Krepysh potato variety: description, comparison tables, and real reviews

Krepysh is widely grown by gardeners and is one of the most popular early-ripening varieties. It produces a good yield and stores well without losing its flavor. It is widely used in the production of chips, potato flour, and other products.

Table with characteristics of the Krepysh potato variety

Characteristic	Description
General characteristics	An early-ripening table variety with excellent shelf life and storability. Suitable for commercial potato production.
Ripening period	50-65 days.
Starch content	10-12.1%
Weight of commercial tubers	78-105 g
Number of tubers in a bush	9-13 pcs.
Productivity	127-242 c/ha
Consumer qualities	Because it doesn't cook down easily, it's used in soups, salads, and even chips and French fries. After peeling, the flesh stays fresh for a long time.
Marketability	86-99%
Shelf life	97%
Peel color	Yellow
Pulp color	Cream
Color of inflorescences	Violet
Preferred growing regions	Northern, Northwestern, Central, Central Black Earth, Far Eastern.
Disease resistance	It is resistant to potato canker and golden potato nematode, but moderately susceptible to late blight.
Features of cultivation	It doesn't require any special cultivation methods. It thrives on fertilizer and requires hilling.
	2005

Photo gallery of the Krepysh potato variety:

The origin of the Krepysh potato variety

The Krepysh variety is the brainchild of Russian breeders from the A.G. Lorkh All-Russian Research Institute of Potato Crops. Breeders began developing it at the beginning of this century, and their efforts were successful. In 2005, the new variety was added to the register. The name speaks for itself: the potato has a strong skin that withstands mechanical harvesting and long transportation.

A detailed description of the Krepysh potato variety

The early Krepysh variety produces its first harvest just 45 days after planting. Each plant produces up to 13 tubers weighing between 80 and 100 g. This potato is often used in the industrial production of chips and other potato products.

Bushes

The upright bushes do not exceed 60 cm in height. The shoots are dense, with medium-sized leaves that are green or dark green in color and have a wavy edge.

The flowering period lasts from 10 to 14 days, the inflorescences are large, bright purple with a reddish tint.

Tubers

The oval tubers are covered with a smooth, yellowish skin on top. They have very few eyes, and those that do exist don't penetrate very deeply into the flesh.

A single plant produces 9 to 13 potatoes. Their flesh is creamy and slightly dry. They have excellent shelf life and marketability. They transport well and can be stored for a long time without losing their flavor.

Taste qualities

The tubers don't fall apart during cooking and hold their shape well. They're best used for frying, baking, soups, and salads.

Productivity, ripening time

The Krepysh variety yields a crop very early, ready to be harvested 50-65 days after germination. However, many gardeners dig up the bushes much earlier in order to enjoy the young potatoes.

The yield remains quite high:

• After the first digging, after 45 days, it is possible to collect from 127 to 242 c/ha.
• After the second digging on the 55th day, the yield is from 165 to 275 c/ha.
• The national average varies from 127 to 242 c/ha.
• The maximum figure recorded in the Moscow region was 276 c/ha.

Resistance to diseases and pests

Krepysh is distinguished by a relatively high resistance to many diseases, but is practically unable to resist fungi.

Disease	Stability indicator
Cancer	High
Golden potato cyst nematode	High
Tuber blight	Average
Phytophthora blight of tops	Average

For which regions is the Krepysh potato variety suitable?

Krepysh has demonstrated excellent varietal characteristics throughout Russia. It grows ideally in the Central, Northern, Northwestern, Far Eastern, and Central Black Earth regions.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Krepysh potato variety

The Krepysh variety has a number of advantages and disadvantages compared to other varieties. These are listed in the table below.

Advantages	Flaws
Early ripening period. High yield. Possibility of long-term storage and transportation of tubers. Contains a small amount of starch. It has a pleasant taste. Does not require special growing conditions. Does not require regular watering and tolerates dry weather well.	Susceptibility to fungi that cause many diseases, such as late blight. Due to their low resistance to fungi, tubers require more thorough drying after digging. Requires careful hilling and fertilizing.

Planting Features of the Krepysh Potato Variety

The Krepysh potato is planted according to standard agricultural practices. It doesn't require super-fertile soil, but it appreciates fertilizing. The key to successful cultivation of Krepysh is choosing high-quality material and placing it correctly in the garden bed.

Requirements for the landing site and its preparation

When planting potatoes, it's crucial to follow crop rotation. A bed should be left alone for at least a year. Ideally, potatoes should be returned to their original location only after three years. However, not every gardener has the opportunity to allocate a new spot for the crop. Therefore, it's recommended to at least rotate rows and spacing.

You should begin preparing the garden bed in the fall. The field is dug by hand or using specialized equipment. Beforehand, 7 kg of compost and 100 g of ash are added per square meter. If the soil is very heavy and clayey, you will need to add 3 kg of peat, 4 kg of sand, and 6 to 8 kg of well-rotted manure per square meter.

If the work was left until spring, then 30 g of superphosphates and 15 g of potassium chloride are added per 1 sq.m.

Selection and preparation of seed tubers

Preparing the planting material begins a month before planting. Pre-sorted tubers are placed in boxes with sawdust (or without) and placed in a warm place with a temperature of 14 to 16°C. Any higher temperatures will cause the tubers to grow too quickly.

To prevent the occurrence of diseases, you can soak potatoes in Acrobat or Baktofit preparations.

Many agronomists prefer to stimulate tuber growth and strengthen their immunity by treating the tubers with Kornevin, Poteytin, Epin, or Bioglobin the day before planting.

Planting times and rules

It is recommended to plant the Krepysh potato in garden beds in the first half of May, when the soil warms up to at least +8°C and the weather forecast does not indicate night frosts.

Planting can be done using any method, using string or stakes to mark furrows or ridges. Potatoes are planted in several stages:

1. Future furrows are determined at a distance of 60-70 cm from each other.
2. Holes are dug 30 cm apart from each other and moistened with water.
3. The potatoes are placed with the eyes facing up.
4. The earth is thrown on top.
5. The bed is carefully leveled with a rake and covered with mulch (in cool regions).

Important! The depth of planting tubers depends on the quality of the soil: if the soil is light, the distance should be 15 cm; if it is wet and heavy, the distance should be 5 cm.

Experienced gardeners do not recommend adding organic matter to the hole, as this can affect the taste of the potatoes, which will become bland and watery.

Caring for the Krepysh potato variety

This variety doesn't require complex agricultural techniques. For good growth and high yields, weeding and loosening the soil, timely watering and hilling, and periodic fertilization are sufficient.

Watering

The first watering is carried out 2-3 weeks after the seedlings emerge. If the region receives little rainfall, the number of waterings will vary from 2 to 4 per season.

To determine whether the bed needs watering, check the soil at a depth of 10-15 cm. If it's dry, you can begin watering. Each bush requires about 3 liters of water.

Since the variety is prone to fungal diseases, you should try to avoid getting moisture on the stems and tops.

Top dressing

The Krepysh variety responds well to fertilizing and is grateful for it.

Gardeners recommend applying fertilizer three times a year:

• When the tops reach 20 cm in height, dissolve 20 g each of urea, ammonium nitrate, and potassium sulfate in a 10 liter bucket of water. Use 500 ml of fertilizer per bush.

• Flowering period. Dissolve 20 g of superphosphate, 15 g of Kemira, and 10 g of potassium chloride in 10 liters of water. The recommended dosage per plant is 500 ml.

• Tuber formation period. Add 15 g of potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water or spray with a Mag-Bor solution.

Loosening, weeding, hilling

The first loosening is carried out after the seedlings emerge. It's best to combine this with watering to prevent a dense crust from forming on the bed's surface. Furthermore, at this time, you can pull out weeds from the soil, which interfere with normal potato growth and attract insect pests.

It is recommended to repeat loosening after about 2 weeks and adhere to this frequency in the future.

Hilling is done 2-3 times per season. The first time, the soil is raked onto the shoots when they reach a height of 20 cm. The mound should cover two-thirds of the shoots' total height. The process is repeated after 2-3 weeks.

Protection of the Krepysh potato variety from diseases and pests in the table

Krepysh has demonstrated good resistance to cancer and potato nematode, but if cultivation rules are not followed, it is prone to fungal attack.

Disease or pest	Description	Prevention and treatment
Late blight	Brown rotten spots appear on all parts of the plant.	The disease can occur due to improper watering, where water splashes on the stems and leaves. Overwatering combined with cool weather also triggers the development of various fungi. If the disease is detected, it should be treated with specialized products such as Ridomil Gold, Fitosporin, Polikarbacin, and Arcerid.
Colorado beetle	The beetle lays colonies of larvae that devour potato leaves.	If the insects are small, it's recommended to collect them by hand. Some gardeners prepare a poison from the beetles themselves, collecting them in a jar, adding water, and letting them sit for several days. The resulting concentrate is diluted with water and used for spraying. Specialized products that have proven effective include Sonnet, Prestige, and Confidor.
Potato wireworm	A long, dense worm spoils the clubs with numerous gnawed tunnels	Some gardeners add onion peels when planting, believing their scent will repel the pest. Special wireworm control products such as Bazudin or Nemabact are used.
Black aphid	These small insects feed on plant sap and secrete substances that provoke the appearance of fungus.	Aphids travel with ants, so it's important to remove anthills from your property beforehand. As a preventative measure, you can use a tobacco dust solution (boil 2 liters of water with 400 grams of tobacco and let it steep for 24 hours, then add 40 grams of grated laundry soap). Spray the infested areas with the resulting solution.

Important! All treatments must be stopped 3 weeks before harvest.

Photo gallery of pest and disease control products for the Krepysha potato variety:

The nuances of harvesting and storing the Krepysh potato variety

The first harvest begins 45 days after germination. You can dig up the bush, select the largest tubers, and leave the rest in the ground for another 2-3 weeks.

The harvested potatoes are carefully sorted, with damaged tubers separated. The remaining potatoes are air-dried for a couple of hours and stored in a cool, ventilated place (+1…+4°C). Due to their susceptibility to fungal diseases, it is recommended to periodically inspect them and store them near beets, which absorb excess moisture.

Comparison of the Krepysh potato variety with other varieties in the table

Variety	Ripening period (number of days to maturity)	Starch (%)	Yield (c/ha)	Weight of tubers (g) Number of tubers per bush	Shelf life (%)
Strongman	Mid-early***	10-12	127-275	80-105 15-20	97
Jewel	Early ripening*	10-15	700	80-150 15-20	94
Impala	Ultra-early	10-15	180-360	90-160 15-21	95
Empress	Ultra-early	14-16	up to 400	70-145 8-12	91-95
Molly	Early ripening**	11.4-13.4	171-308	98-142 20-25	82
Nakra	Mid-season****	18-22	203-308	65-160 6-11	95
Nikulinsky	Mid-late*****(late******)	21.3	170-420	70-120 12	95
Treasures	Mid-season***	12-18	up to 650	95-250 12-18	94
Breeze	Mid-early***	10-16	160-395	130-150 8-12	97
Vector	Mid-late*****	12-14.6	450-700	90-150 14-15	95
Vega	Mid-early***	10-16	230-380	90-120 8-12	99
Gala	Early ripening**	12-14	263	71-120 8-15	95
Colombo	Early ripening**	11-15	230-450	100-130 12-14	95

*Ultra-early – 35-50 days.

**Early ripening – 50-65 days.

***Mid-early – 65-80 days.

****Mid-season – 80-95 days.

*****Mid-late – 95-110 days.

******Late – 110 days or more

Real reviews from gardeners about the Krepysh potato variety

Gardeners note that for an early variety, Krepysh has excellent shelf life and produces a bountiful harvest. Furthermore, the tubers germinate fairly quickly. However, the potato's flavor isn't the best; consumers report a slight watery taste.

User Yragsha, Irkutsk region

A strong variety. Not the most productive. Early, so susceptible to late blight. Tasty. Still growing.

User Svetlana Ilyina

Last year (2018), I ordered Krepysh potatoes and really liked them. They were medium and larger. They were smooth, without any eyes, and the flesh was white and moderately crumbly. 3 kg was enough for about 10 buckets. :good:

User Polyn

Krepysh is the main variety. Large, uniform, and productive. But the taste in soup and mashed potatoes is average. I liked it in French fries, though. So, ideally, you need several varieties—starchy ones for excellent crisp potatoes and mashed potatoes, and ones with a lower starch content for everything else. I'm currently looking at them myself. Ilyinsky And To the handsome guy.

User Ann, Khimki-Khotkovo

… Krepysh VNIIKhovsky, also less stable (based on last year)…

From the author: this is about late blight.

User Myshka, Moscow Region, village house, Ryazan Oblast

The varieties Nekra, Ilyinskaya, Zhigulevskaya and Krepysh have shown good results.