Your advice for best red and early variety

Hello Folks,
I am from Canada and new to this forum.
I lived in Manitoba for a while and used to buy Red potatoes of some kind, they were delicious.
Now I am in Northern BC, about 9 hours north of the U.S. border, a very short growing season.
I tried Norland the first time this summer and am pleased with the results.
But, since I have discovered you, I seek your wisdom.
What would be your recommendation for an early Red Potato?
Many thanks for your time and support.

Murat

if you do Facebook, the Kenosha Potato Project (https://www.facebook.com/groups/316831657858) sometimes has a Canadian Seed Train. My suggestion for anyone in extreme climates is to breed your own custom-selected for your conditions.

Welcome Murat ❤️
I live in Scandinavia so we have approximately the same climate. My advice is to plant as many varieties as you possibly find. Potato is supposed to be easy, but summers are different and your own soil and microclimate affect what grows best.
So start with looooots of different cultivars and you will soon see which like your conditions best.

Welcome to Permies Murat!

My wife grew up in Prince George and Terrace, so I've visited northern BC a few times.  The family has all moved away so we haven't been back in the region in a number of years.

If you look at the T&T Seeds 2025 catalog, on the second last page they list potatoes.  They only list 3 early varieties and only Norland of those is red.  Keep in mind that one of the differences in potato season length is that the longer season types store better.  So, if you are looking to grow many for storage and eating through the winter, you will need to have the temperature and humidity for your storage location dialed in for potatoes so they last as long as possible.  T&T is located just outside Winnipeg, so may not be the best source for your location.

A few questions for consideration:

Do you know how long your growing season is for potatoes?  Could a mid-season variety work, giving you more options?

What specifically are you looking for in a potato?  Does the colour actually matter?

Are you looking for an all-purpose potato, or one that shines for a specific style of cooking (i.e. baked, mashed, fried, etc)?

Do you have local garden centres (not big box stores, but actual gardener run shops)?  They are likely to carry what works well in your region.

Is there a local gardening group you could connect with that might get you a local perspective on what works?

In the spring of 2024, my wife and I visited Peru, the home of thousands of potato varieties.  Most of those varieties were developed over a period of time to fit a specific microclimate, so even on one mountainside, the local people grew different varieties depending on elevation.  Not to discourage you, but that is simply to say that, while we grow a fair amount of potatoes, what does well for us and potatoes we like here in southern Manitoba may be very different for what works in your area, so I can't make a specific recommendation, but I hope this has been helpful to you to find an answer.

Edit - While you may have a short growing season, the farther north you are, the longer the days you have and that has an impact on plant growth as well.  I understand there are some massive vegetables grown in Alaska owing to the long days.

Thank you again to all of you who responded, welcomed me and offered your wisdom.  I will try to answer Derek's questions.
Growing season I think is late May through September.  Yes, I am in Prince George, Bc.
I am looking for the Red I tasted while in Manitoba, sold commercially in grocery stores.  That's why I am pursuing the Red kind.  Norland again was satisfactory, and I heard from a farmer here recommending Red Pontiac.  Chieftain also seems interesting to me.
I am looking for one good for baking and making potato salads.  Not frying, not mashed.
There are several nurseries that bring different Red varieties.  I can pick and try each one of course, but I tried here, perhaps you may have a variety that appeals to you.
I will look for a local gardening group and see what they offer.

Thank you again for your kindness and the time you took and greeted and responded to me.
May your efforts bear fruits to your taste.

Murat Kuntel wrote:Thank you again to all of you who responded, welcomed me and offered your wisdom.  I will try to answer Derek's questions.
Growing season I think is late May through September.  Yes, I am in Prince George, Bc.
I am looking for the Red I tasted while in Manitoba, sold commercially in grocery stores.  That's why I am pursuing the Red kind.  Norland again was satisfactory, and I heard from a farmer here recommending Red Pontiac.  Chieftain also seems interesting to me.
I am looking for one good for baking and making potato salads.  Not frying, not mashed.
There are several nurseries that bring different Red varieties.  I can pick and try each one of course, but I tried here, perhaps you may have a variety that appeals to you.
I will look for a local gardening group and see what they offer.

Thank you again for your kindness and the time you took and greeted and responded to me.
May your efforts bear fruits to your taste.

T&T Seeds just outside Winnipeg used to carry Pontiac and they do mail order, shipping across Canada, so hopefully you can get them.  

Southern Potato is a potato grower based near Winkler, MB.  All commercially grown potatoes sold in stores have to go through Peak of the Market.  I took a quick look at their site and they don't seem to list varieties, but they may be a starting point for confirming the variety or varieties that are typically sold.  If the potatoes you bought were grown elsewhere, then I really don't know where you'd want to turn to determine the variety.

Thank you, Derek,

This was very helpful.  I studied using links you provided and decided to give a try to Viking or Purple Viking or both next year
Simple things like this can make life exciting.
Many thanks for your thoughtful suggestions.