Gardening: berries, root veggies, flowers, trees - 2019!

[alanjh595]

Ya depending how well they break down this year I may just shred them next year and do just what you said - pile them on the garden over winter and dig them in in spring. They need to be fairly decomposed though before digging into the flower bed otherwise they'll do more harm than good.

I'm keeping them in a separate pile this year because I'm not sure how long it will take to break down. I guess I'll find out next spring!

What harm could they do? What does decompose over the winter will add nutrients to the soil, what doesn't decompose will add aeration and allow nutrients to more easily migrate to the roots of next year's crop.
For example, just look and see what the prairie farmers leave behind after harvest and till in the following year.

[Queen K]

Roasting excess tomatoes. Enjoyed fresh tomatoes and roasted tomatoes and fresh organic garlic on pizza tonight.

[stuphoto]

Now I am hungry,
Didn't your mom teach you to share Queen

[RustyCrayon]

My hot peppers worked out really well this year!
(This is exciting because I’m terrible at gardening)

All grown in containers. I crammed them together a bit too much. But they didn’t seem to mind. Fertilized often and now I have more than I know what to do with! Lots of Jalapeños, Jumbo Jalapeños, Habaneros, Serranos, Hungarian Wax, Carolina Reapers and Trinidad Scorpions. The last two terrify me... Didn’t think they’d work out. Now I’m not sure what to do with them all.

[stuphoto]

Hot Pickles would probably be amazing Rusty Crayon,
If you seriously have too many let me know. We could probably work out a trade with something.

[Queen K]

My hot peppers worked out really well this year!
(This is exciting because I’m terrible at gardening)

All grown in containers. I crammed them together a bit too much. But they didn’t seem to mind. Fertilized often and now I have more than I know what to do with! Lots of Jalapeños, Jumbo Jalapeños, Habaneros, Serranos, Hungarian Wax, Carolina Reapers and Trinidad Scorpions. The last two terrify me... Didn’t think they’d work out. Now I’m not sure what to do with them all.

ohhhh Hot Pepper jelly recipes are all over the internet Rusty Crayon! If you don't want to make some, I will!

After you and Stuphoto work out a deal for some of course.

[RustyCrayon]

Oh I do love hot pepper jelly...but I'm trying to limit the amount of sugar I eat. I suppose I could make some and give it away as gifts.

Currently running the Jalapenos through the food dehydrator. The hotter ones (Trinidad Scorpions and Carolina Reapers) are still on the plants. Still not sure how to deal with those. They're scary...

[Catsumi]

Just got back from Ringo-En, a U-pick at 6831 Bella Vista Rd, Vernon. Beautiful green peppers 1.00/lb, red peppers 1.50//lb, peaches 80 cents, white onions $1.50 lb. Nectarines, (forgot). Oodles of ripe tomatoes too.

I freeze chopped peppers for adding to stews. Reds go into jelly.

Closed on Monday and Thursday but open all other days 9 - 5. Ph 250-545-1610. Bring containers.

It's a lovely scenic drive to there, past Davisons.

[alanjh595]

Tiss the season.... I have already filled my freezer and now considering making SAUERKRAUT, as soon as the cabbage are ready (No freezer space required). It looks like a good year for cabbages. I put a few red chilies in the crock pot too.

I will be waiting for the PEI Russets for winter storage, (latest in the season and closest to the cooler weather for keeping in the garage). Same thing for the Winter stores of onions.

We, truly are blessed by living in a great place when it comes to food preservation.

[Lady tehMa]

Just saw these on facebook - black apples. Grown only in Tibet.

https://www.today.com/food/black-apples-are-real-thing-here-s-why-they-re-t151239

I wonder if they'd grow here, say up in the mountains?

[Catsumi]

Those black apples look interesting, don't they? The leaves look foreign too.

Pears, beautiful Bartlett's, are ready now so today, picked up 20 lbs @ 70 cents/lb, from a grower close to me in Vernon. They are still hard and not ripened yet so they reside on my outside table waiting to be checked daily. Apples coming along soon too together with later pear varieties.

The best jam I ever made was a combo of peach, pear and rhubarb. This year I will substitute apple for the peach and bet that the jam will be just as good.

[Queen K]

So I got to wondering what the deluge did for the gardens.
Shovel in ground, two inches down, dry.

So don't think you don't have to water.

[Lady tehMa]

It's a little easier to pull things out of dry ground. I cleaned up one garden bed today and will be begging space in neighbours bins.

So many things that need cutting back. I have some rudbeckia that's gotten out of hand, going to have to remove some and not just cut back - that would be the classic and not one of the cultivars I've got.

[seewood]

So I got to wondering what the deluge did for the gardens.

Made it real easy to pull weeds. Yanked some prehistoric alien looking things yesterday..

[Lady tehMa]

Summerland Ornamental Gardens has a fall plant sale?