In With the Potatoes

Welcome back.  I hope you are enjoying my blog and learning useful gardening and birding information also. Feel free to ask any questions you might have.

Last week I planted potatoes.  I love growing them and we usually end up with enough to last most of the winter.  As a rule I try to pick varieties that store well.

In order to grow potatoes you will need quite a bit of garden space.  I have expanded my gardens over the years so I have enough space.  They are actually simple to grow. They do require some work initially, but it usually pays off quite nicely.

When growing potatoes, it is important that the soil is well cultivated, to allow the potatoes to grow and develop properly,  If the soil is packed and hard, the result will be a poor crop.  Good cultivation is important for all vegetables, however for potatoes it it especially helpful.

The first step is to make the rows.  This is probably the hardest step when planting potatoes.  I make trenches about 4 to 6 inches deep using a hoe.  The spacing between the rows should be about 2 feet, more is even better if you have the garden space.

Potato Trench

In my garden this year, I was able to make 5 rows, each about 25 feet long:

Potato Trenches

The next step is to cut the potato sets into pieces so that there are at least 2 eyes per piece.   For those who don't know, the potato eyes are where the sprouts emerge.  Some of the eyes may already be sprouting, others are just barley visible.  I usually can get at least 2 pieces per potato set, sometimes 3.  If you end up with pieces with just one eye, simply plant 2 pieces for that hill.

Potato Set With Eyes (Sprouts)

Potato Sets Cut Into Planing Pieces

Now simply place the potato pieces in the trenches about 12 to 14 inches apart:

Planted Potatoes

You will notice that in some case I use 2 or 3 pieces per hill. As I mentioned above, this is to ensure that there are 2 to 3 eyes per hill.

Finally, cover up the potatoes with only about 2 to 3 inches of soil.  I don't completely fill in the trenches at this point to allow more moisture and warmth to reach them, which will allow them to sprout faster.  Once the plants have sprouted and reach around 6 inches high, then I will build up more dirt around the plants. This technique is called "hilling" and will be covered in a future posts

Covering the potatoes

This year I planted 2 varieties thus far.  The first is Kennebec, a great all purpose mid season potato that stores well.  It matures in about 80 days.

The second is Yukon Gold, which is also a good storage potato known for it's yellow flesh.  This variety matures in about 70 to 90 days, and is great for baking, although it is very good also for boiling or potato salads.

Until next time.  As always thanks for reading.

Garden Update/Tomato Plants/Nice Red-Winged Blackbird Photo

Welcome back.

As promised I am writing tonight about the vegetable garden progress.  It is slowly but surely coming together.  A garden is always a work in progress as it takes continual work to keep it running.  That is the fun of it for me as I find it very relaxing.  There is always something to do if you want to venture out "in the garden".

The early season vegetables are growing nicely.  The Oregon Sugar Pod Peas that I planted in late April (http://dansgardening.blogspot.com/2014/05/planting-peasa-visit-from-great-blue.html) are about an inch high at this point:

Oregon Sugar Pod Peas

The red serpent lettuce that I planted using the winter sowing technique(http://dansgardening.blogspot.com/2014/02/more-winter-sowingseed-starting-supplies.html) and the Brussels sprout plants which I purchased locally are also progressing well:

Red Serpent Lettuce/Brussels Sprouts

The wide rows that I planted (http://dansgardening.blogspot.com/2014/05/planting-more-early-season.html) which include spinach, Swiss chard, radishes, and the various types of lettuces that I planted are starting to become established.  Although the plants are thin in spots, they will quickly fill in as they grow and also as I am able to cultivate around them to loosen the soil.  In a few weeks this will look totally different.

Assorted Lettuces/Swiss Chard/Spinach/Radishes

In my last post I wrote about composting manure and the good results I had last summer growing pumpkins and gourds using this compost.  Last fall I disposed of the pumpkins and gourds right on the composted manure that was leftover.  This spring I cleaned out the remaining pieces of pumpkins/gourds, leaving the seeds laying on the surface of the compost. I then covered the seeds with about an inch of composted manure.

I remember my Mom & Dad getting good results with "manure pile" pumpkins and gourds.  These usually grew better than the ones planted in the garden.  So far this spring I am seeing good results as quite a few seeds are already sprouting:

Manure Pile Pumpkins & Gourds

Manure Pile Pumpkins/Gourds

Last but not least, the tomato and pepper plants are also growing nicely in the greenhouse on my porch.  I most likely will start transplanting them into the garden in the next few weeks, since the danger of frost should be dwindling:

Tomato Plants in the Greenhouse

Pepper Plants (Foreground) & Tomato Plants

As an added bonus, I was able to take a nice photo of a red-winged blackbird at the feeder this week.  I have found these birds very difficult to photograph since they will fly away with the least little movement.

Red-Winged Blackbird

Until next time.  Thanks again for reading and for your support.

Clouds at Sunset

Transplanting Onion and Leek Plants/Composting Manure

Welcome back and as always thank you for reading.

The planting of the Spring vegetables continues as about 10 days ago on May 8th, I transplanted some sweet Spanish onion and Lincoln leek plants that I had started from seed.

As you may recall, I detailed the planting of the onion and leek plants in my post on March 8, 2014 (http://dansgardening.blogspot.com/2014/03/its-time-to-start-some-vegetables.html).

The transplanting process for these is pretty simple.  The main thing is to be gentle while removing and separating the plants from the original planting container.  I always water them in the original container before removing which allows as much soil as possible to cling to the roots.

I recommend using a string to keep the row straight.  The onions and leeks were planted about one inch deep:

Yellow Sweet Spanish Onions

Yellow Sweet Spanish Onions

Lincoln Leeks

Be sure to keep the transplants watered, especially for the first week after planting, since the roots are very shallow and it's always a shock to plants after transplanting.

Composting Manure:

In past years, I normally would put cow manure (from the farm right across the road) on the garden in the very early spring.  It would then get rototilled into the soil in April, but it never seemed like it had enough time to break down.

Last year I started a  different process which I think works better. Actually I discovered this by accident.  I had left part of my manure pile unused from the previous spring. What I found was a gardener's treasure: compost.  After sitting for a year, the manure turned to a beautiful black compost.  So last summer I used the compost to plant pumpkins and gourds, creating a hill of the compost to plant the seeds in.  The results were one of the best pumpkin and gourd crops that I had in years.  So this spring I have already made some compost hills that I will use for planting pumpkins.

Composted Manure

Compost Hills

In my next post, I will have updated garden photos as the lettuce, radishes, Swiss chard, etc. have sprouted and are coming along nicely.  Also an update on my tomato  and pepper plants which are rapidly growing in the green house.

Also, I will write a future post on the bird houses I have in my yard (10 total), and an update on the birds nesting in them.

Until next time.

Planting More Early Season Vegetables/Female Cardinal Photos

Welcome back.

Last weekend (May 3rd and 4th), I worked on planting some early season vegetables.  When I refer to them as early season, I am referring to those vegetables that will do well when planted in early to mid May, when the weather can still be cool and wet.

My first step was to re-work the soil before planting.  A couple of weeks had passed since I rototilled, therefore the soil had started to pack down a bit from the rain and sun.

I started with onions.  First, I planted two rows of the yellow Stuttgart variety, which is a good general purpose onion that also stores exceptionally well over the winter, if kept under proper storage conditions. This onion is widely available as sets.  The sets are planted in a shallow trench about an inch deep and covered with soil.

Next, I planted a row of red onions, which make a colorful and tasty addition to any salad.

Next, I transplanted some lettuce (Red Serpent Lettuce) that I started during the winter using the winter sowing technique, which I described in my post on February 4, 2014 (http://dansgardening.blogspot.com/2014/02/winter-sowing.html).  Once the seeds sprouted, I placed the container in my greenhouse on the porch.  The lettuce had grown quite nicely:

I divided the plants into 5 or 6 clusters and planted them:

You are probably noticing some other plants in addition to the lettuce.  These are brussel sprout plants, which I am trying for the first time this year.  During the winter my wife tried a recipe where she sliced them thinly, and sauteed them with balsamic vinegar.  Needless to say they were delicious.

I surrounded the plants with wood shingles to protect them from wind and from any animals that may wander through.  I have found wood shingles to be very useful in the garden.  This I learned from from my Mom and Dad.  They probably used them since years ago it was common for houses to have wood shingle roofs, and when the roofs were replaced with asphalt shingles, they saved the wood shingles.  Of course it was the custom in those days not to be wasteful, therefore most things were saved an reused.

I especially try to protect lettuce and similar seeds when planted, since they are vulnerable to being washed away and/or interfered with by animals.  I also use black fabric to cover the areas planted if heavy rain is forecast.

Next, I planted  wide row of Swiss chard, spinach, radishes, and several more types of lettuce.  I have found that making wide rows or patches about two feet wide and about a half inch deep works well for these types of plants.

I start by carefully raking and leveling the area, removing any large stones that might interfere with the sprouting seeds.  These seeds are very small and fine, therefore I spend a little more time while planting these as opposed to larger seeds such as pumpkins and beans.

Swiss Chard Seeds

Swiss Chard Seeds

The Swiss chard I used is Fordhook, a well known heirloom variety, while the spinach was Riccio Gigante, a curly late variety.  For the radishes, I blended packets of the Sparkler and Easter Egg varieties,  And finally for the lettuce, I planted Summer Glory Blend (loose-leaf) and Salad Bowl Mix (mixed greens) from Park Seed.  I also planted a small patch of romaine lettuce and the red serpent that I had planted using the winter sowing technique.  

Planted Wide Rows

Finally, some nice photos of a female cardinal that my son captured this week:

Female Northern Cardinal

Female Northern Cardinal

In my next post I will show how I transplanted.Spanish yellow onion and Lincoln leek plants that I started from seed

Until next time.

Bird Photos/International Migratory Bird Day

Welcome back.

As the calendar turns to May and the promise of summer draws near, my interest in feeding and watching birds tends to wain a little, as I turn my attention to yard work, gardening, etc.  As the weather improves and the vegetation comes back to life, birds depend less and less on our feeding them.

On the other hand, by not feeding birds this time of the year, you will be missing out on an exciting phenomenon that happens every year:  bird migration.  It is a great opportunity to observe some birds not normally seen in your area during the winter months.

As I write this, bird migration is well underway, as millions of birds travel thousands of miles from their winter habitats to their summer ones.  Along the way they will stop and rest looking for food sources.  Thus the unique opportunity to attract these temporary visitors.

This coming Saturday, May 10th, is International Migratory Bird Day.

Many celebrations and events take place around the globe on this day.  The importance of this day is described below, taken from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife's web site:

International Migratory Bird Day 2014 shares the many ways in which birds matter to the earth, to ecosystems, and of course, to us.  Some bird species provide practical solutions to problems, such as the need for insect and rodent control. Others disperse seeds, helping to re-vegetate disturbed areas. Others are pollinators, ensuring that we are graced with flowering plants, trees, and shrubs. Beyond the utilitarian, birds are inspirations for the arts.

On Saturday, May 3rd, I placed some bird food in my feeder and was pleasantly surprised with the results. I was able to observe at least 2 migratory species, one of which was quite beautiful:

Male Rose-Breasted Grosbeak

Female Rose-Breasted Grosbeak

Male Rose-Breasted Grosbeak

This beauty is returning from Central and South America where they winter.  These are rare at least in my yard, however most years I stop putting out bird food this time of the year.  I definitely will continue to feed birds using at least one feeder for a few more weeks to observe the migratory species.

Male White-Crowned Sparrow

This sparrow winters in the central and southern U.S. and is migrating on it's way back to northern Canada.

Male American Goldfinch

This bird resides in our area all year long, however in the winter they are a much duller yellow.  Their color has returned for Spring in all it's beauty.

American Goldfinch, White-Crowned Sparrow, Northern Cardinal

It definitely was a great weekend for birding.  I hope to catch some more migrating birds in the next few weeks.

In my next post, planting onions, lettuce and more.

Planting Peas/A Visit From a Great Blue Heron

This past Sunday I started the annual ritual of planting the garden.  It felt good to actually start working in it after the long cold winter.

In my previous post (http://dansgardening.blogspot.com/2014/04/rototilling-gardenbird-photos.html), I described how I rototilled the soil after placing some mulched leaves on the garden last fall which allowed them to "age" over the winter.  I have found that mulched leaves are worth their weight in gold when it comes to enhancing garden soil.

This year I decided to plant a row of Oregon Sugar Pod Peas, a prolific variety of snow peas.  This type of pea with the edible pod is delicious in stir fry and other recipes.  They are a great springtime vegetable, as they are known for thriving in the cooler weather.

The most important part of planting peas is the fence.  It's pretty much required to have a fence.  The variety I chose only grows slightly over two foot tall, so the fence I used (about 30 inches tall) is adequate. Some varieties can grow up to six feet tall.

This fence is galvanized and is the push in the ground type that is hinged.  It can be configured in various patterns.

After the fence is in place, the planting process is quite simple.  There are various planting techniques, including making the traditional trench to plant seeds.  In this case, I just simply placed all the seeds on top of the ground, spacing them 2 to 3 inches apart.  Then I pushed them into the soil,  approximately one inch deep, which is a good planting depth for peas.  Finally, I firmed the soil with my hand.

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So hopefully in a week or ten days the seeds will sprout.  We've had about 1.5 inches of rain this week after I planted, so hopefully the rain will let up as not to wash away and/or rot the seeds.

Last but no least, we had a visit from a great blue heron this week and I was able to get a pretty good shot as the heron patiently stood watching for fish or frogs in our pond.  We usually get quite a few visits each spring and summer from this bird that looks like it's from the age of dinosaurs.

Great Blue Heron

Until next time.  Thanks for reading as always.