Senior Sea Kayaker

I've successfully germinated seeds that have been stored for three years at room temperature sealed in a Ziplock bag and stored in my dark and dry gardening tote. I've never tried freezing however I've never had a 'volunteer' tomato or pepper plant after the winter long freeze.

'Pulled' baby back rib meat, colcannon with extra braised kale and long beans.

@KennethT In my experience chili peppers are very delicate in the early stages and my strategy has been to thin as soon as seeds become visible sprouts until I have well separated seedlings that will grow in individual containers for maximum light exposure. My experience has been in starter soil so it may not be applicable to a hydroponic system. My Carolina Reaper plant from a transplanted seedling and my Habanero started from seed and transplanted to the outdoor garden and re-transplanted indoors and starting to show flowers. Good luck especially as your peppers are not otherwise available.

Soils in my corner of the world tend to be acidic so my additions are a mix of coffee grounds, eggshells, and lime mixed with peat moss, some vermiculite and composted manure. One thing one doesn't want to do here is decrease the pH of the soil.

Breakfast sandwich of egg, mushrooms and aged cheddar on a WW bagel with a tomato and feta salad and an orange with with a dollop of crabapple blueberry applesauce.

I'm curious as to whether anyone else uses these simple soil additions: used dried coffee grounds for nitrogen and dried, ground eggshells for calcium and magnesium. I noticed this spider web (it is outside) catching the early morning sun and dew.

I spent a fair of time catching up on gardening yesterday. The night temperatures have been around 8 C. with daytime temperatures in the mid to low 20's. I'm harvesting tomatoes, zucchini, long beans, mouse melons, chard and herbs. Lettuces have gone to seed and soon I'll start seed saving. I'm also waiting for the last planting of bush beans to harvest. Most of the time was spent working on repotting and setting up the indoor winter garden and I'm 90-95% finished. Top row from left: Carolina Reaper, rectangular planter with dill and green onions and finally cilantro. Middle from left: 2 small pots of chives and 1 of Italian parsley, Habanero hot pepper and Thai basil. Bottom from left: rectangular planter with 2 Serrano and 1 Jalapeno, a 2nd Thai basil and an Italian basil.

I'll have to go with the whole sardine camp. A simple, fast and tasty version would be mashed onto well toasted baguette or ciabatta with mustard and raw diced red onion.

Thanks. I've done 'oven fried green tomatoes' using a panko crust however my sister has already called dibs on any late season green tomatoes to make chow chow. I would suggest asking a vendor selling tomatoes at a farmers' market 'any chance you could have some green beefsteak tomatoes?' and they'll most likely be happy to do so.

Montreal smoked meat on a pretzel bun with a tomato and cucumber salad, zucchini ribbon pickles and radish and red onion pickles.

A few recent breakfasts. A busy week so it's either go big or go hungry. Potato, chickpea, zucchini, mushroom and peppers hash with eggs, toasted ciabatta and gazpacho. Waffles with sausage, peaches and crabapple blueberry applesauce. Eggs scrambled with peppers, onion, mushrooms, zucchini flowers and herbs with breakfast sausage, tomatoes and a toasted WW bagel with crabapple habanero jelly.

We had a very windy downpour and thunderstorm last weekend and did sustain some damage. So when the weather gives you green tomatoes you ferment them. 5% w/v brine with garlic, tarragon and black peppercorns.

One of the many perks of a home garden. The ever present bowl of fresh tomatoes.

Thanks. That's a product I have not seen or knew about. I initially thought it could be onion or fennel (which would be an interesting side).

My library system has one copy on order so I'll put a hold on it.

Shakshuka with tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, garlic chives and finished with zucchini flowers, parsley and tarragon and served with a toasted WW bagel. Zucchini does have a way of sneaking into every meal this time of year.

Quick breakfast of a toasted WW bagel with cretons and a mix of peach, kiwi, blueberries and blackberries with yogurt.

Chicken and tomato on a toasted ciabatta roll, oven fries, coleslaw and pickled baby beets.

@ElsieD You can certainly go ahead and freeze your peaches. The 'conditioning' is if you were planning to store them at room temperature.

I picked up a hard copy of 'The Antipasto Table' at my local SPCA thrift shop for $1 Cdn. Missing the dust jacket (photo from Amazon) but in near mint condition. Solid content with a lot of ideas for fresh garden produce without a lot of useless photos. A keeper. I'm still on the hunt for that elusive panini press. (

@liamsaunt Great photos, as usual, and all those seafood dishes give me ideas to try. One question. what was the side dish served with the jumbo shrimp in the last post? Potato or something else.

Starting getting my indoor herb plants ready to move indoors. Thai basil (from seed) and red shisho (from seed). I picked up a Carolina Reaper seedling from our local gardening center in early summer and it has done surprisingly well. I'm thinking of moving it indoors for the winter as well.

My contributions to Labour Day dinner. Oven 'fried' chicken and pickled zucchini ribbons.

Toasted baguette half with cretons, second half with a poached egg yolk and chives, piece of aged cheddar and garden tomatoes. Peach and blackberries on the side.

Breakfast wrap of egg, zucchini, duxelles, green onions, aged cheddar and green Thai chili. Small side salad of cucumber and Chioggia beets (tiny beets after harvesting their greens) with a bit of added pickled herring brine, a peach and a V8.