Planting potatoes

Picked an early potato, "Satina", in hopes it will produce in our mild, sometimes damp climate. Chitted the potatoes on a windowsill for about 2 weeks, then planted them. Probably planted them to late - May 1st. Filled containers with 4-5 inches of sheep manure and mixed in some all-purpose fertilizer. Placed the potatoes, then covered with 2-3 more inches of sheep manure and watered. I will hill up the potatoes when the shoots have shown quite a bit of growth.

Next stage in protection

Eventually cloches will become too small or the temperature too warm. A next step in protection is to use open topped cloches. These can be made of old plastic pots with the bottoms cut out. If temperatures turn cold again crop cloth can be draped over the tops.

Early season crop protection

A variety of cloches and wire mesh/crop cloth can be used to protect early season veggies from cold, rain, and pests. Pop bottle cloches work well. Peas wrapped with wire mesh then covered with crop cloth seem to like the protected environment. A simple cold frame made with an old window keeps greens sheltered. The goal is to help the fragile seedlings get established. Early in the year starting seedlings indoors seems to work best.