Gardening

[Alberto]

OK, I had to Google about Apple jam.

What I found:
If cooked without adding water is jam, otherwise is compote.
It seems the reason apple jam is very rare is because apples, unlike most other fruits, can easily last many weeks if stored properly, so no need to jam them really.
Still, I find making it a lot of fun and will probably make some (=huge amount, I'm greedy as usual) with my garden apples later this week.

[Robinson100]

Did I mention that the apples were small - like very small?
If you put your thumb and forefinger together, that´s the average size of the little devils!!!

I also have quinces in the garden, which are now ripe, so have found a recipe for quince and apple jam...... just an awful lot of peeling coming my way

Compotte also sounds like a good idea...... if I have time, I will give it a try!

[kiplette]

Quince are cool. Rather than chopping and peeling bricks (they are so hard!) I usually slow cook them until they are softer and then deal with them. They then smell amazing.

I made quince cheese in the past, which was cool - essentially solid jam, which you slice and eat with cheese, or use as a spread.

Also fruit leather - fruit mush dried in strips. We didn't add sugar to ours, but presumably most people do.

[Fraufruit]

For all you gardeners, I'll just throw in a link to my good friend's garden in Indianola, Washington in case you're interested.


https://www.penick.net/digging/?p=95383

[kiplette]

Thank you muchly, FF, that was a treat. The photos are stunning.

[Alberto]

Very nice photos, FF, your friend is privileged.

[Robinson100]

Need some advice on this one please!

Our house runs parallel to the road, with the carpentry workshop door at one end, and the house door at the other. The workshop door is the first one you reach as you come onto the property.

At the other end of the house, about 3 meters from the house door, and tucked away in a corner, we have a lovely big gooseberry bush, which was full of fruits just about ripe now.

I went out yesterday to pick them to make jam, and discovered that all but three gooseberries have been taken!!!!
This actually happened last last year as well, and we don´t have a clue as to who might have taken them.

Any ideas as to what to do for next year, as I am currently at the stage of just wanting to rip somebodys head off!!!!!!

[Sannerl]

I went out yesterday to pick them to make jam, and discovered that all but three gooseberries have been taken!!!!
This actually happened last last year as well, and we don´t have a clue as to who might have taken them.

Any ideas as to what to do for next year, as I am currently at the stage of just wanting to rip somebodys head off!!!!!!

Install a camera and a motion sensor.
And some signs that this bush is private property and taking the gooseberries without permission is theft.
Maybe that bush is on this map by accident and the thieves don't follow the rules anyway: https://mundraub.org/ - just check.

[Robinson100]

No, we are not on that map, thank goodness!
I think we´ll start small and get a lock fitted on the garden gate!
Still, it´s a pain in the neck!!!

[Sannerl]

No, we are not on that map, thank goodness!
I think we´ll start small and get a lock fitted on the garden gate!
Still, it´s a pain in the neck!!!

A tiny Wifi-camera with USB costs about 30 Euros. High quality and with a rainproof casing.

[bethannbitt]

we´ll start small and get a lock fitted on the garden gate!
Still, it´s a pain in the neck!!!

And downright disappointing that people behave so rudely. My idea was also to put up a sign. BTW, my bike parked out front of my house, near downtown, often has people throwing trash and bottles in my basket. I may put a sign on it.

[Robinson100]

That little voice in the back of my mind keeps telling me to set some trip-wires, but I guess that might have some kind of legal consequence - unfortunately!

[Sannerl]

That little voice in the back of my mind keeps telling me to set some trip-wires, but I guess that might have some kind of legal consequence - unfortunately!

Gooseberries have thorns already.
Tripwires won't help...

[Franklan]

That little voice in the back of my mind keeps telling me to set some trip-wires, but I guess that might have some kind of legal consequence

Wo kein Kläger, da kein Richter...

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claymore_mine

[Emkay]

That little voice in the back of my mind keeps telling me to set some trip-wires, but I guess that might have some kind of legal consequence - unfortunately!

It could well be wildlife taking them. Especially if it happened last year too. Are most fallen gooseberries also gone? We’ve a few small fruit trees though given up expecting to eat any other than the odd apple the wasps leave for us. .

[PandaMunich]

The pear tree is surprisingly full of fruit this year
And the zucchini in these metal SchneckenStopp metal ufo saucers have started producing.
The black tomatoes are also coming along nicely, the others not so much.

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[Sannerl]

That little voice in the back of my mind keeps telling me to set some trip-wires, but I guess that might have some kind of legal consequence - unfortunately!

It could well be wildlife taking them. Especially if it happened last year too. Are most fallen gooseberries also gone? We’ve a few small fruit trees though given up expecting to eat any other than the odd apple the wasps leave for us. .

An acquaintance of ours (married to a Japanese woman and living in Japan) also has the case of the missing gooseberries and is suspecting a neighbour.
But maybe it's an Enoki? Could be from the other subspecies in Robinson100's case: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_raccoon_dog - one name for those in German is Obstfuchs...

[Alberto]

In the https://happy.toytown.ing/viewtopic.ph ... appy#p8304 thread I was expressing my sadness about losing most of my lovely tomatoes to blight, fungi parasite whatever. This monster notoriously finds favorable conditions with much rain and wet plant leaves, so the obvious things is to have the tom plants under a roof, which indeed got suggested to me (again).

Thinking of having a roof next season.

Issues:

*) Of course I can buy one/them. But the cost, ca 100eur per square meter of Hochbeet, is much higher than I would like. I have a total of 20 square meter of Hochbeets, mostly for tomatoes. Covering the whole Hochbeet would cost me like 2000eur, many times the current value of my car.
Yes, I'm cheap, especially when it comes to car, if I were to buy the 2nd cheapest car I would feel like wasting money for no reason. There's some weird pride and gratification in it!

*) Of course I can make the roof myself. Havent' yet calculated the final cost but I bet it'll be much cheaper than buying it (most expensive item probably the Wellplatten, at ca 15eur per square meter, foil would be cheaper but likely won't be as durable). Designing and building it would be huge fun. With added benefit it would be custom made and better suited, including rainwater collection system. Though, time it's an issue.

*) I really do love taking care of my tomatoes. The expectation. The smell. Seeing them developing from seed to huge plant to bestest pasta sauce. One issue with this is the summer I feel like NOT going to holiday for more than a handful of days. Being Hamburg far from everything, going away few days only doesn't make too much sense. And not sure sacrificing family holiday for the sake of tomatoes is a sensible thing to do. But again, at soon 16 not sure how much longer our child will holiday with us....

Any comments...?

Have a nice Friday everyone (yes it's Friday!).

[Robinson100]

Ah, yes, I see the problem now!
I think you should definitely go for constructing something yourself, but possible using materials purchased through Kleinanzeigen or something like that - definitely cheaper than buying new.
If you were a little closer, I would give you some of our plants, as we have an awful lot this year...

[kiplette]

Yes, second what Rob says - doing all of those brilliant beds you've got with pre-built shelters is going to cost a bomb, doing it yourself with reclaimed materials would be really satisfying.

We've been building a flat base for a carport sized woodshed, collecting soil from someone up the road who is so grateful that we are taking it away and gravel from a Verein carpark for a donation (obviously they want the gravel gone:) - if you are not in a hurry, then it's a great way forward.