What are you canning now?

[Chicky Babe]

The two chutney recipes sound nice as well! We always end up throwing out a lot of zukes and squash because of the surplus of veggies. I am so grateful for the idea and recipes.

 

[vfem]

I am very sad, my cukes are very scarce right now. Off of 4 burpless cuke plants, I've picked 1 cuke and 2 are barely developed. Then my 6 pickling bush cuke plants have only produced like 6 cukes and not enough to actually pickle! UGH!

Then for the first time in YEARS I have not had 1 squash bug on my squash, they've taken over my swiss chard plants I let go to seed and have left my squash alone. The problem.... 3 squash plants and only got 1 squash!!!! they're covered in male flowers and that's it? What the hey?!

 

[rancher hicks]

My squash started to look bad and the cukes, As much I hated to I dusted every thing with Sevin. If you do it early you can prevent damage. Make sure you dust the ground around the base of the plants too. I just did it once and it seems to have done the trick.

The other thing is Horse manure. I don't care what anyone says there is nothing better to work into the soil. I just went and got some and will do a "manure tea":

I've been given permission to get more and believe me I will.

 

[erinszoo]

We used horse manure when we lived in south Texas at 6,000 ft elevation. We had the most amazing garden ever with zucchini as big as baseball bats that were still tender and good to eat. I swear by the stuff if I can get it.

Canned 4 quarts of peach halves today and 2 pints of peach sauce and boiled down skins and peelings for jelly juice from them. Still have peach jam to go.

Any ideas for what to do with yellow summer squash? It's coming out my ears. Anyone can it straight or use it in vegetable soup mix?

 

[Arielle]

My squash started to look bad and the cukes, As much I hated to I dusted every thing with Sevin. If you do it early you can prevent damage. Make sure you dust the ground around the base of the plants too. I just did it once and it seems to have done the trick.

The other thing is Horse manure. I don't care what anyone says there is nothing better to work into the soil. I just went and got some and will do a "manure tea":

I've been given permission to get more and believe me I will.

We used horse manure when we lived in south Texas at 6,000 ft elevation. We had the most amazing garden ever with zucchini as big as baseball bats that were still tender and good to eat. I swear by the stuff if I can get it.

Canned 4 quarts of peach halves today and 2 pints of peach sauce and boiled down skins and peelings for jelly juice from them. Still have peach jam to go.

Any ideas for what to do with yellow summer squash? It's coming out my ears. Anyone can it straight or use it in vegetable soup mix?

My mom canned yellow squash by the quart. It is a little rubbery, but at least it's not the mush that I currently get from frozen yellow squash.

When do yo use manure tea vs the rotted manure. We have enough horse manure for the entire neighborhood! Which vegies can handle the less rotten stuff?

 

[sonew123]

I am very sad, my cukes are very scarce right now. Off of 4 burpless cuke plants, I've picked 1 cuke and 2 are barely developed. Then my 6 pickling bush cuke plants have only produced like 6 cukes and not enough to actually pickle! UGH!

Then for the first time in YEARS I have not had 1 squash bug on my squash, they've taken over my swiss chard plants I let go to seed and have left my squash alone. The problem.... 3 squash plants and only got 1 squash!!!! they're covered in male flowers and that's it? What the hey?!

Ok wayyyy stupid question...how can you tell the difference between male and females?

 

[holyhart]

We used horse manure when we lived in south Texas at 6,000 ft elevation. We had the most amazing garden ever with zucchini as big as baseball bats that were still tender and good to eat. I swear by the stuff if I can get it.

Canned 4 quarts of peach halves today and 2 pints of peach sauce and boiled down skins and peelings for jelly juice from them. Still have peach jam to go.

Any ideas for what to do with yellow summer squash? It's coming out my ears. Anyone can it straight or use it in vegetable soup mix?

You can use it in place of zucchini in relishes or half and half of each (I often do). I also shred lots of zucchini and summer squash, measure it into 2 1/2 cups, and freeze. Most of the bread/muffin recipes I have call for 2 cups, but once it is thawed out, it is pretty watery, so after draining it, I have 2 cups left. You can also add it to spaghetti sauce for some extra veggies and no one will no it's there if it is shredded!
.

Ok wayyyy stupid question...how can you tell the difference between male and females?

Hahaha! I just had to google that when I read it. Glad I wasn't the only one who didn't know.

The female will have a swollen area like a little bulb at the base of the flower that will, if pollinated, turn into the fruit.

 

[rancher hicks]

Sonew - male and female what? If you are talking squash, you will see a little bulb on the back end of the flower. Male flowers are usually smaller too. The first year I grew Buttercup, I sat on the ground pollinating them by hand. Breaking off the male flower and rubbing stamen or whatever it is on the females. That was a good squash year. We did not like the Butternut though the skin was so tough the chickens couldn't get through it and left it alone.

Arielle - manure tea to me is just manure in a bucket filled with water and poured on to the beds. I don't pour it directly onto the plants. I have some newer and older. While older may be best I just mix it up. Dried in the sun seems ok to me.

Erinszoo - I have a recipe for Yellow Squash and Tomato Chutney. You can use green tomatoes or red. Says you can use Zucchini but Yellow Squash is best.

 

[sonew123]

Sonew - male and female what?   If you are talking squash, you will see a little bulb on the back end of the flower.  Male flowers are usually smaller too.   The first year I grew Buttercup, I sat on the ground pollinating them by hand.  Breaking off the male flower and rubbing stamen or whatever it is on the females.  That was a good squash year.   We did not like the Butternut though the skin was so tough the chickens couldn't get through it and left it alone.    

Arielle - manure tea to me is just manure in a bucket filled with water and poured on to the beds. I don't pour it directly onto the plants. I have some newer and older.  While older may be best I just mix it up. Dried in the sun seems ok to me.

Erinszoo -  I have a recipe for Yellow Squash and Tomato Chutney.  You can use green tomatoes or red.  Says you can use Zucchini but Yellow Squash is best. 

Oh Lord I guess ill be pollinating mine tomorrow since ive had tons of blooms and no fruit growing ...thanks guys

 

[vfem]

Well I am going to try a second planting of the squash this year... that's what I get for only doing a few.

I managed to get my blackberry jam done for this week. I'm going back to pick again on Saturday.

I managed 7 pints and 19 1/2 pints (+ 1 3/4 of a pint I kept for myself and stuck it in the fridge)

Not a bad night, but I need sleep!!!