Have you heard the old wives’ tale about planting your potatoes on Good Friday? It is supposed to make your plants grow better and produce more potatoes. There is speculation as to when and where this tradition began. Some of the lore comes from Ireland during the 16th century during which they supposedly would baptize the seed potatoes before planting.
The problem with following the old wives’ tale is the timing in your region may not be ready for potato planting. While potatoes can tolerate some cool temperatures, they will not grow well with prolonged freezing temperatures. It is best to check the frost dates of your region and plant after the last frost. For growing tips, be sure to read our Potato Growing Guide.
Here is a list of some of the most popular, best-producing potatoes available at Jung Seed Co.
Popular Potato Varieties
(90-110 Day) A 2019 AAS National Winner! This is the first potato grown from seed to be marked as an AAS Winner. Judges observed that it is easy to start plants from the seed and they were impressed with the potatoes that were harvested at the end of the season. Plants produce 3 to 4-ounce potatoes in varying shades of red with creamy white to yellow flesh that is ideal for mashing and boiling. The Clancy Hybrid has great texture and flavor.
Elfe is a fantastic yellow potato to fill your early cravings for fresh potatoes. It produces smooth, uniform tubers with yellow skin and flesh that don’t lose their color during cooking. The plants are high-yielding, drought-tolerant, and resistant to common scab, blight, black leg, and rhizoctonia. The potatoes have a creamy texture and buttery flavor that is superb. Matures early season and stores very well.
The Fingerling is a little yellow-fleshed salad potato brought to this country by early German settlers. They have a quality and flavor all their own. The tubers are long like a finger, about 1 inch in diameter and 2 to 4 inches in length. The skin and flesh are yellow and the flavor is delicious.
Gold Rush is oblong to oval tubers with smooth golden russet skin and white flesh. It is one of the best for baking and boiling. It produces good yields and has tolerance to scab, hollow-heart, and early dying complex. Developed by North Dakota State University. Matures midseason.
The Kennebec is one of the most widely grown maincrop potatoes. Enjoy excellent yields of large, thin-skinned, oval tubers with white flesh that is dry and flavorful. It is one of the best potatoes for winter storage and has good blight resistance. A late midseason variety.
Magic Molly is a large fingerling with deep purple skin and purple-blue flesh. The tubers have a rich, earthy flavor that is especially good when roasted. You can dig early for smaller fingerlings or grow to full maturity for large tubers. Matures late midseason.
Pinto Gold has a novel coloration of gold and reddish-purple. The flavor and texture are ‘tops’ – just the right amount of starchiness paired with a delightful, buttery, nutty taste.
Red Norland is one of our most popular early potatoes. It produces good yields of No. 1 tubers that are round to oval with shallow eyes and smooth red skin. It is a vigorous plant and has good resistance to scab. Stores well.
The Red Pontiac is a heavy yielding garden favorite. It has large tubers with thin red skin and white flesh. This variety is an excellent mid to late-season all-purpose potato and stores well.
Developed by the University of Wisconsin, Superior matures early and gives high yields of marketable potatoes. The skin is smooth with white tubers of good uniform size, oval-shaped with shallow eyes. A good keeper.
Yukon Gold yields a good crop of round to oval golden-skinned potatoes with creamy-yellow flesh. Their superior flavor is sure to be enjoyed no matter how you serve them. An early midseason variety.
Fresh potatoes from the garden taste more flavorful than what you can buy at the supermarket. They are easy to grow and are sure to be a family favorite. No matter what your flavor and texture preference, Jung Seed offers a wide selection of potato varieties. Be sure to check out our Companion Planting Guide to see what vegetables grow well with potatoes.
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