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Home > Well, I Wasn't Lazy

Well, I Wasn't Lazy

August 15th, 2016 at 08:38 pm

I definitely wasn't lazy this weekend, but I didn't do the canning. It was in the 90's and I just couldn't face making the house even hotter. And honestly, being on my feet that much when my ankles and knees were still swollen had no appeal.

I did work in the garden though. It had to be early in the morning and 7 p.m. to dark, though. I managed to get in about 4 hours of garden work each day, though. Having 2 foot tall raised beds and a chair meant I didn't have to put any pressure on my knees or ankles. Building those beds was the best thing we ever did for gardening.

I harvested 2 feet by 16 feet worth of yellow onions. I had already harvested half that earlier in the week in yellow onions and shallots. I still have 2 feet by 8 feet worth of red onions to harvest.

I harvested my purple potatoes. I was disappointed, but that's what I get for growing in containers. They always do much better in the ground. I got about 3 times what I planted. If I plant in the ground I get 5 to 6 times what I plant. There are still some volunteers in last years potato patch to dig. I don't know if they are reds or golds, though.

Some of the apples got picked--5 5 gallon buckets worth and then about 1 gallon of Italian plum/prunes. There was about a quart of strawberries and a handful of raspberries as well.

I've built the beds back up with compost and I've gotten some replanting for fall crops done. I've put in more kale, broccoli, radishes, kohlrabi, chard, and cauliflower. I am debating on whether or not I should put in another sowing of snow peas. I will be planting carrot and turnip seeds, probably tonight.

This morning, before it got too hot, I went out and gave everything in the back yard garden a deep watering and then spent about an hour taking the branches off the bottom foot of each tomato plant and then taking off all the suckers to thin out the foliage. This helps allow light and air circulation to the interior of the plant and lets the pollinators get into the flowers more freely. It also helps prevent disease from water splashing up onto the lower leaves and causing blight.

I had removed lower branches early on, but needed to do it again as some more had grown. I also removed any leaves or branches that had yellowed badly. It's important to stay on top of that stuff if you don't want to end up with blight.

I didn't go to my exercise class this morning. The swelling has gone down in my knees and ankles. They still hurt, though not as bad, but I didn't want to risk doing something to make them swell again. Even water exercise. I'll go to Wednesday's class though. I have been doing strengthening exercises this week and that seems to be helping.

Hopefully I can get some potatoes canned tomorrow morning. I have a dentist appointment at 2 p.m., but I should be able to get a batch done before that. I have 50 pounds to can. That should be 2 full canner batches and then close to another half of one. I should have around 21 quarts when I finish.

4 Responses to “Well, I Wasn't Lazy”

  1. rob62521 Says:
    1471290596

    I wondered how you would can when you were in so much pain. Hope your health improves so you can can without hurting.

  2. PatientSaver Says:
    1471294937

    You did great. I'm jealous about your garden produce. Where did you plant the potatoes? I've wanted to try planting them in a small galvanized garbage can but havent yet.

  3. LuckyRobin Says:
    1471470333

    Rob--I am used to working through pain, but it was just too much this time. I am doing a lot better now, though.

  4. LuckyRobin Says:
    1471470667

    PS--I planted some in a 25 gallon round tote and some in a Rubbermaid bin that held 80 gallons. They didn't do very well, though. I got enough for 3 family dinners. I really think potatoes always do best directly in the ground, which is the hardest on the body to do. I think it depends on whether the potatoes are determinate or indeterminate whether they do well in containers or not. Mine were supposed to be indeterminate, but they grew like determinate, so I think they were mis-marked on the variety.

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