I also got another dehydrator full of mint processed. Seems the mint isn't growing back as quickly (after I make a harvest) this year as it usually does so I'm not sure I'll reach the same quantity I got last year. There's still a lot of growing and harvesting time left for it though so I won't panic yet.
I dump a couple of trays of the dried mint leaves onto a sheet of wax paper and use the heels of my hands to crush it up a bit. Then it goes into 1/2 gallon jars with a canning lid for storage.
I'm fairly sure there will be a good quantity of beans to harvest and process today. They're an easy vegetable for me to grow, pick and process, and I always have more than enough for a year's supply. Yesterday I got word of someone whose beans didn't germinate this year and who would be happy to take any of my surplus. If the crop this year is anything like it normally is I'll have an overflow amount to send her. She also said she'll take any and all zucchinis I have. What a deal!
These are my bush sunflowers, a new variety I tried this year. Although I didn't get good germination from the seeds I planted, the plants surviving do look robust, although not as "bushy" as I had thought they would be. I can hardly wait to see what the flowers look like.
So, so close to having slicing cukes big enough to harvest!
The green peppers are coming along nicely, too.
Our honey bees are working the pie pumpkin blossoms like . . . well, busy little bees this morning.
Okay, time for me to get on with the day. "Tis the time of year when the garden can't be ignored, not even for a day. And for that I'm very, very thankful!
18 comments:
Coming along nicely! How do you process your beans? I just freeze mine if I have extra. Do you have a pressure canner? -Jenn
I love seeing your garden. Mine has pretty much gone into survival mode with hot temps and scant rain. At least it's still alive!
Jenn - I freeze all my vegetables as I believe canning destroys too many of the nutrients in our foods. The one exception would be stewed tomatoes which I would can if I could grow enough of a quantity of them to make stewed tomatoes. Which I can't! :o( It's next to impossible in our area to get any amount of ripe tomatoes unless one has some kind of a to ripen using my cold frames that sit on top of raised bed frames but no big sized tomatoes.
Leigh - Thanks, Leigh. Yep, another difference in our gardening climates. This is the time when our garden has a chance to ripen, but the too hot weather keeps yours in, as you say, survival mode! Hoping you get some rain soon.
I have some Mojito Mint, I've dried some in the dehydrator. It is still coming in and I'm wondering what I can do with it after it's dehydrated. Does it maintain it's flavor? Thank you. Wonderful harvest.
Faith - If I'm not mistaken, I think Mojito Mint is always the spearmint variety and can be used in all kinds of cooking such as flavoring for meats, vegetables, etc. (And, of course, summer time drinks!) If you store it in air-tight jars after dehydration, I don't see why it wouldn't retain it's flavor. Personally, I like a cup of hot spearmint tea better than hot peppermint tea so there's always that. I also make peppermint iced tea and keep a jug in the refridge during the summer so I think the dehydrated Mojito Mint would be nice for that, too.
MP tell me about your pumpkin. Is there any pumpkins showing up yet and when do you expect to harvest after you see them setting up? I had a lovely little pumpkin and after a nice start but the dust. Now we are back to tons of blossom and bees aplenty.
Your garden looks great Mama Pea :) My pumpkins and squash are all producing male flowers right now so it seems! I'm checking on them early in the mornings, and a few times a day to see when those shy little females will open up! I'm hoping to pollinate them by hand because we don't have too many bees around here.
Goatldi - Well, my pumpkin harvest is always iffy. Sometimes I get them to a nice size but green. Most of the time they will color up even after harvesting when a hard frost zaps the vines. Mine are slow this year because of our very long, cold spring/early summer. All I have are golf to tennis ball sizes so far. We'll need a good, long fall for me to get anything near harvest-able size this year. :o( I don't harvest until the first killing frost.
Rain - Thanks! I know your pumpkins and squash got about as late a start as mine did. Let's hope we have good luck and all those vines actually produce something!
Thanks for your info. Mine were more ping pong ball size. Not sure what happened maybe too much water? But I will persevere to see if I get anything more as we will not have any chance of frost until mid October if then.
Definitely a busy time of year for gardeners. We're overwhelmed with squash and cucumbers, second planting of beans coming on, tomatoes ripening. Love it
Granny Sue - I'm envious of your tomatoes ripening! I've had green ones on my cherry tomato plant for quite a while but even with our heat, no sign of them ripening yet. What's going on? (Patience, Mama Pea, patience!)
Your garden looks great! Curious to see your sunflowers!
Nancy - Thanks! As far as the sunflowers . . . I'm curious, too! Daughter strolled by them earlier this week and commented that she's eager to see what they look like. Hope they're not a bust. They were advertised as "good for cutting" but so far, there's not much of a stem on all but one of them . . .
Beautiful garden!! I’m so impressed by your harvests given your location. Question: those are gorgeous beans - what variety? And, what variety of shell peas? Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.
Joy - Thank you!. My green beans are Provider and my yellow wax ones are Rocdor. Both have always done well for me. I always plant Lincoln peas and this year the yield looks like it's going to be almost twice last year's! Can't ask for more than that!
It feels great to finally have all that produce rolling in, after all the work and tender loving care we've given our gardens. Love to see how your sunflowers turn out. My "5' tall" (on the seed packet)plants have turned into 10'+ tall behemoths with tiny little blooms on top, like Jerusalem Artichokes on steroids! I'm disappointed, and will be looking for something different next year. Just harvested enough cucs for a batch of pickles, and the beans are going gangbusters. They never disappoint!
Rosalea - And when it starts rolling in, it comes in a rolling rush! My "bush" sunflowers have suddenly started to shoot up and reach for the sky. What is it with these sunflowers of ours that were supposed to stay a reasonable height? I didn't plant pickling cukes this year because I went a little overboard on the pickles last time around and still have plenty. My slicing cukes are producing like crazy and we have more than we can eat. Cucumbers, anyone? Come and get 'em!!
I tried pie pumpkins this year and have one that is already a very dark orange color, must be from the first bloom. I normally leave my butternut squash on until late fall, picking before the first hard frost. Unsure whether I should leave it or pick now? Could/would it rot or will bugs/rodents chew on it.
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