Savannology

@econetwork@mas.to Those are not sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas). They are potatoes (Solanum tuberosum). Different family, but same order (Solanales). Ramping the soil around the bases is good. Wait for the flowers to die before harvesting.

@econetwork@mas.to My wife knows a lot about growing food. Our combined knowledge and experience work well, but we still learn by "trial and error" and go with whatever works. Local conditions dictate what we grow, so our diet changes according to what is available. We are in South Africa.

@econetwork@mas.to I do not know. I just dig and see. If I am not happy I just leave them and check again after some months. I pick what I need when I want and leave the rest until I want more.

@RhinosWorryMe@climatejustice.social @econetwork@mas.to I'm still undecided about the soil fertility and watering. Generally, plants that develop underground storage organs do best in sandy soil, otherwise why build a storage organ, but I've also read spuds need feeding. I've been told by an agronomist that sweet potatoes do best in sandy soil and should be droughted for 1-2 months before harvest. All I can add is that my soil is rich and my summer rainfall is usually good and the spuds do well, which supports your advice.

@nova Screwdriver for scale?

@econetwork@mas.to Sorry, no website. Inspired by Nature. Born and raised in the south of Africa.

@econetwork@mas.to Pumpkin, cabbage, broccoli, swiss chard, lettuce, kale, onion, brinjal, green pepper, marrow, pigeon pea, cow pea, lima bean, fig, avocado, oranges, lemons, kumquat, gooseberry, raspberry, granadilla, loquat, nectarine, plum, sweet potato, potato, butternut, radish, beetroot, carrot. All grown with composted manure from our cattle and horses. Sweet potato leaves make good spinach. Also raise runner ducks, geese, chickens and rabbits. Ducks eat the snails in the vegetable garden.

@econetwork@mas.to we have "pests", but grow enough to satisfy them and us. Vervet monkeys are the worst culprits. I spend a lot of time chasing them off.

@econetwork@mas.to The thing with spuds and sweet potatoes is that even when you think you have dug up all of them, 6-12 months later you find more that have grown from the ones that were left behind. It is a nice bonus. That said, a lot depends on soil type, climate (too much rain may cause rot) and animals that eat them.

@econetwork@mas.to Glad to help. The best general advice I know of is that (depending on soil, climate and animals like mole-rats, moles, millipedes, etc., who like to eat underground/belowground storage organs), the best place to store underground/belowground storage organs, whether those organs are roots (as in sweet potato, beetroot, carrot) or stems (as in potato), is in the ground. Once the spuds have finished flowering, you may dig up a few to see what is there, before deciding to dig more.

@leeloo @RogerBW @jascha Only Greeks?

@ipbes Luthando was my first MSc student.

2026 is the UN #international_year_of_rangelands_and_pastoralists https://iyrp.info/ #IYRP2026 #rangelands #pastoralists #pastoralism #nomadism #transhumance #landtenure#climateChange #flood #drought #landuseChange#resilience #vulnerablePeople #livestock #livestockHealth#livelihood #herders #indigenouspeople

@econetwork@mas.to @RhinosWorryMe@climatejustice.social No, I do not think you will lose them in the dry season unless you have animals eating them.

@uastronomer@mastodon.monoceros.co.za I know the feeling... every time the clouds thicken, the pulse quickens... is a line I will try to remember. I keep eyes on various weather forecasting services and plan a load-shedding routine when I see 2+ days of overcast sky. The two forecasts I check daily are yr.no and africaweather.com. First thing is to have the inverter off while sleeping at night. Second thing is to move contents of one fridge into the combined fridge/freezer so the first can be switched off if necessary.

@violanders@mastodon.nu @straphanger@urbanists.social Why is there a bump anyway? Seems like a very minor bump though. With respect to the injured cyclist, was the cyclist not looking ahead?

@violanders@mastodon.nu @straphanger@urbanists.social Agreed, but anyone in control of a moving vehicle needs to keep eyes on the road ahead to reduce risks of accidents.