Bintje potato: how to recognize and grow it 🍟

Q: Is Bintje good for mashed potatoes?

Yes, Bintje is excellent for mashing. Its floury, starch-rich flesh produces a supple, light and creamy texture. What's more, it crushes easily and absorbs butter and milk well.

Q: How long can Bintje potatoes be stored?

Bintje potatoes can be stored for up to 6 months. Store in a cool, dry, dark, well-ventilated place. Avoid the refrigerator, which spoils the taste, and watch for sprouts to ensure that it is consumed in the best possible conditions.

Q: What should I use to plant potatoes?

Potatoes benefit from association with garlic, onions, beans, peas, cabbage and corn.Avoid proximity to tomatoes and eggplants. They belong to the same family. They consume the same nutrients and suffer from the same diseases.Don't forget to rotate your crops. After your harvest, wait four years before planting potatoes again in the same spot.

Did you know that in 2012, the Bintje was named “Kartoffel des Jahres” (Potato of the Year) in Germany? Developed in the Netherlands in the early 20th century, this variety of Solanum tuberosum owes its success to its consistency, size, productivity, and versatility in the kitchen.

How can you recognize a Bintje potato?

The Bintje potato is a perennial plant grown as an annual. With its upright growth habit, it grows up to 80 cm tall and spreads 30 cm wide.

The stems are purple or violet at the base. The leaves, which range from medium to dark green, consist of broad, oval leaflets. The Bintje is considered a semi-deciduous Potato: it has very dense foliage, and its leaves can cover the ground when mature.

The flowers are star-shaped. They are white, with a pale yellow calyx. The plant can produce fruit— small, round, yellow or light green berries.

The tubers are:

Rounded to elongated;
Very uniform;
With smooth, light yellow skin and shallow eyes.

The tubers are medium to large in size. They weigh between 100 and 250 g and measure between 8 and 12 cm in length.

Is the Bintje toxic?

The above-ground parts (leaves, stems, flowers, and fruit) contain solanine and are not edible.

The tubers are safe to eat, unless they are green, which indicates exposure to light and a high concentration of solanine.

Our care tips

The winter before planting, work the soil to a depth of 20 cm to loosen it. Add a potassium-rich fertilizer to enrich it.

Watering

Water without wetting the foliage, either at the base of your Bintje potato, or between the rows.

Adapt the amount of water to the development of the plant. Your watering should be more copious during the flowering period, without soaking the soil. Reduce the volume when the foliage starts to turn yellow.

Planting

Once the last spring frosts have passed, you can plant.

Work the soil to a depth of 20 centimetres. Add a potassium-rich fertilizer.

Dig furrows 8 to 10 centimetres deep. If you're planting several rows, space them at least 50 centimetres apart.

Plant your tubers, sprout side up. Leave 30 centimetres between plants. Cover with soil and form a mound about 15 cm high to prevent the tuber from catching the light.

Hilling

Plug your plants regularly to encourage production.

Weed around the base of your Solanum tuberosum 'Bintje'. After that, it will be too late: ridging will bury weeds under the soil.

Scrape the soil between the rows to loosen it. Using your hoe or ridger, pull the soil from each side of the row towards the stem. Form a mound about 15 to 20 cm high. Only the top 5 to 10 cm of foliage should remain visible.

Frequently asked questions

Is Bintje good for mashed potatoes?

Yes, Bintje is excellent for mashing. Its floury, starch-rich flesh produces a supple, light and creamy texture. What's more, it crushes easily and absorbs butter and milk well.

How long can Bintje potatoes be stored?

Bintje potatoes can be stored for up to 6 months. Store in a cool, dry, dark, well-ventilated place. Avoid the refrigerator, which spoils the taste, and watch for sprouts to ensure that it is consumed in the best possible conditions.