Garden update 5 April

Another (mostly) full day in the garden today.

Rod and Linda got a start on the 10x10 potato patch and created a baby potato nursery for the seedlings to get started in while we all dig. The soil is sandy, so once we get through the sod, it's actually not that hard -- but between Rod's lingering gout and the fact that I lost so much muscle mass while I was ill last summer and have only slowly been recovering it, Linda is the only one who is really, really productive. Oh, and I learned a LOT about potatoes today. For one thing, I thought we had the seeds for "a few beds". We have enough seed to make about 100 pounds of potatoes of seven or eight varieties. This is going to be so much fun!!

Linda, Jack, and I also got two more beds prepared for planting.

Actually, we got one new bed prepared and dug up the maple roots in the one that we started last year, put down a plastic barriers in both beds, and then relaid both of raised beds.

It was hard to believe how many roots the tree had managed to infiltrate into the original raised bed! It surprises me that the possibility hadn't occurred to me until I tried to turn in some supplements this year, but in my wildest dreams, I don't think I could have imagined an almost solid mass all the way through.

To keep the birds out of the alfalfa and the weeds out of the beds, we laid down a paper barrier and wet it down well. In the next day or two, I'll go over to the township and get compost to put over the paper.In the process, Jack got an extra two feet on his own personal bed, so it was a win all around.

Getting the impression that Linda is the hero here? It's true. I can't believe her strength and stamina! Oh how I'd love to be that strong...and while I lost a LOT over the last year, I am hoping that getting me food sensitivities under control will allow me to get stronger than I've ever been.


We'll be doing it again tomorrow, working on finishing the potato bed, and if there's time, we will put in onions, carrots, and maybe beets.

The baby plants have designs on world domination, so we'll also start hardening off the sturdier seedlings tomorrow, if it's not too windy. We've developed a bit of a white mold problem, too, though. Maybe I'll take them out to the wind and sunshine, too. If it doesn't kill them, maybe it will make tem stronger.

Tired...but off to do math with my favorite scholar and gardening partner.