Lady Fingers-old timey fingerling potato
 

My grandmother, who was from Texas originally, used to plant a fingerling potato called "Lady Fingers" and it grew quite well here in Alaska. I looked in the SSE 2005 yearbook but do not find any potato with that name. It had tan skin, golden insides and a mild sweet flavor to it. They were plump finger looking, hence the name. Anyone know of these?
Sue

Earlier this year, I stumbled upon some of these in a store in Humboldt County, they sell mostly local grown, so it is available somewhere apparently. I didn't try them, but, they looked interesting.

Anyone know of these?


Yes, I grew them years ago along with several other fingerling varieties.

Why don't you check Ronninger's online b'c they have the largest coolection of seed potatoes that I know of and I dealt with them for years. I think, but can't be sure that that's where I got Lady FIngers from and I don't know if they still list them.

My spelling of Ronninger's may not be right but it's close enough to get you there via Google.

This is a very nice company.

[url]http://www.woodprairie.com/catalog/index.html[/url]

They sell 3 different heirloom fingerlings but not the one you mention..

[url]http://www.woodprairie.com/catalog/prodlist.html?cat_id=9&topname=Fingerling%20Seed&source=[/url]

"Lady Fingers" is likely not the original name for this clone. This name is not located in the Potato Pedigree Database
[Last updated: database now contains 7078 accessions].
I will email Jane Percy Editor, Potato Gene Resources-
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to see if she knows of a duplicate or primary name for Lady Fingers.

Fingerling potatoes seem to pick up local names no matter where they are grown. The ones we see commonly here in the States are: Russian Banana Fingerling, La Ratte, Rose Fin Apple, Ruby Crescent, Straight Banana, Ozzette, just to name a few.

I grow a few of most of the known fingerlings to use in breeding. Consequently, I have thousands of crosses of fingerling clones in the field ready to dig.


My favorite fingerling that is not by own is KHUCHI AKITA. which grows in a coil like a snake. It is purple skinned, with a slight blue ring in the white flesh.

Tom Wagner

Lady Fingers-old timey fingerling potato
 

Thank you all for your help in tracking down the "Lady Fingers" potato. Rogginins did not list it and I have only found a small blurb on Daves Garden when I google the name. I hope some info turns up Tom as this was a good tasting potato as I remember it.
Sue

I just talked with Jim G. over at woodprairie.com.

I asked him what he knew about the name "Lady Fingers" and he did not know anything about it except that it is likely a name used in the distant past. He carries Russian Banana, Rose Fin Apple, and Swedish Peanut.

I told Jim about the new potato forum, so you may see him on this forum.

Ronnigers is now part of Rocky Farms of Colorado. David wanted to do other things, and I can't blame him.

Tom Wagner

Sue


The Seed Savers' Exchange maintains more than 600 different varieties of potato. You may wish to contact them directly to check on who has the Lady Finger.

[quote]Try 'Lady Finger', an old German heirloom with mouth watering tubers an inch in diameter and 4-6 in (10-15 cm) long;[/quote]

According to Richard Tucker in his Potato Chronology, Lady Finger was being grown in Washington County, New York in 1852. [url]http://tuckertaters.com/potato_chronology.pdf[/url]

Tom Wagner

Sue,
Put an ad in the local newspaper where you grew up. Someone in that area may still grow them.