I decided to make gooseberry jelly instead of jam as it takes less preparation time. The gooseberry gin that I made last year was delicious as well.

Greetings fellow gardeners, 

It is officially summer, but we had some very cool weather in the past few days. Last Saturday I was working at a show and just about froze to pieces!  When weather like this happens, keep an eye on your plants. The single digit numbers mean protecting tender annuals. 

Despite the weather, which is now warming up, I am seeing the first stirrings of life from my cucumber vine. I had some difficulty getting my cucumbers to germinate this year so I may try some different cultivars next spring. Now I need to watch for cucumber beetles. This vine is in a different spot, so I hope they don’t find it. Watch for small, striped beetles and you can see them on the flowers first. If I see one, I squish it right away; but remember if you see one, there will be more. 

Fertilizing Regime for Tomatoes

This week I am starting my fertilizing regime. Once a week I will fertilize my tomatoes and other vegetables with my fish emulsion fertilizer. This fertilizer comes in a concentrate, and I add about 2 teaspoons to a watering can. I have found this to be the best fertilizer to prevent blossom end rot in tomatoes. Remember, tomatoes need regular water, no splash-back of water on leaves, and regular fertilizer. If you are using a box fertilizer for tomato food, please read the directions carefully as too much can burn your plants. If you use too much fish emulsion, you will smell like the sea! Feeding a light organic fertilizer weekly to your vegetables and potted annuals will help maintain your garden.

Removing Spent Blooms

The other maintenance chore to do at this time is deadheading. Removing spent blooms from your annuals keeps them blooming for longer. Removing rose blooms once they have finished helps to prolong your bloom time and gives you an opportunity to check the health of your roses. Last winter was hard on the roses and they had a lot of dieback. I removed all the dead branches, and they all came back beautifully.

A single pink rosa mundi flower
Rosa Mundi

Picking Gooseberries

I am very happy with my gooseberries this year and am preparing to harvest them. Gooseberries are not the easiest to pick, and you may want to wear gloves. I am picking the green gooseberries along with the softer red gooseberries for a delicious mix. Also, it takes some time to clean the fruit and remove all those little stems, so I need to find a minute to sit down for that. I decided to make gooseberry jelly instead of jam as it takes less preparation time. The gooseberry gin that I made last year was delicious as well.

A gooseberry bush with its young fruit
Gooseberries

After dodging prickles, mosquitoes and weeds I was able to pick 2 cups of gooseberries.

Gooseberry Jelly Recipe

Place gooseberries in a heavy pot and cover the berries with water. Bring to a boil on medium heat until the fruit is pulpy and soft, then simmer on low for about 10 minutes. Pour the berries into a sieve lined with cheesecloth that is over a container. Leave the container and sieve in the refrigerator overnight. 

You will have your juice once it has been strained. Each cup of juice gets a cup of sugar. Bring this mixture to a boil and boil to the jelly stage. I use a canning thermometer to ensure that I have reached this stage. Gooseberries are high in pectin, so I don’t add any more pectin to the mix. Once the jelly stage has been reached, bottle it in sterilized jars and place them back in the sterilizing pot for a 10-minute hot water bath. 

With the rain that we had here last night I am expecting to be greeted by lots of mosquitoes as I do my chores this morning. I am happy to see all the birds lining up to eat them!  Judith (Email:  sghorticultural@gmail.com)  Veggie Bites are available at https://sghorticultural.wixsite.com/website or https://gardeningcalendar.ca/articles/veggie-bites/

Comments

Logging in to comment gives you more features, but it is not required.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

More on Gardening Calendar

Bee Hotel Research

See how Judith observes and researches bee & wasp diversity in her backyard. Learn how she prepares the area to attract more with the help of a summer installation of a bee hotel and other features like water sources and natural spaces.

The oldest herbal book in the Americas

Uncover the ancient knowledge of indigenous medicines in the Cruz-Badiano Codex, the oldest medicinal book produced in the Americas. It offers 185 native plants and how to prepare remedies, therapeutic uses and cures for head-to-toe ailments. Find out more!

How to Grow the Delicate Harebell

Admire the delicate and graceful harebell wildflower with its deep bluish-purple flowers, native to North America and Europe, that are eaten raw, used to make dye, and believed to give witches the power of transformation. A perfect addition to the rock garden that grows through summer and fall, and pollinated by hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.

Black Ash Tree

Black ash has a large natural area in the United States and Canada. These trees thrive in damp environments and are typically found in northern marshy forests.

Wood Lily is Elegant

The wood lily is an elegant plant that grows on a single stem and can reach 1 to 3 feet in height. We discuss how to care and propagate.

Art in the Garden at Kiwi Gardens

Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of Art in the Garden at Kiwi Gardens. Marvel at moving sculptures, colorful glasswork, and stunning woodwork. Get inspired for your own garden and explore a wide variety of unique plants. Don't miss this amazing experience!