Delicious early ripening potatoes "Colomba" (Colombo) from Dutch breeders

Colombo potatoes are an ultra-early Dutch hybrid for table use. Despite its recent appearance on the Russian market, the crop has received high praise from farmers and consumers for its ease of care, excellent taste, and the ability to get two harvests per season.

In this article we will talk about the nuances of potato agricultural technology, its advantages and disadvantages, and share reviews from real summer residents who have already managed to grow them.

History of origin and description of the variety

Potato Colomba (second name - Colombo) is a product of breeding work by biologists of a Dutch company HZPC HOLLAND B.V. The hybrid was developed by crossing the Carrera and Agata varieties. Culture was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation in 2013.

Pictured are Colombo potatoes.

The table shows the distinctive characteristics of the Colombo hybrid.

Potato agricultural technology

The culture does not require special cultivation skills or knowledge. The main conditions for obtaining a high-quality harvest are compliance with the rules of watering, loosening, weeding, hilling bushes, and preventive treatments against fungal infections.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

Colombo seed potatoes shows high productivity when grown on sandy loam, loamy soil, chernozem. Dry peat bogs with a pH level of 5 to 7 are suitable for cultivation. Acidic soil is deoxidized 2-3 months before planting using dolomite flour, lime or chalk.

Beds for planting tubers are selected on the south side, observing the rules of crop rotation. Potatoes cannot be grown for several years in a row in the same place. This leads to reduced yields and fungal infections.

The best potato predecessors - beans, peas, cabbage, pumpkin. Planting next to tomatoes is a bad idea because these crops belong to the same family and suffer from the same diseases.

Selection of tubers for planting begins in the fall. In the spring, they are sorted again, leaving specimens no larger than a chicken egg, without damage.

They are taken out of the cellar 25-35 days before planting and laid out on the floor in a bright room. The optimal temperature is +15°C. In a hotter room, the tubers shrink due to rapid loss of moisture.

To get an early harvest, potatoes are placed whole in the ground.. To increase yield, cut in half. To do this, use a sharp knife and treat the blade with alcohol after each tuber.The cut is sprinkled with ash and left for another 5-6 days until a protective crust appears, preventing the potatoes from rotting in the soil.

The tubers are placed in soil heated to +7... +10°C. A sure sign that the planting time has come is the appearance of leaves on birch trees and the flowering of dandelions.

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For rapid germination and formation of strong bushes on sprouted tubers, the apical sprouts break off (appear at the top), blocking the growth of the remaining buds.

The pits are formed at intervals of 35 cm from each other. The distance between the rows is 8 cm. 200 g of ash are poured into holes 10 cm deep.

Planting density depends on the diameter of the tuber:

• 28-35 mm - 25 cm;
• 35-45 mm - 30 cm;
• 45-50 mm - 35 cm.

Care

The rules for caring for crops are as follows::

1. Potatoes prefer moderate watering - once every 7 days in hot weather. Particular attention should be paid to bushes during the flowering period. In conditions of increased rainfall, the bushes are watered as needed, after the soil dries.
2. Loosening is carried out after each watering - to prevent the formation of a dense earth crust and stimulate air exchange.
3. The bushes are hilled for the first time after reaching a height of 15 cm. Then the procedure is repeated twice. This stimulates the formation of more tubers. At the same time, weeding is carried out.
4. For feeding, organic and mineral (magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, boron, molybdenum) fertilizers are used.

The scheme for root feeding of potatoes is presented in the table.

The main feature of the crop is the absorption of fertilizers applied at the root only half. Therefore, most gardeners prefer to use foliar feeding.

Their options are presented in the table.

Advice. When choosing ready-made mineral fertilizers, pay attention to the composition. The drug must contain surfactants that facilitate the penetration of active components into the plant.

Nuances of cultivation and possible difficulties

When growing potatoes in small areas the method of planting in a box is used.

Advantages of the method:

• there is no need to dig up the soil annually;
• Feeding costs are reduced;
• the amount of work required to care for plantings is reduced;
• the beds look well-groomed;
• convenient to use when growing elite potato varieties.

Landing technology:

• the boards are impregnated with an antiseptic and tall boxes without a bottom are knocked together;
• install them on the site and fill them with nutritious soil;
• Form holes and plant the tubers to a depth of 10 cm.

Planting care - standard (watering, loosening, weeding). The only difference is frequent watering of the plants (2-3 times a week).

Features of growing Colombo:

1. The crop does not tolerate planting well in cold soil, so work begins when the threat of night frosts has passed.
2. To stimulate fruiting in dry weather, the amount of watering is increased.
3. If tubers are damaged during harvest, the risk of premature germination and shrinkage increases.

Diseases and pests

Colombo is immune to potato canker, golden potato nematode. It has average resistance to late blight of tubers and tops, increased resistance to common scab, darkening of tubers from mechanical damage.

Signs of late blight:

• darkening and curling of leaves;
• white bloom on the back of the leaves;
• dark spots on tubers.

Prevention measures:

• compliance with crop rotation and distance between bushes;
• choosing an area with sufficient lighting and ventilation;
• treatment of tubers with the drug “Immunocytophyte” before planting;
• harvesting in sunny weather;
• application of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers;
• monitoring the level of nitrogen in the soil;
• spraying with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate (20 g/10 l), with Silk and Krezacin preparations.

Used for treatment:

• before flowering, spray with Ridomil Gold MC and Oksikhom - twice every 10 days;
• after flowering, treat with “Bravo” every 10 days;
• before harvesting - the drug "Alufit" once.

Another problem to face to everyone who grows potatoes - the Colorado potato beetle. In order to carry out treatment in a timely manner, the bushes are regularly inspected. In case of minor pest infestation, the pests are collected manually.

To repel beetles, lupine and mustard are sown in the area. To treat bushes, fungicides “Prestige”, “Tabu”, “Aktara”, “Korado”, “Killer”, “Fitoverm”, “NO Colorado potato beetle!” are used.

Folk remedies:

• the beds are sprinkled with birch and pine sawdust once every 14 days before flowering, once every 30 days after (the beetles are repelled by their smell);
• 500 g of sunflower flowers are poured into 10 liters of water and left for 3 days;
• 100 ml of birch tar is diluted in 10 liters of water and the plantings are treated three times a week;
• 1.5 kg of fresh celandine is poured with boiling water and left for 3 hours, 1 liter of 1.5% calcium chloride solution is added;
• 300 g of freshly cut wormwood are mixed with 200 g of ash, pour 10 liters of boiling water, leave for 3 hours.

Processing rules:

1. Pollination is carried out when there is moisture on the greenery (after rain or dew).
2. Spraying is carried out in dry, warm weather and completely calm.
3. Treatment with herbal decoctions is carried out in the evening, since in the sun the products lose their properties.
4. For better adhesion to the leaves, add soap crumbs to the solutions.
5. Treatment agents are alternated to avoid beetle resistance.
6. After spraying, hands must be washed with soap.

Collection, storage and use of crops

The first digging is carried out 40-45 days after full germination (during the flowering period). When planting tubers in the last ten days of May, the first harvest is harvested in the second ten days of July.

Potatoes are dug in dry, sunny weather, sorted and dried in a dark room for 3-4 days. Next, the harvest is laid out in wooden boxes or linen bags and stored in the cellar. Since the potatoes are early ripening, they can only be preserved until November. Then the tubers begin to deteriorate.

Potatoes are stored together with beets, laying them on top. Root vegetables absorb excess moisture, preventing tubers from rotting.

To store potatoes on the balcony, they use homemade double boxes inserted into each other like a children's pyramid. One of them must be larger in diameter. The voids are filled with foam plastic or dry sawdust.

Periodically, the tubers are sorted. Rotten, green and damaged ones are disposed of.

In cooking, potatoes are used to prepare a variety of cold and hot dishes.. The fruits of the Colombo hybrid are suitable for boiling, frying and baking. During heat treatment, they retain their structure and do not fall apart. New potatoes are especially tasty with butter and herbs.

The low starch content, only 11–15%, does not allow making lush mashed potatoes from potatoes, but a crispy crust is ensured when frying and baking.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of the Colombo hybrid:

• early ripeness;
• high productivity;
• disease resistance;
• excellent taste;
• attractive presentation;
• the ability to harvest two harvests per season when grown in the southern regions;
• ease of care;
• drought resistance.

Flaws:

• due to their early ripeness, potatoes are stored only until November;
• does not like waterlogging.

About other crops from the nightshade family:

What are the benefits and harms of eggplants?

The benefits and harms of bell pepper

Green tomatoes: benefits and harms in fresh and salted form

Growing regions

Potatoes are grown in the North-Western, Central, Volga-Vyatka, Central Black Earth, North Caucasus, Middle Volga, West Siberian regions.

Farmer reviews

Colombo potatoes have recently appeared on the Russian market. But those who have already tried to grow a hybrid on their plot were satisfied.

Evgenia, Moscow: “A neighbor in the country shared the tubers of a new Dutch hybrid with me. He praised these potatoes too much, so I decided to try it. I was pleased with the result. The yield was impressive, and this was despite a fairly cool summer. The potatoes are tasty, don’t get overcooked, the skins don’t crack, and are easy to clean.”.

Ivan, Voronezh: “Last season I planted 2 kg of tubers, and in the summer I dug up more than 40 kg of selected potatoes. The fruits are all smooth, oval in shape, the skin is thin, the pulp after cooking is dense, aromatic, slightly sweet. I planted potatoes in a box using a new method. I will continue to practice it. This reduces labor costs for care and feeding. You need to water more often than usual, but these are minor things. The crop rarely gets sick, and I deal with the Colorado potato beetle using celandine and collecting it by hand.”.

Conclusion

Colombo potatoes ripen early and show the best results when cultivated in regions with warm climates. The crop needs sufficient watering, but does not tolerate waterlogging, and responds well to mineral and organic fertilizing, especially foliar fertilizing. Preventive treatments will protect plants from diseases and the Colorado potato beetle.

Potatoes are suitable for preparing various dishes; they do not fall apart when cooked, and when fried in oil and baked, they give a crispy crust.