Seed Starting Guide & Checklist
Get an early start on your garden by starting your seeds indoors. This in-depth guide features all the supplies and steps needed for successful seed starting.
Tag: gardening
Homemade Vanilla Extract
Did you know making your own vanilla extract only takes two ingredients and a little bit of time? Learn how to make your own and all of the supplies you need to for this great stocking stuffer, including free printable labels.
Exploring the Wonderful World of Peas
Although tomatoes are my favorite summer crop to grow, peas are quickly emerging as my favorite fall crop. This is our first year growing them, and we didn’t realize what we were missing! Peas are a fabulous beginner vegetable to grow because they really are easy PEAS-y and require little maintenance. Today, I’ll show you everything you need to have a successful pea harvest.
Green peas are some of the oldest cultivated vegetables in the world, dating back as early as the Bronze Age. Colonists in Jamestown ate peas in the early 1600s. It’s plain to see that everyone around the world loves peas. So, every time you eat a pea, you’re eating a little bit of history! Pretty neat, huh?
There are three types of peas:
- English Peas aka Shelling Peas – these peas have inedible shells; only the internal fruit is edible
- Snow Peas – also known as Chinese pea pods, these peas have flat, edible pods commonly found in stir fry dishes
- Sugar Snap Peas – these are a cross between shelling peas and snow peas, where both the fruit and the pod are edible
Planting
I recommend directly sowing peas outside because pea plants have a very delicate and fragile root system and will not tolerate transplant well. In general, peas should be sown a month before the last frost. Peas will tolerate any soil, except for impermeable clay, however, our peas are thriving in our garden’s East Tennessee clay soil, so I’ll take that advice with a grain of salt. Basically, if you have soil, you’re set. If you can, work in some compost before planting. Peas prefer a soil pH of 6.0-7.5.
Peas are nitrogen “fixers,” meaning that they have a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobia bacteria that colonize the roots of the plants and help them “fix” nitrogen in the soil. To help boost the yields of your pea plants, consider using a legume inoculant prior to planting.
When sowing peas, be sure to sow them thickly and close together. Peas will crawl and spread. You will want a thick bed to keep weeds out. Pea stems and tendrils are delicate; the stems are almost hollow. The last thing you want in your pea bed is an opportunity for weeds to take over and choke out these delicate structures. Once germinated, do not thin your peas.
Photo: Abby Pevey
Growing
Avoid the temptation to overfertilize your peas. Peas are very light feeders and don’t require fertilizer.
The one thing peas really need is water. Keep the soil consistently moist by watering deeply once a week. Because of their shallow root systems, peas need moist soil, especially once they start blossoming and producing pods. However, do not overwater and flood out the pea bed, as this can lead to rot. To help boost moisture, consider mulching the bed after planting.
Once peas get going, they’re fairly low maintenance, especially in the fall garden. Do not plant peas or other legumes in the same bed more than once in every three years, or your next crop of peas may become infected with root rot. Keep an eye out for aphids. If you catch aphids on your pea plants, a simply spray of cold water from the garden hose will knock them off.
Photo: Abby Pevey
Harvesting
How can you tell when it’s time to harvest your peas?
For sugar peas, refer to the seed package to determine the pod’s appropriate length and then pick accordingly. You can also take a hands-on approach to determine when your peas are ready. Snap and snow peas are at their peak when the pods still have some give around the peas when you squeeze the pods. Shelling peas are ready when the pod is round, shiny and bright green in color. If the pod is dull green, it’s too late.
Photo: Abby Pevey
When picking peas, take a delicate approach. Pea stems snap off and break easily, and rough handling can easily uproot an entire plant. Use two hands, one to hold onto the pea pod, and the other to securely hold onto the vine. If you prefer, use a scissors to snip off the pods. Picking frequently will increase your total yield, so harvest often.
Did you know that the sugar in peas is converted into starches within hours of harvesting? You simply can’t beat the sweetness of a pea straight off the plant! For this reason, it’s recommended that you plan to either enjoy them or preserve them quickly after harvesting.
Because pea plant stems are so delicate, precision is key while harvesting your pea pods. Here is a link to some awesome microtip garden scissors from GreenThumbPro:
Thanks for joining us as we explore the wonderful world of peas! Happy gardening.
Announcing our Fall Garden
The summer season has drawn to a close. The air is crisper, the days are shorter, and the leaves are gearing up for their brilliant display here in East Tennessee.
“Sun” Dried Cherry Tomatoes
Today, we take a taste of the outdoors inside with an easy DIY twist on the traditional sun dried tomato. If you find yourself with too many cherry tomatoes late in the season, here’s a technique you can use to preserve their flavor year round.
A Step by Step Guide to Canning Whole Tomatoes
Today I am going to share with you one of my favorite parts about growing your own food – canning! Canning is the best way to maximize your harvests and enjoy the fruits of your labor all year long. Nothing quite compares to the taste of a freshly ripened tomato right off of the vine, but this time of year, gardeners are scrambling as their tomato plans set fruit all at once. If you find yourself with far too many tomatoes to enjoy (which is a wonderful problem to have), I’ve got a solution for you!
My favorite tomatoes to can whole are the Roma variety. I like that this determinate variety sets fruit all at once, has few seeds and is easy to peel using the method I will describe below.
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Before we get started with the canning process, let’s go over acidity, an important safety measure.
Acidity:
Tomatoes are considered to be a “high acid” food; however, a certain pH level is required to prevent food borne illnesses. In order to ensure your canned tomatoes meet the pH requirements, make sure to add a tablespoon of concentrated lemon juice per pint of raw canned tomatoes; two tablespoons if you are using quarts. It is not recommended to use lemon juice (squeezed from a lemon) as lemons can vary in acidity and juice content.
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STEP 1 – JAR PREPARATION
- Canning jars need to be washed and sterilized (place in 225 ° F oven for at least 10 minutes). Leave them in the oven until ready to be filled up.
- Lids also need to be sterilized; just 10 minutes in simmering water is all it takes. Leave them in the water until you need them.
- The rings only need to be properly washed in warm, soapy water.
- I like to wash the lids in warm water as well.
STEP 2 – TOMATO PREPARATION
- Wash the tomatoes.
STEP 3 – TOMATO PEELING
Peeling the tomatoes is incredibly easy, just follow these simple instructions:
- Score the tip of the tomato with an “x” or just slice off the tip. Either method works well.
- Drop the tomatoes in a pot of boiling water for about 60 seconds.
- Remove tomatoes and place in an ice water bath to cool down.
- Once cooled, peel off the skin. It should just slip right off.
STEP 4 – TOMATO PACKING AND CANNING
For whole tomatoes, I prefer the “Hot Pack” Canning Method, detailed below:
- Add one tablespoon of concentrated lemon juice per pint (2 tablespoons if using quarts)
- Put prepared tomatoes in a large saucepan and add enough water to completely cover them.
- Boil tomatoes gently for 5 minutes.
- Fill hot jars with hot tomatoes leaving ½-inch headspace.
- Add cooking liquid to the jars to cover the tomatoes, leaving ½-inch headspace.
- Remove air bubbles by running a knife or a wooden spoon along the side of the jar.
- Wipe the rims clean.
- Place a sterilized lid and screw on the bands until “finger tight.”
STEP 5 – TOMATO HOT WATER BATH
- Place the sealed jars in a hot water bath. The water should be at least a couple of inches above the jars.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil and start the timing process. Please note that process times can vary based on your altitude. Refer to the chart below.
- Remove jars and allow to cool down before storing.
| Pack Style | Jar Size | 0-1,000 ft | 1,001-3,000 ft | 3,001-6,000 ft | Above 6,0000 ft |
| Hot and Raw | Pints | 40 mins | 45 mins | 50 mins | 55 mins |
| Quarts | 45 mins | 50 mins | 55 mins | 60 mins |
And that is it! Remember to check each jar for a good seal (you’ll hear the jars popping as they seal), and to label and date your jars prior to storing.
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SUPPLIES NEEDED
- Mason Jars, Lids & Bands – My favorite Mason Jar Brand is Fresh Preserving ( Ball and Kerr ) https://www.freshpreserving.com/
When I preserved our whole Roma tomatoes, I used quart jars, but you can certainly use pints. Here is a link for mason jars on Amazon:
Ball Mason Jars Wide Mouth 4 Pack
- Canning Utensils – Trust me, these will just make your canning efforts easier and smoother. A quality funnel will ensure your tomatoes and their juices all make it smoothly in the jar, and the tongs will allow you to safely handle the (very hot jars) in and out of the hot water bath. Ball actually makes a handy dandy utensil set that I’ve linked below:
Ball Utensil Set, 3-Piece, Black
- A Water Bath Canner and Rack – Hot Packed Canned Roma Tomatoes do not require a pressure canner; however, they do require a water bath canner and a rack. The jars cannot touch the bottom, or they will break. A rack is absolutely essential. I snagged my pot and rack from an estate sale, but here’s a link below for an all-in-one water bath canner and rack system:
McSunley 620 Medium Stainless Steel Prep N Cook Water Bath Canner, 21.5 Quart, Silver (Pack of 1)
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Hot Packed Canned Roma Tomatoes
A step by step guide to hot packed canned tomatoes. Enjoy fresh tomatoes year round!
Ingredients
- 13-15 lbs Roma Tomatoes
- 10 tbsp concentrated lemon juice
Instructions
- Wash tomatoes.
- Score tomatoes with an "x" or slice off the tip of each tomato.
- Blanch the tomatoes by dropping them in a pot of boiling water for about 60 seconds.
- Remove tomatoes and place in an ice water bath.
- Once cooled, peel each tomato. The skin should slip off easily.
- Boil tomatoes gently for five minutes in a large saucepan with enough water to cover them.
- Fill hot jars with hot tomatoes leaving ½-inch headspace. Add cooking liquid to the jars to cover the tomatoes, leaving ½-inch headspace.
- Remove air bubbles by running a knife or wooden spoon along the inside of the jar.
- Wipe the rims clean.
- Place a sterilized lid and screw on the bands until “finger tight”.
- Process in hot water bath. Refer to the processing times according to the charts above.
- Remove jars and allow to cool down before storing.
Notes
Concentrated lemon juice MUST be used, as lemon juice from squeezed lemons can vary in pH levels.
Garden Gotta Have It – Corona BP 7100D Forged DualCUT Steel Hand Pruner
Today, I’m going to take a look at the Corona BP 7100D Forged DualCUT Steel Hand Pruner. All jokes aside about its very topical brand name, this hand pruner has been a life saver this garden season. We use it for just about anything and everything.
Our Favorite Heirloom Tomatoes for the 2020 Season
Happiness is a homegrown tomato. Today I’m sharing our favorite varieties of heirloom tomatoes that we’ve grown this garden season. You’ll see these babies sprinkled all over the blog, so I thought I’d give them the proper introduction. Before I get into it, let’s take…
