Is it not incredible that we are again going to have a Fall Fair this year?
I admire the folks who display their homegrown products. Please think of the time it must take to prepare beforehand, plan the display, set it up to make it look attractive.
And then, when the fair is over, take it all back home again. The rest of us can enjoy the exhibits and perhaps have a mental picture of our garden for comparison.
I might even take notes for things to try at home.
We will soon have harvested a great deal of produce from the vegetable garden. We can now prepare for next year’s crop. I am referring to Green Manure Cover Crop.
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So what is Green Manure? Green manure is a term used to describe a specific plant or crop variety grown and turned into the soil to improve its overall quality. One possibility is Fall Rye Cover Crop. The green manure crop can be cut and left on the ground for an extended period before tilling into the soil.
I already mentioned in past columns the importance of adding some organic matter to the vegetable garden. Use anything that is decomposable and not toxic to the soil. Earlier I wrote about going to our landfill for grass clippings and leaves for composting.
Those days are now gone as my working days gradually get shorter. Therefore, adding green manure to the vegetable garden is easier. Now will be an excellent time to look for Fall Rye seeds.
I started early this morning by picking red raspberries. It seems like they are getting bigger. The yellow raspberries are also producing quite well. It is crucial not to pick them before they are yellow as it affects the flavour.
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My pride and joy have started coming into bloom, namely the dahlias. I started them from seeds many years ago.
So, what is a dahlia?
There are forty-two species of dahlia plus hybrids commonly grown as garden plants. The dahlia was declared the national flower of Mexico in 1963. Dahlias are perennial plants with tuberous roots, although they are grown as annuals here in the North.
People I have talked to about Dahlias had only one comment, “They are a lot of work.”
Yes, they are correct, but as I have stated before, anything worth anything might require some elbow grease.
After six weeks, in mid-June, I moved the Dahlias out of the sunroom and planted them in flower beds.
I decided to take a walk to examine the two overloaded apple trees. I had started to do thinning out some time ago, but the trees could still use some work.
The apples are now beginning to get to a decent size, and I tasted one. It was unbelievably delicious.
I bought a juicer several years ago. So, I will thin out some more fruit and use them to make apple juice, excellent for a muggy day.
If you have questions or suggestions for topics, please email me at e.jacobsen85@yahoo.com.
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