Fwd: [thesimple_life] not too late for a simple start to a garde

[Guest guest]

I can slicing tomatoes. That's all I've ever canned. They have a lot of juice. I do it by the instructions in the Ball blue book. I'm never able to can enough, but at least a little is better than none!!

[Guest guest]

I'm totally impressed you (and anyone else) do any canning at all, lol. Maybe next year I'll work up the courage! ;-)

 

Cyndi

 

 

 

kelli boone <healthyhomemaker

 

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 1:09 pm

[RFSL] Re: Fwd: [thesimple_life] not too late for a simple start to a garde

 

 

 

 

 

I can slicing tomatoes. That's all I've ever canned. They have a lot of juice. I do it by the instructions in the Ball blue book. I'm never able to can enough, but at least a little is better than none!!

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Well, I have hard clay, so what little I grow is in pots. My dad and sister live about 14 miles from me and are kind enough to share surplus with me. I help pick, plant, or whatever they need and it really works out great. They use regular fertilizers, but no pesticides. Since I can't afford all organic at the market, this helps me to be able to buy better quality. I had enough zuccini and summer squash,green beans, pinto beans, plus more tomatoes in the freezer. Greens, juice to make syrups, etc, but my freezer went out. GRRR... Now I can a bit more than I freeze just for that purpose. And because I no longer have a large freezer. I expected to maybe be able to take a few more steps toward being organic this year having a year's worth of veggies. Not of total veggies, but enough of those kinds. I've canned purple hulls and green beans, jalapenos, grape juice and a few squash this year. So at least I have that to fall back on. Plus, we have

11 gallons of watermelon wine brewin'. I don't like wine, but the alcohol seems to help knock out sore throats. Plus, they have persimmons, wild grapes, elderberries, and sasafrass and ponds to fish in. Not bad in all. I filled the back of my minivan with the "leftover" watermelons last night. The few left in the field before dad plows and puts in something for the fall.

[Guest guest]

I canned this weekend! I bit the bullet and got hooked.

 

Here's the list so far;

 

14 pints pear halves

12 pints gingered pear sauce

10 pints diced tomatoes

6 half pints blackberry pickle

 

Tonight I'll finish the half bushel of tomatoes. Tomorrow I hope to get pickling cukes for bread and butter pickles. I'll have to get there early in the day to get them.

I'll buy another half bushel of tomatoes and will can and freeze at least a half bushel of peaches. When apples come on at the local orchards I'll buy some, store most, dry some and can some applesauce.

 

I've also been freezing;

7 dozen ears of corn-kernals and creamed

2 flats of raspberries

a pound of blackberries

a pint of red currents

7 pints of roasted eggplant

5 pints of ratatouille

7 pounds of green and purple beans

 

and drying;

about 4 pounds of juliette and principe borghese tomatoes (tiny)

 

Last night's threatened freeze didn't, so I should have another month of production. I got my first two ears of corn from my own garden yesterday, and the green beans are just barely starting. I'm getting about 2 pounds of beans every three days from the purple beans and the green ought to catch up to that level of production. I'm aiming for 20-30 pounds of beans in the freezer.

 

I really need to clear out my cellar and get some good shelves there for storing the canned things and winter squash. I also have to figure out how to make part of my tiny basement colder for storing onions, potatoes, carrots, beets, witloof and apples.

 

I am finding it is well worth it to can. Aside from the cost of jars, which are reusable, my pear halves and pear sauce come out to less than 75 cents a pint. Tomatoes are even less.

 

everything from my garden is as organic as I can make it-I can't do anything about the weekly mosquito spray of malathion except continue protesting about alternative sprays. And in spite of the sprays, there was a case of west nile in town last week, so I doubt they'll change anything. I bought the pears at a local fruit stand, then learned they came from Washington state-so that's blown my 100 mile goal. There used to be pears orchards here, now they are all sub-divisions. The tomatoes. eggplant, berries and corn are from local farms, not organic, but close by. My own tomatoes are producing scads of little ones for drying, but the big slicers and amish paste are dawdling, I'm eating those fresh as they ripen.

 

Ellen

[Guest guest]

Ellen,Would you mind sharing your gingered pear sauce recipe?That

sounds good.I would like to try canning some with my pears next year.

Kat

[Guest guest]

Ellen, I'm totally impressed by your productivity! LOL. I can't believe how much you've gotten done. You go girl!

 

My garden looks terrible right now. Everything is winding down-tomatoes are almost all done, second crop of beans are almost all done, third crop of beans are still coming along. Umpteenth crop of lettuce is still small, melon vines are slowly drying up. The broccoli and cauliflower plants are getting eaten by something, probably grasshoppers. I'm not sure they'll make it to harvest. I might have planted them too early.

 

Cyndi

 

In a message dated 9/2/2008 9:18:29 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, stringweaver writes:

 

 

I canned this weekend! I bit the bullet and got hooked.

 

Here's the list so far;

 

14 pints pear halves

12 pints gingered pear sauce

10 pints diced tomatoes

6 half pints blackberry pickle

 

Tonight I'll finish the half bushel of tomatoes. Tomorrow I hope to get pickling cukes for bread and butter pickles. I'll have to get there early in the day to get them.

I'll buy another half bushel of tomatoes and will can and freeze at least a half bushel of peaches. When apples come on at the local orchards I'll buy some, store most, dry some and can some applesauce.

 

I've also been freezing;

7 dozen ears of corn-kernals and creamed

2 flats of raspberries

a pound of blackberries

a pint of red currents

7 pints of roasted eggplant

5 pints of ratatouille

7 pounds of green and purple beans

 

and drying;

about 4 pounds of juliette and principe borghese tomatoes (tiny)

 

Last night's threatened freeze didn't, so I should have another month of production. I got my first two ears of corn from my own garden yesterday, and the green beans are just barely starting. I'm getting about 2 pounds of beans every three days from the purple beans and the green ought to catch up to that level of production. I'm aiming for 20-30 pounds of beans in the freezer.

 

I really need to clear out my cellar and get some good shelves there for storing the canned things and winter squash. I also have to figure out how to make part of my tiny basement colder for storing onions, potatoes, carrots, beets, witloof and apples.

 

I am finding it is well worth it to can. Aside from the cost of jars, which are reusable, my pear halves and pear sauce come out to less than 75 cents a pint. Tomatoes are even less.

 

everything from my garden is as organic as I can make it-I can't do anything about the weekly mosquito spray of malathion except continue protesting about alternative sprays. And in spite of the sprays, there was a case of west nile in town last week, so I doubt they'll change anything. I bought the pears at a local fruit stand, then learned they came from Washington state-so that's blown my 100 mile goal. There used to be pears orchards here, now they are all sub-divisions. The tomatoes. eggplant, berries and corn are from local farms, not organic, but close by. My own tomatoes are producing scads of little ones for drying, but the big slicers and amish paste are dawdling, I'm eating those fresh as they ripen.

 

Ellen

 

 

It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here.

[Guest guest]

Sounds like you made out great this year too. My MIL used to make dandelion wine. I wouldn't try it, lol. I'm a wimp!

 

Cyndi

 

In a message dated 9/1/2008 11:46:42 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, healthyhomemaker writes:

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I have hard clay, so what little I grow is in pots. My dad and sister live about 14 miles from me and are kind enough to share surplus with me. I help pick, plant, or whatever they need and it really works out great. They use regular fertilizers, but no pesticides. Since I can't afford all organic at the market, this helps me to be able to buy better quality. I had enough zuccini and summer squash,green beans, pinto beans, plus more tomatoes in the freezer. Greens, juice to make syrups, etc, but my freezer went out. GRRR...

Now I can a bit more than I freeze just for that purpose. And because I no longer have a large freezer.

I expected to maybe be able to take a few more steps toward being organic this year having a year's worth of veggies. Not of total veggies, but enough of those kinds. I've canned purple hulls and green beans, jalapenos, grape juice and a few squash this year. So at least I have that to fall back on. Plus, we have 11 gallons of watermelon wine brewin'. I don't like wine, but the alcohol seems to help knock out sore throats.

Plus, they have persimmons, wild grapes, elderberries, and sasafrass and ponds to fish in. Not bad in all. I filled the back of my minivan with the "leftover" watermelons last night. The few left in the field before dad plows and puts in something for the fall.

 

 

It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here.

[Guest guest]

On 9/2/08, greenup2save <greenup2save wrote:

> Ellen,Would you mind sharing your gingered pear sauce recipe?That

> sounds good.I would like to try canning some with my pears next year.

 

I did it in the crockpot, one batch at a time, while I peeled the next

batch. I imagine you could do it all in one go in a big pot or

crockpot, just adjust the time and watch the liquid level.

 

Gingered Pear Sauce

 

~3 pounds pears

1/3 to 1/2 cup apple or pear juice or water

1 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger

 

Peel, core cut the pears in quarters. Place in cooker with juice or

water (lesser amount if your pears are really juicy), add the ginger.

Lock the lid and bring to high pressure. Remove from heat as soon as

high pressure is reached and let the pressure come down naturally,

about 10 minutes. Makes about 2 pints.

 

Remove the pears from the pan and purree, adding juice as needed for

desired texture. (I used my blender stick right in the pan and left

some chunks)

 

Pack sauce into scalded jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace and process

in a water bath for ???< that's the part I don't remember. Check your

canning books for other fruit sauce times. I think it was twenty

minutes for pints, and I added an extra four for altitude.

 

Ellen

[Guest guest]

On 9/2/08, cyndikrall <cyndikrall wrote:

 

 

 

Ellen, I'm totally impressed by your productivity! LOL. I can't believe how much you've gotten done. You go girl!

 

 

Thanks, It's getting really addictive. I finished off the first box of tomatoes last night and bought another this morning. I picked another ~ 9 pounds of pears for more pear sauce. I need to snatch up peaches at noon today (it's going to be a poor harvest thanks to late frost this spring and they'll go fast). All those things are likely to ripen by this weekend and keep me busy. I'm still looking for tiny pickling cukes for bread and butter pickles. I may not find any, so I'm planning to plant some next year.

 

We dodged a frost monday, it's cool this week, but my garden is still happy and night temps are climbing back up to 40s and 50s. I'm only beginning my most productive period. With luck I'll go a month or more without frost and get more beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. I pulled my first two carrots yesterday-red ones, with rather woody cores. I hope they are better cooked than raw.

 

My garden is getting a bit ragged now, the weeds are creeping in under the jungle of winter squash and leaning corn stalks, the potatoes are dying back, the onion tops flopping. With no canning tonight I'll be able to catch up on some weeding.

 

And I get it now, about fussing with old varities and thin skinned tomatoes that crack. I threw about 8 of my Brandy Boy and Amish Paste in with the bought tomatoes last night. Rich red flesh, few seeds, none of the mucousy gel that surrounds the seeds. A little more bother to peel and trim, but worth it. I'll plant more and shop for slightly earlier and smaller varieties next year. The tomatoes I bought this morning are from a neighborhood gardener, smaller, more evenly ripened, a blend of medium slicers, paste and roma tomatoes, they should be better than the last batch.

 

I also need to get online today and place an order for fruit trees; two apples, a pear, one or two peaches, an asian pear, a couple cherries.

 

 

 

 

 

My garden looks terrible right now. Everything is winding down-tomatoes are almost all done, second crop of beans are almost all done, third crop of beans are still coming along. Umpteenth crop of lettuce is still small, melon vines are slowly drying up. The broccoli and cauliflower plants are getting eaten by something, probably grasshoppers. I'm not sure they'll make it to harvest. I might have planted them too early.

 

 

 

Sounds like mine will be in a month.. a mournful time that is comforted by the planting of garlic.

Have you tried sprinkling your plants with cayenne? I don't know if that is what's working, but nothing is eating my plants. I have lots of grasshoppers, but they aren't touching anything.

 

It may be the weekly malathion mosquito spray is helping (thanks so much (not)), but since the bugs are in my garden in hordes (grasshoppers, earwigs, squashbugs, misc beetles) and not eating I think the pepper may be counting for something.

 

Ellen

[Guest guest]

Frost already! That's absolutely terrible, lol. It's still over 100F here, and I think night temps are only just starting to drop into the 70's.

 

I'm so glad to hear you're planting fruit trees. I was just contemplating where I might be able to stick a dwarf fig, but it's doubtful I can find a place. When we lived in PA, I LOVED when the sour pie cherries were ripe, and I used to freeze quarts and quarts of it. It's too hot here for them, unfortunately.

 

I'll try the cayenne pepper. Maybe that'll keep my dumb dogs out of the garden area too. One of them was sleeping in one of the raised beds this morning! My husband would have had heart failure if he had seen her! LOL.

 

Next year i am definitely finding a place to plant the little pickling cukes. I need to find space for more raised beds for bigger crops like cucumbers.

 

Cyndi

 

In a message dated 9/3/2008 9:55:20 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, stringweaver writes:

 

 

 

 

 

On 9/2/08, cyndikrall (AT) aol (DOT) com <cyndikrall (AT) aol (DOT) com> wrote:

 

 

Ellen, I'm totally impressed by your productivity! LOL. I can't believe how much you've gotten done. You go girl!

 

 

Thanks, It's getting really addictive. I finished off the first box of tomatoes last night and bought another this morning. I picked another ~ 9 pounds of pears for more pear sauce. I need to snatch up peaches at noon today (it's going to be a poor harvest thanks to late frost this spring and they'll go fast). All those things are likely to ripen by this weekend and keep me busy. I'm still looking for tiny pickling cukes for bread and butter pickles. I may not find any, so I'm planning to plant some next year.

 

We dodged a frost monday, it's cool this week, but my garden is still happy and night temps are climbing back up to 40s and 50s. I'm only beginning my most productive period. With luck I'll go a month or more without frost and get more beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. I pulled my first two carrots yesterday-red ones, with rather woody cores. I hope they are better cooked than raw.

 

My garden is getting a bit ragged now, the weeds are creeping in under the jungle of winter squash and leaning corn stalks, the potatoes are dying back, the onion tops flopping. With no canning tonight I'll be able to catch up on some weeding.

 

And I get it now, about fussing with old varities and thin skinned tomatoes that crack. I threw about 8 of my Brandy Boy and Amish Paste in with the bought tomatoes last night. Rich red flesh, few seeds, none of the mucousy gel that surrounds the seeds. A little more bother to peel and trim, but worth it. I'll plant more and shop for slightly earlier and smaller varieties next year. The tomatoes I bought this morning are from a neighborhood gardener, smaller, more evenly ripened, a blend of medium slicers, paste and roma tomatoes, they should be better than the last batch.

 

I also need to get online today and place an order for fruit trees; two apples, a pear, one or two peaches, an asian pear, a couple cherries.

 

 

 

 

 

My garden looks terrible right now. Everything is winding down-tomatoes are almost all done, second crop of beans are almost all done, third crop of beans are still coming along. Umpteenth crop of lettuce is still small, melon vines are slowly drying up. The broccoli and cauliflower plants are getting eaten by something, probably grasshoppers. I'm not sure they'll make it to harvest. I might have planted them too early.

 

 

Sounds like mine will be in a month.. a mournful time that is comforted by the planting of garlic.

Have you tried sprinkling your plants with cayenne? I don't know if that is what's working, but nothing is eating my plants. I have lots of grasshoppers, but they aren't touching anything.

 

It may be the weekly malathion mosquito spray is helping (thanks so much (not)), but since the bugs are in my garden in hordes (grasshoppers, earwigs, squashbugs, misc beetles) and not eating I think the pepper may be counting for something.

 

Ellen

 

 

It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here.

[Guest guest]

> Frost already! That's absolutely terrible, lol. It's still over 100F here, and

I think night temps are only just starting to drop into the 70's.

 

that was a little early for a frost scare, but I'm very happy to not

have 100 in september.

 

> I'm so glad to hear you're planting fruit trees. I was just contemplating

where I might be able to stick a dwarf fig, but it's doubtful I can find a

place. When we lived in PA, I LOVED when the sour pie cherries were ripe, and I

used to freeze quarts and quarts of it. It's too hot here for them,

unfortunately.

 

I've got my order figured out, but I'm afraid by the time they get my

email they'll have sold out! I already lost a chance at peaches,

though I can get some locally, Cummins Nursery has great choices. Way

too many apple choices. I need to fill two spots in my apple fence

I'm training, so I chose a Cherry Cox to replace the Cox Orange

pippin. Less delicate and with a cherry aftertaste. For the other I

chose a bittersweet 'vintage' cidre apple, Wickson. I think I'll

enjoy making cider and maybe even cider vinegar in years to come.

 

I'll get a black and a yellow blushed red sweet cherry and train them

in an alternating cordon espalier for the road edge of the garden-hard

to explaing, but two trees close together with trading horizontal

branches, that alternate, so with fruit it will show

black/red/black/red vs red/black/red/black fruit. Pretty I hope.

 

I'll get a Seckel pear, which a friend swears is the best eating and

canning pear, though tiny, so more work to peel.

 

Plums were all on standard rootstocks. I need to look for something

dwarfed, or change my mind about where to plant it. And I'm looking

for quince. I'll take a look at One World or Raintree.

 

These will supplement the not yet bearing 3 on 1 pear and the 18 apples.

>

> I'll try the cayenne pepper. Maybe that'll keep my dumb dogs out of the garden

area too. One of them was sleeping in one of the raised beds this morning! My

husband would have had heart failure if he had seen her! LOL.

 

Before my cats got permanently grounded, they loved to play hide and

seek in the garlic, crashing through the stalks. My garlic was so

poor this year, they'd have really done for them if I let them out.

>

> Next year i am definitely finding a place to plant the little pickling cukes.

I need to find space for more raised beds for bigger crops like cucumbers.

 

Try trellising the cukes, they won't take up much bed space and you

can probably grow something like bush peas or beans around their feet

to keep them cool. That's what I'll do next year.

 

Ellen

[Guest guest]

I actually have a carton of dandelion juice in my freezer. Was thinking of syrup for pancakes. I made some and it was good. Believe it or not, my stove doesn't get hot enough to get liquid to the jelling point for jelly. Who ever heard of such nonsense? It occurred to me that since I bought the stove, all my jelly has ended up as syrup. Even when I bit the bullet and bought sure jell. I had to borrow a candy thermometer to test my theory. I reduced seven cups of liquid to two cups, and still wouldn't pass 119 degrees on high. Jelling point is between 120 and 122 degrees. GRRR...

[Guest guest]

Two questions, Ellen:

May I have the recipe for blackberry pickles?

And what in the world is witloof? I've seen it posted on here before, but have never heard of it.

I'm so glad you have been able to put away that much. Preserving food is becoming a lost art. I really enjoy it. It relaxes me. Until I see the pile of dishes in the sink. ICK!!

[Guest guest]

Ahhh...the dishes! But think of how rewarding it is when you eat that fresh and earthy produce processed with your very own hands. I am so envious and can't wait to move so I can get started. What grows well in California in the winter???

 

--Cee--

 

 

 

 

kelli boone <healthyhomemaker Sent: Wednesday, September 3, 2008 8:07:50 PM[RFSL] Re: Fwd: [thesimple_life] not too late for a simple start to a garde

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two questions, Ellen:

May I have the recipe for blackberry pickles?

And what in the world is witloof? I've seen it posted on here before, but have never heard of it.

I'm so glad you have been able to put away that much. Preserving food is becoming a lost art. I really enjoy it. It relaxes me. Until I see the pile of dishes in the sink. ICK!!

[Guest guest]

On 9/3/08, kelli boone <healthyhomemaker wrote:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two questions, Ellen:

May I have the recipe for blackberry pickles?

And what in the world is witloof? I've seen it posted on here before, but have never heard of it.

I'm so glad you have been able to put away that much. Preserving food is becoming a lost art. I really enjoy it. It relaxes me. Until I see the pile of dishes in the sink. ICK!!

 

 

I'll bring in the recipe tomorrow, I don't remember amounts but you'll need blackberries, white and cider vinegar, ground ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and allspice and a blade of mace, which I couldn't find anywhere, so I left it out. I'm thinking a pork loin roasted with pickled blackberries. And the recipe recommended using the blackberry vinegar for salad dressings and mayonaise.

 

Witloof is the name of the plant used to grow belgian endive, Witloof=white leaf. It's a weedy looking endive you grow for the roots. In the fall you dig it up, trim the tops and store 8 or 10 upright in sand in buckets in cold storage. When you want the belgian endives you bring a bucket up to the kitchen, cover it with an overturned pot, water it and let it grow in the dark in a closet or under a sink. In about 6 weeks you get the white spear point shaped 'chicons' . Which are good in salads, but my favorite thing is to slice them in half lengthwise, brush lightly with olive oil and roast in the oven about 425 or 450 for 20 minutes, then drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Mine don't get as tightly neat at the ones in the grocery store, but they also don't cost $6+ /pound and they taste just as good. uh, let's not calculate the cost of seed, fertilizer, bucket, sand....

 

yeah, the dishes.... groan. Seems like I'm always doing dishes these days. And digging corn silks out of the drain strainer.

 

Ellen

 

Ellen

[Guest guest]

I went out and sprinkled cayenne over everything last night. My dog went over and smelled it, gave me the YUCK look, lol, and she didn't lay in it today, so at least I've won that battle. I can't speak for the grasshoppers yet, but I'll keep my eye on it and see what happens, lol.

 

I can get my husband to build a trellis for the cukes, but I need more raised beds! LOL. i want to grow so much more food next year.

 

Cyndi

 

In a message dated 9/3/2008 3:11:53 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, stringweaver writes:

> I'll try the cayenne pepper. Maybe that'll keep my dumb dogs out of the garden area too. One of them was sleeping in one of the raised beds this morning! My husband would have had heart failure if he had seen her! LOL.Before my cats got permanently grounded, they loved to play hide andseek in the garlic, crashing through the stalks. My garlic was sopoor this year, they'd have really done for them if I let them out.>> Next year i am definitely finding a place to plant the little pickling cukes. I need to find space for more raised beds for bigger crops like cucumbers.Try trellising the cukes, they won't take up much bed space and youcan probably grow something like bush peas or beans around their feetto keep them cool. That's what I'll do next year.

 

It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here.

[Guest guest]

I've never heard of dandelion syrup. Very interesting!

 

Cyndi

 

In a message dated 9/3/2008 5:04:41 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, healthyhomemaker writes:

I actually have a carton of dandelion juice in my freezer. Was thinking of syrup for pancakes. I made some and it was good. Believe it or not, my stove doesn't get hot enough to get liquid to the jelling point for jelly. Who ever heard of such nonsense? It occurred to me that since I bought the stove, all my jelly has ended up as syrup. Even when I bit the bullet and bought sure jell. I had to borrow a candy thermometer to test my theory. I reduced seven cups of liquid to two cups, and still wouldn't pass 119 degrees on high. Jelling point is between 120 and 122 degrees. GRRR...

 

It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here.

[Guest guest]

Lots and lots of stuff!

 

Cyndi

 

In a message dated 9/3/2008 5:11:23 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, lady_celia writes:

 

Ahhh...the dishes! But think of how rewarding it is when you eat that fresh and earthy produce processed with your very own hands. I am so envious and can't wait to move so I can get started. What grows well in California in the winter???

 

--Cee--

 

It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here.

[Guest guest]

"""......actually have a carton of dandelion juice in my freezer. Was thinking of syrup for pancakes. I made some and it was good. Believe it or not, my stove doesn't get hot enough to get liquid to the jelling point for jelly. Who ever heard of such nonsense? It occurred to me that since I bought the stove, all my jelly has ended up as syrup. Even when I bit the bullet and bought sure jell. I had to borrow a candy thermometer to test my theory. I reduced seven cups of liquid to two cups, and still wouldn't pass 119 degrees on high. Jelling point is between 120 and 122 degrees. GRRR...

........"""

 

to heat of stove ...

 

i bought a gas stove for y2k many years ago . and it never seemed to get hot either . allt he gas stoves i knew got hot really fast . well , one time when i had gas delivered [ or was it after i got the gas water heater -- i dont know ] i asked the guy about it . and he looked at something behind the stove / by the wall ??? and said , my settings were wrong . dont remember how it went , something like being on propane rather than natural gas or something like that . he switched it to the ight adjustment .

 

depending what you have , you might want to have it checked . i had never heard of that before either .

 

MARANATHA !

 

 

gabriele

gcliburn

 

 

[Guest guest]

I am growing a veggie garden for the first time this year....Just into spring here...

I have gone for a no dig lasagna type garden...I would like to grow things organically if possible so will be interested in how you go with this approach...

Maureen [Australia]

On 05/09/2008, cyndikrall <cyndikrall wrote:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went out and sprinkled cayenne over everything last night. My dog went over and smelled it, gave me the YUCK look, lol, and she didn't lay in it today, so at least I've won that battle. I can't speak for the grasshoppers yet, but I'll keep my eye on it and see what happens, lol.

 

I can get my husband to build a trellis for the cukes, but I need more raised beds! LOL. i want to grow so much more food next year.

 

Cyndi

 

In a message dated 9/3/2008 3:11:53 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, stringweaver writes:

> I'll try the cayenne pepper. Maybe that'll keep my dumb dogs out of the garden area too. One of them was sleeping in one of the raised beds this morning! My husband would have had heart failure if he had seen her! LOL.

Before my cats got permanently grounded, they loved to play hide andseek in the garlic, crashing through the stalks. My garlic was sopoor this year, they'd have really done for them if I let them out.>

> Next year i am definitely finding a place to plant the little pickling cukes. I need to find space for more raised beds for bigger crops like cucumbers.Try trellising the cukes, they won't take up much bed space and you

can probably grow something like bush peas or beans around their feetto keep them cool. That's what I'll do next year.

 

 

 

 

It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here.

[Guest guest]

hi Maureen,

 

I don't really know the lasagna gardening technique, so I can't comment on that. I do believe, however, that you should regularly grow cover crops on your soil and till them in, along with manure and compost, to create healthy soil. No garden will be successful without creating an atmosphere of beneficial organisms. You can do it during your fall/winter to replenish your soil.

 

I think that is the most important thing you can do for your garden. I love dirt. ;-)Cyndi

 

In a message dated 9/5/2008 12:53:36 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, berrymaur writes:

 

 

 

 

 

I am growing a veggie garden for the first time this year....Just into spring here...

I have gone for a no dig lasagna type garden...I would like to grow things organically if possible so will be interested in how you go with this approach...

Maureen [Australia]

On 05/09/2008, cyndikrall (AT) aol (DOT) com <cyndikrall (AT) aol (DOT) com> wrote:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went out and sprinkled cayenne over everything last night. My dog went over and smelled it, gave me the YUCK look, lol, and she didn't lay in it today, so at least I've won that battle. I can't speak for the grasshoppers yet, but I'll keep my eye on it and see what happens, lol.

 

I can get my husband to build a trellis for the cukes, but I need more raised beds! LOL. i want to grow so much more food next year.

 

Cyndi

 

In a message dated 9/3/2008 3:11:53 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, stringweaver writes:

> I'll try the cayenne pepper. Maybe that'll keep my dumb dogs out of the garden area too. One of them was sleeping in one of the raised beds this morning! My husband would have had heart failure if he had seen her! LOL.Before my cats got permanently grounded, they loved to play hide andseek in the garlic, crashing through the stalks. My garlic was sopoor this year, they'd have really done for them if I let them out.>> Next year i am definitely finding a place to plant the little pickling cukes. I need to find space for more raised beds for bigger crops like cucumbers.Try trellising the cukes, they won't take up much bed space and youcan probably grow something like bush peas or beans around their feetto keep them cool. That's what I'll do next year.

 

 

 

 

It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here.

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

At 03:14 PM 08/09/2008, you wrote:

 

>hi Maureen,

>

>I don't really know the lasagna gardening technique, so I can't

>comment on that. I do believe,

 

 

Lasagna gardening is " Sheet Composting " We use it all around our property.

On my myspace page I have info and links to this method....and no I

do not sell anything ... hehe just share info

http://www.myspace.com/gr_con

 

I'm new to the list btw ... and so far I'm enjoying it! )

 

LizH

[Guest guest]

Cindy,

It's funny that you said you love dirt!

I just read an article(although now I can't remember where) a coupla weeks ago about how research has found that dirt has beneficial bacteria that makes people feel good, almost giddy. My hubby came home a few days later and I had been gardening. We walked into the house together. It looked like a tornado, hurricane, you name it had tore through it! And all three of my angels were sitting on the couch watching tv.

Hubby looks at me and (very smugly) says,"Wow, good thing you've been handlin' all that good bacteria today. I know three kids who'll appreciate that." At the time, I didn't really think it was all that cute.

[Guest guest]

Ha! Well, that would certainly explain a lot, lol. Gardening has always been my stress relief, my way of retaining my sanity. No wonder I'm so fascinated with dirt, lol.

 

Funny story about the kids!

 

Cyndi

 

In a message dated 9/9/2008 3:13:53 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, healthyhomemaker writes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cindy,

It's funny that you said you love dirt!

I just read an article(although now I can't remember where) a coupla weeks ago about how research has found that dirt has beneficial bacteria that makes people feel good, almost giddy. My hubby came home a few days later and I had been gardening. We walked into the house together. It looked like a tornado, hurricane, you name it had tore through it! And all three of my angels were sitting on the couch watching tv.

Hubby looks at me and (very smugly) says,"Wow, good thing you've been handlin' all that good bacteria today. I know three kids who'll appreciate that." At the time, I didn't really think it was all that cute.

 

Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog, plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com.