Morning all! Expecting a little snow today, we have not had any in December. Just watching our 7 amaryllis bulbs and a pot of paperwhites. It will nice to see some flowers. Thanksgiving cactus still has a couple of buds left. It was my most precious gift this winter. We did some garden planning yesterday, decided to buy from a local good source most of our tomatoes. This will be a sauce year and we want to double our V8 quantity, we are doling out one quart a month of this precious nectar. We’ll have some tomatoes for eating but want to have room for more green veg. We put up so many shishitos last summer we are having them regularly with many dishes. We love them. Between the meat and fish and veg we have put in the freezer we are doing well having lots to cook. I started a capicola a few days ago. After Tuesday it will be 6 more weeks. I used to make a lot of cheese with our goats milk and even waxed some, but we found a guy who took two blocks of mild cheddar, brushed them lightly with vinegar and then vacuum sealed each one. Had one after 4 months and one about 4 months later. He said they aged beautifully. So we are trying that. Not much else going on. I wish it was spring already!
Your garden tableau is enchanting.......worthy of an art exhibit.
I do keep a careful spiral journal with all my planting dates, varieties, failures, changes, etc. - it helps so much to have everything noted, and avoid at least some mistakes. This year’s resolution is that I will not plant summer squash (crookneck, zucchini & patty pan) until July 1, when the squash bug invasion and mating season is over - I lost my earlier crop to them Again last year. But the second planting was bearing in late August and kept going strong until late Oct. (So. MO.)Sure was nice to finally get a lot!
One more bit, for those who love eggplant - I grew 2 new kinds last year besides my usual Millionaire (all my plants go in pots; I can only garden in containers now) - the Listada did great, but Fairy Tale is a crock! Pretty little plants with clusters of 2 inch purpley things, just adorable but good for nothing. I finally tossed them. Don’t get Fairy Tale..