In My San Diego Garden and Kitchen
Last week’s exciting harvest was Yukon Gem potatoes purchased in the fall from San Diego Seed Company. I chitted the potatoes as directed and planted in a four foot row on January 24. This was a perfect follow-up crop after harvesting the cauliflower..
Time to harvest was listed as 75 days, which would have been April 9. We were on vacation until late April and the plants looked quite sorry soon after we returned. I did an exploratory “dig” and found several very nicely sized potatoes so decided it was time to harvest.
Our garden is cooler and somewhat shaded. It does not get full sun in the winter months so I wasn’t surprised that our harvest was about three weeks later. I made a couple videos of the “treasure hunt” to send to our young grandsons in Massachusetts.
Our one pound of seed potatoes produced 8.5 pounds of potatoes. Certainly not a bargain but we marveled at their flavor and texture when steamed. Yukon Gem potatoes have golden-tan skins with shallow eyes and dense, buttery-yellow flesh. They are an all-purpose potato. The plants are more disease resistant and higher yielding than the parent, Yukon Gold.
Last year I planted them in 5 gallon plastic pots. The potatoes were small but equally delicious. In ground planting was definitely more productive. Maybe I’ll double my plantings next year as they store well.
The Seascape strawberries are just beginning to produce after a cool March and April. These first ones were red all the way through and ever so sweet and flavorful. The largest one filled the palm of my hand.
Blueberries on the patio and alpine strawberries edging a perennial bed responded to the spring impetus.
More chard for my African friend.
I find every so many uses for the dill and give it away with abandon. The flower heads have appeared, attracting the hover flies.
They also grace most of my bouquets. All the flowers—larkspur, ranunculus and dill are all growing with the vegetables.
Check the What I’m Planting Now page as I prepare for the warm season garden. Then head to Harvest Monday, hosted by Dave at Happy Acres blog and see what garden bloggers around the world harvested last week.
To leave a comment, click on “Leave a comment/Show comments,” enter the comment, then insert your name. Finally, click on “Comment as Guest” to post comment.
