New Potatoes

Dug up some Russian Blue new potatoes this morning for breakfast. The dark purplish skins made them difficult to find in the soil, but aren't they gorgeous?!  Can't wait to tuck into these. 

Russian Blue new potatoes

The potato interiors were equally exciting to behold. I am doubling up my order of these next season.

As I was composting the the leaves of the plant I noticed a bonus... potato berries hanging from the vines.

Each berry has a pile of little seeds inside. The berries are slightly oblong, unlike the very round Yukon Gold potato berries. I'm going to open them and dry the tiny seeds inside. These are keepers.

Hoop Dreams

An eyesore to some, a thing of beauty to others. Seven hoop houses constructed in a flash before an unexpected late night cold snap. 

I used PVC, 6 mil plastic (construction grade) and binder clips. I merely shoved the PVC into the soil, as deep as it would go. Bent it to the other side of the bed and repeated. Draped the plastic over, cut it with scissors and secured plastic to PVC with large binder clips. That way, I can deconstruct them just as quickly for higher daytime temperatures. Clip, clip and the plastic's off. I have 65 tomatoes ripening (not including the ever-flourishing cherry tomato bush.) There's now a second crop of lettuces. Tons of arugala (below), raspberries, strawberries, tomatillos, peas, beans and various and sundry root crops and herbs. A few green peppers have small fruits on the plants too.

Meanwhile, inside, on the kitchen windowsill... the TPS (true potato seeds) from this year's abundant crop of potato berries are now happy seedlings. I hope to have success growing them inside in pots this winter. It's an experiment. I have faith though. The store bought potatoes just don't hold a candle to homegrown.

I would love to have a huge rambling greenhouse. Two. No, three! But this will do for now. Baby steps.

Extending The Season

Began work on getting some hoops up today. Need to hit Home Depot for some more PVC and heavier duty plastic sheeting. My hoop houses are pretty makeshift. I've dabbled with different designs, but since they are temporary structures, I don't go full on carpenter with them. They work quite well though. I started my garden a good 6 weeks earlier than any of my other neighbors this year and hope to extend just as long thanks to the hoop houses. The tomatoes are already beginning to lose their flavor. They need the encouragement of added protection from the cool nights (and likely soil amendments).

The watermelon is certainly loving it. He doubled in size in a day. I've also started to move some container vegetables inside. These potted carrots are the first.

Along with the tomato seedlings I've been nursing (born from TPS - true potato seeds).

I would love to get a crop of winter potatoes from these. Wouldn't that be cool?

Speaking of cool. On one of my book crawls today I found this lovely book, Landscaping with Fruit
 
by Lee Reich, Storey Publishing. This just seems like such a nobrainer to me. Why aren't we all doing this?

Taters

The potatoes finally blossomed last week and that meant I could invade a few plants' privacy to score some new potatoes.

I planted Yukon Golds from seed potatoes this year. Next year I intend on taking a shot at growing them from TPS (true potato seeds) despite all the warnings of pitfalls. My plants are abundant with potato berries. I cannot let them go to waste. 

Voila, the first harvest of Yukon Golds.

Fried potatoes for an afternoon snack.

Into a hot pan with a little olive oil and a dab of sweet butter.

Salt, pepper, and you're there. Delicious and so basic.