Getting the Spuds in
The British Queens which have been sprouting in the shed at home are now ready to go out to the plot.We spent most of Saturday afternoon digging out a new bed on the new plot,and putting these in. I had been out myself on Friday and began the digging.Stephen had already turned the sods on this bed so I was really just re digging. It was slow going until Mike came down to have a look and told me I was doing a lot of work I did not have to. I had been digging over the soil and pulling out roots etc.He said I should just dig trenches, fill them with the composted manure ,put in the spuds and fill the soil in on top.Earthing up and harvesting the potatoes will ensure the soil is turned for the next crop.
I got on so well with the trenches right across the width of the plot that I began up the side of the plot with more. These are truly Lazy Beds as I dug the trenches and just turned the sods in on the potatoes. The bed across the width has the British Queens and the ones up the side of the plot has 3 trenches each of Kerr's Pinks, main crop and Golden Wonders late main crop.These were last minute arrivals as they were left in the tea room as surplus to requirements by other growers, there is getting to be quite a collection on the table now between seeds and potatoes!
Kathryn and Gemma admiring their handiwork! While I was doing the potatoes they were digging out a new bed. The soil on this side is crumbly and very black we think much better than on our first plot.Some of it has not been turned for years.
Stephen filling the wheelbarrow with the sods then taking them up to the compost heap and bringing back a barrow full of composted manure to us.
A view of work done on the new plot, the girls and Kevin have their beds near the greenhouse, Kathryn and Gemma continued down from them with the new bed.The potatoe bed runs across the plot next to them and the Lazy Beds up the side of the plot.This now leaves two squares one at each end to dig out but these are for summer planting in May so little and often over the next few weeks should see the whole plot dug over.
I found Primrose plants in amongst the weeds and scutch grass and moved them down to the bed at the back of the greenhouse with the Globe Artichokes.
Comments
Things as usual going well, have some of those 'brittish queens' chitting myself, they look about the same stage as yours. That soil really does look good and it's great to see the help your getting, really does make things easier, if I could only get my own gang to follow suit, chance would be a fine thing :-). See your greenhouse there, working on that thingy for you, hopefully will sort it out this week.
How large a crop are you expecting from all those potatoes? I remember my dad planting up about 10lbs and getting over 70lbs. I like the idea of everyone having a task and helping out at the garden - nice to work with family and friends and share in the spoils at the end of the day.
Barbara