Recently bred promising potato varieties are becoming more and more popular among consumers. One of them is the Crohn (or Krone) potato, an achievement of German breeding science. It belongs to the newest universal representatives of the potato crop - in the State Register it was introduced back in 2015.

general characteristics

The originator of the variety is Bavaria-Saat (Germany). The word used to name the potato is "adapted" to the Russian language. In fact, the German "krone" means "crown". The name itself contains the exceptional properties of the plant. The vegetable created by breeders adapts to any conditions, grows on all types of soil, and is tolerant to weather variability.

Potatoes are used in the food industry and as a household food. Suitable for cultivation in fields and personal plots. According to the ripening period, Crohn is classified as an early (according to some sources, very early) varieties, since the period from emergence to harvesting lasts from 85 to 100 days.

Crohn's potatoes

Description

Potato Crown is a semi-sprawling shrub with erect stems and a well-developed fibrous root system. Dark green leaves are not large in size. The inflorescence consists of white flowers, while fruits with seeds are not formed at the end of flowering, this is the peculiarity of the variety. Unlike other new varieties, Crohn does not regenerate. Its varietal qualities are preserved, passing from the parent planting material to the next generation.

Usually under the bush grows from 10 to 15 yellow outside and inside smooth potatoes. Tubers are oval in shape with a blunt top. Barely visible eyes are on top for easy cleaning during cooking. Potatoes are not watery, do not disintegrate or darken during cooking. Demonstrates rich taste and looks attractive.

Having a marketable appearance, the variety is in demand and is suitable for sale. Forms few small substandard tubers. Delicious and juicy vegetable pulp contains fiber and about 9-12% starch. It contains a lot of vitamins, proteins and carotene. The mass of each root crop reaches 100-130 g.

Interesting. Possesses good transportability - mechanical damage does not affect the quality of potato tubers called Crohn.

Potatoes, in accordance with the description in the State Register, have a high yield, amounting to 430-650 centners per hectare. This indicator is higher than that of the varieties Krasavchik, Kubanka, Feloks, Borovichok, Sineglazka, Red Scarlett.

Agrotechnics

The culture is undemanding to growing conditions and care. Being hardy, it can grow without feeding and adapt to any soil. Feels fine during dry periods.

Landing

The best precursors for Krona will be cabbage, carrots, green manure and legumes. In the beds where the nightshade grew, there is a threat of defeat by diseases common with their representatives. The optimal soil will be black soil or sandy loam. In the fall, before plowing, it is good to apply organic fertilizers. If you didn't manage to do this before winter, you can add rotted cow dung, peat or ash directly to the holes in the spring. Having tucked the beds appropriately, there is no need for frequent feeding.

Note! Experts and agronomists recommend germinating tubers in advance (2-3 weeks before planting).For this, for the purpose of vernalization, they are placed in a bright, warm room, having previously been treated with a rooting agent.

Healthy tubers of large size are selected for planting. With the onset of stable heat (at a temperature of at least 10 ° C), they are embedded in the ground.

The distance between plants in a row is in the range from 25 to 30 cm. The row spacing should be sufficient for ease of processing and be at least 60-70 cm. The most suitable planting method for the crown is planting on ridges.

After a while, before the emergence of seedlings, harrowing can be carried out. This technique destroys recently emerged and still weak filamentous weeds.

After the appearance of young shoots, weeding and hilling of plants are carried out. One of the measures for the care of the Crown is the provision of plantings with water and additional food.

Watering and feeding

For this purpose, it is necessary to carry out irrigation followed by hilling to preserve moisture. Arrangement of a drip irrigation system would be ideal. It makes it possible to combine moisturizing and feeding. Mulching with straw, hay, sawdust and other materials will help preserve moisture. In addition, mulch inhibits weed growth.

Drip irrigation is ideal for growing potatoes

Harvesting and storage

At the end of the ripening period, withered and dried tops are mowed so that food flows to the underground part of the bush. Tubers need to be harvested on time, as they can become habitats for phytophthora spores and prey for wireworms.

Potatoes taken from the ground are sorted by size: large, medium (for planting) and substandard small. They are dried and stored separately, excluding the access of light. Small nodules for planting next year will not work, they are fed to animals.

Attention! If the large potato turns green, it is best not to eat it. In root crops, under the influence of sunlight, a poisonous substance is produced - solanine.

The vegetable is stored well, showing keeping quality of about 96%. Does not lose taste and commercial properties for 6-8 months.

Reproduction

The next year, tubers selected from the previous year's harvest are used. This breeding method is the most popular. Potatoes can be cut into pieces before planting. Fresh sections should be treated with ash to prevent infection.

To obtain a larger number of planting tubers, you can sow seeds, in this case it takes more than one season to obtain marketable tubers, but two. This method has a big plus: it preserves the purity of the mother variety. You can simply buy the tubers at specialized gardener stores. But usually they sell second or third generation seed tubers.

Tubers from past harvests are used for planting.

Diseases and pests

Crohn's is resistant to viral diseases, cancer and common scab. Crop rotation is considered the best preventive measure. Potatoes can be returned to their original place only after 3 or 4 years.

Ripening earlier than other varieties of potatoes, the Crown is not affected by late blight. For preventive purposes, the material is disinfected before planting. You can spill the soil with special solutions that disinfect it. To protect the vegetable from late blight, potato beds are treated one-time with preparations containing copper.

Of all the pests, Colorado beetles are the biggest threat to lush greenery. It is loved by aphids, spider mites and cicadas. Timely weeding prevents the spread of harmful insects. If the bushes suffer greatly from their attacks, then folk remedies can be used, for example, poisoned baits. Commercial chemical protection products work quickly and effectively, but they are used before flowering begins.

ATimportant! Using insecticides, even useful insects such as ladybugs, earwigs, bees and bumblebees can be exterminated on the site.

Advantages and disadvantages

If we talk about the advantages, then they can be safely attributed to:

  • excellent taste and marketability of fruits;
  • early ripening and good yield;
  • the ability to keep well;
  • ease of care;
  • tolerance to cold snap and temperature drop for a short time;
  • ability to withstand heat and dry periods.

In addition, potatoes have strong immunity and resistance to weather surprises and diseases.

Crohn has no pronounced shortcomings.

Despite the unpretentiousness, the main parameters of the Crown directly depend on the correctly organized and timely carried out agrotechnical measures. By providing the plant with enough nutrients and moisture, weeding, and pest control, success and excellent quality and abundant harvest can be achieved.