Riviera potatoes: variety description, reviews

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

"Potato is the second bread," they used to say in Russia. And this is justified, not a single fast food can be compared with young boiled potatoes sprinkled with finely chopped greens. And the sooner it appears in our gardens, the better, so varieties of early potatoes are always held in high esteem, and super-early ones are worth their weight in gold. One such variety is the Riviera potato. Let's try to figure out what is the advantage of this variety over the others and what it can be inferior to.

The story of the origin of the Riviera potato

Riviera variety appeared relatively recently in the garden plots of Russian farmers. Only in 2007, this variety was entered into the State Register of the Russian Federation and was recommended for the Central Region, but Riviera has proven itself well in the southern districts of the country. The variety is of Dutch origin and is the brainchild of Agrico.

The above-mentioned company brings together thousands of farmers in its cooperative, who are engaged in the development and cultivation of new varietiespotatoes. We are talking about hundreds of thousands of tons of seed potatoes and the same number of hectares of land. Since the founding of the company, namely since the 80s, dozens of elite varieties have been bred, including the Riviera variety.

Riviera potatoes: variety description

The main advantage of this variety is its high yield and super-early ripening. From one bush you can get 12-15 medium-sized tubers weighing 100-150 grams. And you can eat as early as 40 days after planting.

Shrubs of medium height, can reach from 70 to 90 cm, depending on weather conditions, the stems are straight, thick. The leaves are darker and larger than other varieties. The corollas of Riviera potatoes are pink, but they usually never bloom.

On loose soil, the tubers become oval, but occasionally rounded potatoes can also be found. The peel is thick, light yellow with a slight roughness and small eyes. In terms of taste, it received 4.5 points out of 5. Due to the high content of starch, Riviera potatoes are cooked very quickly and become crumbly after cooking.

Pros and cons of this variety

All varieties of both potatoes and any other vegetables and fruits have their advantages and disadvantages. It is on them that the quality of the variety is determined. As for the Riviera potato, it deserves a place of honor among all other varieties due to its many advantages and the almost complete absence of disadvantages.

Dignity:

1. Very early ripening - just over a month from planting to eating.
2. Tolerates the vagaries of the weather, in particular drought.
3. Great tasting.
4. Attractive presentation.
5. Tolerates long-term storage.
6. Has increased resistance to potato cancer, golden nematode, bacterial rot, scab, viral infections.
7. Resistant to mechanical damage and transportation.

Disadvantages: the only disadvantage of this variety, perhaps, can be considered susceptibility to late blight, and then if the crop is not harvested in time.

Pests and diseases to which the variety is susceptible

Although this variety is considered one of the most resistant to various diseases, however, if untimely harvesting and adverse conditions are possible, serious damage to both tops and tubers.

1. Late blight: brown spots can be seen on stems and leaves, tubers lose their attractiveness, the flesh becomes brownish. The treatment of such a disease consists in spraying with solutions of Bordeaux liquid (1%) or copper oxychloride (0.5%). In order to avoid such troubles in the future, it is recommended to select only he althy tubers for planting and process with copper sulphate.
2. Black leg: Rotting at the base of the roots, then the leaves turn yellow and curl. Potatoes getbrown color and lose weight and have a noticeable unpleasant odor. Unfortunately, the disease cannot be cured, and the infected bush will have to be removed from the beds, and a mixture of ash and vitriol will be poured into the resulting place.

3. Macrosporiosis: small dark spots appear on all parts of the leaves and tubers, which subsequently become larger. After a while, the bush dies. An infected plant must be treated with products from specialized stores. And in order to avoid such a nuisance, carry out preventive treatment during the growing season with Bordeaux liquid.

Boarding rules

Before direct planting, it is necessary to prepare seed material. To do this, already in early spring, you need to sort out the potatoes, throw out the spoiled and frostbite tubers, and spread the rest in a warm, dark room. Do not forget to periodically turn the tubers over.

Riviera Potato, although a very resistant variety, it is still worth choosing a site with light, loose soil for it to get the maximum yield. The ideal option is a well-lit area protected from the winds. It is worth remembering that it is strictly forbidden to introduce fresh manure or bird droppings into the soil. In extreme cases, humus will do. But the introduction of ash or nitrogen will only benefit the Riviera.

Another important note to consider when planting - Riviera potatoes should be planted only after the soil has warmed up to 10 degrees Celsius and relativelyshallow compared to other varieties.

Proper potato care

Naturally, like all other varieties of potatoes, the Riviera requires timely watering, loosening and hilling. Immediately after germination, weeding can be done to loosen the soil and get rid of weeds.

The first hilling is carried out with the growth of the tops of 15-20 cm, the second - after 15 days. It would be nice to fertilize before hilling, and if the fertilizer is dry, you should definitely water the plant abundantly. At the same time, liquid fertilizer is poured into already moist soil.

As for loosening the soil, it should be done every time weeds appear between the rows or a crust forms on the soil after rain.

Collection and storage

Riviera potatoes are fully ready for harvesting 60 days after planting, and don't be confused by the green flowering tops - this is a feature of the variety. If you delay cleaning, the risk of infection with various fungal diseases increases, which are more aggressive in the second half of summer.

Experienced gardeners cut off the tops a week before digging, this allows the root crops to ripen in the soil and acquire a thicker peel. Dig up potatoes on a sunny day, while the tubers are left on the surface of the soil for a couple of hours to dry. Next, you should collect the entire crop from the garden and bring it to the garage or barn and leave them there for 2 weeks.

During this time, hidden diseases will make themselves felt and appear on potatoes. Sick tubers are thrown out, and the restare treated with a special anti-rotting agent, which are sold in any specialized stores and sent to a permanent storage place in the cellar.

Riviera potato varieties: reviews of gardeners

If you do not take into account that the seed Riviera is very expensive, the variety is one of the most popular among summer residents and gardeners. The Riviera potato, which was described a little earlier, pleases with its taste and endurance to natural conditions. Once tried to grow this variety can no longer refuse it. In general, reviews about Riviera potatoes are only positive.