Dear Helen: My young prune plum tree has produced a few plums this summer. They are sweet and delicious, but I am concerned about pale brown patches on the skin surfaces of some of the plums. I have heard that a disease called brown rot is a common and serious issue with prune plums.
L.D.
Your description does not indicate brown rot, which rots the fruit. Some of my prune plums always bear those tan patches on the skins. This is a common, environmentally induced condition, a sort of “weathering” that is usually called “russetting’ or “russet scab.” Rainfall during full bloom sets the fruits up for this condition.
Dear Helen: Like many gardeners at this time in summer, I’m buried in zucchini, which I love. I was passing some to a friend who recalled a recipe for zucchini squares that you had in a column. She had made it, but no longer had the recipe. If you still have the recipe, could you repeat it in a column?
F.E.
That was in a column a few years ago. I don’t make the squares every summer, but I did bake them very recently to share with a friend. I like cooking; she does not. We trade (my) food for (her) services in the form of reflexology treatments that I find hugely beneficial.
The recipe makes a sizable amount of food, ideal for sharing or feeding hungry hordes. Toppings can vary. This time I scattered sliced olives, red pepper strips and pine nuts on the surface before baking. Grated parmesan cheese is another possible topping.
Zucchini and Cheese Squares
3 beaten eggs
1 cup flour (can be all or part whole wheat)
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
4 cups sliced zucchini
2 cups broken up or cubed feta or cheddar cheese
Dash of hot sauce (optional)
Pine nuts or sesame seeds for topping
Blend baking powder with flour and add with milk to eggs. Whisk smooth. Add zucchini, cheese, and hot sauce if you like to spice up otherwise fairly mild-tasting food. Pour into a rectangular pan 23 by 33 cm. Older pans will be identified as 9 by 13 inches. Either oil the pan or line it with parchment paper first. Add topping(s). Bake at 375 F for 25 to 30 minutes. Top should be golden and puffy.
Variations: Depending on the season and what’s producing well in the garden, kale or broccoli can be substituted for zucchini.
Dear Helen: I’m processing plums and apples now, and the fruit flies are a huge nuisance. Have you found ways of trapping or diverting them from foods that attract them?
G.C.
When I am harvesting late summer fruits like figs, plums and apples, I try to schedule each picking when I know I’ll have time to process them. When that is not possible, I arrange the fruit on layers of newspaper in shallow cardboard trays (from the liquor store) and cover the fruit with multiple layers of newspaper to deter fruit flies.
I’ve found that an effective trap can be made with a shallow layer of apple cider vinegar in a shallow glass jar. Adding a few drops of dish washing liquid enhances the trap’s effectiveness.
A similar trap can be made with fruit in a container covered with vented plastic wrap. The flies enter the holes but usually cannot find their way out. Lemon pieces are a powerful attractant.
I have turned a sink-side compost container holding fruit and vegetable trimmings into a similar trap by using a plastic wrap covering. When it’s time to bury the contents in a hole dug in the garden, I open the cover outdoors.
GARDEN EVENTS
Floral arts. The Mid Island Floral Art Club will meet on Thursday, Sept. 12, at 2 p.m. in St. Stephen’s Church hall, 150 Village Way in Qualicum Beach. The afternoon will feature a demonstration and workshop: “Harvest Moon - Crescent Design.” Guest fee $6. New members are welcome.
Fall garden show. The View Royal Garden Club is holding its annual Fall Garden Show on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 1 to 3 p.m. in Wheeley Hall, behind Esquimalt United Church, 500 Admirals Rd. Entrance off Lyall St. Exhibits will include perennials, vegetables, fruits, potted plants, herbs. Admission of $5 includes refreshments and door prize tickets. Information at .
