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Purple Majesty potatoes

Looking for a truly purple potato for your garden? Try Purple Majesty potatoes!

Purple Majesty potatoes are a dark purple potato variety with purple skin and matching deep purple flesh. These gourmet potatoes have a rich sweet flavor, firm, moist texture, and keep their color well when cooked. Purple Majesty is a midseason variety, and typically takes 85-95 days to grow to full size in the garden.

Read on to learn all about Purple Majesty potatoes!

Purple majesty potatoes

Introduction to the Purple Majesty potatoes

Purple Majesty is one of the most popular purple potato varieties. These specialty potatoes are known as one of the best-tasting purple types and are known for keeping their rich hue when cooked.

Purple Majesty potatoes can be used in numerous recipes and make a great mashed potato side dish. Purple Majesty potatoes can be baked, boiled, or fried to give them a wonderful taste and texture for the table.

Where to buy Purple Majesty seed potatoes

If you are looking to buy Purple Majesty seed potatoes, there are a number of online retailers and garden centers that carry them. Some popular sources include Burpee Seeds, Hoss Seeds, and Renee’s Garden. You can also check with local nurseries or your local farmer’s market to see if they have these seed potatoes available.

Purple majesty potatoes

When to plant your seed potatoes

Plant your seed potatoes outdoors a few weeks before the local last frost date. Here are some rule-of-thumb guidelines in terms of planting month by USDA plant hardiness zone:

  • Zone 10+: January
  • Zone 9: early February
  • Zone 8: late February
  • Zone 7: early March
  • Zone 6: late March
  • Zone 5: early April
  • Zone 4: late April
  • Zone 3: early May
  • Zone 2-: late May

If you’d like to be extra safe (and avoid having to cover baby plants if there is a late frost), wait until after the last frost before planting. These potatoes don’t have an overly-long growing season, so you can afford to delay planting by a couple of weeks if you like.

Preparing seed potatoes for planting

Seed potatoes are usually cut up into several pieces prior to planting (unless they are “mini tubers” and are only about 1-2 ounces each). Cut up your seed potatoes into a few pieces each so that each piece has 2-3 “eyes” (sprout holes). Set the cut potatoes out to dry.

You can also “chit” your seed potato pieces before planting. This entails keeping them indoors in a cool dry location for about 3-4 weeks and letting them sprout before planting. Keep them out of direct sunlight and plant the seed potatoes when the sprouts are a couple of inches long.

How to plant Purple Majesty potatoes

Purple Majesty potatoes can be planted in both conventional types of gardens and containers (like grow bags). Whatever you plant them in, choose an area that gets full sun. These potatoes need well-drained soil that is high in organic matter. Purple Majesty potatoes are usually planted 2-4 weeks before the average last spring frost date in the local area.

When planting, space the seed potatoes about 12 inches apart. Place the pieces in the ground so that the top of the tuber is about 3-6 inches below the soil surface. The sprouts should be pointed upwards. Replace about 3″ of soil after planting. Be sure to water well after planting.

Once the stems reach about 6″ above the ground, it’s time to start hilling your potatoes. This means using soil to keep the tubers from being exposed to light. Pile dirt up against the stems, leaving only a few inches of stem and foliage above the soil. Here is a detailed guide all about how to care for potato plants.

Watering requirements for Purple Majesty potatoes

Purple Majesty potatoes need to be watered regularly, especially during the hot summer months. The soil should be kept moist, but not soggy. A good rule of thumb is to water once a week, or when the top 2-3 inches of soil are dry. They will likely require more water in overly hot temperatures and when grown in smaller containers. Drip irrigation or soaker hose watering is preferable to overhead watering with a sprinkler.

Fertilizing Purple Majesty potatoes

When it comes to fertilizing potatoes, it’s best to use a balanced fertilizer that’s not too high in nitrogen. You can apply the fertilizer when you first plant the potatoes, and then again about 2-3 weeks later.

Be sure to follow the instructions on the label, and avoid over-fertilizing purple majesty potatoes, as this can cause the tubers to become too large and misshapen. Some good options for purple majesty potato fertilizer include organic compost or manure, fish emulsion, or a balanced granular fertilizer. Packaged tomato fertilizers can also work very well.

Harvesting Purple Majesty potatoes

Purple majesty potatoes are typically ready to harvest about 3 months after planting when the leaves of the plant begin to turn yellow and die back. To harvest the potatoes, carefully dig around the plant with a shovel or spade, being careful not to damage the tubers.

Once you’ve dug up the potatoes, you can either leave them out in the sun to dry for a few hours before storing them or place them directly into shorter-term storage. Brush off most of the soil when you dig them up, and then brush off the remaining soil once the outsides have dried a bit.

Purple majesty potatoes - recipes

Recipes for purple potatoes

Tere are many delicious recipes that you can try with your purple potatoes! Some simple ideas include roasting them with herbs and olive oil, purple potato salad with green onions and bacon, purple mashed potatoes with garlic and cheese, purple potato soup with leeks and mushrooms, or purple potato fries that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Roasted purple potatoes

Cut up 2 pounds of purple potatoes into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Add the potatoes to the bowl and toss to coat with the seasonings.

Spread the potatoes out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and golden brown. Serve immediately.

Purple potato salad

Boil 2 pounds of purple potatoes until they are fork-tender. Drain and chop the purple potatoes into bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, mix together the purple potatoes, 4 chopped green onions, 1/2 cup of crumbled bacon, 1/4 cup of diced celery, 1/4 cup of diced red onion, 1/4 cup of diced bell pepper, 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

With their vibrant purple color and rich flavor, purple potatoes are a delicious addition to any meal!

Companion plants for potatoes

Purple Majesty potatoes are a great choice for gardeners looking to grow robust plants that thrive in a wide range of conditions. These versatile tubers do well when planted alongside other healthy crops like leafy greens, herbs, and root vegetables. Some good companion plants for purple majesty potatoes include lettuce, peas, parsley, and carrots.

Pests affecting Purple Majesty potatoes

Garden pests can be a major nuisance when growing purple majesty potatoes, causing damage to the plants and reducing yields. Some common pests that affect purple majesty potatoes include Colorado potato beetles, slugs, and aphids. These insects feed on the leaves and tubers of the plant, causing significant damage and compromising the health of the plant.

The best way to prevent pest infestations is to regularly monitor your purple majesty potato plants for signs of damage and take action as needed. Some organic methods for dealing with common purple majesty potato pests include spraying the leaves with a strong stream of water, hand-picking the insects, or applying natural pest repellents like neem oil or diatomaceous earth. Using a row cover can also help to keep the insects off your potato plants.

Diseases affecting Purple Majesty potatoes

While purple majesty potatoes are generally somewhat resistant to disease, there are a few common diseases that can affect plants. These include early blight, late blight, and verticillium wilt. Early blight is characterized by brown or black spots on the leaves of the plant, while late blight causes the leaves to turn yellow and die. Verticillium wilt is a fungal disease that can cause the purple majesty potato plants to wilt and die.

To prevent these diseases from affecting your purple majesty potatoes, it’s important to practice good crop rotation and avoid planting the tubers in areas where other diseased plants have been growing. You should also water the plants regularly, use only high-quality seeds and plant material, and take care to remove any infected leaves or tubers as soon as possible.

Additionally, applying a thick layer of mulch around the plants can help to keep them healthier and more resistant to disease. With proper care and maintenance, you can grow healthy purple majesty potatoes that are free from common diseases.

FAQs about the Purple Majesty variety

What do Purple Majesty potatoes taste like?

Purple Majesty potatoes have a rich and slightly sweet flavor. They also have a hint of nutty earthiness.

What type of potato is Purple Majesty?

The Purple Majesty potato is a modern midseason potato variety with a purple peel and purple flesh.

Are Purple Majesty potatoes early or late?

Purple Majesty potatoes are a mid-season maturity variety that can be harvested in only 85 days. If you need an early-season variety, you can harvest baby “new” potatoes from the plant at about 60 days of maturity.

Is Purple Majesty a sweet potato?

No. While their flavor is slightly sweet, they are not sweet potatoes.

Mary Jane Duford
Mary Jane Duford

Mary Jane Duford is a quintessential Canadian gardener. An engineer by trade, she tends to an ever-expanding collection of plants. In her world, laughter blooms as freely as her flowers, and every plant is raised with a dash of Canadian grit.

Mary Jane is a certified Master Gardener and also holds a Permaculture Design Certificate. She's also a proud mom of three, teaching her little sprouts the crucial difference between a garden friend and foe.

When she's not playing in the dirt, Mary Jane revels in her love for Taylor Swift, Gilmore Girls, ice hockey, and the surprisingly soothing sounds of bluegrass covers of classic hip-hop songs. She invites you to join her garden party, a place where you can share in the joy of growing and where every day is a new opportunity to find the perfect spot for yet another plant.

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