Choosing the right seedlings

Before starting to grow potatoes, make sure you choose the right kind of seedling! At the beginning of the year, go to a garden center or order them online.

Queen of kitchens and vegetable gardens: the potato Choosing the right varieties Choosing the right seedlings Planting and growing

Professionals at your service

All the potato seedlings available to gardeners are certified: they have been produced in compliance with strict specifications to ensure high-quality seedlings and prevent gardeners from introducing harmful diseases into their gardens.

After harvesting, the seedlings are reconditioned by specialized companies (repackers), under the supervision of the Official Quality and Control Department (SOCFrance).

After packing, the seedlings are stored in a refrigerator, where temperature, humidity, ventilation and lighting are carefully controlled.

All potato seedling packs sold to gardeners carry an official blue certification label specifying the type of potato seedling included in the pack.

The different types of seedlings

Sprouted seedlings

Sprouted and sprouted-erect seedlings are sold in trays and require no preparation before planting. With short, stubby, solid, well-colored sprouts, you’ll get off to a fast start, with very good, even and consistent growth. Among these, sprouted-erect seedlings, with their longer sprouts and carefully cared for by professionals, provide the best possible quality.

Non-sprouted seedlings

Non-sprouted seedlings are sold in bags of 1.5 kg to 25 kg. Easy to handle and store, they are recommended for early purchases, even in late winter (several weeks before planting). They will come out of their dormant state during storage and will be ready for planting.

Preparing seedlings before planting

For best germination quality, the ideal length of sprouts at planting is around 1 cm. Once the seeds have been purchased in a bag, simply lay the tubers out in a cold, bright and dry environment. Sprouted seedlings should be planted in warmed soil, to avoid blocking sprouting later on.

Tip: To avoid damaging the sprouts during germination, take the seedlings out of their bags (or remove the lids from the racks) and store them flat, buds facing upwards.

Use egg boxes!