Fig Jam

Fall is the season to harvest what we have planted. If you have a bumper harvest of fruits from your tree, they can be cooked and preserved such as jams or jelly.

My neighbor Marie has a fig tree and turns the fruit she harvests into a jam. This year she gave me a jar of her fig jam. She used a mason jar to make the jam which makes it look very professional.

Her fig jam is really good, it is not overly sweet and you can taste a hint of lemon juice.

Fig trees produce more figs than most people know what to do with them. Making jam out of the ripe figs is a simple solution to this. The procedure is simple and you only need a few ingredients to prepare the jam.

            Ingredients: Makes about 7 jars (8 ounces per jar)

1)      Ripe figs (about 3 to 5 lbs)

2)      Sugar (amount should be equal to the amount of fig)

3)      Lemon juice (1/4 cup)

4)      Pectin (use 1 box, available in most supermarkets)

Procedure:

1)      Trim any stems from the fig.

2)      Chop the figs for faster cooking

3)      Simmer the figs; stir occasionally to avoid sticking to the saucepan. Simmer until tender.

4)      Add sugar (use equal amount of sugar to fruit ratio) and bring back to boil.

5)      Add lemon juice and pectin. The lemon juice would add tartness and makes the jam last longer. The pectin would improve the consistency of the jam.

6)      Bottle the jam in sterilized mason jars.

Bulb 2

The best time to plant bulbs is spring and fall. It is September and it is time to get ready to plant bulbs. It is best to plant in the fall; bulbs planted in the fall will bloom the following spring. Bulbs planted in spring will bloom in the summer.

Most bulbs thrive in either full or partial sun. In mild climates like Southern California it is best to plant bulbs in partial shade. Bulbs require good drainage and you must avoid planting in base of slopes or under drainpipes or wherever water collects; this will make the bulb rot.

I planted some gladiolas several years ago and they have thrived beautifully. I planted thee corms in a hole and they have multiplied and they need to be taken out and divided to avoid overcrowding. This process is necessary if you want large bloom. I will do this as soon as the weather turns a little bit cooler.

Gladiolas are corms and are known by several names: gladiolus, gladiola, glads, and sword lily. They are called sword lily because of their long and sword-like leaves. Although they are sometimes called sword lily they are not lilies but corms.

Gladiolas planted in fall or early spring will bloom in July to August and they come in a hue of colors including bi-colors. They prefer rich, soft soil and plenty of water. A little fertilizer will help if the soil is poor.

To propagate glads, dig up the corms in fall. Separate the corms, wash and dry and store them in a cool and dry location in a paper bag. Never use plastic bag; plastic bags will trap the moisture and this will rot the corms.

Bulbs

Bulbs come in endless variety which makes them perfect for any type of garden. Varieties include corms, rhizomes and tubers.

Corms are sometimes confused with true bulbs, they are similar in appearance externally but the inside of corms is structured differently.

Examples of rhizomes are irises, Lily of the Valley and cannas. Tubers are begonias and dahlias. Tulips and daffodils are considered true bulbs.

A bulb is a self-contained flower factory.  It contains nearly everything the flower needs to come to life. If you split a bulb open you will see the baby flower bud, leaves, roots, stem and food supply. All it needs is to be placed in the ground at the appropriate season of the year, some water then left to work their magic.

I planted a dahlia a few years ago and it keeps coming back every spring. The one I planted is the cactus type. It has fully double flowers with pointed florets. The flower is pinkish to white in color and around 5” to 10” in diameter. The first year blooms were really big but becoming smaller every year which means the bulb needs to be dug up and divided.  This needs to be done before spring.

Dahlias came from Central America and Mexico. The Aztecs cultivated dahlias for food and decorative purposes. They are also used for ceremonial purposes. The dahlia is named after Swedish botanist Anders Dahl an 18^th century botanist. It is also the national flower of Mexico.

Grape Vine 2

Almost 2 months after the first post about my grapes, some of the fruit of my grape vine is already ripe. The grape is red in color and very sweet but it has some seeds in it. Other than having seeds, I am happy with the grape vine. It is sweet, juicy and has a very fruity taste.

I harvested at least 5 bunches and after removing the unripe and disfigured grapes, washed and chilled them in the refrigerator. Grapes is a very good and healthy snack.

Most nutritionist and health experts would recommend to consume more of red grapes than green grapes. Red grapes has high content of antioxidants called flavonoids. It is also low on calories and contains nutrients and vitamins like vitamin C and B, copper, manganese an potassium and also high on dietary fiber.

   

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are the most common garden fruits in the United States and have the reputation of out-producing the needs of the gardener. Most commercial tomatoes in California are grown under irrigation for use in canning and processing and also for the fresh fruit market.

Basically tomatoes are considered fruit. However since it contains very low sugar compared to most fruits, tomatoes is classified as vegetables.

Tomatoes originated in South America and spread worldwide after the Spanish colonization of the Americas. It is now grown worldwide often in green houses in cooler climates.

The fruit can be harvested ripe or green. Fully ripe tomatoes can be stored in the refrigerator but they tend to lose flavor. It is best to store ripe tomatoes at ambient temperature.

With the good climate California, tomatoes are grown extensively. California grown tomatoes accounts for 90% of US production and 30% of world production.

Tomato varieties are divided mostly according to shape and size. Last April I planted 2 cherry tomatoes in pots. I bought the seedlings from a local nursery and they are thriving very well in the pot. Cherry tomatoes are small and round and are generally added in salads and eaten whole.

Herb Garden

Fresh herbs can be very pricey and they don’t last long even when refrigerated. Anybody can have fresh herbs all the time; you don’t have to have a garden to plant herbs. With some sunshine and water, herbs can be planted in pots.

If you have a garden, generally a kitchen garden where you can plant herbs can be an area 20 feet by 4 feet. You can grow some of the most common herbs used in the kitchen like sweet basil, rosemary and thyme. The best area for herb gardening is a spot with a lot of sunshine and with good drainage. Drainage is one of the most important factors in order to have a successful herb garden. Herbs don’t want to grow in a wet soil.

The soil does not have to be fertile. A highly fertile soil will produce excessive amounts of foliage but with very poor flavor. Adding some compost to the soil is enough to help improve the condition of the soil.

If a plot is not available, herbs can be grown in containers, pots and hanging baskets. Herbs planted in containers require more care specially watering. Herbs don’t grow well in wet soil but also don’t thrive in a dry soil.

I purchased a pot of Italian basil and rosemary from Armstrong garden last month and planted them on the ground the next day. It has been a few weeks and the basil is thriving very well. The rosemary though is not as growing as good as the basil.

                                                     Basil I harvested from the garden.

Grape Vine 1

The climate of Southern California has long been recognized as ideal for growing grapes for making wines and for the table. Mists in the mornings, lots of sunshine, cool summer nights, ocean breezes along the coasts produce very good grapes which is ideal for making wines.

Wine growing in Southern California is mostly located in the Temecula Valley, Cucamonga, Ventura and San Diego Counties.

I planted a vine spring of last year. This year it already bears fruit. It has several long and healthy vines with dark green leaves.I am not sure what kind of grape vine I planted and hope the fruit will be sweet and good for eating. The color of the fruit is currently green but I am not sure it changes color when it ripens.  

I hope this grape vine is suitable for eating and not for making wines.

Banana

Banana plants are often mistaken to be trees but they are not. Bananas are the largest herbaceous flowering plant. They can grow as tall as eight meters high and the leaves which grow at the top of the trunk can grow as long as 9 feet.

Bananas grow fruits in hanging clusters. The hanging clusters are called bunch or commercially known as “banana stem”. Most ripe banana fruit turns yellow in color.

The tropics is where most bananas grow in commercial quantity. In regions where it is colder, bananas are cultivated as an ornament.

Last year, I planted a sapling I bought from a local nursery. I wasn’t sure that it will survive. The weather in Southern California is drier than the tropics but with constant watering it not only survived but thrived and is now bearing fruit. 

The one I planted is not as tall as the bananas found in the tropics and the leaves are not as long and as wide either. Other than the size, the plant is very healthy.

I hope the fruit will be sweet.