Finally remembered to get pics for this! Sorry if theyre awful, days are at their shortest atm. I can get better ones tomorrow if needed. Planted seeds for this from a tom, no clue what it was, except a gwr with antho. I initially thought it was Wagner's blue green / green and black. Looking more like vt16 or maybe xanadu now. But I'm not sure.
Just a quick question about mulberry cuttings, do they strike very easily? I have dwarf black, an unnamed black and a white and red shahtoot. Been doing all my winter cuttings and wanted to give my mulberry a try. Do raspberries tip root easily like blackberries? Or would I be able to do cuttings for them as well?
Anyone got a good apple recipe? I've got a ferment with a good bit of apple going already, but I'd like a non ferment recipe if you've got any. Thanks!
Are there any safe waterbath recipes for citron melon/jam melon. Was considering planting them, but if they're no longer safe, not much point in growing them.
I'm still sorting through my tomato picks for this year, and waiting on bom (aussie weather service) to release their weather outlook for spring. I feel like an insane person because I'm thinking of '27-28 season now too! So looking to pick up some different pastes tomatoes to trial. I'll take hearts too. They just need to be heat tolerant, and be able to handle a lot of rain because of our storm season. I will give most things a shot tho if the variety is worth it. I don't mind colour or size, it just needs to produce in difficult conditions and not be riddled with disease and BER.
I'd also take recommendations of what NOT to plant if you've got those.
Question for short season and cool weather growers.Testing growing some large, more cold tolerant tomatoes over winter (borderline warm enough to work, they'll take off in spring if it doesn't).
Are your tomatoes very droopy in their growth? Like the suckers/branches grow fully pointing down and seem a little floppy. (I don't mean the kind of fine droopy growth typical of oxhearts btw.) Healthy otherwise, maybe a little slow, just curious if this is because of the cold? Temps are around 20°C during day and starting to drop under 10°C at night (not sure in °F sorry)
I can grab a pic tomorrow if I'm not describing it very well lol.
Are there any tested recipes for hot sauce? (I'd take any good recipes for very hot chillies as well fridge/freezer or waterbath canned)
If not I have an unsafe practice question I think?
Would it be safe to to can a blended and pasteurised fermented hot sauce? High salt and high acidity (under a 4) because thats what I make.
Would like to state I am completely new to canning and just looking for answers, please don't chew me out if I'm asking something silly.
Thank you
Trying to bulk out a ferment I'm starting because I have too many chocolate scorpions and want people apart from myself to be able to eat the sauce lol. How does apple hold up in a lacto ferment? I've got pink lady apples (apparently also called cripps pink?). Also, anyone used unripe cherry tomatoes before?
I do about a 4% brine, anything I should watch out for or change to avoid alcohol formation?
Looking at another difficult growing season next spring. It'll be hot and either very dry or very wet, and I wont quite know for sure until it happens - so hoping for some recs that are heat and drought tolerant, but also possibly tolerate rain and humidity. Hybrids would be an obvious choice, but unfortunately there are not many available in Australia. You guys have been really helpful with variety recs before so I would appreciate your help again.
Hello,
Just wanted know if I use Pink Lady apples as opposed to Granny's Smith or cider apples will I need to add citric acid or vinegar to lower the pH or will the difference be negligible in any given recipe?
Also looking for any more apple recipes - chutneys, jams, etc. Finally got some canning supplies and I have a lot of apples and would like to enjoy them throughout the year instead of eating them all fresh and getting sick lol.
Hello everyone,
Planning to get a rugosa/rugosa hybrid for edible hips. Wanted advice on what to choose, at the moment I've got my eyes on a Frau Dagmar Hastrup since she's a bit smaller than a lot of rugosas (would prefer one that isn't enormous). I don't mind agressive suckering or once flowering as long as I get a decent harvest of hips. I'm in subtropical/warm temperate climate, she will spend her first few years in a very large pot (unless she'll tolerate heavy clay) and likely part shade.
Also tossing up maybe a gallica or damask, but I'm trying not to add more than one rose this year lol.
Hello, was hoping to know if there are any fellow Australians here who'd be able to tell me where I can buy jars and lids???? Where are you getting them, I'm struggling to find anything.
It's finally cool enough for my lingonberry, cranberry and bilberry seedlings to go outside without me worrying. Wanted to know if any has experience with their tolerance for heat (or intolerance)? Summer is a while away for me, but I want to be prepared in case they have to come inside completely for summer. Will keeping them out of the sun during the hottest parts of the day be sufficient? Would love to hear from anyone else who tries to grow plants in places they definitely shouldn't.
I am aware they likely will not fruit in these conditions.
Haven't fermented anything in a little bit, can't remember if it's 3% salt for the water or the weight of produce+water??
I've got some mini butternut vines that just started to fruit now, what do you reckon my chances at actually getting some pumpkins before it gets too cold? The little bastard just didnt want to thrive until it started getting cold at night. No clue why. I'm near Bris if that helps your judgement.