potatao project 2014

the containerized potato plants in the top two photos were pretty much done with their seasons and august is not too early to start on a winter potato growing project that will require another planting in january sometime to have a second generation ready to plant in spring...so i harvested the spuds ( more on that in the next post...three altogether..lots of photos )...you're supposed to rotate potato plantings in the field on at least a three year basis to avoid a build up of pests and pathogens...the containers had just grown potatoes so i dumped the soil out into one of the raised beds out back where winter and sun will help reduce the pathogens ( if any ) and i thoroughly cleaned the containers...then i put in a layer of pea gravel for better drainage ( i was using natural charcoal last season and will probably invest in some directly...before another planting ) and had a container ready for a red pontiac spud that i had already cut and calloused.