Potatoes, boil 'em, mash 'em, put 'em in a bale...

I put out my first veggie plants in the garden.

The poor garden needs a lot of work, but about 2 or so weeks ago, Husband helped me by putting 3 bales of hay, (you should use straw, but these bales are last of the season, I had them, and are not exactly pristine for feed...) out on one of the raised beds.  I am trying an experiment.  I watered and fertilized the bales, letting them break down and rot.  I then put a dab of soil on the top, and put in the potato starts, eyes from several that I had put back.  Then I covered the parts I hadn't planted with garden fabric, so that HOPEFULLY the grasses and weeds might not be taller than the plants.  Also, it holds water a bit better that way. 

I have found that raising potatoes is neat.  BUT... trying to do the digging, in a raised bed is... creative.  If the potatoes end up near the edge, I have nearly pulled a board off with the fork, trying to dislodge it.  My soil is not pristine, so occasionally, I pull up what looks to be a nice potato.  It turns out to be a nice ROCK.  Pbbt.  And there is the 'slice it in half as you dig' part, that can be really frustrating. 

I hope against hope that the bales will allow me to have clean, rock free, and non sliced potatoes...  I have two bales ready with potato starts, I am trying to decide if I should put more in the last bale I have there, or try other root veggies.  Carrots? Beets?  I bet I can find something!!

Hmmm...