When Will brought in the mail Saturday, there was a box that said “Live Plants, Do Not Freeze” on the label. As I’ve been buying daylilies from the Daylily Auction online all winter, I assumed someone living in a more southern state had shipped me some. Of course, the ground’s still well frozen and our nighttime temperatures have been in the single digits. Was I ever surprised when I opened the box. There were two netted bags of seed potatoes! A wonderful blog reader, Sarah, had read about me looking for the variety of potato my grandfather raised in Montana called Bliss Triumph, and had found a source in Alaska! Not only did she find me a source, but she also sent me a bag of Bliss Triumph potatoes and another variety to try. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
We had a wonderful Easter, even though it was cold. Bill and his family couldn’t come due to their egg hunt, then church afterwards. They’ll be coming two weeks from Easter instead. Javid did come, however, so we all had a good time visiting, and eating. Ashley’s dog, Cooper, just loves Javid and he loves Cooper. So Cooper spent a lot of time being petted.
We’re still transplanting plants and even planting more. I’m working on peppers and Ashley is still doing her hibiscus. (If they all grow, we’ll have to add on another wing to the house!) Our tomatoes are doing nicely, with terrific germination. I’ve been doing the unpleasant (to me) task of thinning the plants to one plant per pellet. Gee, I hate killing all those plants. Of course, David doesn’t make it easier, saying things like “How can you kill all those baby plants? I can hear them screaming when you’re throwing them into the fire!” Sometimes I want to kick him!
Two of our cows, Comet and Mystic, got put into the “maternity ward” (the training ring) yesterday afternoon, as Comet is due April 9th and her previous owner called to say she always delivers early. We wanted her where we could keep a close watch on her, especially with the cold, unsettled weather we’re having. Last night it dropped to 4° F! That’s cold, even for northern Minnesota spring. But yesterday when Ashley and I were driving back from taking Javid home, we stopped by the roadside and Ashley waded through the snow and picked a bouquet of pussywillows. They’re out in force now, so spring is surely coming! — Jackie
Miss Jackie,
Spring is WAAAAY late. We keep having snow showers and small snows of 4 or 5 inches every few days. Last week we had 12 inches in one storm. They melt fast when the sun shines even when we think it is cold. Nothing is blooming except p. willows and a few crocus on the south side of buildings. Hard wind and snow showers again today!
There are wild elk in Pennsylvania in several herds and a few permits are issued for them every year. But I see elk nearly every day as we have a neighbor who raises them to sell to hunting ranches, (think excess bulls.) He also sells elk meat( We love it) He has huge areas fenced to about 12 feet high. We see them following the ridge lines as they graze and browse. They really bugle in September and October.
Speaking of hardy hibiscus, I planted seeds and kept them in the room with my pellet stove… Internet said they are slow to germinate and can take 3 or more weeks. I nicked each seed with a sharp blade, misted the pots & covered with a plastic tent,… nearly all germinated in 3 to 4 days. Mine came from Missouri, and were said to be dinnerplate size whites. Blessings Rick
Wow, I really miss hearing elk bugle! But I’d be sad seeing them inside a fence….
Ashley’s hibiscus came up in four days and I think every single one of them germinated! And I think she planted the whole package… Wow, 160 acres of hibiscus???
Jackie
I have a question. How do you stake so many tomato plants? I know you have 100’s!
And my next question is how do you mark the identity of each plant?
Thanks
Jacquie
As our gardens grew, we kept buying 6′ steel T posts for our tomatoes. Yep, each one has a steel fence post and concrete re-enforcing wire cage. This didn’t happen all at once but a gentle increase over several years. We bought the material a little at a time, as we could afford it and are VERY happy with the results. Our 6′-7′ high tomato plants simply crushed the flimsy store-bought tomato cages and broke the wooden stakes we had used before switching to steel.
We mark our varieties with 2′ high wooden garden stakes marked with permanent marker. I used to just make a map of the garden as I planted but when we got so many different tomatoes, we had to switch to something more dependable so no mistakes were made.
So, you tie the tomato plant to the stake? if so, what do you use? Do you put the stake in at the same time that you plant the tomato?
J
ok missed the comment about Reinforcing wire cage. How big around?
Thanks
j
My hubby started our tomatoe plants way too early, now they are about to blossom! Lol! And with it down to 10 this morning, they better slow it down some,we hope! Good luck with the taters!
You can slow down your tomato plants by placing them in a cooler location. For us, it’s out on our enclosed but minimally heated enclosed porch or even on the floor in our living room, in front of the floor to ceiling windows as the floor temperature is about 65 where at head level, it’s 75. And pray for warm weather!!!
Be sure to pinch off the blossoms. And even if the plants are leggy remember you can dig a deep hole and plant all of the stem but the top 4 leaves. Or you can dig a shallow trench and lay the stem down, curving the top 4-6 inches up supported by a small pile of dirt.
Your seedlings look great! I am going to start mine this week. Here in north MO it has been cold and I see it is going to be 12 on Thursday night. I think starting them late this year may be ok. Happy Spring!
You sound like you have our weather! Sure, you can start them later; I always get antsy and start them earlier than I probably should but what the heck….
Jackie, for a history of the Bliss potato see William Woys Weaver’s book Heirloom Vegetable Gardening, page 272. From his research information I’m not sure that what you remember is Bliss Triumph although it may have been called that. There’s a family of potatoes with the Bliss name (B. K. Bliss and Sons of New York). You can probably refine the identification from the descriptions in Dr. Weaver’s book. It’s possible that this potato disappeared from the market because it has a very thin skin that is easily damaged. Potatoes damaged during digging can’t be stored and of course they don’t ship well so could be sold only locally. Dr. Weaver also writes that in hot weather they are very susceptible to blight, so you have to watch carefully for signs of that.
Thanks for the tip on researching our Bliss Triumph. I’ll buy Dr. Weaver’s book as I was planning on it anyway and now I have more reason to get it. Yes, Bliss Triumph has a thin skin, but not any thinner than many red potatoes. This may be a reason they were not continued as a commercial variety although they DO store very well. We’re lucky. We don’t have blight here….yet. Maybe we’re too remote?
Bliss Triumph is the name of this potato as I still remember Grandpa and Mom talking about it for years and Grandpa got his first ones in 1926.
Well, that IS a question…. As they are mixed fancy colors, we want to keep as many as we can. (Will get that bulldozer out again. And, by the way, I need a big, heated greenhouse….)
The Bliss Triumph, from what I’ve learned, is an old British potato and was very popular in Florida, where my grandparents lived before moving to Montana. I believe Grandpa brought them with him to Montana with him and then grew them on his ranch, there.
Yay, Sarah!! What a great find.
Jackie, I find that I feel a little better when I “tell” the second seedling that he will be used as compost to help others grow….and I put them in the compost bucket. Silly, I know, but it really hurts to destroy a growing plant.
Our temperature this morning by 9 was 71 degrees. It is 2:00 now and the temp is 40 and falling fast. We are in southern Missouri and will have a hard freeze tonight….and the hummingbirds have been spotted in SE MO.
Thanks for the photos of plants, family, and surprises. Blessings.
I have a hard time thinning; I can only do carrots for about 15 minutes then I have to go do something else. I keep thinking “I’m throwing away FOOD!
Jackie, I feel the same way! I hate thinning! I feel like I’m getting rid of perfectly good plants. I’m just as bad about volunteer plants in the garden.
Bliss potatoes, I will need to see if I can find some, my daughters name is Bliss after my grandmother. Would be fun to have in the garden. I have almost 600 seedlings planted in the tiny greenhouse, hoping to see some sprouts any day. I was a little late getting them in. but we can have frost till the middle of May. You are really busy, glad you have david and Ashley to help out some. Happy Spring and Easter
Happy Spring to you! I’m still planting some of our late-ordered or late received seeds. There’s still plenty of time; I kind of rush getting into the dirt a bit!
We have cold sunny weather too. Six degrees last night and not expected to get above freezing today. I’m going to plant my tomatoes this week. I know you like peat pellets but one way to avoid having to cull plants is to plant two seeds in a growing container (I use four inch commercial pots and reuse them annually) when they emerge I transplant the extras to another pot. Usually I give away any plants I don’t have room for. I will probably plant two seeds in every other pot this year and back fill blanks from the extras and still have some to give away.
because of our seed business, we grow so many different varieties each year I just don’t have room for very many extra plants. I do give away my extras, though. This is why I start in peat pellets; I don’t have room for larger pots for so many. When I transplant, it’s warm enough to heat the enclosed porch, which is kind of a continuation of our greenhouse/sun room so I have more room then.
I am not able to garden anymore due to an injury but I still look at seed catalogues. I certainly admire all that you do Jackie & Will and your plants look good. I live in southern Michigan and its been cold here too but not that cold. Yesterday we had a large pine tree cut down that was damaged in a ice storm a couple of years ago. Now we won’t have to rake up all the pine needles etc every year. It is gloomy here today no sun and raining. Looking forward to better weather so I can get out and admire God’s creation.
I’m sorry you can’t garden now. That’s sad. I, too, hate the gloomy dark days. It’s so much nicer when the sun is out and the birds are singing!
Oh your plants are all so beautiful!! What will you do with all the hibiscus? Can you put them outside in the summer? I am starting a lot of plants too. After all it is April 3rd and someday it will be warmer than 34!!! We are having snow right now in WI!! Not excited but I can do other things.
Will love to see how those Bliss potatoes look! Never heard of them.
Thanks for the pictures! They sure lift your spirits when spring is far off!!
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