~Saving Zinnia Seeds~

Zinnias
2021

We've been enjoying our colorful, beautiful Zinnias in our gardens all summer.  Now, it's time to save the seeds from this year's flowers.  You guessed it!  I am already thinking about next year's bountiful crop.  For that reason this past week many colorful flowers were snipped from the plants and placed in cut down tissue boxes.  These snipped flowers are drying out in our garage.   

Every year during the month of September I continue this tradition.  The red, pink, orange and yellow snipped flowers will dry out and then I will be able to separate the "tear shaped" seeds from the dried out petals.  

Saved Zinnia Seeds
(File Photo)

 
Then, the Zinnia seeds will be stored in labeled sealed envelopes.  It's amazing how many seeds a gardener can harvest!  After 5- 6 years the colorful flowers become smaller, so I purchase new seed packs the following Spring.  The process continues for another 5- 6 years. 

It's great to plan ahead!
Enjoy!          

September Surprises!

A quick walk around our yard!

A beautiful September day!  Sometimes cloudy and at other times sunny.  Now, the decorative grasses have fronds that move gracefully in the breeze.  The Phlox are beginning to blossom, too.  Earlier this year the deer also enjoyed our garden and they had too many of the Phlox buds for snacks in the wee hours of the mornings.  What a great surprise to see a few of these bright lavender flowers!

Our lavender Rhododendrum has flowers, too!  This very interesting shrub always has a mind of its own.  Some of the buds blossom in the Spring and others blossom in autumn.  It has buds that are getting ready either for spring or for autumn!

A quick walk around our yard always has new surprises!

Enjoy!   

Freezing Green Pepper Strips and Chunks!

Getting ready to freeze Green Peppers strips.
(File Photo)

For me in the last two weeks it was time to start prepping and freezing Green Pepper strips and chunks!  This fresh local vegetable is available at roadside stands and supermarkets, so the peppers are ready to purchase.  It's another tradition for me at this time of year and does not take much time to do.  In the colder months taking a package out of the freezer to defrost is easy.  I use the strips as one of the toppings on homemade pizza and in other entrees.  Two years ago I did not take the time to freeze them and really missed using them.  So, it was time for me to get busy!

Ready to place in the bags to freeze.
(File Photo)

The details are in the post that I wrote last year. Click here for the Directions. 

"Mission accomplished!"  Now, they are in my freezer!

We will Enjoy this winter!
Yummy!