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| Lawn & Garden Newsletter · August 2008 | |
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Home Canning Series Part 1-Introduction Welcome to the Agway home canning series! What do you do with that bumper crop of tomatoes? Don't just give them away at the office! Cook up a batch of spaghetti sauce or chili, can it in Ball® jars, and enjoy it all winter long. Don't throw away those watermelon rinds after you've enjoyed the red melon either! We'll show you how to make an old southern favorite, watermelon rind pickle. All this and more is coming up in future articles, so check back often. So how come food canned in mason jars stays fresh for so long anyway? It's because of the heat used in the process and the seal of the container the food is in. Food spoilage is caused by natural enzymes, yeasts, molds and bacteria that are designed to break it down. This is great in the compost pile, but not in the pantry. To preserve food for a long period of time, the decomposition process must be halted. The microorganisms and enzymes must be killed. That's what the heat does. The vacuum sealed jar keeps the food from being recontaminated by microorganisms present in the air. Read the entire article... Controlling Tomato Problems It takes skill and ingenuity to raise blemish-free flavorful tomatoes and protect them from insects, diseases and other pests. Here's how to handle existing problems and prevent new ones. Controlling Blossom End Rot This is a common problem, so we'll deal with it first. The first sign is a water-soaked spot near the blossom end of the fruit. This spot becomes brown or black and may enlarge until it covers a third to half of the fruit. As the spot grows, the tissues shrink and the surface becomes dark, leathery and often sunken. Read the entire article... Ideas for Mosquito Control Mosquito control around your outdoor living spaces has become more important than ever lately with the recent increases in cases of mosquito-borne diseases. Agway has great products to keep you and your family safe from these flying pests. Citronella Candles are a popular and inexpensive way to repel mosquitoes and other flying insects. They work by giving off a lemony scent that is repulsive to the insects, but pleasant to people. Agway carries a wide variety of shapes and sizes of these candles from large galvanized buckets to more decorative votives. As with any open flame, never leave candles unattended. Keep them out of the reach of children. Never put water on a citronella candle; it may cause the hot wax to splatter, possibly causing burns. Read the entire article...
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