Planting potatoes

We just couldn't take it anymore and had to plant something, anything, in the garden. Potatoes are a pretty safe bet this time of year in our growing zone so we put in a couple of rows. We have, however, had them freeze as late as Memorial Day. If they have a good start though they come right back and catch up to where they would have been if they hadn't froze in a few weeks.

We bought seed potatoes a few weeks back and were all ready to get started. Dancer cut them up leaving a couple of eyes on each piece. After cutting potatoes it is said to be best to let them sit for a few days to callus over, this helps to ward off mold and diseases. Impatience was the name of game for us today and we put some of them in the ground freshly cut. The rest we will let callus. We have had success with both way of planting.

After Christmas if I have any potatoes that get too soft to use, they go in the cool part of the basement to grow eyes and await planting. This potato really went to town and has already grown a few little tubers. This is the first time we have ever had this happen and thought it was pretty neat.

By the time the kids and I got out to the garden The Dad had already tilled two rows, dug holes and planted most of the potatoes.

Spark put in a few, eye side up. It is rabbit poo in the hole to give them a good start. Fresh rabbit poo won't burn plants so it can be used right from under the cages and doesn't have to compost. If you garden and don't have rabbits, try to find someone who does. We have people calling to see if we have any extra they can get.

Like father, like son. They are covering the potatoes about three and half to four inches deep.

The hardest part is waiting for them to grow!