Text 407, 125 rader
Skriven 2008-01-08 19:45:18 av hap newsom (1:124/311)
     Kommentar till en text av Carol Shenkenberger
Ärende: Tater's in the can! 
============================
Hi Carol! 
->     
->  > each week throughout the year.  Still the list
->  > above seems a bit pricey to me...must be the
->  > shipping charges I suppose!
-> 
-> Probably.  Definately could beat that at Krogers, even in organics.
-> 
->  > I am very prudent when I shop, (most of the time)
->  > and I try to do my shopping no more than a week
->  > in advance (other than frozen staples) so I manage
->  > to keep the bill a lot lower than that (thank goodness!)
->  > I try to shop sales so when broccoli is on sale
->  > we get broccoli...when it's not we don't (g)
-> 
-> Same here.  Don't get the idea we don't eat well, we do as you've seen me
-> post.  But mostly I manage to keep it pretty close to 400$ a month for the 
3
-> of us (not counting laundry soap etc).
-> 
-> Tonight's dinner was tilapia pan fried with butter and chinese broccoli in a
-> sweet-n-sour sauce.  Fresh lite wheat bread (25% wheat, 10% rye, rest 
white
-> flour).  Rice.
-> 
-> I don't really calculate the price of each meal, but that one would have 
been
-> about 2.50$ or so.  Got a good sale on chinese broccoli so we have been
-> eating that up.  Used about 3/4 lb of tilapia which we scored on for 1.50lb
-> of farm raised.  It's very like pink snapper.
-> 
I usually don't bother trying to calculate 
the price of a single meal, I'm just doing
my best to keep the grocery bill under 
control (grin).

-> I check the sales of fresh veggies and get what's seasonal.  One of the
-> benefits of being here so long, is there is relatively little I cant figure
-> out how to cook.
-> 
->  > I LOOOOVE brussels sprouts! $1.98 a pound this week
->  > and still a good buy. Broccoli is $0.74 a pound,
->  > leeks are $1.89 a pound.
-> 
-> Ohh leek soup <g>.  You've probably got my 'leeky crockpot' recipe there. 
-> Yum!
-> 
We love leeks too! I'll have to look up 
and post my leek soup recipe!

-> Agree with Janis, post the potato method again?  I was thinking to try this
-> in spring here.  I have a small back yard, and plan to put in tomatoes and a
-> few things again.  I'm also looking at cutting flower beds along where the
-> termite treatment was done.
->                xxcarol

Here it is just for you....and anyone else who's 
looking over your cyber-shoulder! (grin)

How to Grow Potatoes in a Container     (Ciscoe's Secrets)  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------


Get a clean garbage can or similar container. Plastic 
works great because it won't rust out. Drainage is 
absolutely necessary. Drill several 1/2 inch holes in 
the bottom. It also helps to drill some holes in the 
side about half-inch up from the bottom of the container. 

Fill the container with about 6 inches of good potting 
soil. Mix in about a handful of osmocote 14-14-14 fertilizer. 
Osmocote is a slow release fertilizer that will stay 
active for approximately 2 1/2 months. Organic fertilizers 
formulated for acid loving plants such as rhododendrons 
also works well. (Note: After 2 1/2 months with osmocote, 
or about 1 1/2 months with organic, fertilize with a 
good water soluble fertilizer such as Miracle Grow about 
every two weeks according to directions on the label). 
Place whole seed potatoes in the soil. There should be 
about 5 inches between potatoes. Cover with an additional 
inch or so of soil. All potatoes should be completely covered 
with soil. Water the spuds in. 

The potatoes will begin to grow. When the vines reach 4 inches, 
cover all but 1 inch with compost or straw. I like to use compost, 
because it is easy to reach in to pick potatoes. Every time the 
vines grow another 4 inches, keep covering all but the top inch.
 Eventually, the vines will grow out of the top of the container. 
It is a good idea to stake up the vines so they don't fall over 
and brake. Place 4 bamboo or wood stakes (one in each corner) 
and tie the vines to the stakes with twine. By now the whole 
container will be filled with compost. Soon the vines will flower. 
Not long after that, the vines will begin to produce 
potatoes all along the vines that are covered with 
compost in the container. Once they have become big 
enough, you can reach in and pick a few for dinner any 
time you want. These spuds are called "new potatoes." 
They won't keep long in the fridge, so pick-em and eat em. 
After the vines die back at the end of summer, the potatoes 
remaining are storing potatoes. You can harvest and store 
them as you normally would. These will keep well as long as 
they are stored in a dark, cool, and relatively dry location. 

One last note: take care to provide adequate water. 
You don't want to drown the plants but it's also important 
the soil at the bottom never dries out. In late summer spuds 
may need to be watered on a daily basis. Use a watering can 
to water to avoid wetting the foliage. I found that keeping the 
containers in an area with morning sun exposure prevents the 
soil from drying out too rapidly and still allows enough sun for a 
bumper crop. 

This method of growing spuds is really fun. You get lots 
of them without using much space, and it amazes visitors 
to your yard. Last year I harvested 35 large Yukon Gold 
and 55 good sized Peruvian Blue potatoes. Great served 
with brussels sprouts! 

you can check out more about my friend Ciscoe Morris at his 
website ciscoe.com
chat with you soon
hap
 
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