Hubby and I are trying to plan our summer garden and we need to decide what to grow. Knowing whats easiest and how to preserve will make that easier, thanks!
What’s easiest is not necessary the best kind of thing to preserve. Things like radishes, green onions, and summer squashes are real easy to grow, but can’t be preserved worth a toot.
As a home canner, I deliberately choose veggies and fruits that either can well or freeze well. Some of my picks include
Bush beans, corn, carrots, spinach, bush peas, peppers, all which freeze well.
Tomatoes which are easy to can in a water bath canner.
We grow picking cucumbers for relishes which can also be preserved in a water bath canner.
Plus onions, garlic, pumpkins, winter squashes, and potatoes which I can keep in a root cellar through the winter.
And, all kinds of herbs which can be air dried, then crushed and stored safely in empty spice jars.
I also will grow all the ingredients needed for specific items such as salsa, enchilada sauces, and spaghetti sauce. These are easy to make and can be preserved in a water bath canner.
Plus we grow strawberries, plums, rhubarb and blackberries for jams (I’ll freeze these until ready to use) and apples, pears, cherries which I’ll can in light syrup.
Your local extension office with have the current Ball canning books which will also help you decide which fruits and veggies can be preserved easily.
What’s easiest is not necessary the best kind of thing to preserve. Things like radishes, green onions, and summer squashes are real easy to grow, but can’t be preserved worth a toot.
As a home canner, I deliberately choose veggies and fruits that either can well or freeze well. Some of my picks include
Bush beans, corn, carrots, spinach, bush peas, peppers, all which freeze well.
Tomatoes which are easy to can in a water bath canner.
We grow picking cucumbers for relishes which can also be preserved in a water bath canner.
Plus onions, garlic, pumpkins, winter squashes, and potatoes which I can keep in a root cellar through the winter.
And, all kinds of herbs which can be air dried, then crushed and stored safely in empty spice jars.
I also will grow all the ingredients needed for specific items such as salsa, enchilada sauces, and spaghetti sauce. These are easy to make and can be preserved in a water bath canner.
Plus we grow strawberries, plums, rhubarb and blackberries for jams (I’ll freeze these until ready to use) and apples, pears, cherries which I’ll can in light syrup.
Your local extension office with have the current Ball canning books which will also help you decide which fruits and veggies can be preserved easily.
References :
Depends on the fruit or veg as to what method gives you the best results. And what your family likes. Some people love canned corn; we prefer to freeze it.
I routinely freeze things like peppers, zucchini, corn, herbs, fruit for baking pies or muffins. I use the peppers and squash in sauces and soups through out the winter.
I can my tomatoes and green beans.
We’re expanding our gardens this year and adding some things like snow peas, lima beans to the mix. The extra snow peas will be frozen and I’m still deciding on the limas. I’ll probably freeze those after a quick blanch in hot water and an ice bath.
You can freeze or can carrots. Radishes, lettuce and so forth are best eaten fresh. You can freeze spinach to add to casseroles or soups. Same for swiss chard.
Freezing is the easier of the two but will not always yield the best results.
References :