What's Growing in the Garden
- Thread starter trc65
- Start date
Genius setup!
Nice looking beans.
Finished up with the peaches I got off a friend's tree.
First attempt at peach preserves. Came out a little runny but that's OK. Did not use pectin and cut back on the sugar. I have mentioned I'm not a fan of a lot of sugar. 7-1/2 pints. Gave one to the friend.
Syrup from the peelings and all the fallen peaches too brushed to use in preserves (after I cut out all the bad spots). Cut back on sugar here too and it's more like juice. Still practicing with the amount of sugar to add. Hot the liquid was clear but upon cooling got a little cloudy. Not as bad as my last batch I did years ago with even less sugar. I filter everything through 2 layers of cheese cloth so I think the sugar somehow keeps the sediment? in solution? Even tried filtering through coffee filters. With what little went through, nothing was caught in the filter. Wish I had a centrifuge lol.
First attempt at peach preserves. Came out a little runny but that's OK. Did not use pectin and cut back on the sugar. I have mentioned I'm not a fan of a lot of sugar. 7-1/2 pints. Gave one to the friend.
Syrup from the peelings and all the fallen peaches too brushed to use in preserves (after I cut out all the bad spots). Cut back on sugar here too and it's more like juice. Still practicing with the amount of sugar to add. Hot the liquid was clear but upon cooling got a little cloudy. Not as bad as my last batch I did years ago with even less sugar. I filter everything through 2 layers of cheese cloth so I think the sugar somehow keeps the sediment? in solution? Even tried filtering through coffee filters. With what little went through, nothing was caught in the filter. Wish I had a centrifuge lol.
My shallots are pretty well cured so I decided to braid them. I'm interested to see how well they keep, my garage closet is the coolest dryest place I. It keeps potatoes quiet well but I usually don't dig them until the weather starts cooling down in the fall. Onions also keep pretty good, they won't be ready to pull for at least 2 more weeks.
is
isFinished one of my many Summer projects. Redid the black raspberry trellis. Before & After:
Vines would never stay put on the fence rails and mowing close was difficult. I'll tie the vines better to the wires next Spring.
Vines would never stay put on the fence rails and mowing close was difficult. I'll tie the vines better to the wires next Spring.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3,388
Great looking trellis. Think I'm going to have to narrow mine up like yours, it's too wide and starting to turn into a jungle.
Couple hours each day during our hot spell. Glad it's done.
Originally, I was going to make mine as wide as yours. Then I thought, I only have a single row, so I sized it accordingly. Could be a little higher but I used the original fence posts (40").
I've got half a dozen plants to move out of the rose bush that's at the end of the trellis. I'm going to cane them incase the original plants don't survive transplanting this Fall. At least then I'll have saved the plant.
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- #3,391
I didn't get mine up in time for the primocane growth and didn't prune back as soon as I should. Let them get 4-5 ft tall , and they are really laying on my wires now. I've got a single row too, but spaced mine thinking I'd want a wider row, but really don't want that as you get so much side growth when primocanes are pruned correctly that single is the way to go.
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- #3,392
Haven't been able to look at the garden much post rain, but the standing water sure did a number on lots of plants. Looks like I'm going to loose all my Brussels sprouts, about half of the peppers, broccoli that was just coming into second growth, half a dozen tomatoes and about 25% of my green beans. Pumpkins look horrible in a couple of spots, but I've got varieties in 4 different places so I'll have some, just not sure which ones.
I got a different pressure canner, a Presto No. 7B. Gauge and weight system. It has same vent pipe as my other one so I tried to test it out using the 3 piece weight from my first canner. It gave me the 11 psig that I need for my altitude (600'). I only had to use my 5 and 10 # weight to get a gauge reading of 12 psig. Gauge was reading a little so I guess I was OK.
With the 5# and the 10# weight on the new one, I only get 10 psig reading on the gauge when the weights are jiggling. I replace the weights with the one-piece weight (15#) that came with the new (7B) canner. I can get 11 psi on the gauge and as expected, the weight isn't moving.
Just run it with the 15# weight on and control the flame to get the required 11-12 psi on the gauge? Or use the two-piece weight (5# and 10#) and run it at 10 psi on the gauge?
Also, previous owner had replaced the vent pipe. It's bottomed out on the threads, but still leaks steam around the threads. OK to use teflon tape?
With the 5# and the 10# weight on the new one, I only get 10 psig reading on the gauge when the weights are jiggling. I replace the weights with the one-piece weight (15#) that came with the new (7B) canner. I can get 11 psi on the gauge and as expected, the weight isn't moving.
Just run it with the 15# weight on and control the flame to get the required 11-12 psi on the gauge? Or use the two-piece weight (5# and 10#) and run it at 10 psi on the gauge?
Also, previous owner had replaced the vent pipe. It's bottomed out on the threads, but still leaks steam around the threads. OK to use teflon tape?
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- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3,394
Everything recommends using 11 psi as that gives you a tiny bit of insurance that you actually are at the 10 psi required. I'd just use the heavier weight and regulate the burner. Our old canner doesn't have a weight, just a valve that closes and when I'm canning at 11 psi, often creeps up to as much as 14 psi before it's done. Pressure creeping a little high is not a problem, just want to avoid it going up and down.
Teflon tape is fine to use.
Teflon tape is fine to use.
Well $hit! After cooling down the pressure cooker on it's dry run I was having trouble opening it back up. Resorted to tapping the lid handles with the wooden handle of a small hammer. Broke off the handle. Looks like Bakelite. I've got some JB Weld Plastic Epoxy I might try if I ever get it open.
Any tricks to get it opened? Reheat it or spray WD-40 in the joint? I know you can buy handle sets but I believe they are like $25 plus S&H. More than I paid for the canner.
Edit: Checked around a little; handles aren't that expensive. Just pi$$ed it broke.
Any tricks to get it opened? Reheat it or spray WD-40 in the joint? I know you can buy handle sets but I believe they are like $25 plus S&H. More than I paid for the canner.
Edit: Checked around a little; handles aren't that expensive. Just pi$$ed it broke.
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- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3,396
Never had that problem. Does that have a rubber seal? Google says to use a light coat of vegetable oil or food grade silicone grease on the rubber seal. For metal to metal with no rubber seal, they say to use a coat of "metal to metal seal oil" or a light coat of olive or vegetable oil.
Don't use any petroleum based oils as that will degrade the rubber.
As to getting it off, I'd probably try letting it cool to room temp and playing around with ice water, and/or boiling water poured over the lid to contract and expand the lid to break it loose. Don't tip it upside down with liquid still inside as it will fill your gauge and cause it to rust.
Don't use any petroleum based oils as that will degrade the rubber.
As to getting it off, I'd probably try letting it cool to room temp and playing around with ice water, and/or boiling water poured over the lid to contract and expand the lid to break it loose. Don't tip it upside down with liquid still inside as it will fill your gauge and cause it to rust.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3,397
Here is the current state of my Brussels sprouts. Dead, or at least dying. Not much hope for any recovery.
I've been digging a few potatoes as needed. My red norlands were a huge disappointment. The Kennebec are looking much better. The tops are starting to die a natural death so they are ripe and about as big as they will get. It's not a huge crop but so far I've not found any tiny ones, they are very uniform size and free of scab. Here's a picture of what I got from 2 hills this morning.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3,399
My potatoes are about the same, not much vine left and I'm going to spray some vine killer just to finish them off and to take care of the weeds.