Growingpains, do you enjoy treasure hunts? If so, you'll love "dibbling". Eileen taught me that word, which means digging around a potato plant with your fingers to see what you find. I dibble frequently, and when I encounter a good sized potato, I figure I can harvest the row. Of course, you are rewarded for dibbling by a handful of baby potatoes, which go so well with green beans and a little chopped onion!
The potato plants are yellow and drooping. I took a few out today. As soon as the temp drops to a fairly comfortable number I will dig the rest. Marlin, I did learn "dibbling" which was called, "grabbling" in my part of the south, when I was growing up. I believe Mother cooked the little potatoes with "new" peas.
I am such a newbie to potato growing! Last year was the first time I grew them & the first time I heard about "dribbling!" I might just strut my new garden lingo at my community garden, asking folk if they have dribbled yet....or grabbled..... I placed too big an order of potato starts this spring, so split the order with 3 other gardeners. We are all growing the same potatoes. Can't wait to see what they say.
Cayuga, no, no, it's not "dribbling." Drop the R and treasure hunting potatoes is called "dibbling", but either way, and even grabbling, is so much fun. Let us all know how your potato harvest, and the harvest of the other three gardeners, turns out.
Cayuga, I'm anxious to learn how your potatoes come out. We took the rest of our's up this morning. Not enough to brag about, but considering the weather, no complaints. I also took out a few more garlic heads. This time the hard neck and they are cloving quite well. Our Romaine lettuce has begun bolting which took me by surprise. I pulled out three and passed them along to neighbors. We can hardly eat 6 lettuce heads and it will only keep so long even in Debbie Meyer green bags. The heat is making the leaves become slightly tough.
@marlingardener Thank God you corrected me!! How embarrassing that would have been! Although, come to think of it, none of these gardeners have ever grown potatoes before. They probably would have just nodded and begun talking about when to dribble their potatoes! I am conjuring up a very funny picture of these New Englanders dribbling & grabbing potatoes about the garden. @Growingpains your season is more advanced than ours. My potatoes are flowering but nowhere near ready to harvest. Still looking very green & perky. I am surprised your lettuce is only bolting now. Is it a slow to bolt variety? Some of my lettuce is beginning tho bolt. I always let some go to seed & I always have lettuce from the previous years crop. Ill let you both know how our community garden potato harvest goes. But, BTW, just when do I start this dibbling?
I hope I didn't offend with my quibbling correction . I have the greatest respect for Eileen and didn't want her to think I had forgotten her lesson. Of course, the thought of a bunch of New England gardeners dribbling and grabbling is fairly funny! I start dibbling about eight weeks after the potato plants are up and have recognizable foliage. At that stage potatoes are usually at least quarter-sized. Of course, if you don't find any large enough to bring home, just leave them attached to the mother plant and they will continue to grow.
Cayuga, our very best lettuce is the volunteer. I sure will allow some to go to seed. I think the extreme heat and lack of moisture caused the strong taste and slightly tough texture. Watering by hand or hose just doesn't accomplish what rain does. I too am surprised that it didn't bolt sooner. My biggest disappointment is the Romaine. It grew upwards really fast instead of heading as it should. Each year has surprises.
You all are making me want potatoes. Still didn't put any in the ground. Should I now? All of your 'taters' looks really, really good!!!
Hummerbum, now is not the time to plant potatoes in Georgia. Plant them around St. Patrick's Day in March, and read up on cutting seed potatoes into pieces with two or three "eyes". It's called "chitting". Check local feed stores for seed potatoes. Getting them from nurseries or over the internet makes for very expensive potatoes! If you have access to organic potatoes at a grocery, those will work, too. Organic is important, since those potatoes haven't been treated with a chemical to retard sprouting.
Well Cayuga, it never hurts to talk to your veggies. But as Growingpains said, it is better to "chit" and then let the cut pieces dry out or scab for two or three days (depending on the humidity) before planting. Perhaps you and your plot mates could have a cup of coffee or tea, and talk to your cut potato pieces. "Chit chat"?
I do talk to the veggies. If some tomato plants are not producing, I reprimand them. "You know His tomatoes are making you look bad, so how about getting some going, aye!"
