Tired & Crabby

Today I spent most of the day re-potting and moving things around. I am tired. It's a lot of work, but will be worth the while when harvest comes. 

I am trying something that probably won't work, nevertheless we will see. I cut up one Yukon Gold potato & one 2 Russet potatoes from my refrigerator and planted them in some soil.  Thought I would try that until my potato tubers get here from Burpee. Of course I will let you know how they do. I used the old 5 gallon white buckets that a friend gave me of her pool chemicals. Of course I washed them out thoroughly.  I knew they would come in handy. 

I will take a few pictures of the rearrangement in the next few days. I am tried and crabby tonight, so I will write more another day.

Keep on Gardening!

It Won't Be Long Now

Just look at those mouth-watering strawberries!

Oh, I can't wait to sink my teeth into these!

Broccoli repotted

specimens of Azalea & Hosta

Saving Leftover Seeds for Next Year

For more information visit Underwood Gardens they have an entire site of valuable information for the back yard gardener.

If you are saving seeds from a seed packet where you didn’t use all of the seeds, keep the packet and put it into a Ziploc baggie. Date the baggie and put it into a gallon sized Ziploc that has the date on it as well. If you don’t date everything, you will wonder how long the seed has been in storage… If you are saving seeds from harvest, put all of the info on the baggie- common name, scientific name, date, and any notes you want to remember next year when you pull it out.  Seeds can safely be stored for 3+ years.


When time comes for planting next spring, take out the packets you will use, take out the seeds you will plant if there are a lot left, and put the bag back into the Ziploc and into the freezer. Let the seed to be planted come to room temperature before putting into the soil. Most varieties will keep for 3+ years with no loss of germination. There are exceptions, of course. Onion seeds are good for 1 year, no more, no matter the method of keeping. Garlic only grows from the bulb or clove, freezing kills it. There are some other varieties that have a short life in storage, but don’t get too caught up in that. If you plant each year, you will be fine.

Potatoes Selected for My Garden

for more information about potatoes visit burpee.com

Potato, Purple Majesty

Deep purple color and sweet, buttery flavor.  Pick a peck of perfectly purple potatoes. These ever-so-delicious potatoes are purple through and through—with wine-dark skins and succulent purple flesh. The violet-toned, sweet, buttery spuds add pizzazz to potato salads and mixed vegetable dishes. Surprise your next sirloin with a helping of succulent purple steak fries. Formidable!

Sun: Full Sun 

Days to Maturity: 85  days

Height: 18-24  inches

Spread: 12-15  inches

Potato, Rio Grande Russet

Outstanding choice for salads, slicing, and chipping.To your health. High-yielding, nutrition-rich potato loaded with antioxidants. Extra-moist flesh makes this the go-to potato for salads, slicing and chipping. Sized 4-5" long x 2-3" in diameter, Rio Grande has rust-brown skin and white flesh. Well-adapted across the country. Stores well.

Sun: Full Sun 

Sowing Method: Direct Sow 

Days to Maturity: 59-65  days

Height: 38  inches

Spread: 34  inches

Time to Fertilize

Today I will be fertilizing the plants.

Update on Growth

Beans & Cucumbers ready to climb the bean tower

2nd Bean Tower with Beans ready to climb

Onions & Other Vegetables

Look at the Strawberries ripening up!!!

More Strawberries turning from green to red!!

Tomato row

Tomatoes covered with pine needles to keep moist

Carrots, Cucumbers, Beets, Zucchini, Summer Squash & More

It Might Be A Little Late To Think About Potatoes

I think I will try a few tubers to see what happens. I found some at Burpee that have a shorter growing season of only 65 days.

All About Potatoes

CAN I GROW POTATOES?

Potatoes are thickened underground stems called tubers. For good tuber development, potatoes require deep, loose, well-drained soil that is free from stones. They need full sun. Plant tuber directly in the garden after danger of heavy frost. Plant them with the eyes up, 2 to 3 inches deep and 10 to 12 inches apart in rows spaced 2 feet apart. The tops of developing tubers should not be exposed to sunlight, or they will turn green. When the plants are about 5 to 6 inches tall, begin to heap soil around the base of the stems, or surround the plants with a thick layer of mulch. Potatoes need regular watering throughout the season.




HARVEST TIPS

For "new" potatoes harvest about 10 weeks after planting. When potato blossoms appear, it is a sign that the first new potatoes are ready for harvest, simply feel around in the soil with your fingers for the small tubers. Try not to damage the roots of the plants or you may reduce the main harvest.

Harvest mature potatoes after the tops die back and before the first frost. Dig carefully to avoid damaging the tubers. After harvesting store them in a dark, dry place for a week at 65-70 degrees F. Then store them at 35-40 degrees at fairly high humidity.