I'm sick of know sun. I have lots of brussels sprouts and peas that just might make it to harvest if they could get a little lovin' from the sun. The same thing happened in spring. Right at planting time it rained and rained and the sun hid for a month. Now that all the fall veggies are in mostly and the garlic is looking for a spot, what happens? Rain, rain, no sun. grrrrr.....

Dale, OKC

It is very nice here today and I got a few gardening chores done. We are expecting 90 tomorrow but down to 47 by Monday night. That change is just a little too quick.

I picked beans again today and still have many small ones and lots of blooms so maybe a 90 degree day will help. I am sure that my neighbors think I am crazy when they see me planting and working in the garden because they plant their's in May and then stop. Most of them just harvest after that and the garden starts to grow-up with weeds and grass.

I am not ready for winter to come because if I can't garden, then I have to clean house. LOL

It was pretty here yesterday but cool. I mowed in a long sleeve flannel shirt. I can see today is going to be much warmer so I got out early and planted my blueberries, an aronia and American bittersweet plant; almost forgot a couple of Acoma crepe myrtle sprouts from a friend.

I had to harvest the darkest tan yet L.I. Cheese squash. I will post pics on a separate thread.

glenda from the north

Dale,

The lack of sunlight has been a real problem this month....that and a few too many cool nights.

My plants enjoyed the sun yesterday and I see more open blossoms on the tomato plants and beans today too. I'm afraid the mid-90s with full sun will be almost more than they can handle today since they aren't used to it any more.

Carol,

I think we get two more hot days before a cold front cools us off, or maybe three.....one small advantage of being farther south.

On Saturday, the NWS weather radio forecast made a brief mention of the possibility of severe thunderstorms on thi coming Thursday. That seems sort of odd. I don't think we usually get much 'severe' weather in October.....but then, Lone Grove had their terrible tornado on February 10th so severe weather can happen any time.

You don't "have to" clean house more often in winter, but it is harder to come up with excuses to get out of housework, isn't it? My house gets more attention in winter than summer too.

My gardening pal, Fred, stopped by the garden the other day and seemed surprised I was still gardening "this late" in the year. He told me his garden was tired and had stopped producing but said that was OK with him because he was tired of the garden. I had to laugh. I guarantee you that by December, if not sooner, he'll be counting the days until he can plant onions and potatoes.

Glenda, Flannel! Oh, it is too soon for that. I am not a cold-weather woman. I kinda like it when the cold first arrives just because it is such a nice change from the endless summer heat. After about 2 weeks, though, I'm ready for warm weather. My two favorite months here in southern OK are April and October because the days are pretty warm and the nights are pleasantly cool, but neither is too extreme.

You've had such an amazing pumpkin year! It's too bad that canning of pumpkin is not recommended.

Dawn

Dawn, I canned it anyway....looks good to me....and I had already pureed it.

The booklet that came with my new canner says can it, but in chunks. Says to peel and cut into l inch chunks, boil 2 minutes in water. Pack hot into jars, loosely, leaving l inch headspace, cover with boiling water. Adjust lids. Process at 10 lbs for 55 min. for pints.

The old book from the 60's says puree.

At my age, I don't get too excited about all these new methods. I still seal my jelly with parafin! I don't tell others to use my techniques or recommend them....but I do it the old way.

I have two canning books, one older one by Kerr and one slightly newer by Ball. Both say to can at 10 lbs for 55 and 60 minutes for pints. One says to puree for pies or to just scoop out pulp and pack. That is what I will be doing. Once again, I am slightly skeptical of government issued anything.

Glenda,

It seems like they change the recommendations constantly nowadays and it is frustrating. My Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, published in 2006, still recommends canning chunks, using the same pressure and time you used. The 2009 Ball Blue Book only recommends drying or freezing. It is frustrating.

I went and looked at the National Center for Home Food Preservation website and they still recommend chunks but not puree'. Usually the NHCFP and the Ball Blue Book agree, but not this time. I wonder why they don't agree on this issue.

I'm not going to tell you or anyone else how to can or what to can, but I try to follow the NCHFP guidelines because I worry about botulism and other food-borne diseases. That's just me though...I am an old worrywart and tend to err on the side of safety.

Dawn