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| Potato Harvest! |
"One potato, two potato, three potato, four,
Five potato, six potato, seven potato, more!"
Today, M and I harvested some of the potatoes I had planted! I had planted three regular russet potatoes that had started to sprout (even though they are supposed to have been treated to resist sprouting) in some two gallon pots that I had, one potato per pot. It was an experiment since potatoes I've planted in the ground have never done well for me. As such, I just used some soil I dug up from the garden and didn't even bother to amend the soil in any way. The plants came up quite nicely, but, they didn't flower. They have now started to wither in our nearly 100F heat. I asked M to tip out one of the pots - the one with the most withered plant - to see what we might find and this is what we found! Small potatoes ranging in size from about two inches for the bigger ones to about quarter inch for the smallest! Not a remarkable harvest by any means, but I was thrilled! M was happy, too (he had his reservations about planting them in pots rather than in the ground). We kept the other two pots to harvest them another day because those potato plants still have some green leaves on them.
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| Today's Vegetable Harvest |
The rest of today's harvest consisted of six ripe Early Girl tomatoes and two Roma tomatoes, one green Early Girl tomato (broke off when we were picking the ripe ones), and three zucchini! That makes it 102 (what I've counted/kept track of) or 122 (including what I guestimated for those that I didn't count/keep track of) zucchini since June! We've probably given away half of it, but, even so, we are getting a little tired of zucchini in all its forms! I think we might start pulling up a few of the zucchini plants in the next week or so. Many of the plants are now getting powdery mildew on them and it's best not to let it spread to the roses, etc.
In the afternoon, daughter and I went to pick up two more boxes of canning jars (24 jars, total), two bags of Dancer's dry cat food (formulated for indoor cats), and two containers of all purpose cleaning liquid, which I usually use for mopping the floors. We had ordered them, yesterday, and the pick up was curbside and contactless. It was 97F when we went to collect the items and maybe it was even hotter in the trunk where the canning jars were placed for the drive home, because at least two of the canning jars sealed themselves after we brought them into the house and placed them on the table! It was only about 85F inside the house, but, both daughter and I heard two jars making that pinging sound they make when they seal! We were both surprised! It was the first time I've had that happen!
In the evening, daughter persuaded me to join her in doing another painting! She finished her painting, but, I stopped mine, halfway, in order to prepare dinner:
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| Tonight's Dinner |
Salmon fillet with onions and tomatoes, sauteed green beans (from the garden) and the last of the carrots we grew, and the new potatoes, boiled and fried in a little butter with garlic and a sprig of flat leaf parsley, also from the garden! Notice the absence of zucchini! LOL.
By the way, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health website, today's (July 21) new Covid cases count was 2,551. On Tuesday, it had been 1,821. I think we will continue to stay at home and only do curbside pick ups as needed for the rest of the week, at least!
Today, I am grateful for:
- The potato harvest!
- The rest of the garden produce (yes, even the zucchini!)
- M tending to the garden
- Being able to order stuff online and curbside pick up
- Electric fans
Today's joyful activities included harvesting the potatoes and painting with my daughter.
Plans for tomorrow include finishing up my painting.
How was your day? Have you planted potatoes before? If so, have you had a good harvest? What are your plans for tomorrow?
Well, that is hot if your canning jars are sealing! I planted potatoes in bags this year. They are not ready to harvest yet. One set is blooming, but not the other. We shall see what we get. The only other time I planted them, the crop was meager the first year, but pretty good the next year with the volunteers that came up from potatoes we had missing when harvesting.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing the paintings.
What surprised me about the jars sealing is that I didn't think it was all that hot! But, I guess the air inside those jars got heated enough to seal them? I hope your potatoes do well and you get a good harvest. :)
DeleteDon't you love cooking with things from the garden. To me it is a lot more adventurous than using grocery store purchases. Maybe I should let the pool salt free and stock it with fish?
ReplyDeleteGreat output from 1 sprouted potato. I am afraid when I attempt to harvest all this rain will have made them nothing but mush.
I love cooking with things I've grown! Of course, for me, it costs more to grow them, in terms of water, fertilizer, and paying M to tend to them, than to buy from the store, but, there is such a joy in being able to say, "I grew that in my garden!"
DeleteYou could stock your pool with fish and then, have some plants growing in and around the pool so that they get watered, as well, and the fish droppings become fertilizer for them. Maybe build a small hatch for the rabbits, get a couple of chickens, and you'll be well on your way to having an urban farm! I've been wanting to have chickens for a long time (my neighbor used to have them, until raccoons raided her garden one night!), but, I don't think I can do all the work involved and I'm pretty sure M wouldn't want to, either!
That's quite a nice harvest, I would be thrilled too! Your dinner looks delicious. Cases here are going up rapidly too, I'm also staying home as much as possible. Have a great day Bless. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Martha. I read that Florida is one of the states with the highest number of new cases! Stay safe! Hope you have a good day, too.
DeleteYou are doing so well with all your home grown veggies. I'm not surprised that you're a bit fed up with courgettes!
ReplyDeleteWill we get to see your painting, please?
Thank you, Eileen. I am ready to turn over more of the garden to growing fruits and vegetables, but, next year, I must plan a little better! More green beans and fewer zucchini, for example! LOL! Yes, I'll post a picture of my painting when I finish it. :)
DeleteYour tomatoes look lovely. I hope ours will do well and that I can get to them before the chipmunks take a bite. Right now they are still small and green but improving every day. I thought that when they start ripening I might use some of the dog next door's hair around the base of the plants to see if that will deter the critters! (I give him a brush sometimes which he loves).
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bushlady. I hope your tomatoes will do well. I've never heard of using the dog's fur to deter critters, but, worth giving it a try! Oh, my, treats and brushings - no wonder the neighbor's dog loves to hang out at your place! :D
DeleteYou have a good harvest! I've read about growing potatoes in buckets and even plastic trash bags! You've inspired me to try a bucket next year. Covid is on the rise here also, I think everywhere. The library emailed me this morning they located the book I wanted, fortunately I hadn't bought it yet. I got it as fast as I could, just in and out with mask on and avoiding people! I look forward to seeing your painting! Celie
ReplyDeleteThank you, Celie. I guess the idea behind growing potatoes, etc., in buckets is the ease of harvesting - you just pull everything out of the bucket and it is all contained. Glad the library found your book before you bought one and you were able to run in and get it. :)
DeleteA very impressive harvest! All from one potato that was going to waste - brilliant! Your dinner looks lovely.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lady Ella. The potatoes were very small, but, there was enough for our dinner. I've two more planters with potatoes growing in them - I'll harvest them in another week or so. :)
DeleteThose potatoes look very nice. Once I planted a couple of store bought potatoes in a pot, and got about 10 tiny ones. :)
ReplyDeleteCOVID cases are increasing here as well. The nearest hospital currently has 40 COVID patients, more than double from 2 weeks ago.
Stay safe, Bless.
Thank you, Nil. The smaller ones reminded me of the "innala" we used to have in Sri Lanka. I used to love them when I was a child!
DeleteI heard that there are a lot of new Covid cases in Florida. Hope you stay safe, too, Nil. Do you have the option of continuing to teach online in the Fall?
What a great potato harvest, Bless. Especially from sprouted potatoes not from specially purchased potato starts (or whatever they are called)
DeleteAnd your tomato harvest is good too. There's nothing like a home grown summer tomato.
Your back garden is producing a nice amount of food this year.
Of course, what can we say about those zucchini??? They have been the star of the garden for sure.
Thank you, Debra. I am very pleased with my potato harvest! I still don't think I'll buy seed potatoes (I think that's what they are called) to grow next year, but, I already have a couple more grocery store potatoes that have sprouted (we just couldn't finish the bag of potatoes we bought before they started sprouting); I plan to plant them up, too, and see what happens! But, this time, I think I will plant them in some amended soil and give them a little extra attention! :D
DeleteThe garden is coming up nicely, this year. Now, if only the okra plants do something, it will be great! But, 2021 will always be known as the Year of the Zucchini! :D
The tomatoes look great. Mine are a little while off ripening yet. And I do wish I had planted some potatoes - perhaps next year.
ReplyDeleteDinner looks delicious! X
Thank you, Jules. The potatoes were an experiment, but, I will definitely plant some next year, too. :)
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