The Marigold Potager Diaries

So, tomorrow is the big day. I go in for a second total hip replacement. I have been busting my buns getting everything as ready as I can for hubby to take care of things while I am laid up.  Inside the potting shed has been cleaned from top to toe. Ready for me to go in to putter later in the year, or maybe not till the new year. Either way, it is all ready for the next project, whatever that may be.  I cleaned up the two trays of cured garlic and separated them into planting bulbs with big cloves and put the smaller ones aside for eating and sharing. I forgot to take a picture, but they are cleaned up and sitting inside the workshop/potting shed, in case the nights start to get too dewy or humid.  My herb table... these pots will soon go into the workshop, as well.  Here are some more ideas and inspiration for your garden, greenhouse, and kitchen.    Gardens Inspired If you are doing fall planting this year, using a cold frame is one of the easiest ways t...

Well, shoot. You suspect that summer is ending when you start getting the occasional single digits (Celsius- that is like high 40's F) at night. You know fall is coming when you see the Canada Geese practicing their v-formation flying and see your first wooly teddy bear caterpillar.   I also keep an eye on the poplar trees. There is a row of poplars along the main road in the small town next to us, that we pass at least once a week on our way to 'town'. They start with the occasional yellow leaf here and there, suddenly trees are half yellow and you start thinking 'shucks'. I watch them go from green to yellow and then completely bare.  As I am going to be laid up with my brand new hip for the month of September, hubby is going to be in charge of the garden... and the teardown. Always a sad time of year, but also a renewal as when the beds are all cleared out, we top dress with compost to feed the soil life (and my veggies) for next summer. It is one of those thi...

  We had the family over for dinner on the long weekend, just a casual dinner and get together. Our wee grandies found these pickles that I had just made earlier in the week and ate the entire jar! They are great tasting and they’re super fast and simple to make, too. Hubby and I tried them on our burgers and loved them. Highly recommended. These dilled pickles are perfect for making small batches of pickles as they ripen on the vines… or in winter, buy a cucumber or two and batch them up. Homemade pickles any time at all. I go around each Saturday or Sunday and pick all the cucumbers that are ready. Some go into the fridge for salads while the wee ones are used for quick pickles. I did not plant up a big bed this year so do not have enough to can a bunch for the pantry, but the few vines that I have are giving me enough for a litre or two at a time. Enough to share :) You do not have to use any special cucumbers to make these. If you don’t have pickling cucumbers, or are making p...

Raspberries are my most favourite berries. Jammed, fresh eating, or baked into desserts, raspberries are my number one. I’ve now made these yummy raspberry sourdough crumble bars several times, using the berries from our own patch. The family raves about these, and they seemed to just disappear from the freezer… Hmm... Here is the link to the original recipe. I have just recently started following Amy, have only made a couple of her recipes… this one was so good that I had to make it and share!  All thanks go to her! I made very few changes, really just adding more jam and more berries. Other than that, pretty much the same. I give my measurements in cups rather than grams, as well. Sourdough Shortbread Crust Ingredients 1/2 cup melted butter 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup sourdough discard 2 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 cups flour 2 tbsp corn starch Preheat oven to 350°F Line a 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper Mix together melted butter, sourdough discard, and sugar. Add the vanilla ...

  Can you believe how fast this month is slipping by? The apples are ripening, ready for making into juice.  We've been picking raspberries, freezing them, making jams and sauces for winter.  Cucumbers are coming on fast and furious (finally), but tomatoes are still not ripe. We will have one cherry tomato ripe in a day or two. Seriously. My gardening soul is dying, lol.  Anyway, here are some things I found over the past few weeks, things that caught my eye that I want to remember for later... recipes, greenhouse ideas, and whatnots. Check out the diy seedpackets down in the homey inspo area!   So smart!  My Greenhouse Debut! - Chair Whimsy - this is a very colourful, cute little greenhouse. Go to her blog and check it out. I love the flooring, the Dutch door, and these diy folding shelves.  The potting shed is kind of in waiting mode, at the moment. Waiting for me to start drying flower seeds, garlic, onions, flowers for keeping over winter (st...