Hudson Valley Garden Confidential

Alliums, annual buds, peas

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 23:53:00 +0000

Hudson Valley Garden Confidential Issue No. 46

June 25, 2011

I left a few yellow onions to see what their flower would look like. Pretty nice.

Other Alliums

A. bulgaricum

A. Schubertii

Allium aflatunense

In my garden ... buds of volunteers

Cornflower, bachelor button

Sunflower

Calendula

Today's Recipe

Sugar Snap peas are still coming in strong:

Linguine with pea pesto

Reminder :

Bridal netting keeps the bugs (think potato beetles, japanese beetles) and birds (think blueberries) at bay.

Broccoli and all cole crops are suseptable to the Cabbage Looper . Use Bt or Dipel for organic control.

Strawberries, Sugar Snaps and Snow in Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 10:16:00 +0000

strawberries and sugar snap peas are in

Hudson Valley Garden Confidential Issue No. 45

June 6, 2011

In my garden ... now

some favorite low growers

Cerastium tomentosum

Veronica 'Georgia Blue'

Covered with buds!

For the first time, my five year old Stewartia pseudocamellia is going to put on a great show later this month.

Hardy annual worth revisiting

Sweet Alyssum lovely fragrance all summer and then ... it self seeds and reappears in unexpected places next year.

Enkianthus campanulatus

March 21,2011

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:15:00 +0000

Virginia Luppino Fine Gardens and Landscapes

throughout the Hudson Valley since 1983

Elegant Solutions . . . Sustainable Practices

Greens Greens Greens

coldframes

cloche tunnels

floating row covers

Hudson Valley Garden Confidential Issue No. 42

March 2011

Extend your season

Greens

emerging

from

under

floating row cover.

You can also successfully seed hardy annuals now. Annual Poppies of all varieties, Love-in-the-mist, Bachelor Buttons, Calendula to name a few. I sprinkled a mix of these over my garlic bed yesterday.

Petaluma Seed Bank

Recently spent the better part of a very rainy Sunday

in Petalluma, CA. Visited the SEED BANK (and Petaluma Pies). Shelves were stocked with many varieties that were new to me...especially the Aisan melons and greens.

On the trail . . .

Skunk Cabbage - Symplocarpus foetidus

Snowdrops - Galanthus nivalis

Leaves of immature Beech trees persist throughout the winter... falling when new buds swell.

Recipe for all those greens

Polenta Torta with Spring Greens and Pancetta(optional)

NOW SCHEDULING:

Garden cleanups

Pruning

Spring Plantings

Vegetable Gardens

Landscape Plans

Consultations

February 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 15:55:00 +0000

Hudson Valley Garden Confidential Issue No. 35

February 2011

The Bread is Singing

Been a while.

This day's warm temps inspired me to remind you that

a day just like today is a good day to prune your forsythia and have an armful of stems to force into bloom as reward for your efforts. Invite help if you have an unruly stand. You can also cut (prune) quince and apple.

I have spent a large part of my winter baking and contemplating baking. A few years ago I became a convert to

Jim Lahey's No-Knead Bread.

A month ago I discovered his new book,

My Bread and have been baking my way through it. This morning's loaf is a crusty whole wheat cranberry walnut.

As the bread cools it crackles and pops... it sings.

Favorite New (to me) seed catalogs

Territorial Seed Company

Abundant Life Seeds

Old Favorites:

Botanical Interests

BIG packs of California poppies to sprinkle everywhere.

The Cook's Garden

Greens

Johnny's

Supplies and season extenders

Planting Fruit Trees?

Check this out: Trees of Antiquity

MORE TO COME

I don't suppose anyone out there is yearning for a delay in spring's arrival. I may be alone in that realm. Winter is never long enough to get through my list.

Last year was a very early spring... but April snows don't surprise. Peepers can get going prematurely, only to dig back in for a month.

I'm digging back in for now.

soon.

HOT peppers!

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:01:00 +0000

On the trail . . .

This summer has just zipped by in a haze of ozone and heat. How did we get to September already? There was so much I wanted to share but the days just melted quickly away.

Tomatoes!
What tomatoes? My crop seemed to never recover from the intense heat of June. And those that did succumbed to ravenous chipmunks. Buggers!

Once again grateful for the abundance of small, sweet 'Sun Gold', 'Cherry Roma' and 'Yellow Pear' tomatoes. Still hoping for a few ripe 'Black from Tula'. Fingers crossed.

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Garden Slice

This is the time of year that grasses rule!

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The Edible Landscape

Peppers were the biggest success in my garden this year... and the biggest surprise. I should have paid more attention to the heat factor of those prolific Bulgarian Carrot and Czech Black peppers. Intense searing heat! OUCH!
Chile Database - over 3000 varieties

Slice open a hot pepper and you will see tiny blisterlike sacs on the inner wall of the pepper. These sacs contain capsaicinoids or organic chemicals. Capsaicinoids make peppers hot. (And in turn make your fingers feel like they are on fire (for days) if you have used them to clear seeds from your peppers!)

The more sacs you see on the inside of a pepper the hotter the pepper will be. When a pepper is cut or handled roughly the sacs break and splash onto the pepper's seeds and inner walls. That's when you taste the hotness of a pepper.

The best known capsaicinoid is capsaicin. Capsaicin is so potent that the average person can detect its presence even when it is diluted in water to 10 parts per million.

The hotness or pungency of a pepper is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). American pharmacologist Wilbur Scoville invented this scale in 1912; it is basically a taste test. Scoville asked five people to taste diluted capsaicinoids from peppers; if the tasters could still taste the hotness of a pepper when 1 part of the pepper was diluted with say 10,000 parts water, then that pepper would be rated 10,000 on the SHU. A habañero pepper is rated up to 500,000 SHU.
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Recipe Box --

What to do with when your bowl overflows with cherry tomatoes.

Cherry Tomato Tart with Basil uses what I have in abundance.

Summer tomato and gorgonzola bread salad from a new favorite blogger.

Spring rolls, Rainwater, Cornflowers

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:48:00 +0000

On the trail . . . or in my small backyard

been a while... the last month has just gone by in a flash.

Watering . . . watering . . . watering

Loving those plants that never get thirsty or crispy!

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Garden Slice

Annuals I'm loving this summer.

Woody Plants 101

Don't assume that well established trees and shrubs don't need watering in dry times like this. Many trees in my travels have begun to drop leaves. Water.

Think about collecting rain water. At least the less-than- expected-rainfall over the weekend filled my rain barrrels.

The Edible Landscape

Czech Black peppers.
I'm planning on grilling these stuffed with goat cheese.

Japanese beetle damage

Recipe Box

What to do with that cabbage from the CSA?
One of my favorite summer party foods is Vietnamese Spring rolls. They are fun to put together and always a big hit with any crowd.

Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls
1/2 red cabbage, shredded
3 large carrots, shredded
4 green onions, sliced thinly
1 small bunch cilantro
container of mixed bean sprouts
1 small bunch basil leaves
1 small bunch mint leaves
1/2 bunch cellophane vermicelli rice noodles
2 t cider vinegar
1/2 t white sugar
pinch of salt
spring roll rice wrappers

lime-ginger dipping sauce
1/4 c soy sauce
juice of 1 lime
1 knob of ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
a few splashes of toasted sesame oil
1 t honey or white sugar
a few dashes of sirracha or hot sauce

1. In a small bowl, wisk together the dipping sauce and set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the grated carrots, cilantro and green onions. Add in 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar, sugar and salt. Mix and let sit until sugar and salt dissolves.
3. Meanwhile, soak your vermicelli noodles in some hot water for about 5 minutes or until soft. Drain and add in 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar. Toss with your hands.
4. Pour hot water into large bowl or pie plate. Dip 1 spring-roll sheet in the water until soft and pliable. Remove from water. Add some shredded cabbage in a line along the top third of the spring roll sheet. Add grated carrot mixture, then some torn up basil and mint leaves, and then the bean sprouts. Roll one turn into a cylinder shape and then fold in the sides and continue rolling. Before you get to the end, place a whole mint leaf on the wrapper and roll up to close. This makes your roll look extra pretty. Be careful to not over-stuff or it will be hard to roll. Repeat with remaining rolls. Keep rolls moist by placing completed rolls on a cookie sheet with a clean damp kitchen towel placed over top. Serve with dipping sauce.

Ooops . . . this was meant to go out weeks ago:

What to do with garlic scapes.

I have made and enjoyed scape pesto with walnuts or pistachios...spread on crusty bread with some fresh cheese and maybe some roasted red peppers. It's a great pizza topping too.
Freezes well.

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Word: weekly random botanical-isms

hed'ys: sweet; having a pleasant taste or aroma

helo'des: of bogs

Foxgloves:Veronicastrum:Strawberries

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 01:44:00 +0000

On the trail . . .

In June as many as a dozen species may burst their buds on a single day. No man can heed all of these anniversaries; no man can ignore all of them. ~Aldo Leopold

Foxgloves begin in the wild and in the garden.

Multiflora roses wind down. Honeysuckle ramps up.

Roads littered with Catalpa flowers.

Will we finally get a good, long, soaking rain?

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Garden Slice

Veronicastrum virginicum - Culver's Root
A native beauty with leaves whorled around the stem

Veronicastrum buds demanding attention

The Edible Landscape

Pick your own organic strawberries at
Thompson Finch Farm

It's worth the drive.

Recipe Box

STRAWBERRIES!!!

You really don't need to be a kid to enjoy these fruit pops!

Strawberry Push Pops - easy treat for a hot day (but you will need to free up a shelf in the freezer)

How to Make Homemade Bomb Pops

How about some STRAWBERRY BUTTER

for your pancakes or popovers?

1 stick unsalted butter at room temp

1/3 cup mashed fresh strawberries

2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Whip together the softened butter, mashed strawberries and powdered sugar until ingredients are well blended (about 4 to 5 minutes).

Serve immediately or cool in refrigerator for later use.

or maybe Lidia's:
SWEET RICOTTA DUMPLINGS WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE

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Word: weekly random botanical-isms

saccharif'era: sugar-bearing

sati'vus: cultivated; planted deliberately

Multiflora : Kousa : 4 Lined Plant Bug : Tomato Pruning

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Fri, 28 May 2010 00:24:00 +0000

On the trail . . .

EVERYWHERE . . . the fragrance of wild roses

The white Rosa multiflora is almost two weeks early in blooming this spring.

This sublime fragrance seems to trigger sweet memories in most people. For me it is the scent of coming home, (twenty years ago) with my infant daughter, whose birthday is June 10th.

Where does the fragrance carry you?

Also blooming this week:
Cornus Kousa - Kousa Dogwood

Deutzia gracilis
Kolkwitzia amabilis - Beauty Bush
Philadelphus coronarius - Mock Orange

Garden Slice

Clematis time

BUGGERS!
Four lined plant bug nymph and the damage it wreaks.

The four lined plant bug damage is most commonly found on perennials, especially those in the mint family or composites.

Woody Plants 101

Robinia pseudoacacia var. 'Purple Robe' (or 'Idaho')A hardy, tough tree with fragrant pea-like flowers

The Edible Landscape

Thanks to Johnny's Selected Seeds for this clear info:
Pruning tomatoes video

First, please note that this information applies only to indeterminate tomato varieties. Determinates should NOT be pruned because pruning will reduce yield.

Indeterminates, however, will grow until killed by frost, always dividing their energy between vegetative growth and fruit production. Appropriate pruning reduces vegetative growth to the minimum required for plant health, thereby increasing the energy available for flowering and fruiting. Pruned tomatoes produce larger fruits that ripen earlier, sometimes by as much as two weeks. Pruning also helps prevent foliar diseases because it reduces crowding and touching of leaves. Too much pruning, however, can result in fruits with sunburn, catfacing, and blossom end rot.

Indeterminate tomatoes are vining plants with many branches. Pruning reduces the number of branches to one, two, or several main branches or "leaders" which will ideally be about the same size. This is accomplished by removing side shoots or "suckers" that grow in the leaf axils between leaves and the stem. Here's how it's done:

1. If you want just one leader, remove all the leaves and side shoots below the first flower cluster. As the plant grows, continue to remove all suckers from the leaf axils.

2. If you want two leaders, which is often recommended in case the main stem is damaged, leave one sucker directly below the first flower cluster. Prune all other suckers that grow on both stems.

3. For plants with three or four leaders, leave the first sucker or first two suckers above the first flower cluster. After that, prune off all new suckers.

The suckers should be removed when they are 2-3" long. In most cases, they will snap off when bent, although if the plant is wilted they may need to be pruned off with pruners or a razor blade. Pruning should be done about every week to 10 days to stay ahead of sucker development. If this task gets away from you and suckers get too long, you should pinch or cut off the growing tip of the sucker, leaving a few leaves behind, rather than trying to remove the entire shoot, which would create a wound close to the main stem and make it more vulnerable to disease.

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AND peas are flowering!!

Recipe Box
a simple, summer picnic salad
Being a fan of Feta and Limes, this recipe from

EVERYBODY LOVES SANDWICHES
seemed worthy of sharing.
FETA & LIME CABBAGE SLAW
1 small-ish head of cabbage, thinly sliced
1 large lime, juiced
1/4 c olive oil
1 t honey
salt & pepper
1/3 c feta cheese, crumbled
Add shredded cabbage to a large bowl. In a small jar, combine the lime juice, olive oil, honey and salt & pepper. Shake to combine and taste to see if any adjustments need to be made. Pour over slaw and add feta, tossing to combine.

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Word: weekly random botanical-isms

medulla'ris: soft-wooded; pithy

melanchol'icus: sad-looking, hanging, or drooping

Polygonatum::'Popcorn'::Dirty Dozen::Asparagus

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Mon, 03 May 2010 22:32:00 +0000

On the trail . . .

Make a wish.

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Garden Slice
Polygonatum odoratum var. thunbergii 'Variegatum'
Variegated Solomon's Seal

Well suited to the woodland shade garden, these fragrant, graceful beauties have the added bonus of being deer resistant.
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Woody Plants 101
Viburnum plicatum tomentosum 'Popcorn'

What people say about this shrub:Imperturbably healthy
Quick grower and precocious bloomer
Always gives a great show
No serious insect or disease problems.
An awesome sight in bloom!

The Edible Landscape

The Dirty Dozen Environment Working Group's updated list of the foods which you should buy organic

Buying these foods organic, will help lower your daily intake of pesticides.

Peaches, strawberries and blueberries are in the top five of most pesticide residue. In coming weeks I'm planting a blueberry hedge, replacing a small ornamental tree with a Peach tree and giving over one of my beds (later this season, half of my front lawn) to strawberries.

Recipe Box

This comes together quickly.

Yet another recipe from one of my favorite food blogs, Smitten Kitchen. The combo of the finely micro-planed lemon zest and goat cheese bears repeating on its own.

Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon PastaAdapted from Bon Appetit
"As it turns out, goat cheese makes a really great quick, creamy pasta sauce. And whether you blanche your pasta with asparagus or you swap in fava beans or string beans or seriously, you name it, this comes together so quickly that I forgave it for not winning any beauty contests."

Word: weekly random botanical-isms
occidenta'lis: western, pertaining to the setting sun

oreoph'ilus: mountain-loving

Pussytoes::Asarum::Strawberry::Rhubarb

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 23:51:00 +0000

On the trail . . .

Antennaria solitaria - Pussytoes get their name from the slight resemblance to paws of cats. Easily overlooked, this native forms wonderful semi-evergreen mats of ground cover. They provide larval food of the American Lady butterfly.

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Garden Slice

Asarum europaeum European Ginger

An excellent ground cover for partial to full shade.
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Woody Plants 101

Fragrance of lilacs... breathe deep.

The edible landscape. . .
Strawberries can be a troublesome ground cover. They spread rapidly by runner and can become rather invasive.

I like to confine them to a raised or well edged bed.

One of my favorite varieties is 'Sparkle'.
It is super hardy, very productive and dependable, producing glossy, crimson-red berries of exceptional quality and flavor.

Violets for the spring salad.

Recipe Box
Garden to Table ... and occasional decadent desserts

My rhubarb is ready to harvest. I do love making rhubarb-strawberry pie with a traditional lattice top crust... but this year I thought I might try some other combinations.

I've been searching through recipes and find that so many recipes that include rhubarb have an inordinately large quantity of sugar.

Rhubarb, Strawberry and Mango Compote

Rhubarb, Cherry, and Golden Raisin Chutney

Bluebarb Pie

Rhubarb Ginger Galette

I'm going to try freezing some rhubarb this year

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Word: weekly random botanical-isms

convall'is: of the valley

coraci'nus: raven black

Clematis montana :: Myosotis :: Viburnum aphid :: Mint :: Beets

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:01:00 +0000

On the trail . . .

The weather cooled down and the blossoms are grateful.

Apple blossoms, Red Buds, Magnolia, Shad, Viburnums,

Forsythia, Maples, Dogwoods, Azaleas, Peach Trees, Sand Cherry, Lilacs.

As your travels vary in elevation the show changes.

Clematis montana Rubens

Can't decide if it is more beautiful in bud or flower
Taking it all in.
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Garden Slice
Myosotis sylvatica- Forget-me-not

An essential in any landscape. These dense biennial beauties find their way into nooks and crannies, brightening otherwise dark corners. Left to their own devises they can, overtime, form a sea of blue.

Allow them to go to seed, to ensure flowers for next year.

Myosotis scorpioides (formerly Myosotis palustris) is the perennial native that grows in bogs and wet places, beside streams and rivers.
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Woody Plants 101

Viburnum aphids!
Each spring my deliciously fragrant Viburnum carlesii is attacked by black aphids, causing the leaves to curl.

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The Edible Landscape

Contain your mint
I planted two small bits of mint that I dug from mint patches of friends. I planted them in a 2' x 2' raised bed. It quickly filled the bed and provides kitchen-counter bouquets of mint throughout the summer.

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Word: weekly random botanical-isms

ternifo'lius: with leaves in threes

tetran'thus: four-flowered

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Recipe Box
Garden to Table ... and occasional decadent desserts

Beet and Goat Cheese Napoleons

This recipe arrived in my mailbox today via SAVEUR.
I haven't made yet... but plan to ASAP.

Photo: Penny De Los Santos

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Virginia Luppino Fine Gardens & Landscapes

www.luppinodesign.com
enterthewoods@gmail.com

www.hudsonvalleygardenconfidential.com

Bluets::Hellebores::Hardening Off Seedlings::Dandelion Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:49:00 +0000

On the trail . . .

In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.
- Margaret Atwood

Sadly, the cherries are fading too quickly in the heat.

Bluets or Quaker Ladies
These pale bluish to white, with yellow eye native wildflowers, often form large colonies. They pop up in lawns and fields. Look for them NOW!
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Garden Slice

Hellebores steal the stage this week and for weeks to come.

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The edible landscape. . .
Hardening off seedlings

When your plants are ready to go outside, start slowly! Put them outside for a few hours everyday; slowly increase the time outdoors daily. In a week to ten days, they will be ready for outdoors.
The seedlings that you have tended so carefully will soon be planted outside, where they will be exposed to wild temperature swings, wind, rain, and brilliant sunshine. It's a tough transition for plants, one that can set them back severely unless you take the time to harden them off.

Hardening off means introducing young plants gradually to the world outside. This process is easy when you have a few flats of plants; you can put them outside for a few hours and gradually increase the amount of time each day for a week or so.

Don't be fooled by these warm days. Cooler weather can be on the way. In recent years we have had frosts as late as the last week of May.

Greens harvested from my coldframe
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Word: weekly random botanical-isms
grave'olens: heavily scented; strong smelling
gy'rans: revolving in a circle, gyrating
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Recipe Box
Garden to Table ... and occasional decadent desserts

Dandelion Greens with Garlic Croutons and Gruyere

(from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone)

1 large bunch of dandelion greens (about 1 pound)
2 large, thin slices of sourdough bread
1 large garlic clove, halved
Salt and Pepper
1 large shallot, finely diced
4 tsp sherry vinegar or aged red wine vinegar
5 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
Paper thin slices of Gruyere

Carefully sort through the greens, trim, wash and dry well. Trim and discard the long stems of the greens, then chop the remaining leaves into bite-sized pieces. There should be approx 6 cups. Toast the bread in the oven until crisp, then rub it with the garlic and break each piece into quarters.

Pound the same clove of garlic with 1/4 tsp salt until smooth, then whisk in the shallot, vinegar, and oil. Heat the vinaigrette in a small skillet until it sizzles, then pour it over the greens while tossing with tongs. Add the croutons and plenty of pepper and toss again. Add several paper-thin slices of the cheese to each salad.

The buttery cheese, the garlicky bread, and the strong greens make a stupendous combo. Spinach can be substituted.

Buggers!

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 22:11:00 +0000

Voles are still at it. Eating the bark off of newly planted trees and chowing down on crocus!!%$@^!

Buds :: Direct Seeding :: Sugar Snap Pea Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 22:21:00 +0000

On the trail. . .

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain

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Garden Slice

Direct seed hardy annuals now!

Hardy annuals include calendula, cornflower, foxglove, larkspur, pansy, annual poppies, sweet alyssum, stocks and viola.

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The edible landscape. . .
Direct seeding

Both soil temperature and air temperature affect the germination and early growth of vegetables. Your optimum planting dates have to take both into consideration, to ensure that seeds germinate quickly and evenly, and that conditions after emergence are right for that crop.
Here is a table provided by one of my favorite seed companies, Botanical Interests

Plant before frost-free date and when soil temp is at least 45F/7C:
Beets, broccoli raab, broccoli, carrots, chicory, lettuce, onions, parsnips, peas, spinach, and turnips

Plant before frost-free date and when soil temp is at least 50F/10C:
Cabbage, cauliflower, radish, Swiss chard

Plant after danger of frost and when soil temp is at least 60F/16C:
Beans and corn (treated corn seed only; for untreated seed, wait for 65F/18C

Plant after danger of frost and when soil temp is at least 70F/21C:
Cucumbers, gourds, melons, okra, pumpkins, squash, watermelons

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Word: weekly random botanical-isms

buceph'alus: ox-headed
bufo'nius: pertaining to the toad; growing in damp places.

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Recipe Box
Garden to Table ... and occasional decadent desserts

I tend to browse Sugar Snap Peas right from the vine. This recipe might inspire me to get them to the kitchen.

Sugar snap pea soup with Parmesan cream
from the LAtimes.com

Servings: 6
This can also be served cold, with a few leaves of fresh chervil rather than the Parmesan cream. And it makes a nice small appetizer if served in espresso cups, in which case it will serve at least 12.

2 pounds sugar snap peas
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup minced shallots
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice, plus more to taste
Up to 1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Go to recipe>>

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Blueberries / Epimediums / Peach Kuchen

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:22:00 +0000

Motherwort

Motherwort - Leonurus cardiaca, is a herbaceous perennial plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. One of the earliest weeds to emerge in my garden, if left unattended, quickly grows to 3' tall.
Originally from Central Asia it is now found worldwide, spread largely due to its use as a herbal remedy.

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Garden Slice

Epimedium

Got dry shade? Voracious Deer?
Have I got a plant for you!

Choosing the right variety will reward you with handsome and dense-growing foliage which remains present for much of the year, with the leaves often turning purple, crimson and scarlet in autumn in some forms, and remaining evergreen in others.

The delicate spring flowers can be pink, white, yellow, lavender, bi-colored and more.

Many species of Epimedium are alleged to have aphrodisiac qualities.
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The edible landscape. . .

Vaccinium - Blueberry

Besides growing blueberries for their tasty fruit, and antioxidant qualities... they are beautiful, hardy shrubs for the landscape with spring flowers, summer fruit and brilliant fall color.
They prefer well drained acidic soil with a pH range between 4.8 to 5.2.
Full sun for best fruit.
Planting more than one variety will give you better cross pollination and more fruit.
Mulch well with pine needles if possible.

Gall on Blueberry twig caused by the larvae of a blueberry stemgall wasp, distorts stem growth.

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Word: weekly random botanical-isms
pilea'tus: resembling a cap or a skull
placa'tus: quiet; calm; gentle

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Recipe Box
Garden to Table ... and occasional decadent desserts

An often returned to recipe from the Tassajara Bread Book.
I substitute half peaches/half blueberries, using what's left in the freezer from the summer's harvest.

Peach Kuchen

Peach-jewel mosaic set in custard baked with sweet crust.

1/2 c. butter

2 c. flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. heavy cream or sour cream
1 c. brown or raw sugar
12 peach halves
2 egg yolks, beaten or two whole eggs
1 tsp cinnamon

Cut butter into flour, baking powder, salt and 2T sugar until it looks like coarse meal. Press firmly into a baking pan. (I use a long 13" pan) Arrange fruit on surface to cover. Sprinkle fruit with a mixture of cinnamon and remaining sugar. Bake 15 minutes at 400degrees. Pour egg yolks beaten with cream over top, and bake 40 minutes longer at 375 degrees until lightly browned.

Coltsfoot :: Sweet Peas

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:48:00 +0000

One of the very first spring wildflowers seen on the roadsides is Coltsfoot.
Coltsfoot tea was long used as a remedy for coughs.

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Garden Slice

Sweet Peas, associated with English Gardens, actually originated in Sicily. This is an intensely fragrant sweet pea I picked along the roadside west of Palermo.

The first written record of sweet peas appeared in 1695. Francisco Cupani, a member of the order of St. Francis, noted seeing sweet peas in Sicily.   Historians presume that Cupani sent seeds to Dr. Robert Uvedale - a teacher and aficionado of unusual and new plants - in Middlesex, England.

Although the exact origin of the sweet pea is uncertain, the original Cupani variety is available to gardeners still under the name Cupani! A favorite of mine is Matucana.

Some modern cultivars of Sweet Pea were developed for flower size and color, losing fragrance along the way.

Use caution in choosing varieties not to end up with those without the sweet fragrance that makes them popular in my garden.   Plant them now, directly out side in beds and containers.
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The Edible Landscape . . .

This week I pre-germinated my sugar snow peas before planting them. I simply put them in a container with a moist paper towel a few days prior to planting.
Once planted, I covered them with ramie to try and prevent the squirrels from digging them up. The squirrels in my village yard are way more troublesome than the deer ever were in my country garden.

As you do spring pruning save the branches to stake your peas. __________________________________

Word: weekly random botanical-isms

melea'gris: like a guinea-fowl, speckled or checkered
melli'tus: sweet as honey
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Recipe Box
Garden to Table

Spring Peas with Mint
2Tbs Extra-virgin Olive oil
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
2cups fresh baby peas
1/2 sm red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 cup loosely packed mint, torn

In a bowl, whisk the oil and vinegar. Add the peas, red onion and mint and toss. Season with salt and pepper and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

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Pussy willows... and other signs of spring

noreply@blogger.com (Virginia Luppino) — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:42:00 +0000

Picking pussy willow stems is an enduring rite of spring.

Pussy willow trees are native to wetlands of Canada and the eastern U.S. As a willow, the trees are part of the genus, Salix. The terminology pussy willows is used loosely to refer both to the trees themselves and to the furry buds on its branches (also known as 'catkins').

Planting Pussy Willows on the Landscape

Since pussy willow trees are wetland plants in the wild, they would obviously be ideal occupants for any areas of your landscape that suffer from poor drainage. If you are lucky enough not to have any such areas on your landscape, then you'll have to provide your pussy willow trees with plenty of water. They do best in full sun, but pussy willow trees will tolerate shade.

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Common snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis

Another welcome sight after a dreary Northeast winter is the Snowdrop. Just a few planted in a sunny spot along a path to your door will do the trick. Take note now of where the snow melts quickly and plan to plant some early spring bulbs in that sunny spot.

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:: GARDEN TO TABLE ::

My raised beds here in Saugerties, 'Banana Belt of the Hudson', are ready for seeding. Greens, spinach, arugula, beets, carrots, and, of course, radishes. Look at these beauties offered this year by Cooks Garden "Radish Pink Summersickle". Pink Daikon-like radishes!

My other favorite seed company is 'Botanical Interests'.

I especially like their 'large packs' of lettuce mixes and cutting garden mixes.

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:: WORD: Random Botanicalisms ::

salicifo'lius: with leaves like the willow

uligino'sus: of wet or marshy places