If you are looking for a colorful change in the kitchen, the 'Blue Swede' potato variety is the right choice. We'll tell you here why you should swap the normal potatoes for their blue variety more often.

The ‘Blue Swede’ potato variety is a real eye-catcher both inside and out

Colorful varieties like the 'Blue Swede' often don't find their way onto the supermarket shelves. The purple bowl and the blue grain inside make for a real eye-catcher on every table. In terms of taste, the blue potato can easily keep up with its yellow relatives, which is probably one of the reasons why it was voted Potato of the Year in 2006.

‘Blue Swede’ potato: characteristics and origin

The 'Blue Swede' potato, also known as 'Blue Congo' or 'Idaho Blue', is an old variety whose origins experts disagree. However, the origin of the blue potato is believed to be in South America. The strong blue color depends on the content of the so-called anthocyanins. These are natural coloring agents that are also found in other red or blue fruits and vegetables. They are also said to have a positive effect on human he alth as they ward off harmful metabolic products.

Potatoes come in a wide range of colours, including blue potatoes

Note: There are several other blue or purple potato varieties. Find out more in our special article on purple potatoes.

Growing Blue Swedish Potatoes

The blue potato variety can be planted in normal beds, raised beds or in flower pots. Here you will find general tips on how to plant your potatoes or how to grow potatoes in flower pots. The 'Blue Swede' is placed in the ground from the end of April to the end of May. The planting distance should be 30 to 35 centimeters in the row and 50 to 70 centimeters between the rows.

For the cultivation of potatoes one uses so-called seed potatoes and no seeds. There are numerous suppliers of 'Blue Swede' seed potatoes, including organic ones, so you have a wide choiceis available. A nutrient-rich and potassium-rich soil like our Plantura organic tomato & vegetable soil is a good start when planting potatoes. Due to the suitability of the soil for both the pot and the bed, it is up to you exactly where you want to plant your 'Blue Swedes'. The blue potatoes germinate at a soil temperature of 7 to 8 °C and can be planted from April. However, it is also possible to let them germinate in a warm place from March onwards and only then plant them in the ground. This enables an earlier harvest of the 'Blue Swede'. It should be noted, however, that the sensitive germs do not break off when they are planted in the ground.

Care

Of course, the ‘Blue Swede’ potato has to be piled up and checked for pests. You can read more about the correct way to grow potatoes in our dedicated special article.

If you want to boost the yields of your blue potato, you can add fertilizer in June. For example, you can use a primarily organic fertilizer such as our Plantura organic tomato fertilizer. This is suitable for a wide variety of vegetables with a high potassium requirement, especially if the soil is rather sandy and no potting soil was used to improve it.

The 'Blue Swede' is easily susceptible to potato scab - a potato disease caused by the bacterium Streptomyces scabies. This needs oxygen to survive and here the resourceful gardener can use a trick that also includes the right watering:
To prevent potato scab, it is advantageous to wash the potatoes, especially from the beginning of the tuber, i.e. before flowers appear water regularly in small doses. The scab-causing bacteria are oxygen-loving and the water can fill the air pockets in the soil - the bacterium's development is inhibited.
You should also chop only a little so as not to bring more air into the soil.

In addition, late-ripening varieties such as 'Blaues Schweden' often suffer from late blight, triggered by the egg fungus Phytophthora infestans. However, by pre-germinating and thus an earlier harvest, you can counteract the fungal infestation, since the late blight only affects the plants more towards the end of the season. A varied crop rotation is also important. This means you shouldn't plant 'Blue Swede' potatoes or any other nightshade family vegetable - such as potatoes, tomatoes, physalis or aubergines - in the same bed every year.

Harvesting and use ofBlue Swedish Potatoes

The harvest time of the 'Blue Swede' potato is usually around August and the blue potato is therefore one of the mid-early varieties at harvest. After 130 to 150 days, the tubers have reached their harvest size. This can also be recognized by the slightly wilting foliage of the plant. Among the blue potato varieties, the 'Blue Swede' potato has the highest average yield.

The bright color is also visible under the shell

The floury to mostly waxy blue potato can be used as a salad, boiled or boiled potato. The 'Blue Swede' can also convince with its strong taste from the oven as fries or gratin. The strong blue color may fade slightly during preparation, but remains characteristically blue.

If you want to know more about different types of potatoes, take a look at our overview of the 50 best types of potatoes.

Category:

Vegetables