Mumsy's Romantic Garden Advice

[Leahs Mom]

Sounds good mlo!

Mumsy -
Is the piccalilli fermented or hot water canned? I'm assuming the beats are hot water canned?

I just got a book on charcuterie (spelling?) that I haven't even opened yet. I had never heard the term before this year... sausage making that is fermented I believe. I'm looking forward to learning more about that process. I've never made sausage but I'd sure like to try if it can be naturally dried!

 

[MumsyII]

Leah's Mom (and all):
I had worm eaten (tops of the roots) carrots and cucumbers, beets, chard that did not do well this year at all. I washed and roughly chopped and ground all up together and froze a bunch for the hens this coming winter. I had a cup left over after 9 baggies full, so I've been top dressing the ff with that. They love it, so I'm sure the thawed version will be a hit come cold weather.

That is a great idea! When things are chopped, my flock will eat anything. When I throw whole cucumbers in the garden, they ignore them.

Piccalilli relish is water bath canned. Ten to fifteen minutes for pints and quarts respectively. Same as pickled beets.

 

[Leahs Mom]

When I throw whole cucumbers in the garden, they ignore them.

I also have to open up a zuchinni or a cucumber. I slice them lengthwise so that the seed part is exposed. They eat every bit that way but won't give them the time of day if it's whole.

I guess those seeds are a big draw!

 

[armorfirelady]

Yes I agree they have to be cut up. My girls ignore them unless I cut them up. The real test will be see if the eat the frozen beet greens, kale, and turnip leaves I froze. I am hoping they will be so happy to see greens in the middle of winter they will eat them right up

 

[BlueMouse]

HELP!!! what the heck happened to my tomatoes! Yesterday morning they were green and bushy, not a spot of blight or a withered leaf in sigth. this morning? THIS.




not only have the leaves all wilted and died 3/4 of the way up the plant but loads of the fruit had dropped off onto the ground around the plants. partially ripe and just plain old green. even some of the smaller side stems are brown/wilted. It almost looks like frost damage but can't be, it wasn't that cold last night and the basil, which is in the same bed, and equally tender, is FINE. I brought all the fruit in, and have it on newspaper where hopefully it will continue to ripen. I looked again a moment ago and my two cherry tomatoes which are planted in pots on the other side of the garden are not affected by this horrible whatever-it-is.

 

[countrydream7]

I think it is the weather mine did the same thing have tons of green tomatoes put in brown box see what happens if they turn ...thee only great thing was zucchini

 

[armorfirelady]

Mine did the same thing below where the plastic bags reached. We didn't get a frost either but I think the cold temps (40s) made them unhappy and they wilted. It didnt affect my herbs either

 

[BlueMouse]

well any that don't ripen up I'll just make into pickles, but it's still horrible and weird. and why aren't the tomatoes I have in pots affected?? Bizarre. I'm going to try and get them covered with plastic this weekend. we'll see. I need my husband's help and it never seems like we get that much actually done on the weekend compared to what we need to get done.

 

[armorfirelady]

well any that don't ripen up I'll just make into pickles, but it's still horrible and weird. and why aren't the tomatoes I have in pots affected?? Bizarre. I'm going to try and get them covered with plastic this weekend. we'll see. I need my husband's help and it never seems like we get that much actually done on the weekend compared to what we need to get done.

I don't understand why the pots were not effected either. Maybe the ground temp dropped faster in the garden than the pots? (its just a guess)

 

[countrydream7]

yes my herbs also did well not effected strange