Desiree

Desiree Seed Potatoes

Potato 'Desiree' is a popular and reliable maincrop variety, producing heavy yields of large oval tubers with distinctive red skins and creamy, slightly floury flesh. Known for its excellent flavour and versatility, it is perfect for roasting, baking, mashing and making chips. Its vigorous growth habit performs well in open ground, raised beds or large containers. Desiree also shows good resistance to drought and offers moderate resistance to common scab. Height and spread: 60–70cm (24–28").

Optional: Keep some seed potatoes back in a cool, dark place and allow them to sprout (chit) before planting. For a later crop, plant in large tubs in late summer and protect from frost to enjoy homegrown potatoes well into the colder months.

If you retain some of your own harvest as seed, you can continue growing Desiree potatoes each season. As a maincrop variety, they are ideal for storing once lifted and dried properly. During colder months, move container-grown plants into a greenhouse or sheltered area to prevent frost damage.

Please note we have had to make some changes to our potato sales due to the increased cost in shipping. Potatoes are sent on a 48hr service via a courier. The price has increased to allow for some of the additional postal charge. Very sorry but this is out of our hands.

Common Questions

What is killing my Desiree potato plants? If your soil is overly warm and damp, fungal diseases such as Fusarium wilt can infect plant tissue. The spores live and breed in the soil. If you find your Desiree potatoes are infected, remove and destroy affected plants immediately and treat the soil to help prevent further spread.

How long do Desiree potatoes take to grow? Desiree is a maincrop variety and typically takes around 15–20 weeks to reach full maturity. Harvest earlier for smaller tubers, or allow them to fully mature for larger potatoes suitable for storing.

Why are my Desiree potatoes suffering from blight? Blight is a fast-spreading fungal disease that can destroy a potato crop in a short time. It is caused by Phytophthora infestans, which spreads through wind and soil in warm, damp conditions. Remove affected foliage immediately to help prevent the infection from reaching the tubers.