February gardening tips
Making Seed Tapes - A Good Winter Project
Mix together 1/4 cup corn starch with 1 cup water.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until it has boiled for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool, then put into and seal a small sandwich bag. Prick one corner of the filled bag with a pin or make a very small cut across the corner of the bag. Alternately, use the smallest cake decorator tip. -- Use a # 1 size.
Tear off a length of about 4 to 6 continuous sheets of paper towel. Fold them, accordion style along the perforations to form a stack of 4-6 connected towels.
Using scissors, cut off a 1 inch wide strip across the stack from one perforated edge to the other perforated (folded) edge to make a long strip. Continue cutting 1 inch wide strips from the stack of towels.
Unfold one stack of paper towel strips to form a long strip. Gently squeeze very small dollops of corn starch glue at intervals large enough to not have to thin your plants when you plant them later in your garden or in seed propagating pots if planting indoors. (Carrots need to be 1 1/2 - 2 inches apart to save seeds and to eliminate having to thin them.) Many seeds can be set apart much further than recommended on their packets. (See Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew for spacing rationale and great info.)
Use a dampened or dipped-in-water pencil, toothpick, bamboo skewer, etc. to lift a single seed from your seed supply and place onto a dollop of corn starch goo.
In using tiny seeds such as lobelia, using the same wet applicator technique, allow several seeds in each dollop of goo. You will not have to divide them later if you space the dollops far enough apart. Each dollop should grow a clump of tiny seedlings that can be left as a single plug.
Let strip dry thoroughly (Overnight is best). Label and date the strips (actually, it’s easiest to label and date first, before you add the goo and seeds).
When completely dry, roll up the strips loosely and store in a dry place until ready to plant.
To plant, just tear off the length you want, lay tape on prepared soil and lightly cover with soil. Be sure to keep the towel strips damp as they can wick away moisture too fast if not covered with soil or a lid on your planting tray. The tape also needs to be in total contact with the soil.
Hopefully this helps make your planting a pleasure during an otherwise busy season.
Other suggestions: Dip the toothpick/pencil into the cornstarch goo instead of water, especially for tiny seeds.
Cornstarch goo will stay moist for many days if kept tightly sealed. Put bag in hot water if cool/lumpy to thin. One batch does LOTS of seed tapes.
February 2014 Newsletter
CHIVES
It is documented that the ancient Chinese were the first to use chives as long ago as 3000 years B.C.
Marco Polo is credited with bringing chives to Europe from China, but the Romans also are attributed with bringing chives over to Europe earlier where they now grow wild.
Chives are said to have been used in Europe as far back as 5000 years ago, but have only been cultivated in Europe since the Middle Ages.
The Romans believed chives could relieve the pain from sunburn and a sore throat. They also believed that eating chives would increase blood pressure and act as a diuretic.
It was believed that if you hang bunches of dried chives around a house you can ward off disease and evil much like garlic.
Romanian Gypsies are said to have used chives in fortune telling.
Culinary uses for Chives
Flower heads can be used as a garnish for soups and salads and I plan on using more edible flowers like this in the coming season.
Although chives are the smallest of the alliums it still has a wonderful flavor. Chive leaves are a commonly used herb in cooking popular when cooking fish, potatoes, pancakes, soups, omelets and other dishes.
Chives are one of the “fines herbes” found in French cuisine.
Chives are delicious sprinkled in salads: green salads, cucumber salad, or tomato salad.
Medicinal uses for Chives
Chives are rich in vitamins A and C, are rich in calcium and iron and contain trace amounts of sulfur. The medicinal properties of chives are similar to those of garlic, but are said to be weaker which is why they are not used as much.
Chives are said to have a beneficial effect on the circulatory system, and are a mild stimulant, diuretic and antiseptic.
Garden uses
The purple flowers are often used in dry bouquets which I will have to try.
Chives can be used in gardens to control pests. One pest they are said to repel is the dreaded Japanese beetle. I will have to watch for this. The juice of the leaves can be used for insect repellent as well as fighting fungal infections, mildew and scab.
Even though chives can deter insects in general, their flowers attract bees for pollination especially of the veg garden. I have many clumps near my veg beds.
Chives make a nice ornamental plant in the garden.
Language of Flowers
Chives are said to represent usefulness and I can concur. They have so many uses or you can just grow them for their sheer beauty in the garden.
Mix together 1/4 cup corn starch with 1 cup water.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until it has boiled for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool, then put into and seal a small sandwich bag. Prick one corner of the filled bag with a pin or make a very small cut across the corner of the bag. Alternately, use the smallest cake decorator tip. -- Use a # 1 size.
Tear off a length of about 4 to 6 continuous sheets of paper towel. Fold them, accordion style along the perforations to form a stack of 4-6 connected towels.
Using scissors, cut off a 1 inch wide strip across the stack from one perforated edge to the other perforated (folded) edge to make a long strip. Continue cutting 1 inch wide strips from the stack of towels.
Unfold one stack of paper towel strips to form a long strip. Gently squeeze very small dollops of corn starch glue at intervals large enough to not have to thin your plants when you plant them later in your garden or in seed propagating pots if planting indoors. (Carrots need to be 1 1/2 - 2 inches apart to save seeds and to eliminate having to thin them.) Many seeds can be set apart much further than recommended on their packets. (See Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew for spacing rationale and great info.)
Use a dampened or dipped-in-water pencil, toothpick, bamboo skewer, etc. to lift a single seed from your seed supply and place onto a dollop of corn starch goo.
In using tiny seeds such as lobelia, using the same wet applicator technique, allow several seeds in each dollop of goo. You will not have to divide them later if you space the dollops far enough apart. Each dollop should grow a clump of tiny seedlings that can be left as a single plug.
Let strip dry thoroughly (Overnight is best). Label and date the strips (actually, it’s easiest to label and date first, before you add the goo and seeds).
When completely dry, roll up the strips loosely and store in a dry place until ready to plant.
To plant, just tear off the length you want, lay tape on prepared soil and lightly cover with soil. Be sure to keep the towel strips damp as they can wick away moisture too fast if not covered with soil or a lid on your planting tray. The tape also needs to be in total contact with the soil.
Hopefully this helps make your planting a pleasure during an otherwise busy season.
Other suggestions: Dip the toothpick/pencil into the cornstarch goo instead of water, especially for tiny seeds.
Cornstarch goo will stay moist for many days if kept tightly sealed. Put bag in hot water if cool/lumpy to thin. One batch does LOTS of seed tapes.
February 2014 Newsletter
CHIVES
It is documented that the ancient Chinese were the first to use chives as long ago as 3000 years B.C.
Marco Polo is credited with bringing chives to Europe from China, but the Romans also are attributed with bringing chives over to Europe earlier where they now grow wild.
Chives are said to have been used in Europe as far back as 5000 years ago, but have only been cultivated in Europe since the Middle Ages.
The Romans believed chives could relieve the pain from sunburn and a sore throat. They also believed that eating chives would increase blood pressure and act as a diuretic.
It was believed that if you hang bunches of dried chives around a house you can ward off disease and evil much like garlic.
Romanian Gypsies are said to have used chives in fortune telling.
Culinary uses for Chives
Flower heads can be used as a garnish for soups and salads and I plan on using more edible flowers like this in the coming season.
Although chives are the smallest of the alliums it still has a wonderful flavor. Chive leaves are a commonly used herb in cooking popular when cooking fish, potatoes, pancakes, soups, omelets and other dishes.
Chives are one of the “fines herbes” found in French cuisine.
Chives are delicious sprinkled in salads: green salads, cucumber salad, or tomato salad.
Medicinal uses for Chives
Chives are rich in vitamins A and C, are rich in calcium and iron and contain trace amounts of sulfur. The medicinal properties of chives are similar to those of garlic, but are said to be weaker which is why they are not used as much.
Chives are said to have a beneficial effect on the circulatory system, and are a mild stimulant, diuretic and antiseptic.
Garden uses
The purple flowers are often used in dry bouquets which I will have to try.
Chives can be used in gardens to control pests. One pest they are said to repel is the dreaded Japanese beetle. I will have to watch for this. The juice of the leaves can be used for insect repellent as well as fighting fungal infections, mildew and scab.
Even though chives can deter insects in general, their flowers attract bees for pollination especially of the veg garden. I have many clumps near my veg beds.
Chives make a nice ornamental plant in the garden.
Language of Flowers
Chives are said to represent usefulness and I can concur. They have so many uses or you can just grow them for their sheer beauty in the garden.
February 2013 Newsletter
|
Use toilet paper rolls to start seeds, then transfer the whole roll to the
ground when planting. Cardboard will decompose and roots are undisturbed. |
February 2013 Newsletter
TIME FOR A CLEAN POT AND A SIX-PAC
by Joan
So, you want to garden. It's February you know. It may not be what you had in mind, but now is a good time to plan your garden on paper; Much easier to move plants around that way. A real time-saver for when the gardening season is upon us.
If you did not clean your pots in the fall you can do it now. Wash in hot soapy water and rinse well. Look around as later this month you can find six packs of petunias. If you have the space and the light buy some and plant in those clean pots. Use grow lights for a week or two if needed. At least you can smell the damp soil and something will be growing. By early March you will have more choices.
For color, look for blooming houseplants. Try an orchid; The flowers last a long time and they are readily available in many places. Now is the time you can
find other blooming houseplants like stretocarpus (Cape Primrose), Easter
Cactus, gloxinia, clivia, cyclamen and African Violet to name a few. Make a
visit to a greenhouse. It will lift your spirits and most likely you'll need to
revise your paper garden plan. Take a friend. Stop for coffee. Enjoy! Spring is
on the way.
TIME FOR A CLEAN POT AND A SIX-PAC
by Joan
So, you want to garden. It's February you know. It may not be what you had in mind, but now is a good time to plan your garden on paper; Much easier to move plants around that way. A real time-saver for when the gardening season is upon us.
If you did not clean your pots in the fall you can do it now. Wash in hot soapy water and rinse well. Look around as later this month you can find six packs of petunias. If you have the space and the light buy some and plant in those clean pots. Use grow lights for a week or two if needed. At least you can smell the damp soil and something will be growing. By early March you will have more choices.
For color, look for blooming houseplants. Try an orchid; The flowers last a long time and they are readily available in many places. Now is the time you can
find other blooming houseplants like stretocarpus (Cape Primrose), Easter
Cactus, gloxinia, clivia, cyclamen and African Violet to name a few. Make a
visit to a greenhouse. It will lift your spirits and most likely you'll need to
revise your paper garden plan. Take a friend. Stop for coffee. Enjoy! Spring is
on the way.
Dimond Greenhouses
February 18, 2011
Begonia Bulbs: For those of you wanting to get your hands in the soil, our ‘greenhouse quality’ Begonia Bulbs have arrived and they are big! Now is the time to get these started for the coming season. We have a good selection of both hanging basket and upright types.
If you stored your bulbs over the winter it is time to replant them. Check the bulbs carefully to make sure they are still in good condition.
Planting Begonia Bulbs
• Start with a high-quality potting soil with sphagnum peat moss.
• Plant bulbs right side up--normally, rounded on the bottom and concave on the top.
• Plant the bulbs shallowly and cover them lightly, then moisten the soil.
• They should be kept warm and moist, but shouldn’t be allowed to get too wet.
• Once they have sprouted and the chance of frost is gone, you may set them outside.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
February 18, 2011
Begonia Bulbs: For those of you wanting to get your hands in the soil, our ‘greenhouse quality’ Begonia Bulbs have arrived and they are big! Now is the time to get these started for the coming season. We have a good selection of both hanging basket and upright types.
If you stored your bulbs over the winter it is time to replant them. Check the bulbs carefully to make sure they are still in good condition.
Planting Begonia Bulbs
• Start with a high-quality potting soil with sphagnum peat moss.
• Plant bulbs right side up--normally, rounded on the bottom and concave on the top.
• Plant the bulbs shallowly and cover them lightly, then moisten the soil.
• They should be kept warm and moist, but shouldn’t be allowed to get too wet.
• Once they have sprouted and the chance of frost is gone, you may set them outside.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
February 2012 Newsletter
The Whipping Post!
How about the tale telling folks to beat their fruit trees! This always gets a few folks laughing . . . not to mention some raised eyebrows.
Although they may laugh, lots of folks get the message, and sneak out in the dead of night (when their neighbors are sleeping) to administer their tree whippings.
Whipping lazy old fruit trees with a “bearing” switch is something learned a long time ago. Smetimes, a tree suffers from “hardening of the arteries.” Its sap vessels become constricted and don’t carry the vital fluid to the leaves, buds, and spurs. If this happens, the tree’s “metabolism” slows down, and it is unable to bear fruit. That’s when you really need to whip it into shape!
Use a three-to-four-foot sturdy willow switch or rolled-up newspaper and give the trunk a thorough lacing as far up as you can reach. You will be amazed at the fruit that you will get old lazybones to produce!
Whip your trees on moonlit nights in the early spring, and you’ll have a good harvest when bearing season arrives. Let neighbors arch their brows all they want … this trick really works!
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Whipping Post!
How about the tale telling folks to beat their fruit trees! This always gets a few folks laughing . . . not to mention some raised eyebrows.
Although they may laugh, lots of folks get the message, and sneak out in the dead of night (when their neighbors are sleeping) to administer their tree whippings.
Whipping lazy old fruit trees with a “bearing” switch is something learned a long time ago. Smetimes, a tree suffers from “hardening of the arteries.” Its sap vessels become constricted and don’t carry the vital fluid to the leaves, buds, and spurs. If this happens, the tree’s “metabolism” slows down, and it is unable to bear fruit. That’s when you really need to whip it into shape!
Use a three-to-four-foot sturdy willow switch or rolled-up newspaper and give the trunk a thorough lacing as far up as you can reach. You will be amazed at the fruit that you will get old lazybones to produce!
Whip your trees on moonlit nights in the early spring, and you’ll have a good harvest when bearing season arrives. Let neighbors arch their brows all they want … this trick really works!
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
February 2012 Newsletter
Ladybugs
An extraordinary number of different types of ladybugs, also known as ladybeetles and ladybird beetles, exist in the world. Most ladybugs are predators and so are valuable to the gardener, with a few exceptions such as the Mexican bean beetle, which can actually be a devastating pest. There are 475 species of ladybug in North America north of Mexico. Obviously all of these different types of ladybugs aren’t for sale, but many of them can have a positive effect on your garden by feeding on insects that feed on your plants.
The best advice for someone who wants to keep ladybugs in their garden is to stop spraying insecticides. Sure, that might mean that you’ll have to put up with some insect problems for a season, but in time these fabulous insects will come back and you’ll be happier for it.
Because of the carnivorous nature of most ladybugs, they’ve been a favorite subject for scientists who want to introduce a predatory insect into an area to take care of a particular problem. The first truly effective introduced biological control in the United States was a ladybug called the vedalia beetle that was brought into Florida in 1888-89 to attack cottony cushion scale, which was accidentally introduced into the United States in 1867 from Australia and which was devastating citrus orchards. The vedalia beetle proved to be so effective that by the end of 1889 cottony cushion scale ceased to be a major problem in citrus production. Interestingly enough, the use of DDT as a pest control in the 1940s and 1950s actually caused an outbreak of cottony cushion scale because of its effect on the vedalia beetle.
Not every ladybug introduction has had the same level of success as the vedalia beetle. Around 1980 the Asian
ladybug, Harmonia axyridis, was introduced across the United States to feed on various insect pests, most notably aphids that attack pecans. Though this ladybug is effective at controlling pecan aphids it has become something of a pest itself because of its propensity for flying into homes and setting up residence where it isn’t wanted.
For most gardeners, the ladybugs that are naturally in their gardens are sufficient to control most pests, and adding more ladybugs isn’t warranted. If you do want to try adding ladybugs, you’ll probably purchase either Hippodamia convergens, aka the convergent ladybeetle, or Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, better known as the
mealybug destroyer. Both of these ladybugs are good at eating.
Unfortunately, the convergent ladybeetle has a tendency to leave the area where it was released, making it a somewhat unreliable predator. The mealybug destroyer is less likely to leave if sufficient prey are available and is frequently released into conservatories and other enclosed spaces from which it can’t escape.
BENEFITS: Ladybugs are fantastic eaters, especially when they’re larvae. Different species of ladybug will attack mealybug, aphids, mites, young caterpillars, scale, and other pests.
DRAWBACKS: Ladybugs have a tendency to leave. Because they’re collected while hibernating, they have a desire to disperse as soon as they’re released. Certain ladybugs are advertised as being more likely to stick around your garden after release, but these claims haven’t been tested adequately fully.
THE BOTTOM LINE: If you’ve got an enclosed area where you’re releasing ladybugs, they ought to do fine, but if you’re releasing them into an open area, they may well leave before they have a chance to do much good. Perhaps the most important thing to know about ladybugs is that they’re very susceptible to insecticides.
If they’re planning on using insecticides, don’t plan on buying ladybug. Personally, I’m not a believer in purchasing ladybugs for outdoor situations and instead try to concentrate on conserving the ladybugs I have naturally through reduced use of insecticides.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Ladybugs
An extraordinary number of different types of ladybugs, also known as ladybeetles and ladybird beetles, exist in the world. Most ladybugs are predators and so are valuable to the gardener, with a few exceptions such as the Mexican bean beetle, which can actually be a devastating pest. There are 475 species of ladybug in North America north of Mexico. Obviously all of these different types of ladybugs aren’t for sale, but many of them can have a positive effect on your garden by feeding on insects that feed on your plants.
The best advice for someone who wants to keep ladybugs in their garden is to stop spraying insecticides. Sure, that might mean that you’ll have to put up with some insect problems for a season, but in time these fabulous insects will come back and you’ll be happier for it.
Because of the carnivorous nature of most ladybugs, they’ve been a favorite subject for scientists who want to introduce a predatory insect into an area to take care of a particular problem. The first truly effective introduced biological control in the United States was a ladybug called the vedalia beetle that was brought into Florida in 1888-89 to attack cottony cushion scale, which was accidentally introduced into the United States in 1867 from Australia and which was devastating citrus orchards. The vedalia beetle proved to be so effective that by the end of 1889 cottony cushion scale ceased to be a major problem in citrus production. Interestingly enough, the use of DDT as a pest control in the 1940s and 1950s actually caused an outbreak of cottony cushion scale because of its effect on the vedalia beetle.
Not every ladybug introduction has had the same level of success as the vedalia beetle. Around 1980 the Asian
ladybug, Harmonia axyridis, was introduced across the United States to feed on various insect pests, most notably aphids that attack pecans. Though this ladybug is effective at controlling pecan aphids it has become something of a pest itself because of its propensity for flying into homes and setting up residence where it isn’t wanted.
For most gardeners, the ladybugs that are naturally in their gardens are sufficient to control most pests, and adding more ladybugs isn’t warranted. If you do want to try adding ladybugs, you’ll probably purchase either Hippodamia convergens, aka the convergent ladybeetle, or Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, better known as the
mealybug destroyer. Both of these ladybugs are good at eating.
Unfortunately, the convergent ladybeetle has a tendency to leave the area where it was released, making it a somewhat unreliable predator. The mealybug destroyer is less likely to leave if sufficient prey are available and is frequently released into conservatories and other enclosed spaces from which it can’t escape.
BENEFITS: Ladybugs are fantastic eaters, especially when they’re larvae. Different species of ladybug will attack mealybug, aphids, mites, young caterpillars, scale, and other pests.
DRAWBACKS: Ladybugs have a tendency to leave. Because they’re collected while hibernating, they have a desire to disperse as soon as they’re released. Certain ladybugs are advertised as being more likely to stick around your garden after release, but these claims haven’t been tested adequately fully.
THE BOTTOM LINE: If you’ve got an enclosed area where you’re releasing ladybugs, they ought to do fine, but if you’re releasing them into an open area, they may well leave before they have a chance to do much good. Perhaps the most important thing to know about ladybugs is that they’re very susceptible to insecticides.
If they’re planning on using insecticides, don’t plan on buying ladybug. Personally, I’m not a believer in purchasing ladybugs for outdoor situations and instead try to concentrate on conserving the ladybugs I have naturally through reduced use of insecticides.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
February 2012 Newsletter
Poppy Love
When winter lingers too long, find a packet of poppy seeds and scatter them over the snow. They’ll do best in a previously cultivated spot, but even a grassy slope is apt to show their determined germination come spring.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Poppy Love
When winter lingers too long, find a packet of poppy seeds and scatter them over the snow. They’ll do best in a previously cultivated spot, but even a grassy slope is apt to show their determined germination come spring.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
February 2012 Newsletter
LOVE YOUR LILIES
To get the most from your lilies, you need to treat them well right from the start. Give them a little tender loving care, and you’ll be rewarded with lovely blooms.
Start at the right depth. Most bulbs don’t need more than 4 inches of soil over them. The exceptions are ‘Cascade Strain’ and ‘White Elf’, which should be planted with not more than 1 inch of settled soil over the tops of the bulbs.
Feed ‘em well. Lilies have big appetites and they root deeply. They need porous, well-aerated soil that is rich in humus. Supplement the soil with a well-balanced plant food.
Mulch generously. Lilies love a good mulch of well-rotted cow manure, rich compost, or decaying leaf mold. Keep it nice and thick by applying it several times during the growing season. The mulch keeps the soil cool, discour ages weeds, and eliminates the need for surface cultivation, which might hurt the stem roots of your growing lilies.
Keep out the competition. Lilies love being the center of attention and hate competition. Don’t expect your lilies to compete with strong-growing perennials or shrubs. Instead, plant a shallow-rooted groundcover near your lilies to keep the ground shaded.
Long-Life Lilies
The secret to keeping your lilies strong and healthy is to feed them two or three times during the growing season. Scatter a handful of balanced fertilizer every few feet along with a pound of wood ashes every 20 square feet.
If your soil and water are alkaline, then scatter a pinch or two of agricultural sulphur over the soil, and water it two or three times during the growing season.
Use peat moss as a mulch. It is slightly acidic, which is good for lilies, and it provides an ideal medium for the stem roots.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
LOVE YOUR LILIES
To get the most from your lilies, you need to treat them well right from the start. Give them a little tender loving care, and you’ll be rewarded with lovely blooms.
Start at the right depth. Most bulbs don’t need more than 4 inches of soil over them. The exceptions are ‘Cascade Strain’ and ‘White Elf’, which should be planted with not more than 1 inch of settled soil over the tops of the bulbs.
Feed ‘em well. Lilies have big appetites and they root deeply. They need porous, well-aerated soil that is rich in humus. Supplement the soil with a well-balanced plant food.
Mulch generously. Lilies love a good mulch of well-rotted cow manure, rich compost, or decaying leaf mold. Keep it nice and thick by applying it several times during the growing season. The mulch keeps the soil cool, discour ages weeds, and eliminates the need for surface cultivation, which might hurt the stem roots of your growing lilies.
Keep out the competition. Lilies love being the center of attention and hate competition. Don’t expect your lilies to compete with strong-growing perennials or shrubs. Instead, plant a shallow-rooted groundcover near your lilies to keep the ground shaded.
Long-Life Lilies
The secret to keeping your lilies strong and healthy is to feed them two or three times during the growing season. Scatter a handful of balanced fertilizer every few feet along with a pound of wood ashes every 20 square feet.
If your soil and water are alkaline, then scatter a pinch or two of agricultural sulphur over the soil, and water it two or three times during the growing season.
Use peat moss as a mulch. It is slightly acidic, which is good for lilies, and it provides an ideal medium for the stem roots.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
February 2012 Newsletter
Preview a tree planting.
Help yourself visualize where you want to plant a tree before you actually put it in the ground. Set up a ladder as a stand-in.
Give your trees a perfect shape.
Most trees don’t come with an even, rounded shape, but you can help yours grow that way if you plant it so most of its branches face away from the afternoon sun. This encourages more branches to sprout on the tree’s less-developed side.
Plant smart to avoid tree problems.
When planting a tree, arrange it so the section that has the most low branches faces away from high-traffic places, like sidewalks. At the same time, try to place high branches on a side with lots of clearance. You’ll save yourself from pruning as the tree grows.
Get a grip on soil moisture.
It’s essential to have moist soil when you plant a tree, so test the ground beforehand. Using a narrow trowel, dig up soil 6 to 8 inches deep. Hold it in your hand and squeeze. If it sticks together, the soil is moist enough. Otherwise, give the ground a good watering.
Give your sapling room to grow.
When planting a burlap-sacked sapling, dig the hole three times the size of its root ball. To help you decide where to dig, place the sapling on the ground where you want to plant it. Outline the area by removing the surrounding grass with your shovel.
Preview a tree planting.
Help yourself visualize where you want to plant a tree before you actually put it in the ground. Set up a ladder as a stand-in.
Give your trees a perfect shape.
Most trees don’t come with an even, rounded shape, but you can help yours grow that way if you plant it so most of its branches face away from the afternoon sun. This encourages more branches to sprout on the tree’s less-developed side.
Plant smart to avoid tree problems.
When planting a tree, arrange it so the section that has the most low branches faces away from high-traffic places, like sidewalks. At the same time, try to place high branches on a side with lots of clearance. You’ll save yourself from pruning as the tree grows.
Get a grip on soil moisture.
It’s essential to have moist soil when you plant a tree, so test the ground beforehand. Using a narrow trowel, dig up soil 6 to 8 inches deep. Hold it in your hand and squeeze. If it sticks together, the soil is moist enough. Otherwise, give the ground a good watering.
Give your sapling room to grow.
When planting a burlap-sacked sapling, dig the hole three times the size of its root ball. To help you decide where to dig, place the sapling on the ground where you want to plant it. Outline the area by removing the surrounding grass with your shovel.
Settle the soil around a new tree.
A garden hose can help settle the soil around your newly planted tree. Run the water and shove the hose
nozzle in and out of the freshly refilled dirt all around the tree.
Help quench your tree’s thirst.
To keep the earth moist around your newly planted tree, build a ring of soil 3 inches high around the base of the tree to create a basin.
Have a stake in your tree’s future.
Set stakes firmly in the ground next to young trees. For a thin tree - one that’s 2 inches or less around - one 8-foot-long stake will keep it sturdy. Thicker trees could use two or three stakes to hold them up.
Protect your tree with an old hose.
Tie your tree to its stakes with an old garden hose and some wire that you can find in your garage. Cut a section out of the hose long enough to reach around the tree trunk. Run the wire through it. Then simply put the hose around the tree and tie the wire to the stake. The rubber protects the tree from getting injured by the
wire.
A gentle way to tie plants to stakes.
Cut old pantyhose into strips to tie young trees and plants to stakes. The pantyhose won’t damage delicate plants, and it’ll be easy to remove.
A garden hose can help settle the soil around your newly planted tree. Run the water and shove the hose
nozzle in and out of the freshly refilled dirt all around the tree.
Help quench your tree’s thirst.
To keep the earth moist around your newly planted tree, build a ring of soil 3 inches high around the base of the tree to create a basin.
Have a stake in your tree’s future.
Set stakes firmly in the ground next to young trees. For a thin tree - one that’s 2 inches or less around - one 8-foot-long stake will keep it sturdy. Thicker trees could use two or three stakes to hold them up.
Protect your tree with an old hose.
Tie your tree to its stakes with an old garden hose and some wire that you can find in your garage. Cut a section out of the hose long enough to reach around the tree trunk. Run the wire through it. Then simply put the hose around the tree and tie the wire to the stake. The rubber protects the tree from getting injured by the
wire.
A gentle way to tie plants to stakes.
Cut old pantyhose into strips to tie young trees and plants to stakes. The pantyhose won’t damage delicate plants, and it’ll be easy to remove.
Epson salt to the rescue.
Before you sow your crops, toss some Epsom salt into the soil. The stalks will be stronger and the leaves greener. About one cup per every 100 square feet of garden should do the trick.
Seeds love gelatin.
Sprinkle some flavored gelatin on your seeds as you sow them. Then water and cover as you normally would. It doesn’t matter which flavor gelatin you use as it has sugar in it, not artificial sweeter. The sugar provides food for helpful bacteria in the soil. Plus, gelatin has nitrogen, which makes plants grow leafy and green.
Rake in benefits of wider rows.
Instead of planting crops in narrow rows in your garden, try making rows as wide as a rake. That will give you a bigger yield and cut down on weeding and watering.
Save seeds till the cows come home.
Powdered milk is a natural desiccant, or dehumidifier, for seed storage. To use it, first stack four sheets of tissue paper. Place two heaping tablespoons of powdered milk, preferably freshly opened, into a corner of the tissue stack. Fold the tissue around the milk and fasten it shut using a rubber band or tape. Then place it in a jar with your opened seed packets and seal the jar.
Plant a seed in an eggshell.
For an earth-friendly planting pot, use an eggshell. Poke a hole in its bottom with a pencil, fill it with potting soil, and lay your seed. When the seeding is ready to be transplanted, lightly squeeze the shell to crack it. Put the whole thing in the soil. The roots will grow through the cracks, while the shell decomposes and fertilizes the soil.
Before you sow your crops, toss some Epsom salt into the soil. The stalks will be stronger and the leaves greener. About one cup per every 100 square feet of garden should do the trick.
Seeds love gelatin.
Sprinkle some flavored gelatin on your seeds as you sow them. Then water and cover as you normally would. It doesn’t matter which flavor gelatin you use as it has sugar in it, not artificial sweeter. The sugar provides food for helpful bacteria in the soil. Plus, gelatin has nitrogen, which makes plants grow leafy and green.
Rake in benefits of wider rows.
Instead of planting crops in narrow rows in your garden, try making rows as wide as a rake. That will give you a bigger yield and cut down on weeding and watering.
Save seeds till the cows come home.
Powdered milk is a natural desiccant, or dehumidifier, for seed storage. To use it, first stack four sheets of tissue paper. Place two heaping tablespoons of powdered milk, preferably freshly opened, into a corner of the tissue stack. Fold the tissue around the milk and fasten it shut using a rubber band or tape. Then place it in a jar with your opened seed packets and seal the jar.
Plant a seed in an eggshell.
For an earth-friendly planting pot, use an eggshell. Poke a hole in its bottom with a pencil, fill it with potting soil, and lay your seed. When the seeding is ready to be transplanted, lightly squeeze the shell to crack it. Put the whole thing in the soil. The roots will grow through the cracks, while the shell decomposes and fertilizes the soil.
Pathway to perfect planting.
Simple plan for an abundant crop. Growing a successful vegetable garden is a three-season process. In season number one, stick with crops that suck nutrients out of the soil, like corn, squash, broccoli, tomatoes, and melons. The following year, switch to crops that give nutrients back to the soil, like peas, beans, alfalfa, and clover. In the third season, switch back to crops that take a little bit from the ground, like beets, onions, carrots, turnips, and parsnips. Then start the cycle all over again to guarantee nutrient-rich soil and healthy crops.
Keep eyes open for gardening ideas.
Not sure which types of plants and flowers do well in your area? Take a peek in your neighbors’ yards and note what’s blossoming there.
Translate seed packet instructions.
The key to following seed instruction is using the last frost date in your area as your transplant goal. So if the tomato instructions say to sow the seeds six weeks before transplant, that means start the seeds indoors six weeks before the last frost is expected.
Encourage your seeds to sprout.
For quicker germination, soak seeds for beets, Swiss chard, and peas for 15 to 20 minutes before you sow them. Parsley, New Zealand spinach, and celery seeds require an overnight soak.
Persuade tough seeds to flourish.
To help hard-coated seeds germinate faster, soak them in a solution of one teaspoon of meat tenderizer and one quart water. Enzymes in the tenderizer will break down the seed’s outer shell. After they soak overnight, they’re ready to plant.
Give seeds a proper burial.
Whatever starting mix you use, don’t lay your seed in it until you moisten it properly. Add one part water for every four parts mix. Stir it together until it’s wet - but not too wet – all the way through. Then fill your containers a quarter of an inch from the top with this mixture.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Simple plan for an abundant crop. Growing a successful vegetable garden is a three-season process. In season number one, stick with crops that suck nutrients out of the soil, like corn, squash, broccoli, tomatoes, and melons. The following year, switch to crops that give nutrients back to the soil, like peas, beans, alfalfa, and clover. In the third season, switch back to crops that take a little bit from the ground, like beets, onions, carrots, turnips, and parsnips. Then start the cycle all over again to guarantee nutrient-rich soil and healthy crops.
Keep eyes open for gardening ideas.
Not sure which types of plants and flowers do well in your area? Take a peek in your neighbors’ yards and note what’s blossoming there.
Translate seed packet instructions.
The key to following seed instruction is using the last frost date in your area as your transplant goal. So if the tomato instructions say to sow the seeds six weeks before transplant, that means start the seeds indoors six weeks before the last frost is expected.
Encourage your seeds to sprout.
For quicker germination, soak seeds for beets, Swiss chard, and peas for 15 to 20 minutes before you sow them. Parsley, New Zealand spinach, and celery seeds require an overnight soak.
Persuade tough seeds to flourish.
To help hard-coated seeds germinate faster, soak them in a solution of one teaspoon of meat tenderizer and one quart water. Enzymes in the tenderizer will break down the seed’s outer shell. After they soak overnight, they’re ready to plant.
Give seeds a proper burial.
Whatever starting mix you use, don’t lay your seed in it until you moisten it properly. Add one part water for every four parts mix. Stir it together until it’s wet - but not too wet – all the way through. Then fill your containers a quarter of an inch from the top with this mixture.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
February 2011 Newsletter
The Herb Corner
Keeping a Garden Journal
By Florene
As the wind is howling around the house, I am thinking about all those plants out there with almost no snow on them and probably not enough mulch. I have to admit I became kind of complacent last fall when it was time to cover things with leaves or straw. Our winters have been pretty mild for the last couple of years and the plants came through with flying colors. I don’t think this is going to be one of those years. The snow has either melted or been blown away, temperatures have dropped to very cold and then warmed up to the high 40’s putting everything in shock –including me!.
This seems like a good time to encourage you to keep a garden journal – or just a journal of any kind so you can go back and see what happened before everything lived through a winter, or heaven forbid – didn’t make it at all. We got a ten year Gardeners Journal from Lee Valley a couple of years after we moved to Fairview Loop thirteen years ago. We are now starting on our second one. When we started out we were pretty lax about how we kept winter notes. Summer days were overflowing with information, but since nothing was growing in the winter – no notes. Now we know that it is very important to document the weather in winter. If for no other reason than to remind us when we look back that it was cold and windy and then got warm and then froze leaving plants heaved out of the ground or thinking they should grow and then freezing them solid. Or the big
hail storm in August that ripped up the leaves on the Primulas and when we looked at pictures later and someone said whatever happened to those leaves, I can go back in my journal and there it is. My memory isn’t good enough for me to think back and know that we had these events, but a Journal helps keep it all clear.
There are many kinds of journals on the market. I got one for Christmas called “The Year in Flowers.” Walmart, Target and Freddies all have some type of journals and Cranberry Cottage has some lovely ones, too. To get the big ten year one go to www.leevalleytools.com . (Choose the section on gardening books and it will take you to page 32. It’s fun to turn the pages because when you click on the arrow, it actually looks like you are turning the page. I think the journal is on page 33 or 34. ) The journal has some pages for you to keep all kinds of valuable information. Garden layouts – enough for each year; garden purchases; planting records; harvesting records; inventory pages for perennials and trees; insect and disease controls; tool inventories
and last but not least each day of the year with ten pretty roomy spaces for writing in each years notes. It is really fun to go back through and see what happened the previous years when you fill in a new day’s infor-mation. I tend to write more than just garden information in mine- who got married this day, a new baby, a dear friend moved away. I’ve learned that less is more – just a few words will bring to mind a wonderful event to be relived years down the road. A three-ring binder will work to keep miscellaneous information as well.
Give keeping a garden journal a try. You won’t be sorry.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Herb Corner
Keeping a Garden Journal
By Florene
As the wind is howling around the house, I am thinking about all those plants out there with almost no snow on them and probably not enough mulch. I have to admit I became kind of complacent last fall when it was time to cover things with leaves or straw. Our winters have been pretty mild for the last couple of years and the plants came through with flying colors. I don’t think this is going to be one of those years. The snow has either melted or been blown away, temperatures have dropped to very cold and then warmed up to the high 40’s putting everything in shock –including me!.
This seems like a good time to encourage you to keep a garden journal – or just a journal of any kind so you can go back and see what happened before everything lived through a winter, or heaven forbid – didn’t make it at all. We got a ten year Gardeners Journal from Lee Valley a couple of years after we moved to Fairview Loop thirteen years ago. We are now starting on our second one. When we started out we were pretty lax about how we kept winter notes. Summer days were overflowing with information, but since nothing was growing in the winter – no notes. Now we know that it is very important to document the weather in winter. If for no other reason than to remind us when we look back that it was cold and windy and then got warm and then froze leaving plants heaved out of the ground or thinking they should grow and then freezing them solid. Or the big
hail storm in August that ripped up the leaves on the Primulas and when we looked at pictures later and someone said whatever happened to those leaves, I can go back in my journal and there it is. My memory isn’t good enough for me to think back and know that we had these events, but a Journal helps keep it all clear.
There are many kinds of journals on the market. I got one for Christmas called “The Year in Flowers.” Walmart, Target and Freddies all have some type of journals and Cranberry Cottage has some lovely ones, too. To get the big ten year one go to www.leevalleytools.com . (Choose the section on gardening books and it will take you to page 32. It’s fun to turn the pages because when you click on the arrow, it actually looks like you are turning the page. I think the journal is on page 33 or 34. ) The journal has some pages for you to keep all kinds of valuable information. Garden layouts – enough for each year; garden purchases; planting records; harvesting records; inventory pages for perennials and trees; insect and disease controls; tool inventories
and last but not least each day of the year with ten pretty roomy spaces for writing in each years notes. It is really fun to go back through and see what happened the previous years when you fill in a new day’s infor-mation. I tend to write more than just garden information in mine- who got married this day, a new baby, a dear friend moved away. I’ve learned that less is more – just a few words will bring to mind a wonderful event to be relived years down the road. A three-ring binder will work to keep miscellaneous information as well.
Give keeping a garden journal a try. You won’t be sorry.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
February 2011 Newsletter
Cold Regions (Zone 7 and Lower)
Prune trees and shrubs, both ornamentals and fruit
Check flower beds for plants that may have heaved
Replace mulch as needed
Check outside plants and trees for animal damage
Cut some branches for forcing indoors
Rejuvenate holly bushes with a hard pruning
Check evergreens for sign of desiccation
Start seeds of cool season vegetables and flowers
Cold Regions (Zone 7 and Lower)
Prune trees and shrubs, both ornamentals and fruit
Check flower beds for plants that may have heaved
Replace mulch as needed
Check outside plants and trees for animal damage
Cut some branches for forcing indoors
Rejuvenate holly bushes with a hard pruning
Check evergreens for sign of desiccation
Start seeds of cool season vegetables and flowers
February 2011 Newsletter
What To Do in the Garden ~ February
February may well be the toughest gardening month.
Thank goodness it’s short. Gardeners in cold climates have put the holidays
behind them and just want to see the sunshine again.
But that doesn’t stop the true gardener from working on their garden. February is for planning and for seeing the first signs that spring is around the corner.
Here are some regional tips for gardening in February.
However since February weather is so unpredictable you’ll have to use some judgment.
Everyone:
Finish up your seed and plant orders.
Keep an eye on houseplants pests
Get your garden tools in order
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
What To Do in the Garden ~ February
February may well be the toughest gardening month.
Thank goodness it’s short. Gardeners in cold climates have put the holidays
behind them and just want to see the sunshine again.
But that doesn’t stop the true gardener from working on their garden. February is for planning and for seeing the first signs that spring is around the corner.
Here are some regional tips for gardening in February.
However since February weather is so unpredictable you’ll have to use some judgment.
Everyone:
Finish up your seed and plant orders.
Keep an eye on houseplants pests
Get your garden tools in order
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Gardening Tips From Our Members
SUBMITTED BY PAT
PLANTING GREEN BEANS IN ALASKA FOR EARLY CROP
This is what I do to the seeds to start green beans in June:
Use Contender or Provider seeds and start them May 1; Soak the seeds overnight in a sprouter jar with a screen on top and rinse them in the morning and drain upside down for a few minutes. Rinse them four times daily, then drain.
As soon as you see sprouts, keep them in a bowl where they can spread out and put water in the bowl and drain well, being careful not to break the roots and sprouts. Put a loose piece of paper towel over the top between rinsings. Let the seeds sprout until they have green leaves and roots on them and plant them gently into four packs, one to each cell. Then put them under bright lights and outside if the weather is nice, and harden them off.
I use IRT (infrared transmitting plastic) over the rows for a few days to heat them up after putting in fertilizer and compost. The first of June plant them in rows about 8-12 inches apart. It’s best to use irrigation under the
plastic or fabric, but I don’t use it, just water in the holes. Use floating row covers over hoops to keep in the heat. When this method is used I pick green beans June 15, which continues for many weeks.
PLANTING PEAS, PEA PODS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS
Sprout the pea seeds the same as beans, but start earlier, around the second or third week in April so you can plant them outside around May 7, along with a salad garden. I don’t sprout them as long, and put them in the ground when the roots get long and the leaves just start to show. Put the ones you don’t plant in the ground into six-packs to sell at the VGC plant sale0. By sale time, they have grown tall and get a head start and
people are more likely to buy them. I prefer short pea plants, but last year they were very tall. Water well after
planting.
PLANTING CANDY ONIONS FROM VGC
Prepare the soil with fertilizer and compost. Plant the onions around May 7 with just a little of the green top
showing (to get more white part) about 3 inches apart in all directions in 3-foot beds. Water well. Put floating row covers over the plants to keep out the onion/root maggots, which used to eat the onions - and they just
disappeared. The onions get huge by the end of summer and I harvest the smaller ones for salads throughout the summer. By the end of July, the row covers can come off, but the plants need to be hardened off a little each day if it is sunny, to prevent burning. The green part of the plant can get 2 feet tall and is very crunchy,
juicy, and delicious. The onions are harvested after a frost. I dry them for a few days and store them in the
garage at 50 degrees in plastic cartons that have many holes on all sides.
MEDIUM ORCHID BARK MIX
2 gallons medium bark
1 handful tree fern (not necessary)
2 cups perlite
2 cups charcoal
2 cups sphagnum moss
SMALL ORCHID BARK MIX
3 gallons small bark
2 handsful tree fern (not necessary)
1 quart perlite
1 quart charcoal
1 quart sphagnum moss
Mix together well and wet with water several hours or overnight before repotting orchids. Use clean pots and cut dead roots off with sterilized clippers. Sprinkle cinnamon on the roots that have been cut to stop any
pathogenic problems. It’s best to repot yearly for most orchids after they bloom.
RIVER BEAN'S ORGANIC FERTILIZER RECIPE
3 parts fish meal
3 parts bone meal
1 part rock phosphate
1 part greensand
1 part kelp meal OR wood ash
2 parts blood meal (Pat's addition to the mix)
RIVER BEAN'S SOIL MIX
2 ½ parts top soil
½ part perlite
½ part vermiculite
½ part compost
3 parts complete organic fertilizer
1 part lime
Fish meal is available from Alaska Sea-Ag in Palmer. I buy most of my ingredients at Alaska Garden and Pet, which is the wholesale part of Alaska Mill and Feed. Far North Garden Supply in Wasilla has large bags of
ingredients, including worm castings.
When my soil was tested in May, 2009, the beds were deficient in Nitrogen so I added two parts of blood meal to the mix. For gardening, use the fertilizer mix and add it to the garden and work it in. Just sprinkle it on around the plants for all plants.
For Pots, use Promix with the inoculant and use a lot more than the top soil listed in the recipe (it sounds like a lot of fertilizer for that much soil). Also use worm compost, manure, Epsom’s salts for tomatoes, microbes, and mineral rock to the mix and to the garden. Roses like alfalfa meal; mix it in the pots in the spring. Mix the ingredients in a wheelbarrow and add water, then mix well before planting. I used lots of Susitna Organics compost this year and my vegetables and flowers are huge, and bought a truckload much cheaper than buying the bags.
Linda L. from the North Root Garden Club says to use “Thrive” on all plants as soon as they come up. It is available at Lowe’s and Home Depot, etc. It adds hormones, enzymes, and trace minerals, and makes the nutrients available to the plants.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
SUBMITTED BY PAT
PLANTING GREEN BEANS IN ALASKA FOR EARLY CROP
This is what I do to the seeds to start green beans in June:
Use Contender or Provider seeds and start them May 1; Soak the seeds overnight in a sprouter jar with a screen on top and rinse them in the morning and drain upside down for a few minutes. Rinse them four times daily, then drain.
As soon as you see sprouts, keep them in a bowl where they can spread out and put water in the bowl and drain well, being careful not to break the roots and sprouts. Put a loose piece of paper towel over the top between rinsings. Let the seeds sprout until they have green leaves and roots on them and plant them gently into four packs, one to each cell. Then put them under bright lights and outside if the weather is nice, and harden them off.
I use IRT (infrared transmitting plastic) over the rows for a few days to heat them up after putting in fertilizer and compost. The first of June plant them in rows about 8-12 inches apart. It’s best to use irrigation under the
plastic or fabric, but I don’t use it, just water in the holes. Use floating row covers over hoops to keep in the heat. When this method is used I pick green beans June 15, which continues for many weeks.
PLANTING PEAS, PEA PODS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS
Sprout the pea seeds the same as beans, but start earlier, around the second or third week in April so you can plant them outside around May 7, along with a salad garden. I don’t sprout them as long, and put them in the ground when the roots get long and the leaves just start to show. Put the ones you don’t plant in the ground into six-packs to sell at the VGC plant sale0. By sale time, they have grown tall and get a head start and
people are more likely to buy them. I prefer short pea plants, but last year they were very tall. Water well after
planting.
PLANTING CANDY ONIONS FROM VGC
Prepare the soil with fertilizer and compost. Plant the onions around May 7 with just a little of the green top
showing (to get more white part) about 3 inches apart in all directions in 3-foot beds. Water well. Put floating row covers over the plants to keep out the onion/root maggots, which used to eat the onions - and they just
disappeared. The onions get huge by the end of summer and I harvest the smaller ones for salads throughout the summer. By the end of July, the row covers can come off, but the plants need to be hardened off a little each day if it is sunny, to prevent burning. The green part of the plant can get 2 feet tall and is very crunchy,
juicy, and delicious. The onions are harvested after a frost. I dry them for a few days and store them in the
garage at 50 degrees in plastic cartons that have many holes on all sides.
MEDIUM ORCHID BARK MIX
2 gallons medium bark
1 handful tree fern (not necessary)
2 cups perlite
2 cups charcoal
2 cups sphagnum moss
SMALL ORCHID BARK MIX
3 gallons small bark
2 handsful tree fern (not necessary)
1 quart perlite
1 quart charcoal
1 quart sphagnum moss
Mix together well and wet with water several hours or overnight before repotting orchids. Use clean pots and cut dead roots off with sterilized clippers. Sprinkle cinnamon on the roots that have been cut to stop any
pathogenic problems. It’s best to repot yearly for most orchids after they bloom.
RIVER BEAN'S ORGANIC FERTILIZER RECIPE
3 parts fish meal
3 parts bone meal
1 part rock phosphate
1 part greensand
1 part kelp meal OR wood ash
2 parts blood meal (Pat's addition to the mix)
RIVER BEAN'S SOIL MIX
2 ½ parts top soil
½ part perlite
½ part vermiculite
½ part compost
3 parts complete organic fertilizer
1 part lime
Fish meal is available from Alaska Sea-Ag in Palmer. I buy most of my ingredients at Alaska Garden and Pet, which is the wholesale part of Alaska Mill and Feed. Far North Garden Supply in Wasilla has large bags of
ingredients, including worm castings.
When my soil was tested in May, 2009, the beds were deficient in Nitrogen so I added two parts of blood meal to the mix. For gardening, use the fertilizer mix and add it to the garden and work it in. Just sprinkle it on around the plants for all plants.
For Pots, use Promix with the inoculant and use a lot more than the top soil listed in the recipe (it sounds like a lot of fertilizer for that much soil). Also use worm compost, manure, Epsom’s salts for tomatoes, microbes, and mineral rock to the mix and to the garden. Roses like alfalfa meal; mix it in the pots in the spring. Mix the ingredients in a wheelbarrow and add water, then mix well before planting. I used lots of Susitna Organics compost this year and my vegetables and flowers are huge, and bought a truckload much cheaper than buying the bags.
Linda L. from the North Root Garden Club says to use “Thrive” on all plants as soon as they come up. It is available at Lowe’s and Home Depot, etc. It adds hormones, enzymes, and trace minerals, and makes the nutrients available to the plants.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
February 2010 Newsletter
The Herb Corner
by Florene
Now is the time to use those bouquet garnis that you made last summer. On a cold snowy (or windy) day a nice pot of soup on the stove makes all things good. Not only does it make the house smell good, you know that when dinner time comes everyone will be well fed. A good batch of Artisan Bread and herb butter will make it a gourmet meal and warm hearts as well as stomachs. Garlic, basil, tarragon, rosemary, lemon thyme all make a good butter.
Take a cube of butter and allow it to come to room temperature then mix in a tablespoon of finely chopped herbs. If you didn’t freeze any last summer, the local markets have a nice selection of fresh herbs. If you don’t think you’ll use all the herbs for the meal you are preparing, make extra butter and put it in the freezer for the next round of soup.
Now is a good time to start a few herbs in your kitchen. If you have a fluorescent light under the counter it will work as a grow light and you can have basil, thyme, chives, rosemary, mint, or dill right at your finger tips. They need about 16 hours of light and eight of dark to thrive. I started a batch right after New Years and they are almost ready to pick a few sprigs – if there are any left after the grand kids “taste” them. The extra light brightens your kitchen and the herbs will brighten your meals. Enjoy!
(see Artisan Bread under 'Bread' recipes)
The Herb Corner
by Florene
Now is the time to use those bouquet garnis that you made last summer. On a cold snowy (or windy) day a nice pot of soup on the stove makes all things good. Not only does it make the house smell good, you know that when dinner time comes everyone will be well fed. A good batch of Artisan Bread and herb butter will make it a gourmet meal and warm hearts as well as stomachs. Garlic, basil, tarragon, rosemary, lemon thyme all make a good butter.
Take a cube of butter and allow it to come to room temperature then mix in a tablespoon of finely chopped herbs. If you didn’t freeze any last summer, the local markets have a nice selection of fresh herbs. If you don’t think you’ll use all the herbs for the meal you are preparing, make extra butter and put it in the freezer for the next round of soup.
Now is a good time to start a few herbs in your kitchen. If you have a fluorescent light under the counter it will work as a grow light and you can have basil, thyme, chives, rosemary, mint, or dill right at your finger tips. They need about 16 hours of light and eight of dark to thrive. I started a batch right after New Years and they are almost ready to pick a few sprigs – if there are any left after the grand kids “taste” them. The extra light brightens your kitchen and the herbs will brighten your meals. Enjoy!
(see Artisan Bread under 'Bread' recipes)