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fumasterchu

white and red potato question

fumasterchu
11 years ago

I am new to gardening and am so excited to start. I have a question about potato varieties. When I was at the grocery store (Firelake in Tecumseh) they had certified seed potatoes for sale. I was super excited and bought the two types they had. "White" and "Red"
Well now I have no clue what variety they are! Can anyone tell me the kind of potatoes these are please?

Comments (3)

  • Okiedawn OK Zone 7
    11 years ago

    We could guess, but there's many kinds of red and white potatoes, so it only would be a guess.

    Usually, when I see red seed potatoes in southern OK or western North Texas, they are either Red Pontiac, Norland Red or Red La Soda. You could Google those names to read about those three varieties. So far this year I've bought Norland Red and Red La Soda, and I'll buy Red Pontiac if I see them.

    With the "white" potatoes, it is much harder to guess what they are because there are dozens of varieties of white-fleshed potatoes available commercially in the USA, though I would think that the most common ones found in Oklahoma probably are Kennebec, Norkotah, Irish Cobbler (harder to find here in recent years), Russet (actually a type, not a variety, but sometimes Russet seed potatoes are only labeled Russet) or, if they have yellowish-brown skin (and yellowish flesh), Yukon Gold.

    Because different potatoes are used in different ways in cooking, I don't like it when retailers only label them by color because it is not helpful, particularly to new gardeners.

    If you'd like to read some nice descriptions of various types of potatoes, you can click on the link below which gives great descriptions of the potatoes they sell. To read the description, click on the stock number at the left side and it will bring up that variety and its desctiption. Generally I do not order seed potatoes online. They tend to be more expensive than seed potatoes in local stores and, by the time you add in shipping, they can be very pricey. Sometimes I'll order red-fleshed, blue-fleshed and purple-fleshed potatoes online, though, if I cannot find any locally.

    I would guess that your red is going to be a waxy type (great to cook as new potatoes, boiled potatoes or in potato salad) and your white will be a fluffier type (better for mashed potatoes or baked potatoes), but that's just a guess based on the general characteristics of most potatoes in those two colors.

    We love potatoes and grow as many different kinds as I can find locally. This year I have found five so far: (Red Norland (Wal-Mart), Red LaSoda (Tractor Supply Company), Kennebec (Wal-Mart), Norkotah (Tractor Supply), and Yukon Gold (Wal-Mart). I have seen other potatoes in other places but they weren't labeled so I did't buy them because I was unsure of what they were and felt like they likely were one of the varieties I already had.

    Regardless of the type of seed potatoes you have, and even if you never learn their names, I am sure they'll grow and produce just fine and will be very tasty.

    Dawn

    Here is a link that might be useful: The Potato Garden

  • fumasterchu
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thank you so much Dawn. I figured it was a long shot. I'll plant them next week and see how it goes. I'm trying to garden by the moon (I don't know if I believe the hype, but it gives me specific planting dates.) I am also gonna do the chicken wire cages.

    Whatever grows, we'll eat them. :)

  • Okiedawn OK Zone 7
    11 years ago

    Sounds like a plan to me!

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