Sunday Potager Ramblings #1

Potager – Cottage garden style kitchen garden.

Palaver – to talk profusely or idly.

Welcome to the first edition of the brand spanking new Sunday Bits. This is where I share articles, pictures, shopping ideas, anything that caught my fancy or piqued my interest throughout the week. I hope that they inspire, spark new ideas, encourage creativity, and just make you happy.

We have been busy over here the past few weeks, while things were silent on the blog. The yard renovation is finally finished and I must admit, it sure did turn out well. I have been watering and watering as the temps rose to 34 degrees just days after the new sod was laid down. I’ve been planting, mulching, harvesting, setting up Hallowe’en, baking, hosting the ladies coffee klatch… I think falltime may even be busier than springtime!

So, let’s get down to it…

Gardening Tips & Ideas

Here is a very basic how to for saving seeds from your flowers and veggies…

Fall Needle Drop – If you see yellowing needles on the inside of your pine, spruce, fir, or cedar trees, rest assured that all is fine. Just as deciduous trees drop their leaves in fall, evergreens will go yellow or brown and drop their older needles. If, however, the outer needles are yellowing, that indicates a bug or disease issue, so you’ll need to have a closer look at it.

The needles do not acidify the soil (that is myth) so they make for a great mulch. Rake them up to use in your garden beds, around fruiting shrubs, especially great to use on slopes. They stay in place, let in water, pack tightly enough that they do not move about or allow weed seeds to germinate.

And, speaking of mulching. This article gives several ideas on what to do with all those leaves!

Here is one about how to save those dahlia tubers.

We’ve been buys canning, making salsas and sauces, but still have some green tomatoes on our paste tomatoes. This relish is what we make with ours, but you can find tons of other recipes on-line. The entire family loves our chow-chow relish, we use it on everything from burgers, to making tartar sauce (just mix mayo with relish, add a bit of hot sauce) and it is great with sausages of all kinds, vegetarian or meaty.

As we pick our tomatoes, we are cleaning out the plants at the same time. I am hoping to finish garden clean up by mid-October, but leaving the greenhouse as long as I can. Oh, and as soon as the tomatoes are blushing a little bit, I place them on the patio table outdoors to fully ripen in the sunshine (Yes, I cover for frost).

Powdery mildewed plants and even blighted plants can be composted, the spores will not survive in the compost bin, says gardening guru Charles Dowding. I have always composted my squash vines with no issues, it is a physiological issue caused by the elements and does not survive in the soil, but I did not know that the blighted leaves were the same. Good news indeed. I do not have blight, at least not yet, but just in case, is good to know.

Entertainment

I decided to skip right past the Thanksgiving decor this year (except my beautiful fall wreath) and went straight to Hallowe’en. Do you decorate for fall? For the spooky season? Or for both? I only have the energy to do it once ; )

These two movies look really good… Take My hand and We Live In A Time. Both are on my must watch list. Have you seen them? What do you think?

Decor

Is this not the most gorgeous cannister setting you have ever seen? I am in love so had to share with you all. This is much nicer than my plain glass cannister set! I also think this would make a spectacular house warming or birthday gift. To replicate this look, here are some links I found for us.

Glass bell jars – small, medium, large.
Or… these glass bell jars – small, Large, medium.
Acacia wood cutting board with handle.
Or… set of 2 beechwood cutting boards with handle
Stone vase to use as wooden spoon holder, or this stoneware utensil holder.
White ceramic farmhouse vase or white wide mouth mason jar utensil holder.
Wooden utensil set.
Gold and wood measuring cup set (with spoons).
Fringed placemat set.
Ribbed glass vase.

Recipes

These healthier(?) baked donuts come together quickly, a ready to eat treat that you bake up in time for breakfast. Choose from these 2 fall flavours, or make them both. Baked Pumpkin Donuts & Cinnamon Apple Baked Donuts.

DIY your own vegetable bouillon powder. I’m going to dehydrate some of my garlic, onions, and other vegetables, see if that makes it even tastier.

Sourdough starter kit jars / 2 Weck Jars with lids / Banneton Basket & Baking Set

*disclaimer – as an Amazon affiliate, if you were to purchase an item from one of my links, I make just a wee small commission. The price is exactly the same as it would be if you were to go there without the link. Huge thanks for supporting this blog : )

While I have been away, I have been baking up a storm, nevertheless. Have to make something with my sourdough every week, eh? Here are some of the family favourites that I made over the past few weeks…

This sourdough caraway rye bread is so delicious. It makes one huge loaf that you almost want to cut into thirds (see it on the large pizza stone above), so you may prefer to bake it into two loaves instead.
More of the raspberry crumble bars. This is a favourite with everyone so I have made it several times. My daughter steals the bars right out of the freezer when she comes to visit. She says they are even better frozen ; )
I also made this super easy upside down apple cider cake for our September family dinner. If you read that to say apple cider vinegar (as I did), just add sugar and boil it down for a while to make it thicker. Worked like a charm, hahaha.

Now that the potting shed and yard renovation are both complete, stay tuned for the fall giveaway coming in just a few days! Have you been thinking about a name for the potting shed that will go on a sign under those lights? Signed up for the blog? Fantastic!

Happy Fall Harvest & Clean Up ~ Tanja