Now

Pickles

Ok so first time making pickles!  I researched and watched many a youtube video and then decided on my plan.  At first I wanted to make a huge bunch but I only had a bowl full of my own so I decided to do with what I had.  I washed them all and rubbed off the prickles. Then, as per an organic pickles video, I snatched some of the grape leaves that run wild over our fence from our neighbor.  Apparently, grape leaves perform the same action as the "pickle crisp" powders and such.  So it went like this:

1. put jars in the dishwasher to sterilize 
2. put caps and lids in a sauce pot to sterilize
3. wash and rub down kirby cucumbers from my garden
4. snatch grape leaves and wash
5. start the brine
1. 3 cups of water
2. 2 cups of white vinegar
3. 1/4 cup of iodine free salt (some say pickling salt only but the important part is that it is iodine free)
4. stir and bring to a boil
6. decide which cucumbers will fit in which jars 
7. lay a grape leaf in the bottom of each jar
8. place two pealed cloves of garlic in each jar (I hope to grow my own away from the dogs next year...the buggers always eat my garlic and onions.)
9. start placing cucumbers in jars
10. put dill in once it has a place to rest
1. I used a combo of dried and fresh because that is what I had from my garden.
11. finish filling the jars
1. I added pickling spices from a farmer's market to two of the five jars
12. ladle the brine in leaving 1" of head space
13. using tongs or a magnet wand, place a cover on each and secure the screw top
1. You don't want to physically touch them for two reasons: 1. the water is boiling hot, ouch! 2. you want the lids to remain sterile 
14. place in hot water bath where the tops of the jars are covered
15. one it reaches a boil again, time it ten minutes
16. remove and give space to cool
17. wait about a week before you crack the first jar

Potatoes: Which way is best?

Well, I thought that potatoes would be best to grow in the ground but that does not seem to suit me best.  I dug up some potatoes from the garden today and it was a challenge to know where to dig and such.  I was quite disappointed with the results. The pots, however, were easy and produced a couple of meals' worth each. I mean, I suppose logic says that if I couldn't move the ground with my hands, then the potatoes probably didn't grow there.  So, next year?  I am thinking 3 trash cans' worth of potatoes would suit me just fine!  Perhaps I will get fun colors.

Potatoes

First selection of potatoes!

E-Z Compost Tea (Simplest method on earth)

July 15

The wall of vines is full of morning glories. ..some tomatoes sprinkled in there and dahlias from my father. For a good amount of time I did not have to stake the dahlias because the morning glories were doing the job. So cool when nature helps herself.

Also in this back are my black-eyed Susans from my girlfriend Anne, blooming hostas from Home Depot. butterfly bush that I think a bird planted, and a zucchini flower.

Oh...and the trash can of brown stuff...

I am also attaching my organic way of fertilizing. Since I am going organic this year, I am trying various methods. This one is really easy....bucket of water...compost...stir....steep...24 hours later water your plants with it. I got the idea from this one youtube video that I will post right after this one.  I really enjoy his tips.

July 9 and 10

Someone told me yesterday that my garden always does so well. I was taken aback feeling both shocked and thankful. I simply told her that I just never give up...I don't always succeed in what I am doing so I keep trying other things until I do.

This year...I have decided that if there is room for weeds...then there is room for more plants. So I stick in another round of string beans here and there that I will sueely forget about until they pop up. I am experimenting. The worst that happens is that I bought a package of seeds that went to waste...the best? Botanical greatness :).

Some of the pictures are blurry....that is when the skeeters came out to play. I hate those suckers hah hah. I crack myself up.

July 8