GardenLine | Vegetables | Potato Varieties for Saskatchewan

Potato Varieties for Saskatchewan

Don Dabbs and Grant Wood Department of Horticultue Science

The incredible potato - nutritious, low in calories, adaptable, and affordable - is a staple food in many countries and is always being selected for newer and better varieties. In Canada the work is carried out primarily by universities and research stations. A special Federal-Provincial program is involvcd in the breeding and selection of new varieties. Five regions have been established across Canada. One of these, the Prairie Regional Potato Trials, has released many new varieties suitable for the prairies over the past few decades, with many more unnaned selections still being tested.

In choosing a potato variety to grow in your home garden, you should consider the following traits: maturity date, yield, size and uniformity of tubers, storage ability, taste, and intended use - whether for boiling, baking, or making chips or French fries, Tubers with medium dry-matter content are best suited for boiling, although many are moist enough to be suitable for baking as well. Tubers with high dry-matter content are better for baking, chips, and French fries. They will break down (slough away in pieces) if boiled without their skins, though they can be boiled in their skins or carefully steamed. The higher the dry matter content, the more mealy and drier tasting is the tuber.

There are many different potato varieties, each with its own unique combination of traits. Listed below are some of the varieties commonly grown on the prairies and suitable for conditions here.

Carlton - A new introduction, Carlton matures as early as Warba. Tubers are generally roundish, with two flat sides. They are medium-sized, with smooth skin, tan to creamy white in color. Shallow-eyed, the tubers are excellent boiled whole in their skins. The variety has a high dry-matter content, making it a good baking potato as well. High yields can be expected. Harvest the tubers early to prevent oversizing. The tubers keep very well in storage. Recomended as an early potato.

Kennebec - This late-maturing variety has been available for many years. A high yield of tan to creamy white skinned, oblong tubers with shallow eyes can be expected. Medium in dry-matter content, the variety is best suited to boiling. Close spacings are recommended in the garden to prevent the tubers from over-sizing. They store well, but must be kept in total darkness; exposure to light will initiate greening.

Norchip - A relatively new Introduction, Norchip is a mid-season maturing variety that produces a high yield of uniform, medium-sized tubers. The roundish, shallow-eyed tubers have a high dry-matter content, which makes this variety a favorite for the chipping industry. These tan to creamy white tubers are also good for baking and for French fries. The variety resists common scab quite well, but is somewhat susceptible to hollow heart. Its storage life is quite short, and it will sprout early.

Norgold Russet - This brown, russet-skinned variety somewhat resembles Russet Burbank, but tends to be more blocky in shape and does not develop the knobby appearance characteristic of Russet Burbank. Maturing in mid-season, about 3 weeks earlier than Russet Burbank, the oblong tubers have very shallow eyes. High in dry-matter content, the variety is good for baking and for French fries. It is resistant to common scab but susceptible to hollow-heart. Close spacing in the garden is recommended. Expect a high yield of uniform, large tubers that will keep very well in storage.

 Norland - Norland is the most commonly grown variety in western Canada. This early-maturing variety (later than Carlton and Warba) produces a high yield of uniform, medium-sized potatoes- The light-red skinned tubers are round to oblong, with shallow to medium deep eyes. Medium in dry-matter content, the tuber is suitable for baking; the baked potatoes are moist. The tubers are most often boiled. They are susceptible to darkening after they are baked or boiled. The tubers are fairly resistant to common scab and keep well in storage.

Pontiac - This late-maturing variety has red-skinned, sometimes russetted oblong to roundish, blunt-ended tubers with deep eyes. With a medium dry-matter content, the tubers are most suitable for boiling. The variety has some resistance to drought but none to common scab. It produces a very high yield of large tubers with a fairly short storage life.

Russet Rurbank (Netted Gem) - This is a very old, late-maturing variety that is second in production in western Canada, with Norland taking first place. The brown, russet-skinned tubers are oblong, with shallow eyes. Tubers can vary greatly in shape and size, and knobbiness is a common problem with this variety. High in dry-matter content, the tubers are excellent for baking and good for chips. They are used commercially for French fries. Yields are medium to good, and the tubers store very well.

Viking - This dark-red variety is common home garden crop. Tubers are large and oblong, with shallow eyes, With a medium dry matter content, they are excellent for boiling and produce moist baked potatoes, Viking will not darken after cooking, Although it is considered a mid-season maturing variety, Viking sets its tubers early and should be harvested early (shortly after Norland). Only a few tubers set in each hill, but because of their large size, yields are high. Close planting is recommended to prevent oversizing and the development of growth cracks. Storage life is good (same as Norland).

Warba - A commonly grown variety that has been around for a long time, Warba has blocky tubers, with tan to creamy white skins and deep eyes that arc pink to red. A Warba variety with red skin (Red Warba) is also available. Producing a big yield of uniform, medium-sized tubers, Warba is an early-maturing variety (same time as Carlton). Although high in dry-matter content, the tubers are best suitable for boiling in their skins. The tubers are susceptible to common scab. They can be stored for a long period.

Yukon Gold - New on the market, Yukon Gold is early- to mid-maturing and produces round, firm, tubers of medium size, with tall to creamy white skins. The eyes are very shallow and a light pink, and the flesh is yellow. High in dry-matter content, the tubers are excellent for baking and good for chips. Yukon Gold has some resistance to common scab. Its storage life is relatively short.

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Sustainable horticultural information, offered free of charge to the public with the support of the University of Saskatchewan Extension Division, the Department of Plant Sciences and the Provincial Government.