The corn is as high as an elephants eye.......



Whenever I walk past the vegetable garden I am reminded of the song from Oklahoma, I think it is "Oh what a beautiful morning", quite apt as well. Generally my corn has grown to maybe a metre tall, this year it has almost grown through the top of the shade  enclosure, it is so tall. As is everything in the garden, the tomato plants are not far behind and the climbing beans are right over the top of the shade frame. I don't think I will need to put the shade cloth on this year, the beans will do the job for me.

Other parts of the garden are equally lush. The agapanthus are huge, with flower stalks well over a metre tall. I had to pick some yesterday as they had been blown over in the wind.

The plumbago is also going rampant, it looks so pretty flowering among the red geraniums. Peter's brother had a darker blue one in his garden that we have taken some bits from. The blue's are so refreshing in the summer garden.

My second go at preserving and a better result I think, but still not exactly right. I felt I really packed this lot in though so not sure how to get more fruit in the jars.

Comments

Tracy said…
Not sure what to do about the preserving but just wanted to say that your garden is looking good. I think it is all the water arund this year helping everything along. Nothing beats rain for a good soaking.
December 29, 2010 at 3:55 PM
Anonymous said…
I have done some internet looking for you and have found the following....fruits often will float if the sugar syrup is too heavy, if jars are packed too loosely or if air remains in the tissues of the fruit after processing. To avoid this use a light or medium sugar syrup, make sure fruit is firm and ripe and pack fruit tightly in jars without crushing.Sally Heath :)
December 30, 2010 at 1:12 AM
Anne said…
Thanks Sally, will try half water and half syrup next time and I may also be processing them for too long, i got a new thermometer yesterday as I think the thermostat may be off.
December 30, 2010 at 8:48 AM
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