Potato ‘Ruby Lou’ Certified Seed
Botanical Name: Solanum tuberosum
- Pink-skinned potato with creamy white flesh.
- Excellent for boiling, mashing, and salads.
- Certified seed ensures strong, disease-resistant plants.
Potato ‘Ruby Lou’ is a popular Australian variety and locally bred Victorian cultivar, prized for its attractive pink skin, creamy white flesh, and smooth, waxy texture. It holds its shape well when cooked, making it perfect for boiling, mashing, and cold potato salads. The mild flavour and eye-catching colour make it a favourite for home gardens and market growers alike.
‘Ruby Lou’ is an early to mid-season variety that grows best in temperate and cool climates. It prefers well-drained, fertile soils and benefits from consistent moisture and regular hilling to maximise yields and tuber quality. Certified seed stock provides reliability and resistance to common potato diseases.
This indeterminate variety produces tubers along the stem as it grows. For improved yields, cover the lower 70% of stems with soil, straw, or compost to encourage tuber formation and protect developing potatoes from light.
Plant Type: Warm season tuber crop
Hardiness / Life Cycle: Half-hardy annual
Plant Height: 40 – 60 cm
Sow When:
- Temperate: July – November.
- Subtropical: March – September.
- Tropical: April – May.
- Cool: August – December.
- Arid: July – August.
Germination: Sprouts in 10 – 14 days
Depth: 10 – 15 cm deep
Position: Full sun
Sow Where: Directly into garden beds after cutting and curing seed potatoes
Soil Type: Loose, fertile, well-drained soil with pH 5.0 – 6.5
Rows: 60 – 75 cm apart
Spacing: 30 cm between plants
Details: Cut seed potatoes into pieces with 1–2 eyes and allow to cure for 1–2 days before planting. Hill soil around plants as they grow to protect tubers from sunlight and improve yields. Keep soil consistently moist during flowering and tuber development. Avoid overhead watering once plants begin to mature.
Harvest: 80 – 100 days. Harvest when foliage begins to die back. Cure tubers in a dry, shaded area for 5 – 10 days before storing in a cool, dark place.
