I nearly gave up on potatoes this year. In March, I planted my usual sweet potatoes in dust-dry soil, kicking up clouds of dirt with every step. For weeks, nothing moved. Then the rains came; however, I did not do the plating immediately.
Week 1 of planting
- may 5th: Woke up to the first real storm. By afternoon, the garden smelled like wet earth and promise.
- Found three seed potatoes washed out of their rows.
- Tilled the soil using my hoes to increase deeper penetration.
Week 3
- The plants exploded. Like, Jurassic Park levels of growth.
- Discovered the downside: Colorado potato beetles arrived with the humidity. Spent Tuesday picking them off by hand (gross but effective).
The Good
- Massive rain fall during the month of june increasing the dominance of the potato leaves amongst other plants.
- My "test dig" on June 12th revealed marble-sized new potatoes—three weeks earlier than last year.
- The Red Pontiacs developed thicker skins thanks to alternating rain and sun, which means better storage.
The Bad
- Lost two plants to early blight near the compost pile (lesson: rotate crops better).
- Slug party every night. Beer traps = 87 casualties (I counted).
- Initial decolouration due to a limited supply of rain.
Hopefully the hervest will be great!
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Special recognition: 
I'm Ariyo Joseph Ayobamidele — nature observer, anatomy learner, science thinker. I write and draw to process the world. Heading into medicine and surgery. Self-sponsored through Hive and block chain technologies. My word for you is "Curiosity causes growth — and your support adds value." 🔬✍️