On October 14 we planted this year's potato crop (by which I mean the potatoes we'll eat next year). I gave an account of our potato planting process in this post and nothing significant has changed since I wrote this up. In the photo above, Tim is filling a couple of trays with water. We soak the newspapers so that they don't fly around while you lay them down onto the garden bed.
Last year's report included evidence of my children's assitance with potato planting but this year we did not have any children with us. They are old enough now to be left to their own pursuits at home. We are just back from our annual October bushwalk and they are both happy to be at home and do their homely (read electronic devices) connections. I can't tell you how grateful I am to have had a childhood that was pre-computer. I crave the outdoors away from desks and electronics. I love the dirt and the garden and the sky above me. I like listening to the birds and the wind whip across suburban Dunlop and rip across the vegie patches. I don't know what it will be like for this generation of children who went from womb to screen. What do their brains perceive when they are in nature? Is it the same as mine? I don't know. Can they be as connected to nature or are they always craving electronic connections?
Like last year, this year's seed potatoes have once again been purchased from New Gippsland. We have Pontiac, Desiree, Sebago, Coliban, & Nicola.
In the absence of having someone to jot down what order we planted the potatoes, I decided to photograph the bags laid out in the order that they would go on the newspaper (so at the top of the beds are the pontiacs, then the desiree, then the sebago, coliban and finishing with the Nicola). Tim then wanted to place the paper bags under the actual type of potato and photograph the effect - just as an extra piece of photographic documentation. So I distracted myself with gazing at my pea seedlings in the bed next door.
And lo and behold....husbands are funny creatures aren't they? Charming photo. I guess he thought it was amusing - I think it would be best posted out of context.
Moving right along.....to finish off, the bed was covered in straw then sprinklings of sheep manure, blood and bone and sulphate of potash were added to start the composting effect. The whole pile was watered well and then we walked away.
Previous posts
Potato bed - mid Summer (January 2012)
Potato bed - early summer (December 2011)
Potatoes are up (November 2011)
Planting seed potatoes (October 2011)
Buying seed potatoes (September 2011)
Leek and potato soup (May 2011)
More on the potato harvest (March 2011)
Potatoes and leeks (March 2011)
Potato bed - update late summer (February 2008)
Potato bed - early summer (December 2007)
