Monday, July 5, 2010

Gardening Woes

This is why photographic evidence is not admitted in a court of law. There weren't actually this many potato beetle larvae on my plants, but it sure seemed like it. It's sort of photographic exaggeration. In reality, there were about 5 in this one area. Still, in all the years I've gardened, I've never (repeat NEVER) before seen a potato beetle, let alone have an infestation.

All of this, while I'm still pondering why I'm raising potatoes in the first place. We just don't eat that many potatoes. And this spring we had to throw out a basketful of sprouted and spoiled potatoes from the basement. So it's difficult to get motivated to do all the weeding, tilling, and hilling so that we can throw out potatoes next spring.

This year,  I will give potatoes away so they don't get to that point! I just have to remember that they're in the basement. You know, out of sight, out of mind?

So why do we raise potatoes? Because we can, and because it seems like the responsible thing to do, especially in a ever-worsening economy. And because most years we get potatoes* that look like this:

Thank you to the grandson who posed for this pic. :-)


*...imagine a time when the worst thing we could dredge up about a politician was that he couldn't spell potato! Actually, I think I've mentioned this before, but it seemed worth repeating. :-)

10 comments:

  1. Oh, I hear you on the bug woes. Ours are japenese beetles and their grubs! That has seemed to pass but something is sure loving our brocolli, urrrr. I love potatoes and wish we could help you with your overstock problem there! I've potatoed picked before to help out neighboring farm, ughh the work but yum the reward!

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  2. potatoes are a cool thing to plant. never tried it. right now, i've got a bumper crop of cukes… a family can eat. just. so. many. gah!
    still waiting for tomatoes (so are the dogs… chuckle chuckle… NOT)
    good luck unloading your spoils… and i agree. in times like these, it's good to plant and live more frugally.
    thanks for sharing your bugs. (ewww)

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  3. I feel your pain. I lost all my squash plants to the squash vine boarers (sp?) and didn't get a single squash :( My children are so happy!

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  4. What a cute picture of your grandson! Sorry you have those silly bugs getting into your potatoes! I hope you can turn it around!Thank you for your kind comment today! Have a great day!

    Mama Hen

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  5. Those bugs are the ugliest looking things! UGH! Sorry my friend. Did you have to pick them off? I have never had these kind of bugs. (hope I don't either) :( Have a good day anyway.

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  6. I think of that politician every single time I write the word potato! Wonderful thing to grow, have seen many people through very hard times!

    Lots of yummy love,
    Alex aka Ma What's For Dinner
    www.mawhats4dinner.com

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  7. Sorry about your bug problems sweetie.

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  8. We tried to grow a container garden this year, but the flowers, which were prolific, fell off and we have 3 tomatoes on 5 plants. Our squash and eggplants did the same thing. The only success we had was with parsley and basil. I've eaten lots of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil this summer. Obviously not my tomatoes!

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  9. Wow! That's a HUGE potato (and a CUTE grandson)! You had me going with the photo at first. ;) Hope you get the bug situation taken care of, so you can enjoy and share the wealth of your harvest! ♥ Michelle

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  10. Good Morning!

    I left a little something for you on my latest post. Hope you have a great week! Candace

    http://discoveringcandace.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-is-blog-of-substance-really.html

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