What did you do in the garden today?

[fuzzi]

I've got over 4 acres here to police for fire ant mounds. It keeps me busy. I think the things that say they will kill the queen doesn't to the job for somehow there are some of the workers that are equipped to create another queen in another nearby location. If you don't catch it soon they have spread out into another dozen mounds.

Last year it was so bad that I ordered something called the Texas Two-step. The first container has a birth control food that you sprinkle around the mound. The ants take it to the queen and she stops laying eggs. If that doesn't totally work the second container has a poison powder as a follow up. I treated 56 hills in 2023, and this year have only seen one hill here or there, haven't needed more than the first "step". It's great, I can walk my dog in the yard without getting stung.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Never heard of fire ants out here thank heavens.

 

[sourland]

Watered flower beds and tomato plants. Tomatoes stopped setting fruit when it got so very hot, but plants are now loaded with green tomatoes. There's still plenty of time for them to ripen. I'm loving the stewed tomatoes I have frozen.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I do not nor ever cared for stewed tomatoes.

 

[Sueby]

@Sueby , I seriously wouldn't use it anymore. It could easily short out to the body of the canner and be an electrocution hazard.

I found this in the current Ball canner manual.
https://s7d9.scene7.com/is/content/NewellRubbermaid/EC-23-02_23EM1
Maybe you can get a replacement base.
View attachment 3937683

DH is testing it & taking it apart. He knows what he's doing, so we'll see. I contacted Ball to see if I can purchase a new base but haven't heard back. They don't make this one anymore so I'm not too hopeful. But thank you so much for looking that up!

Love that cowboy candy. My wife put some up only 5 jars so far but the peppers are still producing heavily. I need to pick them today along with the okra. Our 2 sons will get Cowboy Candy for Christmas.

I love it too! It's so good on burgers or like a steak sandwich...yum!

Never heard of fire ants out here thank heavens.

Same. Yet....

I just made some sugar free Bailey's Irish Cream. I'm going to a music festival with my girlfriends next weekend & they always spike their coffee in the am & I get jealous - I don't drink coffee or eat sugar so I made myself something to spike my tea.

 

[Sally PB]

I've got over 4 acres here to police for fire ant mounds. It keeps me busy.

I want to hear how the rifle does on the hills!

 

[akroberts1085]

This is only a small portion of the green house frame that has my peppers, tomatoes, okra, green beans, cucumbers, sweet potatoes and 2 beet plants. I have to weed it by hand because the plants are just all over the place.

 

[sourland]

I do not nor ever cared for stewed tomatoes.

Me neither - until I made them. They go great with my stuffed peppers and stuffed cabbage and as addition to spaghetti sauce.

 

[Smokerbill]

DH is testing it & taking it apart. He knows what he's doing, so we'll see. I contacted Ball to see if I can purchase a new base but haven't heard back. They don't make this one anymore so I'm not too hopeful. But thank you so much for looking that up!

You're welcome! Hope he gets it fixed. Just curious, why is the electric one better than just using a pot on the stove?

 

[Smokerbill]

I'm on an herb dehydrating mission today. Parsley and oregano are done, tarragon is in the dehydrator and thyme and marjoram are waiting for their turn. I just might get them all dried today.

Fresh herbs from the garden are nice, but it will be good to have dried herbs ready to go in the kitchen if I don't feel like walking outside to the garden. Or if it's raining. Or I'm feeling lazy.

I still need to set up a dedicated herb bed for the perennial woody herbs... sage, tarragon, oregano and thyme. And rosemary when I get around to buying a plant.

These plants like well draining sandy/rocky soil with composted organic matter mixed in, and that's not what they're growing in now.

Since marjoram isn't cold hardy in my growing zone I need to plant it in a pot/container that I can move indoors over the winter.

I got a deal on chicken breasts yesterday and I'm thinking about grinding it and making chicken breakfast sausage. These herbs will be just what the chicken needs.