The news from When Pigs Fly Farm 2.0

Spuds. Yep, spuds.

Russian banana fingerling potatoes, to be specific. I find the name to be somewhat oxymoronic, don't you?

They went in the ground earlier this week.

I'm a little nervous about potatoes. Despite the fact that many gardening resources say growing potatoes is "easy" and "fun," there seems to be several ominous caveats as well.

1. They can rot if the soil is too wet. . .
2. The seed potatoes need to be "cured," which basically involves sitting in brown paper bag to a few days, but how do you know when they're officially "cured"?. . .
3. They can be susceptible to "scab" (whatever that is) and how do you know your potatoes have "scab" when they're buried in 4 to 6 inches of dirt? Do they send up emergency flares or hoist a red flag?. . .
4. Potatoes can't  be planted in spots where you've grown tomatoes, eggplant or peppers. . .
And 5. The little suckers have chemical needs: Acid soil, little nitrogen, etc.


I don't know about you, but I barely survived high school chemistry so all this chit-chat about pH levels and whatnot makes me a bit woozy. Those were long, dark, desperate days listening to Sister Margaret explain the properties of unsaturated, saturated and supersaturated solutions with that faint lisp or hers.

Chemistry be damned. I said "Screw it," cured my seed potatoes (or so I think) and threw them in the ground.

If they grow, they grow. We shall find out in the fall, won't we?

Today is Bloomsday in Bermtopia -- an odd little municipal event whereby 50,000 or so Bermtopians decide to run or walk a 7.46-mile course that circles through the city and ends up downtown.

Frankly, that's way too many people for me. 

Instead, I prefer dithering in the garden on Bloomsday (appropriate enough, I think) -- either here at the Nine-One-Four or down at WPFF. I was going to plant beans and cucumbers this morning but got a major "Whoa, Nelly!" from the all-knowing Cornell University Vegetable Growing Guide. These are same fine folks that have struck fear into my heart about potatoes so you know they're good.

Too early for beans and cukes.  Instead, I was happy to water and refresh my slug shield (ie, diatomaceous earth) and check out progress at the farm. Radishes and romaine are surging and

scallions are on the scene.

I think I even spotted a couple carrots, but I'm not holding my breath. They are such heartbreakers.

Farmer Jim's peas are starting to pop.

The farm flowers are holding their own.

And, of course, Farmer Jim's Army guys are out patrolling the strawberries. 

It's definitely May at When Pigs Fly Farm.