garden and canning tips

[frugal-one]

Yesterday I ran into an "old timer" who is an avid gardener. He shared a few tips with me that may not be common knowledge (at least I did not know about them) so I thought I would pass them on and see if anyone else has anything to relate. He stated that when he plants tomatoes he sprinkles about 1 teaspoon epsom salts in the hole before planting. Also said he is planting his garlic the first week of September (WI) and it should be ready in June of next year. I heard always to do after the first frost. He says he has been doing it this way for years and it works the best.

I canned tomatoes for the first time today. I canned salsa and crushed tomatoes. Anyone have any other ideas or recipes they would be willing to share?

Thanks!!!

[puglogic]

For my tomatoes, I put about a tablespoonful of crushed eggshell in the planting holes (probably for the same reason...minerals). I save my eggshells all year just for that purpose. I also have some fish emulsion and I give the plants a nice dilute drink with that in it, every other week or so when they're fruiting. It doesn't cost much and they seem to love it.

This evening I'm taking a clue from Gina and dehydrating our bounty of zucchini. I also made tuscan kale chips ( http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Tuscan-Kale-Chips-351240 ) and blanched/froze a bunch of kale today. Canning of peaches will start in earnest next week (we're bringing home 40 pounds this weekend).

I'm resigned to the fact that I won't have much of a life outside the garden until this harvest is in....and that's fine. I'll socialize in January when the ground is frozen hard and I've nothing to water, pick, or preserve :)

[Merski]

I pressure canned for the first time in my life! Nothing blew up, no messes!! Made Pasta sauce with meat in it and froze a little more than half and canned about 7 pints. Trying to not put all my eggs in one basket so to speak. Next pressure canning batch will be baked beans.