-Pam Scott- August at our house has always been a time of frenzied pickling, jelly making, drying, canning, freezing and fermenting. Braids of garlic and onions hang from every doorframe. Pillowcases full of dripping grapes are suspended from the dining room chandelier, soon to be made into jelly. There are jars of vegetables in various stages of fermentation. Now, thanks to Fifth Season’s new Ball jar fermenting lids we have lots of small jars of fermenting pepper experiments. One of … [Read more...] about August in the Garden: Preserving the Abundance of Summer
Tomatoes
A Guide to Healthy, Organically-Grown Tomatoes
-Pam Scott- I love tomatoes! Canning them, freezing them, drying them, pickling them, roasting them and saucing them is my idea of fun. Tomatoes, basil and mozzarella define the taste of summer for me. Growing up in cool, dry, New England, I spent most every August canning tomatoes with my mother. You can imagine my despair when moving to the hot, humid,fungal jungle we call the South East. I found growing bountiful crops of tomatoes to be next to impossible.This went on for quite a … [Read more...] about A Guide to Healthy, Organically-Grown Tomatoes
What Heat?
August sits on the air like a bag of wet hot cement. Mid-day movement in the garden is impossible, and thoughts of ice baths are paradise compared to dirt digging. Still, if you're a growing addict fiending for a garden fix, there are plenty of things to do. Some of these entail indoor activity, while others suggest limited outdoor work. Just take precautions by working early or late in the day when the sun isn't as sinister. Cover crops planning While it's still a little early to throw cover … [Read more...] about What Heat?
Bugging Out: Part Four
Do they ever stop? Harlequin Bug The Lowdown: Why are the beautiful ones the most evil? These tiny Picasso paintings will lay waste to all cruciferous vegetables. If these types of veggies are scarce, the Harlequin will turn to valuable edibles like asparagus, corn, beans, squash, and tomatoes. Young plants will die with a heavy infestation, and older plants will become stunted and less productive. According to NC State's Ag extension, female adults will lay approximately … [Read more...] about Bugging Out: Part Four
The Tomato: A Fruity Impersonator in the Vegetable Patch
The attraction to the tomato is irresistible. Hobbyists, professionals, and even the heartburn-laden can't resist this fruit disguised as a vegetable. The colors and tastes are fathomless--purples, yellows, stripes, acidic, mild, sugary, and even peppery are used to categorize tomatoes. The challenges in growing the perfect tomato are almost as numerous. Diseases, bugs, and gophers of ill repute flock to it like paparazzi in search of juicy weak spots. Perfection is never obtainable, but … [Read more...] about The Tomato: A Fruity Impersonator in the Vegetable Patch
