The World's Most Expensive Potatoes

Okay, technically these aren't the world's most expensive potatoes (it just feels that way), but they are darn pricey. I bought the potato bags, seed potatoes, and potting soil. Lately, they needed watering twice a day. The plants were lush and healthy (above), and then they started yellowing and browning, thinning and looking miserable. That's the signal to harvest. I cut back any remaining leaves, placing the bag in the wheelbarrow for easier access (below). 

I sifted through the dirt with my hands to find the potatoes (below). This is much easier than digging them out of the ground.

Potato bag one harvest is shown below. 

Potato bag two harvest is shown below. While all the materials were pricey this season, I will re-use the soil and the bags. And now I have super fresh, organic potatoes to enjoy!

Gardening Mini Vacation

Above is the Japanese Garden at Normandale Community College. 

Above is the Japanese Garden at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. There's something calming and  comforting about these soft green spaces. Every garden space is lush and vibrant, especially the annual garden. We've been to both places before today, and I thoroughly enjoy my time there. Below is a little fellow who decided to keep us company while we ate our lunch at the Arb. 

July drought continues

We're in extreme drought conditions now, and we did have some rain (about an inch), but that soaked in quickly. The plans (above) that are doing well as the anise in the native flower area. I'm watering to keep everything alive, using rain barrel water for as long as it lasts. The dehumidifier water gets used each day. City water is pricy, and I reserve it for vegetables if needed. The purple coneflower is beginning to bloom, and I had to dig out one plant that was dying (perhaps lack of water, perhaps age, perhaps disease). The annuals I've grown from seed, as well as the transplants, are struggling, not growing to their full size. The cosmos (below) is only 12 inches high. 

I had tucked pumpkin seeds and transplants into various places, but they're struggling. We were on a short vacation (three days), and now I've lost one plant with another struggling (earlier photo below). I don't think I'm going to get pumpkins this year, even with the smaller plants and an earlier maturity date. We're supposed to get a heat wave next week, and I feel disheartened. 

July or Gardening Prime Time

The garden is looking good, mainly because I'm watering it during our severe drought, though we did get a little rain on July 4. With so many photos, I'm going to put the description above the photo with the exception of the Wave petunias. I've seen many bees and even hummingbirds on these flowers. And I love how they keep spreading. Next is the honeysuckle shrub (with a happy ant). 

Dukat dill rising above green beans

Kohlrabi

The pots in front of the house are recovering after squirrel damage, multiple times. So far the impatiens seem to be the most vigorous.

Chamomile

Zucchini

Stock peaking out from the green beans

Daisies

Back deck update

Last and definitely not least is the lavender. I love this patch, which is thriving, and I'm working on expanding it. I've harvested some for drying, not too much. I think the bees need it more than I do. 

Stay or Go?

The bold color, the gently unfurling bloom...the rose should stay. But (below) the leaves and flowers are eaten and looking sad with damage from Japanese beetles, slugs, and sawfly larvae. I pick them off to avoid using chemicals, yet it's a lot of work. So the rose should go. Yet I love the bright, cheerful color from the view at the kitchen sink. Okay, it'll stay.