Topic: Glass Jam Jars

[jessico]

Hello Everyone,
I am complete new to the scene of allotments and this site so i'm not to sure if i'm even on the right part of the forum ... I have recently been given an allotment and I have found it very daunting but putting that aside ... I once heard some say they used glass jam jars in their allotment (how ever this was along time ago )


MY question is really ... what can you use glass jam jars for in an allotment I have loads and I was going to get rid of them when i remembered the allotment .. and the if you can use don't throw....If anyone has any ideas i would really appreciate them

Thanks for reading

[Tulipa]

Hi Jessico and welcome  :)

I use loads of jam jars for chutney and jam making and can't get enough, even if you have never done this you may find you will in the future as a way of preserving all your wonderful veggies :)  I can never get enough jam jars so if you can't use them yourself someone else on your site might be glad of them!

We also have a jam jar message system on our alltoment site where people have a jam jar with a lid near their gate and we leave messages for each other in them!

I am sure others will come up with more ideas.

good luck and enjoy your allotment  :)

[elvis2003]

love your messaging system tulipa!  :D

[antipodes]

jessico were you asking what you can use them for outside?   I can't think of anything - in general using glass is pretty hazardous. But do use them for all your jams and chutneys and sauces! An allotment as you will see, tends to give things in fits and starts! You will get used to freezing and preserving so you don't eat a mountain of beans followed by a mountain of tomatoes until you are sick of the bally lot  ;D ;D ;D

[Digeroo]

My MIL used to use jam jar to prevent the slugs and pigeons eating her strawberries.  But I also do not like glass in the garden, it is so difficult to shift if it breaks.

So I would put them in the back of the cupboard and wait for those future gluts.

[jessico]

Hi all for the reply's

I think I'm gonna them keep at back of cupboard for now as was

Tulipa thanks for the welcome.. and a great idea re using them for messages. :-)

Eevis I agree with ya :-)

antipodes yes I was really on about outside :-)

Digeroo thanks for the reply .. will be taking your idea about cupboard .. :-)

[chriscross1966]

I'd not take glass to my allotment except for horti glass cloches, and even then I'd be in two minds I think... thankfully I make enough jam that all my small glass jars have an important role to play at home.... just made some wild yellow plum, blackcurrant and sloe gin jam... not much but it should put me in with a shout at a couple of shows ..

Note to self, I need an automatic pan stirrer....

[jessico]

Hi chriscross1966 cheers for the reply , I have decided I'm
 not going to use the jars will freecycle them at some point or just get rid ... got to many lol

p.s don't forget to get your automatic pan stirrer  :)

[caroline7758]

If you suddenly become an avid jam maker in the future, you can usually get hold of jam jars through your local freecycle group.

[Digeroo]

It is a good year for blackberries in the hedgerows.  It will not be long before there is free fuirt available.   Blackberry and apple jelly is lovely.

[chriscross1966]

Blackberry and port jam won me a prize last year in a mates local show...I just followed the recipe for strawberry jam on the jam sugar packet and put half a glass of port in with 3.2Kg of blackberries (it took 4Kg of jam sugar)....

I'm going to have to boil up the yellow plum and blackcurrant jam again tonight... it hasn't set, taste is lovely but a bit on the tart side too so it will get a bit more sugar to help it out....

[Vinlander]

I remember a few uses for maybe 10-20 jars, not much more...

Traditionally jamjars on top of canes were used to support netting for a temporary fruit cage/type/thing. Still occasionally useful.

They are really brilliant for reducing wear on a net, but these days the nets are plastic and disintegrate in sunshine in a few years, so it's easier to use plastic bottles on the canes -  hoops made from plastic pipe are even better.

They were also traditionally used to store VERY dry seeds - being moisture and more importantly rat-proof.

Also any useful nicknacks that might rust - like steel nails and screws etc.

Cheers.