Right now I'm sidelined by what could most accurately be described as a dislocated rib. The doctor said it will hurt for some time. And believe me, it hurts. I have to hug a pillow when I cough.
Last week, a few days after my initial injury, I decided I should just work through it, so I got out and did some work.
I left off last time with one trench dug and my potatoes cut. When I finally had a couple of dry days, I went out and checked the garden soil. It was moist, but not soggy. I dug a second trench, added compost and sprinkled in some Nature's Care Vegetable food.
Potato eyes are easy to plant. I gently tossed the pieces into the trench. More than half of them ended eye side up. I had seen people do this before and I'm pleased that it worked for me. When I had both rows seeded, I went back and used my long-handled pincer tool to flip over the few that landed wrong. Next, I went along using a garden (bow) rake to back fill the trenches with about three inches of soil. Finally, I walked along using the face of the rake to tamp down the soil. And then I went to the ER.
Here are the finished rows. I left the extra dirt next to the rows for later use. I'll add soil and then mulch as the potatoes grow. Roots will sprout from the newly covered stems and produce more tubers.
Last week, a few days after my initial injury, I decided I should just work through it, so I got out and did some work.
I left off last time with one trench dug and my potatoes cut. When I finally had a couple of dry days, I went out and checked the garden soil. It was moist, but not soggy. I dug a second trench, added compost and sprinkled in some Nature's Care Vegetable food.
Potato eyes are easy to plant. I gently tossed the pieces into the trench. More than half of them ended eye side up. I had seen people do this before and I'm pleased that it worked for me. When I had both rows seeded, I went back and used my long-handled pincer tool to flip over the few that landed wrong. Next, I went along using a garden (bow) rake to back fill the trenches with about three inches of soil. Finally, I walked along using the face of the rake to tamp down the soil. And then I went to the ER.
Here are the finished rows. I left the extra dirt next to the rows for later use. I'll add soil and then mulch as the potatoes grow. Roots will sprout from the newly covered stems and produce more tubers.
These are two of my four rows of potatoes last April. They produced beautiful spuds, but I hope the trench method will produce more spuds.
This rib is going to hamper my gardening efforts for a while, but I hope to get some help planting peas soon. This season is going be a good one, I can just feel it. In between rib spasms.
Stephen
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