tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post7006137828330513710..comments2024-03-24T11:10:13.186-04:00Comments on The Gardening Me: Harvest Monday - August 29, 2016Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-83398234724809999042016-12-02T08:47:48.302-05:002016-12-02T08:47:48.302-05:00Thanks Melissa! Like you I dreamed about the gard...Thanks Melissa! Like you I dreamed about the garden I would someday have for a long time before we moved here. It will always be a work in progress but that's half the fun! Best of luck with your dream :)Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-66589231489541302012016-12-01T22:51:07.811-05:002016-12-01T22:51:07.811-05:00You sure do have amazing garden there.. more of a ...You sure do have amazing garden there.. more of a farm, I guess. So wonderful. I'd like to have one someday. I'll keep you posted, if that happen. <br /><br />Keep inspiring. <br /><br />Melissa from PhilippinesAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14528596363974865994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-24230696091713752762016-09-05T12:14:34.044-04:002016-09-05T12:14:34.044-04:00Onions are so fun to grow, aren't they? And e...Onions are so fun to grow, aren't they? And even better, they store for months! I'm hoping to get some dried apple rings happening this fall too - unfortunately not from my own trees, which are only a year old, but from a local pick-your-own farm, which is the next best thing.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-36751906340805809012016-09-04T15:17:16.019-04:002016-09-04T15:17:16.019-04:00I love my dehydrator, I usually make dried apple r...I love my dehydrator, I usually make dried apple rings in the autumn :) I'm impressed with your onion harvest, I think all mine were 'runts' this year!Susie - secondhandsusie.blogspot.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16727933470111599594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-18396158151329971332016-09-04T10:41:56.127-04:002016-09-04T10:41:56.127-04:00Thank you baili - I do cook with those small green...Thank you baili - I do cook with those small green chilis that are sold in packs at the grocery store, but I've never grown them. I should do a bit of googling to see what variety they are...Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-2040318151136500432016-09-04T08:02:38.534-04:002016-09-04T08:02:38.534-04:00Really lovely harvesting loved it .
My mom was wor...Really lovely harvesting loved it .<br />My mom was worried about green chili plants those remain always hard to grow healthybailihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06498012175058870980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-61801830234357443992016-09-01T15:09:00.968-04:002016-09-01T15:09:00.968-04:00That would be a resounding NO!! :) I have done sq...That would be a resounding NO!! :) I have done squash (courgette) in the dehydrator so far and they turned out amazing. Currently I have some hot peppers in there and am hoping to make chili flakes or powder once they are done. I've not done tomatoes, but they are on the list to try.<br /><br />This is my 3rd year growing onions and the first time where the results have not been stellar, so I would say they are definitely worth a go - I am inclined to think that this was a one-off likely due to excessive heat coupled with insufficient watering at the beginning of the season.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-56388156089303177592016-08-31T13:53:35.951-04:002016-08-31T13:53:35.951-04:00Ah, I have been planning to try growing onions for...Ah, I have been planning to try growing onions for the first time next year, but your experience hardly inspires me! Let's hope it was a One Off result for you. I wonder whether you will like the dehydrator. I have one, but don't use it a lot. However, semi-dried tomatoes done in it are brilliant! It looks as if you are not short of tomatoes either, despite their various ailments. You can never have too many tomatoes, can you? Can you???Mark Willishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04558305122821209520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-71657665167639808452016-08-31T10:13:59.948-04:002016-08-31T10:13:59.948-04:00Thanks Shaheen! I am making very good use of the ...Thanks Shaheen! I am making very good use of the dehydrator so far - I'm most excited about dehydrating zucchini (courgette) as that's something that isn't that easy to preserve otherwise.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-80173526910096164402016-08-31T10:12:19.227-04:002016-08-31T10:12:19.227-04:00Every veg has its off year, but on the bright side...Every veg has its off year, but on the bright side, small onions are better than no onions (for both of use), right?<br /><br />Every year I seem to get some tomato disease - I'm starting to wonder if there is such a thing as a disease free year for them.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-49835261966546343542016-08-31T10:11:13.455-04:002016-08-31T10:11:13.455-04:00You're right - there is always something that ...You're right - there is always something that disappoints...in my case, it's usually a few things. But then there are the successes, which make it all worthwhile (and even make you jump up and down sometimes!). And I bet if you had the perfect year, you would then strive for a "more perfect" year :)<br /><br />The dehydrator is awesome! It did an amazing job on the zucchini/tromboncino and now I have some hot peppers going. I'm really looking forward to experimenting.<br /><br />I have to get at removing more leaves on the tomato plants as well - but life is getting in the way this week and I just can't seem to get to it. Enjoy your sweet tomatoes!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-48853942736815027812016-08-30T14:02:48.580-04:002016-08-30T14:02:48.580-04:00Your tomatoes are fantastic and homegrown onions, ...Your tomatoes are fantastic and homegrown onions, love it = just make my eyes cry! I have a dehydrator but have hardly used it, so hope you make more use of yours with your abundant harvestShaheenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03602971207085826708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-55641010963060841672016-08-30T11:51:14.560-04:002016-08-30T11:51:14.560-04:00My onions were small also but I had two things aga...My onions were small also but I had two things against me. I think I harvested them a little early and I grew them in pots. Sorry about so many of your tomatoes having diseases. Love that Excalibur! I just have a small one. Hope you will share pictures of what you are drying so that I can drool. Nancy Cozy Thyme Cottagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03933769393226611441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-27449633638683518082016-08-30T10:29:23.640-04:002016-08-30T10:29:23.640-04:00That's so disappointing about your onions, the...That's so disappointing about your onions, there's always something in the garden that doesn't come up to expectations. I swear I will retire from gardening when I have a perfect year, which means I'll never be able to quit! Congrats on your Excalibur! I love mine, but it too doesn't reside on the kitchen counter, it sit atop the clothes dryer in my laundry room. And my tomatoes are always afflicted with some sort of diseases. This year I'm just trying to go keep up with cutting the diseased leaves and throwing them away, it seems to slow the progression and has the added benefit of giving the fruits more sun. I don't know if it's my imagination, but the tomatoes seem sweeter than ever this year.Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07812702328134261533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-59874202372991877372016-08-30T08:56:22.482-04:002016-08-30T08:56:22.482-04:00Oh, you make me LAUGH! Gourmet, indeed - aren'...Oh, you make me LAUGH! Gourmet, indeed - aren't we the fancy growers, with our miniature veg :)<br /><br />You know, I think a lot of my issues may have been because those two tomato beds were in the last area to get the drip irrigation and so I was using a sprinkler to water them for a good chunk of the summer (whereas the disease free bed is in the area that received drip first). Taxi I'll be growing again as I do really love the flavour but Orange Blossom is a bit blah and mealy, so that one would have been out even if it had stayed healthy.<br /><br />I've not seen any birds on my sunflowers yet, but the variety I grew had weak stems and kept flopping over once the flowers started to really fill out...so annoying!<br /><br />Have a wonderful week too, Sue, and enjoy those gourmet veg (hee hee)Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-4274487974296222402016-08-30T08:53:41.130-04:002016-08-30T08:53:41.130-04:00The rack was inspired by Daphne - it was easy and ...The rack was inspired by Daphne - it was easy and inexpensive to make (using bamboo poles) and it stores well too as we place it upright on the wall behind our tools. The only thing is that my car is relegated to the driveway for the 4 weeks that I use it, but that's a small inconvenience I don't mind putting up with for a years worth of onions :)Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-70713962726817869362016-08-30T08:52:45.310-04:002016-08-30T08:52:45.310-04:00Thanks Phuong! And an extra thank you for the hot...Thanks Phuong! And an extra thank you for the hot pepepr tip. Now that you mention it, I do recall hearing about that - good think I started out with the zucchini instead of the peppers! I'll have to move it to the garage when I get to that.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-71230482894565167952016-08-30T08:52:15.644-04:002016-08-30T08:52:15.644-04:00Yes, blossom end rot is NOT what you want to see o...Yes, blossom end rot is NOT what you want to see on a tomato...those go straight to the compost bin! Thankfully, it's usually a "few and far between" sort of problem. The goldfinches have gone crazy for the nyger seeds - it's pretty awesome.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-18218251038321888522016-08-30T08:51:20.158-04:002016-08-30T08:51:20.158-04:00Thanks Julie - I'm excited about trying out di...Thanks Julie - I'm excited about trying out different things in the dehydrator. I've not had any plants survive late blight in the past, but I do see some new green growth on some of the diseased plants, so there's hoping that they get a 2nd wind. We are supposed to have a warmer than usual fall so I've my fingers crossed that some of my plants actually make it until we get a frost :)Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-90280333736087741662016-08-30T08:50:22.505-04:002016-08-30T08:50:22.505-04:00Oy - I would not have thought to look for hornworm...Oy - I would not have thought to look for hornworms on anything OTHER than tomatoes - thanks for the heads up!<br /><br />I'm starting off slow with the dehydrator, starting with the zucchini then progressing to peppers. I'm also anxiously waiting for the Feher Ozon peppers to ripen up - can't wait to try my first ever batch of paprika!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-72069918001661886962016-08-30T08:49:21.993-04:002016-08-30T08:49:21.993-04:00I actually think I overdid it with the Bloody Butc...I actually think I overdid it with the Bloody Butcher plantings - I'm still trying to figure out how many of each variety I need and this year I was much too heavy with the salad and cherry tomatoes (again!). The dehydrator is humming away right now...can't wait to try out more things in it!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-61430367641003985542016-08-30T08:48:27.129-04:002016-08-30T08:48:27.129-04:00Thanks Will - we can't have it all, can we? Y...Thanks Will - we can't have it all, can we? You never know what the gardening season will throw at you...the only certainty is it's unpredictability!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-7912439999301107262016-08-30T08:47:55.972-04:002016-08-30T08:47:55.972-04:00Oh, thanks Jane! We get quite a few seed eaters a...Oh, thanks Jane! We get quite a few seed eaters as well - the chickadees are particularly entertaining :)Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-3057475483874859592016-08-30T08:47:23.032-04:002016-08-30T08:47:23.032-04:00I'm still undecided on what my disease is...wh...I'm still undecided on what my disease is...what's funny is that I actually have some green, disease free growth on many of the "diseased" plants, even the Taxi that I cut back but left a few branches that had some big green tomatoes still on it. I'm watching to see what happens with that... And I have zucchini in the dehydrator as we speak...very excited!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-18432156135805440112016-08-30T05:26:16.502-04:002016-08-30T05:26:16.502-04:00You shouldn't look at the little onions as a d...You shouldn't look at the little onions as a disappointment--you must look at them from a grocer's point of view---GOURMET!!! hahahahha. I saw teeny tiny yukons in bags at the store last week-the ones I USED to toss into the compost pile and they had put them in a pretty bag and called them Gourmet and slapped a $3.98 price tag on them (ONE pound, mind you!) and people were snapping them up. It's all about marketing, Margaret. LOL. You are a gourmet farmer. I look at my runty produce in a whole new light. <br /><br />SO sorry about your tomatoes. Are you trying that variety again, or figuring it to be a villain?<br /><br />And aren't those finches adorable. I just love seeing them in the yard. And they are ALL OVER my sunflowers now.<br />Have a great week, Margaret.Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10122524042294993949noreply@blogger.com