Seed Potato 'Picasso'

Where to Plant

Choose a sunny position with fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. Potatoes grow particularly well in a good garden loam. Before planting, remove weeds and incorporate well-rotted garden compost or manure to improve the soil structure.

Chitting Your Seed Potatoes

Chitting encourages short, sturdy shoots before planting. Place your seed potatoes in a single layer in an egg box or shallow tray, with the end showing the most eyes facing upwards. Keep them somewhere cool, bright and frost-free for around 4–6 weeks before planting. Chitting is useful but not essential for maincrop potatoes.

When and How to Plant

Plant outdoors from March to May, depending on your local conditions, once the soil is workable and no longer excessively cold or wet. Dig a trench around 10–15cm deep and place the tubers with their shoots facing upwards. Space them approximately 35cm apart, leaving around 75cm between rows. Cover with soil.

Earthing Up

As the shoots grow, gradually draw soil up around the stems, leaving the upper foliage exposed. Repeat as necessary to keep developing potatoes covered and protect young growth from late frosts. Tubers exposed to light can turn green and should not be eaten.

Watering and Feeding

Water thoroughly during prolonged dry spells, particularly when tubers are forming and swelling. Although 'Picasso' has good drought tolerance, regular moisture helps support healthy growth. Avoid waterlogging and use a suitable potato fertiliser according to the manufacturer's instructions where needed.

Can You Grow 'Picasso' in a Potato Bag?

Yes, although 'Picasso' is a maincrop variety that produces large tubers and benefits from plenty of growing space. It can be grown in large potato bags or deep containers, but growing in the ground is generally preferable if you have room.

Choosing a Container

Choose a sturdy potato growing bag or container holding at least 40–50 litres, with drainage holes at the bottom. Plant one or two seed potatoes, depending on the container's size, and avoid overcrowding.

Planting in a Bag

Fill the bottom of the container with approximately 15–20cm of good-quality compost. Place the seed potatoes on top with their shoots facing upwards, then cover with around 10–15cm of compost. Water well and gradually add more compost as the plants grow, leaving the upper foliage exposed.

Watering and Feeding

Check the compost regularly, particularly during warm weather, as containers dry out more quickly than garden soil. Water thoroughly when needed without allowing the compost to become waterlogged. Feed with a suitable potato fertiliser following the manufacturer's instructions.

Harvesting Container-Grown Potatoes

Allow the plants to reach maturity before harvesting. Once the foliage has yellowed and died back, check that the tubers have developed firm skins. Carefully empty the container and collect your crop, setting aside any damaged potatoes for earlier use.

When to Harvest

'Picasso' is a maincrop potato, generally harvested from late summer into autumn, depending on planting date and growing conditions. For potatoes intended for storage, allow the plants to mature and the foliage to die back before lifting. Check that the skins are firm and do not rub off easily.

How to Harvest

Choose a dry day where possible. Use a garden fork to carefully lift the tubers, working away from the stems to avoid damaging the potatoes. Handle them gently to prevent bruising, and separate any damaged potatoes for earlier use.

Preparing Potatoes for Storage

Allow healthy potatoes to dry and cure in a dark, sheltered, well-ventilated place before storing. Avoid direct sunlight, which can cause greening. Brush away loose soil once dry, but don't wash potatoes intended for long-term storage.

Storing Your Harvest

'Picasso' has good keeping qualities and is suitable for winter storage. Store sound, undamaged tubers somewhere cool, dark, frost-free and well ventilated, in paper sacks or suitable storage trays. Check regularly and remove any potatoes showing signs of decay or sprouting.

Disease Resistance

'Picasso' has useful resistance to common scab and golden potato cyst nematode (Ro1). However, resistance varies between pests and diseases, and it is not immune to potato blight or all types of potato cyst nematode. Good soil management and crop rotation are still important.

Potato Blight

Potato blight is more likely to develop during warm, humid weather. Look out for dark patches on leaves and stems, and follow current RHS advice if symptoms appear. Avoid storing tubers that show signs of blight or rotting.

Common Scab

Although 'Picasso' has good resistance to common scab, keeping the soil evenly moist as the tubers begin to develop can help reduce the risk. Avoid adding fresh manure immediately before planting, and maintain good soil conditions.

Slugs and Other Pests

Check plants regularly for damage from slugs and other pests. Wireworms can also damage developing tubers, particularly in ground recently converted from grass. Remove volunteer potatoes and any damaged tubers after harvesting to help keep the plot healthy.

Crop Rotation

Avoid growing potatoes in the same position year after year. Rotate them with unrelated crops and avoid following other members of the potato family, such as tomatoes. This helps reduce the build-up of soil-borne pests and diseases.

What Is a Maincrop Potato?

Maincrop potatoes take longer to mature than first and second earlies, but generally produce larger tubers and are particularly useful for autumn harvesting and winter storage. 'Picasso' is a maincrop variety with good keeping qualities.

Why Choose 'Picasso'?

Choose 'Picasso' for its generous crops of large, oval potatoes with distinctive pink-red eyes and fine-flavoured flesh. It's a useful all-rounder for baking, boiling and mashing, with good drought tolerance, useful disease resistance and excellent storage potential.

How Are Seed Potatoes Supplied?

Supplied as seed potato tubers, ready for chitting and planting at the appropriate time of year. Tubers naturally vary in size, so the number supplied per kilogram may differ.

What to Do When They Arrive

Unpack your seed potatoes promptly and check their condition. Keep them somewhere cool, bright, dry and frost-free until planting. If you have time before planting, arrange them in a single layer to encourage short, sturdy shoots.