Channeling Sophie's Garden: Potato plants responding to increased temperatures and decreased rainfall

Channeling Sophie's Garden

Carol's garden is in Port Hope MI, in a rural, lakeside community. She has lots of space and expertise. Laura' garden is located in Centralia WA, in a small suburban yard challenged by access to sun and space. Debbie's garden is in Deckerville MI, in a smaller rural yard, where rules are ignored.

Each of us is applying what we learned at at our mother's and grandmother's knees in space once owned by Sophie Mayer Birg Harter on Rangeline Road. Sophie immigrated to Detroit in 1908 from Heufeld, a once German (Donauschwaben) community of Hungary. Her hope lives on.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Potato plants responding to increased temperatures and decreased rainfall

We keep adding dirt as the plants grow, but it's tricky at times. A few of the plants are way ahead of others in the tower and so keeping the stalks all covered is a challenge.

First two photo show the Dark Red Norland and Purple Majesty plants on 5/20. The dirt level is now at about 2 feet. These two are early season (70-90 days) varieties, so maybe that's why they are so far ahead of the rest.

TheYukon Gold and Chieftan Reds lag behind the top two, but are now filling out and up. They are mid-season (90-110 days).

Finally, the Yellow Finn are slower starting -
also mid-season varieties.