September Colors

Took a quick walk in our neighborhood this afternoon.  What a great surprise to see so many different colors just down the street! The reds, the oranges and the yellows mingled in with the greens all look beautiful.  Autumn is definitely here!

 Enjoy!

 

~Saving Marigold Seeds~

Yellow Variegated Marigolds

Our Marigolds have been beautiful this summer!  Yellow, orange and yellow variegated flowers blossomed continuously.  The plants that produce the yellow variegated flowers were planted from seeds.  I had purchased the seeds in early 2020.  Now with mornings a bit chillier, I decided to save some of the seeds from this year's crop, so we could enjoy this variegated flower again next summer.

So, this past week I snipped off many of the bright blossoms.  They are now drying out in a cut down Kleenex box in our garage.  In a few weeks the colorful blossoms will dry out.  I will be able to separate the dried seeds from the dried stems. 

One end of a dried Marigold seed is slender and black.  The other end is tan.  See photo below:

Dried Marigold Seeds
(File Photo)

Then, the seeds will be saved in a paper envelope that will be labelled.

Next May we will have many of these saved seeds to plant after the danger of frost has passed in our area.  Marigold seeds are easy to grow and the blossoms are beautiful.

We will Enjoy again!

  

Freezing Green Peppers

Green Peppers
(File Photo)

There have been so many great tasting local veggies available to purchase these days!  Not only in grocery stores where local produce is sold, but at roadside stands.  Slices of locally grown juicy fresh tomatoes hit the spot on our dinner table.  Another veggie that is available at this time of year is Green Peppers.  I like to add them to various main dishes when I'm cooking.  Usually at this time of year, I purchase the Peppers and prep them to place in our freezer, so I have them to use all winter.  Somehow, that did not work out for me last summer.  I missed opening our freezer door this past winter to take out a small bag to use. 

Not so this summer!  I have been getting to work!  There will be Pepper strips for Chili, for Pizza and for Chicken dinners.  I really do not want to purchase bags of frozen Pepper chunks in the grocery store this winter.  

 Green Peppers are easy to prep to freeze, too!

1. Rinse Green Peppers under cool running water.
2. Pat dry.
3. Cut into slices or chunks, discarding the stems and seeds.
4. Place a handful of slices or chunks of Green Peppers in sandwich bags, close.
5. Then, place sandwich bags into Freezer Bags and seal.
6. Label and freeze.

Ready for my Freezer!
(File Photo)

The photo I used is a File Photo from 2014, but you can see the results!  This year I will have the Green Peppers that are needed for a recipe in my freezer ready to defrost!

Enjoy!

Yummy!

 

Saving Zinnia Seeds!

The cooler mornings are here!  It's great that we are not in yet another heat wave.  The beautiful Zinnias and Marigolds have added so much color to our yard again this year.  Now, it's time for me to start snipping the colorful Zinnia blossoms to save and then dry out.  Attached to the flowers' petals are the seeds for next year's beautiful crop.  This weekend I started harvesting the colorful blossoms.  I snip them when there are not bees buzzing in the immediate area.  Some flowers are yellow and pink.  Others are white, beige and red.  What a colorful assortment!  It's great to choose what colors to have next year.

The snipped blossoms will dry out in cut down Kleenex boxes in our garage.  In a few weeks after the flowers are dried, I'll pull the "tear" shaped seeds from the dried petals and then save the seeds in a labeled envelope.

"Tear" Shaped Zinnia Seeds
(File Photo)

This has been a tradition of mine for, well, years.  I guess, decades.  While growing up my family had two large veggie gardens.  At the end of one of the gardens we planted three rows of Zinnias.  They were just gorgeous!  In autumn we always saved enough seeds to plant the following year for the following crop.

No longer do I take care of a veggie garden.  We purchase our supply at the local farm.  However, bring on the colorful flowers that brighten any day any week in the summer and in autumn!

I'm planning ahead for next year!
Enjoy!