Banana Fingerling Potatoes

Known as Russian Banana, Banana Fingerling Potatoes feature a yellow skin and yellow flesh. These nutty and waxy potatoes are famous for producing large, finger-shaped yields. While they may not make the best smoothies, their delicious roasted form will have you dreaming of drizzling them with light olive oil, sprinkling on sea salt, and adding a touch of balsamic vinegar. Additionally, they are resistant to scab, but vulnerable to late blight, leafroll, and verticillium wilt.

• Fingerling
• Gourmet variety
• Stores well
• Heirloom

Tender Russian Banana potatoes have thin skins with firm, buttercream colored delicious flesh. They range in size from 3 to 4 inches long, with dense flesh that cooks up solid, keeps its shape well and slices neatly.

IF YOU MUST DELAY PLANTING: If you need to store your potato before planting them, keep the bag in a cool (40-50°F), well-lit place. The eyes may begin to form chubby little sprouts, but this just indicates that they are ready to grow. Do not remove these sprouts. If the potatoes are stored in a warm, dark place, however, they will make long pale shoots, which will weaken the plants.

CULTURE:
Potatoes grow best in well-drained, fertile soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0. Cut tubers into pieces roughly 1 1/2-2 oz. (1-1 1/4" diameter) each, with at least one "eye" per piece. Small tubers may be planted whole. Potatoes can be planted in early to mid-spring as they tolerate cool soil and moderate frost. Plant seed pieces 2-3" deep, 12" apart, in rows 30-36" apart. Plants will emerge 2-3 weeks later. When the plants are 6-8" tall, hill them by mounding soil from each side of the row about 4" high along the base of the plants to protect developing tubers from greening. Repeat hilling process as plants grow until hills are about 12" high.