Delfin and Delphine potato varieties: photos, reviews, differences, descriptions, and comparisons

The Delphin and Delphine potato varieties, despite their similar names, are actually different varieties. The latter was developed in Germany and arrived in Russia a little later. We'll explore the differences between the varieties and their characteristics in more detail in this article.

Characteristics of the Dolphin potato variety

Characteristic	Medium-sized bushes with erect shoots of an intermediate type with large leaves and white flowers.
General information	An early ripening variety of table potato.
Ripening time	60-75 days
Productivity	170-256 c/ha.
Marketability	88-96%
Shelf life	90-99%
Starch concentration	11.2-15.1%
Color of pulp	Light yellow
Peel color	Yellow
Weight of commercial tubers	80-132 BC
Number of tubers per bush, pcs.	8-12 pcs.
Taste characteristics	Excellent taste.
Class and purpose in cooking	Table purpose, class A
Suitable regions for growing	Central. Central Black Earth.
Disease resistance	Resistant to leaf curl, canker, nematodes, stripe and rugose mosaic. Susceptible to late blight.
Growing specifics	It does not tolerate waterlogged soil, is drought-resistant, and bears fruit well in fertilized soil.
	2002
Country of origin	Belarus

Photo gallery of the Dolphin potato variety

Characteristics of the Delphine potato variety in the table

Characteristic	The potato is characterized by tall, upright shoots with dark green leaves and purple flowers.
General information	A mid-season, tall variety of potato.
Ripening time	75-85 days
Productivity	228-374 c/ha
Marketability	81-97%
Shelf life	95%
Starch concentration	13.7-15.3%
Color of pulp	Light yellow
Peel color	Red
Weight of commercial tubers	81-115 BC
Number of tubers per bush, pcs.	9-15 pcs.
Taste characteristics	Pleasant taste.
Class and purpose in cooking	Table purpose. Class AB.
Suitable regions for growing	Northwestern
Disease resistance	High resistance to stripe and rugose mosaic, canker, and cyst nematode. Moderate resistance to leaf curl and late blight.
Growing specifics	Does not require abundant watering.
	2011
Country of origin	Germany

Photo gallery of the Delphine potato variety

The origin of the Delphin and Delphine potato variety

The Dolphin potato originated in Belarus, the birthplace of many potato varieties with excellent characteristics. It was added to the register in 2002. It gained particular popularity due to its early ripening time and good yield.

The Delfino variety was developed by German breeders. In 2011, it was added to the State Register of Russian Potatoes. Gardeners fell in love with this potato for its weather resistance, and the variety was specifically zoned for Russia's northwestern regions.

Description and comparison of potato varieties Dolphin and Delphine

The table below shows comparative characteristics of the Delfin and Delphine varieties.

Variety	Bushes	Tubers	Application
Dolphin	Medium-tall bushes with semi-erect shoots and large, dark green leaves. Rippled edges are rare. Flowers are white.	The tubers are uniform, oval-round in shape, weighing 80-132 g each. A single plant produces 8 to 12 potatoes at a time. The skin is yellow, smooth, and has small eyes. The flesh is light yellow.	Culinary class A. Potatoes are used for frying, baking, boiling for salads, and are suitable for making French fries and crispy potatoes. It doesn't cook well, so it's not used for making puree.
Dolphin	The bushes are tall, the shoots are erect, and branch sparsely. The leaves are medium to large, dark green, and have slightly wavy edges. The flowers are purple-red.	The tubers are elongated-oval, weighing between 81 and 115 g. The skin is deep red with small, shallow eyes. The flesh is yellowish. Each plant produces up to 15 tubers.	These potatoes are table potatoes, class AB, and are suitable for baking, frying, and boiling. The flesh does not darken after cooking. They are also suitable for making French fries and chips.

Resistance to diseases and pests

The Delfin and Delfine varieties have fairly strong immunity. Resistance to major diseases is listed in the table.

Disease	Dolphin	Dolphin
Cancer	High	High
Cyst-forming nematode	High	High
Leaf curling	High	Average
Wrinkled mosaic	High	High
Striped mosaic	High	High
Tuber blight	Low	Average
Leaf blight	Low	Average

Advantages and disadvantages of the Delfin and Delphine potato varieties

The advantages and disadvantages of the Delfin and Delphine varieties are given in the table.

Variety	Dolphin	Dolphin
Advantages	Good yield. High shelf life. Uniform ripening. Uniformity of tubers. High resistance to nematodes.	Drought resistant. General purpose. Pleasant taste. Suitable for seed collection for 8 seasons. Strong immunity. Suitable for industrial cultivation.
Flaws	May be susceptible to tuber blight.	It does not tolerate waterlogged soil well, which reduces the shelf life of the crop.

Planting Features of the Dolphin and Delphine Potato Varieties

The Delfin and Delphine potato varieties have similar planting and care requirements. We'll discuss this below.

Requirements for the landing site and its preparation

The Delfin and Delfine varieties prefer light, fertile soil. An important requirement is the absence of groundwater close to the surface. Also, the plot should not be located in a lowland where moisture stagnates during rainy seasons. In such conditions, potato yields will be significantly lower. The planting site should be well-drained to ensure adequate light availability.

If the soil is clayey and heavy, then when digging it, you need to add sand at the rate of 1 bucket per square meter.

The soil for potato growing is prepared in the fall, with the area being tilled and organic fertilizers added. In the spring, the soil is tilled again, adding humus and superphosphates.

Selection and preparation of seed tubers

Potato tubers for planting should weigh between 40 and 65 g. There should be no damage or signs of rot on their surface.

About 45 days before planting, remove the potatoes from their cool location and place them in a room with a temperature of 14 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit). It's best to spread them in 2-3 layers in boxes filled with damp sawdust. Under these conditions, sprouts will begin to emerge much faster, and the harvest can be completed 7-10 days earlier than the original date.

To improve planting efficiency, it is recommended to treat the tubers with any available growth stimulant. The optimal shoot length is 3 cm. Longer shoots become very fragile and easily damaged during planting.

Planting times and rules

The planting time for Delfin and Delphine potatoes depends on the growing region. In temperate climates, planting begins in the second ten days of May, when the soil has warmed to 9°C (49°F) and the threat of night frosts has passed.

For each tuber, holes are made 10-15 cm deep. The distance between them is 30-35 cm, and the interval between rows is 70 cm.

It is recommended to add a handful of ash to the bottom of each hole, mix it with sand, and then place the tubers on top with the sprouts facing up and bury them.

Caring for the Delfin and Delphine potato variety

Delphin and Delphine potatoes prefer well-fertilized soil, but if fertilizer was applied in the fall and spring, subsequent fertilizing is unnecessary. Adhering to watering guidelines, loosening the soil, and hilling the plantings is sufficient to ensure a good harvest.

Watering

Watering potatoes should be done no earlier than 10 days after planting. This is done when the weather is warm and there is no precipitation. If it rains and the soil is sufficiently moist, then watering is not necessary.

A drip irrigation system is best, but if you don't have one, a hose will do. The key is to perform the irrigation in the morning or evening, avoiding drips on the leaves.

In very hot weather, plants are watered once a week until the period of active tuber formation.

Top dressing

If the soil is poor, then to increase the yield it is necessary to apply fertilizer.

This is done 3 times per season:

1. Two weeks after planting, the bushes are treated with a urea solution at a rate of 1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water.
2. After another 14 days, at the beginning of the flowering phase, potassium fertilizers are used (3 tablespoons of ash and 1 tablespoon of potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water).
3. At the final stage of flowering, top dressing is carried out with 1 glass of manure and 2 tablespoons of superphosphate per 10 liters of water.

Loosening, weeding, hilling

Many gardeners combine the process of hilling and loosening the soil, otherwise they can damage the potato root system located close to the surface of the earth.

Hilling is carried out at least twice per season:

1. After the sprouts reach a height of 10-15 cm, a mound of earth is piled on top of them.
2. During the formation of buds, hilling is repeated.

If the soil settles too quickly, a third hilling may be necessary. The key here is to avoid disturbing the plants during the active flowering period, as this can negatively impact tuber development and reduce yield.

It's crucial to periodically remove weeds from the garden bed and between the rows. They are often the source of insect pests.

Protection of potato varieties Dolphin and Delphine from diseases and pests

The Delfin and Delfine varieties rarely get sick. However, if watering is not done correctly, they can be susceptible to late blight.

Disease, pest	Characteristic	Prevention	Treatment
Late blight	Brown spots appear on leaves, shoots, and tubers. The leaves wilt, and the plants begin to lose their elasticity and die.	To prevent late blight, treat the plants with a copper sulfate solution. It's also crucial to maintain proper watering and avoid overwatering, especially after the potato plants have finished flowering.	In the early stages of late blight, treatment with specialized products such as Acrobat, Abiga-Peak, Ridomil, and others will help. If the area affected by late blight is large, it is better to remove the bushes from the garden bed and disinfect the soil.
Colorado beetle	The beetles eat the leaves, leaving only protruding veins. Yellowish-orange eggs can be seen on shoots and remnants of foliage.	An excellent preventative measure against Colorado potato beetles is to plant strongly scented plants, such as marigolds, along the edges of your plot. Periodically, carefully inspect your plantings for eggs and adult beetles.	If pest and larval infestations are small, manual collection is recommended. However, if the planting area is large, spraying with Corado, Aktara, and other pesticides will help.

The nuances of harvesting and storing the Delfin and Delphine potato varieties

Experienced gardeners recommend cutting off the tops two weeks before harvesting to allow the tubers to gain strength and harden a little.

Both the Delfin and Delphine varieties have excellent shelf life. The latter has a slightly shorter shelf life, up to 6-7 months under proper storage conditions.

Timing and rules for harvesting different varieties of potatoes, How to create a DIY device to help you do this You can find out more on our website Top.tomathouse.com.

After harvesting, the potatoes are sorted, with damaged tubers set aside. The harvest is then left to dry for 2-3 days under a canopy, away from direct sunlight. The tubers only need direct sunlight if they are intended for future planting.

Rules for storing tubers in different rooms, and also peeled potatoes.

After drying, the potatoes are placed in cloth bags or nets and sent to a basement or cellar with a temperature of +2…+4 degrees and humidity of 65 to 75%.

There the tubers can stay for 7 to 10 months.

Comparison of the Delfin and Delphine varieties with other varieties

Variety	Ripening period (number of days to maturity)	Starch (%)	Yield (c/ha)	Weight of tubers (g) Number of tubers per bush Color of tuber, pulp	Shelf life (%)
Dolphin	Early ripening*	11.2-15.1	170-256	80-132 8-12 yellow, light yellow	90-99
Dolphin	Mid-season***	13.7-15.3	228-374	81-115 9-15 red, light yellow	95
Beauty	Mid-early**	13.5-15.6	130-321	95-140 6-8 red, light yellow	94
The Beauty of Meshchera	Mid-season***	13.9-16.7	197-493	100-110 up to 18 yellow, light yellow	95
Handsome	Mid-early**	12.4-17.8	169-201	90-170 6-10 reddish, creamy	97
Treasures	Mid-season***	12-18	up to 650	95-250 12-18 yellow, yellow	94
Red Sonya	Early ripening*	13.3-14.6	174-340	78-122 6-10 red, yellow	93
Banker	Mid-early**	15-16	200-350	70-160 10-15 soft yellow, light yellow	90
Rosalind	Early ripening*	12-17	203-223	60-115 10-16 reddish, yellow	94
Ilyinsky	Mid-early**	15.7-18	176-346	55-160 8-13 red, white	93
Luck	Early ripening*	11-15	420-430	100-150 10-15 creamy yellow (brown), snow-white	88-97
Uladar	Early ripening*	11.5-17.8	127-353	91-140 6-11 yellow, light yellow	94
Unique	Mid-early**	13	320	400-500 10-14 crimson, yellow	96
Sarpo of the world	Late-ripening****	14-17	350-360	75-140 6-11 reddish (pink), snow-white	94
Favorite	Mid-season***	12.6-16.4	420	101-136 6-12 reddish, creamy	93
Adretta	Mid-early**	13-18	450	100-150 10-25 yellowish, light yellow	95

*Early ripening – 50-65 days.

**Mid-early – 65-80 days.

***Mid-season – 80-95 days.

****Late ripening – 110 days or more.

Reviews of the Delfin and Delfin potato variety

Gardeners love the dolphin for its excellent shelf life and high yield. It tolerates mild cold snaps and droughts.

The Delphine potato is very rarely susceptible to diseases. Its resistance to the golden nematode is particularly noteworthy.

The dolphin was growing.
I liked the late blight resistance, especially in the tops. The tops "burned" later than other varieties.
The sheer number of tubers in the nest was shocking. Hence the enormous yield.
But I abandoned the variety. The main reason was the many misshapen, unmarketable tubers. They looked like crooked potato dolphins!
And very long stolons. The nest is not compact. A lot of cuttings are made. Dolphin didn't like digging. You don't know where to stick the pitchfork.
Lots of green potatoes, standing out in the sun.
In short, there's a big loss of life on Dolphin. And no livestock.
So there is no Dolphin.
I kept Lazurit. Although it's less resistant to late blight on the tops and the yield is lower, the tubers are yellow, smooth, and round, like billiard balls, and the flavor is just right!

But can’t a highly marketable, high-yielding, early, but tasteless variety occupy the first place in terms of area?
In commercial cultivation, marketability (small eyes and a small number of them) and yield are paramount, while stability and taste are not so important; what matters are the qualities that help sell more and better.
Typically, only early varieties are grown, which, due to their short growing season, require minimal treatment. This is why varieties like Lazurit and Dolphin are grown.
For us, taste, stability, and yield are paramount. Resistance to temporary waterlogging is also important, as the soil is loamy and located in a small depression, so waterlogging is possible.
I can't comment on the varieties you mentioned, as I haven't grown them. Researchers at the Potato Institute had good reviews of Dina, but they said it prefers lighter soils, as did Zhivitsa. I think Vetraz and Vesnyanka should be tasty and resilient, as they're late-ripening varieties. Dubrava was only praised for its good taste.
I've only mentioned varieties that have proven themselves in my loam soil and that suit my taste perfectly. For example, Orbita is considered one of the benchmarks for taste, and I agree; it's delicious in our soil conditions, as is Ragneda.
This year we will plant the following varieties: Orbita, Ragneda, Uladar, Zdabutak, and from the new ones, Lad (mid-season) and Yavar (mid-early).

The Zhuravinka variety is tasty, but does not tolerate short-term over-watering; it has a lot of small fruits, although there are many medium and large ones.
Molly (German) also doesn't like over-watering and the taste isn't very good.
Dolphin - also, does not boil over at all.
Coretta is weakly resistant to late blight and rots easily in wet weather at the end of summer, although it has an excellent taste.

 

This fruit-producing, tasty variety is perfect for French fries. It matures in 80-100 days. The tubers are attractive, oval, red, and yellow-fleshed. They are resistant to mechanical damage.

The variety is not affected by nematodes, but after a damp autumn, it may rot during storage. It is moderately resistant to late blight and prefers loose soil. Delphine is registered and approved for cultivation in the Northwestern region. It is also common in Ukraine and Moldova.