Week 6-8 Broccoli, Cabbage, and Potatoes Oh My!

Week 5 the onions, leeks, shallots, broccoli, and cabbage started to transition to being planted outdoors. First they hung out on the porch, getting accustomed to cooler nights and a few hours of real sunshine. It's like when us New Englanders try to go somewhere warm with beaches during the winter months. Without sunblock and too much sun we burn to a crisp. The plants tender leaves also need some exposure to the sun. Too much sun = unhappy plants.
Once the plants had enough time to make their adjustment we planted them in freshly turned soil filled  with red wriggler worms.

Cabbage

Potato Towers

This year we ordered 25lb (wow that's lot) of certified seed potatoes.  Potatoes can take up quiet a bit of space in your garden and this year we decided to try out a new method. I can across this website Potato Towers through Pinterest. It's all about vertical space and wherever there is sun.

Step 1: Take some wire fencing and cut to the size you desire. Attach it with zip-ties or some other easy way you will be able to detach them later on.

Step 2: Place them in a desired location with plenty of sun and them wont tip over (via dogs, kids, etc).

Step 3: Place straw in the bottom and a few inches up the sides of the wire fencing. Then add in a nice thick layer of soil/mulch. Water. Place seed potato about 5-6 inches apart with eyes facing towards the outside of the fencing.

Step 4:  Repeat 3-4 more layers. The last layer of soil you can plant herbs, other veggies, or flowers.

Step 5: Find a handsome husband to help build your potato towers :)

The idea is that the potato leaves will grow all along the outside of the tower. When they are ready for harvest, just detach the zip-ties and dig through the soil. This is our first year trying this, so I will be interested in the results (size, yield, critters).