September-Preparing for Fall

Happ,
It's actually a small thing. I barely remember what it looks like. I'll have to see if he has it sitting out. He painted it and it looks nice.
Great picture of the hummer! I read that they are so fast, if you move real slow they won't ''see'' you approaching. Who knows, ''yours'' might recognize you :o)
LOVE LOVE LOVE the stained glass!

Bernie,
Good to know about the sweet potatoes. I may try them after I read up on how much room one plant takes.

Will,
I'm glad you found work while waiting for a trucking job. Look around for independent truckers. DD's husband started with a guy who branched off and started his own company. Luckily he had two trucks of his own so SIL just drove one of his. SIL got the long hauls because the owner wanted to stay close to home.

I think we're going in to get a new printer today. We decided on an Envy all in one. We don't need anything fancy and need to be able to get the ink at Walmart.

Yesterday DH picked more apples off our tree and I picked at the neighbors. DH brought the picker over and we got those at the top. This is the tree that fell over but it's still tall, lol! Then we pruned out seedling trees that were growing up, took out dangerous dead branches and water sprouts. If the tree makes it over the winter we should have better apples, altho this years looks pretty good! It's a Jonathan tree.

Have a fabulous Monday!

We need to trim several fruit trees. I am terrified I will kill them. I am not sure my peach trees are going to make it. One sit by standing water for forever this year. It wasn't in it but way too close. Then one of them got some kind of disease on the leaves. If the peaches didn't taste so good I wouldn't mess with them, but oh my nothing like a fresh peach. Do you spray your trees? I never have.

We have a greenhouse grower truck farmer in our Master Gardener group. They go to plant auctions and by starter plants. Last year they tried doing unrooted cuttings for the first time. Alot of work CG. Thank you for doing it cause people like me, need people like you...

Happ, get horticultural oil for the fruit trees. My grandma has several fruit trees including an apple tree that is really old. We let it grow and fill in for several years then we literally cut the top off and open it up. Looks really weird until it fills in.

Peach trees may end up being pulled there due to the deer eating all the peaches. lol. Another small apple tree isn't doing much so they're thinking of pulling it too.

I plant them 27" apart on plastic mulch. Rows about 6ft apart.

Wow all you peeps. So much going on. The weather is so awesome here today. Its 77 now and no humidity. Beautiful. Been outside and cleaning things up and starting to cut down some daylilies and other plants that are done with the "show"! If you know what I mean. Love reading all your post of whats going on in the garden or canning. Have a great week all.

I just played in paint today. LOL. Yesterday I got some weeding done and hopefully this week I can get some stuff dug and planted for the RU. We'll see. lol

I've enjoyed your posts and ALWAYS enjoy your pictures.

Happ the potting shed is a really nice addition.

billyporter - Talking about getting ready for fall - I think you are getting ready to hunker down with all the canning. You've got me beat! And Cider? Oh yum! I enjoyed seeing that you had canned the grapes. I'm thinking a glass of grape juice and a bowl of popcorn (a real treat). I canned elderberries similar to the way you did the grapes. Today I made pomagranate jelly. Only did 6 halfpints with enough left over for sampling. Pomagranates are really expensive unless you find them at Aldi's. I was surprised that you washed the potatoes. NICE CROP! Looks like that could cause them to rot (the washing) - at least I assumed you washed them as they were so nice and clean? I also picked more green beans today - they are yard longs and I plan on canning them (tomorrow) about 8 inches long in the qt jars so they can be used to make green bean bundles.

I'm thinking about taking zinnias & gourds to the farmers market. Wonder if it would be a bust or a bang? What do you think Country Gardens? Looks like you are all about the Farmers Mkt. Plus I have lots of misc peppers.

I've been marking and saving zinnia for seed. They fascinate me to no end. Here are 4 that I have marked for saving seed. At some point I get a little carried away marking the zinnia I want to save for seed. Lots to choose from - what fun.

I think the farmers market and zinnias would go over big. What pretty bouquets they would make. Those blooms are beautiful. I don't have much blooming, some stone crop, sweet autumn clematis, big tall spider plants, butterfly weed and that is about it. Some tropicals but they don't count cause they are always blooming.

I bought the garden shed and then built the potting area on the side of the potting shed. It really works nice.

Pepper I went to home depot today in Liberty. I got my paint and a bunch of stuff, including a couple of bags of 64 quart Miracle Grow so I can start replanting my house plants. Had it on sale.

Just a quick note before the day starts. I love sweet potatoes. I slice them up, add some sliced parsnips and carrots, toss it all in olive oil and seasonings and roast them in the oven. Yum

I want to reply to everything. Not today. I have been keeping up with the reading. I haven't called the doctor yet because I have to straighten out some insurance stuff. That's going to happen this week.

Jamie comes today. Due to rain last Tuesday, we had to cancel and Thursday he canceled on me and went to my friends. Now I have a list as long as my arm of things for him to do. We will be lucky if we get the forsythia planted.

I hope everyone has a great day. Sure wish I could go to the RU. Not this year ( sniff, sniff )

Patti

Happ,
Late fall early spring is a good time to trim. The branches need time to heal over so rot and bugs don't get in them. Only take a third of the tree a year. First thing is to prune off any branches straight up off a limb. Water sprouts will never have fruit and sap the tree. Then take out any branches facing in or touching. You'll know which branch to leave, on those touching. You mainly want an open center for air and light and branches that are evenly spaced. As fruit comes on, the branches get heavy and droop. It's ok if they droop onto another branch. I think that's the charm of old fruit trees. Suddenly you have a weeping willow with fruit low enough for kids to pick :o)
We might spray our trees if spring wasn't windy, or wet at the right time for the blossoms. Our peaches taste and smell GOOD! Trouble is they are rotten in the center. I just picked up 10 or so that fell. Rather, they went splat. I might get a bite off each :o(

Thanks for the tater info Bernie!

Ronna, we have the same cool beautiful weather. I too need to get back in the flower beds.

Brenda,
Laughing! Right now I'm hunkering down getting jars washed again! I think we'll be doing the apples next week. It will cool off. Can't make good cider on a hot day.
Awesome! Do you use the elderberry juice medicinally? I've had the raw berries and at one time had a shrub that started running all over. Then I realized there were a million shrubs all over the countryside. Then I have to think of ''Arsenic and Old Lace.'' One of my favorite movies!!
Pomegranate jelly. Now that's different!
We find it much better to wash the potatoes. We have a pitcher pump out by the garden and is it handy! If we had mostly sandy soil we would wipe it off.
After we wash them we lay them on newspaper and cover them with another layer in a garage. We turn them often to make sure they cure.
I'm always surprised that people will buy flowers. My daughter's MIL always cut sunflowers and zinnias. She said they sold well.
Beautiful zinnias!! Poll. I call them zin as in pin and my neighbor says zeen. Personal preference or a correct way to pronounce? Maybe it's a regional thing like you all and y'all :o)

Patti,
I oil and salt them and cook half done in the micro. Wait a minute or two and then finish cooking. Usually takes 6 to 8 minutes total depending on the size.
Maybe do the forsythia first to get it out tof the way?

We got our printer yesterday morning and tried it briefly before dinner. So far so good and the color on my flowers came out good. One was lavender.

We took the Galaxie out and ended up at one of our oldest friends. She's 94 and looks great. Very short, but she gets around well and is a kind person. She's always had a big flower bed. Then we stopped at Dad's. After we got home I picked garden, snapped beans and made jalapeno poppers. I froze half of them.

It was a gorgeous day and we have another just like it today!

Gary Richrath of REO Speedwagon died. So sad.

Have a reflective day.

Enjoyed sweet pot recipes (meal ideas for me). Sounds healthy. Guess I could use the multitude of butternut squash as a sub for the sweet pots.

Yes - billyporter - you could maybe say we use the elderberry juice medicinally. I drain the berries out of the pint of elderberry juice and pitch the berries, so all I have left is beautiful burgundy juice. Then I add that elderberry juice to half a 32 oz bottle of Welch's Concord Grape Juice, then I fill the rest of the 32 oz. bottle of grape/elder with tap water. My way of warding off the winter colds & flu bugs.

Tree trimming tips were wonderful.

Time to head to the downstairs and can green beans while I mastermind what else I need to accomplish this day.

Enjoy your day!

Brenda,
I think butternut squash are my favorite! Mom used to do acorn squash in the oven with sugar and cinnamon. I hated seeing her pull those out of the oven. I didn't like squash. Years later I learned she didn't like it either, lol!
That sounds like a delicious medicine!
I might have to make DH take me around the country to collect ripe berries and try a jar or two. How full do you fill the jar with berries?

Has anyone tried a steam canner? It's not a canner apparently. It's like a double boiler with mesh. It steams the fruit and the juice runs out the bottom thru a tube into a jar or container. I found the link I was watching. I love equipment. If I had a bigger house one room would be just for my kitchen stuff and all the tubs, bowls, etc. I like to use. I'd still like an outdoor kitchen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFJRKwlqloo

I have a baggie of beans in the fridge and no where near enough to can yet. Poor planning on my part and the rows are too short, but they are just coming on. It's just my second picking and the third row hasn't put on beans yet.

Was it here that someone said bumble bees pollinate green beans? Because they are on mine and it makes me smile.

~ to Betty, Ju and Bad Cat. MISSING YOU GUYS!

billyporter - It depends on how many elderberries I find as to how many I put in the jars. If I have lots, I almost fill the jar with berries. Sometimes I fill the jar half full. I take the berries off of the main stem full of berries with a comb (a wide comb). That is what takes the time. I wash the berries on the big stem before combing off. Elderberries make great jelly. I used the water bath method with the same time as when I used to do grapes. Have not had grapes in a long while, so have not made grape juice in a long while.

I only ended up with 6 jars of green beans when I canned this morn, but I thought I would multi task and I also made some pickled jalapenos (4 jars). They are sure pretty (green with a few red).

I think Patty Pan squash are one of the cutest things on this planet. Our stores don't sell it anymore and I don't know how to cook it. I might try to grow a plant or two next year. I also want to grow some beets.

Sally, I've never heard of the steam canner. Once upon a time, I had about every kitchen gadget known to man ( none for canning though ). I used to cook a lot more than I do now. I don't have the energy. And you guys are wearing me out!! LOL. Truthfully, I wish I would've learned how to do some of this stuff. The canned juices, green beans, jams and jellies… I don't even know how to grow this stuff – let alone put it up. What does an elderberry even look like? (Imagine a look of dismay on my face.) I guess that's where Google and YouTube come in.

Brenda, maybe that's why your mom used sugar and cinnamon. You have to hide the flavor of the acorn squash somehow. Personally, I love beets and cabbage. No one else in my family does. It makes me wonder where and when I had them, in order to learn to like them.

I am afraid of vegetable gardening I think. I keep hearing of crop failures and bugs, bugs and more bugs. I think if I knew someone locally that grew veggies, I would not be so intimidated. When Jamie was here earlier today though, he told me I had the best looking tomatoes of anyone he knows. Considering he is booked solid with people who garden, I took that as a high compliment. I have gone from five green peppers up to eight, which are now red. I love red peppers, they are somewhat sweeter. I also have small green peppers coming on.

One of the questions I always have is, "how do you store the stuff?". Sally, do you have a root cellar? I have to split a 5# bag of potatoes with mom because mine will go bad before I use them up.

Jamie and II did get the forsythia planted. It won't bloom next year as we really pruned it back, hoping to encourage root growth before winter sets in. I sat outside with my hammer and a nail and poked drainage holes in the bottom of a galvanized steel bucket. Once that was done, I transplanted the gooseneck loosestrife into the bucket and set it in the shade. Those babies weren't getting enough sun. They were virtually horizontal when he dug them up. By accident, we dug a sweet autumn Clematis, a volunteer in the same bed. I had planned on getting two of those from her next spring. I don't know if this one will live or not. Time will tell.

While Jamie was working back in that corner, we discussed moving one of the peonies. When he was digging it up, he asked me if there were two plants planted together. I now have four peonies instead of three. Well, I have little stubs sticking out of the ground in three places where I'm hoping peonies will bloom next year. LOL I am assuming you can divide peonies. When he comes next week, he will prune another peony and, depending on how big the base is, I may end up with five.

CG, your pictures of your produce is mind blowing. Beautiful! I can only imagine the work that goes into that.

Joyce, I would've never thought to put stain glass in front of the air conditioner. It looks great! You do great work. I was laughing when I read your comment about the panes in the glass doors. I was thinking to myself, "if she only knew that's the kind of door I have on my bathroom!". Hey, I live alone – and this keeps the animals out and gives me some privacy – as long as you don't mind three sets of eyes staring at you through the door. LOL I have the original door and, should I ever decide to sell this house, the doors can be switched out. I have a drop-down window shade that can be lowered, so it's really not an issue. With all these critters though, it's hard to keep clean.

I haven't met Bad Cat. Hmmmm. I sure like the name!

It is beautiful here today. We are supposed to hit 90 with wind gusts up to 40 mph. None of that had happened when I was out this morning. It was perfect outside. No humidity and enough breeze to keep the mosquitoes at bay. You can feel fall coming. Somethings different about the air.

Mynx has apparently grown bored with her toys. She's been carrying one of my socks around for the last week. This morning, when I reached down to pick up the water dish to wash and refill, I found the sock – Sunk to the bottom. I wondered why she hadn't been playing with it today. LOL oh well, I needed to do a load of whites anyway.

Brenda, Beautiful zinnias! I would buy some.

Have a great day everyone!

BP that is just sad about the peaches being bad in the center! I just got a few and none tasted good. My tree was loaded. I noticed Home depot had peach trees for sale.

Now the pears...oh my and did you see they put a pear honey recipe on the front of Daves Garden....lol. Maybe I would like that I do not like honey, syrup, sorghum, or any of that stuff. I even hate to run warm water on the syrup cause of the smell....yuck.. When I was much younger I made pancakes for my xdh and debated about throwing the plate away so I wouldn't have to smell it....seriously, I didn't but I really thought about it.

Reading about the elderberries I was just sure somewhere in there someone was adding vodka or gin....rofl. Just kidding, maybe tequila... lol I did find this site on elderberry wine and she said you could buy elderberries from folks who were growing them now. Catch is you have to buy 25 lbs., but she has some good pictures. http://commonsensehome.com/how-to-make-elderberry-wine/ and a site for jelly and pumpkin wine and PEAR wine...lol

I must be in a cleaning mode, cleaned on the house, the kitchen, still working on organizing the garden room, cleaned the laundry room, all the laundry is done and put away, and then cleaned on the car....I am tried.

I love canned green beans, but I like frozen corn better than canned. Is there is reason you all can instead of freezing? Isn't freezing easier? I did buy some canning lids today to put on top of the mason jars I have stained galss in...rofl.

p.s. those of you who like seeds there is a seed swap going on.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1405444/#top

Easy way to get different seeds and get rid of the ones you have too many of.

Seeds and I do not get along at all.
I also love squash I just baked one tonight, butternut, yummy. I do love acorn squash also. Do not like patty pan squash tho. No flavor but I am not sure exactly how to cook them. Just sliced them thin and fried them.
Jams are great as long as it is not raspberry. Yuckie. My opinion. lol.
Seems like summer is closing very quickly am not ready at all. Not looking forward to it again this year.

I got these Cherry Tomatoes from a different plant that pepper had given me. The Tomato plant was in it apparently, I had it grow and it made a few really nice tomatoes, I brought them in tonite.
It looks like some kind of variety of tomato that turns an orangish/yellow. The Iris that pepper gave me is still there but it is being overshadowed by this tomato plant.

Looks good there!!

Hey Will, maybe pepper didn't do it. Maybe you just have a hybrid Iris! ROTFL

LOL!! There's no telling where the seed came from. At least you got some though!! lol

They do look good. And if it were a hybrid Iris, he could patent it and make a fortune! Pepper, since he was blaming you, I would make him split the profits. LOL

Haha! A hybrid Iris? I think it is a sort of cultivar or maybe even a hybrid Iris but if it is the iris it is very unique indeed!

You would have to name that unique Iris, "Money Maker" !

rofl...love the name

Haha.. "Money Maker" is a good one!

What a day!

I spent an hour and a half at the chiropractor's office. He would kill me if he knew what came next. I went to Menards to see what they had on sale in the garden center. One giant bag of promix, three large bags of peat moss, two large metal trellises and two small metal trellises, and then the person who was lifting this stuff and pushing the cart parked it at the checkout counter. I've then went and got a LabelMaker – Ronna, I have you to thank for that idea, and duct tape for my milk jugs. I wrote my check and I left.

I went straight to Tractor Supply. I got three big bags of compressed straw there because I want to start a couple lasagna beds. Directly behind Tractor Supply is a business called Kansas Natural Stone. I paid for all the rock Jamie gets to line the lasagna bed by the driveway with. They still have the rock; my van was full. LOL

I left everything in the car except the LabelMaker and tape, came in the house and sat down and, lo and behold, my back feels fine. Go figure. I was sure, with all that walking, I would be feeling it. Not this time – and I am so happy! I am so grateful for the people at the various businesses who stepped up and helped this old lady out. The only thing I lifted out of the whole trip was my purse.

So now you guys know what I'm going to be doing over the next while. I also received a box in the mail today with plants. Getting those babies in dirt in the morning will be the first thing on my agenda.

I was so blessed when I found Daves Garden. The people here are so special. I can hardly wait until next summer when I can share with others the way they have shared with me.
Patti

Joyce, thank you for the tip on the seed swap. Maybe next year I'll have too many seed, but being as winter sowing is new to me, I think I had better hang on to what I have, in case I have to direct sow some.

I just heard on the news that the woman who introduced me to my first husband back in 1969 was murdered in her home yesterday. I'm in shock.

Brenda,
I ate the elderberries plain off the plant and wasn't impressed. I see they are in need of processing. I'm really excited to at least try a jar.
I do that too if I have a small cannerful :o)

Patti,
I do too and I did plant it. I won't again. It's kind of a summer squash, bland in flavor. I canned a few pints and we didn't even eat all of them. I love beets.
Elderberries are a pretty shrub with a huge umbrella shaped white bloom.
Because of another DG friend, I planted Mancotti peppers. LOVE them! They get red without rotting, and are sweet. I made Cowboy Candy out of them.
Each year add one more thing to your gardening. I have late green beans coming on now and no bugs on them. That was a good accidental planting. Usually I get them in in early June instead of late July. It only took two months to make beans :o)
I keep my potatoes in a cool closet. Right now they are in a cool garage single file on newspaper to cure. When it freezes we'll bring them in. I bought tall dishpan sized tubs with small air holes in them to keep them in. It's why we don't plant a ton of them. At home we kept them in the fruit room.
Good job because the loosestrife will come up 15' away. I eliminated all mine over a couple of years.
Ah yes, the breaking up of an old established peony. I dug 6 once and ended up with 22 plants..... At the time my 84' bed was new and they all went in there till they kept getting boytris blight. I'm down to about 10 planted in different beds. Make sure the crown is NO deeper than 2'' or they will never bloom.
Sounds like a great shower door!
ROTFL over Mynx and ''her'' sock!

Happ,
Since we planted a store peach seed we never know if we'll even get a peach. If we had had less rain they would have been perfect. We did get three good quarts.They really smell good this year too.
Hmmm, can't say the smell of syrups make me drool, but they don't get to me that much, lol! I can see what you mean tho.
Good link and GOOD to know about the stems! My great aunt used to make elderberry pie. Making wine looks like a lot of work.
Frozen corn is much better than canned, but what a mess. At Dad's we do it outside, well, the cutting off. It's the blanching that's the indoor mess.
For me, both small freezers are full! One mostly of tomatoes when I didn't need to can, and rhubarb. That's the small, extra freezer. I didn't have to put up any rhubarb this year.The main freezer holds meat and the main meals.

Ronna,
I mostly added the patty pan to stirfry. Like zuchinni, it's not worth my garden space.
Laughing! LOVE raspberry! DH doesn't.

Will,
Those look like a Sun Cherry. I planted them this year. They all split on the vine because we had too much spring rain.

Patti,
ROTFL over the hybrid iris!!
CRACKING UP!!! Your chiro would have a fit!!!
DG really brought me a great bunch of friends! Glad to know you :o)
Oh my gosh. That is really shocking! Sometimes it's a small world.

It's raining and I am sooo happy!!!

Sally, my head is still spinning. I last saw her about six years ago. I bought a piece of art at a local gallery and discovered she was the artist. Naturally, I called her and then went over to her house and had lunch with her about a week later. At that time, she was the birth registrar at one of our hospitals. She also had two adult children and was constantly on the go.

She was one of the sweetest people I have ever met in my life. I can't imagine how this could've happened to her – someone shot her. The news said there was no sign of forced entry, but her purse and her vehicle were missing. Her son found her; he had taken his child over to stay with her for the day.

I guess this just reinforces the idea that we never know what the future has in store. It's just so sad.

I'm glad you're getting rain. They are saying we could get some tomorrow. I'm really hoping. Our temperatures are supposed to go down too. It just sounds so much cooler when they say highs in the 80s rather than highs in the 90s. LOL

Hello. I'm just checking in. I have been stopping in occasionally to skim thru the posts, but been busy as usual for this time of year; like a squirrel gathering and burying acorns. Nice weather here. Last week of summer. Will be at the Eldon Turkey Festival 9/26 hanging with the in-laws. Talk later.

Patti,
How neat that you bought her art without knowing at first. Having lunch left you with good memories of her.
To be taken from your kids and grandkids in such a brutal way is unthinkable. I am so sorry for her family, and you.

Betty,
I hear you on busy. Have a great day with the in-laws!

We got a good storm last night. Shortly after I got up, around 9:30 pm. to shut off the weather radio, the tornado sirens went off . It was for danger of high wind and hail. We got neither. I sure enjoyed the thunder and lightning!

I planted some of my own garlic yesterday. The ground was pretty wet from the morning rain, but not too wet to plant. They'll be well settled in now :o)

Tonight we get the boys.

Have a great day!

Rained really hard overnight had a great storm too. It poured for quit awhile. Glad it held off. Went to a concert outside last night. Lady Antabella. I do not know much of her music. But had a great time with my oldest daughter and a friend of mine. It really was kinda muggy sitting outside. Lots of people really enjoying the concert.

Watching weather tonight. Tornadoes in Kansas now moving in to Missouri. South of me a couple counties but still a dangerous night.

Thanks bp, Sun Cherry huh? That's looks like a fitting name even! Many of these too had split. I didn't know why but we've had lots of rain too but only one fourth or so here were split.
I heard there was a tornado in this county but the other side of the county. I saw a flash of lightning then a boom about a half second later so it was close!

Yeah Patti, I too have learned a lot from DG people! I am working 7 days a week at my temp job but I'm sure they'll let me off for the ru, see everyone there!

The rains finally came our way. It was raining here at daybreak this morn and didn't stop until about 10. Was nice to get the moisture. Good for the mums - their blooms have really opened more today. The celosia is enjoying the rain as well.

We went to a local Junkin Jamboree this morn and what did I but but more garden tools, a couple garden baskets and some containers to plant "hen & chicks" in. Doesn't take much to entertain me. HA!

Yes BP, the elderberries need some processing. Though sometimes when I make an apple pie, I toss a handful in the pie along with the apple slices (especially when there are still fresh ones).

Hope the TURKEY FESTIVAL was a GOBBLE! I was going to say hoot, but gobble seemed more appropriate.

Hope everyone's day was a good one!
Pepper - Hope the ugly weather has passed you by now.
Patti - So sorry about your friend.

We just got garden variety storms here. The tornadoes were all south of me and there was a warning up north but a tornado never formed.

Got some stuff potted up for the RU so I think I'm pretty good to go there. Cleaned up most of the veggie garden also. I left the squash plant because I really don't want the squash bugs landing all over me so that can stay until after a good hard frost kills and decimates them.

The Turkey Festival is Sept. 26. Sitting out in the backyard tonight.

A few pic's to enjoy.
We've been digging sweet potatoes.
Huge crop. One on top weighs 4lb 4oz.
This is about ¼ of our crop.
They really sell good at market.
Potatoes did good also. These are called Cascade, a very good baker.
Rows are 120 feet long. 13, 5 gallon pails from 1 row. 10 rows.
Last of our onions.

This message was edited Sep 20, 2015 8:01 AM