Anyone who thinks they are saving money by raising a garden, especially if there is a greenhouse involved, either keeps very poor records or values their time very low. Garden produce is probably the most expensive food you can eat. The important things about gardening are health, happiness and variety. Canning is similar to gardening in that it really is not a financially intelligent thing to do. Who cares? The process is fun and the food is delicious.
Yesterday, Michael Swol and I went to the “The Peach Shed” in Fort Mill, SC and bought peaches. Tonight my wife and I will can them. We enjoy canning as much as a movie. We can actually talk to each other when we are canning. That will get some unpleasant reactions in a theatre.
Peaches like most fruits can be canned by the water bath method. The pressure canner can be used, but the pressure cap is left off and the evacuation procedure is not necessary. Jars of canned fruits and vegetables make great decoration, but keep them out of sunlight.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Showing posts with label garden work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden work. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Master Gardener®
Yesterday was the end of training for the 2011 class of the Master Gardener® program. We were fed a really nice lunch and given gifts and assigned a sponsor to help us enter the world of Master Gardening® smoothly. At this point we are considered “interns”. When we have done our service work (40 hours) we will be Master Gardeners®.
The garden and greenhouse chores are becoming overwhelming now. Unless a fence is completed around the garden the deer will eat everything. The greenhouse plants need repotting, but my back will only co-operate for one or two flats at a time. Every flat turns into two or more as the repotting is done. There is only enough space on the heated mats for 3 more flats. The parts of the garden that are not in beds need to be tilled for the spring planting. There is some respite for a day or two on this chore because of last night’s rain.
The good part of the garden right now is the wonderful salads and greens that are being harvested. We have had salad almost every night. We had Russian Red Kale, Monday night and the turnip and mustard greens are ready to start harvesting.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
The garden and greenhouse chores are becoming overwhelming now. Unless a fence is completed around the garden the deer will eat everything. The greenhouse plants need repotting, but my back will only co-operate for one or two flats at a time. Every flat turns into two or more as the repotting is done. There is only enough space on the heated mats for 3 more flats. The parts of the garden that are not in beds need to be tilled for the spring planting. There is some respite for a day or two on this chore because of last night’s rain.
The good part of the garden right now is the wonderful salads and greens that are being harvested. We have had salad almost every night. We had Russian Red Kale, Monday night and the turnip and mustard greens are ready to start harvesting.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Working Moon
The first day of spring brought with it the biggest moon in almost 20 years. The night was cloudy so it was not visible from our house. This is the time in the garden where the hardest physical work comes in. There are a lot of compostable materials. The compost needs turning. The ground that is not in beds has to have the mulch cleared so it will dry out. That is hard on the biceps. The fence needs to be finished to keep the deer out. Chopping through roots and digging postholes is hard work too.
The really back-breaking work though is the greenhouse. Almost everything has to be re-planted in larger pots. The new method is really paying off so far. It seems that every seed has germinated and most have survived. Some of the little 5 ounce cups had as many as 12 basil plants and as many as 5 tomato plants. The basil was just separated into separate 5 oz cups. The Tomatoes had to be transferred to larger cups. The peppers go in large cups as well.
All the leaves are finally up, but there was not enough mulch to do all of the beds. The leaves in the garden were not mulched, so they will have to be sucked up with the vacuum-mulcher and used in the beds. There are still quite a few of the early plants that have not been planted into the garden. They are mostly parsley and cilantro, so they can be put into the flower beds.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
The really back-breaking work though is the greenhouse. Almost everything has to be re-planted in larger pots. The new method is really paying off so far. It seems that every seed has germinated and most have survived. Some of the little 5 ounce cups had as many as 12 basil plants and as many as 5 tomato plants. The basil was just separated into separate 5 oz cups. The Tomatoes had to be transferred to larger cups. The peppers go in large cups as well.
All the leaves are finally up, but there was not enough mulch to do all of the beds. The leaves in the garden were not mulched, so they will have to be sucked up with the vacuum-mulcher and used in the beds. There are still quite a few of the early plants that have not been planted into the garden. They are mostly parsley and cilantro, so they can be put into the flower beds.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
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