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First Cantaloupe!

2011-08-30T18:47:00.000-07:00

This is the second season I've grown cantaloupe. Last year, there were 2 tiny (baseball sized) fruit and the vines died.

This year, for whatever reason, the cantaloupe is doing really well! This fruit is decent sized (looks like what you would buy in the store) and there's at least 5 more maturing on the vine.

I picked this one today, and will leave it sit in the fridge for a few days before cutting it up. I hope it's ripe enough.

I believe the difference between last year and this year's success is either the amount of sunlight the vines got (much sunnier location this year). Or possibly the amount of room/air around the plant itself- last year it was more crowded by neighboring plants. This year, my tomatoes are doing horribly, so the vines have plenty of room to spread into where the tomatoes should have grown.

I never know what will succeed in the edible garden, so I believe in planting a variety. Something's bound to do well!

Weeds! (and Other Insights from The Gazebo)

2011-08-03T20:08:00.000-07:00

Our friends Pam and Terry had us over for Dining in the Gazebo last weekend! It was a delicious vegetarian meal of salad, personal pizzas and key lime pie dessert. The Gazebo is very charming and set in a beautiful garden, overlooking a trickling pond. (Actually their entire house is charmed with a Victorian theme; check out Pam's blog here). Surrounded by all this charm, it was impossible not to enjoy great conversation and interesting insights and observations. The topics varied widely from cats to music, social media, cats in social media, work, The Bangles (check out Terry's music blog here), feline skeletal systems, gardening and weeds!

I'm usually pretty good about pulling weeds, but this summer I stopped trying sometime back in June! Pam has also thrown in the towel. We're blaming it on the heat. This summer in Zone 5, northern Illinois, has been very warm and muggy. Luckily, most of the perennials are so full and mature that there isn't much room for the weeds to creep in, but they have found their way into other places. Places like the rock/stone border, the vegetable and herb bed, and more. There are also trees starting in the garden, that need to be pulled before they get huge.

I try to control weeds by mulching every other year (it's greener than buying mulch each year) and then adding to the mulch with shredded leaves in fall. I confess to also using Preen in my non-edible beds. It's supposed to be a combo weed inhibitor and fertilizer. It does work, but you have to reapply, and I tend to only put it down once in spring, before the beds get really full. It would be difficult to put down now.

It was also an interesting insight that perennials, while seemingly easy because they come back each year, can actually be more work than say, a vegetable bed. My vegetable bed gets tilled under every spring, weeds and all, effectively "starting from scratch" while the perennial beds are left alone to do their thing. After I till it, I plant and sow seeds, then mulch it well. I am pretty good about pulling the few weeds that crop up, because I want my vegetables to do well. Perennials get larger each year, need to split and will also tend to get weedier because they're harder to work around.

How do you control your weeds?

Zinnias: Pretty and Attract Butterflies

2011-07-24T18:35:00.001-07:00

I grow zinnias from seed because they are easy, pretty and seem to attract the Monarch butterflies. They aren't on many butterfly garden lists (some) and they are not a host plant that I know of, but the local Monarchs (and others) still stop by to enjoy them.

For a more information on butterfly gardening, check out my earlier post.

I tend to see a lot of butterflies in my garden already, because I do garden for them. I grow dill, butterfly weed, purple coneflowers, bee balm, zinnias, and more. Other than their host plants, the purple coneflower and zinnia seem to be the most visited!

Since they are annuals, you can collect the seeds at the end of each season to avoid having to buy them every year. They will reseed, but not as easily as other plants (like Cosmos).

Edible Plants: Borage

2011-07-18T19:42:00.000-07:00

I bought Borage seeds a few years ago because it was an edible plant that could add color to a salad. The flowers are a bright electric blue and make a pretty garnish. The leaves are also edible. Both parts taste like cucumber.

What I didn't realize is that Borage is also used in companion planting. It is said to protect or nurse legumes, spinach, brassicas, and even strawberries. It is also said to be a good companion plant to tomatoes because it confuses the search image of the mother moths of tomato hornworms looking for a place to lay their eggs.

I haven't replanted Borage in a few seasons, but it continues to return to my garden each year in much the same pattern as what would be considered a weed... spreading by seed through wind, birds, the compost bin, etc. in the most unexpected places. It's not invasive, though, and so I let the random plants grow. The flowers are very beautiful, one of the few edible blue plants that exist. Folk lore says Borage is for courage.

Decorate Bottles for Garden Accents

2011-07-03T10:47:00.001-07:00

Glass bottles and other found objects can make great garden accents with just a touch of craftiness. Shown here, I soaked the label off a wine bottle, and strung some beads around the neck to make a striking blue accent for the side of the pond. I used water- themed beads, like fish and shells, along with blue beads and contrasting clear/white/iridescent beads.

You could use matching beads, or just a random set of beads, depending on the color of the glass, and what will pop the best off it. There doesn't have to be a specific theme in mind for it to look good, but sometimes themes can be fun. Red bottles can be have hearts, or flames, brown bottles a cat or dog theme, green bottles can features leaves, trees, stones, etc. The ideas are only limited to your imagination!

If you're not into the task of stringing beads, you can buy pre-strung beads, or even beaded garland (popular around the holidays) to save time and effort. I have also seen plain bottles, buried half into the ground on an angle, that create a nice visual treat. Bottles work well in the early spring when nothing is full and green yet, or between bloom times, to offer color and art.

This would be a fun project for kids, too. Glass paint can be used to add simple swirls, words, names or other shapes to the outside of the bottle. Metallic glass paint (like silver or gold) looks good on dark glass, and the colored clear glass paints show up best on clear glass. Large flat (disk shaped) beads could be glued to the surface with hot glue in a random pattern.

If you don't cork or cap the bottle, it will fill with rain water. Not a big deal, but be sure to drain and store your bottle out of the elements for winter. I use fishing line to string the beads- that seems to last the longest. Consider showcasing your art in shady areas to avoid the sun's harsh rays, which tend to fade colors and dry up fishing line quicker.

Heirloom Peonies from My Dad

2011-06-22T19:44:00.000-07:00

I blogged about the irises from my father that are a living memory in my garden, but he also was a huge fan of peonies. I have several of these plants from my parents' backyard. My favorite is the pink one, shown here. I always remember where it was in the yard, a quiet corner by the neighbor's fence, before my brother dug up all the gardens in favor of grass. This was one of the first ones to bloom each year.

All the plants I took back to my yard have survived, with varying success. I find the ones that have full sunlight really thrive, whereas the ones in partial sunlight do not bloom. That's about the only special requirement I have noticed. I do give them liquid fertilizer (such as Earth Juice organic fertilizer) from time to time.

The advice my dad gave me about the peonies was to only divide them in fall (he was particular about 9/22 as the date!), and to cut them down for winter (I believe he also took the stalks and made a bed cover over the plants for insulation). He also specified that when splitting them, to bury the root deeply, and to make sure the "eyes" pointed up.

My mom disliked the peonies because of their unusual tendency to attract ants. I was always told the ants "helped" open the blooms. Interestingly, the first 2 seasons I had these plants at my home, I did not see any ants on them, and they bloomed as normal. This is the 3rd year, and I finally saw ants on the blooms! They are not harmful to the plant, and in this FAQ they advise "Do not try to get rid of the ants on your peonies. This is a natural and temporary activity. It is believed that peonies produce small amounts of nectar and other ant attractants to encourage ants to help in opening the dense double flower buds found in many peonies. The ants may be found covering certain varieties and avoiding others, this is totally normal.

Once the buds have opened the ants will disappear - also normal."

I am guessing these peonies are at least 50 years old, if not more... amazing!

Heirloom Irises from my Dad

2011-06-05T20:34:00.000-07:00

One of the best living memories I have of my dad is right in my garden... the irises he left behind. They are in bloom right now, and I enjoy them immensely.

He and his first wife were huge iris fans, and the variety that was in my mom's yard after he passed was the 'Frances Langford' iris. They even belonged to the Northern Illinois Iris Society, where much of his old literature was returned to, after his death in 2008.

This variety was named after an American singer and entertainer who was popular during the Golden Age of Radio and also made film appearances over two decades. She joined other performers on U.S.O. tours through Europe, North Africa, and the South Pacific, entertaining thousands of G.I.'s throughout the world during World War 2. Apparently, she also starred in a lost episode of The Honeymooners (my dad was a huge fan of that show, so it makes me smile to learn this).

'Frances Langford' is a beautiful purple variety with orange and yellow centers, they smell like grapes!

They do have some pretty picky requirements, though. Full sunlight (no shade at all) and I usually fertilize them in spring, before their bloom time. This year, I used Earth Juice organic fertilizer. They like well drained soil, won't stand soggy soil (no wet feet as some would say).

I also have another interesting variety that I got from my neighbor, though I don't know what they are called. The leaves are a nice varieagated type, and the blooms are a pale purple. They are not as large and showy as the 'Frances Langford' irises, but the interesting leaves make a great statement in the garden the rest of the season.

The entire pond is made better looking by the placement of irises:

Balsam Flowers from Seed

2011-05-27T20:09:00.000-07:00

Most seeds are going on clearance at local retail stores near me right about now. But it's not too late to start some seeds. In fact, given the recent patch of chilly weather we are enduring, you could easily start some Balsam seeds next week, when the temperatures are back to normal here in Zone 5, midwestern U.S.

Balsam seeds are carefree in their requirements, and make a perfect annual flower where you might need a little extra color. Most packets are mixed with pinks, purples, and even white. They will grow in sun or full shade, and start reliably directly in the soil. Once they bloom (usually July-August time frame in my garden) they will go to seed, producing pods that can be collected and dried for next season, or just left in the garden to volunteer sprout next season.

Balsam's bright colors also attracts plenty of bees to the yard. Their quick germination rate and easy to spot sprouts also make them good for a children's garden.

Coleus Add Color in the Shade

2011-05-03T07:39:00.000-07:00

Another plant that is easy to start every year from seed (or commonly found in garden centers) is Coleus. It does well in both sun and shade, and I use plenty of them on the north side of the house in an area that is full shade. This wishing well planter has a huge 'Francee' Hosta in front of it, and the colorful Coleus really make a nice contrast.

Coleus can be planted in the ground, but I like to feature them in taller planters, since my shade garden is mainly low-to-the-ground hostas.

The most common coleus seeds are the 'Rainbow' Coleus variety, and they are usually a mixed batch of leaf colors, and grow about 12-18" tall. A newer, less common coleus is the 'Kong' variety- similar coloration to the Rainbow but as the name implies, much larger leaves and plant height. I prefer these because they are showier (my shade garden is on a high-visibility corner). However, they are more expensive when purchased as live plants, and as seeds go I usually have to special order them from a catalog, and usually only get 5-10 seeds per packet.

Coleus usually sends up flowering stalks later in summer, and the flowers aren't really that showy. They are tall, narrow and usually lavender color. Some people just trim them off. I have never tried saving seeds from Coleus either, so not sure if that works.

Whether you go for the smaller or larger Coleus, they are still a great low-maintenance annual plant, with their fantastic array of leaf coloration- ranging from the dark (almost black) purple, to lime greens, and multiple colored green and maroon leaves.

Kong Coleus next to Guacamole Hosta

Kong Coleus, top view

Lime Coleus variety

Airy Cosmos Add Color and Movement

2011-04-18T18:11:00.000-07:00

Another popular annual flower seed found at local stores is the Cosmo. This plant goes from seed to a five foot tall blooming plant in one season! It drops seeds at the end of the growing season and will reappear the following year without much effort. One summer, I let all the Cosmos in my round garden grow (rather than thinning them out). It turned out amazing, like a wildflower field in my own backyard.

The most typical colors are pinks, but they also come in white, yellow, orange, red and a picotee variety that is a light pink with an interesting rippled-effect edge that is a darker contrasting pink. I've also seen, less often, a 'Seashell' variety, where the petals curve into unique tube-like shapes.

Since they get so tall, plan for them in the back of your garden. The leaves are much like dill, and are very light, airy and graceful. Cosmos make great cut flowers as well, bringing summer color into your home. They prefer full sun, and need to be well watered until the seeds sprout, but after that they have no special needs. Do not attempt to start them indoors, they only germinate outside.

They start blooming in late summer, usually around August in my zone. Deadheading keeps them continuallly blooming until the first frost does them in. The only downside is they sometimes need staking or they will lean/tip.

Shasta Daisies

2011-04-11T19:10:00.000-07:00

With a large patch of Shasta Daisies in bloom, it's hard not to smile! Their sunny yellow centers and large white blooms pop off the rich dark green leaves. Shasta Daisies are sold as seeds and as live plants. The seeds are far more economical and very easy to start. The downside is the plants won't bloom the first year, but should send up some flowers the following season. Then, about every third year, the plants will need to be divided up. It's easy to fill a large space with these mat-forming perennial plants, and then have plenty to share.

They are very carefree, once established. I only water them in the driest of weather, I give no special fertilizer, and I cut back the blooms after they are done. This is only because I have enough Shasta Daisies, and they spread through both the seeds that form after the bloom, and via a strong root system under ground. The blooms don't need to be cut back if you are looking to grow a large patch of these flowers. They generally bloom once a year, in my zone (5) usually in July, and deadheading will bring a few blooms. They are hardy in USDA zones 4-9. They prefer sun to part-shade.

There are many varieties of Shasta Daisy, the one I grow is called 'Becky' and I prefer it over another variety I once tried called 'Alaska'. 'Becky' holds up in heavy rain without needing to be staked. For some reason, the 'Alaska' daisies would tip over in similar conditions.

You can see the 'Alaska' plants tipping in the photo (on the right) while the 'Becky' is still standing. I've since replaced the 'Alaska plants with more of the 'Becky' ones. This space in my backyard was started with only 3 plants, and now they fill a 3' x 5' space! I've divided them once already. Shasta daisies look best in large groupings, and usually at the back of the garden, since they grow about 36" tall (depending on the variety). They can also be mixed with purple coneflowers or black-eyed susan for a drought-tolerant garden that looks very natural.

Golden Coreopsis

2011-04-05T18:50:00.001-07:00

Since flower seeds are still pretty abundant at local stores, I've decided to blog about some of my favorites that are easily started from seed. I mentioned the Columbine in a previous post.

The Golden Coreopsis (or sometimes called Garden Coreopsis), Coreopsis tinctoria is an annual that I love in the garden. It grows about 3 feet tall and looks best planted in a large bunch- the sharply contrasting colors are very eye catching. The blooms are bright yellow with a dark red or brownish center, which varies in size, sometimes taking up almost the whole bloom and other times remaining pretty small. The seeds require little, they direct-sow well and actually don't germinate easily indoors. These plants are easy to collect seeds from in fall, and if you don't collect the seeds or cut the plants down they will repeat the following season. Golden Coreopsis will grow in full sun to nearly full shade (they do need some sunlight). I don't fertilize them or even water them unless we're in a really dry patch.

Icy Pond Photos

2011-03-27T08:51:00.000-07:00

With the weather in the 60's last weekend I had a crazy burst of energy and opened the pond. I used the drained water on the sprouting irises and daffodils. With all the half rotting leaves and worms(!) in the old water, it was like a compost tea.

It's the earliest I have ever attempted such a feat, now I see why. Since last weekend, the temperatures have dropped, it's snowed lightly every day and the pond surface freezes over every night except for the small patch where the water falls. This morning, there were some really beautiful ice formations on the rocks near the waterfall.

Columbine, Wildflower of Colorado

2011-03-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

I started this Columbine plant from seed several years ago, and it's grown into a beautiful plant. The first year, it was just a few inches tall and didn't bloom. I doubted it would survive the winter- but it did! Now it's over a foot tall and has so many blooms on it. The blooms are unusual looking and they could be mistaken for a tropical plant. At the end of the season, they readily produce more seeds that can reproduce on their own but not to the point of being invasive. The seeds can also be collected for later planting.

Columbines are hardy plants that are perennial in most zones. The white and lavender version is Colorado's state flower, where they grow wild. (They also come in many different colors.)

I have them growing in part shade to 100% shade (in the hosta garden) and they don't seem to mind either. I bet they could take full sun also. They seem to thrive in average soil, with decent drainage. I don't give them any special treatment. For continuing blooms they should be deadheaded. Try some Columbines in your shade garden this year!

Earth Juice Organic Fertilizers

2011-03-06T10:07:00.000-08:00

I haven't been blogging much lately, but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy! The blog got a new look, just in time for spring! And, I used a grid to organize my vegetable garden layout, took an inventory of seeds I currently had and then was able to purchase the ones I needed locally (not ordering from any catalogs this year). I also found some expanding peat pots on sale that I will use in a few weeks to get the seeds started.

The final purchase I made today (online) is an organic liquid fertilizer that worked really well last season, called Earth Juice. Last year, I used the Catalyst to fertilize seedlings while they were still in the greenhouse. It worked well for the vegetables and the few flowering plants (especially moonflowers) that I start indoors, and really seemed to give them a boost.

www.specialty-lights.com has free shipping for all orders over $75, and they sell the Earth Juice products in 32 oz. and 1 gallon sizes. I ordered the Catalyst again, and also the Bloom, Grow and Meta-K varieties.

I'm especially interested to see how the Meta-K stacks up to the Zoom! brand of granulated organic fertilizer I used for mid- to late-season vegetable fertilizing. I was happy with the Zoom! on the tomatoes, peppers and other fertilizer-hungry crops. The Meta-K is supposed to be especially good for tomatoes. The garden was so plentiful last year I was able to make 3 donations to a local food panty, and I would love to accomplish the same or better this year.

Liquid fertilizers are nice because they are concentrated- so you control how much (or little) is used, adjusting for particular plants' needs. Unlike other liquid organic fertilizers I have tried in the past (I remember a particularly stinky fish emulsion fertilizer) Earth Juice was not offensive smelling- a major plus when starting seedlings in your kitchen. In fact, when used outside, the fish emulsion attracted skunks and other critters, who did some destructive digging in an effort to find the (apparently appealing) yet non-existent rotting fish.

Other updates from previous blogposts:
Experiment with a cold frame: we'll file this under fail. One final phase of the experiment will be to test the frame as a place to harden off seedlings in spring before they go into the garden. Otherwise, it's firewood.

Window well greenhouse: a pleasant surprise, the warmer-climate loving rosemary plant is still doing quite great, and will head out to the garden in the warmer temperatures of mid-May.

Download a Grid to Plan Your Garden

2011-01-25T19:24:00.000-08:00

The seed catalogs are starting to arrive, and so I begin to plan this year's garden. Most of my flowering garden is perennials, or annuals that reseed themselves, so it's mainly just veggie garden planning. I made end-of-season notes last fall, so the first thing I do is review them. Lots of good notes and observations in there- for example, I noted last spring, that it would be best to have 2 separate days to start seedlings, one around March 22 (for veggies that need a lot of time indoors to get established) and another day near May 1, to start things like basil or flowers that sprout quickly and grow fast, too fast to keep up with indoors without transplanting a million times to larger pots.

I also noted problem areas in the garden that need improving, and also vegetables that either were too abundant last season (way too many tomatillos!) or vegetables that went wasted (turns out, I don't cook much with sweet peppers, after all). Then I inventory what seeds I already have that I can use this year. If they are too old, I just toss them. Anything older than 3 years is dicey. I make a list of what seeds I need, then I use a grid to plan my vegetable garden.

You can do this on grid paper, or download this grid layout in jpeg format. I print out the grid and sketch on it, usually making 2-3 versions before I have it perfected, referring to last year's layout, so nothing is in the same place as much as possible. I keep all my layout options, because next year I will want to rotate the crops once again, and may choose to use one of these alternate layouts in the future. I also keep this season's layout for reference next year. You could also place the grid image into something like a Word document and type your layout over it. There is also garden planning software, like this subscription-based model, but I haven't tried them yet.

Rosemary Potatoes

2011-01-17T20:12:00.001-08:00

Update on using a window well as a greenhouse: the rosemary plant is doing greatl in my window well! I haven't really even watered it that much. There is a nice level of moisture already there, and plenty of light. It's still chilly in there, but not nearly as cold as the frozen outdoors. I will definitely do this again next winter. Trying to think of other plants that might thrive in this environment. Here is my favorite rosemary recipe:

2 pounds small, red, thin-skinned potatoes
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon (or more!) dry rosemary
Olive oil
Salt

Scrub potatoes, but do not peel. Cut in half if larger than 1 inch in diameter. Sprinkle onion, lemon juice, and rosemary over potatoes. Pour olive oil into pan to a depth of 1/8 inch. Turn potatoes over in oil. Bake uncovered in 400 degree oven, stirring potatoes occasionally, until largest potatoes are fork-tender. (25-40 minutes). Season to taste with salt. 6 servings.

I've made this with both fresh and dry rosemary- both delicious!

Healthier Apple Turnover Yogurt

2011-01-04T19:49:00.000-08:00

With not much happening in the way of gardening, we stray a little off-topic this week... Lately, I've become hooked on those Yoplait Yogurt flavors that are bakery-inspired; you know- apple turnover, lemon cream pie, red velvet cake, etc. Deep down, I know they aren't good for me, I spotted the high fructose corn syrup on the label long ago. (There are also artificially-sweetened Light versions sometimes available, in some of the flavors, but I don't do the fake sugar thing).

They are appealing because they're lower in calories than actually eating a piece of cake, they're less work than baking a cake, and they're so sweet, it's like a dessert with vitamins. The fact that they are called yogurt lulls me into a false sense of thinking they're good for me...

I was looking in my fridge today and thinking, I can do better. So I did. I chopped an apple into bite sized pieces, put it in a bowl and covered it with plain yogurt. I added a decent squeeze of honey and a generous dash of cinnamon. Mixed it all up, and it's really good! You can control just how sweet it is, and there's no high fructose corn syrup! You could even leave out the honey altogether.

Use a Window Well as a Greenhouse

2010-12-20T12:57:00.000-08:00

About 6 weeks ago, I transplanted my tender rosemary plant into a 5 gallon bucket and dropped it down into a window well on the west side of the house. I didn't know how it would go, rosemary likes warmth and the window well only gets the overhead sun. The rosemary seems to be doing well (excuse the pun), even in our freezing temperatures. The window well is covered with a fitted piece of thick plexi-glass, and with the house's heat it creates a greenhouse environment. I've had this rosemary plant from a little 4" pot size, since summer 2009. It really got huge over this past hot summer. I hope it makes it through the winter!

Coldframe update: I scraped the snow off my coldframe and opened the lid... looking grim. The lettuce seedlings don't look dead, but they don't look any larger either. The beets look slightly wilted and dark-leafed. The handful of snow I put in there last week has not melted, so the temperature in the frame isn't getting above freezing... but there is liquid droplets on the inside of the glass, so I don't know. At this time, I'm going to leave it and revisit in spring. Might be useful for hardening off seedlings?

Carrot Souffle and Carrot Ginger Soup

2010-11-28T19:19:00.001-08:00

Weeks ago, when the weather was warmer, I dug up all the remaining carrots, and there were several pounds, so I made my spicy pickled carrots. Then I found 2 new recipes on the Internet. They were both so good, that I plan to make them again over winter, with carrots from the store. The souffle is amazing and would make a great holiday treat. It's a nice side dish, or even dessert.

Carrot Souffle
Based heavily on a recipe from The Wicked Noodle. I modified the recipe by cutting the sugar in half, and eliminating the extra coating of powdered sugar. Carrots are naturally sweet enough!

7 cups chopped carrots (about 2 pounds)

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

cooking spray

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2. In a pot of boiling water cook the carrots until tender enough to be speared with a fork. Then place them in a food processor and pulse until completely smooth.

3. Add the sugar, sour cream, flour, butter, baking powder, vanilla extract, salt and eggs to the processor and pulse to combine.

4. Coat a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray and spoon in the mixture. Bake for 40 minutes or until puffed and set in the center.

5. Let cool and serve.

Vegetarian Carrot Ginger Soup
This recipe is from bestcarrotrecipe.com ( a great website, by the way!). I did not have peanut oil on hand, and used olive oil instead.

1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) ground yellow mustard
3 tablespoons (45 mL) peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) curry powder
1 tablespoon (15 mL) minced peeled fresh ginger
2 cups (500 mL) chopped onions
1 1/2 pounds (750 g) carrots, peeled and diced
5 cups (1.25 L) vegetable broth
2 teaspoons (10 mL) lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the peanut oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add coriander, mustard, and curry powder; stir for two minutes. Add the minced ginger and stir one additional minute. Add the onions and carrots and sauté until onions begin to soften, about four minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Puree the soup with an immersion blender. Add lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Experiment with a Cold Frame

2010-11-28T18:27:00.001-08:00

About a month ago, I built this cold frame (a small portable greenhouse) with scrap wood and an old window. I spent about $2 on a pair of hinges. I tilled the soil, and mixed in some freshly raked leaves before setting the frame over the area. I choose a location that gets the angle of the early winter sun, without being blocked by too many buildings or trees. I planted cold weather crops that don't get very tall (the frame is only 12" tall, so I'm limited in height). I threw in seeds for beets, lettuce, arugula, spinach, onion, and carrot. The size of the frame is roughly 2' x3' - I know everything I planted won't sprout, or even fit, if it did!

The wood was recycled, and had been sitting outdoors, so it was a little warped. The seams that didn't meet exactly have been filled with expanding foam. The interior back walls that face the sun have been lined with black fabric to help heat the inside. I am even considering painting some plastic gallons of water black, for more possible heat sources. The downside is that the gallons will take up precious room in the cold frame. I've also read that during extreme cold overnight, you should throw a thick blanket over the entire frame.

I water the cold frame only once a week, and only open it when temperatures are over freezing. I'm not sure how this will progress as winter goes on, because I don't know how the plants will accept getting watered in very cold temperatures. On the few days of warmth we have had, I used a small 4x4 to prop open the window. This does get tedious, as I have to ensure the frame is closed for cold overnight temperatures. There are temperature sensitive automatic openers that can be purchased, but for the weight of this window, I would need to spend about $90. I'm still experimenting with this idea, and can't commit to that kind of investment just yet!

I've read online the many benefits of cold frames- fresh lettuce and crisp carrots in the middle of winter, the ability to start seedlings outdoors in spring, etc. We'll see how it goes. So far, I have some beets and arugula sprouting!

Give Thanks and Give to a Food Pantry

2010-11-21T18:03:00.000-08:00

This spring, I promised myself that if I had extras from my garden, I would donate to a local food pantry. That's actually harder than you might think- fresh food donations are tricky. Most of the food pantries around me are supported by volunteers, and have limited resources in the way of refrigeration and hours of operation, and so, accept only packaged dry goods or canned goods for donation. I found one in Rolling Meadows that accepts fresh produce; it's affiliated with a large and wealthy church and has generous resources.

I am proud to say I was able to donate 3 times this past season! I didn't weigh it, but I bet it was close to 50 pounds of food! One time, in the height of the bountiful summer, I took a laundry basket full that I could barely carry in! I sneaked in the volunteer door, before the pantry was actually open, and walked by a huge line of people waiting for it to open. Many smiled at me as I walked in. I can only hope they enjoy fresh produce as much as I do. Other people were also bringing in from their gardens. How lucky and thankful I am to have enough to share. The person who took my basket of food called it a blessing- it really is!

Not for one minute do I take it for granted. Yes, I may have worked hard for the things I have, but in this life, hard work often isn't enough. Sometimes good luck plays a part too. I like to pay it forward, because I think if I was ever in a position where I needed donated food, I would hope there was enough for me to have.

I'm passionate about donating food because I hate to be hungry! When I'm hungry, I feel nauseated, can't think or sleep and eventually get a headache- it's horrible!

Next spring, plant an extra patch of your most trusted veggie to donate. It's good karma. It may take a little digging to find a pantry that can accept fresh veggies, but don't give up! Here's a cool resouce I just Googled:
http://feedingamerica.org/foodbank-results.asp

Broccoli is a True Cold-Weather Crop

2010-11-14T16:48:00.000-08:00

While most of my garden is shot, the broccoli is still doing well. I have been trying to keep it watered. It thrives in the cold weather, and will continue to grow until the temperatures remain below freezing during the day. Broccoli is best started from seed, but I have seen plants available for sale in the stores in spring. I try to get the young plants out in the garden as soon as possible in spring. Heat is actually bad for the young plants, they seem to tolerate cold better. They won't even germinate if the temperature is too high.

It's pretty low maintenance, I give it some organic fertilizer throughout the summer months along with everything else in the garden. The biggest concern is to make sure you harvest the florets. Otherwise, they will go to seed, and stop producing. When the florets look good, take a knife and chop them off- just the floret. Leave the rest of the plant, and more florets will sprout! Broccoli is one of those plants that I grew intentionally just to see what it looks like while growing. Aside from curiosity, I do enjoy eating it. It's good raw or steamed. Some people butter or salt it, but I love the flavor plain, or with carrots.

Broccoli is high in vitamins C, K, and A, as well as dietary fiber; it also contains multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties, such as diindolylmethane and small amounts of selenium. A single serving provides more than 30 mg of Vitamin C and a half-cup provides 52 mg of Vitamin C.

Do you have a favorite broccoli recipe? I'd love to hear it!

Yogurt Peppers

2010-11-03T18:52:00.000-07:00

This recipe is based on delicious peppers from India, imported by my co-worker's mom. They are traditionally dried in the sun, but because my garden is considerably farther north, I had to modify the technique. Hot peppers in my garden are usually ready to pick in late August and into September/October- at which time the days are also shortening and cooling as the earth's tilt is turning away from the sun for the northern hemisphere.

Yogurt peppers can even be made with hot peppers that have not yet fully ripened and turned red- very useful for those peppers left on the vine at end of season. In fact, another co-worker picked about 5 pounds of mainly green, spicy peppers from his garden just before the really cold weather began and brought them to me. I have my work cut out for me, but also plenty of peppers to share!

The peppers are delicious eaten alone, or when used in a dish like my Spicy Sesame Eggplant.

The ideal peppers are long, thin, hot peppers (often sold as Cayenne, Kung Pao, Serrano, etc.)- as opposed to the thickers ones like japapeno, habanero, anaheim, poblano, etc. These peppers have thin walls and dry quicker and easier.

Here is the recipe I used as a starting point. Following is my modified recipe, that doesn't require the sun:

about 10 Thin chili peppers
1 cup Plain Yogurt
1/4 cup water
1 tsp salt
(optional: 1/2 tsp powdered cumin, curry or coriander spice)

In a container that has an airtight lid (like Tupperware), mix the water into the yogurt. Stir in the salt and optional spice. Cut a slit down the center of each pepper, leaving the stem on. Bury the peppers in the yogurt mix and put on the lid. Let sit for 3 days.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Put aluminum foil on a flat baking pan or cookie sheet. Take the peppers out of the yogurt mix, loosely wiping off the excess yogurt, and lay them down on the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 4 hours. Set the timer so you don't forget them. After 4 hours, remove from oven and let cool (I have even left them out overnight to cool/dry). Return them to the yogurt for 1 day (you may need to add more yogurt to cover), then repeat the baking process. Do this 3 or 4 times.

How many times to repeat this process depends on the size of the peppers- larger ones need more cycles. Check after they cool for the peppers that are done- they should be dry and crispy and snap easily. If they are still bendable or leathery, they are not done. Completely dried peppers can be stored in sealed plastic bags.

Option 2: Blackened chilis
If you prefer a smokier taste instead try this for something different. Follow the above method, but heat the oven to 350 degrees instead. Put the chilis in for only 8-10 minutes (keep an eye on them, so they don't burn). When they blacken, remove from heat and let cool. Do not repeat. These have a different flavor than the regular yogurt peppers and don't really need extra spices.

Spicy Sesame Eggplant

2010-10-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

Every year I try to grow something new in the vegetable garden. Some years are winners, and others, not so much. This year, I tried eggplant for the first time. It was difficult to start from seed, so by the time it finally germinated it was nearly May- quite a late start. I had only 2 eggplants and they were tiny. I pulled them last weekend, because the week's lows were looking to be in the 30s (and they were!). Eggplant loves the heat, hates the cold, so it was the biggest they were going to get- not nearly done, and a little green inside.

I got a few more from the store and made my favorite dish, it's a recipe I made up, and has an Asian flair. Use any kind of the many eggplant available.

Eggplant- about 2 medium sized or 1 large
1/4 cup Onion (or shallot)- sliced pretty thin
Sesame Seed Oil- enough to coat the pan
Hot peppers- at least 2 (dried)- I just chop them up with scissors
1/4 cup of water

Skin the eggplant, and slice into 1/4" thick pieces. Heat the sesame seed oil in a pan, and after a minute dump in the onions, and 1 hot pepper. Saute them until the onions soften a little, maybe 4 minutes. Then put in the slices of eggplant. You may need to add a little more oil first. After about 5 minutes, flip the eggplant slices over and add the other chopped up pepper. Pour in the water, and cover immediately. This will steam cook the eggplant without having to add more oil. Leave the lid on another 3-5 minutes then peek. Some thinner slices will be done, and others might need turning. When the eggplant is soft and golden color, it's ready to serve. This might go good with rice. I've also thought some steamed spinach and/or peanuts could be a good additional ingredient. I use my garden cayenne peppers that I have dried but it would be fun to experiment with other hot peppers.