tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014100274699311649.post5915275029444514850..comments2024-02-28T01:14:13.415-08:00Comments on Our Smallholding Adventure: Planning the coming year’s harvest including freebiesTracy - Our Smallholding Adventurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00693567749134384866noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014100274699311649.post-63448196744393679392017-01-10T12:59:02.591-08:002017-01-10T12:59:02.591-08:00I guess I should think, what's the worst that ...I guess I should think, what's the worst that could happen, but then I keep thinking what a great year we had last year for them and don't want to miss out !Tracy https://www.blogger.com/profile/05866363148112288322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014100274699311649.post-12318933172428768872017-01-09T10:05:02.403-08:002017-01-09T10:05:02.403-08:00My raspberries are the same, they are mixed so I d...My raspberries are the same, they are mixed so I don't know which is which. I cut them back after fruiting last summer, so I could move my strawberries, so it's a case of wait and see what grows. I can't wait to plant the few seeds I have room for. Poppypatchworkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12749159567150084975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014100274699311649.post-44242272036439077372017-01-09T06:22:51.305-08:002017-01-09T06:22:51.305-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Pattypanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10533048669555871726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014100274699311649.post-24849576361188012152017-01-09T06:22:20.282-08:002017-01-09T06:22:20.282-08:00Hi Tracy exactly same process with the Kilner bott...Hi Tracy exactly same process with the Kilner bottles although in a pan on top of cooker for larger nottles. You can do smaller bottles on top of cooker too. I tend to completely submerge them if i can though as it helps give a better seal. As with all preserves though if the contents of a bottle dont look right ie have started fermenting or grow mould do not use and throw the contents common sense rules apply for whatever reason sometimes the bottles do not seal correctly. As i say any queries yell. Am slowly getting there having to rest a lot which am not used to but foot althiugh still painful looks nice and neat. Hopefully now will be able to get socks that fit. Keep warm pattypan xPattypanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10533048669555871726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014100274699311649.post-67245317071065788962017-01-09T01:21:25.111-08:002017-01-09T01:21:25.111-08:00Lovely to hear from you - I hope you're on the...Lovely to hear from you - I hope you're on the road to a full recovery still? I haven't seen a New Year post from you since the NYE one so I will pop over to see if you have managed one.<br />Our fruit trees are really small so as long as they don't dry out and are kept from frost, ours could stay in the pots for a year or two - on the website it suggests some of them are able to be stored in pots long term for the smaller varieties. I think that is great.<br />Re the bottling - I will remember this as I didn't know you could do it for cordial. I use the swing top kilner type bottles (for liquid, not the preserving ones) so would I be able to do the same for them? Thanks xxTracy https://www.blogger.com/profile/05866363148112288322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014100274699311649.post-60879182984375878202017-01-09T01:18:16.656-08:002017-01-09T01:18:16.656-08:00I guess either way of pruning won't kill them?...I guess either way of pruning won't kill them? Tracy https://www.blogger.com/profile/05866363148112288322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014100274699311649.post-20217039363362599432017-01-08T15:46:50.713-08:002017-01-08T15:46:50.713-08:00Hi Tracy. To store your cordials for longer withou...Hi Tracy. To store your cordials for longer without storing them in the fridge you hot water process the in total for about half an hour. I use a baby steriliser and use the small hex bottles which are ideal for the steriliser or you can use a saucepan and prepare by popping a towel in the bottom of the pan popping your bottles in exactly as you would for bottling fruit bring to boil for half an hourbthen switch off. The lids should go hard like they do when you bottle fruit. If you look on my blog there is an article or two on using the baby steriliser as well. Let go cold naturally. It wotks by taking the air out of the bottles. If you have larger bottles but unable to cover the bottles make sure the water goes up to the neck and then process. You will then be able to keep on the shelf in the pantry for at least a year. I do all my cordials this way. Hope this helps but if you want anymore information let me know. With regard to the fruit trees how long can you keep them in pots for as i would dearly love some but as i do not intend staying here long term dont want to get ones that will have to plant. Take care pattypan xPattypanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10533048669555871726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014100274699311649.post-55528864731180266342017-01-08T11:53:14.783-08:002017-01-08T11:53:14.783-08:00We pruned our raspberries last month, like you I&#...We pruned our raspberries last month, like you I'm not sure what they are summer or autumn. I would like to move them in the spring to a fruit bed I've started. Living Alone in Your 60'shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08848266282669835475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014100274699311649.post-39738495699768813242017-01-08T11:44:24.450-08:002017-01-08T11:44:24.450-08:00I look forward to seeing what it harvests. Re the...I look forward to seeing what it harvests. Re the figs, it says to not allow it to dry out so I think that one will be best in the ground, maybe on the front as it is south facing. Thank you.<br />How lovely that you will look forward to hearing about ours and I hope you have plenty of advice to offer along the way to newbies like me - it is HUGELY appreciated :)Tracy https://www.blogger.com/profile/05866363148112288322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014100274699311649.post-82807435892478195102017-01-08T11:42:13.482-08:002017-01-08T11:42:13.482-08:00Brilliant tips thank you :)Brilliant tips thank you :)Tracy https://www.blogger.com/profile/05866363148112288322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014100274699311649.post-58416537311064834252017-01-08T11:37:47.245-08:002017-01-08T11:37:47.245-08:00We had 2 apricot trees on the smallholding and got...We had 2 apricot trees on the smallholding and got fruit 3 out of 8 years ( from the time first planted) it all depends on temps when the flowers were out. Best year was 40lb of fruit!<br />Fig needs sun and wet! - we had one tree and got a few most years but they were often very late so never grew big enough before the weather turned cold.<br />Writing this makes me miss our smallholding so I shall look forward to hearing about how you get onSue in Suffolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13166036914348424622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014100274699311649.post-4443653755532176302017-01-08T11:25:29.521-08:002017-01-08T11:25:29.521-08:00You may need to 'help' the pollination on ...You may need to 'help' the pollination on the apricot ,if insects are in short supply, at flowering time. Also make sure you thin the crop if too many set, if you want decent size fruit. Ours are 4 years old now and we get a very large crop.walking in beauty carmarthenshirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01353481918125809808noreply@blogger.com