planting potatoes will be indicated by the scattering of a handful of earth when it is thrown to the surface.

Skarba breeders recommend planting density of 450-480 tubers per one hundred square meters, this corresponds to the distance between tubers in a row of 30-32 cm with a row spacing of 70 cm and 35-37 cm with a row spacing of 60 cm. From the point of view of ease of crop care, the first option is preferable.

Trenches are made in accordance with the chosen scheme

With a wide row spacing, it will be more convenient to care for plantings

or holes are dug. Various devices are often used for this. The direction of the rows of potatoes should be from north to south, this contributes to more even illumination of the plantings during the day.

Attachments save time when planting potatoes

A handful of ash and humus is thrown under each potato; to protect against pests, it is also useful to sprinkle it with crushed eggshell and onion husk. Treatment of potatoes immediately before planting with a birch tar emulsion is also effective.

Video: Protecting potatoes from pests with birch tar

The tubers are laid with sprouts up and covered with a layer of earth. All.

Watering, loosening, hilling, feeding

Scarb begins to bloom

Potato care, table

Work period	Loosening, hilling, tops	Top dressing	Watering
One week after planting	Surface loosening and weed removal	Foliar dressing on seedlings with a solution of ash 300 g per 10 liters of water (spraying). At the beginning of budding, watering with a solution: 3 tbsp. tablespoons of ash and 1 tbsp. spoon of potassium sulfate in 10 liters of water. Consumption 1l / 1 meter of planting. When flowering, watering with a solution of mullein or chicken droppings (1 glass) and nitrophoska (2 tablespoons) per 10 liters of water. Consumption: 0.5 l for a bush.	Watering at the rate of 10l / m2 at the beginning of the budding of the bushes and then at intervals of 2-3 weeks before cutting the tops
When shoots appear over the entire planting area	Hilling potatoes to a height of 10 cm.
When the height of the bushes reaches 20-25 cm	Second hilling to a height of 15 cm.
2-3 weeks after the second hilling	Hilling according to the condition of the bushes before they close in a row with each other
2 weeks before harvest	Breaking or cutting off the tops

Notes to the table:

• Leave the cut weeds on the ridges as mulch, and after the last hilling, it is advisable to well mulch the aisles with straw and mowed grass.
• Since the Scarb has a slight deepening of the tubers, hilling is carried out carefully.
• Top dressing must be combined with watering, and foliar dressing is carried out in dry cloudy weather.
• Scarb does not tolerate waterlogging at the beginning of plant development, during this period it is better not to water it.
• Watering rates are given for the case of absence of rain.
• The buds or flowers of the plant can be torn off, this will increase the yield.

Scarb is a drought-resistant variety, but it does not like prolonged rains. It is simply necessary to have 2-3 more varieties of potatoes for safety net on the site

Scarb will calmly endure the dry period

Diseases and pests

Diseases varieties, table

Of the Scarb diseases, late blight is most often manifested, much less often a black leg and wet bacterial rot.

Disease	Description and manifestation	Prevention	Control measures
Late blight	Fungal disease begins with the tops, which are covered with brown spots. Through rainwater and during harvesting, tubers are also infected.	Keeping potatoes in optimal conditions, using healthy seeds. Alternating planting of potatoes with other crops, planting green manures, timely burning of diseased plant parts, ash as fertilizer. Spraying tubers before planting with boric acid solution (50 g per 10 l).	Two or three spraying with 1% Bordeaux liquid solution or copper sulfate solution (2 g per 10 l of water). Consumption 1 l / 20 m 2.
Blackleg	Bacterial disease. The stems become covered with brown spots, and then turn black at the base, the leaves curl. The tuber also turns black and rots.	Burning diseased plants. Do not plant potatoes in one place more than 1 time in three years. Drying potatoes before storing. Treatment before planting tubers with Fitosporin.	Spraying the bushes with a 3% solution of potassium permanganate or sprinkling them with ash.
Wet rot	Bacterial disease. It appears during storage of potatoes in the form of soft dark spots. When pressed on them, a starchy mass of an unpleasant odor is released. Infection is promoted by damage to tubers during harvesting.	Do not store damaged tubers. Maintaining climatic conditions in a potato storage.	Treatment of the storehouse before laying potatoes with 5% copper sulfate solution or 3% lime solution.

Photo: potato disease

Late blight can destroy a significant part of the crop

Typical manifestation of late blight on tubers

Blackening of the base of the stem - black stem

Rotting tuber with a black leg

It looks like tubers affected by wet rot on the outside.

And so - inside

Variety pests, table

It is very valuable that Scarb is resistant to the potato nematode, but from the variety of other potato pests, it is difficult to find those especially adherent to Scarb. The picture is standard: the most common are wireworms, Colorado potato beetles, potato moths, bear, and scoop caterpillars.

Pest	Description and manifestation	Prevention	Control measures
Wireworm	The tough larva of the click beetle, which really resembles a piece of wire, makes numerous moves in the potato tubers.	Deep digging of soil in autumn and spring. Weed control. Compliance with crop rotation and the use of green manure. Burning tops after harvesting. Attracting natural enemies of the click beetle to the site.	Treatment with Provotox.
Colorado beetle	The uninvited guest from the American state of Colorado has long been widely known, especially in the southern regions of the country. Damage to the tops of the beetle and its larvae can significantly reduce yields.	Planting near marigold potatoes, sage, tansy, mint, night violet, calendula, garlic. Loosening and hilling of potatoes.	Hand picking insects. Spraying the bushes with infusions of wormwood, tansy, celandine several times with an interval of 5 days. Application of biological preparations Bitoxibacillin, Fitoverm. Insecticides Aktara, Confidor, Corado during mass invasions.
Potato moth	Small 1.5 cm gray butterfly. Its larvae take root in tubers and damage them.	High hilling of potatoes so that caterpillars from bushes do not get to tubers. Cutting and harvesting tops 2 weeks before harvest. Disinfection of the potato storage room with FAS or Gamma smoke bombs.	Treatment with Fastak or Decis preparations no later than three weeks before harvesting.
Medvedka	A large (up to 5 cm) scary-looking insect. Gnaws tubers. Since it is nocturnal, its appearance on the site can be detected by the holes of the passages on the soil surface.	Sowing next to potatoes marigolds, mint, garlic. Using baits. Spilling the moves of the bear with a solution of a washing plug (4 tablespoons per 10 liters).	The use of drugs Thunder, Medvetoks, Grizzly.
Caterpillar scoops	The scoop butterfly is quite large, has a wingspan of up to 40 mm. Its caterpillars damage potatoes and damage both tubers and potato stems. Warm rainy weather is favorable for them.	Using butterfly traps. Loosening and hilling of potatoes. Weed control. Planting dill to attract beneficial insects such as ground beetles.	Use of the biological drug Nemabakt.

Variety pests, photo gallery

The click beetle itself does not harm potatoes

But his wireworm larvae are a real scourge of gardeners

Clutch of female Colorado potato beetle eggs

Beetle and its larvae at work

Insect developmental stages and damaged tubers

It's good that nature has limited the bear to a size of 5 cm

The presence of a bear is detected by its moves

The scoop, its caterpillars and pupae. Damaged potatoes

Harvesting and storage

Depending on the time of planting the potatoes and weather conditions, the harvest will take place from late August to late September. It is not easy to get the declared maximum yield of up to 500 kg per hundred square meters, but half of this figure is quite realistic. Do not forget to cut off the tops 2 weeks before harvesting.

A dry warm day is selected for digging potatoes so that you can dry the potatoes thoroughly before storing them. Tubers with the slightest suspicion of a disease are stored separately, as well as cut during digging.

Video: comparison of the yield of 4 varieties of potatoes, including Scrub

Before laying potatoes for the main storage, they are placed for 2-3 weeks in a preliminary in some auxiliary dry room. During this time, the biological processes of tuber maturation will be completed.

Skarb lies well during storage, if the room air temperature is not more than 3.2 ^of C and humidity between 80-85%. It should not be poured into a container with a layer of more than 1 meter. Seed potatoes are stored separately.

The height of the layer of potatoes during storage should not exceed 1 meter

Reviews

Rarely about what kind of potato there are so conflicting reviews from "variety without flaws" to "junk". Most likely, this is due to the sensitivity of the variety to growing conditions. It is not a fact that it is Skarb that is reviewed by the authors of the reviews, there is a large re-grading on the potato market.

Belarusian Bulba Skarb has a great potential for productivity, but its implementation is not always successful, the variety is picky enough to grow conditions. Therefore, whether you find a real treasure during harvesting or be content with collecting belongings will depend on the care of the potatoes and the weather conditions. Opinions on the taste of potatoes vary, but are mostly positive.