Purple Viking Potato Origin

A good choice for a main crop, general purpose potato. Suitable for all types of preparation, snow white flesh makes it exceptionally good for mashing. Slightly sweet flavor; great for new potatoes. Tubers can grow quite large under ideal conditions. Excellent for storage. Heirloom Solutions reserves the right to substitute a similar variety in the event of a crop failure.

Growing Purple Viking

In each trench, place a seed potato piece (cut side down) every 12 to 14 inches and cover with 3 to 4 inches of soil. If your garden soil is very rocky, put the seed potato pieces directly on the ground. Sprinkle with a mix of soil and compost. Cover them with straw or leaves, hilling the material up as the potatoes grow. The best starters are seed potatoes. Do not confuse seed potatoes with potato seeds or grocery produce! Select seed potatoes which have protruding eyes (buds).

Use a clean, sharp paring knife to cut large potatoes into pieces that are roughly the size of a golf ball, making sure that there are at least 2 eyes on each piece. (Potatoes that are smaller than a hen’s egg should be planted whole.) If you are cutting up potato pieces yourself, do so 1 to 2 days ahead of planting.

This will give them the chance to “heal” and form a protective layer over the cut surface, improving both moisture retention and rot resistance. 12 to 16 days after planting, when sprouts appear, use a hoe to gently fill in the trench with another 3 to 4 inches of soil, leaving a few inches of the plants exposed. Repeat in several weeks, leaving the soil mounded up 4 to 5 inches above ground level (this is called “hilling” and is explained more here.). After the potato plants have emerged, add organic mulch between the rows to conserve moisture, help with weed control, and cool the soil.

Preserving And Storing Potatoes

Canning potatoes at home is an easy way to preserve potatoes for long term storage.  Pre-cooked and ready to use, home-canned potatoes make for quick last-minute meals right from your homemade pantry.

Purple Viking Potato Recipes

Potato Soup, just like Mom used to make! Back in 1917, most people didn’t have a Huge pantry full of premade/canned food. They would grab anything they had and threw it together, which made some amazing dishes.. Like Potato Soup!.

Purple Viking Potato Nutrition

Potatoes are packed with vitamins and minerals, though the variety and preparation method can affect the nutritional content. They are a good source of antioxidants, which may reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. However, more human-based research is required before making any recommendations. Potatoes contain resistant starch, which may help reduce insulin resistance. In turn, this can help improve blood sugar control. Resistant starch in potatoes is a source of nutrition for beneficial gut bacteria. They convert it to the short-chain fatty acid butyrate, which has been linked to reduced inflammation in the colon, improved colon defenses and a lower risk of colorectal cancer.

Other Potato Varieties Worth Checking Out

 The German Butterball Potato is Sure to be a new family favorite. Excellent all-purpose variety, good for roasting, frying and especially for mashed potatoes. Russetted yellow skin, buttery yellow flesh. Does well in long term storage.