gardening

[jasonsbeer]

Those look great! Would you mind sharing how you can your green beans? I've only canned peppers last year for the first time.

Thanks!

Sure-

I cold pack green beans. Just wash them, break the stems off, break the bean in half. I leave the "tails" but some people like to break them off. 1 tsp of canning salt in a quart. Ladle in hot water leaving 1" of headspace, close, and put in the pressure canner for 25 mins @ 10 psi. You can boil process beans, but you may loose some due to spoiling. I have a pressure canner, so I just always use it for non-acidic food.

I highly recommend the Ball Blue Book of Preserving. It's pretty cheap and can be found with the canning supplies at most places. Lots of good recipes and techniques.

 

[Lomey]

Thanks for the info! Any recommendation on a pressure canner or what I should look for in one?

 

[jasonsbeer]

Thanks for the info! Any recommendation on a pressure canner or what I should look for in one?

I have a 17 qt Presto pressure canner/cooker and it works great. My in-laws gave it to me around 12 years ago and I have not had any trouble with it. I only use it for canning.

The model I have has been discontinued in favor of a 16 qt model, which actually holds more jars than the 17 quart. It must be shorter and fatter. These are just the right size for a typical household range. There is also a 23 quart version for 10 dollars more on Amazon. The 23 quart canner lets you double stack pints, but holds the same number of quarts. For the $10 extra, I would get the bigger one, myself.

I would go with the Presto again. They are reasonably priced, basic, and easy to use. There are other more expensive cookers/canners, but this one does exactly what it needs to do for canning.

https://www.gopresto.com/products/products.php?stock=01755

http://www.amazon.com/Presto-1755-16-Quart-Aluminum-Pressure/dp/B000QJJ9NY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1436239714&sr=8-3&keywords=pressure+canner

How they work - Put an inch or two of water in the bottom and start it boiling. Lock the lid on. After there is a steady stream of steam from the vent, plug it with the weighted cap. Keep the cook top on high until it reaches your desired pressure and then turn it down to ~1/4 on the dial. That seems to hold stead for my electric range. When the desired time has elapsed, you can let it cool down to normal pressure on its own, but that will take an hour or more. I use a tongs to pull the cap from the steam vent and let it vent off until the pressure equalizes. Pop the lid, switch jars, and go again. The jars are hotter than hell, and will actually boil on your counter for a while after being removed.

Get a basic canning kit if you don't have one, you will be happy you did.

http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Utensil-Set-Colors-Vary/dp/B001NNJ42I/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1436240808&sr=8-5&keywords=canning+kit

 

[Lomey]

I have a 17 qt Presto pressure canner/cooker and it works great. My in-laws gave it to me around 12 years ago and I have not had any trouble with it. I only use it for canning.

The model I have has been discontinued in favor of a 16 qt model, which actually holds more jars than the 17 quart. It must be shorter and fatter. These are just the right size for a typical household range. There is also a 23 quart version for 10 dollars more on Amazon. The 23 quart canner lets you double stack pints, but holds the same number of quarts. For the $10 extra, I would get the bigger one, myself.

I would go with the Presto again. They are reasonably priced, basic, and easy to use. There are other more expensive cookers/canners, but this one does exactly what it needs to do for canning.

https://www.gopresto.com/products/products.php?stock=01755

http://www.amazon.com/Presto-1755-16-Quart-Aluminum-Pressure/dp/B000QJJ9NY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1436239714&sr=8-3&keywords=pressure canner

How they work - Put an inch or two of water in the bottom and start it boiling. Lock the lid on. After there is a steady stream of steam from the vent, plug it with the weighted cap. Keep the cook top on high until it reaches your desired pressure and then turn it down to ~1/4 on the dial. That seems to hold stead for my electric range. When the desired time has elapsed, you can let it cool down to normal pressure on its own, but that will take an hour or more. I use a tongs to pull the cap from the steam vent and let it vent off until the pressure equalizes. Pop the lid, switch jars, and go again. The jars are hotter than hell, and will actually boil on your counter for a while after being removed.

Get a basic canning kit if you don't have one, you will be happy you did.

http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Utensil-Set-Colors-Vary/dp/B001NNJ42I/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1436240808&sr=8-5&keywords=canning kit

Great information! I have a canning kit that I used in a water bath last year, but have always heard that pressure canning is much safer. Looks like a Presto is in my future .

Thanks again!

 

[davewittwer]

Has anyone here ever used an electric preasure cooker for canning? It seems like it would be super easy but i've heard mixed reviews.

 

[jasonsbeer]

Has anyone here ever used an electric preasure cooker for canning? It seems like it would be super easy but i've heard mixed reviews.

Sorry, Dave. No experience with those.

 

[Lomey]

Onions harvested today.

 

[Lomey]

A couple of zucchini plants that are getting big!

My tomatoes and peppers are having a rough go this year. Especially the peppers. Too much rain.

 

[Lomey]

Small harvest the last 2 days.

 

[THEMISCHMAN]

Small harvest the last 2 days.

That looks delicious.

 

[THEMISCHMAN]

Since this is a gardening thread, does any one here do any composting? I bought a compost bin from Tractor Supply and it seems to be working pretty good. I'm just waiting for some of the leaves and yard debris to break down more. It's cooking pretty hot and I've noticed I've got some Black Soldier Fly larvae munching on the kitchen scraps.

 

[Lomey]

Since this is a gardening thread, does any one here do any composting? I bought a compost bin from Tractor Supply and it seems to be working pretty good. I'm just waiting for some of the leaves and yard debris to break down more. It's cooking pretty hot and I've noticed I've got some Black Soldier Fly larvae munching on the kitchen scraps.

I compost in a hand turning barrel/bin that I got at Costco a few years ago and also in a pile out in the back corner of my yard that you can't see from the house. I only put food waste (veggie scraps, egg shells, stuff like that) in the closed bin so the animals don't get in it. Sometimes when I'm feeling lazy at night I just toss the kitchen scraps straight into the garden to break down. I bought some compost liquid at ACE Hardware that helped it breakdown faster this year. I've also heard putting fertilizer or even dog food in the compost does the same thing.

 

[Jfire]

Been composting for 3 years. Just took out a batch two days ago. This is what I have. Works good. But if I ever find a vermaposter on CL for a decent prize. That'll be in the backyard as well. Also for guys newer to composting. Lots of cardboard, egg cartons, brown paper bags. Toilet paper tubes, dried leaves. 25-30% kitchen scrapes will get your pile cooking. The first year I did it I had way too many greens in it.

 

[THEMISCHMAN]

Been composting for 3 years. Just took out a batch two days ago. This is what I have. Works good. But if I ever find a vermaposter on CL for a decent prize. That'll be in the backyard as well. Also for guys newer to composting. Lots of cardboard, egg cartons, brown paper bags. Toilet paper tubes, dried leaves. 25-30% kitchen scrapes will get your pile cooking. The first year I did it I had way too many greens in it.

That's the same one I have. The Black Soldier Fly larvae are making short work of all the greens. It's just taking the leaves and the thatch I pulled out of my yard a while to break down.

 

[Whtwtrman79]

I compost everything, fall leaves, periodically grass clippings, food scraps, Starbucks gives away grounds, just make a pile greens and browns and turn it, eventually it all breaks down faster if u turn it more and have the right ration of greens but I'm lazy

 

[THEMISCHMAN]

It's getting there. I'm still trying to get the Brown to Green ratio right. It's only been a couple months since I started it but I think it's coming along.

 

[Whtwtrman79]

Don't overthink it, if it's really pungent/ammonia, add more brown

 

[THEMISCHMAN]

Don't overthink it, if it's really pungent/ammonia, add more brown

I think I'm just impatient. It doesn't stink and it keeps reducing in size. It's very warm to the touch and just smells like earth.

 

[davewittwer]

Do coffee grounds count as carbon or green mater?

 

[THEMISCHMAN]

Do coffee grounds count as carbon or green mater?

Green. Here's a cool link.
http://www.homecompostingmadeeasy.com/carbonnitrogenratio.html