tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57049013207494407892024-03-19T01:43:26.626-07:00A Home In The GardenHomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-24761050990381196732017-02-19T05:51:00.000-08:002017-02-19T05:51:20.395-08:003 Sisters Garden - Recap<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the season over and taking time to reflect on the 3 Sisters Garden project, I would put it in the "win" column!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My most successful piece was the Cherokee Long Ear corn. This was the first time I had attempted to grow corn of any type. It was very rewarding for me. Since I don't have the space to grow enough corn for my family of five to eat fresh, flint corn is definitely a good choice. I will be growing this again.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2sxRj3N8PzU3jHzvRqRlpzl4-JS7c_EAKiVo3NC4jMSBLDSYtZBhq90qeK7NWVbK-XVm2XYZn-x4YhdYOazWtC0oEE5sdvd7g3BpN4Mu2gjGry6urKP7P_u1OdbeYB_Fv2qFDG9-a2SGT/s1600/20151015_120440-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2sxRj3N8PzU3jHzvRqRlpzl4-JS7c_EAKiVo3NC4jMSBLDSYtZBhq90qeK7NWVbK-XVm2XYZn-x4YhdYOazWtC0oEE5sdvd7g3BpN4Mu2gjGry6urKP7P_u1OdbeYB_Fv2qFDG9-a2SGT/s400/20151015_120440-1.jpg" title="Colorful corn in harvest basket" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHV9kH9AIra6QihY9g1k8__qvUNxOUI2nli5JC_jwnl8mlmNPEhjkDYhBewN3mN8lmu3b1dROvirzX_DWtqapKJxLkwMUTL8IWucLbHXwLviDqajeStj6n8IHM8sVG4AVfuALh3DvTz971/s1600/IMG_20150915_081943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHV9kH9AIra6QihY9g1k8__qvUNxOUI2nli5JC_jwnl8mlmNPEhjkDYhBewN3mN8lmu3b1dROvirzX_DWtqapKJxLkwMUTL8IWucLbHXwLviDqajeStj6n8IHM8sVG4AVfuALh3DvTz971/s200/IMG_20150915_081943.jpg" title="close up of colorful indian corn" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I removed kernels from ears <br />that weren't fully developed.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Opening each ear at the end of the season was like opening a little present finding out what color was inside. I had some beautiful, decorative corn to use as decorations through the fall and Thanksgiving. I gave several bundles as gifts to close friends and family, along with a gourd or two that grew from my "mystery" plant. Much of the corn from this plot was removed from the cob and used for pop corn. It made for some beautiful and very tasty snacks. I hadn't realized how much the taste of popcorn changed over the years until I tasted this I raised myself. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHps52gMRF-uHdzhuSVtfEWt0Hh5T5hFP9Gyqn-T-RcSUvep4AGuO9hyJqO4X4FN_eiV9_wZ11I8-ePw5zQ7JRxsk51e5L3Iv_OyRRyhzg3O4HP7RIPDPGpX2AHRqR2DFHGXPe7Vu5jjg/s1600/IMG_20151125_082544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHps52gMRF-uHdzhuSVtfEWt0Hh5T5hFP9Gyqn-T-RcSUvep4AGuO9hyJqO4X4FN_eiV9_wZ11I8-ePw5zQ7JRxsk51e5L3Iv_OyRRyhzg3O4HP7RIPDPGpX2AHRqR2DFHGXPe7Vu5jjg/s200/IMG_20151125_082544.jpg" title="four photos showing corn, jar of kernels, ground flour, finished cornbread" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ground Kernels and Cornbread</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I chose this corn, I knew I wanted to use some of it to grind and make cornbread. I like to have as much of my Thanksgiving dinner grown and homemade as possible. This cornbread was, by far, my most ambitious project for the table. The multiple colors of the corn kernels made for a beautiful one-of-a-kind cornbread. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The beans grew up the corn as they were supposed to and did quite well. It was a fun challenge to duck in between the stalks of corn and over the vines to collect these beans. We wanted to eat them fresh, but leaving them on to dry would most likely be the better choice. While I was away one long weekend, the <a href="https://extension.umd.edu/growit/photos-mexican-bean-beetle" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">bean beatles</a> came in and defoliated many of them before my return. At that point, I left the remaining beans in the garden to dry on the vines. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0abhnA-GqVpBdo3IJZSPQGPR55Re-kZ2q4Z6gJu_uf1LKZWqE9japSL41LDVxvDYB4XfKx_wOBZCDFPEpI4QOrzEM_QBIEZ_hi_oyJqq_zSxH5MTGkcGHVdsO2BeZ3H4f-G8nQL_oZduy/s1600/IMG_20150806_093626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0abhnA-GqVpBdo3IJZSPQGPR55Re-kZ2q4Z6gJu_uf1LKZWqE9japSL41LDVxvDYB4XfKx_wOBZCDFPEpI4QOrzEM_QBIEZ_hi_oyJqq_zSxH5MTGkcGHVdsO2BeZ3H4f-G8nQL_oZduy/s320/IMG_20150806_093626.jpg" title="beans growing on cornstalks" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rattlesnake beans with beautiful purple striping, growing on the corn.<br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The squash, on the other hand, did not fair so well. Perhaps it was too much shade from the stalks being close, the tree on the edge of the garden that created more shade than I realized, or the devastating <a href="http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/insects/find/squash-bugs/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">squash bugs</a>. I did get some gourds from that "mystery" spot, and a few small squash from the southern edge of the plot. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wWT_G7kD6HfR_v5si2dvh5s3Uu9ThEcslR0TqGopH2tKLJ0XPCMxMaklrkQprBoO6kQhfeGcCPsJMjNrpa57qRoeMLkiexz6pkefl1XCzFBHN1OS9QR-YlUDLUnHYgZqXjRC-OhVF-qW/s1600/20170219_071436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wWT_G7kD6HfR_v5si2dvh5s3Uu9ThEcslR0TqGopH2tKLJ0XPCMxMaklrkQprBoO6kQhfeGcCPsJMjNrpa57qRoeMLkiexz6pkefl1XCzFBHN1OS9QR-YlUDLUnHYgZqXjRC-OhVF-qW/s320/20170219_071436.jpg" title="collage-corn, beans, squash" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 Sisters Garden during growing.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love trying something new in my garden each year. This was an incredible project and one I look forward to doing again. I have decided that flint corn will be something incorporated into my garden spaces on a regular basis for decorations, gifting and fresh popcorn. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have mason jars of "seeds" from this crop, corn kernels and dried beans, saved to plant next time which is another lesson from our past - self-reliance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I hope I have inspired you to try the "3 Sisters Garden" or, at the least, to simply try and experiment with something new.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">--Alison</span></i>HomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-51455040204940080562015-07-03T04:11:00.001-07:002015-07-03T04:13:45.402-07:003 Sisters Garden Planting<h4>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This was the year I decided to delve into a little "history gardening". </span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In my yard, each new garden season brings with it some type of new project or planting experiment. I have long been intrigued by the Native American, and subsequently early colonist's, planting of the "3 Sisters" -corn, pole beans, and squash. </span><br />
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The contents: "Indian" Corn, Pole Beans, Winter Squash</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I wanted a dried corn that I can use. I purchased an heirloom corn, Cherokee Long Ear Popcorn, which will be ornamental, can be used for popping, or ground for corn flour. Since I bake my own bread, this was a plus. For beans, I chose three pole beans I had prior experience with: Rattlesnake, purple, and yellow Kentucky Wonder. I personally use each of these as a fresh eating bean, but you can allow for them to dry on the vine for use as a dried bean. Last, for the squash, I chose several winter squash varieties for long term storage: Acorn, spaghetti, Long Island Cheese, Delicata, longneck, butternut, and one hybrid, Sugar Dumpling.</span><br />
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Planting:</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Next, I did some research on how to plant. I found an article written by Renées Garden that explains simply how to layout and plant as well as some history behind the <a href="http://www.reneesgarden.com/articles/3sisters.html">three sisters garden</a>. This is the plan I followed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I chose my area and used a marked string to center my holes on. Using a 5 gallon bucket, I made the outline for each hill, and placed a couple handfuls of compost on top of each one. This made it easier to see as well as was a great starter for the seeds.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikml-1MEWsNRK2mqnPuRRlt4pxbNCrkpqEWKU4kIpG_N4118Hkx3Et67RqBYE9pCJ8u38cQFRUWOy_xwnJQN9spuU3zlW2PuPdrl1m6pJnacNWr5HYmRxXoDyo53QpBJ-tuR4qnlmbORiS/s1600/3+Sisters+outlines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikml-1MEWsNRK2mqnPuRRlt4pxbNCrkpqEWKU4kIpG_N4118Hkx3Et67RqBYE9pCJ8u38cQFRUWOy_xwnJQN9spuU3zlW2PuPdrl1m6pJnacNWr5HYmRxXoDyo53QpBJ-tuR4qnlmbORiS/s320/3+Sisters+outlines.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A marked string & 5 gallon bucket made outlines for the planting hills</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When all the outlines were completed, I went back and made hills around the outside leaving the inner compost as a depression in the middle. This made a little "bowl" to help retain water.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj92CTIGrtDWKLqRAzn_StSQknOmU4KipwATMWd6Z0GrUC5UX4zRpmYXx2I6bevlJenvOrr-fUenElRUMsg9W2V1bIgRZzYVqJK95twr2yv5i6TV9V4JEOwwPzNCvqKNJLLp8B-LjfTEZnk/s1600/3+Sisters+Completed+Hills.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj92CTIGrtDWKLqRAzn_StSQknOmU4KipwATMWd6Z0GrUC5UX4zRpmYXx2I6bevlJenvOrr-fUenElRUMsg9W2V1bIgRZzYVqJK95twr2yv5i6TV9V4JEOwwPzNCvqKNJLLp8B-LjfTEZnk/s320/3+Sisters+Completed+Hills.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Completed hills with center of compost for seed planting</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The first item to be planted is corn, so 4 corn per every-other mound was planted. I had one volunteer squash from last year that just so happened to be In the middle of a hill. I decided to leave that in place.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69fUslXjyml5JNoSNcwLsHe0yCcxj_TcBczMi4YFvPy98fu_qywWgIWoHHiFOyzpz-cFNCuaD6axL1n3adtd3vytOmkDj_7wovHYU_nUkuhCsCNRe063kliYO6l9B_gvaUiW-ogyFOyCD/s1600/3+sisters+volunteer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69fUslXjyml5JNoSNcwLsHe0yCcxj_TcBczMi4YFvPy98fu_qywWgIWoHHiFOyzpz-cFNCuaD6axL1n3adtd3vytOmkDj_7wovHYU_nUkuhCsCNRe063kliYO6l9B_gvaUiW-ogyFOyCD/s320/3+sisters+volunteer.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Volunteer" squash was left in place</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The corn planting was actually followed 1 week later with the squash seeds planted in the other hills. This is sooner than called for in the plans, but I was already late in my plantings and wanted to get things started. I did follow the recommendation of waiting for the corn to be 4" tall prior to planting bean seeds.</span><br />
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Growing:</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I did keep a pretty constant eye on the progress. Two hills of squash did not germinate and had to be re-seeded. I also discovered while young, the corn tended to blow over in the storms we experienced and had to be uprighted and reinforced with some soil. Next, as the beans grew, I made sure they were climbing the corn vs. rambling the ground. Simply "wrap" the end gently around a cornstalk.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJU7leVK_zDxn1Fmxc5UncWaZ4Upaqa87CpsgFsLcZq6e6eD2pTVIzGi6bo7TZulhP3c_S7RmOjWaj-8AZp1V69Qwoduz72RzU6Od1NRkDuXZUs-VkP3yZ8rb2ZXcGD30RMdSulRFnAkZ/s1600/DSC_0826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJU7leVK_zDxn1Fmxc5UncWaZ4Upaqa87CpsgFsLcZq6e6eD2pTVIzGi6bo7TZulhP3c_S7RmOjWaj-8AZp1V69Qwoduz72RzU6Od1NRkDuXZUs-VkP3yZ8rb2ZXcGD30RMdSulRFnAkZ/s320/DSC_0826.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Beans climbing up the corn, squash between</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzc_m115OeB_EIh-LHTHDQEnHiX3R26br9CRaB5pveAyiXaHFFp1XbWvn_vARmstJZr6Jw9agK5oKSWi0beEIA6NwIYHyzuLW2k2jMvPFE6f_YTnsdrV5T7jPSZTcFGgHJGpvhmJKogOK/s1600/DSC_0833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzc_m115OeB_EIh-LHTHDQEnHiX3R26br9CRaB5pveAyiXaHFFp1XbWvn_vARmstJZr6Jw9agK5oKSWi0beEIA6NwIYHyzuLW2k2jMvPFE6f_YTnsdrV5T7jPSZTcFGgHJGpvhmJKogOK/s640/DSC_0833.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Overview of entire planted area - Late June</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So far, so good in this garden experiment. I feel a connection to history through this process. Due to time and "supply", I did leave out one "authentic" item in this planting (as my children pointed out)...I did not bury a fish in each hill. I originally planned on doing this but my fishing and garden timing were not in sync. Furthermore, our ancestors did not have spigots nearby and watered everything by hand. I did this in the early phase when I watered the seeded hills daily, leaving the surrounding soil dry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Follow me on Twitter @AlisonRolen, where I will continue to post progress on this and more.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">--Alison</span><br />
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HomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-81366213118465653722015-06-01T03:42:00.001-07:002015-06-01T04:24:12.041-07:00Growing Now - May 31<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a 2015="" garden="" href="https://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.morethanoregano.com%E2%80%9D" now="" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="”Grow" tour=""></a><a 2015="" garden="" href="https://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.morethanoregano.com%E2%80%9D" now="" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="”Grow" tour=""></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I would like to thank Beth at <a href="http://morethanoregano.com/"><span style="color: blue;">More Than Oregano</span></a> for
hosting GrowNow2015. My participation in this event slows me down and gets me out in the garden
with an eye and appreciation for what is happening, blooming, and budding versus
just what more needs to be done. There is miraculous beauty all around and I've been too
busy lately to enjoy it.</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In Bloom:</span></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZIMthrRlq0-a8vTYhEp9OKdLWEeQAtxR_o994UQ3Ke5KcLSEUqsGMLZ-xI8AwKmTQALcq9b0HUNANe-n31v8gsIZ_Twf-NFdaH6ZTGx96IaOvVOI5tbBb-q1UzTTMulHEkoB9mbhiRR5/s1600/20150519_145003-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZIMthrRlq0-a8vTYhEp9OKdLWEeQAtxR_o994UQ3Ke5KcLSEUqsGMLZ-xI8AwKmTQALcq9b0HUNANe-n31v8gsIZ_Twf-NFdaH6ZTGx96IaOvVOI5tbBb-q1UzTTMulHEkoB9mbhiRR5/s400/20150519_145003-1.jpg" width="371" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mexican Evening Primrose - stealing the show right now in the garden.<br />
Growing around entire driveway island perimeter (below)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZkVQgYtz8R5DvknFYXkykqxt3LFJyQyXO3lTfQKrH9anVGBVbxJWXVHzIo7s6elnhAcNLfDTJ5EEFtSUrvYXdJXkfxJdfqMtVlUfYgfMkQe1otZjm-OE58oXdGBDsZXOfeKaz6otOlV8/s1600/20150528_143225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZkVQgYtz8R5DvknFYXkykqxt3LFJyQyXO3lTfQKrH9anVGBVbxJWXVHzIo7s6elnhAcNLfDTJ5EEFtSUrvYXdJXkfxJdfqMtVlUfYgfMkQe1otZjm-OE58oXdGBDsZXOfeKaz6otOlV8/s400/20150528_143225.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a 2015="" garden="" href="https://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.morethanoregano.com%E2%80%9D" now="" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="”Grow" tour=""></a><a 2015="" garden="" href="https://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.morethanoregano.com%E2%80%9D" now="" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="”Grow" tour=""></a><a 2015="" garden="" href="https://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.morethanoregano.com%E2%80%9D" now="" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="”Grow" tour=""></a><a 2015="" garden="" href="https://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.morethanoregano.com%E2%80%9D" now="" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="”Grow" tour=""></a><a 2015="" garden="" href="https://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.morethanoregano.com%E2%80%9D" now="" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="”Grow" tour=""></a><a 2015="" garden="" href="https://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.morethanoregano.com%E2%80%9D" now="" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="”Grow" tour=""></a>Driveway Island<br />
Newly planted Jalapenos are tucked between Sedum & Primrose<br />
continuing around entire perimeter</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCG-DNe3SdQW45_OCKMU2dlYbabTkDOmeg5fRezO4_-zmF83OCwntnT8lKEdBj7b34zr-a162fokaD4wIebkKxDvuw-bZk-iZOYk3sn5B1xEoZTO7UcXfqud0-PeogOPPQTHQjnfKWMIym/s1600/DSC_0372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCG-DNe3SdQW45_OCKMU2dlYbabTkDOmeg5fRezO4_-zmF83OCwntnT8lKEdBj7b34zr-a162fokaD4wIebkKxDvuw-bZk-iZOYk3sn5B1xEoZTO7UcXfqud0-PeogOPPQTHQjnfKWMIym/s400/DSC_0372.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shrub Roses just coming into bloom.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0TMsUGZBPDtTzxlT2reDpea5g38ArraGCbTHsOg2UsY6ls7baux6ScYvIrGgFUZhKuAnuEMOZK3rBh49USkBa4VXNh38sAIGKc2E2tBHqnsmWkCUC_dSBicubBHtCATTu98htdPE_BEc/s1600/DSC_0344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0TMsUGZBPDtTzxlT2reDpea5g38ArraGCbTHsOg2UsY6ls7baux6ScYvIrGgFUZhKuAnuEMOZK3rBh49USkBa4VXNh38sAIGKc2E2tBHqnsmWkCUC_dSBicubBHtCATTu98htdPE_BEc/s400/DSC_0344.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coral Bells</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTFlOZ3S65UsTKIyqwG8AsuLkXTcPqIsbKgu0R1DyamRleK5b0Iog3XzXr4fWP00tUxFKFzDPQQTte5qRtvB3W3tFx_y95QGdNo0eFsyU1cdXglNB5ZveBm2s8pFEAyZ7PmERnY7DbKmL/s1600/DSC_0353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTFlOZ3S65UsTKIyqwG8AsuLkXTcPqIsbKgu0R1DyamRleK5b0Iog3XzXr4fWP00tUxFKFzDPQQTte5qRtvB3W3tFx_y95QGdNo0eFsyU1cdXglNB5ZveBm2s8pFEAyZ7PmERnY7DbKmL/s400/DSC_0353.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waterfall garden<br />
Coral Bells - Japanese Iris</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-HPtTK0l6nTpsPmRp-Gx01i9m5yzx5BddQS3mco5X90pARIbSNAcBLF2OzkFkccZ8oVYzvZXOyHGxIbJkmwztGTivTavS60YyYPciaa9__TwoGtPOsW94pEs7kTvFPzoUg2pu7T7UwSf/s1600/DSC_0375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-HPtTK0l6nTpsPmRp-Gx01i9m5yzx5BddQS3mco5X90pARIbSNAcBLF2OzkFkccZ8oVYzvZXOyHGxIbJkmwztGTivTavS60YyYPciaa9__TwoGtPOsW94pEs7kTvFPzoUg2pu7T7UwSf/s400/DSC_0375.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild Honeysuckle<br />
The air is thick with their fragrance</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwcfrNgrvN1dFt3y-qWRtNmVgsbgKffG1QNomr1g6W_XDoDKF3E6zpr4Hwsfu4WW6UAPiWTr6xto1dKU3vs9EIq27k4Yp7MvzUTWUlOp5mvUDTzQBkuTDcjFWqlqlYUNrBahiso68uFR3/s1600/DSC_0387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwcfrNgrvN1dFt3y-qWRtNmVgsbgKffG1QNomr1g6W_XDoDKF3E6zpr4Hwsfu4WW6UAPiWTr6xto1dKU3vs9EIq27k4Yp7MvzUTWUlOp5mvUDTzQBkuTDcjFWqlqlYUNrBahiso68uFR3/s400/DSC_0387.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lambs Ears<br />
They will soon be filled with bees</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the Veggie Garden:</span></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjaLUgdfrjYOqQCltzTzZhyphenhyphenY0aCfsWHCbZI1XTYkgmEQ5UIosZi38aWcN299aB2m7e-OfZem3mTEpQQJKLui3q4SWFUbIegrLmZ8BVxiEoBx0S2cu73JF568A_AthIXHshC3G4hKebW5J/s1600/DSC_0364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjaLUgdfrjYOqQCltzTzZhyphenhyphenY0aCfsWHCbZI1XTYkgmEQ5UIosZi38aWcN299aB2m7e-OfZem3mTEpQQJKLui3q4SWFUbIegrLmZ8BVxiEoBx0S2cu73JF568A_AthIXHshC3G4hKebW5J/s400/DSC_0364.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruby and Neon Glow Swiss Chard<br />
Almost time to begin light picking</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_siKE_r2EI1sLkjTD84Tw5U1yOhppqF-kkdcA8IpLUYNUyTQy7lKXZkqmJE-i0V6UXs6ilYVbeCUEsedSwjcqnRf_ZgfOEGgD0TPSqVfhnjD8IkJbihNZT8tf2i8GJnECaD_txz7UiX4/s1600/DSC_0365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_siKE_r2EI1sLkjTD84Tw5U1yOhppqF-kkdcA8IpLUYNUyTQy7lKXZkqmJE-i0V6UXs6ilYVbeCUEsedSwjcqnRf_ZgfOEGgD0TPSqVfhnjD8IkJbihNZT8tf2i8GJnECaD_txz7UiX4/s400/DSC_0365.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garden Babies<br />
Baby loose head lettuce</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkuQ2CmNyZiwCDIHrdLcEezuYLlzE4L6uj5V80LAsQzH1bqWf9-Cvv-flj5VyxzwOPyOYq__CsKO2j8ueIlMbTSLJOwweYfxgRfIcEGIc-S-XgkhU5Fycrh6u7SJ3TnE-vN7A0r1r3tED/s1600/DSC_0367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkuQ2CmNyZiwCDIHrdLcEezuYLlzE4L6uj5V80LAsQzH1bqWf9-Cvv-flj5VyxzwOPyOYq__CsKO2j8ueIlMbTSLJOwweYfxgRfIcEGIc-S-XgkhU5Fycrh6u7SJ3TnE-vN7A0r1r3tED/s400/DSC_0367.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Sails<br />
My personal favorite lettuce</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFDuGMTDsloPGvNkwOMS0stqYhsCToJPFtT_ww0y6vFGa46D8dhnnsWNbvuU-5zNjyPRjQnuXspPYRAr7DkqwOQg_KtcTAPTocQJwv-e1D9jgHgjwsE3LD60l6w3e9vgQ4SmRCbZvRgx3k/s1600/DSC_0355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFDuGMTDsloPGvNkwOMS0stqYhsCToJPFtT_ww0y6vFGa46D8dhnnsWNbvuU-5zNjyPRjQnuXspPYRAr7DkqwOQg_KtcTAPTocQJwv-e1D9jgHgjwsE3LD60l6w3e9vgQ4SmRCbZvRgx3k/s320/DSC_0355.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow squash seedlings<br />
From this week's planting</td></tr>
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<a 2015="" garden="" href="https://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.morethanoregano.com%E2%80%9D" now="" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="”Grow" tour=""></a><a 2015="" garden="" href="https://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.morethanoregano.com%E2%80%9D" now="" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="”Grow" tour=""></a><a 2015="" garden="" href="https://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.morethanoregano.com%E2%80%9D" now="" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="”Grow" tour=""></a><a 2015="" garden="" href="https://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.morethanoregano.com%E2%80%9D" now="" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="”Grow" tour=""></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>---Alison</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
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<!-- start LinkyTools script --><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=256737" type="text/javascript"></script><!-- end LinkyTools script -->HomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-77725175250096062872015-05-21T11:08:00.000-07:002015-06-01T03:43:13.758-07:00Alison's Garden Tour - May 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is a brief tour of what's growing and blooming in my yard currently. I am behind so far this year compared to where I usually am. One too many spring projects. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-AKEktjp_tNbKyJOziZ1QaZRfOTYxBe3JuC7kcSd1eH8iZK5O7nL5YID0idsJ1T6cyY45Dan55mFIln5PLcqyO5JmJHkhRoWM4Y4gsTMPEmJSRub_ZbkcfNwLNS16y-OyhmoUQnLXFOUG/s1600/DSC_0311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-AKEktjp_tNbKyJOziZ1QaZRfOTYxBe3JuC7kcSd1eH8iZK5O7nL5YID0idsJ1T6cyY45Dan55mFIln5PLcqyO5JmJHkhRoWM4Y4gsTMPEmJSRub_ZbkcfNwLNS16y-OyhmoUQnLXFOUG/s320/DSC_0311.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">100+ yr. old Peonies - so very fragrant<br />seen with hardy geranium</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These Peonies were given to me 28 years ago by my Mother in law. They came from her grandmother. I have another type as well, however they do not smell nearly as good. One of these blooms can fill a room with it's fragrance. I keep one by my bedside.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7nS6O9Koi57vJKiX2RDQ0K9lApPPZSGPK4aUhJ8GFw-P2B69HK1Hk_dFHf9xh3gleY2_giUL1jCL95s6SqdFzfkmIoEWbjrpsVqagsKu2j2kpQ0GE7C6Byy_eaxPbovCSbXl8TLILTCZh/s1600/DSC_0313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7nS6O9Koi57vJKiX2RDQ0K9lApPPZSGPK4aUhJ8GFw-P2B69HK1Hk_dFHf9xh3gleY2_giUL1jCL95s6SqdFzfkmIoEWbjrpsVqagsKu2j2kpQ0GE7C6Byy_eaxPbovCSbXl8TLILTCZh/s320/DSC_0313.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Honeysuckle Vine</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have two of these climbers. One alongside my house climbing a home-made trellis, another climbs up and around my bird feeder platform.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9I8RAZOe7Uqv3gJxNHRh7zCMhiuEYsUYXqJePew2xVZmbcHna4BM36wAYRWFpT8tToTSOET71mH_rklSwaxcLSB9ZH8mbGXzauWLUO3irg9kedkke4MlsRaOFz_DlBfUrodn6FLX1VJ9A/s1600/DSC_0325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9I8RAZOe7Uqv3gJxNHRh7zCMhiuEYsUYXqJePew2xVZmbcHna4BM36wAYRWFpT8tToTSOET71mH_rklSwaxcLSB9ZH8mbGXzauWLUO3irg9kedkke4MlsRaOFz_DlBfUrodn6FLX1VJ9A/s320/DSC_0325.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Knockout rose - from bush below</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8VvHS3lSMqhg9xuqR_WVAYDQ4mtEl3aclZWGJDOFjIXW1GR7YtsJCe_fljrJk9l-L_t5fbohTC741qxLwPCjeGMbeMr7feos9yIzdod6WMmA_699BZpVw2b2OCLMhKDGKzj39IWQAZ78k/s1600/DSC_0326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8VvHS3lSMqhg9xuqR_WVAYDQ4mtEl3aclZWGJDOFjIXW1GR7YtsJCe_fljrJk9l-L_t5fbohTC741qxLwPCjeGMbeMr7feos9yIzdod6WMmA_699BZpVw2b2OCLMhKDGKzj39IWQAZ78k/s320/DSC_0326.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This red Knockout rose is huge. I neglected to prune it back this year, so it is even larger than anticipated. Behind it is a 4' fence and a bluebird nesting box (with babies).</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjP1x6_C7JjTvFSQgBbEJG_JMmV3cmHenNbP4la7N2h_IlIDxUFSLV2ZGiHe0g_MaLjHOauTKca7lismkQuctf7aK6wEviuZK_XsTJX7RlNJA5k_h3UzmaaA3neH-cKoFnrSzyearYLanP/s1600/DSC_0332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjP1x6_C7JjTvFSQgBbEJG_JMmV3cmHenNbP4la7N2h_IlIDxUFSLV2ZGiHe0g_MaLjHOauTKca7lismkQuctf7aK6wEviuZK_XsTJX7RlNJA5k_h3UzmaaA3neH-cKoFnrSzyearYLanP/s320/DSC_0332.JPG" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many Iris, others have bloomed and are done.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPXp_u8hz-_X8kntH9wixUcMnCGtzdGwApaoZHMn9JNxsZHin_ZwdDhoUsT7wqx9LwbzsiJAFaIsCdgs_haxbkv3HtP9TfddJ3GKc4NGjy1QoEiTXQj384C8S1ICwQAqy6fBeAWZMU0YR/s1600/DSC_0327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPXp_u8hz-_X8kntH9wixUcMnCGtzdGwApaoZHMn9JNxsZHin_ZwdDhoUsT7wqx9LwbzsiJAFaIsCdgs_haxbkv3HtP9TfddJ3GKc4NGjy1QoEiTXQj384C8S1ICwQAqy6fBeAWZMU0YR/s320/DSC_0327.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stella d'Oro - budding out</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rE0B6WjUtowSy-GpLK5nTKJu8Rd0bxoM2CSRvhZpcvZEnWsQtNzFtyCqDqFaAj0j60hPke1CxOQTsg5XYbpu7NP_D_rMsOQ1Fg8N7GTxnGVmf6gMyHbOU7GkuERnO9mgmdqKuBdRcY_o/s1600/DSC_0330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rE0B6WjUtowSy-GpLK5nTKJu8Rd0bxoM2CSRvhZpcvZEnWsQtNzFtyCqDqFaAj0j60hPke1CxOQTsg5XYbpu7NP_D_rMsOQ1Fg8N7GTxnGVmf6gMyHbOU7GkuERnO9mgmdqKuBdRcY_o/s320/DSC_0330.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blueberries. New addition for 2015.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapv5dVEH6smWEujS3J6x8dyrMjQKBgiiUIcFk1T7chseut9S8UKTZW3Q28wrbMzX1ALODZrhqsHDNcJHvXo5ulIh33D3HMlVnHnAbm5gy7jtWAmzde88kpgf_t6wrH13vCPrRciXL5WBc/s1600/DSC_0335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapv5dVEH6smWEujS3J6x8dyrMjQKBgiiUIcFk1T7chseut9S8UKTZW3Q28wrbMzX1ALODZrhqsHDNcJHvXo5ulIh33D3HMlVnHnAbm5gy7jtWAmzde88kpgf_t6wrH13vCPrRciXL5WBc/s320/DSC_0335.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hosta. So fresh this time of year.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_qTwd5eCFU474pvWQQqK7hsgW5eQQi9QP3th-9UEpfrDtuAnUZZohY3GnwVgWgRJ1KZm7-W0RNKpwl7mpgyksNtiJAYLzfs7bU9L75IsSKPaYrcx207HCaa0OqT1tPFH-el6r2ZaJxXA/s1600/DSC_0320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_qTwd5eCFU474pvWQQqK7hsgW5eQQi9QP3th-9UEpfrDtuAnUZZohY3GnwVgWgRJ1KZm7-W0RNKpwl7mpgyksNtiJAYLzfs7bU9L75IsSKPaYrcx207HCaa0OqT1tPFH-el6r2ZaJxXA/s320/DSC_0320.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Red Winter Kale - going to seed</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXyvJqKq8033aF3W1wpyJEI_cYB34dzHsjRMPdl0Z-8oGK2Xw5_Rw6H1yHCj5bWrxSFCEay2dlIbdxhZ9_zk_9WMaLKMoA0-UQ23zZ_hsxqNTgi1175KlCxCGJcsCmFLJeeNvQMChudgM/s1600/DSC_0306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXyvJqKq8033aF3W1wpyJEI_cYB34dzHsjRMPdl0Z-8oGK2Xw5_Rw6H1yHCj5bWrxSFCEay2dlIbdxhZ9_zk_9WMaLKMoA0-UQ23zZ_hsxqNTgi1175KlCxCGJcsCmFLJeeNvQMChudgM/s320/DSC_0306.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of the new 4x12 garden beds</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We added three 4x12 raised garden beds in what used to be the swingset area for the kids. The pea gravel was existing as that was the base for the play area. This bed contains heirloom tomatoes, basil, garlic, onions, direct sown yesterday - beets and purple carrots. Marigold edging. As you can see above, and below....I still have some "spring cleaning" to do around the yard. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have another row of raised beds alongside our pool deck. Currently planted: lettuce bed, ruby and neon chard, potatoes, 4 standard tomatoes, 2 cherry tomatoes.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44Q2aBGdIvnHlfdUZ6I47kXOd75H4O2jeixkw95scxQjt_k83BoqPhyV81mnu8sDYm_8DOTT9N_mK50FGt3yE75DyMc_NOHHAZUoMOL6riKz-p_9pSK-EcnDRB1UShn5k1ZqLH9UDBSqz/s1600/DSC_0339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44Q2aBGdIvnHlfdUZ6I47kXOd75H4O2jeixkw95scxQjt_k83BoqPhyV81mnu8sDYm_8DOTT9N_mK50FGt3yE75DyMc_NOHHAZUoMOL6riKz-p_9pSK-EcnDRB1UShn5k1ZqLH9UDBSqz/s320/DSC_0339.JPG" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lettuce is currently perfect. <br />
Picking from outside leaves prolongs harvest.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgjO2B1lUeGNgSqZ2NasGcqaYNoRh0oW5_kNkcE75BRwejCc5zHmBMRxyzFbJRJi6DVQWp4GzATae6Xtg403ZuI-zQ9HPoskRejuQsq4Ia_Y5Sx3u8rXZfftGx30IeZZUoqF0g620lymG/s1600/DSC_0316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgjO2B1lUeGNgSqZ2NasGcqaYNoRh0oW5_kNkcE75BRwejCc5zHmBMRxyzFbJRJi6DVQWp4GzATae6Xtg403ZuI-zQ9HPoskRejuQsq4Ia_Y5Sx3u8rXZfftGx30IeZZUoqF0g620lymG/s320/DSC_0316.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Peppers beginning their hardening off process</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1Oe-zRUq2Xftb8qWgui9WPSB2f2IO-snd2ZFwuzzfgdwHu55jRsbiA73u6pGxrRHnzXyUs6asISE6zlcdsCNeFAp7wvoCUpIXNVUb5rhljm0zlpqhiA85CPg7HOGKBzsZguPcNcHq5fB/s1600/DSC_0321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1Oe-zRUq2Xftb8qWgui9WPSB2f2IO-snd2ZFwuzzfgdwHu55jRsbiA73u6pGxrRHnzXyUs6asISE6zlcdsCNeFAp7wvoCUpIXNVUb5rhljm0zlpqhiA85CPg7HOGKBzsZguPcNcHq5fB/s320/DSC_0321.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pond area - prior to spring clean up<br />Rhododendron is past its peak bloom.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Well, that's the pretty, and not so pretty happening in the garden today. I plan to continue posting updates on the garden throughout the growing season. I hope you will enjoy following along.<br />
<br />
I am participating in the Garden Tour 2015 hosted by Beth at <a href="http://morethanoregano.com/">More Than Oregano</a>. Click on icons below to Tour or "Hop" over to view what's growing elsewhere.<br />
<br />
<b>What are you Growing?</b><br />
If you would like to participate as well, click on the text below that says, "You are next." Follow the directions to link-up your post and share it along with the rest of us. If you would like to show the entries on your own blog, after you've linked up, click "Get the code" and follow directions there.<br />
<br />
<!-- start LinkyTools script --><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=256354" type="text/javascript"></script><!-- end LinkyTools script -->HomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-16996006127582427632015-01-23T05:42:00.000-08:002015-01-23T05:42:11.207-08:00Go-To Winter Soup - Warms you from the Inside Out<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaCNcwzLOkQyq6oyE_YRLKTZIKJdVKXmOk-OQ76KptNsHX4G6xOM3KtgWfufXOMqe40XCZAjYBrcjOxcMdSCDl0b2Gi-xmlIgrzFmOQOgefBuPSP46C4e2ZWIqSHTls2WavNJ6mVje-ag/s1600/chx+sausage+soup.jpg" height="183" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh Garden Vegs & Nice Spice</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Chicken Sausage
Soup<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">By Alison Rolen<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This soup was created to be a <b>low-carb soup</b> for
myself. Everyone in the family liked it,
so it has become a family favorite. </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All ingredients are
<b>fresh</b>, has a nice spice to it, and makes a beautiful presentation, especially when garnished with fresh, shredded Parmesan. Just as good the following day(s). </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To make <b>gluten-free</b>,
check sausage and broth labels.</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 lb bulk sausage – Jimmy Dean has good flavor and
acceptable fat</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4 cloves garlic – minced</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2 tsp ground cumin<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 tsp smoked paprika<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">¼+ tsp cayenne red pepper</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 large Vidalia or sweet onion – diced <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 c. diced sweet red/orange pepper**<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3 stalks celery – diced<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 c. sliced carrots <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2 c. shredded and chopped cabbage</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2 – 14.5oz cans diced tomatoes (or <i>1 quart home-canned tomatoes</i>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 - 32oz box chicken broth (or <i>1 quart home-made stock</i>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you have any reserved juice/stock from cooking chicken, add
that as well<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4 c. pre-cooked, cubed chicken – I use mostly, or exclusively, dark meat*</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 bunch green onions – sliced, including greens</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">¼ c. chopped fresh Italian parsley</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Additional salt and pepper to taste</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In large stockpot:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
</div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Add
minced garlic to pot.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Add and Brown the
sausage, breaking up into small pieces as it cooks.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Drain off only excessive grease (some is needed
to cook veggies).</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Add spices to top of
sausage: cumin, paprika, red pepper.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Stir, coating sausage well.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Add in: onion, celery, carrots, cabbage – stir to incorporate seasonings over all, cover
and cook about 10 minutes to begin to soften the vegetables. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Add in: all chicken broth, tomatoes
including juice, any/all reserved juice from
cooking chicken, add some water if more liquid is needed.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Cover and bring to a simmer.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Cook until raw vegetables are desired
softness – about 1 hr. total.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Add in cubed chicken and green onions.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Simmer (do not boil) about 10 minutes to heat chicken through. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Taste broth and adjust red pepper, salt, and
pepper to taste.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Add in chopped parsley, simmer for 5 minutes more, serve.</span></li>
</ol>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><i style="text-indent: 48px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Garnish: fresh shredded Parmesan cheese to top bowl</span></i></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Variation: I have also added in greens (kale, chard, or spinach) - raw with vegetables, or with chicken if pre-cooked (unseasoned)</span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*I bake 2 chickens, serve for
dinner 1<sup>st</sup> night, then remaining white meat goes to chicken salad,
dark meat here. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">**Sweet garden peppers are chopped and frozen in 1c portions ready to drop in this soup</span></span></div>
HomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-81034214707133931062015-01-09T04:41:00.001-08:002015-01-09T04:41:26.936-08:00Seed Catalogs...where do I start?<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Before I pick up my first catalog, I review my past year. I am looking for places (plants) I can improve upon, items I didn't have enough of, things I wish I had grown (based on my current cooking and preserving). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This past year: most things did well. My first year at making salsa, left my family wanting even more. In fact, all the "hot" items I made and canned were family favorites and they have overwhelmingly asked for "more hot peppers." My canned mixed veggies were not, however, a hit and I will not be making them again. I, personally, like pickled beets so as a treat to myself, beets are added to the list.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After I make a preliminary assessment of what is needed for the next growing season, I then take an inventory of my current left-over seeds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Seeds will keep for several years if kept dry and cool. I keep mine in a plastic "shoe box" with some desiccant packets (the kind you find in shoe boxes). This has served me well for years. Most times when I purchase seeds, I have more than I can use in any given growing season. Therefore, I have many packets I use year after year, only replacing them when they get low or after 3-4 years. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After all that is done, my list is made of what I need and I begin from there. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Why do I take all this time and planning? I am like a kid in a candy store when that first catalog is opened. I begin to circle item after item and end up with a list if items that I could never plant and take care of, let alone, afford. Doing these things helps to keep me "in check." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now, true confession. In the process of writing this post, I jumped on the opportunity for "free shipping" from a company I purchase some of my seeds from. What do you think happened?</span> <br />
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<br />HomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-23960238477372398812015-01-09T04:09:00.002-08:002015-01-09T04:09:30.189-08:00Homeschool: planting a different kind of seed<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I homeschooled my four for 13 years. I had those wonderful "bluebirds chirping around my head" moments and those "small ship being tossed by a raging sea" moments. If you homeschool, or if you are considering it, I want to extend my "olive branch" of knowledge and encouragement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">January is one of the "tough months" for homeschoolers. The holidays: excitement, vacation, play time, "sugar", is over and it is back to work. A struggle for student and parent alike. The bleak, grey days don't help. It was in these days I would change gears a little and focus on a little less "book work" and more on covering the topics through projects, experiments, dioramas, and games to supplement math assignments. Mind you, not all at once, but nonetheless used as a means to add some creativity to the work and help ease the transition back into the "grind" so to speak. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, dear homeschooling parent. Keep up the good work and your spirits. Remember that homeschool isn't about "bringing the classroom into the home" but an opportunity to encourage your child(ren) toward a lifetime quest to learn. When was the last time you wondered about something and "googled" it to find an answer. That is the love of learning you want to pass along.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy homeschooling. </span><br />
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<br />HomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-55106619012354274922014-10-23T18:24:00.000-07:002014-10-23T18:24:36.052-07:00Swiss Chard<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After some trial and error, I am sold on growing Swiss Chard! It is easy to grow, tasty, and "pretty". There are several different varieties and they may be used in a border garden for their decorative appeal as well as a wonderful, edible green. It has become my summer "spinach."</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruby Chard - in whiskey barrel planter</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At first, I followed several different recipes I found online. They were all ok. Each was an "acid" base recipe, using either lemon or vinegar... I had a season's worth of harvesting still to do and my family wasn't "sold" on this new addition to our table. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It occurred to me that most people describe the taste similar to either spinach or asparagus. With these vegetables, it occurred to me that I like both sauteed with butter...sweeter. Voila! Success for our household. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Suggestion 1: "Spinach"</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I cut the main stems out and (gasp) discard - compost</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I then chop and briefly saute the leaf portions as I would fresh spinach. I use real, salted butter. As with spinach, you need quite a lot of fresh product as it cooks down a lot. Salt/Pepper to taste.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is the main reason I grow chard - to have "spinach" all summer in this way. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I also cook it this way if the chard has "gotten away from me" and I have a lot of it. I have used it in quiche, scrambled eggs, soup, and plain as a side.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Suggestion 2: Chard-whole</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The stem portions need to be cooked longer than the leaf portions:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Remove the main stems making a pile of stems, and one of leaf portions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Chop stems finely. Chop leaves roughly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Saute the stems first until softened (in your flavor of choice: olive oil, butter, whatever), then add in the leaf portion and saute until wilted/cooked. Salt/Pepper to taste.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>My Family favorite:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cook a few pieces of bacon until tender but not crisp, add in 2-3 cloves minced fresh garlic, saute till golden. Add in chard stems and a little olive oil or butter if dry. Cover and cook until stem pieces are tender. Add in leaf portions and continue to stir and cook until wilted. I sometimes top with grated or shredded Parmesan cheese. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Suggestion 3: Use in place of other greens</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pretty much any way you use other greens, you can replace chard for something different: soups, vita-drinks, sweet/sour wilted "spinach" salad, etc. Basically, if recipe calls for spinach, I use only the leaf portion. If it calls for kale or other such, use leaf portion and some or all of the stem (be sure to pre-cook stem first). I love to add some to soup. It is a beautiful color-I precook it separate first then add it in. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, my advice is to start with your favorite way to cook and use spinach and prepare the leaf portion in that way. Then try it in a few recipes that use spinach. After that, try it whole. And, by all means, try growing some. You can even plant it in containers, along your flower bed as a border, or save some space in your vegetable garden for it. Buy transplants or start from seed. The key to harvesting is to pick outside, lower leaves and not more than 1/3 of any given plant. It will continue to grow and produce all season long and may even over-winter. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rbcOuyJhnTTr1RDCtg9RWPirm1WfLh1R-Nbq8C64vAsneJABpZCfu4zzvlfvC4dtQY8bZAdGVeEhOnfo4wHqvNIQdP_sfFqUaFemXV7UWCZnUFB0AuUz7q9mr8CQNMgKm13EFxWfDdFC/s1600/DSC_0916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rbcOuyJhnTTr1RDCtg9RWPirm1WfLh1R-Nbq8C64vAsneJABpZCfu4zzvlfvC4dtQY8bZAdGVeEhOnfo4wHqvNIQdP_sfFqUaFemXV7UWCZnUFB0AuUz7q9mr8CQNMgKm13EFxWfDdFC/s1600/DSC_0916.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainbow Chard in raised garden bed - spring</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj054nsmCRrzZVLFQpU9CXn2JW8DtncCv1VBngQWB2abK5F5sOmLjIByVJxEjDGJJrrtJiHwjW4qNswRBiGoTA9DKZv3T8CtMLOgbtTabJRhAXajic5SUgsr6wSDNISZ5-oG6Ije0xy_hAP/s1600/4x4+planter+w+hoop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj054nsmCRrzZVLFQpU9CXn2JW8DtncCv1VBngQWB2abK5F5sOmLjIByVJxEjDGJJrrtJiHwjW4qNswRBiGoTA9DKZv3T8CtMLOgbtTabJRhAXajic5SUgsr6wSDNISZ5-oG6Ije0xy_hAP/s1600/4x4+planter+w+hoop.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">same crop - mid October - still producing</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I hope I may have encouraged you to try Chard and perhaps even grow it in your own garden. If that is the case, I'd love to hear from you. </span>HomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-42432095409303770732014-10-12T17:19:00.001-07:002014-10-12T17:19:09.244-07:00The Fall Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's now officially fall - by the calendar and the weather. It is my favorite time of year. While not quite sweater weather,</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">it is a wonderful break from the summer heat</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> even though this summer was very mild. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have noticed that the garden is much happier with the break in the weather as well. My pole beans took on a new life and began a whole new crop as well as the bush beans. While I didn't plant a lot of them, I was able to not only continually eat them fresh but put some away in the freezer for some future meals - one bag is specifically marked "Thanksgiving."</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhuAASA_Vr6FzwpIivOSDuZ1EzsgReFeVbO__YvvuwOZdIr0_hgxNf1K3NzCZjLIytMcsGnPxlCKz3nmBieookM-RMj-mzj3NL0zbLnOJtXBZBe7Hvoi7wAud8ryaoZoE8zU5Z3L7NZtv/s1600/DSC_0108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhuAASA_Vr6FzwpIivOSDuZ1EzsgReFeVbO__YvvuwOZdIr0_hgxNf1K3NzCZjLIytMcsGnPxlCKz3nmBieookM-RMj-mzj3NL0zbLnOJtXBZBe7Hvoi7wAud8ryaoZoE8zU5Z3L7NZtv/s1600/DSC_0108.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fall plantings: broccoli, lettuce, kale, pole beans still producing</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I direct-sowed some lettuce, spinach, and two types of kale seeds. The lettuce and kale are doing well, the spinach came up then was hit with a couple weeks of heat which I think did them in. They never grew and I gave up. I purchased and placed broccoli plants in their place. I also purchased a pack of brussels sprouts. The brussels have been in for about a month and are looking good. I can see teeny sprouts forming at the base of each leaf. This is my first year with brussels and I am so excited! I have been battling cabbage worms or as I call them "cabbagepillars" that are trying to eat things before I can. I have to make a point of checking everything at least every other day. Those "pillars" can munch a plant beyond recovery in 2 days. I have already placed the hoops over two of the garden sections. This is covered in plastic and become my little "greenhouse" when frost and colder weather is predicted--extending the season for some of my crops. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRuW_Sd0Q4JGc60iaMVXJ9OOOY6CE8OYwMsxXznkcS01QfThbSUijm5a-2Nl0YgAxoxTrv8tL3e-b2iNsUMypaaGy8_Zy2HXEt_LMYy0Tek3-32sLh_jEzGm3air9OduEIFVs5bfrpte4W/s1600/DSC_0114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRuW_Sd0Q4JGc60iaMVXJ9OOOY6CE8OYwMsxXznkcS01QfThbSUijm5a-2Nl0YgAxoxTrv8tL3e-b2iNsUMypaaGy8_Zy2HXEt_LMYy0Tek3-32sLh_jEzGm3air9OduEIFVs5bfrpte4W/s1600/DSC_0114.JPG" height="320" width="214" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Brussels sprouts with loaded sweet pepper plants behind</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIm5z99P6CBkOb6e06a6gr8uQdYim_TjWoE5zMt9yiO_8WC_Yh_7ECBixnsnxv4nhQyV7-3Gw4nJCnR9nb-i7f_kBXwWvfoUC4Qin9oYtnWonioHbXJYH70KG44zgAXMeUShMAGh3eBds/s1600/CabbagePillars.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIm5z99P6CBkOb6e06a6gr8uQdYim_TjWoE5zMt9yiO_8WC_Yh_7ECBixnsnxv4nhQyV7-3Gw4nJCnR9nb-i7f_kBXwWvfoUC4Qin9oYtnWonioHbXJYH70KG44zgAXMeUShMAGh3eBds/s1600/CabbagePillars.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look closely and you will see several cabbage worms-in all sizes-tricky</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am working on picking the last of everything left on the plants and pulling them up. They then are gathered and thrown into the chicken run for the girls to work over. Once they are done, there is nothing but bare sticks or stalks that are then composted, burned, or bagged for recycling - depending on what it was. They love to see me coming with an armload of "goodies."</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixhgdEahl4hmjuoDD3yEj_WVr0XhHe58lN6ffMq4ZHUGd9e3856monCyB2iexxr4G_QEa-nIkARDI-Wuhx5sMyu_eF1MmeXyvNRQQQclUCX8_d7kJKayi1eoFw9iD3DAaHLbyWB4zVKkw/s1600/3-harvest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixhgdEahl4hmjuoDD3yEj_WVr0XhHe58lN6ffMq4ZHUGd9e3856monCyB2iexxr4G_QEa-nIkARDI-Wuhx5sMyu_eF1MmeXyvNRQQQclUCX8_d7kJKayi1eoFw9iD3DAaHLbyWB4zVKkw/s1600/3-harvest.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">October 8 harvest:<br />3-1/2lb beans, 4lb hot peppers, 3-1/4lb sweet peppers, chard, dry beans for seed</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I leave my flower seedheads alone for fall. I do this for a few reasons. First, I love to watch the goldfinches land and eat the seeds from the coneflowers and black-eyed susans plus there is something about those little brown spikes that is appealing to me...the color? the shape? I'm not quite sure. Leaving your flowers go to seed also allows for the possibility of reseeding for even more lovely flowers next year. </span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunsxEINO3zr36n72l__mG7qI4nRxIvTCF0vFg0h6d9xh0-S_-y_y7VOXaWc_l-_ui-KY6JBLM5TNWgFOt6RJ5689or_cHN6COovt-OkwYWu1Gkb5WD-uWNBNSKD34mBb95p8kSo5-oPCL/s1600/Goldfinch+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunsxEINO3zr36n72l__mG7qI4nRxIvTCF0vFg0h6d9xh0-S_-y_y7VOXaWc_l-_ui-KY6JBLM5TNWgFOt6RJ5689or_cHN6COovt-OkwYWu1Gkb5WD-uWNBNSKD34mBb95p8kSo5-oPCL/s1600/Goldfinch+(2).JPG" height="320" width="295" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13.3333339691162px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Leave the seedheads for the Goldfinches. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This past summer, I discovered some "volunteers" under the bird feeder. While I pulled many of them, I left a few that were in a spot that could hold them. After of a summer of growth, I have a nice little stand of sorghum! Pleasant surprise. </span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6O2EBlTeJBXjzwUWQi689zwTmxvXJknYNJr5UndlJKCPENt5m6M61Y3_tkwRCsY9Q1LVlmSmGVyKqKmJ4cdRQqqi1yrS8yLrm2ZtWD0J3sqnOI2DlmMjQBKEO_GDZgRTJxqk_ro5xuj_N/s1600/sorghum.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6O2EBlTeJBXjzwUWQi689zwTmxvXJknYNJr5UndlJKCPENt5m6M61Y3_tkwRCsY9Q1LVlmSmGVyKqKmJ4cdRQqqi1yrS8yLrm2ZtWD0J3sqnOI2DlmMjQBKEO_GDZgRTJxqk_ro5xuj_N/s1600/sorghum.JPG" height="320" width="225" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13.3333339691162px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sorghum stand - from sprouted birdseed.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My tomatoes are pretty much finished for the year - we had our last BLT of the year this weekend. I still have a lot of peppers - both sweet and hot - to pick yet. That is a good thing since we eat a lot of peppers through the winter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I still have a lot of garden "to-dos" ahead of me for the fall... </span><br />
<br />HomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-27185808171062494442014-08-11T15:06:00.002-07:002014-08-11T15:08:09.910-07:00Refrigerator Pickles - Spicy Dill Spears<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After an especially bountiful cucumber harvest, I set out to find a dill variety refrigerator pickle. I had tried my hand at canning dills, but they always turned out too soft for our liking. Furthermore, we are not a "sweet pickle" family so the standard refrigerator pickle with vinegar and sugar was not for us.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRatHreWUhzaWM2GXe8gLRACbyHoGzELzIMDzdEn0yN419Y_uv8CC5BSb1KF0nD4ogh_3M8hZmAR_R7ojqxl136tCxB9pBdQigmp1l-JTx6dV70UYEC1zABAwEI87pMvr5rYsENqBrJ25/s1600/Canning+ref.+pickles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRatHreWUhzaWM2GXe8gLRACbyHoGzELzIMDzdEn0yN419Y_uv8CC5BSb1KF0nD4ogh_3M8hZmAR_R7ojqxl136tCxB9pBdQigmp1l-JTx6dV70UYEC1zABAwEI87pMvr5rYsENqBrJ25/s1600/Canning+ref.+pickles.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Refrigerator Pickles in re-used jars</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is the final recipe I use, adapted from one I found online* (see bottom). My family likes things a little on the spicy side, so these were perfect. Now a requested item. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Brine: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2 cups water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 3/4 c. white vinegar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 1/2 c fresh dill "fronds" (leaves)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">scant 1/4 c white sugar (or less)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8 cloves garlic, halved</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 1/2 Tbsp. coarse salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 Tbsp. pickling spice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 1/2 tsp dill seed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (plus)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">fresh dill flowers (to place 1-2 in each jar)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp alum (for crunchiness)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(12) long pickling cucumbers cut in spears</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Either use canning jars, or I reuse jars from dressing, salsa, other pickles, etc. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Note: I just use the cucumbers that I have and make more brine if I need to. I also like "dilly beans" so if I have some, I make a jar or two with string beans.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. In a large pot: combine ingredients for the brine, heat just to dissolve the sugar & salt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Cut cucumbers into spears. Remove ends from beans - leave them whole.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Place "dill flower" into bottom of each jar along with 1-2 pieces of garlic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. Pack the spears into the jars fairly tightly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. Ladle brine to cover pickles, include spices. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6. Divide dill evenly through all jars topping and stuffing it throughout. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. (To taste) Add another "sprinkle" of red pepper flakes to top of jar.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8. Seal with lids. Refrigerate for 10 days before eating for best flavor. Use within 1 month.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I also invert/shake the jars several times within the 10 days to ensure even distribution of flavors.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Adapted from "Spicy Refrigerator Dill Pickles" at allrecipes.com</span>HomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-85471330466334690702014-08-09T05:38:00.000-07:002014-08-09T05:44:50.222-07:00Wanna #chat?<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Wanting to connect with some like-minded individuals on Twitter, I have found there are several chat forums throughout the week. After missing several, I decided to make a listing of some of them. These are all garden related, and I am well aware that it is not a complete listing. It may be added to in the future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All times listed are Eastern Time:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Monday 2pm #plantchat</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> 9pm #gardenchat</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tuesday 2pm #treechat</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> 9pm #pollin8rchat</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Weds. 2pm #landscapechat</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> 9pm #seedchat</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> 9pm #rosechat </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thurs. 2pm #herbchat</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fri. 2pm #groundchat</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hope this helps you make some connections! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Chat with you soon.</span><br />
<br />HomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-43486240521571583622014-07-09T05:46:00.001-07:002014-07-09T05:46:32.082-07:00Hot Pepper Jam<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our all-time favorite appetizer is Homemade Hot Pepper Jam over softened cream cheese. Serve with thin pretzels or other cracker of choice. It is a wonderful blend of heat and sweet. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Personally, I use a mix of jalapenos and hot cherry peppers for a beautiful mix of colors. If it is early in the season and the peppers aren't as hot as I like, I have also added in several cayenne peppers for a little added heat. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My jar of choice is the 1/2 size (4oz) jelly jar. It is the perfect ratio: one full jar to one block of cream cheese. These jars are also given out on Christmas or other occasions as our take-home gift to guests. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNzMXjlHbwyoOmDFlKPAq9xFOQdePNKl1C47efzMQWrYSbsBIYeC7HtdChfKYzDYeE4Vs4I8i-haZflR3NZZ71X14nHvmY6s9ECVYNt8z-02wMNb2jr6fo40CNrRf15KfZTjs1_mSvqq4Y/s1600/DSC_0964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNzMXjlHbwyoOmDFlKPAq9xFOQdePNKl1C47efzMQWrYSbsBIYeC7HtdChfKYzDYeE4Vs4I8i-haZflR3NZZ71X14nHvmY6s9ECVYNt8z-02wMNb2jr6fo40CNrRf15KfZTjs1_mSvqq4Y/s1600/DSC_0964.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hot Pepper Jam<br /></span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Adapted from the Ball Pectin recipe: </b>yield: 12-4oz, or 6-8oz jelly jars</span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Use Gloves!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another caution: rinse/wash all peppers <i>before</i> you cut them. Do not rinse after cut.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4c. Fresh-picked, Prepared (finely chopped) hot peppers, seeds discarded*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i> *I use a mix of Jalapeno and Hot Cherry, I keep in a few seeds from each pepper, and chop using a small food processor - to finally measure a full 4c. prepared peppers</i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1c. cider vinegar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5c. sugar (do not substitute)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pectin - 6 Tb. from bulk jar (<i>or</i> 1 box) Original/Classic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. PREPARE boiling water canner, jars and lids. Measure out all ingredients.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. COMBINE prepared peppers with vinegar in a 6-8qt saucepan (you need the large surface area). Gradually stir in Ball Original/Classic Fruit Pectin. Optional: Add up to 1/2 tsp butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over hight heat, stirring constantly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. ADD entire measure of sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. LADLE hot jam into hot jars, one at a time, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Clean rim and threads of jars using a clean, damp cloth to remove any residue.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. CENTER hot lids on jars, allowing sealing compound to come in contact with the jar rim. Apply bands and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6. PLACE filled jars in canner. Be sure water covers tops of jars by 1-2 inches. Add hot water if necessary. Place lid on canner. Bring water to a gentle, steady boil.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. PROCESS jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude (refer to chart in pectin). After processing is complete, turn off heat and remove lid. Let jars stand for 5 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8. REMOVE jars from canner and set upright on a towel to cool, undisturbed, for 12-24 hours. Bands should not be retightened as this may interfere with the sealing process. After cooling, test seals by pressing the center of each lid. If a lid does not flex up and down, it is sealed! If it is not sealed within 24 hours, refrigerate immediatedly for up to 3 weeks or reprocess for the full length of time using a new lid. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">9. CLEAN sealed jars. Remove the bands. Wipe jars and lids with a clean, damp cloth. Label and store in a cool, dry, dark place up to 1 year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I make several batches of this jam every year so in addition to labeling with the year, I indicate the batch number as well using inconspicuous "dots", abc, 123, or the like. Each batch will turn out with a slightly different "hotness" level. I keep track and use accordingly (eg: the hottest batch is noted and saved for "special" occasions). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Do you have a favorite variation of hot pepper jam?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />HomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-14488543303758717972014-06-12T11:53:00.002-07:002014-06-12T11:54:30.713-07:00Garden Experiments<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Edibles everywhere. That was my goal for this year. If I wanted color in a garden, I looked for an edible that would fit the bill. I am sure there is much more out there, but it is a start. Everything was started from seed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The experiments for the year:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Tri-color pole beans on one trellis with rattlesnake and purple pole beans on the other. To be picked young for eating. Question: How with they look and will my family eat them?</span></li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItTsVg1f1NJOwRxFqElGYUX7oMcqdFkMH0Rt6oqpXgRBuVr0hf9kQDOT1fAVNlyXAuw2BBcPqlK_xy_CJJY33bmnSKGk7nhDoW_R-Jjtmgvv4rE6YXTOJwpigWxO7AujvFRAohZO16Hsg/s1600/pole+beans.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItTsVg1f1NJOwRxFqElGYUX7oMcqdFkMH0Rt6oqpXgRBuVr0hf9kQDOT1fAVNlyXAuw2BBcPqlK_xy_CJJY33bmnSKGk7nhDoW_R-Jjtmgvv4rE6YXTOJwpigWxO7AujvFRAohZO16Hsg/s1600/pole+beans.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Experimental pole beans - color? taste?</span></td></tr>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Scarlet runner beans were added to the edges of both of those trellises as a border of color. These were purchased for the flower color and then, hopefully, dry and eat the beans as well.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The scarlet runner beans were also added to two trellises in a focal garden on the side of the house</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ruby Swiss Chard was added along the front edge of another garden to add a nice contrast of color to the rock border. Picked small, chard is very tender and cooks up and tastes like spinach.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes are on two focal trellises to climb and add a pop of red and green. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Red Sails lettuce was placed along the front border of my little pond on the north side of the house - hoping it will last longer there with some shade and coolness; it is a pretty contrast of color to all the green there as well.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-DH2VLHk5_meYaazi2msruzLlnauamS1yCVa3phehSSC7A6bLV1JkbiSuK4arkRuYgSyZZJAyjFXy-r-7WJMsIkyYwwPpexmc7nW9iAtJ3yyEav79CynRRpDj2xbVZ_cZpofwgK-lJar/s1600/pond.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-DH2VLHk5_meYaazi2msruzLlnauamS1yCVa3phehSSC7A6bLV1JkbiSuK4arkRuYgSyZZJAyjFXy-r-7WJMsIkyYwwPpexmc7nW9iAtJ3yyEav79CynRRpDj2xbVZ_cZpofwgK-lJar/s1600/pond.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lettuce surrounds front border of pond</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">An assortment of hot peppers were grouped along south-facing brick wall. They are supposed to like it hot, and that is the hottest spot of the yard. They are also a red fruit which will be a pretty pop.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Parsley and basil line a garden path.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The biggest project was the addition of two 4x12 raised beds built within the confines of the old swingset area. These are planted completely in vegetables.</span></li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3om4hMWLSZsWT7g9bgDNSzqD1xEyKnxsluEcgVP9iQZRQ9VYSjRzFtzVCeJI1MlEIqDpXB6deFUR55qKug58Yqh8Fi0RY2ADkoiJKO5neapKL9IVQihvEskZsKI7tHKSsjLdC-RIF31sD/s1600/new+beds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3om4hMWLSZsWT7g9bgDNSzqD1xEyKnxsluEcgVP9iQZRQ9VYSjRzFtzVCeJI1MlEIqDpXB6deFUR55qKug58Yqh8Fi0RY2ADkoiJKO5neapKL9IVQihvEskZsKI7tHKSsjLdC-RIF31sD/s1600/new+beds.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Watch for a post on the creation of these beds</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The remainder of the vegetable and flower gardens are pretty much status quo. I have several dedicated garden beds, both raised and "in the ground". I also have a patch of garden surrounded by the driveway which is predominately perennials but I plant my jalapenos along the perimeter there for the heat. Along one of my fences, I plant a few tomatoes in buried pots filled with compost; they are trained along the fence for support. A whiskey barrel next to the house has an early tomato and 4 Swiss chard.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gCtuZt76urPWHfLdm4Q6Hd61bR6p_cXvh51RunQgw3R9vzEzFgmFk4Ir7Z7kibopLFTVTNhjFdO4tCpPA3r1v_yOZR6iICg5gSEgDq1xCIuwQan8xZg3GP_vTW-lwOoa2oVaxMjJ8BSi/s1600/whiskey+barrel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gCtuZt76urPWHfLdm4Q6Hd61bR6p_cXvh51RunQgw3R9vzEzFgmFk4Ir7Z7kibopLFTVTNhjFdO4tCpPA3r1v_yOZR6iICg5gSEgDq1xCIuwQan8xZg3GP_vTW-lwOoa2oVaxMjJ8BSi/s1600/whiskey+barrel.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Keep picking the chard to keep it small and producing</span></td></tr>
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<br />HomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-45023076586362059092014-05-14T05:29:00.001-07:002014-05-14T05:29:38.837-07:00Tomato Planting<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With Mother's Day just behind me, the "usual time" everything should be in the ground, I find there is still a lot to do - o</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">ur spring has taken a couple of extra weeks to get here this year.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> I did manage to get the last of the tomatoes in the ground just yesterday. My final count was <i>30</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Here is the breakdown: 3 "Super Sweet 100" cherry tomatoes, 2 "early" determinates "Oregon Spring", 2 "early" indeterminates "Bloody Butcher", 5 "San Marzano" Italian heirloom, 2 Brandywine Red, 2 "Porterhouse" large beefsteak, and the rest are our favorite and all-time best producer "Supersteak." The remaider of all those started were gifted, and a few were taken to the garden "swap" night. </i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have them planted in several different areas of the yard/garden.<i> (Photos to come in later post.)</i> One of the Bloody Butchers is in a whiskey barrel right outside of my window - in a little micro-climate there and is where I have historically gotten my first ripe tomato. Fingers crossed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Four are placed in the rear raised beds with a bucket "collar" to add soil depth and collect a little more water for their root zone. These are caged. Three more are planted along the fence, with the fence as their trellis; two cherry tomatoes are in a raised bed with a large trellis to be trained against; three more are planted in my new raised bed; three alongside the porch; and thirteen in the front "ground garden." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>What do I do with all of them? </i> Well, so far, I have never had a year where "too many" was in my vocabulary. Our family of 6 (plus regular guests) eat our weight in BLTs during the summer. Fresh tomato slices alongside morning eggs, grilled cheese and tomato, fresh garden soups, shish-kabobs are all summer staple dishes. Tomato juice is my personal favorite, and store-bought is too expensive and too salty for my liking, so I can several batches that way. This year I hope to increase my production of simply canned tomatoes since I realized the family has taken a liking to more winter soups.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Note: Putting them in the ground, I plant "deep" after removing the lower couple of leaves. Once again, roots will form along the buried stem, forming a larger root zone as well as getting them deeper to help reach for moisture during the dry spells.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>HomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-40635821770250280552014-04-15T06:37:00.002-07:002014-04-15T06:48:43.968-07:00Transplanting Seedlings <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>I've been watching the tomato seedlings, and they have grown to the point where they are too big to remain in their "starter cells." It is time to transplant. </i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Gather all materials in one place: organic potting soil, recycled pots, plant tags and pen, recycled solid trays, trowel, spoon, and gloves. Do this in a location that is easy to sweep-clean. A little music and a nice glass of tea for the potter.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Preparing for transplanting</i></span></td></tr>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Personal note: After trying many things over the years, I have settled on the investment of plastic plant labels (bought in bulk online) and a Sharpie* Industrial marker (red lettering) for my labeling. These hold up not only for the entire season, but I am reusing them again this year. Be sure to use the industrial marker as it is heat resistant and thus fade-proof (I learned this trick from a local nursery employee).</span></i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Choose the strongest seedlings to transplant, so not everything "makes the cut." Keep many more than you can use at this point simply because not all of them make it to the end. This allows you to gift some to family and friends when it gets close to planting time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Gently pull the plant from the tray and loosen the soil from the bottom but not completely exposing the roots, Place this plant completely to the bottom of the pot, then pinch off any/all leaves that would be buried. Completely fill in the pot. If one is a leggy transplant, very gently bend the stem in the pot in order to get it buried well. Roots will develop all along the base of the stem.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Loosen soil from roots, plant completely to the bottom of the pot.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Continue this until you have all the transplants that you want. Don't worry if they look a little crooked or droopy, some water and a few hours will perk them right up.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>A little droopy upon transplant, the ones in foreground didn't "make the cut" <br />one too leggy, another too small, and I had enough of this variety to keep and share.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Some water and a few hours later, they are looking good</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Keep them inside and under another florescent light (I borrowed one, with permission, from hubby's workshop) and put them on the same timer as the rest of the seedlings. On nice, overcast days, you may begin putting them outside a little at a time to start the hardening off process.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These may or may not need to be transplanted again prior to putting them in the garden. If these outgrow their pots, transplant them once more into a larger pot. In this case, follow the same routine as above: loosen soil around roots, place plant completely to the bottom of the pot and pinch off any leaves that would be buried. Once again, the plant will develop a larger root zone along the buried stem.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This same process is also followed for the peppers when it is time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I hope this helps.</span><br />
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<br />HomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-48016898845759010682014-04-09T17:54:00.000-07:002014-04-15T06:49:37.835-07:00Tip for First Spring Lawn Mowing<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was looking out over my lawn today and noticing that it is in need its first trim. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This means it is also time to "rally the troops" and do a good yard clean up. The winter and wind always does its job of cluttering the lawn with branches, pine cones, wind-blown trash, and the like. It also reminds me that every year, irregardless of how dutiful we are about the cleaning and clearing, the first time I mow (even on a high setting) I manage to run over and chop up a countless number of little sticks and occasionally hit a dirt "clump" from a mole tunnel. Nevertheless, I cringe at the thought of what it is doing to my blades...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thus, my tip for the first spring mowing is this: <i>Wait to get your blades sharpened until after the first one or two mowings. </i> This way, all those sticks and other assorted debris you missed on clean up but your mower finds will nick your "old" blades. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">By the time the blades are sharpened, the grass is really greening up, filling in nicely, and looks wonderful with an even cut from freshly sharpened and balanced blades. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>HomeInTheGardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882917295787408301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704901320749440789.post-69234306376620611912014-04-08T06:17:00.000-07:002014-04-15T06:48:43.971-07:00Seed Starting - Tomatoes and Peppers<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I start all of my tomatoes and peppers from seed. Why? Because I grow a lot of them, and I also like to grow specific varieties. I have done this for years. For me, it also has a therapeutic effect. Since I start them in late February or early March, it gives me a chance to focus on growing plants in those last weeks of cold, dreary winter. Since I put my tomatoes in the garden about a week before I put my peppers in, I also start my tomatoes a week earlier. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Process:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Decide when the plants go into the garden and count backward. Personally, I allow myself approximately 8 weeks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You can start seeds in many different ways. My personal choice is to use the 72 cells with a solid plant tray underneath. I re-use my cells, trays, and domes each year until they break beyond use. I purchase these items from my local farm supply store in separate pieces. They are inexpensive this way vs. buying a kit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Use actual "Seed Starter" soil; it is sanitized and formulated for this purpose. Moisten the soil in a bucket prior to filling the cells. It should hold together if you squeeze but not drip water. When I plant my seeds, I begin with the cells only about 1/2 full of seed starting mix. An old tablespoon works well for this; a dull pencil is great to poke the seed hole. Doing this helps delay the first transplanting (explained later). Cover them with either plastic wrap or a plastic dome. As they come up they will look really short in the trays. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These are placed on a 4' table in an east-facing window. This is also the entrance to the house so I do have to keep things a little orderly and neat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This tray is shown after germination and about 1 1/2 weeks old. When the seedlings emerge, it is time to remove the plastic or plastic dome. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At this point I place them under florescent "shop" lights. Since I have yet to build a light stand, I simply prop my lights on top of some building blocks I have. Keep lights within inches of your plants, this will keep them from becoming "leggy." Regular florescent tubes work fine, you don't have to pay for "grow" lights.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Keep an eye on them and don't let them dry out. Watering from the bottom is best. This is why I invest in the solid plant trays. Water, wait 30 minutes, and pour off any remaining water in the tray - otherwise it is too much water and your plants may dampen off (rot).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here you see the seedlings getting larger (top). Now, this is where I begin to fill in the cells as they are growing. Just a bit at a time. This will allow each seedling to develop a stronger/larger root system. You can see here that I have not yet thinned. I delay that for another week, to allow a little competition between the seedlings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here they are after another week. I am now thinning out each cell to the healthiest plant. I look at the size of the seeding, the leaves, and how strong the stem looks. CUT your seedling out with pointy scissors. Pulling disturbs the roots of the seedling left and sometimes pulls up your "keeper." I also take this opportunity to add a little more soil to each cell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is 1 week later...they really start growing now. Here, I did any final thinning of the smaller seedlings, again topped off any cells that still needed it. You can see especially with the tomato seedlings how thick their stem are getting. This day I also raised my lights (added another block). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You may read about having a fan blowing on your seedlings. This is to mimic the wind they will experience in the garden. Basically, the movement encourages the plants to strengthen their root and stem systems. A very gentle "jostle" of the leaves once or twice a day will have the same effect. It is kind of like "petting" your plants. If one or more of my boys are around when I do this - for their audience only... I add in a little "hello my little plants... you are getting so big...yes you are...." Yeah, totally unnecessary, but it has become part of our springtime routine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In approximately another week, the tomatoes will need to be transplanted into larger containers. The peppers will continue to grow.</span></div>
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