The Rainforest Garden

The Importance of Being Selfish

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 02:07:00 +0000

Writing is easy when you’re honest and happy. I’ve never had a problem writing about gardening when all I felt was wonder and unbridled enthusiasm for the natural world, just as it was easy to write about the joys of becoming a father - or the complex emotions I felt while slowly losing my mother to Lupus. That’s all relatable; A baby boy is a pretty good reason to feel happy, and it's not unusual to feel sad when losing a loved one.

For too long I’ve avoided writing on my blog because after being blessed with a baby boy, I felt something unfamiliar that was difficult to put into words. Rather, the problem was what I didn’t feel.

When you’ve been blessed with the gift of parenthood, it feels so sinful to be anything less than constantly overjoyed. While I remembered to feed my son a bottle before he even realized he was hungry, I would go all day without remembering to pour myself a glass of water. Whenever I had to pull myself away to write, garden, draw, shop, spend some time with myself, or do anything at all that brought me joy, I felt such a twinge of guilt. I came to view them as nothing more than chores that got in the way of playing with my son. “I’m sorry… I have to draw.” I would say, without the slightest hint of irony.

Whenever I found myself getting caught up in the flow of my own imagination and truly enjoying the creative process again, I would inevitably doubt myself long enough to lose steam, before falling back into a slump and feeling guilty for any time spent at my desk while my son played in the other room.

Oddly enough, it was while working on a blog post for Tuesday Morning that I had my a-ha moment and realized what it was I was missing.

“I’m sorry,” I said to my son before heading out to a two-hour shopping spree at Tuesday Morning, “I have to go shop… it’s work.” This, too, was said without the slightest hint of irony.

But by the time I had perused every aisle about twenty times, it dawned on me that it was truly fun to simply be alone without feeling any obligation (Thanks Mrs. Rainforest Gardener!) to hurry home and entertain a two-year old. Emboldened by my newfound independence, I put back the toys that I was going to buy out of guilt for working too much. (Sorry Junior Rainforest Gardener!)

That shopping trip, or rather the second or third one, helped me realize that what I had been missing all along was my sense of self, as well as a healthy amount of selfishness. You’re not doing your family any favors by avoiding the things that make you happy. That’s what I told myself, anyways, as I added a chocolate bar to my shopping cart.

I’m slowly letting myself enjoy ‘me time’ again. Yesterday I had the opportunity to wander aimlessly around a shopping center, drink iced coffee and look at art supplies. It felt really, really good. I recently replaced my little laptop with a new computer because it came with a working keyboard and had a larger screen that didn’t require squinting, and I can say without any shame that having the right equipment for the job has made me incredibly happy. Because a functional computer allows me to work faster and more fluidly, I can spend time with my son (and maybe get coffee and art supplies) without stressing about all the work I should be doing.

I know that it’s unbecoming to confess that parenthood isn’t without challenges, but it would be dishonest to pretend that those things don’t sometimes exist. It might be ‘oversharing’, but I would much rather write without hesitation and get back to treating my blog as a creative outlet again. Not only is it difficult to write when you’re unable to say what’s on your mind, but it would be a shame to alienate that one reader who needed the encouragement and needed to hear that “Yes, working from home with a toddler is super hard sometimes.” Because if I can say that, then it means a bit more when I say that “It gets better.”

So on that genuine and heartfelt note, here’s a link to the post that I wrote on the Tuesday Morning blog. It’s about getting over your cold feet in the garden, which would be a welcome topic for the majority of my readers who thought this was a garden blog for some reason!

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My Guidance Counselor Said That I Was Not College Material

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Sun, 11 Sep 2016 17:19:00 +0000

I'm writing this for anyone who has ever been told that they were not good enough to succeed in life, especially those like myself with learning disabilities, social anxiety or an inability to fit in with the others. I know that this is mostly a garden blog, but it's fitting that I share this story since I wouldn't have even become a gardener or a writer unless I was first a failure.

Always make time to get better at what you love..

After all, I was not college material in the first place; at least that's what my high school guidance counselor and a few well-meaning teachers told me. Maybe they were right. After all, I was so shy that I could barely speak to other students, and was labeled 'slow' due to my ADD. The other kids called me a freak. They called me stupid, and only a few of my teachers seemed to see my potential. But I graduated from high school (a year late) and went to college anyways. Against my art teacher's advice, I majored in voice; not because I thought i could sing for a living, but because the few friends I did have were in chorus and were also becoming voice majors. I wasn't a particularly bad singer, so what could go wrong? Well, for my first judged voice competition, I choked. I could not sing. I could not make a sound. Knowing that I had failed, I cried in front of my friends and made a fool of myself. But I was persistent and tried majoring in something else that I loved: Writing. I lasted for a semester, before realizing that what I REALLY wanted to do was be an artist. But to make money, I was told that I had to become a graphic designer. So I applied to the UNF graphic design program and against all odds, was accepted. I'm not really sure how I made it that far, to be honest. I nearly failed algebra for the third time because I was "unteachable" and "impossible". I skipped my classes to avoid social situations. While other students were learning how to become artists, I doodled and wrote in my sketchbook. I memorized all of the plants on the campus nature trails and landscaping. I read the textbooks from front to back, yet failed tests because I couldn't memorize specific dates. I dropped out, barely a semester away from graduating. I had blown all of my money on things that I can't even remember, and my full-time job wasn't enough to pay the tuition. Realizing that my high school guidance counselor was right all along, I accepted a promotion to co-manager at the bookstore. By the way, I'm pretty sure that I was terrible at that too. But I kept studying, writing and drawing. I planted a garden for my mom, learned everything I could about plants, and started a gardening blog to serve as a creative outlet where I could continue studying, writing and drawing, but on my own this time. Even though I was apparently "unteachable", writing and blogging have made me a teacher myself in some respects. I was a terrible student. I couldn't turn in my homework on time and was actually pretty lazy, to be honest. Still, I have since completed many assignments as a freelance photographer, designer, editor, illustrator, and of course, blogger. I even ended up writing a book! I may have been lazy as a student, but have worked my ass off in pursuit of the things I love. Despite the social anxieties that made me an outcast, I've since given presentations, have been interviewed on radio and television, and will even be presenting at the Fall Jacksonville Home and Garden Show on October 1st and 2nd. (See you there!) I am still very shy to this day, but I will talk your ear off about nature, illustration or writing. My goal is to eventually reassure kids though my writing and illustration, but if nothing else, I hope that my challenges have encouraged someone reading this right now; whether you're successful in life but feel unfulfilled, or like myself, have been told that you are not college material.

I was considered 'slow' and graduated late from high school. 

By now my point is hopefully pretty obvious. Keep drawing. Keep cooking. Keep programming, studying, gardening, writing, researching and doing. High school and even college, while valuable, are not nearly as powerful as your own drive to learn outside the classroom doors. 

Make a Vertical Garden from Cheap Suet Basket Birdfeeders

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Sat, 07 May 2016 20:14:00 +0000

Whenever I try feeding birds with those cheap suet basket feeders, I either end up with a gooey mess or find that some squirrel has run off with the thing within hours. However, I’ve also found that they make great planters for succulents and epiphytic plants. Who knew? Best of all, making them is so easy that my toddler could (and did) do it. Here’s how to make your own low-maintenance vertical garden on the cheap.

The bromeliads in the foreground are mounted directly on a tree stump.

Ever since my little apartment balcony garden, I’ve daydreamed about creative ways to grow epiphytic plants such as bromeliads, orchids or Rhipsalis. I came up with something called a ‘rainforest drop’ and even turned a dead tree into a bromeliad garden, but after a couple years of trialing these suet basket planters, I can say that this is my easiest and most affordable idea yet: A vertical garden made of cheap suet feeder baskets, sphagnum moss, succulents and epiphytes.

These are just some of the ways you could put these suet basket planters to use:

- Hang them on a chain
- Mount them on wood
- Hang them from a tree
- Surround them with old picture frames
- Make a living roof for your birdhouse
- Arrange them in a grid to cover a fence
- Hang one in a brightly-lit shower (like this)

Here’s What You’ll Need:

- A suet feeder basket – Find them at the dollar store or anywhere else bird feeders can be found.
- Sphagnum moss – Long grain sphagnum moss works best.
- Florist’s wire – It’s affordable, easy to use and keeps your bromeliad in place.
- A bromeliad - Any bromeliad will do. Since I live in zone 9a, I chose cold hardy types that I can leave outside.
- (Optional) Cuttings - I like to use Rhipsalis, (an epiphytic cactus) Hatiora, (another epiphytic cactus) Peperomia (another epiphyte) and Tahitian Bridal veil, but sedums and any other easily-rooted succulents will also work.

How to Make Your Own Suet Basket Garden

Step One: Stuff the Basket
Stuff the suet basket with moistened long grain sphagnum moss. Insert small cuttings (Such as Tradescantia, Sedum or Rhipsalis species) and close the basket. If you’re using a top-loading suet basket, you can tuck the cuttings in afterwards instead. I even went back and tucked Tahitian bridal veil (Gibasis geniculata) stems into each of the baskets when I was done so that they’ll form a lacy screen over the metal frame.

Step Two: Attach Bromeliad
Place a bromeliad, orchid or succulent against the basket. Fold a long florist’s wire (or any flexible wire not containing copper), in half and wrap it once around the woody looking stem. Pull the wire through the basket tightly and twist the two ends together on the other side to attach the bromeliad. The bromeliad will need to stay upright to collect water in its vase, so lightly wrap twine around the upper portion and the basket to gently hold it in place.

To the left of the finished birdseed basket planter is an established Rainforest Drop.

Step Three: Hang the Basket
Hang the planted basket on a fence, tree or anywhere that receives the appropriate sunlight for the chosen plants. Most succulents prefer full sun, while epiphytes such as orchids, bromeliads and Rhipsalis do best with shade in the afternoon. As you can see in the photo above, I've used a metal rack. Read on to find out why I did it and how to make your own.

Epiphytic plants will be able to withstand some serious dry spells once they've become established, but first they have to form a good root system.Care for your new birdfeeder basket garden by keeping the sphagnum moss moist until roots begin to form. I rarely fertilize my rainforest drops or birdfeeder basket gardens nowadays and they still seem to do fine, but the plants will definitely take on a lusher look if you fertilize with compost tea or orchid food.

My Epiphyte Wall

You can use these planters in a multitude of creative ways, but I chose to turn them into a living wall because the fence was ugly and I wanted to create the illusion of more space. The metal supports make it easy to hang planters and move them around as needed; whether it's to make a new arrangement or to bring the orchids inside on cold nights. They also support the garden's weight, so I don't have to worry about a fallen fence. Here's what it looked like before...

Before: This ugly fence needed a makeover.

I added mulch and played around with different ideas before finally attaching the metal racks.

Much better!

Right now the planting looks like a bromeliad-covered branch, but will also use spanish moss and other draping plants to cover the metal frame and create the illusion of a lush and foliage-filled space. I may even plant a well-behaved vine at the base to add even more depth and dimension!

So far I’m pleased with the results. In the middle of the afternoon when nothing looks good in the harsh sunlight, dappled light pulses through each bromeliad in a constant laser-light show of glowing greens, pinks and purples. Lizards, bugs and cardinals come out of the woodwork over the course of a day, and before long I’m sure to find treefrogs as well.

How did I find the metal racks, you ask? I was lucky enough to reclaim some retail fixture pieces that were headed to the landfill, but you can find something similar by looking around the dumpsters behind retail stores or by purchasing something similar online.

Another benefit of finding a sturdy support like this is that you can hang up pots to create a living wall of flowers, vegetables or ferns. I chose epiphytes and succulents because their lack of soil makes them lightweight and because they rarely need watering, especially during the summer rainy season.

The mounting bracket (found at a hardware store) is hidden by the plants.

Mounting the fixtures was easy. I’ve attached the frames with nothing more than a bracket above each one, so that they can be slid out to the side for easy maintenance. Since the frames are sitting directly on maple roots, there was no need to mount the pieces up on the fence. The hard, root-packed ground supports most of the weight. The planters themselves are hung using the florist wire or ‘s’ hooks, and the racks also allowed me to hang other stuff like my rainforest drops and shower caddy orchid planters.

Stay tuned to see how this vertical garden develops over time! I'm really excited about how it turned out and can't wait until it fills in to cover the metal frame. Since I've surely left out some important detail or instruction in this post, please leave a comment or send me an email (link in the sidebar) if you have any questions.

How to Garden with a Baby or Toddler Without Losing your Mind

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 18:27:00 +0000

During my first year as a father, I struggled to adjust to my new life and felt disconnected to the activities that once made me happy - even gardening. But I eventually got the hang of it and realized that I was no longer a gardener, but a parent who happens to garden. I’m here to say that you both can and should garden with your baby, because there is no better place than a garden to learn about the world.

Try to find a toy remotely as cool as this dragonfly. Not possible.

This isn’t to say that gardening will ever be the same though, and that’s okay. Less focus, time and energy (not to mention a reckless little mini-you) mean that your garden will look pretty ragged for a while, but it will still be there once you get your bearings. That baby, on the other hand, will be a toddler tomorrow and a young man next month. Make the most of your time together in the world’s greatest classroom, and allow yourself alone-time in the garden after bedtime to do the real work.

A common garden 'weed' like clover is an opportunity to teach about...

How honey is made!

Just a quick CYA and disclaimer: This is by no means a substitute for medical or parenting advice. I'm not an expert by any means (still figuring out how to raise a one-year old and he’s already two) but I am an incredibly happy dad who has figured out a way to enjoy the garden with my son.

These are a few pointers to help you make the most of your precious time in the garden together, but this is definitely not a guide to parenting your child. Keeping that in mind, let’s start by discussing safety, shall we?

Make it a Safe Place

Your child will quickly learn how to navigate the backyard, but accidents do happen. Use your head and do whatever you can to make it a safe environment. Move or remove spiky plants, branches and sharp rocks so that they won’t be at the receiving end of an inevitable tumble. Communicate with your child, set boundaries and keep her in sight at all times. I’m personally pretty relaxed about letting my son do what he wants outside, but I bring out the booming ‘NO!’ whenever it’s a question of safety. Remember that scene from the Lion King when Mufasa (Voiced by James Earl Jones) scolds Simba for disobeying him? That’s me when my son takes my trowel and runs away to put an eye out.

The side yard is now a safe place and the rusty wagon was given a fresh coat of blue.

And... the 'before' picture. Not pictured are the broken bottles hidden in the grass.

Leave any dangerous tasks (mowing, fertilizing, machete hacking, etc.) for after your child’s bedtime. Toxic plants are difficult to eliminate entirely, especially considering that common ones like Azaleas, mums, daffodils and hydrangeas are all over the neighborhood. Instead, use your head and eliminate the obvious and most dangerous ones. The coral bean (Erythrina herbacea) is one of my favorite native plants, but the seeds bear an uncanny resemblance to bright red jelly beans and have the unfortunate tendency to paralyze and poison folks with its cocktail of toxic alkaloids. The azaleas remain in my garden, but that coral bean had to go.

With Babies, Start Small

Finding time to work in the garden is hard when you have a baby, so save the real work for when your spouse gets home or you have a babysitter. Failing that, be patient and don’t plan anything too big or ambitious yet. It starts getting easier once they begin walking, but it wasn't until my own son was about 1 1/2 that I could get much done without being a nervous wreck, and he remains at the center of my attention at age two.

Your toddler can plant a cabbage, pick off caterpillars and even help cook it!

Gardening with your baby is one of the most memorable things you’ll ever do. They’re delighted by the dappled sunshine painted over the plants, and are blown away by little things like seeing a bird or smelling a gardenia. If they could write a journal, I’m pretty sure babies would write something like this about an encounter with something as simple as a bottlebrush flower: “OMG. Today I touched a fuzzy red thing and dad used it to tickle my hand. Best day ever.”

Older babies find lots to do as soon as they start walking!

The garden is also a great place for babies to exercise new skills like grasping, crawling and walking, with 110% of your supervision of course. My two-year old is as nimble as a mountain goat in his garden, because that’s where he once learned to stand, crawl and walk.

Establish Rules and Boundaries

This ties in closely with the first tip (you did read the part about safety, right?) because discipline is the key to a safe gardening experience. Just as you have to pick your battles indoors, you can’t freak out over every muddy foot or trampled petunia because the ‘no’s all run together and eventually get ignored altogether.

A makeshift bamboo fence protects sensitive plantings.

I've made a rule for myself: whenever I say 'no' to anything in the garden or elsewhere, I try to explain why and offer an alternative. For example, if my son tries to eat birdseed I explain that it’s for the birds and will make his stomach hurt. Instead, I excitedly take him inside to share sunflower seeds and peanuts (you know, the ones meant for people) while we make bird noises together. This really happened, by the way.

Explain the World

You are not in the garden to grow plants, you’re using the garden to grow your child. Everything out there is an opportunity to show how the world works. By planting seeds together and watching them grow into cabbages, your child learns about cause and effect. Show him the difference between the heads of cabbages and the spot left bare after he trampled the seedlings. I don’t talk enough with my son indoors, but when we’re outside he has so much to ask and I have so much to share.

Treefrogs like to hide in the leaf axils of bromeliads, elephant ears and gingers.

Attract wildlife to your garden with flowers, native shrubs, water and bird seed so that your young child will have the opportunity to view and interact with the animals that visit. This also gives you a golden opportunity to teach about gentleness towards animals and eventually, other people.

Provide a Sensory Experience

You could buy a water table, a sandbox, play-dough, a kiddie pool, or any overpriced combination of those. You could go to the craft store and buy various supplies to teach your child about different textures, and you could buy a small pet to keep him entertained. You could buy an endless supply of toys guaranteed to foster creativity and develop necessary skills, and you could plop your kid in front of a tv.

Each and every plant is unique and begs to be touched,

Plant a garden instead, and give your child the gift of a million ways to engage with the world with each of the senses. There are so many things to see, touch and do out there: Pots of water, bamboo poles, funny looking leaves, fuzzy flowers and lichen-encrusted sticks. Every little mundane object seems to possess magical powers when held by the tiniest of hands.

Let your Toddler Help

Older babies and toddlers love helping, copying and doing things for themselves. This is a valuable time to teach toddlers and let them use their newly acquired skills, but here’s the thing about helpful toddlers. They destroy stuff in the process. Your kid will see you pulling weeds, and immediately start ripping out your newly planted vegetable seedlings in a perfect imitation of you. Your toddler is a bull, your garden is the china shop and you might as well go with the flow and accept that the garden will never be the same again.

Watering plants is a rewarding and harmless way for babies to help.

Toddlers will forge their own path to peek through a fence. Might as well mulch it.

Designate clearly delineated areas for your more delicate plants, and surround new transplants with bamboo stakes and tomato cages. Your toddler will end up removing those too at some point, but at least it buys you some time. If you notice that certain areas get trampled more than others, stop saying ‘no’ and accommodate your child with a mulch path or gravel stomping ground.

Bring them back Inside, Tear-free

The hardest part of gardening with my son has been getting him to come back inside without throwing a tantrum. To sweeten the deal, we’ve established a few fun traditions. One of which is picking up our garden tools and putting them away, which is actually fun, believe it or not. We might also end the day by picking strawberries and washing them off indoors, or possibly by picking herbs for dinner or flowers for mom.

Add caption

Oh, who am I kidding? It’s still hard to motivate the little guy to say goodbye to the joys of playing “tside”, and I certainly understand how that feels.

My Elevated Planter and other New Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 17:41:00 +0000

Big changes are underway in my garden, and over the last month or so I've been hard at work planting new beds, rearranging, laying paths and composing vignettes. You know, gardening stuff. I'll post about all of that soon, but the most exciting development by far has been the addition of two very big planters to my patio.

If you've been keeping up, you may have noticed that my patio is just one big concrete slab where I happen to put - well, anything garden related that won't fit in the garage. Actually, I haven't really posted too many pictures of the whole patio because I'm always finding empty compost bags and nursery pots in my shots. The problem with having a big, ugly concrete slab is that it ends up looking like a barren wasteland rather than an enjoyable place to hang out.

But now I've cleaned up my act! I had already planned on dividing the space with big planters, but this big elevated wooden planter box turned out to be just what I needed. To read more about this and some of my other projects, head on over to my Tuesday Morning blog post!

I'll post here again shortly so that you can see all of the other exciting additions to my garden. Here's a hint: I've finally cleared out the side yard!

How to Design a Dry Creek Bed: 10 Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Sat, 02 Apr 2016 01:56:00 +0000

Now that I've made some headway on my own dry creek bed, I feel prepared to share a few of my tips for making it look better than an awkward ribbon of rocks. It isn't finished and probably never will, but still wanted to share some pointers. But first you might be wondering... 'What is a dry creek bed, and why do I need one?'

During a rain, dry creek beds collect and channel water.

Good question. A dry creek bed is a glorified and gussied up-ditch that collects and diverts rainwater away from your home. When done well, a dry creek bed will prevent erosion, flooding, poor-drainage, boredom and a variety of ills that may befall an unfortunate homeowner.

The real reason you want one, however, is because you secretly still crave the puddles and brooks of your childhood and can’t justify making canyons in the dirt with a garden hose anymore. If you’ve ever enjoyed dipping your toes in water or watching leaves float down streams, (be honest, I won’t tell) you need a dry creek bed.

10 Dry Creek Bed Tips

Plants prevent erosion and look purdy.

1. Tuck Plants into the Bed

Let me get something out of the way first. Despite what the many examples on Pinterest would have you believe, a dry creek bed does not have clearly-defined edges with rows of evenly-spaced boulders along its sides. Ack! Ugly. A ribbon of rocks might get the job done, but at what cost? At what cost…

Much of the debris is caught by the plants as it enters the dry creek.

If you’ve ever seen a stream or dry creek bed in real life, you would have noticed that they’re made all the more beautiful because plants like to grow in and around water. You could tuck some ferns on the downstream side of boulders, or go all out and treat the dry creek as a rain garden, complete with masses of plants and multiple tiers to absorb as much water as possible.

Notice how the soil washes away in the unplanted area to the left.

Another benefit is that mass of groundcovers (like the ‘Evergold’ and 'Everillo' sedges pictured) will filter silt and other debris, preventing erosion of your valuable topsoil.

A dry creek must always follow the slope.

2. Work with the Land

If your yard slopes in one direction, it’s usually best to just go with it… that is, unless your house is downstream. (Then you gotta take it to the street) Feel free to add curves to the flow by adding planted berms or boulders, but just remember that even if you’ve made a pretty ribbon for it to follow, water will always take the path of least resistance. Sometimes all of the gravel and rocks added to make your creek will raise it up higher than the surrounding land!

All of the runoff exits here, so I keep it clear. Later I'll add river rocks.

3. Plan for Excess Runoff

For a dry creek bed to work, it has to perform just as well in the event of flooding. You can direct and slow the water all you want, but always make sure that it has a quick and easy path away from your house. In my case, it’s a storm drain outside my property. Also, make sure that your paths and delicate plantings stay high and dry in such a situation. I speak from experience on this one.

S-curves are great for adding mystery. (Still need to finish the foreground section)

4. Add a Sense of Mystery

In a real-life situation, plants grow around the watercourse, making it disappear behind shrubs and reappear around boulders. The stream itself would also be hidden from view much of the time, offering a rewarding view as you continue down a path. Be sure to plan these views accordingly, as if they were paintings. These are the vistas.

Carex 'Everillo', Mahonia 'Soft Caress', Liriope, and Gardenia 'Scentsation'

5. Limit your Plant Palette

It’s tempting to add a raucous planting of blooms and foliage to the area around your dry creek bed, but consider this: Do you really want to distract from that beautiful stream running through your backyard? Take a Zen approach and use only a handful of plants that loosely follow the flow of the stream.

Note how the stones are nestled into the hillside.

6. Place Stones Like Nature Would

Rule of thumb: If your landscape is flat or rolling, use flat or rounded sedimentary stones that would normally be found in low-lying areas. If your dry creek bed will be plummeting through a steep terrain, igneous and metamorphic rocks may be used. Simply put, use what looks natural. When placing the stones, avoid symmetry and be sure to nestle them into the ground as if they were found there. Use an assortment of sizes, placing larger ones along the sides of the bed and gravel in the middle. Oh, and flat stones placed on end look like tombstones. Don’t do it.

This is the view from the patio.

7. Show it Off

Allow an open view of your creek bed from your favorite places to sit and reflect, be they windows or seating areas on the patio. Frame the views with taller plants to each side, leaving low-growing ones in the center (though there’s no need for symmetry) so that they don’t become that tall guy in front of you at the movie theater. Also consider using plantings to conceal any eyesores or distractions in the garden.

Groundcover plants also prevent weeds.

8. Prevent Weeds

Mulch is the usual go-to for weed prevention, but after heavy rains, the commonly offered bark nuggets or bark either float away or collect to form dams. Besides, it looks tacky next to all those cool rocks. Pine straw and raked leaves, on the other hand, look natural in planted areas and do not create a barrier to your stream’s flow. To prevent weeds beneath gravel and small rocks, use landscape fabric (the only place it’s good for) or line with flat rocks.

It's hard to tell, here, but the gardenias and other shrubs will be pruned in low mounds.

9. It’s all About Form

If your creek has gentle curves, use plants with naturally round or mounding forms. Going for a more dramatic, jagged look? Incorporate exciting architectural plants like Yuccas or Cannas to bring height and flair to your bed. Okay, I lied. Texture is also important, so soften the harsh edges of rocks with soft-texture plants like those with grassy textures, or those with really fine texture like creeping thyme.

This is where my son will have endless adventures.

10. Make it an Adventure!

A week or so ago, my wife casually mentioned that I should put a path into the rain garden so that our son could easily and cleanly cut across. "I don't know, maybe stepping stones." She would say to me, as if it wasn't a big deal to cut a path right through the focal point of the garden. At first I was skeptical about changing up my carefully-planned design, but when I watched my son awkwardly flail about in search of Easter eggs (It was Easter) I started to feel bad for the little guy and reconsidered.

So I added a path and made it fun: With stepping stones for hopping, steps for climbing and a pebble-lined pool for mud-free splashing. I’ve also given the little pool a lip of dwarf mondo grass so that a little water always sticks around for a while before draining away.

The 4x4 is where I'll build a bridge.

11. (Bonus Tip) Take your Sweet Time

Dry creek beds allow you to play in the dirt and puddles. Why would you ever want to hurry up and call it finished? I've been working on mine since moving in two years ago and hope that I'm still tinkering many years from now. Feel free to shoot me an email (steve_asbell - at - yahoo.com) or leave a comment if you have any questions or want to share your own dry creek bed!

Here’s an earlier post I’ve written on the subject. My how it's grown!

A Behind the Scenes Look at my New Art Studio

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 02:49:00 +0000

As someone who's spent almost all of the last several years working from his bed or couch, I can't tell you how liberating it is to finally have a devoted workspace where I can draw and write without distraction. Well, other than my son tugging at my pants, but still. My office now makes me feel like a fine-tuned productivity machine.

As I've mentioned in previous posts and my blog's sidebar, I write for various other clients and am also an illustrator. Oh, and did I mention that I'm a full-time dad? Yes? Well, I am. My point here is that I am a very busy guy nowadays, and my old habits just simply wouldn't work anymore.

I had a lot of problems to solve: I needed to organize my art supplies, while keeping them out of the kiddo's reach. I had to manage my time better (still working on that) and keep better track of my jobs. I had to cut the clutter, both literally and visually. It needed to be a great workspace for my wife as well. I also needed to make my workspace as efficient as possible so that I had no excuse to get up, other than to play with my patient son in a different room. Most of all, it had to look awesome and inspire me to create some creative creativity.

I'm happy to say that I've accomplished all of those things, and actually look forward to working in my office 98% of the time. I even found a way to keep my little buddy entertained while I toil away!

To see how I did all of those things, I invite you to take a look at my new blog post on organizing the office over at the Tuesday Morning blog, where I'm now an official contributor. Wooh! I'm really proud of our new office and hope that it will inspire you to make your own workspace a little more fun.

How to Care for Frosty Ferns

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 17:23:00 +0000

So-called Frosty Ferns have been popping up at retailers this Christmas and selling like gingerbread hotcakes. The bad news is that they probably came with no care instructions whatsoever, but the good news is that they're exceptional plants that will look great in your home or garden year-round. Here are 6 things you should know about this luscious new holiday houseplant.

1. Frosty Ferns aren't Ferns
But they are related to ferns, at least. Frosty ferns are actually spikemosses in the Selaginella genus; a variegated form of Selaginella kraussiana to be precise. I had the luxury of seeing these in production at Central Florida Ferns while writing my book Plant by Numbers, but before they were even released to the general public. Check out my Six Shades of Selaginella post for the scoop on some other pettable varieties.

2. Frosty Ferns need Moist Soil
The number one way to kill a houseplant is by overwatering, but frosty ferns and other spikemosses are the exceptions to the rule and you'll probably need to water thoroughly every 2-3 days. If the soil is starting to feel a little dry, it's time to water. If the whole plant feels lighter than usual, it's also probably time to water. If your plant starts to wilt, water immediately. Do it now. Go, go, go!

3. Frosty Ferns need Drainage
In other words, get it out of that gawdawful red cellophane wrapper so that water won't sit and rot the roots of the plant. Instead, place the pot on a saucer or use a decorative pot instead, dumping any excess water that puddles up. This doesn't mean you should let the soil dry out, though, because they like it nice and moist. Selaginella can tolerate soggy soil outdoors, but not indoors - especially since hard minerals can accumulate in the soil. Which leads me to my next point.

4. Frosty Ferns Hate Hard Water
If you frequently see hard water spots on your dishes, you have hard water. This means that your tap water carries a hidden slurry of minerals that, while harmless to us, are damaging to sensitive ferns and clubmosses. You can either use water in jugs (pricy) or filtered water, or rinse out your potting mix periodically so that the minerals don't form a yucky crust on the surface.

5. Frosty Ferns like Bright, Indirect Light
In other words, they like it bright, but shaded from the sun. Bright Indirect Light is the kind of light that most houseplants crave; bright enough to comfortably read a book, but not so bright that it hurts your eyes. If you look out the window from the plant's POV at the sunniest time of day, you should not see the sun itself. Sunburned Selaginella plants get white and parched wherever the direct sun hits - kind of like the white variegation already on the plant, but worse.

6. Frosty Ferns need Humidity
Houses are dry places, especially during winter. These humidity-loving plants can quickly turn crispy and brown in a heated home, but you can combat dry air in a number of ways. Spray the plant a few times a day with water, using a mister from the cosmetics aisle. This is great boredom buster if the plant is on your office desk. Growing it on a water-filled tray of pebbles is another option, but it works better in the company of other plants. The easiest and most attractive option is to grow it under glass using a cloche or a wardian case to keep moisture in place.

Frosty Ferns are Worth the Trouble
They sound finicky, but spikemosses are really easy when you understand their requirements: Moist soil, humidity, drainage and soft water. Few houseplants offer the tactile appeal of Selaginella, and its soft, fluffy texture on your office desk is enough to soothe your nerves until the clock strikes five.

If you don't want to commit to caring for a houseplant, don't toss it in the trash! As long as you live in USDA climate zones 6-10, frosty fern and other Selaginella kraussiana cultivars will happily occupy a moist and shady spot in your garden.

8 Reasons to Plant Groundcovers

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 18:29:00 +0000

Low-maintenance, lusciously textured and lush groundcovers can turn a backyard into a patchwork of greenery. They now blanket most of my yard, cutting my work in half and saving me the countless hours I would otherwise spend mowing, string-trimming and edging. With the right groundcover plants, you too can replace your mulch, lawn and weedy flower bed with something that actually works.

For those of you who aren't in the loop, groundcovers are low-growing plants that effectively 'cover' the 'ground'. See what I did there? Perennials, vines and shrubs can all be considered groundcovers, as long as they are used as such.

Groundcover plantings also attract wildlife, drastically reduce time spent weeding, prevent erosion and grow where grass simply cannot. Just in case you aren't sold on their appeal, I'm giving you 8 reasons to grow groundcovers in your own garden. Let me know if I missed anything.

Don't tell me you'd actually prefer mulch to this mass of bromeliads.

Groundcovers are Better than Mulch

Mulch is overrated, and your goal as a gardener should be to eventually replace that expensive stuff with plants. Wood-based mulch temporarily robs the soil of nutrients until it's fully rotted, but by that point it's already time for another fresh layer. It's also a favorite home of phallic-looking stinkhorn mushrooms. Yes, you read correctly. Cypress mulch, in particular, is home to a mushroom so nasty and smelly that you can't leave one standing erect in your landscaping without putting up a parental advisory sign to warn unsuspecting passerby.

The groundcovers planted throughout my dry creek bed keep soil from washing away.

Groundcovers Keep your Garden in Place

That fertile soil in your garden is valuable, so why would you let it wash away? All plants put out roots that help stabilize soil, but groundcover plants are especially useful because they form a wide mat of interconnected roots and stems. On steep slopes or in wet ditches, grass becomes impossible to mow and mulch just washes away. Groundcovers, on the other hand... you see where I'm going with this.

This turtle vine and Cryptanthus grow at the base of my big maple in full shade.

Groundcovers Work in Difficult Places

Whether its in the forbidding shade and root-choked soil at the base of a tree, the space between stones and pavers, the dry shade on the northern side of your house, or a low area that alternates between drought and inundation; there's a groundcover to excel in your situation. Grass, on the other hand, either perishes in those conditions or becomes too much of a maintenance hassle.

This hosta, toad lily and carex brighten up P. Allen Smith's Original Garden Home.

Groundcovers are Beautiful

It isn't very often that you cut across a parking lot median and say to yourself "I love how these dying plants complement the red mulch!" While waiting for your burger at a drive-thru, you almost definitely don't look out the window at the landscaping and say "You know what my garden needs? Less plants and more mulch." Sure, the woodsy smell of freshly applied mulch is addictive and hard to resist, but when the aroma and color fade away, so does your enjoyment. A bed of mulch is ugly, while a bed of lush greenery is not. I rest my case.

Good thing there are groundcovers in front of these benches.

Groundcovers Come with a View

One reason folks hesitate to dig up their grass is that they're afraid of ending up with a cluttered garden and losing that open view afforded by their expanse of lawn. Well, a mass planting of a single groundcover plant has the same aesthetic effect as a lawn. It gives the eye a place to rest, provides a wide open view and pulls everything together. If your garden feels a bit claustrophobic, you might even consider replacing overgrown shrubs and perennials to give your garden a fresh, new look.

Birds are constantly eating the diverse insects beneath my groundcovers.

Groundcovers Attract Wildlife

They actually sell bags of birdseed with a healthy dose of mealworms - you know, for those birds that grow weary of eating like birds. In all seriousness, many birds really do eat bugs just as ravenously as they go through your birdseed. Rather than be the one who stores bags of bugs in your pantry, plant low-growing groundcovers instead. They provide homes for insects while giving songbirds easy access to all of that yummy grub.

Since planting and adding a small amount of mulch this summer, I've weeded once.

Groundcovers Prevent Weeds

They do a better job than mulch and turfgrasses, so this alone should be enough reason to plant groundcovers. Not only do they ideally leave little room for weeds to get a foothold, they also shade the soil and prevent their germination. If you've ever seen a solid mass of mondo-grass or Liriope, you know just how effective they can be. In the areas I've replaced with groundcovers over the last year or so, I think I may have pulled weeds only a few times. Meanwhile, the mulched front yard plantings are constantly getting taken over.

Here at Washington Oaks Gardens, mondo grass covers a lot of ground.

Groundcovers can Replace your Lawn

Just think: No more mowing! As I said in the intro, a well established planting of groundcovers needs hardly any maintenance, while a lawn needs mowing, feeding, pest-control and disease treatments. Even if you get enough natural rainfall to water your lawn, replacing much of it with groundcovers and other plantings will save you a lot of time. Sure, lawns are much more treadable, but if you haven't run all over your lawn in the last month, you could get away with replacing the grass with a low-maintenance groundcover instead.

My backyard is a patchwork of soft, fuzzy goodness.

So there you have it: Groundcovers rule. If you see something you want to grow yourself, many of the groundcovers in my own garden are part of the Southern Living Plant Collection; pick up a tray of Carex 'Everillo', Mahonia 'Soft Caress', or Gardenia 'Scentsation' at your local garden center today.

New Family Fall Traditions

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 20:24:00 +0000

I've titled this post 'Our New Family Fall Traditions' in the hopes that my wife will continue baking hundreds of muffins every year. Maybe I should have called it 'Our New Monthly Family Traditions' instead. It wasn't just about the muffins though, and we did a lot of other fun stuff that I hope will become a routine for years to come.

I do not claim to have done anything all that creative with our fall decor. To the contrary, we displayed only the most basic of fall decorations; pumpkins and gourds, with the exception of a few little touches here and there. Still, they put my wife and I in the spirit of things, and give my son something new and exciting to freak out over.

The kid flips out over pumpkins, especially. We took him to the pumpkin patch twice and both times he ran around like a little crazy spider, picking out the biggest orangey things he could carry and placing them in a neat row. Yup, he loves his pumpkins. I originally placed them by the doorstep, but since we never see them there, I placed them along the path in the garden for one of two reasons: So that we could see them from the highchair in the kitchen, or because they make for a prettier photo there.

You can't freakin' do fall decorations without freakin' gourds. They present a totally inedible cornucopia that lasts well past the pumpkin on your doorstep devolves into slime and attracts icky bugs. It happens a lot faster here in warm and muggy Florida. Oh, and remind me to throw out the pumpkin before that happens this year.

I've arranged the gourds around my mother's piano lesson sign, which she would hang on the doorknob while kiddos expertly plunked away at the keys and parents waited outside in their minivans. The sign brings me comfort and a little daily inspiration, reminding me that every day is a lesson in progress.

As much as I love that piano lesson sign, it needed a little extra height. Since there wasn't really much in the way of cut flowers in my garden, I resorted to using Mexican tarragon and found that it works just as nicely as anything else. Actually, I think it's pretty awesome since the foliage has a nice licorice aroma, the yellow flowers last a long time and I can pinch off some leaves for recipes when I don't feel like going outside and getting the little guy all worked up.

My mom always used to brew apple cider in the slow cooker for her family, guests and piano students, but I couldn't seem to get it right this time around. Luckily Aromatique sent me some potpourri with an awesome apple cinnamon scent that rivals my mom's crockpot cider, but not strong enough to overpower the smells of my cooking and my wife's baking. I was tempted to put it by the changing table, but didn't out of fear that apples would then be forever ruined for me.

There are these bags of caramels that I'm not allowed to touch, since they'll be used for caramel apples. They tempt me every hour of the day. So, Mrs. Rainforest Gardener had an awesome idea. She decided to display them in a cute ceramic frog (I love frogs) so that they're an even bigger temptation. I haven't eaten any yet, but I suppose I could buy a whole new bag and stash it in another ceramic animal somewhere.

The pumpkins, potpourri, gourds and stuff are nice, but my favorite festive fall decorations are the ones you can eat. So you can imagine my joy when I came into the kitchen to make lemon basil martinis and found that there were so many cooling muffins that I had no room to messily juice lemons. Oh, I should probably mention that the Meyer lemons are from my garden. Just putting that out there.

The house smelled so good that I could have snapped my mouth at the air and gained some nutrition from the pumpkin spice molecules floating around. No one saw me doing that, luckily.

After she had bagged up the majority of the muffins for other people who totally deserved them less than I (Family members actually. And I guess they did deserve them...) cocktails were made. I should probably get a legit muddler, shaker and strainer, because scooping out lemon seeds with a spoon is a pain. That and I'd feel a lot cooler with the proper gear.

Since my wife had so selflessly thrown herself into the fall festivities, last night I decided to do my part. I looked up a recipe for slow cooker apple cider bought ten apples, an orange and some spices, cut them all up and let them sit in the slow cooker for eight hours.

What I thought was a really large orange turned out to be a grapefruit, but I put half in the slowcooker anyways, neglecting to remove the thick and bitter rinds. Yeah, that was a big mistake. Trust me, this slow cooker cider tastes as bad as it looks, and no amount of sugar and good intentions could save it.

Why I'm Becoming a Children's Author and Illustrator

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 22:56:00 +0000

You may have noticed that I've taken a bit of a hiatus here recently, but I have some very good reasons. First of all, getting anything done in the garden (or home) with a toddler is a lot harder than it looks. Second, I've been hard at work pursuing my dream of becoming a children's book author and illustrator. No, really. Hear me out.

What does this mean for The Rainforest Garden? I've always planned on this blog being more of a combination of all the things that make me happy, so there will still be plenty of garden, diy and foodie posts as well. Now that I'm starting to fall into my groove as a working-from-home dad, you can also expect to see more posts again. But yes, you will be seeing some of my illustrations.

You're probably wondering why I'm just so gosh-darned excited about illustrating children's books all of a sudden. I've always wanted to draw and write for kids, actually, but have chickened out because the market is so competitive and I never felt experienced enough. Well, after years of illustrating for gardening clients and developing a style that fits me like a glove, I feel that I'm ready.

Mostly though, I'm doing this because of my son. I want to be a part of his world, imagining silly characters and cool places to explore. Right now he looks up at me in unflinching adoration because he doesn't know any better, but later on I'd like for him to know that I took a bold leap and followed my dreams. Ideally I'd also do well enough to make that jump worthwhile.

When I myself was a child, I didn't have too many friends. I was terribly distracted in class, chased butterflies on the baseball field and was laughed at for having my head in the clouds. My family moved around every few years, and the only friends patient enough to follow were Calvin, Hobbes, and a stuffed Garfield, who I carried around as a tattered stuffed animal until his limbs could take no more. While those cartoon characters were my core posse, storybooks captivated me with their beautiful spreads; wings like eagles that swallowed up my child-sized face in possibilities.

Books truly were my best friends. I breathed in their papery aroma, closed my eyes - and suddenly that impending report card was a world away. The cruel taunts of other children - who themselves probably had more to escape than I - were suddenly muffled by the deep and reassuring voice of the book's narrator, like a reassuring captain speaking to his passengers over a crackly loudspeaker. Smooth skies ahead.

As a children's author and illustrator, I can create a friend for the lonely and a secret escape for the downtrodden during the most important time of their lives. To be given the opportunity to bring comfort and laughter to children all over the world is the greatest honor I can imagine. I dream of someday being pulled aside by a grown adult to be told that my books, in some way, made their childhood a little sweeter.

Grand and sweeping ambitions aside, I'm also doing this because it makes me so, so very happy. For a while, it was fun to painstakingly recreate a flower with colored pencils to look like the real thing. It still is fun to an extent, but... okay, let me share one of my drawings to get my point across.

The flowers in this picture have happy faces. Need I say more?

Mango Habanero Pork Chops and Grilled Veggies

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 17:14:00 +0000

If I can grill a creative and delicious dinner on the fly, then anyone can do it. I love to cook but as a rookie work-from home dad, cooking alongside an impatient toddler can be pretty stressful. Grilling is even more difficult for me than cooking in the kitchen, since I only have about a one-hour window from the time my wife gets home to my son’s bathtime. Trust me… that sleep schedule is not something I want to mess with. Besides the time issue, I’m not necessarily all that experienced on the grill.

But then I remembered that I already got everything I needed at Tuesday Morning just the other day; mango habanero barbecue sauce, sea salt, a 4-pepper grinder and even grapeseed oil. Other than pork chops and a few veggies, it was all I needed to create a great dinner.

The minute my wife got home, I started the charcoal, cleaned and oiled the grates and set up my workspace. I placed my seasonings, tools and a bowl of barbecue sauce on a blue accent table (shown in one of my other posts) and tried to steer clear of the smoke while the charcoal got started in a chimney tower.

Fish was originally on the menu so that I could utilize my new fish grilling basket, but then I decided to try grilling asparagus instead. The small spears would have been too narrow and difficult to handle on the grates alone, but all I had to do was put them in the basket and let them sit on the cooler zone of the grill while I basted and turned the pork chops. I admittedly used a little too much oil since I was trying to photograph an action shot and forgot to stop pouring between shots, and I may have overcooked them to floppy oblivion. Still, my wife agrees that the flavor was excellent. She wolfed them down before I even got a chance to try them myself!

My first attempt at grilling pork chops couldn’t have been easier. I normally like to marinate my meat before cooking, but luckily one of the things thrown in my cart was a basting brush. I haven’t used one in a long time, but painting the chops with sweet, spicy goodness as they cooked was a total blast. I know; I need to get out more.

On a whim and feeling a little cocky, I picked some okra from the garden, tossed it in grapeseed oil, seasoned it with a few cracks of sea salt and pepper, and threw it on the grill. They were tasty, to be sure, but next time I’ll probably cut them in half first to let them get crispier.

When the pork chops were done, the moment of truth had arrived. Dinner was a success! While the okra and asparagus weren’t perfect, the grapeseed oil, salt and pepper really brought out the flavor. The pork chops were tender, and the spicy mango habanero sauce didn’t overwhelm the flavor at all. We gobbled our dinners down and were ready for more. I did have another trick up my sleeve, though.

Almost as an afterthought, I tossed some sweet potatoes directly on the coals and placed a foil-wrapped peach and a clove of garlic away from the coals in the cool zone. I went outside to turn them over every now and then, and in 45 minutes they were ready. I cut the sweet potatoes in half, slicing right through the ashy charred skins to reveal a lava flow of glowing orange. I then topped our sweet potatoes with slivers of the roasted peach, gave it a shake of cinnamon and a crack of sea salt, and served with cloves of garlic as a condiment. We scooped the buttery, creamy flesh out of the garlic skins and mixed it in, and even I was a little surprised at just how well the flavors worked together.
It wasn’t long before I found my wife picking apart the third pork chop, and I got to feed my toddler leftovers of the sweet potatoes the next day. He was very satisfied with the flavor, though he did demand I add cheese.

Here’s a simple recipe that shows you how to cook a whole meal on even a small grill like mine.

Barbecue Pork Chops with Grilled Vegetables

Ingredients
- 3-4 Pork chops, bone-in
- 8 oz Barbecue sauce (I used Mango Habanero)
- ½ lb Asparagus spears, small
- 1 Sweet potato, large
- 1 Bulb of garlic
- 1 Peach
- 4 tbsp Grapeseed oil (or olive oil), divided
- Salt and pepper to taste

Recommended tools
- Charcoal chimney
- Long-handled grill cleaning brush
- Grilling tongs and/or spatula
- Grill basket for asparagus (a fish basket works well)

Prepare asparagus (or other vegetables of your choice.) by rinsing thoroughly, patting dry and snapping off the firm bases. Then toss them in a large bowl or plastic bag with 2 tbsp oil, salt and pepper. Bring them outdoors along with the rest of the ingredients.

Start the grill. If using a charcoal grill; remove the top grate, light wadded up newspaper in a charcoal chimney, place chimney on lower grill grate and wait for the coals to turn gray and stop smoking. While you’re waiting, season the pork with salt and pepper and baste with the oil to prevent sticking.

Dump the hot coals on the right side of the grill to create a hot zone for the meat. Replace the grate and clean with a long-handled grill brush. Once clean, use tongs to place the pork chops on the hot side of the grill. Baste the exposed side of the pork chops once with barbecue sauce and (if using) place the asparagus in the grill basket.

When the pork chops are easily removed from the grate with a spatula (or after 2-3 minutes), flip them over and baste again. Place the asparagus on the cool side of the grill. Continue basting the pork chops for 5 minutes and flip. Flip the asparagus while the pork chops finish cooking. The pork chops will be firm, browned and reach an interior temperature of 145 degrees when done, and the meat should not be pink inside.

When the pork chops and asparagus are done, set them aside and serve. You’re done!

Since grilling isn’t something I get to do very often, I was thrilled to see something at Tuesday Morning that I had been seeking for a long time: Fiestaware pans. I got a Fiesta enameled cast iron grill pan so that I can grill indoors in my busy schedule. I even managed to find Fiesta fry pans in just about every size, which was awesome since I absolutely love the Fiesta saucepan I already own. The small pan will be great for soufflés and lunches for my son, while the larger pan is big enough to handle as many turtle-shaped pancakes and sautéed veggies as our family can eat. And yes, there will be pork chops. Glorious mango habanero pork chops and okra, all on the same spacious pan.

What surprised me most about the dinner was just how easily it all came together. There was hardly any prepwork, no recipes to follow and I didn’t have to do anything in the kitchen. The fish basket allowed me to cook veggies efficiently on a tiny grill, the basting brush made marinating unnecessary and saved me time, and the barbecue sauce, salt and pepper grinders and grapeseed oil were all I needed in the flavor department. I never thought that I could cook a whole meal on my tiny grill in less than an hour, but the right tools and flavors were a huge help.

(This blog post was originally published on Tuesday Morning's blog. I received compensation for the post and the purchases, and all opinions are my own.)

Prices: Featured products: Mango habanero BBQ sauce $4.99 (compare at $6.99); grape seed oil $5.99 (compare at $7.99); four peppercorn grinder $3.99 (compare at $4.99); sea salt grinder $3.99 (compare at $5.99); forged grill brush $12.99 (compare at $29.99); copper fish basket $11.99 (compare at $23.99); Char-Broil acacia basting brush $7.99 (compare at $15.99); 12″ Fiesta fry pan $34.99 (compare at $79.99); 8″ Fiesta fry pan $19.99 (compare at $39.99); Fiesta grill pan $49.99 (compare at $99); mango pot holder $5.99 (compare at $9.99); blue ice pot holder $5.99 (compare at $9.99).

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10 Mistakes Florida Gardeners Make

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 15:20:00 +0000

Everyone makes mistakes, including myself. The problem is that rather than learn from those mistakes, self-proclaimed 'Black Thumbs' get turned off to gardening just because they kill a few plants and never give it another chance. Things are totally different in Florida, so cut yourself some slack and listen up: Here's a short guide to gardening in Florida for newbies and master gardeners alike.

Planting Vegetables at the Wrong Time of Year

When it comes to vegetables, the normal rules don't apply here in Florida. While folks in northern states are planting cool season crops in spring, we should already be planting 'summer crops' like tomatoes and corn. The information on the seed packets is often incorrect, lumping Florida in with regions as far north as Arkansas. To top it all off, there's a big difference between planting times in north Florida, where lows reach 15 degrees in places; and South Florida, where freezing temperatures are extremely rare.

Lettuce is a winter plant in Florida, and will bolt and turn bitter in the heat.

I'll give you an overview of what to plant throughout the year. Here in Florida, winter is a great time to garden. In north Florida (zone 8b) and central Florida (zone 9) you can grow carrots, cabbage, kale, lettuce and just about all of the cool season crops; while In south Florida (zone 10) you can even grow warm-season veggies like corn, tomatoes, squashes, peppers and beans. Those are the vegetables that zones 8-9 can begin growing in March after the last frost. Summer is so hot that only okra, hot peppers, eggplant, yard long beans, peanuts and a few other vegetables will thrive. In September and August, all Floridians can start planting warm and cool season crops again.

Growing Ornamental Plants that Won't Work Here

As mentioned above, the rules are different in Florida and vary dramatically throughout the state. On one hand, you might be tempted to grow such favorites as daffodils, hostas or Japanese maples, which need cold winters. There's nothing wrong with experimenting, especially if you find hybrids and selections that can handle it, or if you're willing to grow the tender plants in pots or protect them in winter.

Don't even think about growing tulips in Florida. If you must have them, order some cut flowers.

It becomes a problem when you're sold a plant or bulb with the understandable assumption that it will grow here. My local Lowes locations are stocked with loads of the same tropical plants that they sell in zone 9b Central Florida, and while I relish the opportunity to push their limits here in zone 9a, most shoppers just assume they're fine and plant them fully exposed to the elements in their front yard. Check out this USDA map and know your zone. Then check the labels and make an informed decision.

Growing Vegetables and Fruits that Won't Work Here

Have you ever planted a tomato that seemed to die a slow and painful death despite your best efforts? Maybe you found a pear tree at the garden center and ended up finding a buzzard roosting on its branches instead of a partridge. Some fruits, such as pears, cherries, apples and berries, require however many hours of cold (below 50) temperatures in winter, but you might be able to find some rootstocks that don't need as much cold. Many tropical fruits, on the other hand, require temperatures above freezing or even warmer. A good example of a tropical fruit that won't grow in much of Florida is mangosteen, which is killed below 40 degrees and is highly sensitive to the native soils of extreme south Florida - the only place warm enough for it to survive. If you're serious about growing fruit in Florida, I recommend the book Florida's Best Fruiting Plants.

Tomatoes will grow well here, but choose varieties that are resistant to heat, nematodes and wilt diseases

Another common problem is trying to grow vegetables that aren't resistant to diseases and pests in our area. For example, here's something that I've been doing wrong for some time: Growing tomatoes that aren't resistant to nematodes. Nematodes sound like an alien race that's hellbent on destroying the world, but that's only partially true. Nematodes are hellbent on destroying your vegetable garden. Wilt diseases are also common in our soil, and make it look like the plant needs water when it really just needs to be put out of its misery. To choose appropriate tomatoes and peppers, you can download an iPhone app by Bonnie Plants called HomeGrown (featuring my illustrations!) that takes the guesswork out of things. Here's another list of good tomato choices for Florida.

Buying Unhealthy Plants

If you've ever purchased a plant that started going downhill the minute you brought it home, the plant was probably a goner to begin with. While there are exceptions, big-box retailers are especially bad about selling plants that have been poorly cared for, or in some cases, are already dead. One time I visited a Wally World with a whole section of the parking lot devoted to selling off plants for shoppers with spring fever, but unfortunately many of the plants were dying from spring fever: Houseplants and landscape plants that require lots of shade were placed right in the searing sun of the parking lot. I even saw some of these 'dead plants walking' in a shopper's cart, along with Miracle-Gro - presumably with the misguided notion that it would magically bring them back to life.

Don't ever buy plants with pests like this Japanese beetle hitching a ride (From Bonnie Plants' Homegrown app)

You can avoid buying dying plants a few ways. First, find a garden center that you can trust to properly care for their plants. I shop at my local Hagan Ace, and there are many other reputable garden centers here in Jacksonville; Trad's Garden Center being my favorite. If you're shopping at a big box store, test the waters by asking the staff questions about the plants. Wherever you shop, thoroughly inspect the plants to make sure that they're full and healthy without yellowed or limp foliage and that they have no pests. Gently wiggle the base of the plant: If it's loose, it's either weakly rooted or has rotted roots. Slip the plant out of the pot and inspect the roots. There should be enough roots that the mass of potting mix keeps its shape, but not so many roots that it's bound together in a hard, tangled mass. The roots should be white and firm, not brown, black and mushy.

Committing Crepe Murder

Have you ever seen crepe myrtle trees hacked down to bare, grotesque stumps in winter? This is crepe murder, which for some reason has really caught on here in North Florida. This deplorable practice weakens the tree, ruins the form and promotes a proliferation of weak excess stems that still manage to reach tree-height by summer. These stems are floppy enough to dangle over your car in the driveway and weak enough to fall on that car in a storm. Trees that are already doing poorly may spend their last gasp on that flush of new growth, and then die. When pollarding is done correctly on crepe myrtles, it's a major hassle at best, but to landscaping crews, it's no hassle at all to lop off the stems with power tools and move onto the next house, especially when their clients ask for the service to begin with. It also keeps them employed through winter, to which I can hardly object.

Here's the thing, though; you and your landscapers can and should prune crepe myrtles and other dormant trees in winter. It's an excellent time to prune out crossing, damaged or diseased branches, and it's also a good time to prune and shear any summer-flowering shrubs to promote extra blooms. Just put a note on your crepe myrtle and talk to your landscaper about other pruning tasks… while the saws are out, maybe they can remove a small tree or take out a tree limb that's too close to your house. When it comes to crepe myrtles; just choose smaller varieties, don't plant them too close to the house and continue pruning (correctly) in winter… or just choose a different shrub entirely. If you or your landscaper have already 'murdered' the form of your crape myrtle, the best thing to do is cut it back to the ground and continue to remove all but a few of the stems that come back.

Overwatering

This is the #1 killer of houseplants and potted plants because when a plant is doing poorly, your natural instinct is to give it a drink of water. But the plant is doing even worse now for some reason, so you decide that it needs another drink and continue the Chinese water torture until you're watering a dead plant. I've killed many a cactus this way - that is, before I decided to turn to a book for help.

Now that I've read many more books and even written one of my own, a lot of frustrated 'black thumbs' have sent me pictures of their own cacti sitting in a pot of water. Now I can confidently tell them "oh, I used to do that!" and offer advice. Sometimes the pot is to blame. If your plant has a pot without a drainage hole, the water has no way to drain away and instead sits there, rotting the roots.

Not Knowing what You're Growing

It seems like it would be pretty obvious, but you need to know what you're growing in the first place. Whenever I'm out plant shopping, I'm always sure to look the plant up on my phone or read about it at home before making any decisions. The plant might be invasive and weedy, or it might not do well in our area.

Because I took the time to learn about these plants, I know that they can live on this stump without any soil.

Look at the plant tag, make a note of it and learn more about that plant by using one of the resources at the end of this post. If possible, get the scientific (latin name) in italics so that you can get the most detailed and accurate info. Be sure to look at other details, such as height and width, moisture requirements, shade-tolerance and cold-tolerance. If you take the time to learn about what you're growing, you'll be all the more successful in your efforts.

Making Mulch Volcanoes

Much like 'crepe murder', this is a practice that needs to die - preferably faster than it takes for trees to die when encircled with one of these thick mounds of suffocating mulch. Mulch volcanoes look just like they sound, except the volcano is actually a huge mound of dumped mulch, and the plume of smoke and lava is replaced by the trunk of a doomed tree. Mulch is still a good thing when used properly; it prevents weed seeds from sprouting and conserves moisture. Unfortunately you don't really want to conserve moisture at the base of a tree because it promotes rotting and fungal infections. Use a thin layer of mulch around new tree plantings, but leave a gap against the trunk. Large, established trees don't need mulch because their roots make it difficult for weeds to get a foothold; just remove them occasionally as needed.

Growing Plants in the Wrong Place

Whenever someone asks me how to save their dying plant, my second question (after asking 'Which plant?') is usually 'Where in the garden is it growing?', followed by a string of related questions: 'Does it get a lot of sun, or is it under a tree? Does the soil stay soggy, or does it dry out quickly? Which other plants are doing well in that area? Is the soil acidic?' If the person is still there, that information makes it easy to find a solution.

If your yard has lots of puddles, choose plants that are tolerant of 'wet feet'.

When a plant is growing in good, fertile and well drained soil with the right amount of sunshine, it's sure to be healthy enough to combat pests and diseases much more easily than one grown in the wrong place. Though pesticides are the first solutions some people think to use, I have yet to use any myself. If the plant is grown in the right place, pesticides are rarely necessary.

Giving Up on Gardening

A 'black thumb' is just someone who has given up on growing plants. So you think you're bad at gardening because you killed a cactus or a tomato? I can guarantee that I've killed far more. Look - just because you can't grow a tomato to save your life doesn't mean you can't grow something easier or read up on tomatoes before trying again.

If you're going to give gardening another shot, do these things. First, read the above list. Already have? Okay, the next thing to do is read up on whatever you choose to grow, either online at davesgarden.com, floridata.com or edis.ifas.ufl.edu , or by picking up a book specifically geared towards our region. The Florida Gardener's Handbook is a good one, as is Florida Fruit and Vegetable Gardening. If you need an encyclopedic reference to plants, The Southern Living Garden Book is my go-to resource whenever I buy a new plant. Last, don't be afraid to ask for help. The Soiled Again Facebook group is a good place to meet other gardeners of all experience levels, and the University of Florida IFAS Extension has the most accurate information around. I'm happy to help as well. If you have a specific question, you're welcome to leave a comment, email me at steve_asbell@yahoo.com or contact me via Facebook message. If you need info on houseplants, I wrote just the book for you.

7 Ways to Fix an Ugly Garden with Plants

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 01:31:00 +0000

My garden isn’t perfect by any means, but I can at least take some credit for turning a really ugly backyard into something that looks halfway decent. Apart from a slate path that I installed early this year, all I had to do was choose excellent plants and arrange them in a way that tricks the eye into overlooking my yard’s flaws. Here are some of the tricks I used to whip my backyard into shape.

Many of the plants featured here are from the Southern Living Plant Collection. Most were purchased by me over the years, and some were sent to trial in my rain garden. Not to be overly commercial, but I'm a huge fan of these plants because they're perfect for my climate and well... you can see why when you look at the pictures.

Problem: Garden is Bare in Winter
There’s nothing wrong with a bare winter garden, but a little greenery could do a lot to lift anyone’s spirits when your eyes are subjected to eyesores newly exposed by fallen leaves. Even though my own garden is in North Florida, the tropical plants quickly go limp and black after the first frost of winter. When the lush gingers and elephant ears die back, I’m left with nothing but the view of a dilapidated fence.

Almost all of the plants in this shot will stay colorful in winter, the Carex 'Everillo' , in particular.

Solution: Plant Evergreens, and Lots of Them
When you have plants with winter interest, it’s easy to distract from the ugly things left exposed by fallen leaves. Since the center of my garden can be seen from all angles, that’s where I’ve decided to plant flowing masses of evergreen groundcovers. The ubiquitous monkey grass and mondo grass of the south both have fountains of deep blue-green and grassy leaves, but I needed something that would stand out against the dark foliage and lead the eye around the garden. The glowing lime green tufts of ‘Everillo’ Carex were just the ticket.

When the tropicals are damaged or dormant, evergreens like this Mahonia 'Soft Caress' will carry the show

Behind those I’ve planted ‘Soft Caress’ Mahonia to provide a low evergreen screen for the back of the garden. Here in Jacksonville, folks are really gung ho about planting pygmy date palms (Phoenix roebelenii) but the problem is that they're only marginally hardy. With these I get a similar look and I don't have to cover them on frosty nights.

Problem: Plants need Constant Pruning
We’ve all bought a plant or two that turned out to be a lot bigger than expected, whether it’s a crepe myrtle that became a huge tree or a heavenly bamboo (Nandina) that spread as quickly as a real bamboo. Cutting these overly enthusiastic plants only seems to make them come back stronger and uglier.

Nandina 'Lemon Lime' stays small, full and oh so vivid green

Solution: Choose Compact and Sterile Varieties
Rip those bullies out and start over with smaller cultivars, or other species that accomplish the same look. In the case of the Nandina, all you have to do is choose one of the compact, sterile and arguably more attractive cultivars available. Some (‘Firepower’) are pretty ugly in my opinion, since you never know if the leaves will be orange, red, dark green or chartreuse. Nandina ‘Lemon-Lime’, on the other hand, is all green, all the time. New foliage ranges from yellow and chartreuse to lime green, and the plant stays small and bushy; making it a great choice for small spaces or foundation plantings. I chose to use them near my dry creek bed since they’re a striking accent plant but won’t block any views or become out of scale with the other plantings.

Abelia 'Lemon Zest' will keep this area gold and green even when the variegated ginger dies back

Some plants stay small and don’t really need pruning at all, and doing so incorrectly would just ruin their form. Case in point, this ‘Lemon Zest’ Abelia only reaches 3-4 feet wide, and shearing it will just result in rangy, straggly growth. Crepe myrtles will also get ugly and overgrown when they're cut back. Choose a small variety and only prune out diseased, crossing or weak branches.

Problem: Puddles, Erosion and Mud
Almost every gardener has at least some problems with drainage, whether it’s persistent puddles in low lying areas, or runoff cutting into the soil and creating ditches. Standing water isn’t just ugly; most plants and turfgrasses will eventually die under such conditions. Erosion is a pain because it washes away topsoil.

During heavy rains this dry creek bed becomes a small stream that's clean enough for my son to dip his toes.

Solution: Plant a Rain Garden or Dry Creek Bed
As many of you know, I’ve planned my whole garden around my myriad drainage and erosion issues. Areas that persistently puddle can either be converted to a rain garden or a dry creek. The former absorbs moisture and is made by digging out a basin to collect runoff, mixing in compost and sand (optional) and adding plants that tolerate both flooding and drought.

I used ‘Everillo’ Carex in the deepest part to create the illusion of a marsh, and its electric lime foliage forms the focal point of my garden. Another plant that handles both wet and dry soil is the daylily, and the Joy of Living Celebration one that I planted has peachy blooms that will pair nicely with the coral and purple flowers in the garden. From there, a dry creek bed drains runoff away in an attractive manner, turning an ugly ditch into a stream that flows during heavy rains. Rocks, gravel and plantings keep the soil in place and create a natural look.

Problem: The View from the House is Boring
Why shouldn’t the view we see most be the most spectacular? It should at the very least be peaceful so that we can gaze out the window, coffee in hand, and find ourselves lost in a serene real-life landscape painting.

A 'Jubilation' Gardenia gives this view an air of mystery.

Solution: Design for Each View
Walk around your home and garden and make a note of which places you tend to stop and take in the view. Then make a quick pencil sketch (no skill required) of those views, drawing each plant grouping, and then erase any plant that can be dug up. Then fill in the space with a more pleasing arrangement and use that as your template for a new planting design.

My own garden is usually enjoyed from my sliding glass door, the kitchen window, the chairs on my patio and my slate path. Knowing this, those viewpoints became my priority. From the back door, I can take in a serene scene of the chartreuse ‘Everillo’ Carex flowing between a bed of dark mondo grass and Liriope. From the kitchen, I can look right down the steps and around the path.

Problem: The Garden Looks Busy and Cluttered
Oftentimes the front yards of gardeners look worse than the manicured foundation plantings of people who don’t garden at all. A collection of interesting plants might be exciting to a fellow gardener, but if you take off the gardener goggles for a minute and look at it from a different perspective, you may find that it looks chaotic and unsettling. All it took for me was my wife telling so in as many words.

This massed planting of Mahonia 'Soft Caress' at the Jacksonville Zoo is going to look awesome

Solution: Group Masses of the same Plant
The garden is not like a box of chocolates. Say you’re buying a dozen donuts for your coworkers. Of course you’d really love to just have a box of crullers, but not wanting to leave anyone out you, pick one of every kind. When the box is halfway empty, everyone complains that there aren’t any good ones left (nobody likes the strawberry icing with sprinkles) and someone ate the cruller that you wanted to begin with. Where was I going with this? Oh yes. Don’t end up with a bunch of crappy plants that you bought impulsively because you couldn’t decide. Choose a handful of really good plants and buy lots of them; 3 at the very least. The more, the merrier.

It also helps to repeat the same form and colors throughout the garden. For example, I planted Agapanthus ‘Blue Fountain’ in a group between the Liriope and sedges because it also has narrow foliage and a fountain-like form. The result is that they don’t become a distraction. That way any plants that do contrast sharply, such as the black Colocasia, will stand out even more.

Problem: The Garden has no Boundaries
Sometimes the garden meets up with the lawn in a jarring and awkward manner, and this is another issue that I never noticed until I looked at my garden with fresh eyes. The curvy plantings of groundcovers looked nice enough, but abruptly ended where the garden met the square patch of lawn – kind of like two photos held side by side. It didn’t matter how pretty the garden was – my eye kept wandering towards the patch of lawn to the left.

The 'Scentamazing' gardenias in the foreground will soon fill in and frame the view

Solution: Create a Sense of Enclosure
Awkward boundaries just need a little definition to keep your eye moving around. You can frame a view with taller plants to either side, and an edging of shrubs or groundcovers along the edge says ‘move along… nothing more to see that way’

Tecoma 'Bells of Fire' will distract from the adjacent lawn and screen an empty stretch of fence

On the other side of the lawn I’ve planted a low boundary hedge of Schillings dwarf yaupon holly, and along the back there is a row of Simpson stoppers and firebush underplanted with a border of Liriope. It stood to reason that I enclose this side of the yard as well, so I planted an informal row of the appropriately named ‘Scentamazing’ Gardenia along the edge. I then added shrubs (pineapple guava and ‘Bells of Fire’ Tecoma) in the back corner as well, so that their height would anchor the composition and eventually cover the blank fence beyond.

Problem: The Garden is too Small
You’d think that this is a common problem, but it’s not really a problem at all. Small gardens have every bit as much design potential as larger ones, but they require less maintenance and cost less to fill with plants and materials. Still, nobody wants their garden to actually look small.

Curves lead the eye around the garden and distract from the boundaries

Solution: Create an Illusion
When it’s done right, a backyard with a lush garden can look even larger than the same yard with nothing more than a lawn. Shrubs along the garden’s perimeter disguise the boundary so that it seems to just keep going. While a backyard with nothing more than a lawn can be seen in a single view, strategically planted garden beds keep the eye moving around the space and even entice the viewer to step outside and see what’s around the corner.

The tall and strappy leaves of Agapanthus 'Queen Mum', amaryllis and Hymenocallis appear closer

If you really want to make a garden look bigger, do everything possible to distract from the boundary – especially the corners. Dark shades and cool colors recede into the background, so use these along the back of the garden or wherever the impression of a shadow is needed. You can also plant larger versions of a certain plant in the foreground to create the illusion of distance. I did this by planting a ‘Queen Mum’ Agapanthus in the foreground so that it ties in with the planting of the much smaller ‘Blue Fountain’ in the background.

Grow your own Thai Food: 30 Vegetables, Herbs and Fruits

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 16:59:00 +0000

Do you have a hard time finding ingredients for your favorite Southeast Asian cuisine? Whether you want to cook Thai, Laotian, Vietnamese, Cambodian or Filipino food, all you have to do is grow your own! I've spent a few days compiling this massive list of vegetables, herbs and fruits, and have detailed their flavors, uses and growing instructions so that you can put that pad Thai takeout to shame.

No space is too small to grow your own Southeast Asian ingredients. Instructions here.

I've loved Thai food long before becoming a gardener, and it eventually found its way into the garden as well. Now I can look out my window to see a whole garden bed of lemongrass, turmeric, ginger, Thai basil, sweet potatoes, bananas and Thai peppers, and as you can see in the below photo, these edibles look just as good as they taste.

Southeast Asian ornamentals and edibles combine with Florida natives in my garden.

Believe it or not, most of the plants on this list can be grown throughout the United States during the frost-free part of the year. Sure, it is a bit easier to grow them in my zone 9a climate of Jacksonville, Florida since I have a longer growing season, and can grow some plants in the ground year round, but most of the vegetables, herbs and fruits I’ve listed here can be grown in any climate by one of three methods, depending on the plant. Plants like turmeric, arrowroot and ginger can be dug up before the first frost and stored indoors over winter as you would store bulbs. Collect seeds from annuals and tender perennials like Thai Basil or spearmint and replant the seeds in spring. Any other frost-tender plants, such as starfruit or limes, can be grown in containers and brought indoors for the winter.

Thai Vegetables

Okra – Great sautéed or used as a thickener in soups, okra is one of the easiest plants you'll grow in the summer garden, provided its main requirement is easily met. Just pick the pods before they turn woody so that the plant keeps producing until frost. In case you still need to be convinced of its versatility, here are five unusual ways to put your okra to good use. Grow it in the back of the border to take advantage of the height and enormous leaves, or plant it close to a walkway so that you can easily pick pods every day or so. If you want enough okra to eat every day, I recommend growing at least ten plants at a time. If you have extra, they’re easily frozen for later use.

Sweet Potato – They’re not just for Thanksgiving anymore, and are useful in curries, soups or simply roasted as-is. In the Philippines, even the leaves are eaten! They’re also yet another plant that I would grow for looks alone since they cover a lot of ground with lush greenery in even the hottest of summers, and when the foliage starts to decline you'll be surprised by the sheer volume of food beneath the soil's surface. Here in zone 9a I’ve even found that they’re perennial and will return the following year. If possible, look for white-fleshed types that won't overpower your presentation.

Arrowroot - It might not be a proper Thai ingredient, but is a gluten free starch that you can experiment with in your recipes. More of a starchy thickener than a proper vegetable, this prayer plant relative is easily grown from roots and overwintered as a bulb. The variegated form is a common houseplant, but the non-variegated form can be used to make arrowroot powder. Dark green leaves reminiscent of a ginger plant's emerge when the summer heat arrives, followed months after by delicate little white flowers. When the days have become consistently warm, plant the roots in either full sun or part shade, with the narrow end pointing downward and the top end just an inch below the soil, and wait about a month to find leaves emerge!

Luffa - Those funny sponges you'd shower with in college while listening to Dave Matthews Band are also an edible vegetable! When the fruits are immature and tender, they’re harvested and used in stir-fries much as you’d use okra. Luffa requires a longer growing season than most gourds and the seeds need heat to germinate and grow well, so don’t attempt them any further north than zone 7 unless you have a warm greenhouse. The vines can be grown on a trellis but are most impressive when the fruits are hanging down from an arbor. Of course, if you let the luffa gourds mature too long on the vine, you can always use them as loofah sponges.

Thai Peppers – Ever notice how food from Vietnam, Thailand, South China, etc. is always so spicy? You have peppers like these to thank. Birds eye chilies and finger-length Thai chilies are both very hot, so be sure to use them in moderation until you've found the right amount of eye-watering spiciness you're after. Seeds can be ordered through most catalogs and seed websites, and you might even find plants at the garden center. These are heat-tolerant plants that can be grown right through a blazing South Florida summer.

Yard Long Beans - Thanks to their heat-tolerance and prolific crop of aptly named yard long beans, you'll hardly find a better bean to grow in hot summers. They’re really yummy in stir-fries, curries, eaten raw in salads or just eaten on their own. While the pods can grow to become a yard in length, many will need to be harvested at shorter lengths before the beans inside develop and the pods turn tough. A good rule of thumb is to pick them before they approach a pencil’s width.

Thai Eggplant - Thai eggplants are usually round, sometimes elongated, and always drop dead gorgeous. I mean, these are seriously pretty eggplants regardless of what you plan on cooking, whether it’s a stir-fry or curry, or even raw on their own. Grow Thai eggplants in summer, provide plenty of water for the best growth and harvest fruits before they take on a dull finish.

Cucumber – I used to hate cucumber, but then I had it at a Vietnamese restaurant as a salad with rice wine vinegar, chili peppers, fish sauce and a touch of sugar; and then decided that I was just eating them wrong all along. Petch Tsai is a pretty Thai heirloom you can order online, but any cucumber will do just fine in a recipe that calls for cucumbers. Here in Florida I have to grow cucumbers in spring or fall, but in cooler areas they can be grown in summer. Cucumbers are honestly quite a pain to grow since they’re susceptible to a host of pests and diseases, but I think that they’re worth it. Just grow them on a support and keep the foliage dry.

Thai Herbs and Spices

Some Thai flavors remain elusive to the average gardener, whether it's the distinctive tanginess of the Makrut lime's leaves, or the delicate notes of rice paddy herb. Still, most are easy for anyone to find in either the garden center or seed catalog. Some are truthfully a little more difficult, but others are common herbs that you might already be growing.

Turmeric - This is the ginger relative that lends its yellow hue and warm flavor to curries and satays. The foliage of the turmeric plant is similar to that of a canna, and I would personally grow the plant for looks alone. Purchase roots from the grocery store (organic will sprout better) and plant according to these instructions. Here’s how prolific the stuff is: I started with a single little rhizome from the grocery store last year and have about 10-15 plants in my garden right now, from that one little root. Whenever I dig the rhizomes up to divide and store for winter, I always manage to miss a piece and find it re-sprouting the following year in the same spot.

Ginger - Few herbs are used as much in Southeast Asian cuisine as ginger, though I suspect that the real reason is that recipes must call for ginger because they rightly assume that home cooks can’t find galangal or krachai at their local grocery store. Like turmeric, you can sprout the roots from the produce aisle, and I even wrote a blog post on that too! I don't find it nearly as vigorous in the garden as turmeric, but perhaps it’s unfair to compare the two.

Galangal - You'll see this ginger relative called for in many curry recipes, but the only surefire way to make sure you have it on hand is to grow your own. The foliage is attractive; like that of ordinary ginger but with wider, densely arranged leaves. There are two types of galangal: Greater galangal (Alpinia galanga) is harder to grow outside the tropics, but lesser galangal (Alpinia officinarum) is easily grown in containers or outdoors in zones 9-11. I grew lesser galangal at my mother's house (pictured) several years ago but still need to buy one for my current garden.

Makrut Lime - It's also known as Kaffir lime, but I don't like that name as much and will opt for the Thai name of 'Makrut' instead. Mm'kay? Anyways, the leaves are sliced finely and used in soups and curries, lending a tangy note to spicy dishes. The zest of the bumpy little 'limes' are added to curry pastes. These citrus bushes are very tender to cold but are easily grown in containers and brought indoors to a sunny room during winter. Since you're growing makrut lime for its leaves in all likelihood, use a fertilizer that's high in nitrogen. Harvest by snipping off just half of the segmented compound leaf.

Garlic - If you've ever had sriracha sauce, you know how nicely garlic pairs with chili peppers. I use the stuff in almost all of my dishes, unless the flavor just doesn't work. But whenever cilantro, soy, chili peppers and ginger are in the mix, I'm sure to toss a minced clove in for good measure. Unless you live in an exceptionally cold climate, plant garlic in fall and harvest later in the year when the tops turn yellow and flop over. Then hang them out to dry for 3-4 weeks in a cool, dark place (or wherever vampires lurk). You can either purchase heirloom varieties, or you can grow the organic garlic you find in the produce aisle. One more thing: Fry minced garlic in a little bit of oil and use it as a condiment. It’s amazing.

Lemongrass - Use a bundle of lemongrass leaves to flavor soups or make a tasty tea, or chop up the white interior of the stalk for curries and other dishes. You will scarcely find an easier herb than lemongrass, provided you plant it out in spring and harvest before the first frost. In my own (USDA zone 9a) garden I'm able to leave it in the ground, but it's also easy to grow in a container and overwinter indoors. Lemongrass likes moist soil and full sun, though it will still get by through drought or a little shade. For more info, read my earlier article on how to grow lemongrass.

Krachai - Finger-like rhizomes have given this exotic herb the nickname 'fingerroot', and is useful in Thai cooking, either raw, pickled or added to curries, or as a medicinal plant. I’ve never had it, nor grown it, but I hope to do one of those two things in the near future. It is reportedly hardy from zones 8-11 and requires moist soil and full to part shade.

Spearmint – I always thought that spearmint was just the flavor of gum that I accidentally buy sometimes when I mean to get the peppermint flavor, but it just so turns out that the flavor works well in tandem with other ingredients in salads, sauces and curries, adding a much needed cooling note. If you grow this yourself, be sure to never plant it in the ground as it will spread and is difficult to eliminate. That said, I have done just that in the hopes that it will just crowd out inedible and useless weeds. You can grow it from seeds, or you can just place cut stems in water and transplant to a pot once the roots form.

Pandan – Like krachai, pandan is another ingredient on my list of things to experience in my garden and kitchen. It is useful in baked goods and adds a sweet fragrance when added to dishes or used as a wrapping. The plant itself is a member of the screwpine genus (Pandanus) and it can be grown in a container… but it needs heat and humidity to thrive.

Rau Ram - Polygonum odoratum is also called Vietnamese mint and Vietnamese cilantro, but whatever you call laksa leaf (another one of its names) be sure to let me know all about your experiences growing it. I have yet to grow daun keson (yet another of its names) but will soon be trying it in the shade of my lemongrass and bananas. Apparently they like part shade and moisture but resent temperatures below freezing. Oh, and it's actually called Persicaria odorata and Polygonium odoratum is now a synonym. I think I'll just call it rau ram.

Cilantro - Whether you love or hate the distinctive soapy taste of cilantro, it's essential in many Southeast Asian recipes when used in moderation. Even my cilantro-hating wife doesn't notice its inclusion in my stir-fries when I balance it out with other strong flavors. My one beef with cilantro is that it bolts easily here in my Florida heat, so I have to grow it in winter. Luckily it grows quickly from seed.

Siam Queen is an exceptional selection of Thai basil.

Thai Basil - Densely packed little leaves and inflorescences of purple flowers on a compact and bushy plant make this basil loads more attractive than the sweet basil one would normally grow. But then there's the flavor - just like ordinary basil but with a wallop of licorice and anise bite. Okay, it's totally different. Grow it in full sun with average moisture, and be sure to get an extra plant so that you can harvest from one and enjoy flowers from the other. Holy basil is another type that’s often called for in Southeast Asian recipes.

Here I've planted cinnamon basil and lemon basil together along my path.

Laos (Lemon) Basil - This herb smells and tastes absolutely heavenly. I mean, I eat leaves right off the plant they're so good! It’s especially utilized in Laotian recipes, but I use it in any way I can. The seeds are soaked in water and used in desserts. Haven’t tried that yet, but it’s on my to-do list. See ‘Thai Basil’ (above) for growing tips.

Culantro – It sounds like cilantro, but has a much stronger and earthier flavor. The sawtoothed leaves of this herb are used in larp and other beef dishes, and are often served with other herbs as a condiment. Since it grows well in shade and bolts in full sun, grow it in the understory of other edibles on this list. Harvest the leaves as needed.

Rice Paddy Herb – Delicate and fragrant, this Vietnamese herb is added to soups and fish dishes at the end of cooking or added fresh at the table. I’ve never grown it myself, but found a unique and effective way to grow rice paddy herb in containers; by wrapping in a plastic bag with holes poked for ventilation.

Vietnamese Balm – Like a stronger version of lemon balm, kinh gioi offers a lemony flavor to fish dishes and soups, whether fresh or cooked. You can grow it from seed via a specialty website or catalog, or from cuttings.

Thai Fruit

Most fruits used in Southeast Asian cuisine are too cold-tender for anyone outside the tropics, there are some hardy exceptions, as well as fruits that can be grown in pots.

Roselle - It's not technically a fruit, but is used as such. If you've ever had hibiscus tea, you're already acquainted with the tangy zing of this hibiscus relative. Think of it as a cranberry you can grow in your own backyard, and on an imposing plant with deep green palmate leaves and red stems. And then imagine that plant with peachy hibiscus flowers, and you have roselle. I use it to make Jamaican sorrel tea, or I just eat the candylike 'petals' off the plant.

Pomelo - A huge citrus fruit with a thick rind and tiny segments of juice that break apart, perfect for sprinkling on salads. I won't say that pomelos are like grapefruit, because grapefruit is disgusting. In that respect, pomelo is nothing like grapefruit because it's actually tasty. Grow pomelo in zones 9b-11, or grow it in zone 9a and protect it in winter. If your little tree fruits, remove all but one pomelo so that it doesn't get pummelled under its own weight. See what I did there?

Calamondin, or kalamansi, is a lime alternative that tastes great with pancit, a Filipino dish.

Lime – This is the best way to add tartness to balance out other strong flavors, so it’s common in many recipes. Limes are the most tropical of the citrus fruits, so unless you live in zone 10, be prepared to grow it in a container on a dwarfing rootstock. Suitable substitutes include kumquats and calamondins (kalamansi), the latter being a very important part of Filipino cuisine. I prefer it to lime, actually. Both are easy to grow in pots and are hardy outdoors in zones 8-11.

You know what a banana looks like. Here's a banana flower inflorescence, which is also edible.

Banana - If you live in zones 8-11, you have to grow bananas. The leaves can be softened in warm water and used to wrap foods for steaming and grilling. The heart of the banana's flower inflorescence is used as a vegetable in salads and other dishes. And then there's the fruit, delectable when ripe and just as good when cooked green and unripe. There are hundreds of banana cultivars grown in Thailand, but if you live in zones 7-9 your best bets are freeze-resistant types like ‘Ice Cream’ ‘Orinoco’ and ‘Rajapuri’.

Jujube - 'Jujube' sounds like something nasty you'd hear an old prospector ask of a working woman in a saloon. I saw it in a western novel once... don't ask. The first time I tried jujube, it was in the backyard of a generous Cambodian woman who enthusiastically insisted I bite into the unripe and slightly astringent fruit for myself. It was good! The plant itself is thorny and ornery as a mule carrying a... sorry. Got all 'westerny' again. Anyways, it's a thorny bush/tree that's hardy from zones 6-11.

Dragonfruit - The same Cambodian woman who let me sample a jujube also grew dragonfruit. Now dragonfruit is a tropical vining cactus that doesn't like frost, but she had the ingenuity to construct a trellis over the driveway that was wrapped with Christmas lights and covered with plastic tarps during freeze and frost warnings. I grew them from seed several years ago and still have a few plants growing in empty pots that I've pretty much abandoned. Their resilience is uncanny, but I should still do them a favor and properly pot them up soon. My point is that they're incredibly easy to grow. Here's an earlier post that I wrote on how to grow dragonfruit from seed, along with other growing tips.

Starfruit – Though not exactly a huge part of Southeast Asian cuisine, it’s still worth mentioning since it can be grown in pots or from zones 9b-11 in Florida. This is that weird translucent fruit that you sometimes find at the grocery store, and it’s useful when green and unripe as an acidic ingredient to replace blimbi, tamarind or lime. I’ve grown it from seed and the plant has survived 20 degrees of cold for at least a few years, but it’s still pretty small. It can be grown in a pot and brought indoors during winter, but unless you’re in it for the interesting appearance of the fruit (looks pretty cool when sliced as stars and plated as a garnish), citrus would be easier and more useful.

I love this fruit so much, I drew it one day for the heck of it.

Passionfruit - Popular for drinks and desserts in Asia, passionfruit is cold tender and has to be grown in a container and brought in during winter. Hard purple skins reveal a tantalizing tart interior with crunchy edible seeds encased in a goopy mess of juice. All in all, it's probably my favorite fruit. Here's how to grow your own passionfruit from seed.

In case you're interested in growing some of the more tropical fruits, here are five great dessert fruits along with a bunch of other unusual fruits that have to be seen and eaten to be believed.

Okay, so maybe there were more than thirty ingredients in there, and there are many more that weren't even mentioned. If you have any experiences you'd like to share regarding cooking or growing Southeast Asian food, please share!

What's Blooming in my July Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 01:49:00 +0000

It's been a long time since I've posted about what's blooming in my garden, and it might have something to do with the fact that I've been a lot more focused on the foliage and overall design lately. Though with all that greenery the flowers just stand out even more!

I've been trialing some plants from Proven Winners and the Verbena bonariensis 'Meteor Shower' has been the most impressive one by far, holding its profusion of lavender blooms aloft above the contrasting yellow gomphrena and tickseed.

It has only recently started raining after a long dry spell, and the rain lilies were happy to share their excitement.

My yellow shrimp plant looked pretty rangy and scraggly last year, but has now become a bushy mass of creamy pendant blooms.

I even get excited about the flowers of the humble (and some would say overused) Liriope spicata! That's turmeric you see popping up through the foliage.

Unlike the 'Just Joey' rose in my front yard, this 'Easy Does It' Floribunda rose keeps its vivid coral hue even in the intense sun of a Florida summer.

This Tillandsia harrisii isn't cold hardy like my other bromeliads. I just bring it into the garage whenever we get a freeze! It seems pretty happy growing on the exposed maple roots with a little bit of mulch.

The boldest and brightest bloom in my garden belongs to this Vriecantarea 'Inferno', which has been in 'bloom' for the last two months even though the flowers themselves have not yet emerged from the red bracts.

The same goes for this Vriesea sucrei hybrid, but this is the first time I've ever seen the inflorescence branch like this. It must be happy in its new home!

I've never really put nearly as much thought into flowers compared to foliage and form, but visiting pollinators like this giant swallowtail remind me that they're worth having after all.

And this green anole is no doubt preying on pollinators visiting the massive heads of my Skyscraper sunflowers.

From Puddle to Rain Garden; Ditch to Dry Creek

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 16:51:00 +0000

I'm making a rain garden and dry creek bed to collect, filter, absorb and divert all of the runoff that had been flooding and eroding my backyard, and wanted to share how I'm turning a muddy and weedy ditch in the middle of my garden into something truly magical. This is going to be one heck of a garden makeover.

First, here's what's wrong with my existing rain garden and how I will fix it. If you're not quite happy with your own garden's design, maybe this will help you fix yours as well.

After a storm

First of all, the dry creek is almost a straight shot from one corner of the garden right to the corner in the back where excess water drains away. I'm pretty sure it's all bad feng shui, but it also leads to the next problem - that the water itself drains away too fast. So that the garden can absorb the runoff, I'll have to slow things down.

The site of the rain garden, as seen from the lawn.

The garden is also visually chaotic. I should cut myself some slack since the groundcovers and other plants haven't yet had a chance to fill in, but the eye just bounces around distractedly, without a clear focal point or place for the eye to rest. All of the green plants are more soothing than a bunch of random colorful ones, but those caladiums are distracting as squirrels to a hyperactive puppy.

I have all of the right pieces to this puzzle, but that puzzle has been taken apart and dumped on the floor. Now all I have to do is put everything together.

My Solution

To solve all three problems, I'm breaking it all up. Instead of letting the water run straight down a glorified shallow ditch, I'm dividing it into two sections with their own functions: A proper rain garden that collects, absorbs and filters the water; and a dry creek bed to divert and drain the excess water so that my backyard doesn't flood.

Since many of my plants are from the Southern Living Plant Collection, I've teamed up with them to finish the garden off with some really nice shrubs, perennials and groundcovers. So far I'm using a whole lot of Mahonia 'Soft Caress', Carex 'Everillo' and Nandina 'Lemon-Lime' in my garden and will be transplanting them here, but I'll also get to showcase some other new plants in their collection.

Though unplanted, you can at least see the many Carex 'Everillo' that I will be using in the rain garden.

The Rain Garden
There are many definitions of a rain garden, and some definitions are pretty unrealistic. Some demand that it must be 100-300 square feet or have only native plants; or that you first dig a deep hole and fill it with organic matter - but don't get intimidated. The purpose of a rain garden is to collect, absorb and filter runoff, and to do that, it just needs to be a shallow depression with plants that can handle both drought and wet soil.

Here's what I'm doing for my own rain garden. When runoff seeps out of my clay-ey lawn, it will pour into a 'marsh' of vivid neon green Carex 'Everillo' that will soak up water like a grassy sponge. I've built up berms of topsoil and plantings to collect the water, and any excess will pass through a gap into the dry creek bed.

This rain garden will give the eye a place to rest and become a focal point that can be seen from all sides of the backyard, like a clearing or pond in the forest. I've seen some rain gardens that have so much going on visually that they almost look weedy! That's how mine looks at the moment... plus, it has real weeds.

You can also expect to see some other plants with grassy or strappy foliage used here, particularly Agapanthus. To add seasonal interest with short-lived and ephemeral blooms, you might see some rain lilies, spider lilies and hurricane lilies mixed in.

It might not be finished, but the rocks make such a difference!

The Dry Creek Bed
While the marshy rain garden's job was to collect, absorb and filter the runoff, the dry creek bed is supposed to quickly whisk away any of the excess before it floods the rest of the garden. In my case, it's also supposed to look like an awesome jungle stream... and as of right now, it does not.

Since rocks are almost nonexistent around here, I originally decided against using them for the sake of authenticity. But that's stupid and here's why. Rocky streams aren't natural in Northeast Florida, but neither are concrete, asphalt, houses and non-native plants. If you're going all native in your garden, I respect and applaud you for that. But I like to mix natives with bromeliads, gingers and palms. So what difference do a few rocks make, other than prevent erosion and keep weeds at bay? Besides, I'd rather have my son playing in a gravel-lined stream than a muddy ditch.

The choice was clear.

Rocks it was! I took my son to Stone Plus and he helped me pick out a bunch of flat fieldstones, gravel and rocks for our playground - er, dry creek bed. Here are some things to keep in mind if you're doing this yourself: Use rounded rocks, use rocks and gravel of similar hues, scatter them naturally, and make them look as if they belong there. In other words, make it look natural! I also chose flat stones to that they can double as stepping stones.

Have any of you readers had success or problems in creating a rain garden? I'd love to hear about it! I'll keep you posted with lots of tips and instructions as I rework my rain garden and dry creek bed in the coming months. This will be a fun 'before and after' project and you'll get to see some new and exciting plants from the Southern Living Plant Collection in action too.

5 Things to do in the Summer Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 18:40:00 +0000

In a hot summer, your backyard can either be a haven or a hellhole. Since I've been busy tidying up my own backyard for summer, I thought I'd share some ways to get your patio and garden cookout-ready with a gorgeous garden! Since it will soon be too hot to do much outside, my tips have to do with simplifying garden chores, maximizing enjoyment and pampering your plants so that they look their best.

Drought-Proof
Whether you're in a record-breaking drought or just a gap between rainy days, it pays to give your plants a little help on hot days. The best thing to do is grow plants that don't need irrigation, but even drought-tolerant plants need help getting established. Some plants just need to be relocated to another, more moist, part of the garden. To prevent the evaporation of moisture and to reduce competition from sprouting weeds, add a three-inch layer of mulch to your soil. Water plants in the morning so that it has a chance to reach the roots before evaporating, and try to water the soil rather than the foliage since plants can't drink water through their leaves. Duh!

Succulents like this Haworthia take drought in stride.

It has finally rained here in my northeast Florida neighborhood, and I'm happy to see that my lawn, gingers and native shrubs have perked up again. It still wasn't enough to truly wet the soil though, so I'm still watering my thirsty wild coffee and flame azalea plants by hand every two days. Yes, they are natives, but not all natives are drought-tolerant!

Make it Livable
Repeat after me: The patio/deck/lawn/balcony is not a dumping ground. It's a living area and should be kept swept clean and picked up the same way that you would treat a room of your house. Arrange the outdoor room in a way that is both inviting and practical, furnishing it with a table and chairs, shelves and occasional seating. Shade it with umbrellas, a pergola or awnings to make the space bearable on a hot day, and make sure that you always go outside with a cool drink in hand. If the patio is dirty, rent a pressure washer; and if the deck is faded, give it a facelift.

I really need to sweep out there.

That said, my own patio could use some picking up right now, especially since my thirteen-month old son plays there every day and loves to move things around. There are cobwebs on the wall and grass clippings scattered about in clumps. I know my wife is reading this, so hopefully I've rectified this by the time she looks outside or sees my son come inside with his overalls covered in cut grass and cobwebs.

This Cryptanthus is easy to dig up in winter, grow as a houseplant and replant in spring.

Grow Tropical Plants
Even if you're one of the majority who lives in a decidedly un-tropical area, you can still grow tropical plants outdoors whenever frost isn't an issue - because they love the heat. Bring potted houseplants outdoors to a shady spot for a a summer vacation, plant tropical bulbs and dig them up before the first frost, or just grow tropical flowers as annuals and save the seeds. Great edibles for the summer garden include sweet potato vine, hot peppers, cherry tomatoes, yardlong beans and okra, though many other veggies will do well with a little afternoon shade. If you want something that's edible and really tropical looking, head to the grocery store and pick up some organic turmeric, ginger and taro roots and plant them as summer bulbs.

The bromeliad, elephant ear and gingers pictured can all be dug up in winter as houseplants or bulbs, respectively.

Even though winter temps here reach 20 degrees in winter, my garden is chock-full of tropicals: Bromeliads, palms, aroids, bananas, gingers... you name it. I've actually been quite surprised by what has actually survived winters here, such as; a starfruit seedling, devil's backbone (Euphorbia tithymaloides 'Variegatus'), peacock plant (Calathea zebrina) and earth star bromeliads (Cyptanthus species). Even my Peperomia, Rhipsalis and Epiphyllum plants survived! Some of the tropicals look pretty sad in winter, so I was sure to plant lots of structural evergreen shrubs and groundcovers to keep the show going.

A few weeds nearly ruin the effect of this little fairy door at the foot of a maple tree.

Eliminate Weeds
It may be hot out, but you'll probably notice that lots of weeds are are still perfectly content to flourish in the sweltering sun. The trick is to casually pull them without giving it much though, much like you would pick up toys from the living room floor. Okay, maybe that reference only applies to parents like myself. Still, persistence pays off. Mulch is also worthwhile, if only because it keeps weed seeds from getting a foothold and sprouting. There is no reason to use chemicals or even natural remedies if you're willing to work a little. Buy a good mattock (like a pickaxe for weeds) and use it to chop away at stubborn weeds and yank them out beneath the roots. Simply put, all you need to do is mulch and mattock.

The more plants, the less room for weeds!

The fight against weeds has been a constant one in my two-year old garden, especially since that's all that grew there before we moved in. However, that mattock that I mentioned has been a huge help since it can remove weeds that I can't even budge by hand. I have bought a lot of mulch since moving in, but the more plants spread, the less mulch I need. There are areas in my garden that no longer get weeds because the assortment of plants growing there has become a living mulch. If you need a fast-growing plant that will shade out weeds in a large area this summer, plant sweet potato vine. It shades the soil and you get free sweet potatoes!

Here I've given the lawn straight boundaries to simplify mowing.

Make Mowing Easier
Mowing and string-trimming doesn't have to be a chore. Eliminate hard-to-mow corners of the lawn by replacing them with low-maintenance garden beds, mulch or pavers. Simplify the outline of your lawn so that mowing can be done with minimal effort, and consider adding a 'mowing strip' of bricks or pavers on the lawn's edge to keep grass from encroaching upon beds and to simplify edging chores. Use topsoil to fill holes and bumps in the lawn so that you get an even cut and eliminate trip hazards all at once.

This area under the trees was impossible to mow, so I turned it into a mulched path.

My own back yard was an impossible mess of shallow roots, awkward corners and places that were too shady for grass to grow, so I chose the sunniest and most level part of my yard and created a simple, square lawn there; planting gardens everywhere else. Now it only takes me several minutes to mow with my Troy-Bilt Neighborhood Rider, and it will still be a breeze when I step down to a self-propelled pushmower. There's still a remaining grassy/weedy patch on the other side of my yard, but it will eventually get replaced by a path to the spigot, gardens and eventually an outdoor shower to help me clean off after yard work.

Savory Kale and Sausage Skillet Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 16:33:00 +0000

It's our second week of quitting takeout and since there's just too much for one post, I'll break it up so that I can focus on the recipes and ingredients. I used a lot from the garden this week, but Monday was all about the lacinato (aka Tuscan, dinosaur or black) kale, which I used for a delicious and easy skillet. Here's more info about this easy-to-grow veggie and a recipe to put it to good use.

Lacinato kale
Out of all the vegetables I've grown thus far, my lacinato kale has been the easiest and most productive; growing right out of grass and weeds with little fertilizer and no irrigation. The kale you're likely to find at the grocery store is frilly and curly looking, but lacinato kale plants have long and strappy leaves that make them a standout architectural plant in the garden. Kale is not touted as a summer crop here in Florida and is always recommended for the winter growing season, but my lacinato kale has been resilient with highs in the mid-90's. I'm still harvesting now, and it's summer.

To harvest, I either cut off a whole head several inches above the ground so that new stems will regrow, or I just remove the lower leaves and allow the plant to get taller and taller. The ribs in the center of each leaf can be tough, so I cut them out with kitchen scissors before cooking. I used to use a knife but scissors are a lot easier... not to mention more fun.

Quitting Takeout Week Two
I started off the week by picking a handful of datil peppers from the garden and steeping them in white vinegar to make my own 'pepper vinegar'. Creative name, right? You can find this condiment all over restaurants in the Southeast and I thought it would be a good way to put my overly spicy datil peppers to use without setting my tongue on fire. I'll be sure to share a recipe or something in an upcoming post.

This was Monday's dish... yummy, but nothing compared to the kale skillet.

Monday's dinner was a forgettable experiment with the datil pepper vinegar; marinated chicken breast cutlets sauteed with carrots and okra. It was tasty, but not really anything too exciting.

But on Tuesday I perfected my kale and sausage skillet recipe by adding two ingredients: Bacon and pepper vinegar! So far this has been our favorite dish, out of everything else I've ever made. The recipe has been tweaked a few times and I definitely think that the tangy spiciness of the pepper vinegar and the sweet smokiness of the bacon made all the difference in the world.

Savory Kale and Sausage Skillet
Serves 4

Ingredients

1/3 Box Vegetable Penne Pasta (or plain)
1 lb Italian Sausage
Pepper vinegar to taste (or a dash of hot sauce)
2 rashes bacon, diced
1/2 cup chicken stock

Instructions

Make pasta according to package directions (al dente is best), rinse, toss with a small amount of olive oil and set aside.

While waiting for the pasta's water to boil; rinse kale, pat dry and cut out the large ribs with a knife or cooking scissors. Toss out the ribs, grab a bunch of de-ribbed leaves and cut into small pieces.

Chop bacon into small pieces and cook in a frying pan until most of the fat has been rendered. Add Italian sausage and break apart, stirring until browned.

Once the sausage has browned, add the kale and chicken stock - and stir. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally until the kale is tender. Turn burner off and stir in pasta. Serve and enjoy!

Stay tuned for the next day's dish: Datil Salmon with cheesy bacon grits and pan-fried okra, with bourbon peaches a'la mode for dessert!

Garden2Blog 2015: Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Thu, 28 May 2015 19:52:00 +0000

Last Monday I packed my bags and hesitatingly waved goodbye to my family to fly out to Little Rock, where I would join an all-star team of bloggers for the fifth annual Garden2Blog event at P. Allen Smith's beautiful Moss Mountain Farm. I needed the company of friends, the inspiration and to feel once again connected to my career path now that I share my office with a one-year old. The trip, I found, was well worth it.

I had attended the last two events as well, but this one stood out to me as the best one yet, mostly for the relaxed atmosphere. Since many of us had already seen the farm and met each other, we were able to delve into more meaningful conversations with bloggers and sponsors alike. To me, it was the people that made this trip so memorable.

Then again, maybe it was me. I was probably just happy to participate in conversations with like-minded adults since I usually work from home - asking my toddler things like "do I smell a poop?" or "ba-ba-ba banana!" - while trying to write and illustrate. I may have unwittingly slipped a bit of my parentese into our dinner conversations, but at least I could rest assured that I was surrounded by veterans who had also been there. "Do I smell a poop?" I'd ask, and another blogger would smile knowingly and mention that, after all, we were downwind from the farm and its myriad aromas.

My conversation skills were so rusty that the minute I arrived at the Little Rock airport, I could scarcely even hold a conversation with my friends who were waiting just for me. Clearly a cocktail was in order, so we headed to our four-star hotel, The Capital, and set up camp in the bar for some adult beverages and dinner. Unfortunately I'm a lightweight, and only managed to drink about a quarter of my $14 lemon basil martini before getting so tipsy that I'm absolutely sure that I talked my friend Christina Salwitz' ears off.

On the bright side, Christina happily finished the martini for me and I later emulated the recipe at home for a tiny fraction of the cost, albeit with less citrus vodka. After staggering back up to the hotel room, I shook off the dizziness and got back to work on the essay that I had been writing all day at airports and on flights. Maybe that drunk feeling was just the pressure changes from my flight - playing tricks on my inner ears and knocking my balance out of whack. Is that where the term 'flighty' comes from?

The next day I was back in my groove and chatting it up with my pals at Bonnie Plants about the drawing techniques that I used on my bug illustrations for their Homegrown app... on second thought, I think I just talked about the new things my toddler was doing this week. Boy were they patient.

Jenny Peterson and I fall behind the crowd to take some pictures of herbs

Michael Nolan catching up with an old friend

'Miss Big Fig' in all her glory

Once we got on the bus, the party moved to Moss Mountain Farm, where we quickly toured the farm and garden until getting corralled back into the bus for a tour of Little Rock. Most of us had already seen the place a couple of times anyways, I suppose, but I really do wish that we had more time to enjoy the gardens.

Nonetheless, there were new things to be seen in Little Rock, which is quickly becoming my favorite 'big city' for its small-town charm and focus on nature and the arts. Okay, I also wish I had more time to tour Little Rock too, particularly a nature center and science museum that I noticed last year. I suppose we'll have to go as a family some time to enjoy everything at our own pace!

The rain garden outside the Arkansas Arts Center

The LEED Certified Heifer Foundation campus

The Heifer Village had rain gardens and permeable pavers, which don't always mix.

Among our scheduled visits were an Arkansas Arts Center, the Heifer Village, the original Garden Home and the new bioswales and rain gardens being built downtown.

The highlight of my day, however, was finally getting to read the humorous essay that I spent the last couple of days writing. The Tales from the South radio episode hasn't gone up online yet, but here's a video that my friend Barbara Wise recorded if you'd like to watch! If I hadn't overcome my temporary lapse into shyness earlier in the day, I certainly did by the time I was done reading my story with Jenny Peterson and P. Allen Smith. I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to write and read a piece of humorous memoir for my friends and public radio listeners around the world.

Check back to read about my next day at Garden2Blog!

Taking out the Takeout: Week One

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Sun, 24 May 2015 17:37:00 +0000

Fast food and takeout have always been a big part of our busy life, but now that I'm a work-from-home dad with a veggie garden at my disposal, cooking just makes more sense. We've been using the kitchen more and more over the last few months, but have now decided to take the plunge and eat fresh, made-from-scratch food almost every night of the week. The result of which has been a richer and more fulfilling life, brimming with creative possibilities.

Kale is the gift that keeps on giving us tons of food in a small space

Making sauces in advance is useful for busy schedules

First, here's some background on our situation. My wife works a 9-5 day job during the week; while I work retail on weekends and work from home the rest of the week. She usually cooks weekends while I cook on weekdays. This is a normal weekday afternoon and evening for me: After my son wakes up from his afternoon nap, I put away the laptop and eventually get started in the kitchen. At 5:30 we eat and feed our son, start his bedtime routine and start disaster recovery at 8:00, cleaning the kitchen and picking up after our tornado of a toddler. A hot pizza at our doorstep definitely seems appealing right about then.

Baked Salmon is easy: Make a custom glaze, bake and serve!

So Why Bother?
Prepwork, cooking and cleanup do take time out of our day and it has definitely taken some getting used to over the last year - but the benefits are many.

Of course we'd like to lose weight, but that isn't enough. Mostly we want to provide us and our growing son with nutritious food (even if it has butter and bacon grease), we want to save money and (this is a big reason for me)we want to actually enjoy eating again.

Shoving takeout and fast food down our pieholes is no longer satisfying, and we always find ourselves feeling disgusted at ourselves for eating so much. All in all, the goal is to enrich our lives with interesting and healthy food. So far it's been working.

With all of the fresh and exciting herbs, fruits and vegetables I can grow in my garden, I have a huge advantage. I can grow the plants that I like to eat and I always have something useful right outside my backdoor. Simply put, when I grow my own groceries, cooking becomes immensely fulfilling. With great ingredients and a little effort, I can make gourmet meals for a few dollars.

Mixing my own sauces and dressings is so much fun!

Challenges
Again, we have been cooking a lot more lately, so we've gotten more accustomed to the unique challenges that an old-school homemaking lifestyle presents.

For one thing, cooking is usually more time consuming than getting takeout. While I can swing it working from home, this can be more challenging if both members of a household work outside of the home. It's possible with simple recipes, make-ahead dinners and a crock-pot, but there is a learning curve.

While some dinners can be easily made in a single pan with little preparation, usually there's prep-work, cooking and the dreaded cleanup involved. Since we have a kid, we're busy cleaning up the rest of the house once the kitchen's clean.

Shopping for produce and meat is also hard at first. A lot of times the veggies go bad after a couple of days in the fridge, so you have to plan your meals ahead and go grocery shopping at least once a week.

Then there's the inevitable sticker shock at the register - when you learn that the fresh stuff adds up a lot more quickly than the pre-packaged frozen and dry foods that frequently go on sale. Even so, it's still so much cheaper when you add up what you'd otherwise be paying for takeout.

And did I mention that sometimes you just suck at cooking? I've lost count of the times that I've spent hours on a complicated recipe before finding out that one mistake ruined everything. In the failure pictured above, I made a wine sauce with cabernet (since I didn't have any white wine) and added too much lemon juice. Since I didn't have onions, I used the leafy ends of green onions. The result of which was a lip-puckering and oddly purple sauce all over my homemade garlic mashed potatoes that turned the green onions into a weird shade of black/split-pea green. No pretty garnish of basil flowers and pea shoots could save it.

But just as in gardening, the more mistakes you make, the more you can learn.

We're not quitting cold-turkey... some evenings we'll have family over, and they require pizza and other kid food. I work nights on the weekends sometimes, so we'll inevitably cheat every now and then. Today I picked up sandwiches from a neighborhood barbecue joint because I have to write before driving to work for the night. With any luck, we'll even get away with going out on a date one of these nights too.

Lesson 12: Homemade cocktails make you feel all fancy and stuff.

Lessons Learned
I'm sure that we'll learn a lot from our little experiment, and I'll be sure to share our lessons as we go. So far I've already learned a few things about a made-from-scratch lifestyle:

1. Having vegetables and herbs in the garden - Priceless.
2. Make your own sauces and dressings. It's worth it.
3. Lacinato kale in the garden is worth its weight in gold.
4. Some things to always have on hand: spices, oils, vinegars, green onions, garlic, citrus.
5. Recipes are made to be broken.
6. Make part of your meal in advance.
7. Reuse and repurpose leftovers. Better yet, reinvent them.
8. Clean up as you go.
9. Expensive meat goes a long way.
10. Herb plants are cheaper than herbs at the grocery store.
11. Find recipes online and change them to your liking.
12. Treat yourself with a homemade cocktail every now and then. You'll feel all fancy and stuff.

Our Menu for the Week

A weekly meal-plan needn't be stringent or over-the-top. Here's what we did last week.

Sunday - Ziti Skillet, Cornbread Casserole and a Spinach Arugula Salad
Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Pizza (picky family over)
Wednesday - Pork Tenderloin and Kale
Thursday - Pork Tenderloin and Potato au Gratin
Friday - Stir-Fry with Potatoes (homemade dressing)
Saturday - BBQ Pork Sandwiches

Wednesday's bacon garlic kale

My wife started off on Sunday by baking cornbread casserole and making a delicious ziti skillet, which we also ate the next day as leftovers. It wasn't the lightest dinner, but we need to fatten our toddler up and it was sooo good. I also made a simple vinaigrette dressing for a spinach and arugula salad, so I suppose that was healthy, right? Anyways, I didn't take a picture because I was too busy gobbling it up to think of such things.

Tuesday we had picky relatives over, and they would only eat pizza. Yup. At least there was a photo of a balsamic spinach pizza on the box to give me inspiration for the next meal.

I kept our momentum going on Wednesday by buying two pork tenderloins for $15, rubbing them with rosemary and thyme from the garden before searing them and roasting in the oven, occasionally ladling them with their own juices and subsequently burning my hand. I also sauteed bacon, garlic and onions, then mixing in a bunch of lacinato kale from the front yard. The tenderloin was so soft and juicy we could feed it to our toddler... in small bites, of course.

Still, Thursday I needed to add some more toddler-friendly food to the menu. I found a potato au gratin recipe and adapted it by adding broccoli. The previous night I let the bacon garlic kale sit over the tenderloin and its juices in a pyrex dish, so all I had to do was put it in the oven to reheat. The resulting meal was even yummier than the first!

Friday I shook things up by taking the pork tenderloin leftovers in a different direction. I made a lemon-ginger stir-fry sauce in the morning and let it sit in the fridge all day. Then I sauteed some broccoli and bok choy in the sauce and set it aside. After slicing the remaining pork tenderloin leftovers thinly, I sauteed them in more of the sauce - just long enough for them to get hot - before sauteeing it all together right before serving alongside the leftover gratin. I would have paid good money for a dinner like that... it was so good!

Datil peppers: The inspiration for another dinner

Since I had to work on Saturday, I got lazy and bought a couple of BBQ pork sandwiches from a local joint and split mine up between lunch and dinner. But at least that too was inspiring. I spent the evening dreaming up homemade barbecue sauces and hot sauces that I could make from unusual stuff in the garden. Datil citrus marinated chicken, anyone?

Watch this space for more about our attempts to enrich our lives with creative garden-grown and home-made food, and tell me about your own favorite recipes and cooking tips!

9 Garden Design Tips from Moss Mountain

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Thu, 07 May 2015 16:45:00 +0000

To prepare for my trip to Garden2Blog at P. Allen Smith's breathtaking Moss Mountain Farm this week, I've decided to share some inspiration and tips that were inspired by my visit during last year's event. Whether your garden is small or virtually nonexistent, in a cold climate or a tropical one, there's always lots to learn from a well executed garden design. For starters:

Use the Color Wheel... Less Often

Nobody needs a degree in color theory to plant a garden. You can keep the color wheel if you'd like, but look at it as a helpful tool rather than your sole guide to garden color. After all, it's not about what colors you use, but how you combine them - and more importantly, in what amounts. Even colors that normally clash can be combined in such a way that they're made to sing in tantalizingly rich and intricate harmony.

The planting pictured above works because of the way the different colors effortlessly blend together; the icy lavender hued petunia seems to melt into the mauve coleus, which itself mingles with the flaming lily. The tree in the upper right hand corner has chartruese leaves, but at a distance it looks no different than the yellow flowers to the left. Look even more closely, and you notice echoes of yellow in the unopened lily buds and grasses lit up by sunlight; or the way that the green bushes in the upper left hand corner take on a blue shade when cast in shadow. The secret ingredient that pulls it all together, is the color green. Luckily plants have plenty of that to go around.

Provide Year-round Interest

Not even the best gardens can keep their beds full of leafy, flowery goodness all year long. You can drop a few hundred dollars on annual flowers, but it would all go to waste if not for structural plants to pull it all together and keep the show going after the flowers fade. There are bound to be bare patches while you're waiting for the newly planted groundcovers to take off, or when those caladiums are taking their sweet time even though everything else has leafed out.

That's why it's important for you to choose a few dependable plants that keep their attractive foliage even when out of bloom, and spread them out. Reign in your plantings with borders of Liriope or low hedges of boxwood, and give them a solid backdrop of evergreen shrubs like Podocarpus or hollies. Use deciduous plants with interesting trunks and branches like crepe myrtles or red twig dogwoods to provide structure and impact over the winter months, and plant summer bulbs like elephant ears (Colocasia, Alocasia spp.) or cannas for impact in the summer months.

Plant More of the Same

Does your garden look as if a child has dumped a bucket of legos on the grass for you to pick up? If you look at your own garden and it looks like a total mess, it's probably lacking something called unity. It's as if all of those individual plants are at odds with one another in a competition for your attention, making our eyes dart back and forth madly with nowhere to rest. Overly convoluted analogy aside, a busy garden can give you a headache.

Make peace with your flowerbeds by choosing a few reliable plants, and planting a whole lot of them together as if they were rivers or carpets throughout your garden. By letting them carry the weight of the composition (or by making it a composition in the first place) you're making the garden easier on your eyes and easier to care for too! It's a lot easier to meet the needs of a few different plants than it is to stay on top of a messy lego spill of plants with different needs.

Blur the Boundaries

Even a small garden can be made to look a lot larger by leaving desirable views open, and I'm currently doing just that in my own small garden. While I am planting tall shrubs and trees to cover up views of my neighbors' houses, I'm keeping the view above the fences open wherever I can snag a view of a neighbor's sun-dappled treetops. I might not have a sweeping vista over the Arkansas river, but I do have a very nice view of my neighbor's pindo palm and split-leaf philodendrons.

To take this view-stealing a step further, try borrowing elements of the scenery in your own garden like P. Allen Smith has done here; by laying his rustic raised beds parallel to the overlapping hills in the distance and planting them with cool colors of blue, mauve, green and lavender. Anything hotter and brighter than that would distract from the scenery. Even if the only attractive view beyond your property is the sky, there are few vistas more breathtaking than mountains of storm clouds at sunset. Leave that view open!

Plant for Privacy and Mystery

You don't want your home to look like an open book to neighbors, and you wouldn't want your garden to read like one either. Hedges are often planted to create privacy between properties, but they're also exceptionally suited to divvying up your own yard into rooms and passages that beg to be explored, giving visitors and yourself an experience that can be sipped slowly rather than gulped down in a single view. Plantings like these don't have to obstruct your entire view like the walls of your house; they can be low enough to hide pathways and other surprises until visitors reach the other side. You can use tall perennials and vines on supports to get the same effect!

Landscape with your Food

In case you were trying to decide between growing flowers or food, rest assured that you can have your garden and eat it too! Many edibles are attractive enough to make it on their good looks alone; herbs and leafy greens provide textural interest, and the edible blooms of nasturtiums, daylilies, pansies and squashes bring color to both your plate and garden! You don't need to go all out edible - just tuck a few of your favorites in among your flowerbeds to save time and space.

The key to making edibles look good enough for the front yard is to choose good plants and keep them well watered and fed. Pictured above are veggies and herbs from Bonnie Plants, all fed with Jobes Organics fertilizers.

Make your Own Conversation Pieces

"Oh, we just picked this piece up at a charming seaside village in the south of France." Conversation pieces needn't be exotic or expensive, just interesting enough to catch the eye of visitors!

This water feature was made by Chris Thier of Laguna Ponds at the 2014 Garden2Blog event, using nothing more than a pump kit, rubber hosing, a galvanized tub and a watering can. To make your own DIY projects, look for interesting finds at thrift shops, garden centers or yard sales and use broken pottery to make mosaics, cracked flowerpots to create miniature gardens and turn old signs into readymade wall art. Let your imagination run wild!

Organize your Garden

Have you ever noticed how the bookshelves and kitchen cabinets in magazines look so darned neat and organized? Take a second look at those picture perfect examples of organization and you'll note that the books and dishes are all the same color palette; and the same elements, be it baskets or a collection of white bowls, are repeated throughout. Much like tip #3, this tip is all about restraint. Collecting plants is one of gardening's great joys, but too many different specimens, colors, shapes and forms can make a landscape look cluttered and chaotic - or even weedy.

To make your garden look tidy and neat, start by making sure that plants are in the right places to begin with; growing in the right spots with the right amount of sun, moisture and drainage. Then start by making a 'bookshelf' with framing devices such as edging or shrubbery. Consolidate your treasures with an evergreen border such as the clipped boxwood seen above (or a low-maintenance edging of Liriope) and you'll have year-round interest and order. Lastly, pick up your garden like you would pick up your room by keeping the beds free of weeds, branches and trash, and by keeping up with basic housekeeping chores like mulching and clipping the hedges. It makes a world of difference.

Allow for Surprises

Gardens never go exactly as planned, so why not embrace the unexpected?

Liven up your dull plantings with ephemeral bulbs like these alliums and you'll have a year of pleasant surprises - from new foliage to buds and from flowers to seedpods. Other great bulbs for this effect include rain lilies (Zephyranthes), crocuses, blood lilies (Haemanthus) and hurricane lilies (Lycoris). Don't stop with flowers though; anything from the annually peeling bark of a 'Natchez' crepe myrtle to the persistent winter berries of hollies can bring your garden that extra layer of interest.

I hope you'll follow my adventures at Garden2Blog this week, and you can keep up with the other bloggers and sponsors attending by following the #G2B15 hashtag on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Giving Garden Tours to a One-Year Old

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 18:28:00 +0000

Gardening is a lot different now that I have a kid. I used to spend so much time anticipating the unfurling of each new leaf and flower petal on my balcony, viewing the little miracles of nature through the eyes of a child, as if I was experiencing it for the very first time. Now I'm watching my kid grow before my very eyes, and he's the one looking at each little miracle for the first time. Instead of getting lost in the moment, I'm just trying to keep him from eating the bugs.

Now I view those miracles through the wary eyes of a parent, guiding my child around the garden so that he can bat at the bamboo palms and gently feel the delicate starburst blooms of the Simpson stopper bushes (loaded with pollinators), with my hand poised to intercept a flower or lovebug in the split second it takes for him to snatch it and bring it to his mouth.

When my son starts frantically pointing at another plant that gets his attention, we gallop across the patio so I can rattle the branches of a bottlebrush tree or tickle his toes with a maidenhair fern. If he's really lucky, I'll let him stand up to walk around and explore some container combinations or a tall bucket of water and bath toys. The main event of any garden stroll though, is when I let him pick up the nozzle and water the plants, spraying water back and forth and up and down in a crazy undulating arc while he shouts and squeals with laughter. I still have a lot of fun activities in the works for him. Before long I'll make a water table and a sandbox for his entertainment, and I've just planted some sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica) for him to play with; when the tiny leaflets are touched, they fold up!

Sometimes I'll hold his nose up to a fragrant Dendrobium or gardenia to watch him sniff with delight, and other times he'll sample the different herbs as I rub them against his nose for his approval. So far his favorites are Mexican Tarragon and pineapple sage. We rarely linger for long since his attention span seems to be proportionate to his size, but he has yet to grow weary of our garden tours. The kid demands to be taken outside several times a day by cackling like a dolphin and standing up to grab the door handle. If I merely mention 'outside' or 'garden' in passing, he scrambles across the house like a puppy with a swollen bladder and anxiously waits for my to put on my flip-flops.

At least then I'm watering the plants in the process. Most of my garden chores are just too boring now that he wants to get up and interact with the world, so I've learned to get things done while he sleeps. I have to do a lot of things while he sleeps, come to think of it.

For now, safety is my priority. Until he's old enough to safely entertain himself outside with me, I'll be replacing overgrown weeds with fruits, herbs and veggies; and lining his lawn with a low hedge of clipped dwarf yaupon hollies to serve as a soft fence. Spiky and thorny plants are all going to the center of my beds and away from walkways, and dangerously poisonous plants like the gloriosa lily that I originally planted for my mom won't even make an appearance in this garden.

I can't help but wonder if my son will get so used to the garden that he'll take it for granted later in life, but it doesn't really matter if he does. For the time being, every bright red Vriesea flower is an opportunity for him to see and feel something new, and for me to tell him about the 'smooth and shiny red flower'. The kid loves his picture books, but how could they ever compare to real deal? His favorite photos are of cats, babies, flowers, trucks, and other things that he recognizes from his real and tangible life. I can imagine that a board book with photos of plants from our garden would be a pretty thrilling read for this little guy.

This Mojave 'Tangerine' Portulaca (will be released 2016) from Proven Winners makes my son giggle.

One day I let him hold an orange at the grocery store to see how it felt in his hands; how it smelled when his teeth grazed the surface. Now he practically jumps for joy every time he points to the photo of an orange in his book. No longer just an abstract orange circle, that picture now represents a heavy ball in his hands, yielding a burst of fragrance and sweet juice when its dimpled and leathery orange skin is pierced by his sharp teeth. When he excitedly points at that orange in the book, he's recalling one of his first happy memories.

Or maybe I'm overthinking it. However, even if he is indifferent to the allure of nature when he grows up, here's hoping that he'll be reminded of happiness whenever he catches the scent of gardenias from some nearby bush breaking into bloom.

Impatience is a Virtue

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 20:24:00 +0000

It's hard to find time to garden when you're a dad who works from home, but sometimes it's even harder to justify putting forth the time and effort in the first place. I started to feel insecure, doubting my purpose and vision when the weeds seemed to grow faster than the plants themeslves. There's a lot to be said for patience when it comes to gardening, but a case could also be made for being impatient.

After all, how else would I be motivated to get anything done if not for impatience? Over the last month or two I've been hard at work shaking off my doubts, tearing through thickets of weeds and planting beds in their place. That hard work will save me time since those areas were so steep, narrow and awkward that mowing them was next to impossible. About two thirds of my backyard is now dominated by garden beds, though I've left a square patch of lawn for my son and us to enjoy. For the time being though, he seems perfectly content to take tours of the garden and treat the plants like a petting zoo.

I haven't once had to water our lawn since moving in, thanks to the rich humusy soil underlaid with clay. If there ever was a place to have a lawn, this would be it. The ugly fence will eventually be replaced, but until then I've planted bulbs, grasses and shrubs that will quickly form a screen. I've divided bulbs like Alocasia 'California', turmeric (Curcuma longa), arrowroot (Maranta arundinacae) and 'Wyoming' canna, before spreading them out in masses behind that row of dwarf yaupon hollies. Along with the lemongrass, citrus and bananas, they'll make for a beautiful Southeast Asian edible garden... as soon as they emerge, anyways.

The area left unmulched in the photo above represents the part of my yard that becomes a river during heavy rains. There I will add gravel, rocks, more sedges and Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' to slow the flow of runoff so that some of it gets absorbed by my garden before hastily retreating into the storm drain behind my yard. This area was packed with maple roots and plantain weeds, but a good mattock has proven to be an indispensable tool for my situation.

Just to give you an idea of how much rain collects here...

This is a shot from the first months in my garden, when downpours filled much of the backyard with one big puddle. I've since dug a channel for the water to drain away and built up more soil in the low-lying areas. Now the water does exactly what I want it to.

This is what that area looked like in fall. Note the previous owner's doghouse being taken apart, or the sheets of cardboard that I used to kill off weeds. Thanks to a tangle of shallow maple roots, the grass and weeds in the foreground were a nightmare to rip out. Before I paved steps and a path from the patio, nobody dared venture into the muddy, weedy garden and nothing was ever enjoyed.

Now my wife and I can sit right in the heart of the garden to eat our dinners and enjoy a rare moment free of stress... well for me anyways, since I'm so busy enjoying the view. My goal is to give my collection of bromeliads and other plants a sense of unity, which I hope to accomplish by using massed plantings of common evergreens like Lilyturf (Liriope 'Evergreen Giant), mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus) and dwarf yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria 'Schillings'). In winter they'll provide the 'bones' of the garden and keep weeds from moving in.

The right side of my yard is all a garden now, with the exception of a few spots that I still need to dig up. Clipped balls of dwarf yaupon holly and gardenias guide visitors down the steps and provide winter interest. Since they are still somewhat small, I've surrounded them with bromeliads for contrast until they fill in.

In case you haven't noticed, bromeliads play a major role in my garden. This Vriesea hybrid is one that seems to be pretty cold hardy here in zone 9a, and it looks gorgeous blooming in the shade alongside ferns and gingers.

The tree stump that I planted with bromeliads and other epiphytes is really starting to get covered! To mimic the grassy foliage of sedges, llilyturf and mondo grass around the garden, I've topped the stump with a basket of Billbergia nutans, or 'queen's tears'.

Tropical Peperomia and Rhipsalis species have survived the cold winter (thanks to a cover of blankets) and now hang down the trunk much like they would in their habitat.

Thanks to these planted suet baskets and a Rainforest Drop, I can easily grow epiphytes and succulents in trees and protect them in winter. Now why would anyone want to grow stuff in trees? Well, apart from the rainforest-ey (is that a word?) look...

... It's really nice to find surprises like this every now and then, and at eye level too. I nailed some Billbergia bromeliads to one of the maples and one is blooming now. I think it was actually my one-year old son who pointed it out to me, but then again, he does point at a lot of things in the garden.

I remember walking around with a newborn in this weedy mess, telling him all about the fun we were going to have together. Now it's he who guides me around the garden with a pointed finger, squealing with delight at leaves bouncing in the wind and flowers lit up by dappled sunshine. Could it get any better than that? Maybe I was just hurrying to prepare the garden for my son's fast-approaching childhood.

Refreshing the Patio for Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Asbell) — Sat, 11 Apr 2015 01:44:00 +0000

I'm proud to announce that I've teamed up with Tuesday Morning to share some creative tips for whipping your garden into shape this spring. This post was originally published on their blog yesterday but I'm also posting it here so that I can show you how to do things like turn bird suet feeder baskets into vertical gardens or make some eye-catching container combinations.

If you’re like me, there is a lot to accomplish in your garden this spring. There’s no way to tackle it all at once, but the good news is that in one or two afternoons, I’ve for once managed to make my backyard the kind of place I’d actually sit in and enjoy for a spell. All it took was a little bit of effort and a few cool things that I scored at Tuesday Morning. If you also want to give your garden a refreshing makeover in an afternoon, here’s how to turn your backyard from garbage-ridden and weedy to gorgeous and wonderful.

Furnish
Your deck or patio is like the extra living room you never knew you had. It can also be a kitchen, dining room and even a bedroom (but never a bathroom, hopefully) with the right outdoor furniture, so outfit it with outdoor dining tables, wood seating, shelving and side tables like this beautiful blue accent table that I picked to coordinate with an existing metal table that I had spray-painted turquoise.

Garden Close to Home
What good is a garden if it’s been relegated to the back of your yard where it can’t be seen or enjoyed? Plant garden beds near your doorways, patio, deck and windows so that they can be appreciated on a regular basis. I made a cool little container combination by filling a wire basket from Tuesday Morning with sphagnum moss and planting it with succulents and bromeliads. Now it sits right outside our patio window where it can brighten my day from indoors.

Decorate
To really make your outdoor living space feel like an extension of your home, decorate it with outdoor rugs, wall art, ornaments and candle holders. There are cool decorations at Tuesday Morning to fit any decorating style, but I was particularly drawn to a heavy bell that reminded me of childhood dinnertimes. Since I usually have a hard time time getting my wife’s attention when dinner is ready (especially when we’re eating outdoors) this little gem will come in handy.

Gussy up the Garden
You would be amazed what a little mulch and elbow grease will do to abandoned garden vignettes. I was surprised to find an excellent assortment of gardening tools and accessories at my local Tuesday Morning, and was sure to pick up a nozzle, weeding tool, pruning scissors and soaker hose to assist in my gardening chores.

Reuse and Repurpose
I’ve never had much luck getting birds to eat from the suet baskets, and they always turn into a yucky mess when the seeds start to rot. I have, however, found that they make excellent frames for vertical gardens, so you can imagine my excitement when I found them at Tuesday Morning for just $2.99 apiece! All I did was fill the frame with sphagnum moss, insert stems of succulent plants in the gaps and tuck in some more sphagnum moss to keep the plants secure. Then I watered the plants and hung my little vertical garden on a tree trunk!

Plant Container Gardens
Whether you’re short on space or just want to bring the garden right onto your patio, planting flowers and foliage in containers is just the solution. These glazed ceramic pots match my color scheme and were a steal at $19.99 and $12.99. To plant your own container combos, fill the pot with potting mix, leaving just enough room for the potted plants. Arrange the plants inside and fill more potting soil between the gaps before watering to help the soil settle. There are no hard and fast rules regarding design – just use your decorating sense and pick plants that work with the colors in your décor.

Dine Outdoors
I always want to eat outside under the shade of my maple trees, but doing so never seemed quite as nice as I would have expected – until I cleaned up and decorated my patio, that is. Now my and son can finally join me in the garden to see what all of the fuss is about! Make your outdoor dinner date extra special with quality patio tables and chairs, as well as accessories like citronella candles and hurricane lanterns.

Give the Patio a Clean Sweep
This step is crucial… so very crucial. Don’t you hate tracking in leaves, dirt and debris every time you venture outside? If the outdoor room is truly to be treated as an extension of the home, it must be cared for as such; sweep up leaves, hose off muddy footprints and do away with all of the trash and clutter that somehow ended up out back.

To see more cool stuff from Tuesday Morning, check them out on these social media outlets.
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest