What did you do in the garden today?

[member 655102]

It gets about 8 hours of sunlight a day, during the spring and summer (full sun, except the very early hour). Yes, I prune the branches in late November. I was told to take off any branches that cross another, does that sound right? I am all for correcting mistakes.

I’d say that since it’s a dwarf peach tree, you might want to trim/prune back some of those long skinny top branches this upcoming fall so that it will bush out next year.

These ones specifically:

 

[Farmer13]

Thank you so much for the taking the time and finding information!! I will start pruning in early spring, that does make sense.

This is a young Peach pruned back in early spring to get stiffer branch's that will bear the weight of the fruit.

Grape vines get pruned back to one or two buds @ the spur, everything from last season is removed. See all the grape flower buds?

 

[saysfaa]

...I'd heard some people say you can can non-uniform jars too like old pace sauce jars. And stuff you wouldn't normally think of using, like recycling glass jars from stores. Is that part true though? I'd wanted to find real references to confirm.
..,

Theoretically, you probably can use at least some of them safely.

Practically, it just isn't worth it. The real thing will last many decades so cost almost nothing even if bought new with the current prices.

If nothing else, knowing how long to leave the jars in the pressure cooker or water bath would pay for the jars in either safety (if you guess too little time) or fuel savings (if you guess too much time).

Then there are efficiencies like the canners and racks in the canners being sized for standard canning jars, uniform lids and rings, jar lifters fitting well ...

 

[First time Chick mom]

Thank you all so much, you have given me many ideas to work with. Strengthen the branches is exactly what I need to do. You all are so awesome!

 

[jerryse]

No way I could stand that.
I need the sound of nature, alpaca fights, and to be able to hear any creepy people sneaking up on me.

Hate it when people sneak up on me. I swear some people are so nosey. If I hear something I know what is going on. Mowing, chainsaw, hammering, sawing. No need to go see what they are doing.

 

[Sally PB]

front porch of hell

That's a good description.

I did put my earplugs in before I used the t-post driver... That thing makes some noise!

I forgot my muffs one time when I "just had one post to drive in." Wow, that ringing clang... and it echoed off the garden shed.

I encourage everyone to wear hearing protection as much as possible. My dad needed hearing aids at my age, but I started wearing hearing protection as a young man and my hearing is still good now in my 60's.

I once saw video of what happens to the little hairs in your ears when you hear a sound. They wave and flutter. Then they played a really loud noise, and they just about blew apart. (Whose ears...? I don't know.) And, they DON'T GROW BACK.

I saw a guy using a chainsaw without hearing protection. I commented on it, and he said, "Nah, I don't need those," as if it were a manly thing. Nope. Not at all.

People are starting to get back to being more practical I think now.

Some did it for a while, during Covid, and now that times are more "normal" again, they're ditching the self-sufficiency. Some saw the last few years as a real wake up call.

Canning stuff doesn't last at Goodwill stores around here. My neighbor goes to a lot of estate sales, though, and she said she can find a fair amount of canning supplies. She doesn't need any of it, but she'll buy it for friends and neighbors who are looking for them.

 

[Sally PB]

I was out in the potato patch yesterday. I swear, when I was out there a few days ago, I didn't see any potato beetle grubs. Yesterday, I saw (and squished -- eww!) hundreds. They are SO GROSS.

Everything was so far apart when I planted it. Lots of room to walk in between rows/plants. So, of course, there was room for another row of onions, right? While I was weeding, I found, yup, a row of onions! Where did these come from?

 

[saysfaa]

...

Canning stuff doesn't last at Goodwill stores around here. ..

Many of the resale shops and estate sales charge more than they are new. Sometimes they don't; it is worth checking. Farm auction sales have been good sources.

 

[jerryse]

On reusing jars anyone else remember #63 lids. Grandma had quite a few. Mom used them and then me. Also mustard and mayo jars. #63 were all recyled. In our area Rejoyce brand coffee grounds came in them. WW2 alot of recycling went on. Back then everything was water bathed and even open kettle canned. They changed lid sizes on mayo and mustard to stop recycling.

 

[Sally PB]

They changed lid sizes on mayo and mustard to stop recycling.

Yeah, we needed more throwaway stuff...
I have an old mayo jar. I don't can in it, but it's one of my quart jars for making yogurt.