Similar to blueberry and winterberry holly combined..... I've seen a few shades of color in the wood. Never had any big enough to set aside for samples.
What's Growing in the Garden
- Thread starter trc65
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as kind of a viney shrub, i can't recall ever seeing it in plant form much over about 3" wide, beyond that i've never cut any, sorry
That’s fine. I just once saw a blog where someone said that it had nice wood but didn’t include a picture.
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- #2,645
You can wait a long time. Mine is still hanging in the machine shed. I don't bring it into the basement until it starts freezing.
As to planting, I plant around the end of October, but have planted into November. Anytime after a hard frost, but before the ground freezes.
My friend forgot a couple of years ago and planted it during a January thaw and it did just fine.
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- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #2,647
Ideally, at least for me, I want it in long enough for some good root growth without seeing shoots above ground. If it's going to be a couple of weeks with overly warm weather after planting, I'll wait a little while longer to plant. Of course, it often comes down to when it's dry enough to till, and having time to plant.
The past couple of years we thought we had waited long enough but got a warm spell after planting so it sprouted. This year we had the worst crop ever. Probably many factors contributed, sprouting in the fall,and an extremely cold wet June followed by extreme drought. I always say not every year is good for every crop. Corn, tomatoes, beans, beets, and carrots did great. Potatoes, peppers, and squash were respectable. Garlic, onions, and broccoli were not good at all. All and all the freezer and canned food pantry are full, I sold more than enough tomatoes to cover all of my expenses, and we will buy almost no vegetables for the year.
I'm glad you had a good year!
I didn't realize squirrels cut on pecans this early in the year. I had planned on setting up a electric fence to protect them, but I'm too late. There aren't any nuts left on the tree. Some of these were knocked on the ground and I picked the last half dozen (green ones) off the tree that I found (out of spite). I'm guessing they are not ripe and will not ripen off tree?
If I get enough of them I may make a squirrel and pecan pie
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Nubs - maybe Mescalbeans (Texas Mountain Laurel)- they are poisonous supposedly, but I never died from handling them. We'd rub them on our jeans until they got hot and then touched them to girl's arm to hear them squeal! It was worth the trouble we'd get into!
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I'm finally getting green beans around the 1st of September. I've been getting only enough for a meal or two, but now that we're getting rain, I've got to pressure can (cold pack) the overflow. That's what I'm currently doing. This is only my 2nd year at pressure canning, so I'm relatively new to canning beans.
I wipe the outside of the cooled jars down with vinegar to remove the mineral deposits from sterilizing/canning processes, but I don't rinse the jars with vinegar after sterilizing. Anyone ever do that to remove the film from the inside of the jars? I know it's only aesthetics.
Also, anyone use generic lids?
I wipe the outside of the cooled jars down with vinegar to remove the mineral deposits from sterilizing/canning processes, but I don't rinse the jars with vinegar after sterilizing. Anyone ever do that to remove the film from the inside of the jars? I know it's only aesthetics.
Also, anyone use generic lids?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #2,658
We usually don't bother with mineral stains on jars. Another alternative is to use citric acid powder. We buy it from Amazon, a few pounds at a time. Fill sink with hot water, dissolve some citric acid and let jars soak for 15 minutes or so. Also works well on coffee pots, hot water kettles, etc. just don't use it near natural stone.
I used some generic lids during covid when everything else was sold out. Wasn't impressed with them. Don't remember that we had a lot of failures, but could tell by looking/touching they weren't the same quality as Ball.
I used some generic lids during covid when everything else was sold out. Wasn't impressed with them. Don't remember that we had a lot of failures, but could tell by looking/touching they weren't the same quality as Ball.
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- #2,660
Got lots of these suckers showing up now that vines are starting to die. One or two will make a years worth so hoping I can give away many of them.
