I too pick out small seed potatoes to plant. If I have no choice, but to get big ones I'll cut them in two pieces. One thing that I learned to do has greatly helped with the potatoes coming up is to presprout the potatoes inside. I take the seed potatoes and put them in a single layer in a shallow box. I put them near a sunny place. Little plants start to grow out of the eyes. No watering is needed because the sprouts will get what they need from the tubers. They'll shrink up a little bit. After 3-4 weeks the sprouted potatoes are hardy enough to be cut in half if need be. I like to plant the potatoes shallowly so the sprouts will be up ASAP to take advantage of photosynthesis. Sometimes crows will pull some of my potatoes up. I just replant a tad deeper and really pack the dirt around the potatoes. As far as planting potatoes again this year, call up a garden center or get ahold of someone from the Sacramento Extension Service. Fresh potatoes taste so great, good luck.

@ tishtoshnm, Yeah I do not live in ABQ, I live at 7300 feet elevation at the highest point on 337 (old South 14) just a few miles from the Apple Valley Ranch (about 14 miles south of I-40). I watch my outdoor temp sensors daily and my land has not gotten to 100, maybe mid 90's tops. Its usually at least 10-20 degrees cooler here than ABQ. And unfortunately, no I did not mulch and yes it was suggested, darn it. Live and learn, now I know next year to mulch. Thinking about Kennebecs now, lol after reading how much easier they are at growing in harsh dry climates. So potatoes are sensitive to the heat in the ground? Hmm, interesting, my carrots never get mulch and they grow like super carrots on steroids in my soil (guess they don't care about the heat). I wonder if its to late to throw on some mulch now at the base of the plants? Probably so, oh well there's always next year. Thanks tishtoshnm for the important information. I will definitely mulch next year as I hill up the soil. Rod

Tom, "John, are you using the white bags? I'd be concerned about the dyes and chemicals in the other colors.... " Good point. Heres what they (Greenbag Inc) say... "Is made from non-toxic, non-corrosive materials and safe color-fast dyes". I'm interested in these for several reasons, drainage, cooling and cost. I know they drain well, I don't think you could ever fill one with a garden hose. The upside down tomato bag I tried last spring stayed cool and it was black. The ones from Publix are a buck and I hear W mart's are cheaper. So I'll give it a try. john

I assume all the bedrooms with be for kids when I read your login name-- I really, really like the plan for the most part. I am not sure I understand why it is such a complicated roof with bumpouts in the front. If you greatly simplify the roof and straighten out the front you'll gain space inside as well as saving a lot of $$. It will cost far more to roof as it is. How about simplifying the roof and bumping out the whole front (the smallest bedroom is SO small-- have you thought about furniture placement in there? The size looks good until you look at the placement of the walls etc and start to think about that) and maybe adding a front porch which extends across the entire front? With three boys, you may want some more "escapes" for family members to have a little alone-time. You could actually SAVE money by simplifying while GAINING square footage. I would also seriously consider moving the powder room. My friend's house has a half bath with an extra door at the back. I assumed it was a closet until I found it was the door to her fabulous huge laundry room. I notice you might easily be able to do the same thing here, and it is not very expensive to do at this stage--- you would have a more private are to access the half bath than the current location off the foyer. That laundry would be a good location for one , and keeps guests out of your more private areas of the home. Another bonus would be that you could then make your own bedroom bigger or make the study bigger -- or simply almost double the size of your master closet. I'd be tempted to use the space to either change the shape of the closet but leave it roughly the same size and slide the bathroom toward the study, making your bedroom bigger and shortening that hallway t your bedroom. Is there a prurpose for that hallway? Could you remove that wall thereby adding some furniture placement wallspace and eliminating the narrow hallway? LOVE so many things about the plan-- great general layout. I just don;t quite understand the roof and bumpouts since they cost so much more AND seem to make the spaces inside awkward. Are they simply to help how the outside of the house looks?