Next Year I'm Gonna......

[bobm]

I want the kind of berries that @bobm talked about. The kind that produces abundantly over a long time, and are very sweet.

My wife baught 12 strawberry plants from a local nursery... I don't know the exact hybrid that they are , the local nursery person said that they were the type that the local strawberry producers plant for stocking the local grocery stores daily. From late spring and summer I harvested about 3 lbs of berries every other day. Since Sept. I harvest 3 lbs every 3 days. This time of the year I have to harvest them slightly earlier then I like so has some green at the stem, due to atmospheric morning dew or they start to be covered with fungus if more fully ripe and start to rot. Also, if the berries reach full ripe, competition from numerous slugs, birds, and as of yesterday a juvenile tree squirrel exploring new territory and found a new food source. Last night we had fresh right off the vine sliced strawberries with ice cream.

 

[so lucky]

OK, @bobm, it is your duty as a TEG member to go to that nursery and find out from the owner what kind of strawberries he sold your wife. No excuses, now.

 

[bobm]

@Jared77 we need some picture updates, especially of the trees you planted! I like your idea of placing the 5 gallon buckets by each tree with the 3/16" hole in the bottom. We will probably be using that idea when we plant our fruit trees this fall/winter. We will put in a drip system eventually to make it easier, just turn on the faucet and water everything. But until we get that done, watering will be an issue. The future orchard is kinda a blank place right now......

Here is my idea that I found to work better in dry / arrid country. 7 years ago, I planted 100 Redwood trees in the high desert of Fresno,Cal. that everyone said would NOT GROW. Today , they are about 30 + ft. tall and thriving. On my 2.5 acres of grounds around our house, I ran a PVC line in a circle along the outside border and then put in "T" s and exptentions to each tree as was desired to be planted. At the planting hole, I dug down 3 side by side 1' dia. holes to form a 3' diameter hole 42" deep. Next I cut a 10' x 4" perforated sewer line pipe into 3 sections and put them into the dug holes vertically. I then installed the water line extentions to the sewer line pipe sections and stalled emitters there. Planted the trees in the now filled in holes ... this forces the tree to send it's roots deeper as the emitters drip the water to the 42" depth so evaporation is minimal but most of the water is taken up by the trees. I hope this helps.

 

[majorcatfish]

DH has promised me a mountain of manure, but I have yet to see it materialize.

well feed him more often......

 

[Jared77]

@thistlebloom i usually quarter them them toss them into roast. I quarter or 1/2 tomatoes depending on their size and shape. Sweet peppers I quarter, onions quarter, jalapeños I cut lengthwise in 1/2 de-seed and roast that way. I always use a variety of tomatoes too. Whatever is in at the time but I do try to balance the non-red tomato portion it when possible usually by color and weight. Usually it's 1/2 or more red for volume and then the rest is made up with black, green, yellow, pink for depth of flavor.

Garlic cloves stay whole they just get added to the roasting pan.

I'm trying to remember but I think my wife puts it into the stock pot and onto the stove it goes. It gets cooked down to the consistency she wants sometimes with the help of an immersion blender to speed it along and with LOTS of taste testing she'll decide it's ready to can.

When we do salsa we regularly check it with a bag of chips. Dip the chip from the stock pot as it simmers to check the flavor and if it's the right consistently. Try it on a day DH is home and have him try it. Tweak it and write down your tweaks (I've learned that the hard way) and when you knock him out of his socks with it then can it!

 

[Jared77]

DH has promised me a mountain of manure, but I have yet to see it materialize.

That's because you haven't been married long enough.

@baymule can confirm that she bought a new tractor with a large front end loader just to clear the manure she has to contend with.



*edited for spelling mistake*

 

[journey11]

well feed him more often......

 

[digitS']

Winter's puzzle is to figure out what to do ...

in the gardens and in life.

I can't live with this uncertainty!!

Steve

 

[Beekissed]

Winter time is a perfect time for research, learning and planning....for the garden and for life!

 

[Smart Red]

I am a winter researcher, learner, and planner. Here in the frigid North, it is mostly all I can do. Next year's garden is but an elaborate dream right now. Lots of time to become more rational.