Last year i discovered the joys of native persimmons, we had two growing on our property but hadn't fruied until this year, already we're drowning in fruit so i looked online for simple persimmon pudding recipes and all called for persimmon pulp! However i encountered the same problem of being unable to find any methods of making it, thankfully at last one recipe had the answer it suggested just mashing the rinsed off persimmons through a colander, i have to say it works great (and you get to leave the skins on)! Thanks for reading and as always garden greener

If you want a really good workout you can so what I did the other day. The leaves were really dry and crispy, otherwise it wouldn't have worked. First I raked them into one of those large bags made out of tarp material (best $2.50 I ever spent). I jumped inside and danced around on them until they were pulverized, then added more and repeated about 5 times. When it got really full I just swung one leg over into the bag and stomped on them balancing myself with the rake. It seemed like a good idea at the time but I had to take some aspirin later because my abs were burning. I think the neighbors got some entertainment though. They probably thought I was even crazier after they saw me dump the crushed leaves back onto my flower beds. The next day I tried using the bagger on the mower just to use up the gas in it before winter. It was a little faster but it sure kicked up a lot of dust. I should have worn a dust mask and goggles, which would only make me look slightly more odd to the neighborhood:) I won't be doing any more shredding this year though. It has been raining on and off for 2 days and our two large maples have yet to drop the majority of their leaves. They are always the last on the street to drop.

Well, it's not the pots. It's damping off. :( The new tomatoes I set out to replace the other ones are, one by one, wilting and flopping over. The stems go all brown and from the soil line to two or three inches above, the plant starts to tip over and wilt, and within a day or two it is deader than dead. I don't think it's anything in my seed starting mix, since the tomatoes have all been fine until I put them out in the garden, and other seeds started in the same mix/conditions are doing great. But I also transplanted some basil and marigolds into the same bed around the tomato seedlings (really far apart, honest; I don't think crowding is the issue), and they all look great. Does this just mean that there is some kind of fungus in that part of my garden that likes to kill tomatoes, and tomatoes alone? One or two tomatoes are still alive. Do they have a prayer? At this point, I'm willing to say the heck with organic and hit them with whatever unholy toxin might help. If there's no hope for my tomatoes, can I direct sow some pole beans next to my tomato stakes instead? Or will my killer soil fungus get them too? Thank you for all of the help everyone. I'm a bit discouraged. I really gave it my all with those stupid tomato seedlings.

It's a timing thing maybe. The bake temp and how long combo....so that would be a bit of a recipe and i just wing it. When i roast mixed root veggies i always add a couple heads of garlic. I slice off a bit of the tops, not the root end. Rub a bit of olive oil. They go in at the beginning with the beets and potatoes...other veg that needs less time goes in 1/2 hr later. If my timing is off and they bake a bit longer i find the garlic gets too soft and sticky. A bit harder to remove. Usually, once cool, they slip right out of the skins. (and still nice and soft inside). I've never found it too difficult either way as it is so good. A video for the shake-a- bowl method is on food52 Did not work so well for me, as i could have peeled 10 heads by the time it took me to find two similar bowls to use and maybe my garlic was too fresh. Once i went at it and shook, checked, shook, felt stupid, shook...then still had to filter and separate. (the sound made my pups bonkers).