Apples and lemon balm and basil, oh my! Garden musings

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Dawgluver

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My elderly, decrepit apple tree was loaded with blossoms this spring, and was lovely. I was concerned about having an overabundance of apples and no room to freeze them. No worries. Due to our summer weather storms, I now have a grand total of three apples on the tree. The outdoor critters are very well-fed with the apple drops.

My lemon balm is out of control. I think I'll make lemon balm pesto using sunflower seeds (hard to get pinenuts that are fresh around here, and they're horribly expensive). Lemon balm tea will be in the works as well if I can find an empty pitcher.

My basil also needs to be pesto-ized.
 
Dawg, these over-abundances sound like perfect opportunities to make gifts for the upcoming Holidays ;)
As to nuts, why not try Walnuts. I saw bulk Walnuts at our local Costco rather inexpensive.
Just my thoughts anyways ... not sure where you are to-boot ...

I myself, am hoping to be able to be i my kitchen before the beginning of December so that I will have at least a small window to "make" stuff as gifts, but the cards may not be in our favor, so ... :shrug:
 
My elderly, decrepit apple tree was loaded with blossoms this spring, and was lovely. I was concerned about having an overabundance of apples and no room to freeze them. No worries. Due to our summer weather storms, I now have a grand total of three apples on the tree. The outdoor critters are very well-fed with the apple drops.

My lemon balm is out of control. I think I'll make lemon balm pesto using sunflower seeds (hard to get pinenuts that are fresh around here, and they're horribly expensive). Lemon balm tea will be in the works as well if I can find an empty pitcher.

My basil also needs to be pesto-ized.

You beat me by 2 apples!!

I had 3, but only one survived . Im not sure it was even ripe when I picked it, but I figured, better get to it before the squirrels. I tossed it in with the other 100 + apples I got from a local orchard, so even if it wasn't ripe, didn't matter. At least now I can say I made homemade , home grown apple cider, and not be lying too much :)

I always wondered what to do with lemon balm. Didn't know you can make pesto from it. Actually, I never used it for anything other than picking a few leaves and smelling it .
 
Surprised me that the tree culled itself so much. Yep, a home-grown apple does mean you made homemade cider. Amount doesn't matter.

Larry, this may turn out to be a "noble experiment". I did find some lemon balm pesto recipes, and the reviews were raving, all five of them. It does make good tea, and if not lemony enough, you can mix with additional lemon juice.

K-girl, I have 2 pounds of sunflower seeds to use up, so why not? I like walnuts in pesto too, but I'm just thick with sunflower seeds.

Hm. My hyssop is also quite prolific, though it's more tea material. Not sure I'd like hyssop pesto, too licoricy. Thinking I need to dig up a few more pitchers.
 
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Yes indeedy. And the lemon balm has a few of its minty relatives around here, spear and pepper, though I smartly contained them in their own buried pots. They haven't formed hedges yet.

I think hyssop is also a mint relative with its square stems.
 
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Larry, this may turn out to be a "noble experiment". I did find some lemon balm pesto recipes, and the reviews were raving, all five of them. It does make good tea, and if not lemony enough, you can mix with additional lemon juice.

I've made vegan pesto using soaked cashews, maybe try using that instead of pinenuts? I am betting it would taste wonderful.
 
I let my basil go to seed, both green and in another garden, purple. I collected the seeds stalks in some plastic bags, set outside in the sun, to dry out. Then I'll have seeds to separate from the stalks, and saved to plant in the spring next year.
 
Good idea, blissful. I usually clip off the flowers and seed heads, will have to try this.
 
I let my basil go to seed, both green and in another garden, purple. I collected the seeds stalks in some plastic bags, set outside in the sun, to dry out. Then I'll have seeds to separate from the stalks, and saved to plant in the spring next year.

I did the same! Though I am growing basil indoors so I can have it year rounnnnd..drool
 
I'm drying the stalks in white plastic bags, I weight one side of the opening, face it into the wind, and let the wind do the drying, which might take a few weeks. (if it rains, I put the brick on both openings to keep it dry)
Then when dry, I gently grind the outside of the plastic bag/basil stalks/plastic bag with a brick by hand to knock all the husks and seeds off the stalk. I continue doing this until the seeds fall out of the husks. Then I winnow the husks away with the careful use of a hair dryer (all outside on the deck).
This is my second year collecting basil seeds, first year for coriander seeds, 5th year for tomato and pepper seeds. Here is an interesting video on collecting basil seeds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P85vqwx7Xrs
 
I've dug up and brought in a few basil plants to overwinter, they look ratty as heck by the time they're done, but it works for me. I've also been able to overwinter parsley and chives indoors. Not pretty, but functional.
 
There was a pond you could walk around at my former workplace. Lots of hyssop. I borrowed some seeds one year and pretty soon my garden was surrounded by hyssop minus the pond. FINALLLY got that to go away.

My lemon balm self seeds and grows wherever. But it's easy to thin or remove extra plants. My yes, they smell good when rubbed between your fingers. That's all I use them for.

We made a Ton of pesto this year. Dx made some strategic chicken wire walls and cages for her tomatoes. So she is getting a full crop. Me, nope, and the squirrels only take a bite or two before moving on to the next one. I have rescued a few, just barely enough for a couple BLT's.


My good news is we have been getting quite nd a bit of rain all summer so I have a fairly heavy 2nd raspberry harvest this year.
 
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Yeah, that makes a difference. Our winter is a lot like England - temps in the 40s and a fair amount of rain.

Oh GG, we can easily get into the 30's, even the 20's at times here during the daytime in the Winter months, but it's sunny the majority of the time... rarely do we have the grey glum of back East, but then that's why we DO NOT live there ;)
 
Oh GG, we can easily get into the 30's, even the 20's at times here during the daytime in the Winter months, but it's sunny the majority of the time... rarely do we have the grey glum of back East, but then that's why we DO NOT live there ;)

I actually enjoy the "grey glum." It's not as if that's all there is, but listening to the rain is soothing. Thunderstorms are exciting! ;) Sun most of the time would be boring.

Good thing there's a variety of climates, like everything else, to suit different wants and needs.
 
I wonder if the equipment I use for my snakes would work in this application. I have a matting called "Flexwatt" that goes under my caging and ceramic heating element to go on top of the caging. Both are controlled by a Helix DBS1000 proportional temperature controller. This controller has an optional night drop cord that, used in conjunction with a household light timer, will automatically allow for a temperature drop at night. Sunlight is ambient or you could use "sunlight bulbs" in place of the heating elements. Humidity would be controlled by watering. Plants should be a breeze compared to temperature and humidity sensitive, arboreal, rainforest snakes.
 

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