Potatoes

So, as I mentioned a couple of posts ago, I planted two raised beds with potatoes. If I remember right, I planted them two weeks ago - April 5th.

So far, this is what has come up.

That's one plant. ONE little plant, out of maybe 14 potato chunks planted, in two beds.

So what do I do? Give up hope? Go buy some more potatoes to plant? Continue to wait and hope? Seriously, if you've grown potatoes and have advice for me, I'm all ears...

A Tour, Part II: outside the fence

Most of the edibles (i.e. the more interesting plants) in my yard are grown along the sidewalk. I wanted to look up the Sacramento garden blogger who calls hers "full frontal gardening," so I could link to her and give her credit, but can't find it at the moment. I love stealing good ideas.

This is my boysenberry trellis, 2011. Blooming nicely.

This is the part of the garden I am most excited about this year: breaking ground on a brand new bed. The bed is 4'x10', which, in my little Midtown lot, is HUGE! It used to be roses and bulbs. It may well get more sun than anywhere else in our yard. I'll add home-made compost, and expect to be able to put tomatoes and peppers in by the end of the month.

Here are the bulbs I removed. (The roses I gave away. Hooray for Freecycle!) Even though it's completely the wrong time of year, I will divide and replant as many of these as I can find places for.

Here is my artichoke plant. Nary a 'choke to be seen. I think maybe Bill Bird jinxed me. (Or else he was just plain right.)

My two original raised beds look lovely, thanks to the self-seeding of last year's California poppies and alyssum.

Oh: and nasturtiums.

The problem is finding it in me, now, to dig up some of that gorgeousness to make room for my veggies...

One of my favorite spots is my little patch of Alpine strawberries in the front yard. I adore Alpine strawberries, because they will grow in light shade/filtered sun. I've eaten a half-dozen this spring, and they are tiny but delicious.
With lots more to come!

A Tour, Part I: behind the fence

Since I'm back at it, dear reader, how 'bout a little tour?

We begin our tour in the back yard, around our patio. These are three pomegranate plants I started from suckers last year. Eventually I will choose just one to keep. I hope to have it in a huge beautiful pot on the patio one day. (You can see a bit of the grape trellis on the right side of the photo.)

The grape vines I planted last year are leafing out and growing nicely. Time to do some work training them on the trellis.

Here is the fig tree that was new last year, and the blueberry bushes, newly planted in pots last year. All coming along nicely. (This is the East wall of our house.)

And the blueberries are covered with fruit!

Next, we move to the side yard. I planted potatoes in two of my side beds. I have to admit I'm not very optimistic about them (it's the first time I've cut potatoes rather than planting them whole, and they looked so shriveled!). We'll see.

It's hard to see with the shadows, but this is my asparagus bed. I planted 6 crowns last year - 5 sprouted. Of those, 3 returned this year. I don't get to pick any to eat until next year. I'll have to wait until next year now, to replace the crowns that did not come up this year.

I read somewhere a suggestion to plant strawberries with asparagus, since both are perennials. So, I put in two plants this year.