Shifting Roots

Orach is the plant everyone loves until it self-seeds. With my sandy soil, self-seeding hasn't been much of a problem, but for others, orach can quickly become a w**d!

Apparently, if you harvest orach when it's young, you can eat the leaves, and they taste like spinach. When I tried it, I found them quite bitter, but I might have let them grow for too long.

Do you grow orach in your garden? What's your favourite way to use it?

Do you have leftover crab apple juice or are you searching for creative ways to use your apple harvest?

This maple spice crab apple butter is one of my all-time favourite preserves! It’s the perfect spread for charcuterie boards, a delicious condiment for egg sandwiches or burgers, and a scrumptious sauce for pancakes.

The uses for it are endless!

🍏 Get all the details on the blog: www.shiftingroots.com/maple-spice-crab-apple-butter

Do you have flowers in this year's garden that you wish you could hold onto a little longer? Flowers don't last forever, but the next best thing is saving those seeds so you can grow them again next year!

Learn how to save seeds from lavatera, bachelor's buttons, poppies, and over 30 other types of flowers with my beginner's guide, The Cut Flower Seed Saving Companion!

📱 Grab a digital copy from the Roots & Blooms shop:
https://rootsandblooms.myshopify.com/products/the-cut-flower-seed-saving-companion-ebook

📖 Prefer a physical copy? Order on Amazon:
www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFM9L5PY/

P.S. Aren't these photos of this year's flowers from Juli Labrecque Photography - Saskatoon just stunning?

It's plum season!

Unfortunately, my plums aren’t in great shape. I think either some bugs or disease got to them, and I didn’t notice in time.

There’s only one section of the tree that is producing good fruit!

For those curious, I believe these are either Patterson or Acme plums. They aren't tagged, but as I flipped through the tree catalogue, those two varieties rang some bells!

How are the fruits in your garden doing this year? Let me know in the comments!

My crab apples are ready for harvest, and I'm excited to make some juice!

If you have a crab apple tree and haven’t tried making crab apple juice yet, this is your sign to do it. I find a steam juicer the best way to make delicious, clear crab apple juice. If you have one, follow this recipe!

No steam juicer? No problem!

🍎 Head to the blog to learn how to make crab apple juice with an electric juicer (or without a juicer at all): www.shiftingroots.com/how-to-juice-crab-apples

I'm so pleased with my luffa successes this year!

Normally, I start my luffa seeds in February, but I found a variety from West Coast Seeds called Emerald F1, which matures in just 55 days!

I thought maybe, just maybe, I could direct-sow some Emerald F1 seeds, and it would work out. So that’s what I tried, and it actually worked!

The luffa sponges are much larger and way longer than any of the others I’ve grown. I have two gourds that are a decent size, and I can’t wait to report again in the fall!

If it actually works out, I'll finally get a decent sponge or two!

Can you believe it's already the end of the month!? Here are your weekly garden tasks for August 25th-31st!

🌻 At this point, cleaning up your yard might mean doing one last round of w**ding or pulling out plants that are destroyed. I generally leave most things in my garden over the winter, but I will pull the odd plant that needs it.