Purple Peruvian Fingerling
Fingerling Potato in the US

Fingerling potatoes aren't started as plug plants, you'll be planting 'seed potatoes' directly into the ground. Check your USDA zone for the best time to get them in; for example, if you're in zone 3, aim for May, but folks in zone 9 can start as early as January or February. Dig a trench about 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm) deep and space your seed potatoes roughly 12 inches (30 cm) apart in rows 2 to 3 feet (60-90 cm) apart. They really thrive once the soil warms up properly, which is key to a good crop, you know what I mean.

Once your potato plants start to grow, you'll want to 'hill' them up. This means drawing soil up around the stems as they grow, covering them over. Do this a few times throughout the season, like when the plants are about 8 inches (20 cm) tall, then again when they're a foot (30 cm) or so. This encourages more potatoes to form along the stem and protects the new tubers from sunlight, which is important for proper development.