No More Scabs

On my lunch break, while subbing in the Montessori middle school, I picked out my 2010 potato varieties:

I only want potatoes that are rated "highly resistant" to scab. I had wicked scabs last year. It's probably the llama manure I added in the spring. It's probably the higher pH soils here in the midwest.

Caribe:  I chose it for its earliness, its purple skin, and its waxy texture.

Purple Viking fingerling:  fingerlings are reputed with disease resistance and I've never grown them before (!) These have skins that are purple with pink splashes, they are ready mid-season, and did I mention that they're purple?

Elba: These are buff (boring?) in color, but these potates are supposed to be resistant to just about everything and yield like heroes. They are ready late and get an "E" for excellent when it comes to storage. 

I'm still a gypsy and don't know where I'll be next fall or winter, so I'm not planting any more than that. (Yeah, we'll see about that.) 

Potato Creature

My potatoes are growing potatoes! (Before growing plants.) Something tells me this is not good. I've never had this happen, but I've also never dug up my potatoes to check on them. I accidently uncovered them while weeding today and I noticed the bright pink color of the new potato (vs. the old potato). So, I dug up two more areas with no potato sprouts coming up... same thing. 

Shortly after this picture was taken, the potato started speaking to me in the voice of Freddie Mercury, which was a relief because Freddie had been trying to contact me from Beyond through Queen's song, "Somebody to Love" played over and over on the radio. I planted the potato back in the ground, mystery solved. For now.