 Pickling Cucumbers It never fails, I always have extra cucumbers. I can't quit keep up with them, tho I'm not complaining. So what do I do? Of course after pickles, fried, on sandwiches, in vinegar and sour cream, and just cucmbers with salt and peppe, what else can a person do? Well, how about juicing or blending and putting in the freezer for smoothies! I did it last year and come middle of winter I was glad I did! The flavor is reminisent of summer and that is a good thing here in Michigan.  Harvested Vegetables in October It's getting on in October and while I'm immensely enjoying the colors I am trying to stay on top of my "To Do List". Some of the things on that list include: finish planting the garlic, dig up the rest of the potatoes (clean them and store them), get a trailer load of manure to put onto all the gardens, pick the rest of the apples (freeze, make applesauce, juice and AC vinegar ), harvest the herbs (dry them or freeze them in olive oil), dig up the gladiola bulbs (store them for next year), harvest any remaining dandelion root (dry), mulch strawberry plants, pick any remaining elderberry still lingering on the trees (freeze), pick enough crab-apples (jelly), watch the pears (can and jelly), plan next years garden (crop rotation)...
What's on your to do list?  Dahlias and petunias, grown from seed. Geranium held over from prior year and ornamental sweet potato vine.  Anise Hyssop is a wonderful pollinator plant! Let's Save The Bees! Our pollinators have it hard these days, given all the toxins; insecticides and herbicides so routinely sprayed. If you would like to help save the bees, plant these: HERBS: Anise Hyssop, Borage, Catmint, Cilantro, Fennel, Lavender and Sage PERENNIALS: Anemone, Aster, Buttercup, Crocus, Geranium, Hollyhocks, Snowdrops ANNUALS: Calendula, Cleome, Heliotrope, Poppy, Sunflower, Sweet Alyssum  YouPlanting Hardnecked Variety Garlic
Preparing The Soil Good soil preparation is necessary. Garlic prefers a loamy soil with a ph in the range of 6.2 and 7. A reading lower than this means your soil is too acidic. If your soil shows to be too acidic apply a little lime to correct the ph. Now you want to add some organic compost or hummus to your soil which creates a good growing environment. Prepare your soil to a depth of approximately 12 inches. Planting You want to plant your garlic cloves just before the first hard frost, here in Michigan mid to late October is perfect. This will allow roots to grow out before the ground freezes. We chose the hardnecked variety of garlic to plant because it grows well in cold climates. Just prior to planting, separate each of the cloves. Remove any cloves that appear to be soft and toss in the compost. To provide adequate room for the bulbs to develop you will want to space each clove 6 inches apart. When planting the cloves of hardnecked garlic, place the pointy end up and plant each clove 3 inches deep.  Bugs are Everywhere! Because bugs are everywhere, toxic, poisonous insecticides are big business and money makers for the chemical companies. Some of these bugs are not so good for the garden but, some are very good for the garden and you really do want to keep them around. Let's meet 9 of the good guys that you want to welcome... More to come... |
AuthorDavid and Valerie Zimmer, owners of Greater Michigan Timber Management and chemical free gardeners. Archives
April 2021
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Help Save The Bees! Go Organic... 
Help save the bees! Go organic! 
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