Zucchini Pickles. 7.16.2021

 These are from Costata Romanesco zucchini, an old Italian heirloom variety.  They are bearing like crazy.  I have to check every morning so I catch them at a relatively small (9") size.  

First, I tried a cold pack method, using a packaged Bread and Butter pickle brine and spice product.  I had to calculate lower sizes, but I think I got it right.  Unfortunately, during the canning process, the slices shrunk and floated, so the bottom half of the jars is just pickle juice, mainly vinegar.  Since these are vinegar and brine, I think they will keep, but they are not how I wanted them.

So I decided to use a hot pack method, which pre-cooks the pickles so they do all their shrinking and lose their air before packing.  I followed the USDA canning method as exactly as I could.  I did have to make a half recipe due to my canner size.  I also added very thin slices of my fresh harvested Music garlic, sliced on mandolin. 

These are presoaked in brine before cooking them, then heated to a boil in vinegar/sugar/spices which are mustard seeds, celery seed, and tumeric.  The yellow slices are from one yellow zucchini that I harvested yesterday.

Then they are portioned into jars and carefully canned per the USDA instructions.

These portioned out almost exactly. I did have to boil 1/4 cup of vinegar to top off the last jar, which I will use up first. I tasted two pickle slices before canning. They had excellent flavor and texture. I imagine they will be softer after canning, which I will find out when I open the first jar.

Methley Plum Harvest and Jam. 7.16.2021

Methley plums are completely ripe. Those are the purple ones. The yellow ones are Shiro, almost ripe.

I picked two giant size bowls of plums. One bowl should be about one batch of jam.

To make a jam, I skinned them. The skin is loose, like a slipskin grape, very easy. The stones are clingstone, which is a lot more work to get off. I sliced the flesh off the stones, into a large measuring cup, until I had seven cups. Then I followed the directions on low sugar pectin to make jam. It should have been 8 half pints, but I over compensated for boiling loss and it was 9 pints. Still, it gelled and the flavor is incredible, like some kind of tropical candy. These will help me through the winter. It helps make growing fruit more worthwhile. These plums can't be bought in any store, and processing them in a factory doesnt seem like an easy thing. So home made is the only option.  This is one of my all time favorite jams.

Sweetcorn is Showing Silks and Tassels. 7.13.2021

This is the SE+ variety "Trinity". It is a bit shorter than main crop varieties, and the ears are a bit smaller, but it tolerates cool springs and produces an early crop. It's a delicious home grown sweet corn variety, somIm looking forward to a cropmin a few weeks.

Given the dry hot weather, I'm watering about every other day. The corn plants are big enough to shade the soil, so that helps.

Volunteer Flowers Blooming. 7.11.2021

I didn't plant any new flower seeds this year. However, if something came up, I let them grow in place. Now there are cosmos and nasturtiums blooming.

Another Dahlia Blooming. 7.11.2021

Each new dahlia is my favorite. They are loving this weather. What is a vegetable garden without a row of dahlias?

Squash Blossom Soup. 7.11.2021

Even though honeybees have been all over the squash blossoms, I wanted to try something different. This recipe is inspired by one in "The Classic Zucchini Cookbook" by Ralston , Jordan, and Chesman (2002). I liked that it uses a surprise vegetable (squash blossoms) as well as garlic and onion that I grew, and the garnish is finely chopped Garlic Chive that I grew from seeds this year. This is about 35 squash blossoms, a big garlic clove, a small onion.

I saute the onion and garlic in 3 tbsp olive oil for 5 min, add the chopped squash blossoms, saute 2 min. Then add 3 cup of water, 1 1/2 cubes veg boullion, bring to boil and simmer 10 min. Take off heat, blend by portions in food processor, return to sauce pan and heat, add about 1/2 cup coconut milk. Sprinkle with pepper and chinese chive garnish.

The zucchini "Costata Romanesca" has the largest blossoms but I also used blossoms from other varieties of squash. This was tasty. I used the coconut milk because yesterday I made a squash pie and substituted coconut milk for evap milk, and had this much left over. That turned out very good.

Planting a Late Crop of Bush Beans. 7.8.2021

With the garlic harvested, a raised bed is open for planting a kitchen garden crop. According to the seed sources, these should be ready in about 55 days. Of course, that will depend on weather and other factors. I planted three open pollinated varieties.

Marigolds from Saved Seeds. 7.8.2021

Last fall I saved seeds from a volunteer marigold. It was very compact with brick red-ish flowers. I planted the seeds this spring, and here they are. I didn't grow as many flowers as I wanted this year, so I appreciate these. Since it was a volunteer plant, these are at least third generation in my garden.

Seeds are becoming more expensive now. By saving seeds, the cost is completely free and they are known varieties that I already know will thrive in my own soil, climate, and garden.

Garlic Harvest. 7.8.2021

I harvested all of the garlic in their designated raised bed. There are still a few rows in other spots. Now they need to dry and have the tops trimmed. I'm drying them in garage, away from hot sun and morning dew. I think this is the best garlic crop I have ever grown. Key is using the raised bed, lots of coffee grounds (nitrogen, potassium), egg shells (calcium, nitrogen), planting in fall, and keeping them well weeded. The variety is "Music". I had saved about 8 of the largest bulbs to plant last fall. So those were "free", whereas garlic starts from stores or seed catalogs are quite expensive.

This photo shows the importance for early removal of scapes. I'm surprised it made such a big difference.

I also had two rows of garlic bulbils. I grew those as a way to potentially have more rows of garlic without having to set aside as many bulbs. They did OK. Some might make big bulbs next year, but many were still quite small and may need two years.

Forsythia Cutting Update. 7.8.2021

Now all of the forsythia cuttings are in full sun in my kitchen garden. Except one, still growing small roots in jar of water. I gave them some 1/4 strength miracle gro as a boost. Some are making vigorous new shoots. I'll plant them in their final row this fall. Even though they will need two more growing seasons for a good privacy impact, forsythia grows vigorously and thick, is low maintenance, has a beautiful blooming season, and these were free. There was a little nibbling of new growth by satanic deer, but I think they wont bother mature plants too much because because I have other forsythia bushes in deer susceptible areas and they don't browse those at all. The cuttings that I started in water were definitely much less trouble, more reliable, and much more vigorous, compared to the ones I started in plant starting medium.

Early Buds for Main Crop Figs. 7.6.2021

They say it takes about 100 days from bud to ripe fig. That depends on variety, weather, and other conditions. For the most part, it's just wait and see now. This is "Smith" fig.

Volunteer Yellow Cherry Tomato 3rd Generation. 7.6.2021

These are from seeds that I saved from a volunteer that grew last year. It is at least F3 generation from the original hybrid, which I suspect is Sungold but could be something else, like Supersweet 1000 or a bee hybrid of the two. These are the second plant to ripen, after Sugar Rush. I expect them to be less sweet than Sungold, but still a palatible early cherry tomato. Fully ripen in a few days.

Isolating Squash Blossoms. 7.6.2021

Several of the winter squashes are blooming, mostly male flowers. I want to collect seeds and have them true to type, so I isolated the first female Pink Banana Squash blossom to avoid bee pollination with other cultivars. I didn't isolate any males yet, but should tonight. Before

After

Some people tape them shut. That might be better. I have been manually pollinating the zucchinis, which are pretty widely separated so should be true to type. Tomorrow am, I'll manually pollinate this one too.

Knee High by the 4th of July. Sweetcorn. 7.5.2021

My dad used to say the sweetcorn should be knee high by the 4th of July. That was easier back in corn growing country, in Illinois. Here in the Maritime Pacific NW it's more of a surprise. This yearm Spring was early and warm, and we had that hot spell. This variety is "Trinity", an SE+ typecthat stays sweeter, is earlier, and the seeds are a bit more tolerant of cooler soils. It is also less tall, and the ears are a bit smaller that later varieties. I planted earlier in May than In most years, because it was so warm.

I gave Rufus his Haircut. 7.4.2021

One benefit of the COVID epidemic is that I started doing Rufus's grooming. He always seemed kind of traumatized at the groomers. He's the first dog I ever had who likes a bath - I tell him "Time for your bath" and he goes into the shower. He's not so crazy about his haircut, but no longer squirms except when I trim his face and paws. I don't push it - I groom him to keep him cool and make baths easier, not to win a fashion contest. And he's pretty happy afterwards. Before

During

After. Happy Rufus!

Garden Update. 7.4.2021

Various updates from the Kitchen Garden Most of the squashes are blooming, at least male flowers. Red Kuri squash also has setting fruit. This is a male flower from Pink Banana Squash.

We got the July 4th tomatoes I wanted. Just three cherry tomatoes, but it's symbolic. These are Sugar Rush. To be honest, they are not as good as Supersweet 1000 or Sungold, but still, real cherry tomato flavor for July 4th. Also, a taste of Fallgold raspberries, from plants I planted this Spring. Pretty good to get a taste the first year.

The pickle cukes have taken off and are growing like gangbusters. The best growth is the group from home saved seeds. Too bad I don't know which variety or even if it was open pollinated or hybrid. The male flowers are puny but maybe good enough?

The red currant plant had enough currants to make a jar of jam. The plant produced even though it's in the shade of an apple tree.

First Pillow Sham Main Panel. Men's Shirt Quilt. 7.4.2021

Today I completed the main front panel for the first pillow sham, to match the unfinished quilt made from the same mens shirts. I wanted it to be mostly the same fabric, but a different pattern. Im still a beginner so this is not perfect. Even so, I'm pretty happy with the result. This will need a border and auilting. I need to finish the auilt first to see what I have left over. This panel is made entirely from scraps of thrift shop and estate sale men's shirts, left over from making the main quilt.

Volunteer Poppies. 7.1.2021

These came up near where I grew poppies last year. These are the annual "Shirley Poppies". As far as I know, there is no sich thing as a "Laverne Poppy". They are a nice volunteer. I scattered saved seeds all over, but didn't see any others. I'm happy with these.

First "Main Crop" Harvest. Potatoes, Garlic, Onions. 7.1.2021

The Envol potato tops are dying off, so I dug up two plants. Nice looking potatoes. These are considered "The earliest of the early" by Fedco. The garlic is "Music". I grew that from bulbs saved from the 2020 crop. They are very large and very tasty. There are also some random volunteer garlic plants to dig. The onions are generic "Yellow onions" from sets. Huge bulbs now. They can be eaten, but not ready yet for storage.

Moat of the annual vegetables seem OK after the big heat wave.