I will start with the potato bin. It is now 6 boards high but I have not been very diligent at filling it. I did manage to fill it five boards high but after a few heavy rains it settled to about four boards high. I have had my "fill" filling it so I will just let it grow now. The plants which are a combination of netted gem russet and banana fingerling are just starting to bloom. Being that they are long season potatoes that will most likely not be ready for harvest until some time in August.
Here are the early reds that are growing in compost bags. There is three in there but it is hard to see now that everything is so thick. They are just starting to bloom so I will start harvesting them a bag at a time once the blooms are finished. These will supply an early harvest which I am very much anticipating.
The last of my potatoes are the red fingerlings growing in a large container, funny thing is I side I wasn't going to grow any potatoes this year... I planted these in the middle of April and they have been blooming for a few weeks now. They are a late season variety so like the potato bin I will have to wait longer to harvest them.
This is a shot of the blooms on the red fingerlings.
This is a fourlined plant bug that is eating my potato plants. Their population is pretty low so I am just living with them. With organic practices and healthy plants there should be no problem with plant health. With that said I will start watching closely to monitor them.
Lastly here is a freshly minted lady bug that was in the potato bin. It should help with pest control, lets hope it tells its friends to come too.
I have never seen that fourlined plant bug before? You can keep him in your garden though... I will content myself to view him via your photos. :D
ReplyDeleteAh! I have seen a fourlined plant bug recently! Although I didn't know until now what it was called. I tried to take a pic, but he wasn't very cooperative and flew off.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see how the compost bag potatoes and the ones in the container work out. Those may be the only way I could get some potatoes in next year.
ReplyDeleteWow, all your spuds are looking great ! They really grow like crazy, don't they.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen that fourlined plant bug either. Awesome shape and color.
Your potatoes look great. I got to the 4th board on my bin but the foliage growth seems to have slowed a lot. I don't think I'll get to board #5.
ReplyDeleteThose are inspriational potatoes! I had hoped to get mine hilled just one or two more times, but I saw buds. Oh well. I'll try again next year!
ReplyDeleteI've been noticing a few cucumber beetles, but nothing is out of whack enough to do anything but desultory hand picking so far. I hope that as the soil improves each year the bug population will enjoy some balance too.
I would not let that cucumber beetle live peacefully, they multiply rapidly and next year all your daisies will be looking very ugly...if you have daisies. At least I think that is what that is...take care, GartenGrl
ReplyDeleteI found it very difficult to keep those tall potato bins watered properly. You think you are giving it plenty of water but it all runs down the side and out the bottom.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried growing them in a garbage can? I'll be trying that method!
ReplyDeleteThat is the same that happened to my potatoes. I got tired of filling the containers and the soil settled. It used to be close to 20" tall, I think now it is closer to 15". I envy those pretty blossoms. I keep thinking mine will blossom soon, but I don't even see any buds yet. I love your ladybug. I had a ton in my garden and they obviously laid eggs. I've been seeing the larvae all over. Now I just need to see one when I have my camera with me.
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