What did you do in the garden today?

[Acre4Me]

How do you process and cook Garlic Scapes?
Need to harvest them now, but I don't want to throw them away...

We’ve grilled them- texture like asparagus. Recommend cutting off the top of the blossom, that green part above the blossom.

We’ve sliced and added fresh to all kinds of foods.

We had so many that I pickled some a few days ago.

Fresh! I cut off the upper green part above the flower bud. Then cut them into shorter bits. Some people like to curl them up in the canning jar instead, pickling them whole.

This recipe (from the internet, I don’t have a link), used white wine vinegar, water, salt, and mustard seed, dill seed, and maybe coriander seed, and some hot pepper flakes.

Need to wait a few weeks before trying them!

 

[Sueby]

We had so many that I pickled some a few days ago.

You have to let me know how these are!

 

[Acre4Me]

I can't grow cucs if my life
depended on it, I grow squash, tomato, zucs,....

Me either. Well, last year planted 4 varieties and did get a few from 2 of the varieties. But, I’ve tried many many varieties. This year I have 3 varieties planted.

My neighbor’s garden is maybe 100 ft from mine. He grows cucumbers every year. No issues, he just buys the kind from the big box store. I did that once. They died within the week.

 

[Acre4Me]

You have to let me know how these are!

Definitely! I have more scapes I need to pick, but not enough to pickle with another recipe.

 

[littledog]

At any rate, I have given up the idea of using crushed egg shells to mix into the soil to prevent blossom end rot for the tomatoes.

I know nothing about the chemistry of how to release bound calcium from eggshells, but I've gotten use out of them to deter slugs from my plants. I crushed them only slightly, to make sharp pieces that the slugs can't crawl over, then put them in a 2-3 inch barrier around plants the slugs were eating, usually tomatoes and eggplants.

 

[littledog]

Am I the only one that thinks that if those were dipped in egg wash, rolled in cracker crumbs and deep fried in hot oil those juicy grubs just might taste pretty good?

Probably taste like miniature lobsters! Without the shells and the mess!

 

[Paz]

anyone else have a creami?

LOL that’s gay

 

[WthrLady]

I hear people really like them! I have the attachment for my kitchenaid.

I do too, and a nutrimill with the icecream bowl.
But this thing doesn't require that cold bowl of ice and salt.

So far, we've made some impressive things in it. Still waiting on our blackberries. Tapping foot.

 

[Acre4Me]

Flowers!

A surprise Poppy - I'm sure I planted the seed for this, but it didn't come up until it was hiding in the tall grass in an overgrown area.

Standard Poppy - we've had these a few years

Hen and Chicks flower. Yes, its small.

Calla Lilly planted this spring.

More out door work! We are removing old chain link fence to fully enclose the run. Eventually we hope to have more freedom to travel (when last kid has flown the coop) and we are making this predator proof, and will then work on several days of food and water and roll-away boxes, but we have a few years yet. Note the wire about 2 feet below ground. The door will be wood and wire. We already have one door just outside of this pic.

 

[Acre4Me]

Sweet Potatoes. Mine might be on the way...

Ordered from Sandhill Preservation sine they have many varieties. Last year we ordered a few specific ones and then some assortments. This was great bc we learned a lot.

1. West Central Ohio: Buy short season varieties
2. West Central Ohio: grow under black plastic (we made a hole, added a 4" PVC ring to hold open the plastic and make a spot to water) bc we had much greater success under plastic
3. Use the portable greenhouses used in late winter/sprng for curing the sweet potatoes in barn attic with a heater.
4. We preferred the Orange and white sweet potatoes. However, some were purple, purple skinned, orange, yellow, white and varied from dry textures to wet textures. The purple skinned white were also good, but they grew long and kind of everywhere underground (just like the all purple varieties we had).
5. Plant all of one variety in one spot ... bc then you'lll know what exactly you are harvesting.


Sandhill is just beginning to ship, and their assortments are a really good price if you've never grown sweet potatoes. But, it is "old School" where you print off order form, and fill it out and send in with a check. I did this in December, so I received a place in line, bc I ordered specific varieties. My place in line is towards the beginning, so I am expecting to be in the first round or two of shipments. I just forgot to copy my order form ... so I cant remember if I ordered 4 or 6 varieties!