Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Most of the Peppers are Planted. 5.24.22

 Planted, with irrigation and paper mulch in place.


I added a large container for three more, and am setting up a second one.

Blooming. 5.24.22

 Horseradish


Some Irises




Weigela




Monday, May 23, 2022

Starting Annual Flowers and Pickle Cukes. 5.23.22

 I set up containers flower seeds - French marigolds (my saved seeds), African marigolds, Thunbergera, Cosmos, Cleome.  This year I was going to grow flowers even if it kills me LOL.  





I also planted bush cucumbers seeds, for pickles.  Next, to plant nasturtiums and zinnias directly.

Today's Gardening. 5.23.22

 I had a long task list, got through a fair amount.

Filling in growing soil for the first container potatoes, and almost filled in for the second ones.

One of the containers was filled with a commercial soil that I just wanted to use for the first potatoes container.  I finished emptying it out.  I didn't refill it yet with the looser soil that I want to use for its next occupant, which will be a pair of Serrano pepper plants.

I finished planting peppers in the pepper raised bed.  Three Early JalapeƱos, two Banana peppers, three Thai Dragon peppers and a Cayenne.  I still have Serranos, some Jalmundos (a giant JalapeƱo type), and a Tabasco to plant, and some to give away.  The drip lines are installed and 1/2 of the paper mulch.


I also transplanted a half dozen Rudbeckias, planted the three Rosemary cuttings that have grown roots, and did some work on the squash bed.  Enough for one day.



A Loaf of Sandwich Bread. 5.23.22

 I used the mixer to make a batch of pizza dough.  That's just flour, water, yeast, a little salt.  I kneaded it together, let it rise.  Now it needs to age a little in the fridge, up to a week, maybe two.

Then I made a loaf of sandwich bread.  I used a recipe on the King Alfred flour website. This bread has potato flour and milk powder as dough conditioners, and some butter.

I made a mistake and cut the butter back by 1/3 without adding liquid to replace the difference.


The dough was a bit dry.  I realized my mistake and kneaded in a little more water.  It was a bit lumpy before rising.



I realize that dough hooks have been around for a generation of two, but I have always kneaded by hand.  I like being part of the process, and feeling the dough texture with my hands.  That is becoming more difficult, and it's more messy that kneading in a bowl, so the mixer is worth a try.  Cleanup is also easier.

Since the surface was a little lumpy so I kneaded a few times by hand.  Let it rise until very puffy, punch down, made into loaf and let it rise again.  I cut some slices across the top.

It came out really nice.



The bread is maybe a little crumbly inside.  Maybe I over-kneaded.  The flavor was excellent and it was  very tender.