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How to Grow Dark Red Norland Potato

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Dark Red Norland Potato

Solanum tuberosum 'Dark Red Norland'

vegetable

Dark Red Norland is an early-season potato variety prized for its deep red skin and creamy white flesh. It produces medium-sized, oblong tubers with shallow eyes and excellent flavor, making it ideal for boiling, mashing, and salads. This cold-hardy cultivar matures quickly and is a favorite among home gardeners and commercial growers in northern climates.

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Example Dark Red Norland Potato timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

  1. Plant Dark Red Norland Potato

    Around Apr 17

    Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.

  2. Tend & protect

    Late spring–summer

    Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.

  3. Harvest Dark Red Norland Potato

    Around Jun 16

    ≈ 60 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Dark Red Norland Potato dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

☀️
Sun: Full sun, 6-8 hours daily minimum
💧
Water: Consistent moisture; provide 1-1.5 inches per week through rainfall or irrigation. Keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Reduce watering as vines mature and begin to senesce.
📏
Spacing: 12 inches
📅
Days to maturity: 60-75 days
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Planting depth: 4 inches

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy or sandy loam soil
pH: 5.5-6.8
Amendments:
Compost or aged manure Sulfur (if pH too high) Phosphate fertilizer Potassium source

Growing Zones

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Thrives in zones 2-8; particularly suited to cooler northern regions

2a 2b 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a

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Growth Stages

1

Seed Piece Sprouting

7-10 days

Cut seed potatoes showing sprout development in cool, moist soil; white roots emerging from eyes

Plant cut seed potatoes 4 inches deep with at least one eye per piece. Ensure soil temperature is 45°F or above but ideally 50-60°F for best sprouting. Maintain consistent moisture.

2

Emergence and Early Growth

2-3 weeks

Green shoots break soil surface; first true leaves unfurling; stems reaching 6-12 inches tall

Begin hilling soil around emerging plants to prevent sunlight exposure of developing tubers. This stage is critical for frost protection if late freezes threaten. Monitor for Colorado potato beetles.

3

Vegetative Growth and Flowering

3-4 weeks

Dense foliage with compound leaves; white, pink, or red flowers appearing in clusters; vigorous stem elongation

Continue hilling as vines grow taller, gradually building up soil around the base. Apply consistent irrigation during dry periods. Side-dress with balanced fertilizer if growth appears slow. This stage determines tuber size and yield.

4

Tuber Bulking

2-3 weeks

Flowers fading; foliage remaining green; maximum underground tuber expansion occurring beneath hilled soil

Maintain even moisture critical during this stage—drought stress reduces yield and tuber quality. Avoid excessive nitrogen fertilization which promotes vine growth over tuber development. Check soil moisture regularly.

5

Maturity and Vine Senescence

1-2 weeks before harvest

Foliage yellowing, wilting, and dying back; potato skins thickening and 'setting'; skin firmly attached to flesh

Reduce watering as vines naturally senesce. Allow 1-2 weeks of dry-down before harvest to harden skin and improve storage quality. Do not harvest early if soil is still wet.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Cabbage Corn Beans Brassicas Lettuce Onions Parsley

Avoid planting near:

Tomatoes Peppers Eggplant Fennel Kohlrabi Squash Pumpkins

Common Pests

  • Hand-pick adults and yellow egg clusters; apply spinosad or neem oil; use row covers over young plants; encourage beneficial insects; rotate crops annually.

  • Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; introduce ladybugs or parasitic wasps; reflective mulches deter aphids; remove infested foliage.

  • Use row covers until flowering; dust with diatomaceous earth; apply spinosad; plant trap crops like radishes; remove debris where beetles overwinter.

  • Use row covers; spray insecticidal soap or pyrethrin; remove weeds (leafhoppers' alternate hosts); monitor leaf undersides for eggs.

  • Practice crop rotation (3-year minimum); incorporate beneficial nematodes; trap wireworms with potato pieces; till soil deeply to expose larvae; allow soil to fallow.

Uses

🍳

Boiling and Mashing

Culinary

Dark Red Norland's waxy, low-starch texture makes it excellent for boiling whole or in chunks, and the creamy flesh produces smooth, high-quality mashes. Its attractive red skin retains color when cooked with skin on. [source]

🍳

Potato Salads and Fresh Dishes

Culinary

The firm, waxy flesh holds its shape during cooking and resists breaking apart, making it ideal for warm and cold potato salads, diced preparations, and dishes requiring structural integrity. [source]

🍳

Nutritional Value

Culinary

Potatoes are excellent sources of vitamin C, potassium, and resistant starch (especially when cooled after cooking). Dark red varieties contain beneficial anthocyanins in the skin. [source]

🏠

Storage and Preservation

Household

Dark Red Norland stores exceptionally well in proper cool conditions for 4-6 months, making it suitable for root cellar storage and extended home food preservation programs. [source]

🦋

Garden Biodiversity

Wildlife

Potato plants attract beneficial insects during flowering and provide habitat diversity in vegetable gardens, supporting pollinator populations and natural pest control predators. [source]

Harvest Tips

Dark Red Norland reaches 'new potato' maturity in 60-65 days when plants are still flowering. Harvest by carefully digging with a fork, working from the side to avoid bruising tubers. For full maturity and storage, wait until vines die back completely (70-75 days). Cure harvested potatoes in a cool (50-60°F), dark, humid location for 1-2 weeks to harden skins before long-term storage at 35-40°F with 85-90% humidity.

Fun Facts

  • 🌱 Dark Red Norland was developed in Canada in the 1960s and is named after the Norland potato variety it descends from, bred specifically for cold climates and northern growing seasons.
  • 🌱 This variety is exceptionally cold-hardy and can be planted earlier in spring than many other potato varieties, making it ideal for gardeners in short-season regions.
  • 🌱 Potatoes were the first vegetable to be grown in space—aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1995—and modern potato varieties like Dark Red Norland are part of NASA's research into crops for long-duration space missions.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Cultivar Full Sun True Leaves
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