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How to Grow Fingerling Potato

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Fingerling Potato

Solanum tuberosum

vegetable

Fingerling potatoes are small, elongated tubers with a distinctive finger-like shape and creamy, waxy flesh. They produce excellent yields and are prized for their buttery flavor and firm texture that holds up well to cooking. These heirloom and modern varieties offer unique colors ranging from golden to purple to red.

Looking for a specific variety?

French Fingerling Russian Banana Purple Peruvian Ruby Crescent Austrian Crescent Yellow Finn

When should you plant Fingerling Potato in your zone?

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Example Fingerling Potato timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

  1. Plant Fingerling 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 Fingerling Potato

    Around Jun 26

    ≈ 70 days after planting

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

Growing Conditions

☀️
Sun: Full sun, 6-8 hours daily minimum
💧
Water: Consistent moisture; 1-1.5 inches per week. Keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Reduce watering after foliage dies back.
📏
Spacing: 10-12 inches apart in rows 24-36 inches apart inches
📅
Days to maturity: 70-90 days for fingerlings (shorter than large potatoes)
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Planting depth: 4 inches deep; cover seed pieces with 3-4 inches of soil initially

Soil

Type: Well-draining, loose, fertile loamy or sandy soil
pH: 5.8-6.5
Amendments:
Compost or aged manure Peat moss or coconut coir Wood ash or sulfur to adjust pH Balanced fertilizer (5-10-10 NPK)

Growing Zones

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Thrives in zones 3-9; prefers cooler-season growth in zones 8-9

3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b

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Growth Stages

1

Seed Piece & Sprout

2-3 weeks

Planted seed pieces send out sprouts and develop initial roots in cool, moist soil.

Use certified seed potatoes with 2-3 eyes per piece. Plant in spring when soil is 45°F or warmer. Keep soil consistently moist but not soggy.

2

Emergence & Early Growth

3-4 weeks

Shoots emerge from soil and develop first true leaves. Plant remains low and compact.

Hill soil around emerging shoots to prevent greening of tubers. Provide consistent moisture and monitor for early blight. Apply mulch to retain moisture.

3

Vegetative Growth & Flowering

4-6 weeks

Plants develop multiple stems, dense foliage, and characteristic flowers (white, pink, purple, or red depending on variety).

Continue hilling as plant grows. Maintain consistent watering. Fertilize mid-season with balanced or potassium-rich fertilizer. Watch for Colorado potato beetles and aphids.

4

Tuber Development & Bulking

3-4 weeks

After flowering, energy shifts underground as tubers enlarge and develop characteristic fingerling shape. Foliage remains green and healthy.

Maintain steady moisture to support tuber sizing. Avoid nitrogen excess to prevent leafy growth at expense of tubers. Peak bulking occurs 4-6 weeks after flowering.

5

Maturity & Harvest

1-2 weeks

Foliage yellows and dies back naturally; skin sets and hardens on mature tubers. Plant is ready for harvest.

Stop watering 2-3 weeks before harvest to allow skins to cure and set. Dig carefully to avoid bruising tubers. Cure harvested potatoes in cool (60-65°F), dark place for 1-2 weeks before storage.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Corn Beans Cabbage Marigold Nasturtium Horseradish Thyme Chives

Avoid planting near:

Tomato Pepper Eggplant Fennel Brassicas (when space-constrained) Onion and garlic (in immediate vicinity)

Common Pests

  • Hand-pick adults and egg clusters; use spinosad or pyrethrin sprays; plant trap crops of eggplant; encourage parasitic wasps and ladybugs

  • Spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap; release ladybugs or lacewings; reflective mulch to confuse insects

  • Yellow sticky traps; strong water spray to dislodge; neem oil or insecticidal soap

  • Trap wires in soil (pieces of potato on sticks); rotate crops; diatomaceous earth; avoid planting in recently sodded areas

  • Remove infected lower leaves; mulch to prevent soil splash; improve air circulation; fungicide (copper or chlorothalonil) if severe; resistant varieties

  • Remove infected foliage immediately; reduce overhead watering; fungicide (copper or mancozeb) on 7-10 day schedule; adequate plant spacing; destroy infected tubers

Uses

🍳

Roasting & Boiling

Culinary

Fingerling potatoes' waxy texture and buttery flavor make them ideal for roasting whole with oil and herbs, boiling for potato salads, or steaming. They hold their shape exceptionally well during cooking. [source]

🍳

Gourmet Preparation

Culinary

Their small, elegant shape and creamy flesh are perfect for fine dining applications, grilled potato skewers, and presentation-focused dishes. Different colored varieties add visual interest to plates. [source]

🏠

Storage & Preservation

Household

Fingerlings store well for 3-6 months in cool (45-50°F), dark, humid conditions. They are excellent candidates for root cellar storage and remain firm throughout the season. [source]

🌿

Nutritional Value

Nutritional

Fingerlings are rich in potassium, vitamin C, and B vitamins. Waxy fingerlings retain more nutrients when boiled compared to floury varieties, as fewer nutrients leach into cooking water. [source]

🦋

Biodiversity Support

Wildlife

Potato plants attract beneficial insects and pollinators. Flowering potato plants provide nectar and pollen; their pest insects support ladybugs, parasitic wasps, and other natural enemies that control garden pests. [source]

Harvest Tips

Fingerlings mature 70-90 days after planting. For new potatoes, harvest 50-60 days after planting when plants are still flowering. For full-size fingerlings, wait until foliage dies back completely. Dig carefully with a garden fork, starting 6 inches from the plant base and working outward. Handle gently to avoid bruising. Cure harvested potatoes in a cool, dark, well-ventilated space at 60-65°F for 10-14 days to harden skins and seal any cuts, improving storage life.

Fun Facts

  • 🌱 Fingerling potatoes are not a specific species but rather a shape category that includes both heirloom varieties (like French Fingerling and Russian Banana) and modern cultivars, with origins spanning centuries and continents.
  • 🌱 The term 'waxy' potato refers to lower starch and higher moisture content, making fingerlings ideal for dishes requiring potatoes to hold their shape, whereas 'floury' potatoes with higher starch are better for mashing and fries.
  • 🌱 A single seed potato piece can produce 8-12 fingerling tubers, with yields typically ranging from 8-10 pounds per 10 feet of row, making them surprisingly productive despite their small individual size.

Gardening Terms

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

Full Sun Heirloom Mulch pH True Leaves
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