Weekly Garden Thread - August 28-September 3, 2021 [Yes We Can! Edition]

August 28, 2021 | Diana in Wisconsin/Greeneyes

[Diana in Wisconsin]

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you.

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It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread. Planting, Harvest to Table Recipes, Preserving, Good Living - there is no telling where it will go - and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us! Send a Private Message to Diana in Wisconsin if you'd like to be added to our New & Improved Ping List.

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[Diana in Wisconsin]

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[left that other site]

I am in “prep mode.”

[daniel1212]

Not even close to any surplus but after a July with only about sunny 7 days and an August with frequent rain then including a hurricane, then with warmth and sun the plants have started to rarely grow, praise God. Only about 150 tomatoes (almost all cherry) so far, and the butternut squash has taken over! Bullies! Thank God for the space and what we can do with it in a city of about 20,000 souls per mile.

[daniel1212]

Edit: "then with warmth and sun the plants have started to rarely REALLY grow!"

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Finally! Happy for you! It’s looking as good as previous years, actually.

Funny how Nature seems to always catch up! :)

[Pollard]

National Center for Home Food Preservation(Canning, Curing, Drying, Fermenting & Pickling) https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/publications_usda.html

One publication there is the Complete Guide to Home Canning. Another reliable source are the blue book of canning cookbooks. Anything from a modern testing kitchen with food safety test equipment is trustworthy. Those old canning recipes from 1930, not so much. Misc recipes found on the web, nope. Botulism is real and real dangerous.

One general rule is that you can pressure can most things at 15 lbs for 90 minutes however altitude matters but you’ll learn about that in the USDA complete guide to canning. No ingredients that swell should be used in a recipe, rice, pasta etc. Those can be added after opening the jar and while making the meal.

Head space is important. That would be the air gap at the top. 1/4” 1/2” 3/4” & 1” are generally used but it depends on canning jar size and food being canned.

[daniel1212]

From May 15:

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I’ve gotten a lot canned so far (pictures later) and I have bags of chopped veggies in the freezer for when I get motivated to do some more. So far I have made & canned:

Salsa
V-8 Juice
Tomato Soup
Bloody Mary Mix (V-8 Juice, but with Horseradish & Hot Sauce!)
Dehydrated ‘Juliet’ Tomatoes with Italian Seasoning
Dilly Beans

Still planning on:

More Salsa
More Tomato Soup
More Dehydrated tomatoes
Lemony Kale Pesto

I have plenty of jars for the pesto, but I need to take inventory to see how much more I can ‘can’ based on what I have on hand. More jars shouldn’t be an issue; seems THAT supply chain has caught up at my local Walmart and Farm & Fleet.

I REALLY over-did it on tomatoes this season because LAST season was just horrible for production - wet, wet, wet all growing season. Luckily, I have plenty of neighbors that will eat up/use my surplus.

I haven’t told them yet just how many winter squash and pumpkins I’ll have. ;)

Picking Sweet Corn today! :)

[MomwithHope]

Morning all, things are winding down in the garden and keeping steady in the kitchen. Tomatoes almost done, still have some San Marzano and Sabres left. Pulled stakes on some and pulled plants, threw them in the firepit because we did have some fungus this year. Canned sauce in quarts with whole peeled San Marzanos inside 9-10 in each quart. Canned 3 times. Also dehydrated 3X and will have one last one from the looks of it. Took the soaker hose down to the barn. Still picking broccoli second growth is finally coming on strong, those chinese long beans, I get a handful every other day from just 6 or 7 vines up a pole. Have eaten lots and steamed and froze in foodsaver bags. Got corn from our favorite stand, so sweet. We cut the kernels off and vacuum seal raw, in the middle of the winter it tastes so sweet and fresh, we just warm up with a little butter. Also have tons of italian basil. Hubby made pesto once. I made mozzarella 3 X already and we have enjoyed it with sliced tomato and basil with a little Ken’s Northern Italian Dressing, Yum!
Still picking raspberrys from new plants put in this spring, we weren’t expecting any and have probably picked enough for a pie. We swear that Chicken Soup for the Soil made a marked difference on our veggies- much bigger yields. Waiting on some ripe peppers and we still have lots of thyme. Picking a second crop of romaine. All in all a wonderful garden this year. Wishing you all the best!

[Bon of Babble]

Hello to All!

Things are heating up again in Southern California as it always does the last two weeks of August and into the first of September - hot temps and hot winds - mid 90s for days on end, 97 today, tomorrow and Monday.

Not good for gardens...

Trying to keep everything from drying and/or burning up.

Lucifer Lily moved to a shady area, which it seems to prefer:

Figs are exploding in the heat - I mean actually exploding!

Penstemon from my "native plants" garden:

Shady area in the front yard, plumerias and vincas:

And finally:

Happy Back to School (and so glad I'm retired!):

Happy Gardening!

[left that other site]

“Lemony Kale Pesto” sounds intriguing.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Cabbage Harvest was a whopper this season! Looks like a LOT of Sauerkraut canning ahead for me...

[tubebender]

Beautiful Figs !!!! I’m sending Lady Bender out to buy some for me this morning

[greeneyes]

Thanks for the ping. Not much going on here. Got a few herbs still going. Very poor harvest this year. Leaves on trees are turning yellow and falling off the trees.

Persimmons should be ripe soon. Time to get the beds ready for the Wheat, rye, and cover crops. And garlic when it arrives.

[greeneyes]

I made apple butter and peach butter and canned it last weekend. I am going to make more apple butter this weekend.

Today I have the dehydrator going with mixed veggies, tomatoes, and broccoli.

I will also can some hamburger and pork tomorrow.

[Doctor Congo]

I just filled my huge dehydrator with red sweet peppers for making paprika.
11 large stainless steel trays are all full. I cut them into half inch squares to speed up the drying.

Last week I finished making several quarts of dried tomatoes using an Italian heirloom variety special adapted for that role. It takes a lot of tomatoes to make a couple dried quarts. I am going to make tomato powder that I use in place of tomato paste.

[greeneyes]

How do you preserve the figs? I have been thinking about getting a fig from the Stark brothers.

[Bon of Babble]

I don’t preserve the figs - I give them away to family and neighbors - my grandparents used to dry them on tables.

My daughter has expressed interest in making fig preserves - but she’d better come and get them quickly because with the heat they won’t last much longer.

[Oshkalaboomboom]

Now is the time of the year when I start drying for powders and chopping for sauces and pickles.