I was told not to plant my seed potatoes after April 1st The first week in April seems to be the earliest time to plant most of the cold crops in my area that is Zone 7b. My raised bed soil is about 50 degrees F. and easy to work but since I’m actually on time or a little ahead this year for Spring planting. Waiting till the first week in April makes a lot of sense so the Spring weather can settle down and there is still a lot of clean up work to be down around the place and getting the lawn some TLC after last year’s hot summer. I bought a pony pack of Quinault Strawberries to add another berry bucket/big planter of strawberries to the garden. I had to get the berries into bigger pots so I got a chance to try out the new skinny garden trowel to move plants. I’d say this tool worked okay for my first time using it. I think there is a method to using it and I need more practice using the tool. I can see the benefits of using the tool for small spaces or moving plants so overall I’m pleased with the tool. I moved the Christmas Cactus mom gave me to a larger pot as it is doing surprising well considering I usually kill most house plants!
I dumped the old soil from my potato “party tubs” to add new soil to grow potatoes. I did not know that using the same soil even if it is amended for potatoes could cause some nasty diseases in your potatoes. So starting with new soil is the thing for this years potato crop. Besides the big potato tubs I am trying the cage method of growing potatoes. You build a wire cage and use a mix of dirt and straw to keep building dirt around the potato plants as they grow. At harvest time you knock over the cage and pick out the potatoes. At least that is how it is supposed to work. I’m hopeful as this would be a great way to grow a lot of potatoes with a small foot print in my garden.
Cutting back the grape vines even more compared to what I did last year has been a big job this spring. Last year my grape vines I cut back put on at least double the fruit if not more compared to the years I did not cut back the canes in the spring. Cutting back to the main plant stalk and opening up the mess of grape cane snarl really improved the fruit production. If you have an ungly snarl of grape vines get in there and prune those canes back in late fall and early spring and I bet you will see better fruit production!
I don’t want to get rid of all my grape vines as they seem to help my squash plants not have a squash bug problem. I don’t know why but I grow my squash plants close to my grapes and I don’t have a squash bug problem. Everyone in the neighborhood has squash bugs except me. I don’t have a problem of my grape leaves being eating by bugs so I don’t know why it works but grapes and squash plants seem to love each other and bugs hate the combo.
I have not placed my greenhouse as I am trying to find a good place for it. The greenhouse dimensions are smaller than I prepped for, 6.5 feet by 8 ft.. I want to maximize solar but have the option of adding some lights/heat. I really like this new spot as it full of sun and leaves most of the garden free of the greenhouse blocking sun. This is the place I wanted to place the green house and now it looks doable.
You don’t have to do anything but die. The government can require many things but the only thing humans will do after being born is die. Pick tour poison and your line but if you are born you will die. How you lived becomes important.
My Adventures in selfreliance 