Potato variety Limonka: description, characteristics and reviews

Limonka is the second name of the Picasso potato variety, known in many regions of our country. The late-ripening variety of Dutch selection is named after the “pink” period of Pablo Picasso’s work. The master painted his paintings in pink tones, with the addition of yellow and gray. The tubers are also colored in yellow and pink shades.

In this article you will find a detailed description of the Limonka potato with reviews and photos, learn about its advantages and disadvantages of the variety, cultivation methods, methods of combating late blight, wireworm and Colorado potato beetle.

Description of the variety

Limonka potato is a common name for a variety known to many gardeners. Picasso. The culture was developed by Dutch breeders from the Agrico company. The variety was included in the list of breeding achievements in the Russian Federation in 1995.

Patents for the sale of seed material are held by:

• FGBNU "VNII Potato Farming named after. A.G. Lorha";
• ZAO "Oktyabrskoye";
• Alchak LLC;
• LLC ETK "Meristematic Cultures";
• CJSC "Prinevskoye Breeding Plant";
• LLC "Agrofirm "Glory to Potatoes";
• SEC "Agrofirm "Elite Potatoes".

In the photo - Limonka (Picasso) potatoes.

The table summarizes the main characteristics of the variety.

Chemical composition

The table shows the vitamin and mineral composition of raw, unpeeled potatoes (per 100 g of product).

Regions for cultivation and planting dates

Limonka potatoes gained access to cultivation in the following regions of the Russian Federation:

• Central (Bryansk, Vladimir, Ivanovo, Kaluga, Moscow, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tula regions);
• Central Black Earth (Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk, Lipetsk, Oryol and Tambov regions).

Landing produced in late April - early May, taking into account weather conditions.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

• excellent taste;
• suitable for dietary nutrition due to low starch content;
• attractive appearance;
• keeping quality;
• possibility of transportation over long distances;
• immunity to dangerous viral and fungal diseases;
• ease of care;
• drought resistance.

Disadvantage: predisposition to late blight of tubers and tops.

Reference. According to one version, potatoes came to Europe thanks to the monk Neronim Kordan at the end of the 16th century. But until the end of the 18th century, people did not eat it even during periods of famine, considering the fruits to be poisonous and causing fatal diseases. Potato berries are truly poisonous, and people figured out how to eat the tubers a little later.

Features of planting and growing

Limonka potatoes are distinguished by their undemandingness in care procedures, resistance to heat and moisture deficiency, and soil type. To increase productivity and maintain taste, plants are fed with organic matter and mineral complexes.

The variety's agricultural technology is standard. The plantings are watered as needed, the soil crust is loosened, weeds are weeded, hilling is carried out, and preventive spraying is carried out against fungi and insect pests.

Preparing for landing

Limonka is a late-ripening variety, so preparatory work begins in early April, 2-3 weeks before planting. The soil should warm up to a temperature of +7...+10°C, the air to +14°C.

Sprouting tubers speeds up ripening. The seeds are taken out of the cool room to a warm, bright place with an air temperature of +15°C. The tubers are sorted, treated with a disinfecting pink solution of potassium permanganate or “Fitosporn”, laid out in an even layer on the floor and wait for sprouts to appear.

A day before planting, the seeds are immersed in growth stimulants “Epin” or “Zircon”.

In the fall, the selected area is dug up and fertilized with manure, and in the spring it is sown with wheat, lupine, rye, flax, and mustard. After 30 days, the green manure is mowed and embedded in the ground.Rotted hay saturates the soil with nitrogen, loosens it, provides free access of air to the roots, and prevents the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.

Planting scheme and technology

The standard technology for planting potatoes involves forming holes under a shovel to a depth of 15-20 cm. Large potatoes are divided into parts so that at least three eyes remain on each. Each time the knife is dipped in a strong solution of potassium permanganate, and the cut is sprinkled with wood ash. Pour 1 tbsp into the holes. l. ash and superphosphate.

At least 50 cm is left between the holes, taking into account the spreading nature of the bushes. When plantings become denser, the tubers protrude from the ground and turn green in the sun. Row spacing is 60–70 cm.

Care

Rules for caring for Limonka potatoes:

1. The variety does not require systematic watering and is content with rainwater. But during the dry period, the plants are watered once every 10 days from a watering can at the root or hoses are installed for drip supply of moisture.
2. Be sure to weed and loosen to saturate the roots with moisture and oxygen.
3. When hilling, weeds are simultaneously uprooted and the roots are enriched with oxygen. The first time the bushes are hilled 2-3 weeks after planting the tubers, the second time - after flowering.
4. Harrowing is suitable for caring for plantings occupying more than 2-3 acres. A harrow is mounted on a walk-behind tractor or walk-behind tractor. The teeth pull weeds out of the ground and loosen it deeply.
5. Lemon is fed with organic matter and minerals. During the season, plants are fertilized three times: after the sprouts appear, before budding and during the flowering period.

The table shows the feeding scheme.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

Limonka potatoes are adapted for cultivation in the Central and Central Black Earth regions. Here the variety shows maximum productivity. In other regions of Russia, with appropriate agricultural technology, different harvest volumes are harvested, depending on the climate.

Difficulties are possible in the southern regions. Under the scorching sun, potatoes rapidly degenerate and stop developing already at the beginning of summer. To preserve the harvest, farmers have to experiment. For example, tubers are planted in early July, avoiding the peak heat. The warm period in the southern region lasts until mid-autumn, so the harvest is harvested at the end of October.

To plant Limonki, they use an alternative method - in the grass. This significantly reduces labor costs for planting and maintenance. The main task of the gardener is the preliminary preparation of grass, straw or hay in large quantities.

Ropes and wooden pegs are used to mark the beds. The width between the rows is 50-60 cm. 2-3 tubers are placed in the beds at a distance of 20-30 cm in a checkerboard pattern and mulched with a 20 cm layer of straw. During the growing season, mown grass and weeds are poured onto the beds, renewing the mulch. No additional watering or fertilization is required. An optimal moist environment is formed inside the beds, and the potatoes receive all their nutrients from rotted hay.

Disease and pest control

The variety is prone to late blight infection. The disease has characteristic signs: dark spots on potatoes and greens, white, pubescent coating on the back of the leaves.

To prevent planting, Limonki are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture and pollinated with wood ash 15 days after planting.

Treatment of late blight:

• before budding - “HOM”, “Oksikhom”, twice every 10 days;
• after flowering - “Bravo”, three times in 10 days;
• before harvesting - once "Alufit".

Prevention:

• crop rotation;
• sparse landing;
• seed disinfection;
• harvesting potatoes in dry, sunny weather;
• application of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers;
• control of nitrogen in the soil.

Potato plantings are affected by the larvae of the click beetle (wireworm). They gnaw holes in tubers and, when widespread, affect most of the crop. To destroy the pest, starlings, thrushes, rooks, and tits are attracted to the area, the area is sprinkled with crushed eggshells, ammonium nitrate (30 g/sq. m), and the plantings are sprayed with Decis and Barguzin preparations.

Potato tops are destroyed by the Colorado potato beetle. To repel insects, mustard or lupine are sown near potatoes. The following chemicals are used for irrigation: “Taboo”, “Aktara”, “Prestige”, “Killer”, “NO Colorado Beetle!”, “Korado”.

Traditional methods:

• dusting with gypsum, birch ash, corn flour.
• decoction of poplar foliage (1 kg of greens per 10 liters of water, boil, cool and bring the volume to 10 liters);
• infusion of sunflower flowers (0.5 kg of fresh raw materials per 10 liters of water);
• infusion of celandine (1.5 kg of greens per 10 liters of boiling water).

Harvest and storage

Potatoes are dug in dry, sunny weather. 20 days before harvesting, any spraying of plants is stopped.

Tubers of the late-ripening variety are perfectly stored in the cellar until spring, do not deteriorate and do not germinate. The potatoes are sorted, healthy specimens are selected and left to dry for 3-4 days outside under a canopy.Then they are distributed into plastic, wooden boxes, burlap, and nets.

Potatoes can be stored with beets, which absorb moisture, preventing rotting.

In a city apartment, potatoes are stored on a glassed balcony. Boxes insulated with foam plastic, special thermal containers that are mounted on the wall or placed on a hill so that the bottom does not touch the cold floor are suitable.

Such balcony cellars are produced in three versions:

• for 1 bag - 100 l;
• for 2 bags - 180 l;
• for 3 bags - 300 l.

Advice. Periodically inspect and sort the tubers, removing them completely from their containers. Throw away the rotten ones.

Limonka potatoes are used for cooking, frying, baking, stewing, preparing soups, salads, potato pancakes, purees. During heat treatment, the tubers do not become soft.

Advice and feedback from farmers

Reviews from gardeners about the variety are positive. The crop is valued for its attractive presentation, shelf life, pleasant taste and high yield.

Vasily, Kaluga: «We call the Picasso variety Limonka. Potatoes are attractive in appearance. Its skin is yellow, with pink blurry eyes. The taste is excellent, although some people don’t like that the tubers don’t cook well. But there are other varieties for making purees. It is possible to collect more than 15 tubers from one bush. Maintenance is simple. The main thing is to fertilize with minerals in time, loosen and water during drought.”

Lyubov, Bryansk: “Every year I plant Limonka and reap a large harvest, without much hassle. The potatoes are tasty and don’t fall apart into mush when cooked. The tubers lie in the basement in nets, do not rot, do not germinate. But I often go through them and air them out.”

Oleg, Tambov: “Buyers pay attention to Limonka potatoes more often than other varieties.The interesting yellow-pink color leaves no one indifferent. The plant tolerates drought, but cannot do without watering. Of all the possible potato diseases, it only suffers from late blight if not properly cared for. For prevention, I spray it with Bordeaux mixture.”

Read also:

What are the dimensions of the largest potato in the world and who grew it.

Mid-season table potato variety Volat.

An early-ripening, low-maintenance potato variety called Latona.

Conclusion

Limonka (Picasso) potatoes are a late variety, suitable for long-term storage. The tubers are smooth with a yellow-pink color, attracting the attention of consumers. Thanks to their moderate amount of starch, potatoes are suitable for preparing all kinds of dishes.

The variety is susceptible to late blight of tops and tubers, but proper prevention (crop rotation, fertilizing with potassium and phosphorus, pre-planting treatment of tubers) and compliance with care rules will prevent infection.