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How to Grow Russet Cobbler Potato

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Russet Cobbler Potato

Solanum tuberosum 'Russet Cobbler'

vegetable

Russet Cobbler is a mid-season potato variety known for its russet-brown skin and cream-colored flesh. It produces moderate yields of medium-sized tubers with excellent cooking qualities and is prized for baking, mashing, and frying. This reliable cultivar is widely grown in home gardens and commercially across North America.

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

  1. Plant Russet Cobbler 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 Russet Cobbler Potato

    Around Jun 26

    ≈ 70 days after planting

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

Growing Conditions

☀️
Sun: Full sun, 6-8 hours daily minimum
💧
Water: Consistent moisture; provide 1-2 inches per week through rainfall or irrigation. Keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Reduce watering after plant dies back.
📏
Spacing: 12 inches between plants in rows, 30-36 inches between rows inches
📅
Days to maturity: 70-90 days
🌱
Planting depth: Plant seed potatoes 4-6 inches deep, covered with 2-3 inches of soil

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy or sandy soil with good organic matter
pH: 5.5-7.0
Amendments:
Compost or well-rotted manure Peat moss for moisture retention Sulfur if pH is too high Wood ash for potassium

Growing Zones

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Thrives in zones 3-7, with good performance in cooler to moderate climates; grows in zone 2 and warmer zones with proper management

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

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Growth Stages

1

Seed Potato Dormancy & Chitting

2-4 weeks pre-planting

Seed potatoes are stored cool and emerge small white sprouts (chits) 2-3 weeks before planting.

Store seed potatoes at 50-70°F in dim light. Chit for 2-3 weeks to strengthen sprouts before planting. Use seed potatoes cut into 1.5-2 oz pieces if larger than desired, allowing cut surfaces to callus for 1-2 days.

2

Emergence & Early Growth

2-3 weeks after planting

Shoots break through soil and develop first leaves. Plants are 4-6 inches tall with emerging compound leaves.

Hill (mound) soil around emerging plants once they're 6 inches tall to prevent greening of tubers from light exposure. Keep soil consistently moist. Apply mulch to regulate temperature and moisture.

3

Vegetative & Tuber Initiation

3-4 weeks

Plants grow vigorously with lush green foliage reaching 12-18 inches. Tubers begin forming below ground.

Continue hilling soil 2-3 times as plants grow. Monitor for pests and disease. Water deeply and regularly—critical for tuber development. Fertilize with balanced fertilizer or fish emulsion every 2-3 weeks.

4

Flowering & Tuber Bulking

3-4 weeks

Plants produce small white, pink, or purple flowers. Underground, tubers expand rapidly in size and fill out.

Maintain consistent watering during this heavy-demand period. Side-dress with potassium-rich fertilizer to support tuber development. Reduce nitrogen fertilizer to prevent excessive foliage at expense of tubers.

5

Maturation & Harvest Readiness

2-3 weeks

Foliage yellows and wilts as the plant senesces. Tuber skins thicken and cure. Plant tops die back completely.

Stop watering 2-3 weeks before harvest to allow tubers to mature and skins to harden. Do not break off dead foliage; let it dry naturally. Harvest when foliage is completely brown and dry.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Basil Garlic Onions Corn Marigold Nasturtium Peas Beans

Avoid planting near:

Tomatoes Peppers Eggplants Fennel Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli) Carrots Parsnips

Common Pests

  • Hand-pick adults and egg clusters; use row covers on young plants; apply neem oil or spinosad; encourage natural predators like ground beetles and assassin bugs.

  • Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; use yellow sticky traps; encourage beneficial insects; reflective mulches deter aphids.

  • Use trap crops (wheat, rye); rotate crops; avoid planting in recently tilled sod; apply beneficial nematodes to soil.

  • Plant certified disease-free seed potatoes; ensure good air circulation; avoid overhead watering; apply copper or sulfur fungicides preventively; remove infected plants immediately.

  • Remove lower leaves as plants grow; avoid wetting foliage; mulch to prevent soil splash; apply copper fungicides; destroy infected plant material.

  • Keep soil pH below 6.5; maintain adequate soil moisture; rotate crops; use resistant varieties if available; avoid fresh manure (use aged compost).

Uses

🍳

Baking & Mashing

Culinary

Russet Cobblers have high starch content and mealy texture ideal for baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, and gnocchi. Their creamy interior makes them perfect for comfort foods. [source]

🍳

French Fries & Chips

Culinary

The high starch content and low moisture make Russet Cobblers excellent for deep frying, producing crispy exteriors and fluffy interiors. [source]

🍳

Soup & Stew Base

Culinary

Their firm texture holds well during long cooking, making them ideal for potato soups, stews, and chowders. [source]

💊

Nutritional Source

Medicinal

Potatoes are excellent sources of vitamin C, potassium, manganese, and B vitamins. They provide resistant starch when cooked and cooled, beneficial for gut health. [source]

🏠

Natural Cleaning Agent

Household

Potato water (after boiling) contains starch useful for starching clothes and as a gentle natural cleaner for household surfaces. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Russet Cobblers are ready 70-90 days after planting when foliage browns and dies back. For new potatoes, harvest at 50-60 days when plants are still flowering. Dig carefully with a fork to avoid bruising. Cure potatoes in a dark, cool (50-60°F), well-ventilated space for 2 weeks to harden skins. Store in cool (45-50°F), dark conditions with high humidity for 4-6 months.

Fun Facts

  • 🌱 Russet potatoes were developed in the early 1900s by Luther Burbank and have become the most widely grown potato variety in North America, accounting for over 60% of U.S. potato production.
  • 🌱 The 'Russet Cobbler' specifically was bred to be particularly cold-hardy and reliable in northern climates, making it popular among home gardeners in cooler zones.
  • 🌱 A single potato plant can produce 10-20 tubers, and potatoes are the world's fourth-largest food crop after rice, wheat, and corn, providing critical nutrition to billions of people.

Gardening Terms

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

Cultivar Full Sun Mulch
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