What did you do in the garden today?

[Birdsonghill]

Back to figs! My two figs Celeste and Brown Turkey make excellent preserves. No pectin needed. Just simmer the halved or quartered fruits in a little water and plenty of sugar(similar ratios of sugar to fruit as other fruit preserves), with a handful of slices of very thinly sliced lemons or limes, a splash of good port wine in mine and when thickened and starting to get to the sheet off the spoon stage, just can and enjoy all winter! In years with a slim crop I add some dried and coarsely chopped Smyrna figs from the store to make a large batch, if necessary. In fact, I often dry the homegrown figs as I harvest them, because they ripen over a long time period and put them all together when I have a large batch of fresh ready to use. The fresh brown turkeys make the best preserves, alone! I call it , "my last of the figs preserves", and it is loved by all in my family.

 

[Elyrian1]

@BReeder! We were zone 6a so take it with a grain of salt, but all I did was put mulch around the strawberry plants and proceeded to ignore them all winter. In spring they came back to life with a vengeance. I never fertilized, just top dressed high quality garden soil in the spring when the weather was warm enough to be out and doing.

 

[WthrLady]

I babied and covered my strawberries and they died. Then last year after replanting and not getting hardly any strawberries, I had the attitude of "go ahead and die" and did nothing for them at all. They all came up strong this spring uncovered for the winter. I was actually happy so I gave them some fertilizer. Not one stinking strawberry and they wanted to die then. I give up. For real this time.

I don't do anything to my strawberries and they come back with revenge every year.

 

[wyoDreamer]

The commercial Pick Your Own Strawberry place nearby covers their strawberries with straw for the winter. If there isn't enough snow cover on top of the straw, they experience losses. Not enough snow cover means nasty ice forming on the plants.

 

[WthrLady]

That's what you're supposed to do, but honestly, my everbearing berries have been down to -22'F three winters in a row and have been fine.
So cover, don't cover. You'll be happy with whatever you do as that's your decision.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Morning Gardeners may be able to close the garden down let chickens in there...

 

[Sueby]

I'm going to cover mine this year as they are new & probably not completely established & next year I won't & see what happens! I wanted to tear them out the minute I put them in so I'll be ok either way. But now I've got this much invested in them, I at least want strawberries next year & after that whatever happens, happens.

The littles are now on the big girl nipple waterer & feeder. They'll be sooo much easier now & I can go away & not worry they spilled their water. Next week it's outside!

 

[Elyrian1]

One of my potted strawberries survived this crazy summer and has new growth. I'm thinking about sticking it next to the blueberry.

 

[Sally PB]

Raised beds: I intend to just top beds that are not producing with compost. Letting kale and brussel sprouts go as long as they can and waiting for a good frost to pull parsnips. Sound about right?

That sounds like a good plan.

Whatever you do, WRITE it down. "Oh, I'll remember what I did with ____." Next year: "Did I mulch, cover, use straw, leaves... I don't remember! But it worked really well/didn't work at all!"

 

[WthrLady]