WHAT ARE YOU DOING this holiday weekend? Some of my favorite to-do’s for harvest season, especially on a rainy day:
THE LECTURE that he’s been giving for a number of years is not-so-subtly called “Kill Your Lawn.” Ecological horticulturist Dan Jaffe Wilder knows that starting over and creating an entire native habitat instead of a lawn isn’t for everyone. But Dan just wants to grab our attention and get us to start to make some changes at least in the way we care for the turfgrass we do want in our landscapes. And maybe give up a little square footage of it to some other kind of more diverse planting, too, like the wild strawberries (Fragaria virginiana, inset). Alternative, more eco-focused styles of lawn care, along with some lawn alternatives is what he and I talked about on the podcast. Dan is Director of Applied Ecology at Norcross Wildlife Foundation in Wales, Massachusetts, and its 8,000-acre sanctuary. He’s also co-author with Mark Richardson of the book “Native Plants for New England Gardens.”
(Stream it below, read the illustrated transcript or subscribe free.)
The tomatoes are still green on the vine and the air this morning was cold enough to make you believe that fall is coming…I appreciated your tips to help get produce from the garden before that happens.
Headed to the garden for green beans, limas, and last of the beets. Already picked blackberries and raspberries and put in freezer today.
We went out to the back yard, shook the apple tree and made a year’s worth of applesauce. Nothing added but a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Now the trio of does with three fawns among them can come and eat the drops to their heart’s content. Just stay away from my beans!!
I’m about to do the same, Peg. Going to check a few fruit to see if they are ready this week!
I’m looking for a tomato sauce recipe that you featured several years ago. It was called V7 or V8, can’t remember exactly. It was wonderful.
I’m freezing apple pies this weekend and looking at a mountain of tomatoes that need processing.
I made my 1st batch of grape jelly today the grapes seem early this year. I have a small batch of tomatoes, w/green pepper, onion, celery -sugar salt & pepper on cooking for a sauce. Not very many ripe tomatoes yet. Enjoyed seeing you on PBS was it Growing a Greener World (?) recently.
Nice to hear from you, Jane. Yes — Growing a Greener World, a re-run from last year. It was great fun; they are wonderful.
I am starting my fall garden. It’s about 94 degrees here in Savannah.