Time to garden:

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Tomatoes, our staple

A new tiny snail, I haven't seen before.

A new tiny snail, I haven’t seen before.

A gentle change

A gentle change

The Acer drops seeds and the seedling are being potted up.

The Acer drops seeds and the seedling are being potted up.

Roses still blooming

Roses still blooming

Looking up

Looking up

Autumn colour

Autumn colour

Delicate semi-shade plants

Delicate semi-shade plants

In Victoria known as Virginian Creeper, in Tasmania known as Boston Ivy. These creepers are growing on the water tanks.

In Victoria known as Virginian Creeper, in Tasmania known as Boston Ivy. These creepers are growing on the water tanks.

Chilli plant in front of zucchini

Chilli plant in front of zucchini

Verbena, still a few jewels to be found.

Verbena, still a few jewels to be found.

Baby cyclamen, treasures .to be nurtured

Baby cyclamen, treasures .to be nurtured

Finally, figs for the birds and us. Thanks for your visit, Barbara

Finally, figs for the birds and us. Thanks for your visit, Barbara

 

20 thoughts on “Time to garden:

    1. bkpyett Post author

      Barbara, we hardly use them for cooking, so apart from those given away, I string them up for decoration in the kitchen! I love their colour. Thanks for your visit!!

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  1. fatericsmum

    Oh yes, it’s that time of year — time to make passata! We’ve just managed to find some old bricks (who would have thought THAT could be so difficult!) so that we can balance the 44-gallon drum within which the bottles of tomato passata will cook. We build a fire under the drum and cook the filled bottles for 3-4 hours, then leave to cool down (another 5-6 hours) — et voila!

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    1. bkpyett Post author

      Pauline, I admire your spirit. It is a thrill to preserve the produce grown. Sounds as if you’re enterprising doing it outdoors. I freeze some, but also make relish and chutney. Love to see it all bottled. Good luck with yours!

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      1. fatericsmum

        Well, the advantage of doing it this way is that one can stack about four rows of bottles inside the drum, giving a total of about 30-40 bottles in total in one batch, Barbara. Worth the effort, we think 🙂

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      2. bkpyett Post author

        Sounds a great way to do it. My mother had an electric outfit that fitted only about 8-10 bottles? She was forever preparing jars and steaming them in this tin contraption. From memory, that took hours too. I guess you have to stand by to top up the water with so many bottles in there. Wonderful to get it done in one hit. 🙂 I have just skinned 8 kg of tomatoes for relish today. It will stand over night and cook tomorrow.

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  2. preciouspen1955

    The colours are really beautiful , it is possible to grow acer here in Ireland i will be putting one in the front garden and I will post a pic as soon as the grass is cut there, and we have some some colour. Happy days . Kathy.

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    1. bkpyett Post author

      You must have lots of deciduous trees to choose from Kathy. I’m sure you will enjoy an acer though amongst the many trees you choose. Shall watch with interest! 🙂

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    1. bkpyett Post author

      Yes Hilary, I can’t resist potting the acer seedlings. I’ve given many away, and I guess there’s always a fete if no one wants them. I have quite a few around the garden growing already. I hope your tomatoes are as productive as mine have been. It’s been a good season, apart from being dry.

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  3. gerard oosterman

    Great garden. The Virginia creeper here hasn’t gone red yet. I am surprised you managed to get cyclamen flowering at this time of the year. Do you get frost? The acer is proof you do live in a tempered climate. Great crop of tomatoes. It remembers me when still on the farm we had a large home made pizza oven outside near the chooks, in which, after we made the pizzas we would bake bread and next day when the oven was still warm, dry out our home grown tomatoes. We used to bottle them in olive oil with basil. Lovely.

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    1. bkpyett Post author

      Good to hear about your time on the farm. Sounds wonderful! The cyclamen flower in the spring as well as the autumn. The plants we brought from Tasmania. Yes, it is temperate here, with few mild frosts. We don’t use the pizza oven as you can see it’s totally overgrown now.
      When we go, someone could resurrect it! Love the sound of those bottled dried tomatoes.. 🙂

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