This is a guest post written by my buddy Heather from Massachusetts. I thought it would be fun this year to post Monthly Garden Chores from both the West Coast and East Coast.
For November Massachusetts is downright tropical! This last week we saw 60*! Of course 2.5 hrs north, my sister called from Belfast, ME to say she had a “snow day” due to 12” of snow (keep in mind she’s an adult but 12″ is a lot of snow). Until our snow days kick in we are are looov’in that warm weather!
Unfortunately, it has allowed my procrastinating self to blossom.
The cold frame has been getting by with a plastic sheet – even with the massive amount of rain we got all through October. The lettuces are doing GREAT and I should probably plan a salad or three for this week’s dinner menu.
Seeds I’m Starting Indoors this Month
Due to the weather, and lack of greenhouse, I’m pretty much a one-season gardener. However, I can still sprout sprouts and start planning my winter sowing. In fact, if you’d like to give winter sowing a go, now is the time to start collecting gallon sized, see-through milk jugs. I wanted to really add a lot of perennials to my yard last year and build the lavender hedge in my front yard so I ended up with about 40 jugs. Also, go grab some potting soil (not organic, just potting), vermiculite and peat moss for the soil {or make your own} because come January, February, March when we’re still buried in snow it’ll be almost impossible to find! The winter sowing greenhouses are beyond easy, a great “craft” to do with the kids, and I had great success with them. This lavender hedge is from winter sowing and only one season old – not bad!
What I Plan to Transplant Outside this Month
Mulch! Mulch, mulch, mulch – for my tender or new perennials, that is. So my new precious lavender hedge is going to get mulched, heavily. Also, my Blueberries and potted raspberry bushes probably wouldn’t complain if I mulched them for good measure too.
What I plan to Harvest This Month
Carrots, whoop-whoop! This is my first successful year growing carrots. The thing with carrots is that the seeds are sooooo small, and so finicky about water in the spring, and so slow to grow, that I’d given up on them and literally planted that entire box with random veggies. Turns out, once again, that Mother Nature is a way better gardener than I. We were delighted to get three good handfuls of carrots. My daughter and I cleaned them, cut them and froze them in portions for a few family favorite recipes (pot roast and turkey soup). That way I can go grab the baggie and dump it in the crock-pot – BAM, done.
The swiss chard is still kickin’ and the chickens go crazy for it. I’m not a big fan. But it’s pretty.
The tomatoes finally threw in the towel. I was kind of sad to see them go as I’d planted them under my lights last January (which honestly was way to early but I was going a little stir crazy). Now, what the HECK do you do with green tomatoes, because I may have about 30 lbs., and one person can only eat so many fried green tomato sandwiches! Recipes are desperately needed!
Beets – almost forgot about the beets. I think I’ll try this recipe this pickled beets recipe.
Cold-frame. This thing just LOOKS at me every day. ‘Why won’t you finish me? Don’t you love me anymore? Don’t you want to protect your little lettuce leaves?’
Can you hear it? It’s looking at me right now. I’m actually thinking about taking a day off work just to finish it.
All’s well in the garden. The strawberries, blueberry and raspberry bushes are getting ready to go to sleep. Almost all the perennials have gone to sleep, the horse manure has been delivered, and I have a plans to pick up bags and bags and bags of leaves from my friend Courtney for the garden (and a little something for the chickens to play in come winter).
Houseplants and Indoor Bulbs
Hey, check this out! So I planted these pots filled with “anti-mosquito” plants – basically anything with a strong smell or lemony smell and put them on my deck. I may be crazy, but I thought it worked. I had two pots and filled them with lavender (love lavender – can you tell?), basil (can anyone ever have enough basil?) and lemon balm (I dry it and use it for teas in the winter). The simple act of running your hand through any of these plants gives you the greatest smell. I’m always amazed.
I placed the pots on rolling stands for the deck so the deck wouldn’t get stained with mold and when it got cold I brought them inside and they’re doing great. The basil has faded (not enough sun), the lavender is hangin’ in there, and the lemon balm is livin’ the life. It’s already dark, dark, dark in New England so the lack of sunlight will probably put the whole pot to sleep in another month, but until then it’s my little slice of summer has been rolled inside.
Trees and Shrubs
Lemon is AAAALLLLLIIIVEEE! {Read about lemon’s attack of scales and Mavis-reader-solution in the comments – you guys are the best!}
(Lemon, second in from the front)
Weed and Pest Control
Frost. Ol’ man Frost has come enough to scare the pants off anything creepy and/or crawly. Plus the chickens love a good bug-buffet.
Lawn Care
Although decomposing leaves can make a good, natural boost for your lawn it can also harbor critters you don’t want near your house/garden. Like voles. I once had a friend who didn’t mow their yard that one-last-mow before winter and left a ton of leaves on the grass. The next spring they were infested with voles as the long grass and leaves created a perfectly warm and loose environment, with no fear of natural predators, to do what voles do – tunnel.
**These garden chores are based on my Zone 5b Southeast/Boston MA location. Find your garden zone HERE.
Dottie says
That giant carrot is amazing!
Heather in MA says
Ha! It was hidden away so we didn’t notice how huge it had gotten.
Jesse says
You can use green tomatoes to make salsa like you can with zucchini. You can use 1/2 green tomatoes and 1/2 apples to make a good pie.
Vy says
I’ve heard rumors that it’s okay to let the lemons grow, supporting all the weight makes the tree stronger in the long run. I can’t vouch for personal experience though, my lemon tree is inside for winter #2, covered in its first lemons, green and the size of golf balls.
Elza Verona says
Heather,
You can make pickled green tomatoes. I make mine with hot peppers, onions and pickling spice. They are really good. I canned thirty pints last year, but I wasn’t lucky enough to have green tomatoes to can this time. I sure had plenty of ripe tomatoes to eat and also canned fifty quarts!
Heather in MA says
Wowoah! 50 quarts is no joke. I did 36 and was rather pleased with myself.
So – basic question… What/how do you eat pickled green tomatoes? As a side like a pickle? Or part of a recipe?
Elza Verona says
I wasn’t thinking and responded to your question further down in the message postings. I guess I was having a senior moment!!
Diane says
GREEN TOMATO ENCHILADA SAUCE
makes about 3 cups -this recipe can be doubled or tripled and packed up for the freezer in 2- or 3-cup containers..
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1 7-ounce can diced green chiles, drained
1 pound green tomatoes or tomatillos, chopped (about 2 ½ cups)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
½ cup water
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and oregano and sauté just until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in the green chiles, tomatoes, salt, broth and water. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the mixture becomes saucy, about 10 minutes. Pour the mixture into a blender or food processor (or use a hand-held immersion blender), add the cilantro and purèe until smooth (leave slightly chunky if you prefer). Refrigerate or freeze.
Note: I used bacon fat rather than vegetable oil for sautéing, and added 1 minced, seeded jalapeño for heat. I think I also added a bit more cumin and oregano than called for. There’s lots of room here for improv, of course – more garlic, or add’l herbs/spices.
Diane says
Here’s another good green tomato recipe from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving:
GREEN TOMATO HOT DOG RELISH
Makes about six 8-ounce jars; great on burgers or hot dogs, on sandwiches, roast chicken or fish.
6 cups finely chopped cored green tomatoes (unpeeled)
2 finely chopped onions
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
¼ cup pickling or canning salt
1teaspoon whole cloves
1teaspoon celery seed
1 cinnamon stick (about 4 inches long), broken in half
2 cups white vinegar
1 ½ cups lightly packed brown sugar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine green tomatoes, onions, green and red bell peppers and pickling salt. Cover and let stand in a cool place (about 70 degrees) for 12 hours or overnight. Transfer to a colander placed over a sink and drain. Rinse with cool water and drain thoroughly. Using your hands, squeeze out excess liquid. Set aside.
Tie cloves, celery seed and cinnamon stick in a square of cheesecloth to create a spice bag.
In a large stainless steel saucepan or stockpot, combine vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, mustard, table salt, ginger and spice bag. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add drained tomato mixture, stir well and return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until transparent, about 1 hour. Discard spice bag.
Meanwhile, prepare water-bath canner, jars and lids. Ladle hot relish into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot relish. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar and screw band down just fingertip-tight.
Place jars in canner, covered with water at least 1 inch over the lids, then bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool completely, and store.
Teckla says
Green Tomato Mincemeat
2 qts finely chopped green tomatoes (about 5 #)
1 qt finely chopped peeled tart apples (4-5)
1 1/4 c. golden raisins
1-2 c. packed brown sugar
1 1/4 c. white sugar
1 c. water
1/3 c. vinegar
1/8 – 1/4 c. lemon juice
2 T minced orange or lemon peel
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
Place all ingredients in a large kettle or Dutch oven. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened or desired consistency. Pack hot into hot jars, leaving 1/2″ head space. Add lids and rings. Process 25 minutes in boiling water bath. Cool jars, remove rings, wash and store. Yields about 6 pints.
I prefer a little sugar; it’s a bit tart for my taste. Also, you can add small amounts of other spices if you like things spicy. Go with what you or your family likes. Makes wonderful turnovers. Good luck
ann in E. oregon says
I love making Green Tomato Relish:
16 med. green tomatoes (stems removed)
2-3 onions
2 sweet red peppers
2 green bell peppers
hot peppers, to taste (opt.)
~Chop all very fine and let stand in a colander for 1 hr. Then in large pot combine with:
4 c. vinegar
2 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. mustard seed
2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. celery seed
1 Tbsp. tumeric
1 1/2 tsp. ground clove
Bring to a boil and cook 30 – 40 min. Put in hot pint jars & process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.
This is delicious on sandwiches, hot dogs, meat loaf, egg salad, etc.
Enjoy! :-))
Dianna says
If your green tomatoes are otherwise mature, they will ripen given time. They will be at least as good as storebought tomatoes. I had tons of green tomatoes a few years ago and I didn’t have to buy tomatoes for two or three months as they ripened. I kept them in the cool garage in single layers on cardboard, then brought in a few at a time as they started to ripen. Bringing them inside will speed up the ripening.
Heather in MA says
Ooooh – that is TERRIFIC news!
Laura Z says
I, too, recommend ripening some. They will still taste better than the grocery store. I didn’t grow tomatoes this year, but last November I would keep them in a unheated storage room near the carport, and then put tomatoes to ripen in a brown paper bag in the kitchen as I needed them. Food in Jars has a recipe for green tomato chutney that looks yummy. http://foodinjars.com/2010/11/green-tomato-chutney/ and there’s a recipe for green tomato pie in Garden and Gun that I plan to try next summer. http://gardenandgun.com/article/cast-iron-recipe-green-tomato-pie
Lynn Mc. says
Lol, I have a carrot in my veggie bed the same size.
Heather in MA says
Thank you all for all the recipes – as I suspected Mavis-readers-to-the-rescue!
Elza Verona says
Hey Heather,
In reference to the canned tomatoes, I normally put up around seventy five quarts or more each year. I have a large family that loves fresh vegetables from the garden, and a lot of it is either canned or frozen. I have two gardens, a smaller kitchen garden and a larger garden on the hill behind our home. The larger garden usually has about ten rows, and about forty ft. long. This year, the squirrels had a heyday with the tomatoes and when they got through, they thought they were gonna do the same thing in the kitchen garden. Well, I didn’t give them a chance, I put up a fence and threw moth balls down and then didn’t even think about getting my tomatoes! Ha!
As to the green tomato pickles. I love them just straight out of the jar! Great instead of pickles and a sandwich. My family loves them served with creamed or stewed potatoes, any type of dried beans, meat loaf and corn bread. I guess you can tell, we do a lot of southern country cooking in North Carolina.
GigHarborJoyce says
Green tomato pickles are the bomb!