Boardash: ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Tuesday November 17, 2009

Monday, November 16, 2009

ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Tuesday November 17, 2009

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Advice from Carolyn Hax

Gardening Daily Tips
For You
Tuesday November 17, 2009

Periwinkle, Vinca (Catharanthus roseus)
Q&A: Windowsill Herb Garden
Q&A: Mushy Pickled Peppers
Tip: Mulch Garlic
New Healthy Life Daily Videos
Reader Photos

Periwinkle, Vinca (Catharanthus roseus)

Today's Featured Plant
Periwinkle, Vinca (Catharanthus roseus)

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Q&A: Windowsill Herb Garden

Question: Can I grow herbs on a windowsill? If so, what are the best kinds to try?

Answer: Most herbs will get by with a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight each day, so if you have a sunny windowsill, youOre in business! Basil, chives, sweet marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon, and thyme are especially well suited to growing in windowsill gardens.

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Q&A: Mushy Pickled Peppers

Question: I pickled my 'Hungarian Hot Wax' peppers following the instructions in my canning guide, but the pickles are mushy. What did I do wrong?

Answer: You may have started with overripe peppers or used the wrong vinegar or type of water. Both mistakes can make pickled peppers mushy. Harvest disease-free peppers just before they're fully ripe and process them within 24 hours. For extra firmness, but a little less flavor, harvest peppers when they are a bit underripe and, before processing, remove 1/16 inch of the blossom end of the pepper, where the softening enzymes reside. Use a 5 percent vinegar solution and soft or distilled water when pickling. You can turn hard water into soft water by boiling it for 15 minutes, letting it stand for 24 hours, then skimming off the top layer that forms. Also, processing peppers for too long will make them mushy.

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Tip: Mulch Garlic

Fall-planted garlic should be mulched as the ground starts to freeze. Cover beds with a 4 to 6 inch deep layer of chopped leaves, hay, or straw and cover the mulch with a floating row cover to prevent it from blowing away.

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Sincerely,
ArcaMax Editors