The beginning of the blueberry harvest. The 2020 harvest of Piedmont blueberries is now on the way as we move toward the end of the month of June. We know it takes a lot longer to pick a gallon of blueberries than it does strawberries, but let’s face it – no other fruit produces such a taste as the blueberry in a pie or wonderful cobbler. It does require a lot of patience to pick a gallon of blueberries, but the reward comes when you whip up those blueberry muffins! Do not take children and grandchildren to the blueberry field, because they just don’t have patience to pick berries, and you will need to muster up all your patience to meet your quota of the blueberry harvest!
Picking blueberries early in the morning makes the job a little easier. It’s always better picking berries when when the sun is not bearing down on you. Think about this when picking blueberries; if they pick them for you, you will pay about double the price. This is an incentive that makes it well worth picking your own. Think about this as you pick toward harvesting your quota. Also remember, it’s early in the season, get all you can pick today and you can return later and harvest more. Try to make it more fun than it is work.
Processing blueberries for freezing is an easy task. Picking blueberries may be quite a bit harder than that of picking strawberries, but processing them for freezing is a much easier task. The very best thing about freezing blueberries is that frozen blueberries in winter taste and look like freshly picked. To freeze blueberries, run two sinks of cold water. Pour only a quart of blueberries at at time in the first sink; remove any stems and unripe blueberries, and transfer blueberries to the second sink of water. Inspect the berries (one quart at a time) and spread on a dry towel. Allow to dry for several minutes. Gently place blueberries in plastic quart containers. Do not pack the berries or allow any water in the containers. Repeat the process over and over one quart at a time and immediately place containers in the freezer. Write date of processing on lids of containers.
Making a blueberry coffee cake. Blueberry coffee cake is an unusual summertime dessert that is simple and easy to prepare. You will need half a cup of Crisco shortening, one and a half cups sugar, two eggs, two cups plain flour, one fourth teaspoon salt, two and a half teaspoons baking powder, half cup milk, two cups fresh blueberries. Cream Crisco shortening and sugar, add eggs and beat until fluffy. Add flour, salt, and baking powder to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Fold in the blueberries. Spread mixture in a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan or dish sprayed with Pam baking spray or Bakers Joy. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until cake tests done. For a topping, mix half cup sugar, half cup flour, teaspoon vanilla, half stick margarine, one cup of crushed blueberries. Mix well and spread over the cake. Cut into squares and serve.
Investing in a durable and useful water wand. With the hot and maybe dry days of summer, now is a great time to purchase a useful and practical water wand as great garden investment. It will make irrigation and planting seed an easier task. A durable wand with variable settings costs around $10 to $12. The settings will vary from shower to stream, to mist. You can apply a shot of water only where you need it without wasting water in middle of rows. It is great when sowing seed because you can set it on “stream” and apply water directly in the furrow to give seeds a good start.
Watering hanging baskets. The summer sun shines down on hanging baskets and quickly heats up the potting medium in the baskets. Cool the baskets down each evening by watering the baskets until water runs out of the hole in bottoms of baskets. Water all annuals in pots or containers every evening.
Butterflies add color to zinnia bed. The zinnia bed is in full bloom and is attracting plenty of tiger swallow tail butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and birds. On hot days, the zinnias need a drink of water. When watering zinnias, use a water wand and water the base of zinnias and not the foliage to prevent powdery mildew. If you see any powdery mildew on zinnia foliage, spray a mist of water mixed with two tablespoons of baking soda in a spray bottle and apply a mist directly to the foliage on a warm sunny afternoon.
Keeping bird feeders filled daily. Water in bird baths does not take long to get warm on summer afternoons. Early evening, empty the heated water out and replenish with cool, fresh water. This will really make life a little easier and much more refreshing to the birds.
Staying ahead of weed games. Weeds do not take vacations or a leave of absence. When left unattended, weeds will overtake a garden in a quick turn of events. You can stay ahead of the weed game by pulling up weeds such as Bermuda grass, morning glories, crab grass, dandelions, nut grass, and other weeds. When you pull them up by the roots, place in a bucket and throw them out of the garden. You garden plot will be healthier and much more productive.
Keeping hummingbird feeders filled. Honeysuckles have almost cycled out and other flowers are just reaching bloom stage. It is a great time to keep feeders filled with nectar and check them every few days. Keep the nectar replaced several times each week.
Verbenas make long-lasting hanging baskets. The verbena comes in colors of red, white, purple, and pink. Their dark green foliage, in contrast to the colorful flowers, is a real color combination. As they cascade over the baskets they make an even more impressive display. Place about three or four plants to each basket. For more blooms, keep flowers pinched off when they finish their blooms.
Beware of the dastardly Japanese beetles. With warm days of June and Dog Days about a week away, the Japanese beetles will soon be making their appearance. It is easy to despise Japanese beetles because they eat roses, foliage, vegetable leaves, grape leaves and flower leaves. When you see the first beetle, put out the traps and baits. Traps work well, especially the durable plastic ones because they draw beetles away from the garden. Destroy the beetles in the traps by dipping the trap in a bucket of boiling water, empty the beetles after draining water from the traps on the driveway or street. Don’t pout on grass because you may kill it. Pour beetles on grass so birds can eat them. For roses, foliage and flowers that beetles infest, use liquid Sevin mixed with water and pour into a spray bottle to apply a mist to flowers and foliage on a warm, sunny day.
Hoe-Hoe-Hoedown: “Souper Dooper” – The general stopped the mess sergeant carrying a soup kettle out of the mess hall. He said “Give me a taste of that.” The sergeant offered him a taste. The general said “Good grief! Do you call this soup?” “No sir” said the mess sergeant, “I call it dish water!”
“Story time’ – The six year old son rushed to his mother’s bedroom at two in the morning wanting her to tell him a story. His mother said “Just wait a little while son, your father will be here and he will tell us both a story!”
Setting out a few late summer tomatoes. Some nurseries and garden shops still have tomato plants available. Buy several plants such as Ruters, Celebrity, Better Boy, and add some Tomato-Tone organic tomato food to get them off to a quick start for a harvest in early September.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com