Allotments 4 All

Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: THE DOG on February 14, 2011, 23:02:07

Title: piccasso (MARSHAL I THINK)
Post by: THE DOG on February 14, 2011, 23:02:07
Main crop of spud, i would like to reccomend to all whom havnt tryed it yet.

Cant wait to put mine in, warming the nitrous soil ready ;D

This was the finest Jacket spud i have ever eaten crispy outer with creamy mashy inner.

ENJOY.

D
Title: Re: piccasso (MARSHAL I THINK)
Post by: Jayb on February 15, 2011, 14:31:11
Sounds delish, I'll add it to my try list  :)
Title: Re: piccasso (MARSHAL I THINK)
Post by: Ellen K on February 15, 2011, 14:38:01
I am giving Picasso a go this year too.  

The Vets on my site grow them, they are a descendant of Cara and the Vets grow them too.

Those and Desiree which is supposed to be good in Leicestershire clay.

All are quite widely available round here, Anstey GC (the Mecca of Seed Potatoes) has them as do the market sellers.  But that may be because they sell what the local gardeners want to grow.
Title: Re: piccasso (MARSHAL I THINK)
Post by: Trevor_D on February 15, 2011, 14:39:14
Agree. I've grown it for the past two years and it's very good. I think it's a Cara/King Edward cross. Good yield, good flavour. (It also roasts and mashes well.)
Title: Re: piccasso (MARSHAL I THINK)
Post by: kippers garden on February 15, 2011, 15:16:46
I grow these every year in my Leicestershire clay soil.  For those local to Leicester you can buy them at Hawgrips in Enderby (you pick how many pots you want then pay for the weight you have picked...great for planning your rows)...they are far cheaper than Marshalls.

I harvest mine at the end of July before blight hits and they are a decent size.  I roast them, mash them and boil them and they store really well...funnily enough i am using my last piccasso potatoes tonight roasted.
Title: Re: piccasso (MARSHAL I THINK)
Post by: Poolcue on February 15, 2011, 15:17:23
I got a bag from my allotment shop on Sunday as they were recommended by our site rep.
Title: Re: piccasso (MARSHAL I THINK)
Post by: cornykev on February 15, 2011, 15:44:19
I've already got my Pentland Crown, but I might give them a bash next year.        :P :P :P
Title: Re: piccasso (MARSHAL I THINK)
Post by: THE DOG on February 15, 2011, 16:30:43
Thanks for the replys all ;)

Today i purchased 2 bags of paccasso and one bag of early winstons.

I plan on growing them under thick black plastic (approx 30 ft x 15ft)

I was going to start chitting my earlies now to plant out in march (does this sound right?).

I have my plastic down now to warm the soil a little then i will remove to rake over some well rotted chicken muck over the area, i was then going to put the plastic back and plant.

ANY TIP WELCOME?

THANKS

D
Title: Re: piccasso (MARSHAL I THINK)
Post by: albion on February 15, 2011, 18:06:31
Do slugs like them? Its my main criteria!
Title: Re: piccasso (MARSHAL I THINK)
Post by: THE DOG on February 15, 2011, 18:10:35
There is that, i was planning on usin nemetodes this year, a few have reccomended.

I was going to see if i could get some at the spring malvern show.

Thanks

D
Title: Re: piccasso (MARSHAL I THINK)
Post by: Morris on February 17, 2011, 13:53:46
I've grown these for several years now, they are my favourite (early) maincrop. We have a local family run nursery where they sell a fantastic range of seed potatoes individually, so I get them there. 

They are: heavy yielding, vigorous, healthy, and, in my garden at least, slug resistant - very few holes.  I plant mine in March and lift mid-August; by this time they have made enormous bakers (serving 2 people!). They are also very nice roasted or mashed, mine tend to break up a bit boiled but that may be my growing conditions. They keep well but to be fair I can't grow enough to last much beyond Christmas so I can't really judge storage.

I ate some as new potatoes last year, they were tasty, and I didn't notice any effect on yield.
Title: Re: piccasso (MARSHAL I THINK)
Post by: RobinOfTheHood on February 18, 2011, 16:09:28
What Morris said, I've grown them for the last 3 seasons and have just bought some more for this.
Title: Re: piccasso (MARSHAL I THINK)
Post by: Ellen K on February 18, 2011, 17:12:26
Not a tip exactly just what I will be doing this year:  I watched a neighbour plant his spuds last year and he just poured in loads of that Growmore stuff that Poundland sell in the trenches.  He got an amazing crop of spuds so I have been buying the odd box or two the last few Saturdays to give it a go.

That and watering more.  I did not water them enough last year.