What did you do in the garden today?

[Sueby]

Not yet, the pic is of my first batch and I used the 1 1/2 cups the recipe called for, next batch will be half as much sugar. I'm wondering now if that will be safe for water bath canning? I know you have to be careful about changing canning recipes.

Typically, it is recommended to add lemon juice or citric acid to tomatoes to water bath can them. Not sure the amount, but it’s not a lot. It is added to each jar rather than to the batch.

Yes, I always get concerned modifying recipes. I do have a PH tester & also have citric acid so I could make it work I'm sure. But I just get nervous I'm going to kill everyone with botulism.

 

[BReeder!]

Not yet, the pic is of my first batch and I used the 1 1/2 cups the recipe called for, next batch will be half as much sugar. I'm wondering now if that will be safe for water bath canning? I know you have to be careful about changing canning recipes.

1/4 cup vinegar at 5% acidity per quart of tomatoes is usually sufficient to adjust the ph to a safe range. Definitely do the research, but that's my rule of thumb.

 

[Sally PB]

I don't bother to shred any of the leaves I rake up. The chickens will take care of theirs. The ones I put in the garden pack down and make a fantastic mulch.

I just went out to the garden to bury some bones from the bone broth I made. (They're too big for the chickens, don't want them in the compost, don't give them to the dog, and they've been brothed about 6 times already.) I dug into the leaf layer that's been there for 2-3 years, and just underneath is some NICE soil. The leaves really help keep the weeds down in that bed. It's the "I didn't get ANY butternut squash this year" bed*, a big flat area that would be full of weeds, so the leaves really help keep that area clean until the squash vines take over.

*I'm going to try to embarrass that area into producing better next year. The squash bed is bigger than some people's entire garden, and it gave me nada. (Grrrr.)

 

[BReeder!]

My Jerusalem artichokes are flowering finally! I just noticed the small yellow flowers out the window.

 

[Elyrian1]

Let's see... I watered. Stomped back and forth a million times to get to the RV black tank drain because it overflowed the toilet... It appears to be clogged. I'm out. Dh will have to deal with that nastiness. I don't deal with human poo.

 

[WthrLady]

Did final review of what I planted this year for next year's plan.
Cloudy day are definitely IN. They aren't huge, but are hearty, didn't get BER, and are heavy producers.
Marriage San Marzano are OUT. They have a HUGE BER problem and it's even getting bad reviews for that reason on https://territorialseed.com/product...ariant=12786154602595#shopify-product-reviews The fruit was small, and it was prone to fungus and blight.
Regular SanMarz are always welcom.
Beefsteak is welcome back for one or two plants.
I also have two other san Marz sauce varieties I'll be trying next year.
No beans. Zinnias and sunflowers are to be planted elsewhere on the property.
Dill is fine for the butterflies in the garden.
French dwarf marigold are back for in between plants.
No onions.
Luffa gets its own row.
No squash or cukes.

I need to extend the grape arbor.
I need to replace all the sprinkler drip heads.
I need to add a climbing rail for the luffa.
I need to add a shade and order one for the greenhouse.

 

[Elyrian1]

Joys of being married to a handyman, Dh found and fixed the clog. I can do dishes and flush the toilet again!

Grape vine is definitely fighting the good fight.

Spread more cardboard and mulch in the garden area, the first I've been able to do in a month.

 

[oldhen2345]

I have 8 dozen pullet eggs in the kitchen that need used up.
Making some sausage an egg and jalepeno cheese breakfast burritos for the guys to grab in the morning.

The rest will go towards a chiffon cake, and I don't know maybe poundcake for the freezer.

I lost my last egg customer to her moving to the countryside and getting chickens herself. But I sent 10 dozen eggs to work with DH to give away as a welcome back to campus gift to coworkers. I picked up two more customers. (Hard to compete with Whole foods 99cent loss lead eggs)

Canning apples today as well as it rains. I can make anything out of them later. Once you are apple butter, you're apple butter. This year's decision.

Pulled up and stripped the pepper plants last night and potted them up for the seeding shed.

The luffa is going gangbusters and has no idea the end of the year is coming.

Have a great day everyone.

Sounds wonderful. How do you cook with pullet eggs? I usually add one extra egg, but what do ya’ll do?

 

[chickengr]

I need to get on this also. I have a small pile of finished compost.
I collect straw bales after Halloween and Thanksgiving that people throw out after paying $7+ for them to just have them sit in their front yard as decor for a few weeks. Not hating on the Fall decorations, but these people are FOOLS. That straw is useful and I have no shame in taking it when they decide to throw it away.
I also use leaves a lot here. I collect all our leaves and shred them. They make a great layer of mulch that decomposes quickly and adds humus to the soil. We get a lot of maple leaves. And I'm not too shy to take my neighbors' leaves either. One neighbor has a ride on mower with a lawn sweeper. He picks up his leaves and drops them on my lawn in piles so I can put them in the garden and chicken run. Easier for him than loading them in paper bags for Waste Management and free mulch for me - it's a win/win situation.

I wish I had leaves for the coop. I can only find pine needles for my chickens.

I will plant onions (for green onions at winter), beetroots, lettuce and a few carrots. I didn't try to start broccoli and cauliflower from seed and it it not worth to buy seedlings. I might plant some peas as well.

 

[chickengr]

Not yet, the pic is of my first batch and I used the 1 1/2 cups the recipe called for, next batch will be half as much sugar. I'm wondering now if that will be safe for water bath canning? I know you have to be careful about changing canning recipes.

I chop carrots, onions, garlic, celery, parsley, sometimes little ginger and very little salt. I water bath can it without any sugar. once opened it must be put in the fridge and can stay there for long.