The temperature is still hot, but the plants know that their time is coming to an end. I can see it, so I'm beginning to make plan as well. My tomatoes are all gone, but the root vegetables are still going strong. The hot weather leafy greens (like herbs) are all wanting to go to seed, so I'll have to harvest what I can from them. It's just too hot for the cool weather crops, though the beans are getting huge.
I have been researching how to store herbs over the winter. I wished for a way to keep them without drying them, because fresh herbs taste so much better. Guess what? I found one!
I have been researching how to store herbs over the winter. I wished for a way to keep them without drying them, because fresh herbs taste so much better. Guess what? I found one!
I followed this exact method of packing basil leaves into plastic bags, adding olive oil, coating all the leaves, then squeezing out the air and freezing them. It worked great, and the frozen basil comes out tasting like I just pulled it from the plant!
I also decided to get a bit more proactive about my composting. I had run out of room in my can a long time ago, and I'm considering a more permanent compost bin to increase the size. I decided to use what I had, so I dumped it into the bed of my truck to sort through it and see how it did.
I separated the most recent top section that was still food and scraps. Underneath, the majority of the compost had completely degraded, and it looked great! Remember, this pile in the above pic was a barrel full of grass clippings, cardboard, and discarded food and vegetables. Seven months later, it is a pile of organic food for the gardens. I added it to the already empty spots in the garden beds and lightly worked it around.