sad spuds

My potatoes have looked like shit for a few months but I kept watering them hoping there would be earthy hidden treasures behind that old rubber. They were so gorgeous at first. Fingers crossed. But then I knocked over a tire tower expecting what was promised to me: 20-30 pounds of spuds and instead I got like 20-30 ounces. Super lame and disappointing. I think it is blight which also got my tomatoes but they are still producing like crazy.

The whole point of the tire stack was to force the stem into root by burying it. And since potatoes are a root, then you’d have an assload of potatoes to enjoy. But I carefully removed tire by tire, heart racing in anticipation of a Mountain of Potatoes, only to uncover a scrawny helping that served Andy and me and one friend as a side dish to our giant elk steaks.

The first lame yield looks especially lamer with a thumb as a point of reference.

I waited another few weeks to knock over the second stack and it was slightly better but still, the little-eyed dudes were all lounging at the very bottom. In other back yard news, the chickens are doing well although Bossy still isn’t laying…many think we have a cock on our hands.

This is my first time growing potatoes because of the space issue in my small plot. They never flowered. I am wondering if I should have left them in the ground longer…just when you think your thumb is bright green, mother nature bitch slaps you and says you have a long way to go.