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Comment by Sentient Biped on February 24, 2013 at 4:20pm

Spud,

I guess you must like potatoes, since they are named after you (Spud).

Mine don't take a lot of room.  They are in plastic half barrels.  The bottom 6 inches is potting soil.  Then the potato starts, then another 6 inches.  WHenever the plants are a foot high, more is added, continuing until full.  It's similar to your use of straw.  Straw might be cheaper although I use potting mix that has been used a couple of times before.

Comment by Idaho Spud on February 24, 2013 at 10:08am

Oh, Potatoes!  My favorite food!

Sadly, I haven't found room to grow any here, but I used to grow them by putting them on top of the soil, and covering them with straw.  

That makes them very easy to harvest.  Just pull back the straw.  You can also eat some of the babies without hurting the plant's growth much.

Comment by Sentient Biped on February 24, 2013 at 9:47am

Randall, I have potatoes growing all over the place.  Must be from peelings that survived the compost pile.  Plus ones that I missed digging up last time.  I like growing them in containers.  Very easy and productive.

Yesterday went to a beekeeping workshop and a grafting workshop.  Made 2 dwarf apple trees.  We'll see if they grow.

Today time to plant bare root trees, came via UPS.  Two persimmons, 2 pears, 2 sweet cherries.  And some bonuses, I forget.  I think grape vines.

Drizzling and chilly.  A good time to plant bare root trees.

Comment by Randall Smith on February 24, 2013 at 7:21am

I read your potato-in-buckets article (but couldn't reply there). Potatoes can grow just about anywhere in anything. I've de-sprouted my stored oned several times. They can't wait to be planted, which is what I usually do with my leftovers. Another 5-6 weeks, then maybe.

I have sweet potato sprouts started. Come on Spring!

Comment by Sentient Biped on February 17, 2013 at 6:36pm

We should start a campaign to rename witch hazel "FSM Hazel".

Joan, the filbert catkins are about 2 to 3 inches long.  The female flowers are so small they can hardly be seen, unless you are a foot away and really looking.  The entire cluster for the female flower is only about 2mm.

Joan thanks for the temperature info.  Mine is about 40 degrees without protection.  With the cover on the raised bed, it is 50.  My Oregon Giant Snow Peas, Bok Choi, Chinese Cabbage, German Giant Radish, and French Breakfast radish are all sprouting.  Detroit Red Beets, not yet.  Onions planted last fall, perking up and growing again.   When I get the next raised bed together, there will be more snow peas, lettuce, mesclun, radishes - I like fresh radishes - and I don't know what.  Probably next weekend.  Also potatoes, planting in container again.

So into planting right now.

Comment by Idaho Spud on February 17, 2013 at 3:01pm

Joan, thanks for the soil temperature planting guide.  I know peas grow in very cold soil because I've tried planting them in February when I lived in a much colder place than this and had good results.

Comment by Joan Denoo on February 17, 2013 at 2:40pm

Spud, you might try eating unsalted peanuts; I far prefer them, but then, I am on a low salt diet.
I think if you soak your peanut shells in a bucket of water, that should get rid of the salt ... I don't know that for a fact and someone else may be able to give you the proper information.

Comment by Joan Denoo on February 17, 2013 at 2:36pm

Spud, "When ground temp hits 40, plant peas"
" take the soil's temperature. Seed sown in soil that is too cold will not germinate; seeds that just sit in cold soil are liable to rot or be eaten by animals. These seeds are the first seeds that can be put in the ground because they germinate just as soon as the soil thaws in spring. These seeds will sprout when the soil temperature hits 40 degrees are because that's when they will germinate.

40 degrees Fahrenheit, plant peas, lettuce, onion, parsnip, spinach, beets, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, chard, parsley, celery and radishes.

50 degrees for sweet corn and turnips.

60 degrees for beans, cucumbers and okra.

65 degrees plant seeds of melons, squash, and eggplant.

70 degrees plant celery.

You can get a soil thermometer at any hardware store.

I am not a lunar planter, even though I try some years. Here is a chart to help make those decisions.

http://www.gardeningbythemoon.com/chart.html

Comment by Idaho Spud on February 17, 2013 at 2:14pm

I've been eating a lot of peanuts in the last few months and throwing the shells on the garden.  However, I just realized they're salted peanuts which means those shells have salt in them which is not good for the garden.  

I'm now going to pick-up all I can and either throw them away or soak them in water to leach-out the salt.

Comment by Joan Denoo on February 17, 2013 at 2:12pm

Spud, witch-hazen does look like FSM

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