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| One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato, Four! |
You might have heard the expression, "It's small potatoes" to mean something small and insignificant?
Well, these are rather small potatoes in size, but, they are not small potatoes in terms of insignificance to me since I grew them! There were thirteen potatoes in all in the second planter (I had planted two potatoes in it), but, I gave M the two largest ones and we replanted the smallest one to see if it will actually do anything! I'm thrilled to bits to have grown them! Maybe next year, I might actually dig up an area in the garden and actually try growing them in earnest, rather than sticking a sprouting potato in a container and seeing what happens! There were some tomatoes, too, that were ready for picking.
It was another warm day. I don't quite know how high the temperature was, outside, but, inside the house, we reached 90F.
I did a little tidying and dusting in my bedroom, this morning, and I pushed the bed to a side; then, when M arrived to tend to the garden, I asked him to bring in the window air conditioning unit from the garage and set it up for me. I probably won't turn it on, yet, but, I have the option of doing so, if I do find it too uncomfortable without some cooling. After he set up the a/c unit, M also cleaned the blades on the ceiling fan in the bedroom. I served him some blueberry muffins to thank him and he enjoyed them. Afterwards, he watered the garden for me.
Later, I vacuumed the bedroom, pushed the bed back into place, changed the bed sheets, and did a load of laundry (the mattress cover and the old sheets).
I also cleaned the bottom of the fridge, under the bins, because something had spilled.
In between, I watched the World Cup Soccer match between the USA and the Netherlands.
Brunch had been a scrambled egg and the rest of the fried baked potato slices re-fried! I cut up a small tomato and added that, too, to the potatoes, and it turned out really well. During the rest of the day, I snacked on grapes, yogurt, and roasted cashews. I haven't had dinner, yet; I'm debating between having leftover rice and chicken curry or some of my bread with tuna salad. I think the tuna salad is winning! LOL.
Today, I am grateful for:
- M's help with setting up the a/c and cleaning the fan, as well as his help with the garden
- More potatoes and tomatoes!
- Ceiling fans and electricity to run them
- Working appliances such as my new vacuum cleaner and the washing machine
- I knew better than to click on a link when I opened a message containing virus threat!
Today's joyful activity was harvesting potatoes! LOL! It sounds grand when I put it that way, doesn't it? Like I harvested bushels and bushels of potatoes, instead of just over a dozen! LOL. But, it was fun!
Plans for tomorrow include ordering some groceries. I need milk and regular sandwich bread, plus some salad ingredients, and some stock up items.
How was your Wednesday? What are your plans for Thursday?
It was nice to see your potatoes. I planted none this year since the groundhog is still living in my back yard, but he did enjoy digging them up last year.
ReplyDeleteI will never take a/c and electricity for granted!
Thank you, Anne. You will have to find a groundhog proof way to plant your potatoes - a big planter with some wire mesh on the top, perhaps?
DeleteYes, electricity is pretty much a necessity these days, isn't it?
I can see why you are pleased with your crop of potatoes, I'm going to try that as I have a tub and some compost and some sprouting potatoes :) How long did it take to grow those potatoes?
ReplyDeleteWow that is hot in your house and glad you have an air con unit in case you need it.
I will be watching the England match tomorrow morning, this morning husband has to go for his diabetes review.
I think I planted the potatoes very late in April or very early in May. I don't think I made a note of it, but, I could see the containers in the background in one of the photos I had taken in early May. So, about three months for the potatoes to grow. I harvested them when the tops died down. They might have grown more if it hadn't been so hot.
DeleteYes, it gets hot inside the house. At a certain point, it gets too hot for even me and the fans don't really help. On days like that, I will be able to go into the bedroom and turn the a/c on. :) I hope your husband's diabetes review goes well.
I've just harvested some of my potatoes - and I too am ridiculously excited about them! Our spuds may be small but they are beautiful (are potatoes nicknamed 'spuds' in the USA?) My tomatoes are tiny and still green. It was dry and hot yesterday, and I did a lot of work outside - but it has rained all night. I'm glad I got so many garden tasks completed. I like to serve the new potatoes boiled, with a sprig of mint in the pan, and serve with a pat of butter. But I always cook 2 or 3 extras. I cool these and keep in the fridge, to make a quick potato salad, or slice and saute to accompany another me. Granddaughter Jess loves all potatoes, especially my mashed ones, and her Mum's Roasties. Long Live Home Grown Potatoes.
ReplyDeleteIt's fun to harvest what we've grown, isn't it? I'm not sure if they call potatoes spuds here, but, sometimes, they are called "taters". I tend to say potatoes...
DeleteI've a lot of tiny green tomatoes on the vines and I am not sure if they will all ripen before the plants die!
Tell Jess that I, too, like mashed potatoes! :D Yum! Potato salad sounds good, too. :)
In my experience in the US, "spuds" is used for potatoes, too.
DeleteThank you, June! I was hoping someone would help me with this question! This country is so large with so many regional variations and I am not a native! When I was in Wisconsin, someone mentioned a "bubbler" and I had no idea what they were talking about, but, it turned out to be one of those water fountains one drinks from, located in hallways of buildings, etc. :D
DeleteFD here!! Your crop of potatoes looks good to me. I harvested 3 cherry tomatoes and was inordinately proud!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, FD. Yay! Cherry tomatoes! Enjoy your harvest! :)
DeleteLots of bountiful produce from your garden. You have encouraged me to try potato growing. In our region potato growing in tubs specially designed are the method most home gardeners use. The tub is fairly tall (3-4 feet) with a side door to easily dig out & harvest the potato crop. Yes having the option to cool your bedroom for a restful sleep is a must during the hot humid nights.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary-Lou. Oh, good! Maybe you'll grow some potatoes, next year! Those specially designed tubs sound good! I've seen grow bags with flaps for easy access to the potatoes. But, you know me, if I can use something I have without spending money to buy especially designed products, that's what I will do. Just call me cheap! :D
DeleteOf course, now that I have the a/c set up, it probably won't get cold enough for me to put it on, but, I have the option to cool the room if I want to! :)
Not cheap, frugal & wise about your money. I'm all for re-purposing things about the house. IMO, the world in general needs to consider this just buying things for the sake of distraction. One of our old rain barrels developed a large crack & wasn't holding water, so it had to be replaced, but now I'm thinking this barrel with the top cut off would make a good potato barrel for my first attempts next year. :)
DeleteThank you! Yes, that old cracked rail barrel would make a good potato planter! I have a couple of cat litter buckets that I am using (gardener M made a couple of drainage holes in them).
DeleteWhere I grew up, the tradition is to have creamed new potatoes, (the first small ones) with fresh peas because they were ready about the same time. I haven't had it in a long time, but it was looked forward to every year.
ReplyDeleteLaura Ingalls Wilder mentioned creamed new potatoes with peas in one of her Little House books! She also mentioned eating sliced tomatoes with cream and sugar for dessert. Maybe when you harvest your potatoes, you can have some creamed with peas! :)
DeleteYay on your potatoes and tomatoes! I just harvested more potatoes myself and still have one small patch of volunteer potatoes to havest soon in the front garden bed.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Debbie. I'm enjoying being able to grow vegetables in my garden. It's taken me many tries to get potatoes to grow, so, I'm thrilled when I harvest some!
DeleteDon't think I have heard the term "small potatoes" but it's easy to guess its meaning. I have often heard "that's small beer" in these parts. Anyway, it is certainly a decent crop from two ailing originals! Well done! Bet they will be the best potatoes you have ever eaten! :o) Nowhere near needing A/C here - it's cool and breezy and easy to sleep :o) It rained heavily yesterday and all night, which is fine. I'm certainly not complaining, given what is happening in southern Europe just now!
ReplyDeleteI've also heard the term "small change", but, I don't think I've heard "small beer". :) I'm very pleased with my potato harvest so far and there's one more planter to check, maybe next week.
DeleteCool, breezy, with rain is probably preferrable to hot and dry! I wouldn't mind a nice shower of rain, but, it rarely rains here in the summer. My weather app keeps recommending shorts and I keep wearing skirts! :D If you visit London, it recommends a light jacket, just in case you wanted to know. :D
That's a really nice harvest. I was never much good at potatoes, though I tried them in the ground and then they were hard to find lol. I think I might have to try in containers.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sharon; I, too, had a hard time growing them in the ground and someone (one of my blog readers, I believe) suggested growing them in containers. As an added bonus, the cats tend to leave the containers alone and don't dig in them. :)
DeleteWhat a nice picture. I understand your excitement from having grown those potatoes. Plus - free potatoes! Yummy wonderful potatoes :)
ReplyDeleteYour tomato crop is much better this year than last and those Early Girls look delicious.
I have that variety planted as well along with 3 other types.
All of mine are still green (except for a single cherry tomato that was ripe the other day) and my quantity seems to be down. But August is the month that the tomato plants change the most for me so I am still hopeful.
I'm glad M put your a/c in for you so you now can create a cool spot to escape to if you need it.
Thank you, Debra. Yes, I'm excited about my potatoes! :D And, you are right, this year's potato crop is MUCH better than last year's! I think I had all of 5 tomatoes, last year! This year's Early Girls are smaller than the ones I got in 2021. I don't know if that is due to the weather or something else. But, that's OK; I'll take whatever I can get. :)
DeleteI hope your tomatoes will ripen nicely in August and you'll have a good crop. Will you preserve them in some way?
Yes, I'm glad to have the a/c in place, just in case the temps soar and I need a cool space. :) It's 80F inside the house this morning and I am feeling very comfortable. I wish it would remain this temperature the year round! :)
You produced a far greater crop than I did! And I expect they tasted delicious.
ReplyDeleteI am also thinking of growing potatoes again next year, but this time I will plant them in the ground. X
Thank you, Jules. I don't have much luck growing them in the ground; probably because I don't prepare the ground that well! Good luck with your potatoes, next year.
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