This gardening year has been disappointing in many ways. I got off to a very good start in the Spring and everything was looking lovely. Then the rain started, and it didn't stop, for a long while. I was literally walking barefoot in mud up to my ankles to harvest vegetables for a while. Needless to say, the weeds had a lot of fun and took over completely. I've never seen it so bad. We had to dig some of the potatoes early because they were growing in the wettest corner of the garden plot. I've been digging the last of them recently, and I just now finished. I brought in about 50# today - you can see them in the buckets above. Most of them are quite large. It's wonderful! Whatever the creature is that goes underground and chews on them, didn't get very many. I damaged a few in digging, as you can see above. I am sharing, of course. Altogether we got approximately 300#. That is out of about 150 feet of row. I didn't buy seed potatoes this year. I just planted the little ones I saved from last year and it worked out very well. The variety is Kennebec.
When I came in, just now, I was dripping sweat from my face and I took the picture and sat down here. I am cooling off with my little friend in my lap. She is 13 years old now, and beginning to show her age.
Many crops did poorly, although for the two of us, we had plenty to eat and share, but a lot of work was wasted. However, the potatoes did wonderfully. I guess they like rain!
Next year, I am going to start trying the permanent mulch system. Some call it "Back to Eden" or "The Ruth Stout Method." It will be a learning process, but will at least avoid some of the problems I've had this year.
We mulch, it saves on weeding and saves on water. Water is very expensive in our area. Also the mulch will break down and feed the soil, you can use what you have, shredded leaves, brown paper, newsprint etc. Up front in the flower beds, we do use something a bit prettier....
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear that you do this. It will be something new for me. I've don't mulching before, of course, but never the permanent mulch.
DeleteWhat a pretty cat...what is her name?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the successful potato harvest, despite the rain and mud. We had a nice amount of potatoes too, white and red. My husband also picked up three 50# bags of russets from local growers. Potatoes grow very well around here. We use a lot, almost every day.
My daughter wants to expand the area for potatoes next season...we share the gardens.
Her new is "Kloe Kitty." Kloe is a made up family word. I was wondering what to call her and one of our sons said, call her Kloe! So I did. I just call her Kitty, though, face to face. That's nice that you could get all the good potatoes for the winter. We used to have a root cellar, long ago. I really miss it. Oh! Then you have a garden fairy too!
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