Adventures in self-sufficiency....
So, I planted stuff this week. I always plant stuff, and I have varying degrees of success.
One year I planted strawberries and rhubarb. The squirrels dug up the strawberry plants and stole them in entirety...the rhubarb exploded and was huge and lovely red, but I didn't have the heart to harvest it without the strawberries, because frankly I hate rhubarb anyway and was just growing it for Wubby.
The next year I planted tomatoes, peppers, and herbs. That went better. I could get beautiful tomatoes as long as I was willing to pick them green and ripen in a paper bag...If I waited until they were ripe, the squirrels (AGAIN!!!) stole the fruits of my labor. I got great and copious peppers and herbs that year, though.
Then I moved. I planted my tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and got ambitious and added some canteloup, garlic, onions, wax beans, and beets. The beans did really well and we froze and ate them over the winter. Everything else died for reasons I could not decipher, although I think stray cats around the house may have been heavy contributors. I later found a few sad beets about the size of nickels that had survived, and the garlic seems to have run wild, and although it never produces sizeable bulbs, the greens of the plant are quite delicious...and are taking over the side yard. The reek on lawnmowing day is something else.
And then I sulked for two years.
This year I went with tomatoes and herbs again, but not much. I have a bunch of cherry tomatoes in a Topsy Turvy planter, which I hope with at least slow down the little tree rats. I have a VERY large urn planted with three kinds of peppers. And I have a slightly smaller urn planted with two kinds of basil and some mint. I plant to put another pepper pot down soon, another pot of tomatoes, and some parsley, cilantro, and chives. I also have some okra seeds and some pumpkin seeds, which will probably be planted in mounts on the ground.
I made a julep out of my own mint yesterday. Delicious.
Speaking of liquor, I have started my second batch of home brew wine. Wubby and I have three gallons bubbling away in the spare bathroom: one is Welch's red grape with champagne yeast which will likely remain sweet; one is a syrup of honey and water with champagne yeast, which will likely receive a treatment of lactic acid and dried flowers to finish; and the third is Welch's white grape with cote de blanc yeast, which should produce a drier white variety, and that one is being oaked and will be double-fermented for crispness.
We want to try brewing beer next. I'm thinking milk stout, which is rated as an "easy" variety at the local brew shop.
Hopefully, I will have many bottles put up for Christmas, and with luck, a little salsa or tomato jam, too. Fingers crossed and much work in store!
One year I planted strawberries and rhubarb. The squirrels dug up the strawberry plants and stole them in entirety...the rhubarb exploded and was huge and lovely red, but I didn't have the heart to harvest it without the strawberries, because frankly I hate rhubarb anyway and was just growing it for Wubby.
The next year I planted tomatoes, peppers, and herbs. That went better. I could get beautiful tomatoes as long as I was willing to pick them green and ripen in a paper bag...If I waited until they were ripe, the squirrels (AGAIN!!!) stole the fruits of my labor. I got great and copious peppers and herbs that year, though.
Then I moved. I planted my tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and got ambitious and added some canteloup, garlic, onions, wax beans, and beets. The beans did really well and we froze and ate them over the winter. Everything else died for reasons I could not decipher, although I think stray cats around the house may have been heavy contributors. I later found a few sad beets about the size of nickels that had survived, and the garlic seems to have run wild, and although it never produces sizeable bulbs, the greens of the plant are quite delicious...and are taking over the side yard. The reek on lawnmowing day is something else.
And then I sulked for two years.
This year I went with tomatoes and herbs again, but not much. I have a bunch of cherry tomatoes in a Topsy Turvy planter, which I hope with at least slow down the little tree rats. I have a VERY large urn planted with three kinds of peppers. And I have a slightly smaller urn planted with two kinds of basil and some mint. I plant to put another pepper pot down soon, another pot of tomatoes, and some parsley, cilantro, and chives. I also have some okra seeds and some pumpkin seeds, which will probably be planted in mounts on the ground.
I made a julep out of my own mint yesterday. Delicious.
Speaking of liquor, I have started my second batch of home brew wine. Wubby and I have three gallons bubbling away in the spare bathroom: one is Welch's red grape with champagne yeast which will likely remain sweet; one is a syrup of honey and water with champagne yeast, which will likely receive a treatment of lactic acid and dried flowers to finish; and the third is Welch's white grape with cote de blanc yeast, which should produce a drier white variety, and that one is being oaked and will be double-fermented for crispness.
We want to try brewing beer next. I'm thinking milk stout, which is rated as an "easy" variety at the local brew shop.
Hopefully, I will have many bottles put up for Christmas, and with luck, a little salsa or tomato jam, too. Fingers crossed and much work in store!