Posted on 03/01/2026 5:58:25 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
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Just counted - the 2 lbs of seed potatoes ended up being 14 golf ball sized tubers.
Potato yield.
Official AG numbers: 7 lbs = 100’ row which should yield 2-4 bushels. 1 bushel = 60 lbs.
in row spacing 6” to 12”
AI search results: 3-5 lbs per plant or 8-14 tubers per plant
14 seed potatoes
3 lbs each is 42 lbs
4 lbs each is 56 lbs
5 lbs each is 70 lbs
For the $2.00 spent, if I get 30 lbs, I’ll be happy. 40-50 would be awesome.
Got the tractor belt put on yesterday. Gates 7375(973.5 mm) is what was on there but once it broke in, it was loose and there was no more adjustment. Gates 7365 (948 mm) is the new one and I had to remove the alternator pivot bolt to get the belt on. When I tightened it, I still have some adjustment left but not a lot. Will see what happens when it gets broken in. My original research from over 10 years ago says 932 mm but I have no idea where I got that from. Next size down in Gates is 935 mm so I’ll try that next if need be.
To get the belt over the fan, I had to unbolt the radiator support to move it forward. I also had to take the top radiator hose off the engine end. It goes on the thermostat housing so I went ahead and pulled the thermostat.
Brought it inside and heated it in water. Even a rapid boil - 220 degrees - it wouldn’t open. I could open it by hand but heat wouldn’t do it. For now, I used a plumbing washer to keep it propped open. I know some people just gut them or leave it out entirely.
Took a little research to find a thermostat for a 1981 Mitsubishi. Tried ebay and found two. One in Germany for $80 plus import duties. One in Poland for $20 plus import duties. With German’s being as thorough as they are, that listing had a huge list of other engines it fits and from that, I found a ton of thermostats in the US for $16.
They all seem to be 78.5 C which is 173.3 F. The original is 82 C or 179.6 F. Hopefully the little diesel won’t mind running a little cooler.
Tractor had warning lights for temp and oil pressure. I want to get a small set of gauges for volts/temp/oil. Will need an alternator for the volts to read anything but the battery but even battery voltage would be good to see so I know when it needs charging. Once it starts I turn the key off so starting is the only thing that takes power.
Oil filter came in and I picked up some 15W40 diesel oil so it will get a badly needed oil change here shortly. Grabbed some coolant and will be putting that in. No more leaks and hopefully that partially open thermostat will keep it from running hot and boiling and blowing out the overflow. I won’t be pushing it until I get a thermostat.
Really hoping to get that burning done but it’s gusty. Supposed to die down around 6-7pm so we’ll see. Got a couple of downed trees to move, an old truck to move or rake around, some small spots to pre-burn and maybe a bunch of raking to turn 1.5 acres into three .5 acre chunks.
Got some onion sets I bought on a whim and still have a raised bed with wood border in the little front yard garden so I’m going to stick them in there. If they get shallow sized, that’ll work. They’re Vidalia.
Got everything sitting in the 20x20 enclosure. PC and touchscreen are hooked up and on the web. The PC has no WiFi card but I found an old USB WiFi dongle - 20 years old but still works. No gadgets connected or mounted. Need to get the two relay/fuse boxes in which I just ordered this morning. Want to have everything in there to make sure it will all work.
Back of the touchscreen will hit the network cables so I think I’m going to flip the enclosure. Door will just swing the other way. That will put the touchscreen at the bottom. The controllers with network cables sticking out the front have to go up top. Flipping the enclosure will put those four round holes up top and those are just getting plugs so there will be plenty of clearance behind those. Touchscreen is about 2” deep.
I would say “it looked good on paper” but I never drew the door with touchscreen. Didn’t really know it would get the touchscreen until I got the enclosure and the hole size was so close. That was the original intent/design. PC inside and touchscreen in door or front panel.
According to ebay, I have a couple of packages in my mailbox. Gonna go grab them and change that oil in the tractor. Then onto burn prep and measure and stake for the tunnel shed.
I have never had Orioles this early, and you are further north than I am. However…my Virginia Bluebells, which usually bloom around the same time as the orioles show up, is beginning to blossom, not just leaf out. I am stunned. It is usually late April or early May. This is a month early, so maybe you did see a scout!
That’s what I am wondering. A scout. Yes this is early here for orioles. I did see a pair of wood ducks right off our deck. Right on time. End of March. On the 29th this year.
30 Plants That Invite Good Luck Right at Your Front Door
In many cultures around the world, plants have been revered not only for their beauty and practicality but also for their symbolic meanings and perceived ability to attract good fortune.1
The tradition of placing certain plants near the entrance of a home is deeply rooted in various traditions, each with its own interpretations and beliefs.
Here are “good luck” plants for anyone seeking to enhance their home with a touch of natural charm and auspicious energy.
https://thenatureofhome.com/good-luck-plants-front-door/
I must be VERY lucky! I have most of these in my home and garden. Latin names and pictures at link. :)
Money Tree
Lucky Bamboo
Jade
Peace Lily
Snake Plant
Rubber Plant
Citrus Trees
Orchid
Boston Fern
Palm Tree
Anthurium
Basil
Chinese Evergreen
Fuchsia
Golden Pothos
Lavender
Marigold
Rosemary
Spider Plant
ZZ Plant
Aloe Vera
Cacti & Succulents
Geranium
Hibiscus
Jasmine
Morning Glory
Peony
Sage
Sunflower
Holy Basil
The redbuds came out like gangbusters last week, purple everywhere. I guess not every tree blooms every year or not all at once because I’ve never seen so many.
Dogwoods started popping out overnight. Hadn’t noticed any until this morning.
Serviceberry are coming out one by one.
We’ll have all three with good overlap this year.
Such a weird year so far. Hit 90 several times and the stores don’t have any plants yet. Grocery store just cleaned out their greenhouse so I guess they’ll be getting something soon.
I bet the veggies nurseries around here aren’t having much fun.
Wow, that’s great! I love wood ducks. They’re so pretty. I’ve never seen them around here, just Mallards. Audubon does have sightings for them today but not terribly close to me. (About a half hour to an hour’s drive away.)
Trust me, NOBODY has actual ‘FUN’ during the Spring Mania if you’re in any part of the Garden Center Business; grower or retailer.
BUT - it’s the only time of the year, other than Christmastime, that you make Big Money, so you muddle through!
I cut a bunch of blooming Forsythia branches this morning. They look pretty with my ‘Gas Station Roses.’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIV-5OZb3yY
We’ve seen them every year since we built the house 1984. They like a deep old woods habitat with water and we have a creek. Lots of big empty holes in some of the trees. Have never se3n them on the ground or in the water. Their feet are made for trees.
Oh! I did not know this! I assumed they would be in water because of being ducks! 😆
I have an acre of woods behind my house with a creek that runs through it. I should start looking up for them and not down!
Sounds like an ideal habitat. They will be at least 12 feet off the ground and old trees with a big hole in the trunk ideal nest conditions.
If there are trees over the water even better. When the baby ducks come out of the nest they like to hit the water.
Thanks for the tips! Usually there are trees right at the edge, though sometimes they fall towards the creek, too. I think I just haven’t looked in the right places! Now I know!
Way past my bedtime. Wind finally died down at 7pm. Been burning ever since. It’s pretty much done. One more check and off to bed.
Looks like I might be making food Friday for a funeral being held at church. I don't know the person & won't attend, but would like to help out with the food for the lunch after. The church did a lunch for our family after dad's funeral & it was really good to talk to family & friends during that time. I have a Silver Palate 5-bean salad recipe that is really good & would be perfect to drop off.
Yowser! Check out the map. New sighting in Fort Wayne Indiana. If you enlarge the map and click on the sighting dot you can read about it. Sighting marks with a small white dot include a picture. I posted an early sighting with a picture some years ago. Very easy to do. My feeder is cleaned and mounted just waiting to add the jelly. That’s all I use.
https://maps.journeynorth.org/map/?map=oriole-first-baltimore&year=2026&season=spring
Sounds like your fella! Hard to believe this could be so early. I haven’t even tried putting my jelly feeder out yet. I guess I need to get to work on that! It is raining here today. I’m sure the plants must need it by now.
I’m going to be *trying* to get a few shishitos started from seed that I saved from last summer’s crop. I have little peat like cups that I purchased a year ago and never used. I filled with moistened soil yesterday, and have a heat mat to stick underneath. I have never tried growing seeds in little pots before. I always sowed directly, so this will be a new experience for me. Like anything in my garden, I view these exercises as experiments. If something grows, great! If not, I learned a little something along the way.
Could not have been the same bird . I am in west Michigan east of Grand Rapids about 30 miles. I can tell you from years of experience trying shishito seeds indoors first, I gave up. Tried lights, heating pads, both. I had my best results sewing in a large pot covered with plexiglas outside. After the seedings were up I could spoon out what I wanted. Anything else could start inside but peppers were really tough. They need more heat than I can give them indoors. I’ll be starting lettuce outside in large pots with plexiglas. That I have done for many years around Easter.
How kind of you, as always!
I feel like we’re doing NOTHING these days but attending funerals. We have another soon - Beau’s Aunt Lois made it to 94, and not a day longer. She was a sweetheart.
Funeral will be delayed a while because her 6 kids live all over the place - one in Alaska and one in Japan!
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