Freezing Peppers Guide

Brrr. I’m cold just thinking about winter coming. It’ll be here soon and if you’re like me, you want to enjoy your peppers during the cold months. Freezing peppers can definitely help with that. 

The good news is freezing peppers is simple and easy.

Of all the methods of preserving peppers, freezing them is definitely one of the easiest. Although, pickled peppers is one of the tastier routes you can go.

Let’s break down the freezing process into 5 easy steps.

Step 1:

Pick your peppers and wash them well. Using a colander makes this easy. Make sure your peppers are ripe. If they aren’t, consider waiting until they are.

For example, the peppers in the picture are Cherry Bombs. Like many peppers, they turn fully red when ripe. Some of the ones I picked were still green around the stem, so I set them off to the side to wait. 

Step 2:

Cut the backs off the peppers and gut them. Try to get out as much of the seeds and white membrane (placenta) as you can. You can buy pepper deseeder tools like the one I’m using. They definitely make this work faster and easier.

My tool is sharp plastic. The smooth side works great. But the serrated side has some pretty gnarly teeth that have a tendency to destroy what I’m working on. Smaller teeth probably wouldn’t be an issue. If you are looking to buy a tool yourself, keep this in mind.

Step 3:

Place your peppers on a cookie sheet and spread them out slightly. The goal here is to not let any of them touch. Doing so will allow the peppers to freeze individually so they don’t stick together later.

Step 4:

Put the cookie sheet in the freezer and let them freeze solid. This sheet took about 2 hours.

Leaving your peppers longer than this isn’t a big deal. However, if your freezer has a smell to it, the peppers can absorb it over time.

So it’s a good idea to keep this process short and sweet.

Step 5:

Now, put your peppers in a freezer bag and write the type and the date. Try to squeeze all the air out before you seal it completely. Place the bag in the freezer and you’re done!

See, wasn’t freezing peppers simple? Now whenever you need some just open and grab what you want. Thawing the entire bag isn’t necessary.

The texture of the peppers will be not be as crisp as fresh. But they still taste every bit as good. And they thaw pretty fast too!

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Easy Swiss Chard Recipe - Italian Style

Would you like a simple Swiss Chard recipe that’s totally delicious and nutritious? I’m guessing that’s a yes and it’s why you’re here. Maybe you have some coming in from your fall garden.

The good news is what I’m about to share with you is exactly that. The bad news? I don’t have any exact measurements. This recipe comes from my wife’s Italian grandma. I don’t think she uses measurements.

As you can probably guess from the large stack of Swiss Chard above, I didn’t measure anything anyways. Woulda, coulda, shoulda weighed it at least. But I was just trying to finish quickly.

Sometimes being a parent will force you to do that. 

Anyways, despite no exact measurments, I can definitely give you some approximates. Pay attention to the size of that stack. Here it is from another angle: 

Would you look at the size of this one leaf? Just look at it!

Step 1: Wash your leaves very well. There was quite a bit of dirt on mine. Also, unless you like the stems, break them off at the base of the leaf.

Step 2: Get a big pot (or 2 in my case) and get the water boiling. You may want to start this while you’re washing. Adding a little salt can help the water boil faster. 

Drop your leaves into boiling water and let continue to boil for about 5-7 minutes. Drain everything into a colander.

Step 3: Use a pair of tongs to gently pick up your leaves and lay them somewhat evenly onto a cutting board. It doesn’t have to be perfect but try to lay the leaves flat. 

Everythning is very soft at this point so be sure to handle with care. 

Step 4: Take a knife and run it long ways and side ways. You basically want to cut it into squares.

Ideally you want about 1 inch squares. But feel free to go smaller if you like.

Step 5: At this point everything should have cooled down enough for you to handle by hand. If not, just wait until it has.

Put everything back into your colander and toss it around by hand. This will help free the leaves from each other and drain excess water.

Remember how I said to pay attention to how much I started with? Look at it now. Doesn’t even fill your average colander.

Step 6: Add the Olive Oil to your pan and turn on medium to medium-high heat. Let the oil heat up a little before adding the Swiss Chard.

Remember: olive oil has a low smoke point.

You don’t want it to be that hot before adding the leaves. Excess water will cause the oil to pop and splatter. 

As you can see, I used a wok because of the amount of leaves. Plus it just makes frying things like this so easy.

Step 7: Now add the chard and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then grab a spatula and get to turning. After turning add a little more salt and pepper. Then go like stir fry.

Last, when your think it’s about half done, add your finely chopped garlic. Keep cooking it like stir fry. 

And then… 

You’re done! 

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Compost Tea

I guarantee your reaction to drinking compost tea would not be the same as above. Love me some tea, but compost tea is a plants only beverage. You’ll see why in a few minutes. 

First let’s talk about what it is exactly. Most gardeners are familiar with what compost is. I wrote an in-depth article about it if you want to read up on the many different compost methods.

Compost tea is basically a liquified version of compost. In it’s simplest form, it is just compost and water mixed together well and added to your plants. But to really gain the most from it, it needs to be brewed.

Types of Compost Tea

As mentioned above, there is a simple way to make it by simply mixing compost with water. This method is easy, quick and can be added straight to plants. But it doesn’t maximize the value of the tea. That’s because you’re not increasing the beneficial microbes. 

Brewing compost tea is what brings out those microbes, which can really add to your soil and do great things for your plants. There are a few methods to this, but the main factor in this is adding air to the mixture. This is done via an aerator.

The purpose of adding air is to create a highly oxygenated environment which encourages aerobic growth of the beneficial bacteria. It’s not a super quick method, usually taking between 24-72 hours. But it’s worth it. 

Making Your Own Brew

The basic necessities for brewing compost tea is a 5 gallon bucket, a permeable bag to steep the compost in (optional), and an aerator. These items are cheap and if you don’t have your own compost you can pick up a bag at your local garden center. You don’t need very much.

Other ingredients include molasses (no preservatives), 5-1-1 fish fertilizer, and liquid seaweed fertilizer. You only need a couple handfuls of compost, 2-3 tablespoons of molasses and one-ish tablespoon of either fertilizers. The sugar from the molasses feeds the bacteria causing them to multiply like crazy under the aerobic conditions.

Make sure you are using a clean bucket and air tubes. Plug in your aerator to a GFI protected outlet and run the cord where it can’t get wet. Fill the bucket to about 5″ below the top with water. Set the aerator in and turn on, then add and mix the ingredients together. Leave this to brew for 24-72 hours.

IMPORTANT: You must use non-chlorinated water… this includes tap water. Chlorine will kill off the beneficial microbes you’re trying to support. If you have to, just buy water. You can try to out-gas the the chlorine by running the aerator in the water for about 1/2 hour before adding the ingredients. However, this doesn’t elimiate all types of chlorine. Ideally, rainwater would be best.

Using A Pre-Made Brew

Pre-made brews such as Boogie Brew are out of the box solutions for compost tea. They do tend to be a bit pricy, but gardeners who use them say it definitely makes a difference.

The great thing about them is that they are usually well tested recipes. That means they’re great to use without any additions straight from the box.

Some people add other things such as more compost or rock dust but this isn’t necessary. The brewing process itself is the same as described above. 

One drawback to these is that they don’t have a long shelf life. This is mainly because the product inside is alive, just like how any great soil is alive. So if you’re going to buy any, try to make sure it’s fresh.

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Pickled Peppers From Your Garden

Late September is one of those grand times of the year. The season is changing, football is back and Fall is in the air. If you planted peppers, chances are you’re getting a lot right now. 

With everything ripening up all around the same time you might be wondering what you can do with them.  Eating them fresh is great. You can make salsas, grill them, fry them, stuff them, dry them.

The options go on and on. But if you want to make them last and be delicious you can pickle them. This opens a whole new world of possibilities.

The Options

There are basically two options to to canning your pickled peppers: 

1.) Water bath canning, which will preserve them for a long time. This process takes a little bit of care to do it right, but the end result is shelf stable for up to a year or more. This process will cook your peppers in the jars however, and can leave them soft. 

2.) Quick canning, which takes less time to process than water bath canning. The drawback is that your peppers will need to be stored in the fridge and even then won’t last as long. But the other benefit is that your peppers remain crisp.

There is a third method if you consider fermenting. Personally I haven’t liked the fermented peppers I’ve made in the past based on this guide. However, I will try some more recipes and see how it goes.

Water Bath Canning

When it comes to water bath canning there is one key thing that comes into play: sterilization. Before you even add your ingredients to your jars they have to be sterilized.

To do this, simply use the pot you will be canning with. Insert the jars open, top up and fill the pot & jars with hot water to one inch above them. Then bring it to a rolling boil and let them boil for 15 minutes. 

Afterwards, you can kill the heat and carefully remove the jars. Try to leave roughly the same amount of water for later. It’s a good idea to have your ingredients ready to pack immediately. Simply put, your jars won’t stay sterile for long.

Next step, pack your jars with peppers and whatever other ingredients your recipe requires. Fill the jars with liquid and try to remove all the air bubbles. Tapping them on the counter helps.

Make sure you use new lids, which can be sterilized by boiling in a separate small pot of water for 10 minutes.

Quick Canning

The Quick Canning method is very simple. But it does require refrigeration. Just this past week I made pickled peppers from the Cherry Bombs shown above. 

I used this recipe and it is absolutely amazing! It’s very easy and I highly recommend trying it. The mixture is kind of sweet and tangy. These peppers aren’t going to last long. 

Unlike the Water Bath method, you don’t have to sterilize the heck out of everything. Just make sure your jars are clean. Pack them tightly with your peppers and whatever other ingredients you want.

Now for your pickle mixture. Bring it to a boil, remove from heat, let cool for a minute and pour into your jars, up to about 1/2 inch from the top. Again, do your best to remove bubbles. Then let everything cool to room temperature, put the lids on and stick them in the fridge. 

The other option would be to bring your peppers to a boil with the pickle. Then you’d just move the peppers to jars with tongs and pour the pickle over it. That’s all there is to it! Just be sure to eat them within a month or so. 

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Cross Pollinating Peppers

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at cross pollinating peppers? Maybe this hasn’t crossed your mind (pun intended). But it’s a real possibility. 

If you grow peppers in your own garden, this might have already happened to you on accident. Especially if you grew them close together. In fact, it happened to me this year. 

My Experience This Year - 2017

In this picture you can see 2 very different looking peppers… on the exact same plant. There’s been a bumble bee enjoying all the flowers in the small pepper area I planted. 

This never even crossed my mind when planning out the garden this year. Even though I’ve had experience in the past where planting hot peppers close to not-so-hot ones caused them to be on fire. 

In fact, when I started this particular plant (and the ones surrounding it) from seed, I thought they were Scotch Bonnets which are pretty hot. They would’ve been the hottest in the whole bed. 

Turns out they were Cherry Bomb peppers. Next to them went Jalapenos, then one Cayenne, and finally several more Cherry Bombs… because I didn’t think I would have any and wanted a bunch. 

The Entire Pepper Bed

How Cross Pollination Works

This picture explains how it happens in nature via pollenators such as bees. As mentioned above, I believe a bumble bee is responsible for cross pollination in my pepper bed. I have seen him multiple times in this area.

Bees can easily fly long distances. That is why it is encouraged to grow plants you *don’t* want cross pollinated far apart. This can reduce the chances that the bee with pollen from one plant won’t fly to another.

Pepper plants are actually self pollinating. They don’t need the help of bees. A gentle breeze that rustles the plant is all they need.

Actually, if you’re having problems with your peppers not germinating you can simply tap on the plant, or use an electric toothbrush, near open flowers to get things going. 

Saving Seeds for Next Year

If you watched the video you probably heard him say that you will not see the traits from cross pollinating peppers until you’ve planted the next generation. Well in my experience, this isn’t completely true. 

Now, it may be that the next generation of plants that comes from these seeds is very different from what is pictured. If that’s the case, I can’t wait to see. 

At the time of writing this I still haven’t tasted these large peppers yet. They are just now turning ripe. My parents are coming in town soon so I would like to wait on trying them until they’re here if possible.

Now let’s discuss how to properly save cross pollinated seeds for next season.

Best Practices for Saving Seeds

Saving pepper seeds is incredibly simple. All you have to do is collect peppers from your best producing plant. Wait until the peppers are ripe, maybe even a little wrinkly. Many peppers will turn red when they ripen, as you can see in the picture. 

Harvest the pepper(s) and cut off the back end. Depending on the size of the pepper, you can core out the white part from the inside the same way you would if making Jalapeno Poppers. 

If that won’t work or the pepper is too small, then gently slice long ways through one wall (don’t split the whole pepper in half) all the way to the end and peel it in half to expose the seeds. 

Then gently remove all the seeds from the placenta (white part). Spread them out and allow them to dry for a few days. 

Storing Seeds

Keeping your seeds for next year is also simple. Just store them in a labeled paper envelope. Keep them in a cool, dry place like your spice cabinet or something. 

If you really want to get serious you can use some seed packets. They could come in very handy for saving and organizing seeds from many varieties of plants.

I have used a paper plate in the past which got shuffled around the house. Yeah, my wife didn’t like that too much. Save yourself the trouble! 

One last thing: it is advisable to use your seeds within one year. After that they become less likely to germinate. 

My Plans and Hopes

The peppers in this picture are stuffed Cherry Bombs. I cut off the stem ends, cut out the seeds and grilled them topside down for a few minutes. Then I brought them inside and stuffed them with cream cheese and smoked pork before putting them back on the grill to finish off. Talk about fantastic! 

My plans are to save the seeds from the cross pollenated peppers above and plant them next year to see what happens. They are similar in shape to the Jalapenos that they were crossed with, but much bigger around. Meaning they can be stuffed with so many more goodies. 

If, and I mean IF they come out similar to this year, I will attempt to save all the seeds I can. Depending on how many I have, I will probably try to give them away. We’re talking end of next year (2018) or early Spring 2019.

As always, I hope you enjoyed this article and learned something new. Sign up to our mailing list for updates and tips from Grow To Save!

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It's Time For An Update - September 2017

Looking back at recent posts, I’ve realized something is missing. That would be an update! The last of which was done back on May 22. A lot has happened since then, including our second daughter being born a few days ago (9/11). I apologize for not doing this sooner. 

If I’m being honest, I’ve been pretty bad about documenting things this year. Life has a funny way of catching up with you, especially when you’re a parent and trying to start a business. Some of these pics have been uploaded to the Facebook page so you may have seen them before. I’m simply trying to put them all in one place.

That being said, this will be a long and very photo-rich post. So my apologies if the page loads slow. It’s an unfortunate side effect for my procrastination…

On to July!

As usual, July in Michigan proved to be a month of significant growth. Of course I kept everything well watered… and that can get a little expensive. Unfortunately we didn’t get much rain. 

If you read that post from May 22 linked above, you’ll see that plants tend to grow a lot at night. So my watering habits were usually during the afternoon/evening hours every day throughout the dry summer heat. This gave everything a significant opportunity to uptake plenty of water during the growth period. 

I also fed everything with Miracle Grow All Purpose Plant Food every 2 – 3 weeks. Between feedings I would hand sprinkle Epsom Salt (found it BOGO at our local supermarket) around the base of the tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers before watering. 

We saved our egg shells for a few weeks and on 7/20 I ground them up and sprinkled them around the bases of the plants mentioned above. This provides the plants with calcium and helps prevent blossom end rot. The magnesium in Epsom salt helps the plants uptake the calcium and other nutrients. 

In the pictures below I will attempt to show side-by-sides of early and late July. Fortunately this month did get a lot more pictures. You can see how much growth was made in just a few weeks time.

All Caught Up To September

If you read the post about fall garden opportunities, it talked about how Swiss Chard (as well as Kale) is fairly frost tolerant. Since we didn’t enjoy the Kale nearly as much, I ripped almost all of it up and planted some Verde De Taglio Swiss Chard that I ordered online. 

They were planted on the 7th and thus far they’ve barely begun to sprout. It’s approximately one month until the first frost is due, so hopefully they will be well along by then. They are in a portion of the raised bed that gets full sun so hopefully they’ll get all the light they need. 

Basically all of our tomatoes have managed to get a disease that I believe is Septoria Leaf Spot. The rains have begun to come and have perpetuated this with long bouts of moisture on the leaves which allows the fungus to easily spread.

This is why it’s a good idea to water at the base of your plants. I did this, but they still managed to get the disease. Plus I may have taken too long to do anything about it.

All Caught Up!

Whew! That was a long post. It also took a long time to put together. Next time I’ll try to keep up things better. Hopefully you enjoyed seeing the progress from late May until now. 

If you learned something I’d love it if you’d let me know in the comments. Or if you have some tips that’d be great too. 

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Greetings! I hope this article finds you well.

Today I want to talk about a subject I’m passionate about. And there’s a reason I am: because it’s extremely important. Without it, life as we know it, especially in First World countries, could not exist.

There would be no internet, movies, or TV. No industry, stock market, vehicles, or major forms of communication. A strong military? Forget about it.

I’m talking about agriculture. It is the foundation of civilization. Without it being established the way it is now (and the past few thousand years), each day for us as humans would be a battle to survive. Instead of thriving, we would constantly be struggling just to keep up with having enough to eat.

If you’re not familiar with how early farming began, which lead to the growth of civilization, here is a short read about it. Don’t worry, I won’t bore you with history today.

The Aging Farmer Crisis

The problem we are facing isn’t simply that farmers are getting old. It’s that young people are not willing to follow in their footsteps. Interestingly, farmers are about twice as likely to work beyond the age of 65 than other professions. Besides that, farmers aren’t exactly known for being very wealthy. Don’t even mention early mornings and long work days.

These few factors alone are some major deterrents for young people entering the work force. How often do you hear of young people saying they want to be a farmer? Most want a career that pays well, has some benefits, vacation, stability and gives them the option to retire.

I get that. As someone who is only 32 years old at the time of writing this, I understand what it’s like to go through school and weigh your options on what you choose to do with your life. It’s a big decision and often times I feel that young people are swayed by other opportunities within the marketplace.

It’s like they want to get into the middle or top of this giant economic pyramid, the bottom of which is supported by farms. But if the bottom collapses, so does everything else!

Most may never hear about the incredible need there is to feed a growing population. They might hear how bad the long term effects of the current agricultural system are. But they aren’t shown any real, tangible solutions that they can be a part of. As if it’s someone else’s problem.

What Can We Do?

First off, we can help young people understand the power of entrepreneurship and what it means to be a job creator. When you stop to think about farmers, that’s exactly what they are. They are agricultural entrepreneurs.

Each day they wake up and are responsible for everything on their farms. Just like other entrepreneurs, they eat, sleep and breathe their business. And I do believe there is hope for a comfortable income level. Especially when the right relationships are in place.

Small farmers do much of the work themselves. But as you grow, like any business, the true power of being able to produce more comes through delegation, i.e. job creation. When you begin to multiply your efforts this way, your profits can multiply as well.

We also live in an unprecedented time when small, smart (AI) machines will soon be able to do manual labor. I believe this will change things greatly in agriculture, as well as other industries. But alas, that’s a topic for another time…

I could write a small book on entrepreneurship. It’s something I’m very passionate about and consequently, it’s what I got my degree in. So let’s talk about trying to ignite passion in young people to become farmers… aka agricultural entrepreneurs.

To Millennials And Beyond

Millennials are the first in line when it comes to encouraging the young. According to Inc.com, here are 7 common traits of Millennials today:

1. Passion Matters
2. Risk Taking
3. Work-life Alignment
4. Thinking in Terms of Missions
5. Allow a New Perspective to Change Your Focus on a Dime
6. Spontaneity
7. World Traveling

Of course, I don’t believe that this accounts for all Millennials. But I do believe that many of these traits are desirable among them. And they are also desired among entrepreneurs. Even world traveling can teach a person new perspectives on farming techniques.

Right behind Millennials are Generation Z, who tend to be an extremely techy bunch. Hopefully, they can be the ones to program the mini AI robots. Then we can talk about intensive food production on a large scale.

If we can convince young people, especially ones at the high school level, what the possibilities of agricultural entrepreneurs are I believe we can change our world. And not just change it a little but change it for the better on a grand scale.

Motivation

In my opinion, if we are to foster agricultural entrepreneurship, we need to show young people that the life of a farmer can be very satisfying. It can be mission driven to not only feed people top-quality, highly nutritious food but also play a major role in sustainability. Which, when many people are playing their part, can result in a serious decline in contributions to climate change.

Most young people are aware of our environmental problems. If you didn’t know already, agriculture is currently one of the largest contributors to climate change. Soil erosion is a serious problem. Modern practices with the constant use of chemicals to destroy unwanted pests or weeds are only contributing to that problem. True soil is alive! And the organisms therein need to be kept alive to do their jobs.

It’s understandable that the few farmers today must take steps to manage hundreds of acres of crops at a time. However, I think that a great way to alleviate that burden is to have more people working the land while using good soil building techniques. When the proper agricultural system is in place, one thing feeds another and the cycle of life is balanced instead of broken.

I said all of this to say that I believe if young people had a real cause to get behind, it could change their perspective. We can also show them how agricultural entrepreneurship leads to independence since they are their own bosses. I strongly believe that this is something many Millennials desire.

Not to mention they would be developing skills to survive by feeding themselves and others if the stuff ever “hits the fan.”

Alternatives to “Country Living”

Nowadays there are many small “urban farms” that are doing close to or in excess of six figures per year on just a few acres. There’s no high overhead for huge farm equipment or anything like that. If this model can be replicated many times over, it can show that farmers can be profitable even on small amounts of land.

It’s no secret that money talks. Especially to people that don’t have it, which is usually younger people. And as an agricultural entrepreneur in an urban or suburban environment, they could still enjoy all the benefits of city living. All while making a serious contribution to society and the earth.

There is also a huge push for local produce these days. What better time than now to get started?

Specific Education

With the cost of college tuition only rising continually, this limits the number of people who can afford to go to a traditional college. Besides that, not everyone wants to go to college to realize the American Dream and they shouldn’t have to. Adding to that, as the Harvard Business Review puts it, standard college credentials are becoming unbundled and less relevant.

Aside from this, as far as entrepreneurs go, one doesn’t need a degree to start a business. Will some of the things they learn in school, and possibly some of the relationships they build come in handy? Absolutely. But to think that someone needs a humanities class understand how to build a profitable farm is bogus.

My point is… 

As I said, not everyone wants to go to college. It’s definitely not for everyone. But those same people might be convinced that starting a farm as an agricultural entrepreneur is a great idea. Perhaps they like working with their hands the idea of a desk job sounds horrific. So…

If there were alternative hands-on education system in place that taught people how to farm profitably, it would offer a great alternative for them. Especially if this type of system wasn’t outrageously expensive, was government backed, and provided them with the necessary resources and relationships to start.

That would include things like how to find land to farm on, where to buy seeds or livestock, and who to sell them to. You know, the basic ins and outs of farming. Plus, as the network gets bigger over time the opportunities for newcomers would continue to grow.

Becoming government supported may be a long shot. However, there are other alternatives to help fund something like this. Like setting up an organization that takes tax deductible donations. It would require a lot to get it in place and get the word out to the right investors and donors, but it could really be worth it!

What do you think?

One thing I’m hoping this article will accomplish is to encourage some open dialogue about the topic. One of the best ways that can happen is for you to start commenting right here. Sharing to social media can also help. Seriously, I’d love to hear what you think. Please let me know!

The post We Need Young Farmers! appeared first on Grow To Save.

'Old German'

Colors and Flavors

Ratings

'Pineapple'

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'German Johnson'

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'Green Zebra'

Colors and Flavors

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Fall Garden: Savor the Flavor

The approach of Autumn presents many fall garden opportunities. Hopefully you’re planning well in advance. But if not, that’s okay too because some plants can be ready quickly. Maybe late summer/early fall snuck up on you.

One great benefit from cool fall weather is that many plants become sweeter and more flavorful. Frost has a funny way of making cold-tolerant vegetables produce sugars, causing them to taste sweeter.

If you’re trying to capitalize on this, then let’s talk about how to plan things out. Listed below are several plants that are great for fall gardens. But first, let’s discuss a few practical ways to determine when to sow.

Planning By First Freeze

 When planning your fall garden, a good starting point is to check when the average first freeze in your area is. The map below is from the National Weather Service and gives a good estimate. For more details on your area, go to the website and enter your zip code.

Spinach

Ready in: 30-45 days

Radishes

Ready in: 30-40 days

Arugula (aka Rocket)

Ready in: 30 days

Bok Choy/Pak Choy

Ready in: 30-40 days

Lettuces

Ready in: 30 days depending on variety.

Kale

Ready in: 30 days to baby leaves, 60 days to full maturity.

Mustard Greens

Ready in: 30 days to baby leaves, 60 days to full maturity.

Green Onions

Ready in: 30-45 days

Swiss Chard

Ready in: 45 days for young leaves.

Turnips

Ready in: 30 days for greens, 60 days for roots.

Beets

Ready in: 45-65 days

Broccoli

Ready in: 85-100 days

Brussel Sprouts

Ready in: 85-100 days

Cauliflower

Ready in: 70-120 days

Cabbage

Ready in: 100 days

Carrots

Ready in: 65 days

Peas (Sugar Snap)

Ready in: 60 days

Parsley

Ready in: 70-90 days

Kohlrabi

Ready in: 65 days

Garlic

Ready in: 90 days

Leeks

Ready in 120 days

Plan Your Fall Garden

By now that you have a good idea of plant time frames to work with. You can easily put together a schedule for when to plant what.

One of the benefits of all these different ready dates is that you don’t have to do everything at once. Planning ahead can allow you to break up the work into manageable working times.

No doubt, the end of summer and early fall tend to be a very busy time for most people. Kids are going back to school, people are trying to squeeze in their last bit of summer fun before the weather changes. And on top of all that, there seems to be no shortage of local events you may want to attend.

This is another reason why planning ahead can be very beneficial. If you haven’t already, let me encourage you to make a spreadsheet of what and when to plant. Add planting dates to your calendar so that you aren’t caught off guard.

Additional Planning

Taking time to plan gardening days well in advance also means you don’t have to do all the work at once. That’s great for when something else inevitably comes up.

Let me encourage you to do some extra research on each individual plant you choose. You may need to do some seed starting indoors. Besides each plant having their own specific needs, there are even individual varieties within each type.

For example, there are many varieties of kale. Some varieties are even more cold tolerant than others.

Depending on where you live the cold may not be such a bother. But if you live up north like me, it would be wise to look into this subject. If you’re feeling scientific and have space, try experimenting with several varieties to find which works (and tastes) best.

Think You're Too Late?

If this article caught you too late for planning ahead, then planting some of the quicker growing crops listed above ASAP may still bring you some extra harvest. Better still, you can begin working on plans for next year’s fall planting schedule.

Keep in mind that most of the crops listed are cold-tolerant and can survive below freezing temperatures. Some of them are very hardy and might survive most of the winter depending on where you live.

Good luck with your fall garden and happy planting!

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Equipment

The right kind of jars make a difference. This clamp-top style has wide openings making packing easy. 

The rubber seals let gases escape while also keeping air out, preventing harmful bacteria from growing.

This style is available in many sizes and you can get them much larger than…

Mason Jars

Quart size wide-mouth Mason Jars are also a great option for making pickles.

One advantage is that they will fit better in your refridgerator because they are smaller.

You will need special lids for the fermentation process.

Gather Ingredients

Keep it simple! All you need is cucumbers, fresh dill, garlic and jalapenos (optional). Something else you may need is cabbage leaves. This is explained later.

Make your brine with filtered or purified water. Not that chlorinated, fluoridated stuff from the tap.

Dissolve 12 Tablespoons of unrefined salt such as sea salt or kosher salt per gallon of water. 

It may be easiest to warm the water a little in a pot on the stove and stir in the salt until fully dissolved.

Just be sure to let the it return to room temp before filling your jars.

Step 1

First, drop your dill, garlic and jalapenos in each jar.

Garlic can be overwhelming, so it may be a good idea to just use one clove per jar. 

Notice that you don’t need too much dill.

Step 2

Next, decide how you want to cut your cucumbers. 

Its important that your cucumbers do not sit higher than the lowest ring on the neck of the jar.

Hold spears next to the jar and cut down to the size you need.

Then pack them into the jars as tight as you can and pour in brine to slightly past the lowest ring.

Step 3

This step is important. Your cucumbers must say submerged in the brine to ferment safely and properly. 

To do this you can use cabbage leaves as shown. Or you can purchase glass weights that are made just for this. 

When the pickles are ready, simply throw the cabbage out. Be sure to pack enough leaves to keep your cucumbers submerged.

Step 4

Final step. Put the lids on and you’re done! For the first type of jars shown, simply close the lid and clamp shut. 

If you are using the special fermentation lids for Mason Jars, then just follow the instructions included. 

Set your jars in a room temperature area around 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Now Let Them Sit

Within a few days your cucumbers will begin to change colors and look more like pickles. 

The brine will likely become cloudy but this is normal so don’t get discouraged.

Once a day or so you can walk by and gently wiggle the jars to send  bubbles to the surface where they can escape. 

IMPORTANT: let them sit for about 3 weeks. That may seem like a long time, but it is necessary for this recipe.  

You may be tempted to open and try them earlier. Just know that letting out all the gases too early and letting oxygen in could mess things up and ruin your pickles.

Enjoy!

After about 3 weeks you can open and taste your pickles.

Be sure to open the jars SLOWLY! They will erupt all over your counter if you aren’t careful. Carbonation is a real factor when fermenting.

If you used cabbage, discard it and don’t try eating it. There might even be some mold on it. This is normal and is the reason behind making sure your pickles stay submerged throughout the process.

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