These things happen, especially when if you're new to pressure canning. Don't beat yourself up over it; you've done the right thing by asking. The exhaust time is vital to safety. Sealing does not guarantee safety with something like green beans. You need to assure the temperature inside the canner was sufficient to kill botulism spores. Without adequate venting you can't be sure you achieved that. You'll be out some time and some lids, but you can salvage the beans by re-processing. Do the following: 1. Prep fresh jars and lids just as if you were canning a new batch. (Rings can be re-used but not the lids.) Or you can wash and warm the jars you canned the beans in and use those. 2. Open all the jars, put the beans and liquid in a kettle and get the contents back to boiling just as they were when you packed the jars in the first place. 3. Pack beans, clean rims, apply lids. 4. Add water to bottom of canner, place jars in, close lid, turn heat to high, wait till you have a steady, clear plume of steam and count 10 minutes. 5. Add the weight and don't start counting the processing time until you've reached the appropriate pressure. Once you're about halfway there, begin to moderate the heat on the burner. Remember to monitor the canner to maintain a steady pressure. The beans might be a bit softer, but they'll be fine. Carol

I wouldn't be worried about the salt, at the level called for in soup it is flavoring rather than preservative, but I'd be worried about waterbath processing meat and low acid vegetables. Everyone gets to choose their own level of risk, of course, but other than pickles, low acid foods should be pressure canned to assure safety. This is not new, pressure canning has been the recommended method for meat and vegetables since before 1940, the earliest recommendation I can find fore pressure canning meats and vegetables is 1924, so nearly 100 years. Annie

If you're using fertilizer that is intended specifically for tomatoes, that will have enough calcium in it. I have never added lime to my containers. Calcium uptake can suffer in soil that is too acidic or too alkaline, so if working with a commercial pH-balanced mix, I would personally not add amendments that can significantly alter pH, such as lime. I've only had BER issues with one of my container varieties, which is a variety known for early BER problems even when grown in-ground. I've grown other relatively large-fruited varieties, like some of the Dwarf Project types, New Big Dwarf, etc. and never had BER issues in containers despite never adding lime. The biggest issues causing BER are 1) early fruits often have BER anyway, no matter what you do, and plants often just grow out of it 2) improper watering (both too soggy and too dry can cause BER) 3) lack of proper fertilization (too many people underfertilize, others use too much N, which can lead to big, quick-growing plants which then have problems catching up with transporting calcium to all parts of the plant) 4) varieties doomed to suffer BER, like Roma and many other elongated pastes Container-growing just exacerbates the above, as the container is a smaller growing environment which has little real wiggle room/buffer when it comes to temp, water, and nutrients, so stresses are magnified. The only other real difference is that, unlike growing in-ground where calcium deficiency in soil is very rare, a fertilizer including an easily utilized form calcium is key. A well-draining mix which I water frequently and fertilize frequently at low dilution works best for me (not talking about sub-irrigation containers, which are a separate deal and one with which I have little personal experience).

Here's my BOP for this year. The tree is so large all I added is my deer. I think I have a smaller purple tree but it hasn't come out from hiding yet.LOL If it does, I may do some tweaking and repost. When I found this little purple dress ornament couldn't resist and thought it went well with my purple hat tree topper. I was hoping to bring the veil down on the hat but didn't want to cover up my little ornament under it. Here's a closeup of the feathers on the hat and the picture on the ornament. Photobucket is not wanting to resize so it's really a closeup.LOL Hope others will continue to fill up this fun post. I had never heard of decorating the bop before coming here. I love telling others about it for a laugh. And to think some think all we decorate is tables on Holidays.LOL They really should get out more often and check things out before being so vocal. Punk