Comments on: My own private Idaho http://plantedathome.com/2009/06/01/my-own-private-idaho/ the pursuit of a good and delicious life Sat, 04 Sep 2010 16:49:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: admin http://plantedathome.com/2009/06/01/my-own-private-idaho/comment-page-1/#comment-1252 admin Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:56:54 +0000 http://plantedathome.com/blog/?p=1163#comment-1252 Hi Jeanne! Provided the "extra" soil has been dug I think it will be sufficiently "fluffed" for tucking in your babies. Clay soil is rich in nutrients so it's not a matter of adding that. Compost will help to break up the soil over time as I'm sure you (and your back!) know. More is always better but I know time is limited and the garden waits for no one. The only time I can see the clay soil posing a problem for the developing potatoes is if we get a lot of summer rain that might cause the soil to crust...Summer rain? Us? What are the chances of that?!!? Best!, Lorene Hi Jeanne!
Provided the “extra” soil has been dug I think it will be sufficiently “fluffed” for tucking in your babies. Clay soil is rich in nutrients so it’s not a matter of adding that. Compost will help to break up the soil over time as I’m sure you (and your back!) know. More is always better but I know time is limited and the garden waits for no one. The only time I can see the clay soil posing a problem for the developing potatoes is if we get a lot of summer rain that might cause the soil to crust…Summer rain? Us? What are the chances of that?!!? Best!, Lorene

]]> By: Jeanne http://plantedathome.com/2009/06/01/my-own-private-idaho/comment-page-1/#comment-1251 Jeanne Tue, 02 Jun 2009 06:29:01 +0000 http://plantedathome.com/blog/?p=1163#comment-1251 I know exactly what you mean about the potato plants growing like weeds -- I hilled mine up for the first time a week ago Saturday, and then needed to hill them up again yesterday. I love it! I've had some spectacularly unsuccessful efforts with potatoes the last couple of seasons, so I'm really hoping this is one of the good years. I have a question about the material to use for hilling -- I started my potatoes in trenches, and set aside the soil I dug out, for hilling them them up. It's good old Ballard clay soil, though, and I'm assuming the potatoes would prefer something a little looser to grow in -- am I on the right track to mix some compost in with that soil before I fill in around the stems? I'm willing to do it, but there's lots of other stuff to do in the garden if I don't need to do that. Inquiring minds need to know -- soil alone or soil+compost for my Ozette babies? I know exactly what you mean about the potato plants growing like weeds — I hilled mine up for the first time a week ago Saturday, and then needed to hill them up again yesterday. I love it! I’ve had some spectacularly unsuccessful efforts with potatoes the last couple of seasons, so I’m really hoping this is one of the good years.

I have a question about the material to use for hilling — I started my potatoes in trenches, and set aside the soil I dug out, for hilling them them up. It’s good old Ballard clay soil, though, and I’m assuming the potatoes would prefer something a little looser to grow in — am I on the right track to mix some compost in with that soil before I fill in around the stems? I’m willing to do it, but there’s lots of other stuff to do in the garden if I don’t need to do that. Inquiring minds need to know — soil alone or soil+compost for my Ozette babies?

]]>