To: "homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org" <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: [Homestead] Sweet potatoes flourish in Phoenix climate
Date: Sat, 16 Oct 2004 09:52:54 -0700
Now how's that for a homestead topic?
Okay, so I was feeling a bit desperate.
Long story shortened: built a thirty-foot retaining wall, imported top
soil, filled in behind the wall, planted bougainvillea for pretty and
squash for food; squash finished and planted one sweet potato, cut it in
half and stuck the two pieces in the ground, watered once per week with
soaker hose; the entire area between house and wall, about twenty feet and
from front edge of house, where is two-foot rabbit fence to the wall near
the back of the house, is now covered with sweet potato jungle. Perhaps all
leaves and no potatoes. If I were home at Heartwood I would expect any day
now the black leaves evidencing overnight frost, would then pull the
potatoes and mow the vines. Here I will experiment with prolonged season
and see what happens. The vines are growing over the rabbit fence and up
the bougainvillea. Very pretty, keeps the ground cool, hopefully doing some
good for soil microorganisms.
Neighbors and electric meter reader guy all ask what is that vine?
As you are all desperate for real homestead topics I will report the
harvest when it happens.
And now, back to us versus them. Are you an us or a them? Anyone wanna bet
on when we might again be a we? Divide and conquer. Congratulations, Osama.
You done good. Whoops. Sorry about that; lost my head. Must be this
perfect weather which has weakened me so.
[Homestead] Sweet potatoes flourish in Phoenix climate,
Gene GeRue, 10/16/2004