Po-Ta-Toes
"Fry 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew", as Samwise Gamgee demonstrated, potatoes are as versatile as they are delicious.
Some are planted for crispy skillet breakfasts. Some for fluffy mashed potatoes. Some for vibrant color on the plate. Others for filling the cellar and feeding your household well into winter.
But how do you choose which potatoes are right for you?
When choosing from our certified organic seed potato collection, the best place to start isn’t harvest window, it’s your kitchen.
Think about how you love to cook. Then plant accordingly.
For Frying, Roasting, and Crisp Edges
If you love golden roasted potatoes, skillet hash, oven fries, or sheet-pan dinners, you want varieties that hold their shape and develop crisp exteriors without turning mushy.
Kennebec is a classic for a reason. Creamy white flesh, smooth tan skin, and strong disease resistance in the garden. It fries beautifully and roasts evenly, and it stores well once cured after harvest.
Keuka Gold brings that rich yellow flesh and buttery flavor, excellent for roasting and pan-frying. It keeps its structure while still delivering that creamy interior.
Caribou is an adaptable all-purpose potato with mild flavor and smooth texture, dependable in the garden and reliable in the oven.
La Ratte is a gourmet favorite for roasting. Its dense texture and nutty flavor make it exceptional for crisp, elegant side dishes and warm potato salads.
Most of these can be harvested young for tender new potatoes once plants flower, or left in the ground until the vines yellow and die back to size up and develop skins for storage.
For Fluffy Mashed and Baked Potatoes
If your goal is light, fluffy mashed potatoes or baked potatoes that split open into steam and softness, texture matters most.
German Butterball is deeply rich and buttery, with golden flesh that mashes into something luxurious. It’s also an excellent keeper when fully matured and cured. My personal favorite mashed with ramp butter and salt.
Eva produces smooth white potatoes with a light, airy texture that shines in mashed and baked dishes. Strong resistance to scab and early blight makes it especially appealing for organic growers.
Satina offers velvety yellow flesh and creamy consistency, ideal for mashing, baking, or simply boiling and dressing with butter and herbs.
Upstate Abundance, though petite, these spuds deliver creamy texture and nutty flavor when roasted or gently mashed whole for rustic dishes.
For true storage potential, allow these varieties to remain in the ground until the vines fully die back. Cure them in a cool, dark place for 1–2 weeks to toughen skins before long-term storage.
For Potato Salads and Boiling
If you prefer potatoes that hold together in salads, soups, or simple boiled preparations, look for varieties with firmer flesh and balanced moisture.
Dark Red Norland is excellent sliced into salads or served as tender new potatoes early in the season. Its red skin adds visual appeal without sacrificing structure.
Dakota Ruby combines vibrant red skin with creamy white flesh and performs beautifully in salads or roasted sides.
Adirondack Red offers striking pink-red flesh and a slightly sweet, earthy flavor that elevates colorful salads and roasted platters.
These can be harvested early as small, tender “new potatoes,” or left to mature fully for improved storage life.
For Color, Antioxidants, and Something Different
Sometimes you plant potatoes because food should be beautiful.
Magic Molly brings deep purple skin and flesh, retaining its color even after cooking. Nutty and earthy, it’s excellent roasted or steamed.
Ama Rosa offers rose-pink flesh and smooth red skin with a creamy, sweet flavor that shines roasted or sliced into vibrant salads.
All Blue, an heirloom grown for generations, delivers rich blue flesh packed with anthocyanins. It roasts beautifully, mashes into dramatic color, and stores exceptionally well when cured properly.
These varieties can also be harvested at multiple stages, small and tender for fresh eating, or fully mature for longer keeping.
Harvest Timing: Fresh Eating vs. Storage
Nearly all potatoes can be harvested in two ways:
• New potatoes – gently dug once plants flower, before skins have set. These are tender, thin-skinned, and meant for immediate use.
• Mature potatoes – harvested after vines yellow and die back. Allow them to cure 1–2 weeks in a cool, dark space to toughen skins for storage.
If you’re planning for winter pantry use, prioritize varieties known for strong storage qualities like German Butterball, Kennebec, All Blue, La Ratte, and Dakota Ruby.
If you’re growing primarily for fresh summer meals, Dark Red Norland, Upstate Abundance, Eva, and Satina are especially rewarding early on, though they, too, can be stored if allowed to mature fully.
So, What Should You Plant?
Choose based on how you cook:
Roasting and frying: Kennebec, Keuka Gold, Caribou, La Ratte
Mashing and baking: German Butterball, Eva, Satina
Salads and boiling: Dark Red Norland, Dakota Ruby, Adirondack Red
Color and fun: Magic Molly, Amarosa, All Blue
Long-term storage: German Butterball, Kennebec, All Blue, La Ratte, Dakota Ruby
Many gardeners plant two or three varieties, one for early fresh eating, one for everyday cooking, and one for storage.
Our Certified Organic Seed Potatoes are 15% off this weekend only. If you’ve been meaning to plan your rows, now is the time to choose the varieties that fit your kitchen and your growing style. Order now to receive in time for St. Paddy's Day planting.