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bethestaryouareradio · 2 years

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March In!

“No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden.’ — Thomas Jefferson”

Throw open your windows! Inhale the sweet smells of the blossoms. Bradford pears, cherry plums, crabapple, peach, and tulip magnolias are in full bloom.

Flocks of doves have begun their annual aerial acrobats, raptors are kettling in the warmer thermals, cows are happily grazing on the green grass, and bees are buzzing and pollinating.

The hills are emerald, the creeks are flowing, and sunny daffodils brighten our roadways. Spring is in the air!

As excited as I am to start sowing summer veggies, it is still too early. March is a month to peruse catalogs and groom our beds as nature’s winter slumber awakens. This is a month of garden transition with unpredictable weather, chilly mornings, warm afternoons, and frosty nights. Additional rain is necessary and anticipated.

With preparation and care, we can give our gardens a boost for spring by cleaning our garden beds. Remove dead leaves, branches, and debris that have accumulated over winter. By doing so we’ll prevent pests and diseases from invading while making our gardens tidier and ready for planting in April and May.

It seems that overnight my garden burst into bloom. The Amaryllis that I’ve been carefully tending opened its eyes to my delight.

Bright pink Bergenia is bigger and fuller this year and even the yellow shamrocks are already on display, pre-St. Patrick’s Day. Many gardeners find oxalis to be a noxious weed, but I welcome it in my landscape. It covers the barren soil with electric yellow flowers and delicate clover-like leaves. I find it very pretty, and I’ve been growing it for several years without it invading unwanted locations.

Purple bearded iris don’t last long in bouquets, yet they are stunning and fragrant in the garden. Poor man’s saffron, more commonly known as calendula, has self-seeded on my hillside in blooms of orange and yellow. Red, pink, and white cyclamen are stretching their buds between the ferns while azaleas transform the garden from dull to dazzling.

Winter is waning. The garden is marching on.

THE GODDESS GARDENER’S MARCH GARDENING GUIDE

AMEND your soil with compost to add the nutrients necessary.

MAKE compost by combining green (nitrogen) and brown (carbon) materials. To a bucket, bin, or pile, add coffee grinds, tea bags, chicken and rabbit droppings, grass clippings, vegetable scraps, straw, leaves, shredded newspaper, hay, dead plants, cardboard, and paper. Keep moist and turn. Do not use the animal waste from any carnivorous animals, including dogs and cats, and do not add diseased plants to the bin or pile.

CHECK irrigation systems. Repair leaks, clogs, and broken sprinkler heads.

START seeds indoors if you want a head start on growing your favorite vegetables. You will have to harden them off before planting in the garden.

FORAGE for wild greens including Miner’s lettuce, mustard, creek watercress, and wild strawberries. The young leaves are delicious in salads and sautées.

ORDER tubers and root starters from Renees Garden for the best selection of horseradish, potatoes, onions, and asparagus for spring planting.

FERTILIZE trees, shrubs, and ground covers with organic feed.

APPLY snail bait around plants most susceptible to snail and slug damage or handpick the mollusks.

SPRAY roses, boxwoods, viburnum, iris, fruit trees, citrus trees, and crape myrtle trees with dormant oil to protect them from overwintering insects and fungal disease.

HARVEST lemons, limes, and oranges. The extra vitamin C will boost your immunity during this cold and flu season.

SHARPEN and clean tools.

AERATE lawns while the nights are still cool. Leave the plugs on the grass to feed the grass.

PULL weeds as they sprout.

CUT bouquets of daffodils, narcissus, viburnum, flowering quince, and Bergenia to brighten any room.

DIVIDE perennials including daylilies, agapanthus, yarrow, and phlox while they are semi-dormant.

FLOAT camellias in a pretty bowl and dispose of all fallen camellias from bushes.

KILL aphids with a strong spray of water or spray with a mixture of water and dishwashing detergent. Make sure to spray all sides of foliage and flowers.

LEARN what to do in your garden every month with the book, Growing with the Goddess Gardener, available at http://starstylestore.net

PLANT bare root roses, vines, and berry bushes.

PRUNE a branch of peach, plum, or pear and place the cutting in a tall vase to force the blooms for an enticing indoor arrangement.

Happy Gardening. Happy Growing. March in. March on.

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Raised in the vineyards of Napa County, Cynthia Brian is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, radio personality, speaker, media and writing coach as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3. Tune into Cynthia’s StarStyle® Radio Broadcast at www.StarStyleRadio.com.

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abramsbooks · 3 years

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RECIPE: Traditional Pretzels with Horseradish Mustard Dip (from Gabriel Kreuther: The Spirit of Alsace, A Cookbook)

Alsace is a region that, while physically part of France, is culturally neither France nor Germany but a spiritual mixture of both. Here, as in Germany, we love our pretzels and beer—and horseradish, a flavorful but underused aromatic root.

Pretzels are simple to make. The amazing transformation that happens when the leavened, shaped dough is dipped into a base solution (using lye or baking soda) is so satisfying, fun, and delicious, it’s especially great to do with kids. Although if you’re using food grade lye (easily available online), you’ll need to be careful, as when it combines with water it is as caustic as sulfuric acid. Lye reacts with carbon dioxide and, in the heat of the oven, forms a carbonate, making the food safe to eat. When cooking with children, just use baking soda. I like the taste of lye-dipped pretzels and the deep brown color the lye creates. But baking soda is an acceptable substitute and completely safe.

While the classic pretzel shape is my favorite, with its twists and the increased surface area that allows for more browning and flavor, you can also make fabulous hamburger buns, pretzel rolls, or a braided pretzel loaf with this dough.

We eat pretzels with a dipping sauce—horseradish, sour cream, and mustard. Fresh horseradish is best, but some brands of prepared horseradish, such as Atomic and Gold Brand, are acceptable.

Makes 10 medium pretzels

FOR THE PRETZEL DOUGH

½ cup (125 ml) warm water

½ cup (125 ml) warm milk

2 tablespoons sugar

4 teaspoons fresh yeast (10 g) or 1 ½ teaspoons (5 g) active dry yeast

4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup (75 g) butter, melted

Fleur de sel or any large coarse salt

FOR THE LYE DIPPING LIQUID

2 quarts/liters water

2 tablespoons (30 g) food grade lye

FOR THE BAKING SODA DIPPING LIQUID (USE THIS IF YOU DON’T HAVE LYE)

1 ½ quarts/liters water

1 teaspoon salt

¼ cup (50 g) baking soda

FOR THE BAKING SODA– DIPPED PRETZELS

1 egg yolk, mixed with 1 tablespoon milk

Combine the water, milk, and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle (or crumble) the yeast on top and mix it in. Allow the yeast to multiply, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the flour, salt, and butter and mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and let the machine knead the dough until it is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, 8 to 10 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it double in size, about an hour.

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

Prepare the dipping liquid of your choice by combining all the ingredients and bringing them to a simmer, then turn off the heat. Again, be careful when using lye, which can burn. You can wear gloves if you’re concerned, but they’re not strictly necessary if you’re careful with it.

As the dipping liquid is coming to a boil, turn the dough out onto a work surface (you should have about 30 ounces/900 g of dough). Divide it into ten equal pieces, so ten 3-ounce (90 g) pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into about a 2-foot (about 65 cm) rope of dough.

For a pretzel shape, make a horseshoe shape, bottom toward you. Cross the two ends once and then twice, leaving about an inch or two of tip above the curl. Pull the tips toward you and press down on the bottom of the “horseshoe.” Adjust the shape to your liking and place it on a Silpat-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the other pieces.

Once the pretzels are made, you can freeze them; this way they are easier to handle when you have to dip them into the lye solution. It also gives you the possibility to make more and keep half frozen for an alternate day.

Using a large, flat, slotted spatula, carefully place each pretzel into the hot dipping water (15 seconds for the lye solution, 30 seconds for the baking soda solution). If they’re not fully submerged, flip them. Return them to the lined baking sheet and repeat the process for the remaining pretzels. If you are using baking soda, brush the pretzels with egg wash for a deeper color. Sprinkle with coarse salt.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown and starting to show the hallmark signs of pretzel crackling. Remove the pretzels from the oven and, using the flat spatula again, transfer them from the baking sheet to a cooling rack. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then enjoy them with the dip.

HORSERADISH MUSTARD DIP

Makes about 1 cup (240 ml)

Generous ¾ cup (200 g) sour cream

3 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish, or more to taste

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Salt and a few grinds pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk all the ingredients together and chill in the refrigerator until needed.

From award-winning chef Gabriel Kreuther, the definitive cookbook on rustic French cooking from Alsace

Gabriel Kreuther is the cookbook fans of the James Beard Award-winning chef have long been waiting for. From one of the most respected chefs in the United States, this cookbook showcases the recipes inspired by Kreuther’s French-Swiss-German training and refined global style, one that embraces the spirits of both Alsace, his homeland, and of New York City, his adopted home. Sharing his restaurant creations and interpretations of traditional Alsatian dishes, Kreuther will teach the proper techniques for making every dish, whether simple or complex, a success. Recipes include everything from the chef's take on classic Alsatian food like the delicious Flammekueche (or Tarte Flambée) and hearty Baeckeoffe (a type of casserole stew) to modern dishes like the flavorful Roasted Button Mushroom Soup served with Toasted Chorizo Raviolis and the decadent Salmon Roe Beggar’s Purse garnished with Gold Leaf.

Featuring personal stories from the chef's childhood in France and career in New York as well as stunning photography, Gabriel Kreuther is the definitive resource for Alsatian cooking worthy of fine dining.

For more information, click here.

#abramsbooks #abrams books #gabriel kreuther a cookbook #gabriel kreuther #alsace #alsatian cooking #pretzel #pretzels #making pretzels #recipe #free recipe

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tinyshe · 4 years

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Garden Report 20.05.22

Hanging tomato day: So the saw was lend out, never to return so I resorted to the next best thing in dealing with plastics: a hot butter knife. Kids, don’t try this unless you have some experience (I know, how to do get experience w/o practice -- just be safe, have good ventilation and go slow). Heating the knife in the flame of the gas burner, I proceeded to slowly work my way around the neck of the plastic water jug. I chose to heat with every insertion instead of trying to complete cut with one or two passes. Once I had worked around to eliminate the neck, I heated again to smooth the top and again on the inside. Found my spray paint collection; perfect black matte. Gave a quick coat to the outside and bottom. Once dried, filled half way full with quality potting soil. Un-potted tom, gently comb away soil at roots enough to insert through hole in jug, continue to fill and shake (you can bury they stem part way w/o problems). Repeat for all tomatoes. Everybody in their new jug, water down soil, drain. Get boy to climb ladder as I thread pvc pile that I keep as a spare hoop through bracket as he threads through jug handles. He thought that I was turning goth in the garden with the black jugs until I gave a quick passive solar talk and heat loving plants. Then the f-ing wind came up from the north. Not just a wind but the kind that breaks limbs. Really? Well, let’s hope they live!

Dividing the worms again. They are doing fabulous.

Ripping up more of the deck. Almost done!

The chicks are growing so fast I might just make a stand and roof for the rabbit run for when they go out for warmer days but not ready to go out permanently. Can’t seem to source a double rabbit hutch within driving distance and am unwilling to pay freight that cost as much as the hutch! I just wanted the convenience of pre-made but its not worth it in the pocketbook department. I have more than enough time and materials... now I have the incentive!

I almost feel like I am gaining on the caterpillars until I noticed that I am getting more immatures that haven’t molted yet. Those are harder to see and one touch, they drop to the ground, never to bee seen. The organic control I would like to have can not be imported where I am so I will continue to hand pick, drown and give back to the plants as rotting caterpillar mulch/fertilizer.

The quince is self thinning.

The elderberries are getting ready to bloom. The cutting I gathered off the ground from the winter pruning are starting to leaf and bloom as well.

I found my horseradish! I thought I had lost it as it was in a big pot but had semi escaped (grew through the drain hole then leafed outside the pot) last year. When I pulled the pot, it broke and the root in the ground was not good enough to eat/use. Moving the last of my pots and what do I see? Yes! I am going to up it in a larger pot as soon as I can find land. I would like to cultivate it more so I can start harvesting regularly. It might be too much into the season to do it this year, will evaluate when repotting.

Most of the black berries, strawberries and other rubus are blooming. I spied a small alpine strawberry forming. The raspberries and tays should be ready in less than a month. I really wanted to get a yellow variety of autumn raspberry but the prices are so outrageous, they can keep them. I’m not in a panic; I just want to extend my raspberry season. I think I will go into the woods at a friends and gather some natives to grow. I can put a couple of rocks on canes, wait for the root to form then collect. I’ve heard you can not mix wild with domestic so this will need more research on my part. Don’t want to wipe out my domesticated berries that have been so strong and loyal!

#catholic gardener #gardening #permaculture #urban homestead #chicks #goth in the garden #herbs #fruit #making passive solar planters #berries #vermiculture #wildcrafting #propagation #garden #repotting #wind

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liscensetogrill · 3 years

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Oriental Cuisines

Before mentioning about the various delicious cuisines; it is highly important to understand the origin of the term “Orient”. So what does the term Orient mean? During the old days, quite a few decades ago, it was a term used by the Europeans and others from the west used to describe he far Eastern communities. As far as the literal meaning is concerned, orient means a place where the sun sets first and rises first; clearly indicating the eastern hemispheres. Yet the eastern hemisphere is divided into micro-segments such as Northern, southern, mid-eastern, south-eastern and eastern countries, along with their respective cuisines. Till a long time, the Asian cuisines were unknown to many western countries. Thanks to the process of globalization, these indigenous cuisines received a world-wide recognition and they also have gathered a huge fan following in the recent years.

Because these are the Asian foods with which most Americans are familiar, most Americans would characterize Oriental food as dishes from China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Thailand. Oriental dishes, on the other hand, are those from the Orient: China, Japan, North and South Korea, Taiwan, Tibet, and Mongolia, to name a few. They also include Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Cambodia as well. Because it was commonly used pejoratively to degrade Asian people, both because they looked different and because they were frequently in submissive roles at the time, the term "Oriental" has become offensive.

Oriental cuisine is a challenging subject to study. Every country, and even individual regions within a country, has created a method of preparing food with readily available components. While there are differences in Asian cooking from one region to the next, there are also parallels. Szechwan and Hunan (from the island region), Cantonese (from the south), Peking (from the north), and Shanghai (from the east) are the four primary cuisines of China (the coastal regions). Cantonese employs milder sauces, such as in eggrolls and egg foo yong; Peking is represented by Peking duck and sweet-and-sour dishes; Shanghai leans heavily on fish and shellfish. The bamboo steamer, wok, and cleaver are all Chinese inventions, as is the preference for steamed, simmered, or grilled pork and fish above any other protein.

Sushi (meal wrapped in seaweed "paper") and sashimi (raw fish slices) are popular among Japanese chefs, but this Asian culture enjoys a wide variety of fish and shellfish. Japanese food is more artistically prepared than Chinese food, and it is always served in modest servings. Tofu (soybean curd) and miso (soybean paste) are two more staples. Wood ear, oyster, or shiitake mushrooms, white radishes, and lotus root, cut into lacy slices, are some of the unique mushrooms used by the Japanese. Pickled ginger and wasabi (green horseradish) are two popular condiments. Thailand's food is known for its bold flavors. Garlic, cilantro, curries, and chilies are used to season meats, fish, and fowl. Marinated meats and vegetables are frequently served with a spicy sauce. To balance out spicy foods, bland sauces or sugar-softened veggies like carrots, cucumber, and vinegar are provided. The development of heartier, spicier Korean dishes was somewhat influenced by the geographical environment. Important mainstays are kimchi, a marinated cabbage with a strong fermented fragrance, and beef. Fresh and ground chilies, as well as sesame oil and sesame seed, give this dish a unique flavor. The most frequent cooking methods include grilling, frying, and braising. Adding eggs, vegetables, or meat to rice is common among Koreans.

The origins of Chinese cuisine may be traced back to around 5000 BC. Chinese people have created their own method of food preparation over a long period of time. Their methods of finding components to create precise pairings, multi-phased cooking procedures, and administration of multi-phased flavoring have all evolved progressively. The ancient Chinese ate a relatively nutritious diet, and based on historical data, cultivation in China appears to have begun around 5,000 years ago. By far the most significant effect on Japanese food has been the introduction of rice into Japanese society. Rice was brought to Japan around 2000 B.C. via China and the Korean Peninsula. This occurred between 14 000 B.C. and 300 B.C. during the Jomon era. However, rice was not a mainstay in the diets of Japanese people at the period. Even though it was consumed on occasion, it was not a substantial component of Japanese cuisine. There were also no full-time rice growers at the period. The majority of Japanese people were hunters, gatherers, and fishermen. In contrast to the Middle East and other Asian nations at the time, Japanese people were not under significant pressure to become full-time farmers. Traditional Thai cooking entailed stewing, baking, or grilling. The territory that is today Thailand, Laos, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, and Vietnam, on the other hand, was colonized by the ancient Chinese around 1,400 years ago.

With the influx of Chinese immigrants into Southeast Asia, frying, stir-frying, and deep-frying of food became increasingly common techniques, and pad thai (fried noodles) and khao pad (fried rice) remain iconic Thai dishes to this day. The basis of Korean cuisine was laid between the seventh and thirteenth centuries, with significant changes taking place in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Korean food, like other parts of Korean culture, developed under the overwhelming influence of its neighboring neighbor - China. Rice and fermented soybean products (soy sauce, soybean paste, and soybean curd) are important components of the Korean diet, as they are in neighboring East Asian cultures. The meal's "rice–soup–side dishes" arrangement, as well as the usage of chopsticks to consume it, is further signs of the influence that Chinese civilization had on Korean food-ways. The emphasis on five aspects in Korean cuisine, such as five tastes (salty, sweet, sour, spicy, and bitter) and five garnish colors, has Chinese antecedents as well. It should be noted, however, that despite this ancestry, Korean food has evolved into a separate entity with more distinctions than parallels to Chinese cuisine.

The sudden boost of Oriental cuisine across the globe leads to very Deep Ocean of stories claiming why and how a particular dish or outlet started the revolution. At the end it narrows down to a conclusion that the start of this revolution occurred with pan-Asian cuisines and fusion cuisines being introduced to the world from where people started discovering the actual Asian cuisines, and eventually Asian cuisine reaching almost every part of this world. I believe another reason might be the boom in diaspora of Asian people and globalization. These factors assisted the other people to understand the cuisines and start enjoying them. As in the past few decades, many first gen immigrants travelled from Asian and other continents to West and Vice-Versa, resulting in hefty exchanges in cultures as well as food habits.

With the expansion of the market of Oriental cuisines, there also is an endless market for the consumption. The restaurants offering oriental cuisines will have to keep up to the rising market demand as well as expectations. They will have to always introduce new innovations in their food and services while maintaining the authenticity of the Asian Cultures and cuisines. Not just Orient, but all the cuisines have endless possibilities of development in which they can shape the future of their cuisines. And as I said earlier, Authenticity along with innovation keeps the cuisine and culture intact while providing it a room for development.

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lawncarecincinnatioh62953 · 3 years

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Advice For Growing A Better Organic Backyard

You have to grow an organic garden by the help of a lawn service blue ash ohio to fully enjoy it. You can grow a backyard by the help of them, as long as it employs the basics of organic gardening that can really help your plants grow. Try examining the tips below. They can provide you some more practical assistance.

Starting seedlings in pots prior to planting in your backyard is a clever idea. Your plants will be more likely to develop this way. The period between plantings will certainly likewise be much shorter. You will certainly have healthy seedlings that prepare to be planted when you remove old plants.

To save on energy, cost as well as resources, do not plant even more of a crop in your backyard than you manage to use. If you are actually not intending on selling your crops at a market, planting more than you can easily use will definitely just end up wasting resources and space in your backyard. If you possess extra space, look into planting a variety of crops instead.

A wonderful method to take full advantage of garden potential is actually to plant perennials. Some edible veggies will come back year after year with very little maintenance like weeding, mulching and fertilizing. Asparagus, bunching onions and horseradish all will definitely come back annually. Depending upon climate, there are actually many choices for growing perennial vegetables for a maximum yield.

When dividing or even moving a plant, make sure you always keep the roots cool and moist. Roots are actually the best delicate part of a plant and are remarkably sensitive to light and heat. Put a dark plastic bag over the roots if you consider not transferring the plant immediately.

While working in your yard during the fall season, keep an eye out for those stink bugs! They like beans, peppers, tomatoes and a lot of fruits. They may do serious harm in your backyard, so seek a successful method of decreasing their population.

Plant cool-weather edibles in the fall. Instead of putting standard clay vessels into use when planting crops of lettuce and kale, think about using pumpkins as an alternative. Cut an opening in the pumpkin and scoop the insides out. Then spray the edges and empty inside of the pumpkin with Wilt-Pruf so the pumpkin doesn't rot. After this is completed, it is time to plant!

Ensure that you recognize with the level of humidity that your garden plants need. Some plants just may not survive without appropriate levels of humidity. Some plants require high humidity or even tropical conditions, while others require arid or desert levels of humidity. Educating yourself will aid you to avoid unsatisfactory plant choices.

To make certain you don't inadvertently collect bulbs in the following year, mark them with twigs. They ought to remain in place over the winter months, and will certainly be a simple reminder when you're planting new things in the spring. This is particularly good due to the fact that you do not have to buy anything beforehand. Simply get some surrounding twigs and put them in location.

Thus, as you can easily see, organic gardening is actually more than only qualified organic gardening. It actually could be a relaxing pastime or activity if you prefer it to be. You need to really feel a little better and ready to start growing a better organic garden using your newly-found expertise of this form of gardening. Acquire additional understanding for your friends and family so that you can help them out once they inquire about this; you can do it by clicking here.

#lawn service blue ash ohio

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lenoirlivre · 7 years

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Zodiac signs plants correspondences

Each of the 12 signs can benefit from the properties of certain plants which may resonate better or carry the qualities of the corresponding sign.

Aries ♈ (March 21 - April 19)

Aries is a Fire sign ruled by the planet Mars. Plants associated with this sign have bright colors and spicy flavors and may have thorns.

Fruits and Vegetables: Chinese cabbage, mustard, horseradish, onion, garlic, leeks, red pepper, rhubarb, chives, radishes

Flowers: Calendula, geranium, anise hyssop, poppies, red roses, tulips, amaryllis, hollyhock, cowslip, tiger lily, impatiens

Herbs: Nettles, burdock root, cayenne, red clover, yellow dock, yarrow, St. John’s wort, hops, marjoram, milk thistle, wormwood, gentian, sarsaparilla, tarragon, ginger, coriander

Taurus ♉ (April 20 - May 20)

Taurus is an Earth sign ruled by the planet Venus. Venus is the planet that represents desire and beauty, so Taurus plants often have gorgeous flowers and enticing fragrances.

Fruits and Vegetables: Spinach, peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, gourds, artichoke, olive, grape, apple, fig, apricot, pomegranate, strawberry

Flowers: Daisies, lilac, aster, lily of the valley, sweet pea, lilies, larkspur, columbine, violet, foxglove, rose, sweet William, daisy, geranium

Herbs: Licorice, fenugreek, slippery Elm, anise hyssop (Venus), mallow, lavender, dandelion, marshmallow, sage, vervain, feverfew, thyme, angelica, yarrow

Gemini ♊ (May 21 - June 20)

An Air sign ruled by the planet Mercury. Plants associated with this sign usually feature finely divided leaves or stems, hairy or fuzzy leaves or subtle odors.

Fruits and Vegetables: Endive, carrots, parsnips, oats

Flowers: Orchid, chrysanthemum, lilac, azalea, daffodil, Lily-of-the-valley, honeysuckle

Herbs: Mullein, hyssop, lemon balm, lobelia, elecampane, vervain, woodbine, yarrow, meadowsweet, dill, fennel, skullcap, lavender, fenugreek, licorice, valerian

Cancer ♋ (June 21 – July 22)

Because Cancer is a Water sign and is ruled by the Moon, Cancer’s plants generally have soft or Moon-shaped leaves, contain a lot of moisture, or are found near water. Oftentimes they are white in color, or have white or pale yellow flowers.

Fruits and Vegetables: Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, endive, kale, lettuce, watercress, kohlrabi, mushroom, turnip, sweet potato, cantaloupe, cucumber, gourds, watermelon, pumpkin, squash, seaweed, mango, banana, apple, pear

Flowers: Daisy, water lilies, jasmine, hyssop, morning glory, geranium, lily, lotus, white roses, opium poppy

Herbs: Peppermint, spearmint, papaya leaf, agrimony, lemon balm, parsley, verbena, chickweed

Leo ♌ (July 23 - Aug. 22)

Leo is a Fire sign ruled by the brilliant Sun. Plants associated with this sign are usually large and gold or orange in color, or have heart-shaped leaves or a radiating shape.

Fruits and Vegetables: Chinese cabbage, corn, collards, mustard, Swiss chard, okra, peppers, pineapple, orange, grapefruit, olive, coconut

Flowers: Marigolds, anise hyssop, sunflower, dahlia, larkspur, aster, passion flower, heliotrope, poppy, peony, calendula, crocus

Herbs: Borage, hawthorn, motherwort, rosemary, celandine, mint, lavender, parsley, dill, fennel, chamomile, St. John’s wort, angelica, eyebright, anise, ginger, saffron

Virgo ♍ (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22)

Virgo is an Earth sign ruled by the planet Mercury. Plants associated with this sign often have finely divided leaves or stems, subtle odors, or small, brightly-colored flowers.

Fruits, Vegetables and Grains: Endive, carrots, parsnips, barley, oats, rye, wheat, millet

Flowers: Narcissus, chrysanthemum, aster, violet, all brightly colored small flowers (particularly blue or yellow)

Herbs: Dill, fennel, blackberry (leaves and root), plantain, St. John’s wort, skullcap, woodbine, valerian, lavender, marjoram, licorice, parsley, fenugreek, dill

Libra ♎ (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22)

Libra is an Air sign, and is ruled by the planet Venus. Because Venus is the planet of beauty and love, Libra’s plants often have light, lovely flowers and gorgeous scents.

Fruits and Vegetables: Broccoli, eggplant, spinach, peas, sweet potato, artichoke, watercress, pomegranate, apricot, apple, fig, plum, grape, strawberry, olive

Flowers: Orchid, gardenia, tea roses, tuberose, freesia, gladiolus, aster, hydrangea, daisy, nasturtium, rose, violet, primrose, pansy, columbine

Herbs: Parsley, cleavers, juniper, corn silk, uva ursi, mint, thyme, yarrow, angelica, vervain

Scorpio ♏ (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21)

A Water sign ruled by both Mars and Pluto, Scorpio’s plants are often found in remote places or underground. They will likely have thorns, be red in color, and grow under adversity.

Fruits and Vegetables: Mushroom, peppers, rhubarb, leek, onions, chives, pepper, garlic, horseradish, radish, mustard

Flowers: Calendula, rhododendron, geranium, holly, black-eyed Susan, scarlet monkey flower, anemone, heather, gardenia, honey-suckle, peony, hibiscus

Herbs: Aloe vera, ginseng, pennyroyal, raspberry leaf, saw palmetto, cramp bark, basil, gentian, wormwood, ginger, coriander

Sagittarius ♐ (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21)

Sagittarius is a Fire sign that is ruled by the planet Jupiter. Plants associated with this sign tend to be large in size and fairly conspicuous, with a pleasant odor.

Fruits and Vegetables: Asparagus, endive, rhubarb, beets, tomato, turnip, watercress, olive

Flowers: Red roses, calendula, anise hyssop, pinks, carnations, clematis, peony, crocus, jasmine

Herbs: Dandelion, horsetail, Oregon grape root, wild yam, sage, feverfew, sage, anise, nutmeg, mint

Capricorn ♑ (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19)

As an Earth sign ruled by the planet Saturn, Capricorn’s plants usually have few flowers, are knobby or woody, and may have an unpleasant smell or taste. Saturn rules plants with long lives and slow growth.

Fruits and Vegetables: Spinach, mushroom, beets, parsnips, barley, rye

Flowers: Calendula, black poppy, henbane, nightshade, African violet, snowdrop, jasmine, love-lies-bleeding, pansy, baby’s breath

Herbs: Comfrey, sarsaparilla, rue, kava kava, mullein, thyme, horsetail, shepherd’s purse

Aquarius ♒ (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18)

Aquarius is an Air sign ruled by the planet Uranus. Plants associated with this sign will often grow in unusual places and may vary in appearance.

Fruits and Vegetables: Spinach, beets, rye, barley, parsnip

Flowers: Bird of paradise, orchid, gladiolus, trillium

Herbs: Chamomile, catnip, skullcap, passion flower, valerian, hops, aloe, myrrh, frankincense, spikenard, kava kava, comfrey, cinnamon, cloves

Pisces ♓ (Feb. 19 - March 20)

As a Water sign ruled by both Jupiter and Neptune, Plants associated with this sign are often large but hard to find, and may grow near the ocean.

Fruits and Vegetables: Asparagus, endive, mushroom, rhubarb, beets, tomato, seaweed, watercress, olive

Flowers: Calendula, anise hyssop, jasmine, lilac, narcissus, water lily, poppy, clematis, wisteria, lilac, orchid

Herbs: Golden seal, Echinacea, chaparral, eyebright, mugwort, kava kava, yarrow, skullcap, oatstraw, nutmeg, anise

#plants #herbs #flowers #vegetables #fruits #correspondences #zodiac signs #magic #aries #taurus #cancer #gemini #virgo #libra #leo #scorpio #saggitarius #capricorn #aquarius #pisces #tarot.com

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smardart-blog · 4 years

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10 Simple Dinner Ideas For A Delicious Whip Up Dinner

10 Simple Dinner Ideas for Amazing family evening: These Recipes will help you create joyful dinner with your loved ones.

1. Fried salmon with lemon

Fried salmon with lemon Cooking time: 10 minutes. Ingredients 4 slices of salmon fillet; salt, ground black pepper - to taste; 2 tablespoons of olive oil; ¼ glasses of white wine; 1½ lemon; 2 cloves of garlic; a pinch of red pepper; 2 tablespoons butter; 1 lemon; 2 tablespoons of fresh dill. Cooking Place a large frying pan on medium heat, heat oil and lay the fillet skin up. Season with salt and pepper. Fry until golden brown, then turn over. Add wine, juice of 1 lemon, chopped garlic, and red pepper. Bring to a boil, pouring the fillet on the resulting sauce. When the salmon gets dark, take it out. Melt the butter in a pan and pour in ½ lemon juice. Mix well. The sauce should be cooked until it thickens. It will take about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the fish, garnish with dill and lemon slices.(Simple Dinner Ideas)

2. Omelet with mozzarella

Omelet with mozzarella Cooking time: 10 minutes. Ingredients 350 g ripe tomatoes of different colors; 2 tablespoons of olive oil; red wine vinegar, salt, black pepper - to taste; 15 g of fresh basil; ½ – 1 fresh red chili peppers ; 100 g mozzarella; 4 large chicken eggs. Cooking Cut the tomatoes into circles, season them ¹⁄₂ a tablespoon of olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Mash most of the basil leaves with a pinch of salt until gruel and mix with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Then finely chop the chilli and mozzarella. Heat a ½ tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan. Beat and pour eggs, stir them, but do not bring to readiness. Put the cheese in the center of the pan, sprinkle everything with a mixture of butter and basil. Let the dish cool slightly. After a minute, carefully fold the omelet in half and place on the tomatoes. Cut it in the center by opening the mozzarella. Add chili peppers and garnish with remaining basil leaves.

3. Fried mackerel with tomato mix and quinoa

Fried mackerel with tomato mix and quinoa Cooking time: 15 minutes. Ingredients 300 g of quinoa; salt to taste; ½ lemon; 4 gutted mackerels; ground black pepper - to taste; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; 3 tablespoons of olive oil; 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary; 2 cloves of garlic; 800 g of tomatoes of different colors; 1 fresh red chili pepper; 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar; 2 tablespoons low-fat yogurt ; 2 teaspoons (with a slide) of grated horseradish; a pair of sprigs of fresh basil. Cooking Boil 2 cups of water and throw quinoa into it. Add a pinch of salt and half a lemon, cover. Cook until cooked, stirring occasionally. Make cross cuts on each mackerel on both sides, leaving about 2 cm to the bone. Grate with salt, black pepper and ground coriander. Then put the carcasses in a large pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil heated over medium heat. Sprinkle the fish with rosemary and chopped cloves of garlic and fry on both sides until golden brown. Simple Dinner Ideas Slice the tomatoes and lay them on a wide dish. Top with chopped chili peppers. Press the finished quinoa and add to the center. Season with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste. Place the fried mackerel on top of the salad. Combine yogurt and horseradish and pour fish over this sauce. Garnish with basil leaves.

4. Tomato cheeseburger

Cooking time: 20 minutes. Ingredients 1 tablespoon of olive oil; 1 medium onion; 2 cloves of garlic; 450 g of ground beef; 1 tablespoon of ketchup; 1 tablespoon of mustard ; salt, black pepper - to taste; 4 fresh tomatoes; ⅔ cup grated cheddar; a bunch of lettuce; 4 slices of pickled cucumber; sesame seeds. Cooking Heat the oil over medium heat, fry the onion on it until soft. Put chopped garlic and ground beef in a pan. Let the meat brown and drain the fat. Add ketchup, mustard, salt, and pepper. Put the tomatoes downside down. Divide each into six wedges without cutting the fruit completely. Carefully spread the slices and fill the core with the meat mixture. Top with cheese and chopped salad. Garnish with slices of pickled cucumber and sesame seeds.

5. Cheese pan so

Cheese pan so Cooking time: 20 minutes. Ingredients 1 red bell pepper; 1 bunch of green onions; 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil; 2 cloves of garlic; 1 tablespoon of chili powder; 1 tablespoon of ground cumin; salt to taste; 450 g of ground beef; 450 g of tomatoes; 1 cup canned or boiled beans; 1 tablespoon of hot sauce; 2 cups chopped cheddar cheese. Cooking Cut pepper into slices, chop ½ bunch of green onions. Place a large pan over medium heat and heat oil in it. Throw pepper and onions there and sauté for 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic and fry for another 1 minute. Season with chili powder, caraway seeds and salt and mix well. Put the minced meat and cook for 5 minutes. Throw diced tomatoes and beans into a pan. Mix until smooth. Pour in hot sauce and sprinkle with cheddar. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Garnish with remaining green onions before serving.

6. Egg muffins with ham and cheese

Egg muffins with ham and cheese Cooking time: 25 minutes. Ingredients sunflower oil - for lubrication; 12 slices of ham; 1 cup grated cheddar cheese; 12 large eggs; salt, black pepper - to taste; 1 bunch of fresh parsley. Cooking Preheat the oven to 200 ° C. Lubricate 12 cupcake tins with sunflower oil. Place one cup-shaped slice of ham in each. Sprinkle with cheddar on top, beat the egg, season with salt and pepper. Bake the dish until cooked 12-15 minutes. Garnish with parsley before serving.

7. Creamy chicken with lemon

Creamy chicken with lemon Cooking time: 25 minutes. Ingredients 1 tablespoon of olive oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 4 chicken breast fillets; salt, black pepper - to taste; 2 tablespoons of chicken stock; 1 small onion; 3 cloves of garlic ; 2 tablespoons of fresh thyme leaves; 4 red potatoes; ¼ cup lemon juice; ¼ cup thick cream; 1 large lemon. Cooking In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil and butter. Add the breasts, salt and pepper. Fry the meat until it is saturated golden color for 7-8 minutes on each side. After laying the chicken on a plate. Pour the chicken stock into the pan. Add chopped onion, garlic, thyme and simmer for 2 minutes. If pieces of chicken stick to the bottom of the pan during frying, carefully separate them with a wooden spatula. Put sliced potatoes, season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes. Pour in lemon juice, cream and chopped lemon. Stir the contents well and cook another 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan, pour the sauce. Simmer for 3–5 minutes. Garnish with thyme before serving.

8. Shrimp and green peas paste

Shrimp and green peas paste Cooking time: 25 minutes. Ingredients 350 g of penne pasta; 2 cups of spinach leaves; 1 cup fresh basil leaves ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon of olive oil; ¼ cup grated parmesan; ¼ cup pine nuts or almonds; 1 clove of garlic; salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste; 450 g peeled shrimp; 1 cup frozen peas; chopped red chili peppers - optional. Cooking Boil the pasta to aldente. Leave an incomplete glass of pasta water, pour out the rest of the liquid. Cook the pesto. Using a blender, mix spinach, basil, and ⅓ cup olive oil until smooth. Add pine nuts (or almonds), parmesan and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper. In a pan over medium heat, heat a tablespoon of oil. Brown the shrimp for 3-4 minutes. Put the pasta, peas and sauce, mix well. Pour in ¼ cup of water in which the pasta was boiled, and simmer a little more. Before serving, sprinkle with grated parmesan and, if desired, chili.

9. Roast with dumplings

Roast with dumplings Cooking time: 25 minutes. Ingredients 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil; 300-400 g of any dumplings; 200 g broccoli inflorescences; 2 sweet peppers; 1 carrot ; 2 cloves of garlic; 1 cm ginger root; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 2 tablespoons of sriracha sauce; 2 tablespoons of soy sauce; 1 tablespoon of honey; 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar; 1 bunch of green onions; fried sesame seeds. Cooking In a large skillet over medium heat, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Put the dumplings in one layer. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Add water to the pan, hiding the dumplings,, and simmer for 5–8 minutes under the lid. Place a clean frying pan over medium heat and heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in it. Fry broccoli, slices of sweet pepper and julienne carrots for 8-10 minutes until crisp. Add chopped garlic and ginger and cook another 1 minute. Pour in sesame oil, sriracha and soy sauce, honey and rice vinegar. Bring to a boil and let the sauce thicken a little. Add dumplings and mix well with vegetables. Before serving, garnish the dish with green onions and fried sesame seeds.

10. Sandwiches with cheese and minced meat

Sandwiches with cheese and minced meat Cooking time: 30 minutes. Ingredients 1 tablespoon of olive oil; 1 medium onion; 450 g of ground beef; ½ glasses of ketchup; 2 cloves of garlic; ⅓ cup brown sugar; 2 tablespoons of mustard; 1 tablespoon of chili powder; salt, black pepper - to taste; 4 tablespoons of butter oil ; 8 slices of sandwich bread; 2 cups grated cheddar. Cooking In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion until soft. Add ground beef and brown it. Drain the fat. Place ketchup, minced garlic, brown sugar, mustard, and chili powder in the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Put the finished mass on a plate. Lubricate each slice of bread with butter on one side. Put the first one on the wiped pan with the oil down. On top, spread a spoonful of minced meat, cheddar, and another slice of bread butter up. Fry the sandwich on both sides over medium heat until the bread turns golden and the cheese melts. Do the same with the rest of the ingredients. You will get four delicious sandwiches. Read the full article

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jeninthegarden · 5 years

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Wet & Wild

Reflections of the Gardening Projects of 2019

This is my 12th year of garden logging. What did I just say last year in my decadal review? That’s right: “the deer remain the big issue”. Well, this past summer, they jumped the temporary netted fence around the corn and tomato patch, and ate all my tomato plants. And I had a lot of tomato plants! The deer did not even wait until the fruit had set! Meanwhile, the ground hog got in and dug up all my corn the same day I planted it (twice!). Then I planted sunflowers for my beans and squash to trellis on in place of the corn, and the deer hopped in and ate all the sunflowers and squash, and pumpkins and beans. So, the field crops, although perfectly mulched with cardboard and woodchips a la Back to Eden gardening method, for water conversation and weed barrier, were a complete loss. It was particularly sad because I started all my squash and melons from seed this past year, with great variety. The plants were vigorous and blooming before I transplanted them. I hardened them off on the patio before lovingly transplanting them. Years past when I have tried to direct sow squash, the squirrels have always dug up the seeds and newly germinated seedlings.

As noted last year, the past few years have been wet and wild - too much rain and too many snap heat waves that have been the most disruptive events. Still considering rain barrels, but still haven’t done it because there is no shortage of rain in this region. The spring was very wet. The summer was fairly cool. The fall was quick and dry. If anything, we just didn’t get enough sun and heat for the fruiting crops or the long growth crops. For instance, peppers were drowning in the garden until I rescued them, re-potted them and put them on the warm stone patio. Potato crop was measly though not reduced by disease, insects or rodents. The beets also did not grow, though hilled up in the same conditions under which carrots flourished. They germinated nicely and then stopped growing when they were only 3 inches high.

By contrast, we had a huge crop of peas in the spring and well into June. Unfortunately that meant I had nowhere to plant the cucumbers because I had planned to put them on the pea fences. I won’t make than mistake again. Fresh raw peas were abundant in the first 3 months. But when I sacrificed all the saved peas and tried a fall crop, even though it was warm enough, it was too dry and the shoots didn’t grow more than 3 inches before it frosted and I had to eat them. Even the fall greens did not germinate well. Carrots, we had a bumper crop of and harvested plenty fresh for Thanksgiving dinner, and we had several rows still standing in the garden, in January. Turnips did fine; I pickled them.

The broccoli and kale did well this year but the cauliflower and cabbage faltered, very disappointing because theses too were started indoors from seed to give them a good head start. And they were hilled up to keep them from getting too wet, but there was not enough sun or heat and their growth was severely stunted. There was never a chance for the Brussel sprouts – they need nearly as much heat and a long growing season as pumpkins. Collards just did not germinate. I was using old seed and it failed.

Spinach, a very fickle crop in recent years germinated and grew well last year, particularly where I was extremely brutal about thinning it. And like the peas, we had a bumper crop of bush string beans, the purple variety, which enjoyed an extended season of about two months. Did not get a chance to make pickled dilly beans because the dill did not germinate; the seeds were too old.

Shocker of the season, I grew and harvested radishes! Have not harvested radishes in 10 years. This variety was the Spanish black, sometimes used to pad out prepared horse-radish, very white and picante. These were the large breed that should have been the size of an orange, but mine were only the size of golf balls. Meanwhile I ate a vast quantity of watermelon daikon radish bought from the farmer’s market. I made radish and feta salad, shredded radish and cabbage slaw, thin sliced radish with burrata and honey. So aggravating that I could not grow my own!

Salad greens did very well, particularly in the spring and lasted well into summer because it was so cool. Again, ruthless thinning produced excellent results. The claytonia and the purple orach are still my favorite spring greens. Nasturtiums really took over the garden and they lasted well into fall, they crept and trailed all over the garden. I love the leaves in salad and the blossoms in scrambled eggs. I really like squash blooms in my eggs too, but Bambi ate all the squash.

Onions were tricky this year. The Egyptian walking onions, which are self-seeding and in my herb garden seem to be petering out. Not sure if the last crop tried to seed in the lawn and got mowed or were subsumed by the rampant wild violets I keep tossing in the herb bed. The leeks, I am sorry to say, did not get enough sun or heat. Result – NO LEEKY DANCE; very unsettling to the delicate balance of the universe, although the kids are teenagers now and would have been horrified if I had tried to make them dance. I bought some leeks in the fall because I am very fond of baked leeks au gratin, with some millet or brown rice.

The chives, as always were abundant. And they are perennial so I had to divide them this year. Love the blossoms scattered in salad like minced red onion. And, speaking of red onions, I planted about fifty red Cipollini onions, and harvested about fifty. They were neatly hilled up so they did not drown. Maybe they were smaller than they should have been, egg sized, but they dried and stored well; we are still enjoying them.

I had numerous gardening projects going this past summer and I am surprised at my own progress:

The community garden. I have joined quite a few gardening groups, both online and locally this year. One of them is the InterGenerate community gardens of my county, and specifically the communal garden in my village. The community plot I cultivated this past year was an experiment in high yield food production in a 16 square foot raised bed. The violetto string beans were part of that and a smashing success. This year there has been a lot of discussion about subsistence farming and the pretentiousness of growing the perfect tomatoes. The aim of the group is to teach people how to grow their own food and in that vein we donate both seeds and the harvest back to the community. So this year the focus will be on real subsistence crops: potatoes, beans and squash. I am enthusiastic and have gone completely overboard ordering potato seed, beans and squash which will proliferate my own garden this year as well.

The Pollinator Pathway. This is a national movement subdivided down to extremely local chapters working to connect greenways, nature preserves and public lands with private properties where no pesticides are used to create green corridors that are pesticide free. Very enthusiastic participation on our cul-de-sac; we all registered our properties with the Pathway and promised not to use pesticides. This is very impactful because our cul-de-sac abuts a 200 acre Audubon nature preserve so we are an important bridge piece in the corridor. I am also very self-interested in joining this movement because this was my first year of bee-keeping and I harvested some superb honey. And I want to add a second hive this year

. Provence in New York. While puttering around Cape Cod this past spring we discovered a family garden farm selling huge lavender plants at irresistible prices. And while I would very happily have purchased one or two for my herb bed at home, my dear husband had a vision of the fields of lavender in Provence. And since the price was right, and we were driving my Toyota highlander from which I had not yet removed the winter weather mats, he bought 24 huge lavender plants and we brought them home. We planted them in place of the wildflower bed that had petered out and started to go back to grass. Applying my knowledge of lavender plants that have not survived the winter well in my herb garden, we planted each plant in a hill with gravel and sand under it for drainage. If the lavender field (conveniently located in the flight path of my bee hive) survives the winter, we will expand it by another 10 plants this year

The Wildflowers. All three of the windflower beds disappointed us and have petered out. We replaced the one in the back yard with a lavender field. The one behind that against the back property line is getting the Back-to-Eden treatment this spring so we can plant fruit trees there in the fall. Plums – I’m feeling a plum tree obsession building. Santa Rosa weeping plum trees... The wildflower patch in the front lawn has already received the Back-to-Eden cardboard and woodchip treatment, and we hugeled the old, rotten woodpile into it. This fall I planted the front of that bed with bluebells and the back of the bed with blueberry bushes. And I threw in a bunch of foxglove seeds in the western wall bed that have set six hardy rosettes I expect to bloom this summer (it’s a biannual). I may move those to the front wild-flower bed, behind the blueberry bushes.

The Western Wall – I moved the rhubarb, asparagus and horseradish to the new flowerbed by the western wall of the house. I also planted a couple of kiwi berry vines that now need a trellis. The asparagus had already been thinning in the vegetable garden and did not appreciate being moved, so I ordered 25 new roots. The rhubarb seemed to like the new location and actually needed dividing so I have high hopes for this spring. Horseradish is a weed so it will be happy anywhere, and oddly enough, I read somewhere that rhubarb-asparagus-horseradish is a good companion planting formula. But I’m a little confused about digging horseradish out of a bed without disturbing the asparagus and rhubarb roots. I couldn’t quite work that out so I planted a patch of each, in the same bed but not mingled.

Hugelkultur. (You have to say that word with guttural gusto!) What?? It is the method of building a raised bed over buried logs. We made a really good start in the spring and got the old woodpile in the front yard entirely buried and covered over with cardboard and woodchips, and planted with blueberry bushes and bluebells. The backyard wall of wood is much bigger (leftover from the nine pine trees we lost in hurricane Sandy) and quite a challenge because it is always a jungle of weeds and poison ivy. But we persevered and got half of it hugeled and covered over with woodchips. And we even got some hyssop and salvia, dogwood and a couple rhododendrons planted. This summer we’ll get the rest buried and then I want to plant an Echinacea patch and add a couple dwarf pear trees, and put bluebells in the front.

Back to Eden. Scored 20 cubic yards of wood chips, for free this past summer from getchipdrop.com. The woodchip and cardboard weed barrier method of gardening worked really well in the corn/squash patch. Such a shame the deer got in and ate everything. The children’s garden, mulched two years ago, was still so weed free that I planted a weeping persimmon there. It is a chronically wet area and persimmons don’t mind wet feet. I am thinking of adding a swath of river rock and making a permanent rain garden. Need to add some button bushes and Siberian iris, and cardinal flowers. I still have 10 cubic yards of wood chips and I am busy hording up more cardboard boxes for spring.

The Herb Garden. I had a little problem with the herb bed this year. I had 3, robust, Scottish thistle rosettes in the herb bed in the spring, and I decided to let them grow. And they grew. They grew about 9 feet tall and 5 feet around. Now, there is nothing prettier than a bright yellow gold finch flock hanging all over a giant thistle plant covered with vivid purple blooms. But, thistles are really really sharp and I couldn’t weed under them. And when they finished blooming, I still couldn’t cut them down because the birds needed the seeds. So the herb garden was a thistle and weed garden this past summer. I really was impressed with the thistles but think for their size they would look better from afar. So, I dug up a fine, large rosette (they are a bi-annual) in the fall and moved it to the back of the big hugel, in a patch that has already been mulched with cardboard and woodchips. And I see plenty of little thistle seedlings in the herb bed that will have to be weeded out in spring, but I might save a couple and put them in the hugel too for next year.

House plants. They were sadly neglected this past summer. First year in a long time that I did not put them outside. They suffered for being kept inside – the air-conditioning is not good for them. I won’t make that mistake again. My wax plant vine “Hobi” (Hoya Obovata) finally died, after 25 years! So sad because I took cuttings of a plant that I had grown up with. I am going to order a new one. My “Brutus II” (a kidnapped Philodendron Hope Selloum cutting from an apartment sublet 20 years ago) is down to a single green leaf. My Dracaena Warneckii (given to me by my mother-in-law as an engagement gift) is still alive after 23 years and thriving. The other Dracaena varieties which I adopted after a friend took a summer-long, cross country motorcycle ride and never reclaimed them, are still alive after 25 years. I gave my giant poinsettias away after the holidays – they are always dead by March no matter what I do. So I am only left with one, sad little Christmas cactus I don’t know how to care for. The Areogrow planter is up and running and the basil, parsley and dill have sprouted. It is an excellent little hydroponic system. The art glass terrarium was beautifully replanted in the summer and lasted a couple months before dying out. So it needs to be re-planted again, this time with plants that want less light.

The seed list this year is a fresh start and I’m scaling back, except when I’m not.

Seed List: will follow as soon as I stop buying seed packets.

#2020gardenplans

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juniorformulamotorsport · 5 years

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Thursday, 26th September 2019 – Raben, Horben

On Thursday evening we set off on a white-knuckled drive from Glottertal, through Freiburg and up to the village of Horben, which seemed to involve rather more hairpin bends than I cared for, as well as fairly dramatic stretch when we first had to run on the tram lines, and then had to dive through a single lane arch that the trams also shared! We were on our way to the one-Michelin starred restaurant, the Gasthaus zum Raben, where, according to Michelin, Steffen Disch is in the kitchen where “using top quality ingredients, dishes with distinct flavours are carefully prepared to a consistently high standard”. I’d booked a table well in advance by email, and was very much looking forward to trying out the food that would come from what their website describes as “a regionally inspired gourmet kitchen, which dissolves all facets and refinements of kitchen art in a remarkable straightforwardness, in his historic inn”.

The chef and his wife run the inn, after he did an apprenticeship at the Hotel Colombi in Freiburg, and plied his trade in other hotels before he arrived at the Gasthaus. The inn itself may well be the oldest such establishment in Horben, dating from at least 1604, and it has been lovingly renovated. The food is firmly rooted in local products from the neighborhood, and these in turn become a fresh take on Baden classics on the menu. The cuisine had been described as “cozy, sophisticated and creative” so we were hopefully of a good dinner. We got far more than a good dinner. What we got was the culinary experience of the holiday. First, though, having parked in the extensive, gravelled car park, I needed to recover from that drive. A glass of Riesling sekt with a home-made syrup of quince, proved to be just the thing. It was also quite a striking colour.

Some time passed while we tried to figure out which version of the menu we wanted to go for. We were in debate about whether the five course menu or the four course menu was the answer. Eventually we settled on the five course menu, because there were interesting sounding things in the dish that would be missed out if we’d gone for the four course option. An amuse-bouche that was described as “blood sausage” arrived. What it turned out to be was a tiny bread-crumbed, crunchy morsel of the local blutwurst, iron-inflected from the blood, and slightly bitter, on a soft puree of celeriac, with rice layered through it.

Some bread was delivered by the charming waiting staff, along with some very good butter and a sweet potato mousse that could also be used as a spread on the bread. It was all very honest, and could have been rustic had it not been subject to such refined treatment before it arrived on our plates.

We both held back from the bread, not wanting to commit space in our stomachs to anything that wasn’t part of the menu.The first course, when it arrived, was a perfectly constructed dish of lightly smoked goose liver, the offal tender, soft and melting, layered with a chocolate, served with a tiny brioche roll, an apricot ice cream quenelle, a couple of spheres of apricot gel, and dusted with almonds. It was a technical and gustatory triumph. We absolutely loved it; you could tell by how long it took me to eat t, because I just wanted it to last!

Next up came a fish course, with a dish of char, beetroot, celery and horseradish. The celery puree was glorious, far richer than I could imagine celery ever being, no matter what you do to it. The beetroot came in several forms, with some small, sticky cubes, a sharp and spicy juice, lightly pickled slices and a beetroot crisp. The fish was the start of the show though, enhanced by the beetroot, perfectly cooked and flaking apart if you so much as looked at it the right – or maybe wrong – way.

A fabulous middle dish was next up, with a dim sum dumpling filled with soft strands of Berkshire Ferkel piglet, and red prawn, a chunk of slow roasted piglet, all dressed in a delightful dashi and Black Forest miso broth. It was dressed with micro herbs and it tasted fabulous. If I was going to upset my digestive system with pork, I might as well do it for this sort of quality in both cooking and provenance. It would be worth the slightly queasy morning for the night before.

For the wine, I’d gone with the sommelier’s recommendation, and we had drunk a 2017 Lösswand Weisser Burgunder from Arndt Köbelin, a wind from old vines (over 45 year’s old), with the winemaker ensuring a low yield, and then aging the wine in oak barrels. It was an excellent choice, which is why we trusted him to recommend a red wine for the meat and cheese courses. This time he sold us a Fritz Wassmer Syrah from 2015, which was fruit and perfect for what we wanted.

The main dish, which is not to take away from the dishes that went before, was venison with parsley root, wild cauliflower, pear chutney and hazelnut potato noodles. Every time we thought they couldn’t outdo the previous effort, they promptly did. The softness of the meat, the tenderness of it and the way it almost fell apart when you got your knife to it, pointed to a man with a sous vide machine who really, really knows how to use it properly. The pears were sweet and offset the meat and the density of the sauce, and the potato noodles were nicely buttery, complemented by the hazelnuts. It was heaven on a plate.

We’d got to the dessert or cheese point and now we had another decision to make. In the end though, it was an easy choice. We would have one of each. The staff are obviously used to this sort of thing, and quiet happily brought extra plates, cutlery and anything else we might need to divide up the spoils! Chocolate soil, a chocolate and plum layered mousse, plum ice cream, and a cute little chocolate and nut muffin made an excellent dessert, the whole suffused with the warmth of cardamom, and drizzled with a port jus. It was pretty to look at, and superb on the tongue. Of course it helps that I love plums in their many and varied forms, and of course we both love port, so it was pretty much guaranteed to be a late summer winner.

A selection of raw milk cheeses from Affineur Waltmann provided an excellent finish, with some very good bread and local fruit chutneys (plum, mirabelle).

The atmosphere is pleasantly casual, the food anything but casual with a precision and attention to detail that means every mouthful is rewarding, delicious, and memorable. A Michelin star is no less than this place deserves. We paid the bill – after a bit of uncertainty as they generally don’t take VISA only MasterCard or cash. Whatever the case, the payment went through so everyone was happy! And then we had to drive back to Glottertal. Strangely, the route down the mountain seemed a lot shorter, so the SatNav promptly misdirected me on the way out of Freiburg and instantly added 10 minutes to the journey time. The Gasthaus has rooms, at quite reasonable rates, so if there’s a next time, I’ll look at staying there instead.

Food 2019 – Alsace and Baden, Day 14, Gasthaus zum Raben, Horben Thursday, 26th September 2019 – Raben, Horben On Thursday evening we set off on a white-knuckled drive from Glottertal, through Freiburg and up to the village of Horben, which seemed to involve rather more hairpin bends than I cared for, as well as fairly dramatic stretch when we first had to run on the tram lines, and then had to dive through a single lane arch that the trams also shared!

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laurallama52-blog · 5 years

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Vegan French dip sandwich with au jus

If comfort food to you is dunking a savory vegan French dip sandwich with jackfruit into a full-bodied au jus, do I have a treat for you… This hearty sandwich is served on toasted ciabatta with sautéed onions and horseradish mayonnaise.

I am so excited to share today’s vegan French dip sandwich recipe with you!

This hearty sandwich has been in the works for months. However, once the Thanksgiving cooking season arrived, I had to put it on the back burner for holiday foods. Now that there’s a little breather, it’s time to share it with you.

This is one of my favorite recipes I’ve ever created. It really scratches that nostalgia itch.

Vegan roast beef is loaded onto toasted ciabatta with sautéed onions, and a spread of horseradish mayonnaise.

But the real star of this show is the vegan au jus.

It doesn’t get cozier than dunking a savory sandwich into warm broth, rich with the flavors of red wine, onions, garlic, and vegan Worcestershire.

Vegan roast beef

The filling for this sandwich is vegan roast beef. It’s made with jackfruit.

You may recall that not too long ago, I was lukewarm on jackfruit. Oh, how things have changed!

As I mentioned in my post on jackfruit carnitas, I discovered that there are two secrets for making jackfruit really sing. (You can also see the specific kind of jackfruit I buy in that post.)

The first is breaking the jackfruit up in a food processor, so that it can get very piece-y. The smaller the pieces, the more the cooking liquid can really permeate it.

The second is finishing the cooked & seasoned jackfruit with tahini.

I know it sounds strange at first. But tahini masks any remaining flavor of brine from the can. It blends it away, like a brush on a canvas.

It adds a little bump of protein to the dish.

And it gives the “meat” some stickiness. That works particularly well when you’re making vegan roast beef. It also means that it will hold together better in a sandwich.

This vegan roast beef gets some of its richness from dry red wine. I recommend something like Tempranillo, Garnacha, or Carmenere.

La Granja Tempranillo and Albero Tempranillo, sold at Trader Joe’s, are both labeled vegan right on the bottle. That’s really handy. But if in doubt, you can also check out Barnivore to find out whether or not a wine is vegan.

Vegan au jus

Au jus is French for “with the juice.” It refers to the “juices” that come off a roast while it’s cooking.

I’ve always thought that referring to the liquid that comes off of meat as “juice” is a bit of a stretch as far as euphemisms go. (Hint: That’s not cranapple. It’s myoglobin.)

Obviously, vegan au jus is made differently. Instead it involves sautéed onions, garlic, and red wine.

(Hey, when you think about it, the vegan version is more deserving of the name “au jus” since grape juice is actually involved.)

It’s rounded out with tamari, vegetarian beef bouillon, and vegan Worcestershire.

Often Worcestershire is made with anchovies. So be sure to look for the kind labeled “vegetarian.” I use the kind by Edward & Sons with the wizard on the bottle. Annie’s is good too.

Make the au jus separately from the vegan roast beef

When I was creating this recipe, I tried cooking the jackfruit with extra broth – so that some of it could simply be set aside for the au jus. What I found out is that the au jus is much, much better when it’s cooked separately.

Young jackfruit is canned in brine. When it cooks with the au jus, it imparts some of that brine flavor. It also dilutes some of the other strong, umami flavors. So it’s much better to cook the vegan roast beef and au jus separately for best results.

Horseradish mayonnaise

Several years ago I wrote a post called, “Why do vegans eat things that taste like meat?”

The short answer is that vegans don’t want animals to suffer. But they don’t have an ethical issue with smoky flavors, chewy textures, and umami.

As I also mentioned in that post, sometimes the part of a dish you really crave is the sauce or spread served with it.

Take a French dip from Arby’s. I used to eat them occasionally before I was vegetarian or vegan. But what I really looked forward to was the horsey sauce that I squeezed on top of it.

Horsey sauce is basically a horseradish mayonnaise. That’s something that’s easy to emulate without animal products – especially since horseradish is already plant-based.

I used to adore the nose-clearing pungency of horseradish – whether it was in a cocktail sauce or spread. It has a very specific flavor that you either love or hate.

(If you’re in the “hate” camp, just use vegan mayo for this sandwich. If you’re in the love camp, get to Trader Joe’s! They have a new horseradish & chive potato chip that would be terrific with this sandwich.)

Horseradish is a root, like turmeric or ginger. But for this recipe, I’m talking about prepared horseradish. Prepared horseradish comes in a jar. It’s made with horseradish, vinegar, and salt.

I buy the kind sold by Bubbies. It is in the refrigerated section, next to the sauerkraut. But you can also find shelf-stable versions in the pantry section of the store. Any prepared horseradish will work fine for this recipe.

This vegan French dip is served on a ciabatta baguette that’s been cut down to sandwich size and toasted. (If you’d prefer, you can use demi ciabatta baguettes, cut in half, or ciabatta rolls instead.)

How to make a vegan French dip sandwich

To make a vegan French dip sandwich, start with the au jus.

Sauté onions and garlic in a soup pot. Then add water, no beef Better Than Bouillon, tamari, vegan Worcestershire, and dry red wine.

Bring the liquid to a low simmer. Then let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes, so that it can reduce.

You’ll want it to reduce by about a cup. When it’s ready to go, there will be about 2 cups of au jus.

While the au jus is reducing, you can move on to the vegan roast beef.

Drain and rinse canned young jackfruit. Dry it off. Then move it to a food processor. Pulse the food processor 5 or 6 times, until it’s broken up in shredded pieces.

Then heat a large non-stick skillet with oil. Put the jackfruit in an even layer across the skillet.

(Be careful not to overfill it, because the jackfruit won’t brown as nicely in a crowded pan. Work in batches, if necessary.)

Don’t move the jackfruit for a few minutes. Allow it to get fully brown on one side, then flip the jackfruit shreds and allow it to brown more.

Once the jackfruit is browned & dry, it’s time to fill it with flavor.

Add water, no beef Better Than Bouillon, red wine, tamari, and vegan Worcestershire sauce to the skillet. Fully combine it with the jackfruit, and bring the liquid to a simmer.

Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until all of the liquid has cooked off. Then stir in tahini, and fully incorporate it with the jackfruit.

Sauté onions in a skillet to top the sandwiches.

Then cut a ciabatta baguette into equal sandwich-sized pieces. Cut the sandwiches in half, and toast them in the skillet, cut side down.

Slather the toasted bread with horseradish mayonnaise, made with mayo & prepared horseradish.

Top the sandwiches with vegan roast beef, a sprinkling of non-dairy cheese, and sautéed onions.

Put the open faced sandwiches back into the skillet, bring to a low heat, and cover. Once the cheese is mostly melted, top with the remaining ciabatta halves.

Divide the au jus into four small bowls.

(There should be enough for about ½ cup of au jus per sandwich. That is a generous amount of au jus. If you don’t need quite so much per person, feel free to halve the au jus portion of the recipe.)

Serve each vegan French dip sandwich with individual au jus for dipping.

Cadry Nelson

4 sandwiches & 2 cups vegan au jus

Vegan French dip sandwich with au jus

This vegan French dip sandwich is positively loaded with flavor. Jackfruit is used as the vegan roast beef. It's flavored with red wine, vegan Worcestershire, tamari, and broth. It's then served with a savory au jus for dipping. And slathered on top? Horseradish mayo. When you really need cozy comfort food, this sandwich is it.

10 minPrep Time

40 minCook Time

50 minTotal Time

5 based on 4 review(s)

Ingredients

For vegan au jus*

1 teaspoon organic canola oil

1/4 cup chopped onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups water

2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon , no-beef base

1/4 cup dry red wine (I especially like Carmenere, Garnacha, or Tempranillo)

2 teaspoons tamari

1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire

For vegan roast beef

1 20 ounce can young green jackfruit in water or brine (not syrup)**

1 teaspoon organic canola oil

1 cup water

1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon, no-beef base

1/4 cup dry red wine (I especially like Carmenere, Garnacha, or Tempranillo)

1 teaspoon tamari

1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire

1 Tablespoon tahini

For horseradish mayonnaise

1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise)

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish (I use Bubbies)

For vegan French dip sandwich

1 teaspoon organic canola oil

1 small yellow onion, sliced in half & cut into thin half moons

1 ciabatta baguette, cut into 4 even sandwich-sized pieces and sliced in half***

1/2 cup grated mild non-dairy cheese (I used Violife vegan parmesan), divided****

Instructions

For vegan au jus

Bring a soup pot to a medium heat with oil. Saute onions and garlic in oil for a few minutes, until softened, translucent, and fragrant.

Add 3 cups water, 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon, 1/4 cup dry red wine, 2 teaspoons tamari, and 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire. Bring to a low simmer.

Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, so that the au jus ran reduce. (It needs to reduce by one cup. When it's ready, there will be about 2 cups of au jus.)

For vegan roast beef

While the au jus is reducing, start on the vegan roast beef. Drain and rinse the jackfruit in a colander. Then move the jackfruit pieces to a towel, so that they will be as dry as possible. (Lots of extra water on it will make it harder to brown.)

Move the jackfruit pieces to a food processor. Pulse the food processor a few times, until the jackfruit is broken up into shredded pieces. (Don't do it so many times that you end up with jackfruit hummus. Just 5 or 6 pulses should be good.)

Bring a large non-stick skillet to a medium high heat with a teaspoon of oil. Put an even layer of shredded jackfruit in the skillet. (If you're using a medium sized skillet or smaller, be careful not to overfill it. Work in batches, if necessary. It won't brown as well if there's too much in the skillet.) Don't move the jackfruit for a few minutes. Allow it to get fully brown on one side, then flip the jackfruit shreds and allow it to brown more.

Once the jackfruit is browned & dry, it's time to fill it with flavor. Add 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon, 1/4 cup red wine, 1 teaspoon tamari, and 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire to the skillet. Fully combine it with the jackfruit. You want the liquid to be at a simmer, so adjust your heat accordingly. Allow the jackfruit to simmer in the liquid for ten to twelve minutes, until all of the liquid has cooked off.

Once the liquid has cooked off, turn off the heat. Put the tahini on top of the jackfruit. Use your spatula to fully incorporate the jackfruit with the tahini, making sure it's evenly combined.

For horseradish mayonnaise

In a small bowl, combine vegan mayonnaise with prepared horseradish.

For vegan French dip sandwich

Bring a non-stick skillet to a medium heat with oil. Scatter thinly sliced onions across the skillet. Saute for a few minutes, until softened & fragrant. Remove the onions from the skillet.

Place the sliced baguette sandwiches onto the skillet, cut side down. (You may need to work in batches, depending on the size of your skillet.) Cook for a minute or two, until they are toasted on one side.

Remove the baguette sandwiches from the skillet. Turn off the heat. Slather the cut side of the sandwiches with horseradish mayonnaise. Then top the bottom halves of the sandwiches with several spoonfuls of vegan roast beef, 2 Tablespoons of grated non-dairy cheese per sandwich, and a sprinkling of sauteed onions. Turn the skillet to low, and put the sandwiches back into the skillet. Cover the sandwiches, so that the cheese can melt. Once it's melted (or mostly melted), turn off the heat.

Top the sandwiches with the remaining top halves of the baguette. Evenly divide the au jus into four bowls. (There should be enough for 1/2 cup of au jus per sandwich.)

Notes

*This makes a generous amount of au jus, about 1/2 cup per sandwich (2 cups total). If you aren't as into dunking, feel free to halve the au jus portion of the recipe.

**Do NOT use fresh, ripe jackfruit for this recipe. The flavor is entirely different. Ripe jackfruit is a sweet fruit. Young jackfruit sold in cans is very mild in flavor. That means it's the only good choice for savory applications.

***I used a ciabatta baguette sliced into 4 sandwiches. However, as an alternative, you could use 2 demi ciabatta baguettes sliced in half, or 4 individual ciabatta rolls.

****I recommend using a mild flavored non-dairy cheese for these sandwiches like parmesan or provolone. I grated the cheese for my sandwiches, but slices would also work.

7.8.1.2

271

https://cadryskitchen.com/2018/11/27/vegan-french-dip-sandwich/

Disclosure: Post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Source: https://cadryskitchen.com/2018/11/27/vegan-french-dip-sandwich/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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livingcorner · 3 years

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Winter in the Vegetable Patch

“Winter” means different things to different people – it all depends on where you live! There are two distinct winters for people across Australia:

Mild in the warm temperate, subtropical and tropical climates (north coast of New South Wales right up to Cairns and across the top end).

Cold in southern regions (from the central coast of NSW across the continent to Perth and all points south).

Winter Climates Explained

A normal winter’s day in your area greatly influences your vegetable and herb gardening.

You're reading: Winter in the Vegetable Patch

Find out what type of winter you can expect based on where you live:

Warm temperate, subtropical and tropical regions

Winter means:

The dry season from April to September.

Low humidity and rainfall.

Warm, sunny days but chilly nights.

This weather is fairly typical of winter from the north coast of New South Wales right up to Cairns, as well as the northern coastline of Western Australia and the ‘top end’.

Inland regions may experience much colder nights but the days will still be mild to warm.

Colder regions

Read more: Feeding Birds | When To Feed Garden Birds – The RSPB

From the central coast of NSW across the continent to Perth and all points south, winter is:

Typically quite cold, often sunny but long stretches of ‘grey’ cloudy days are common.

An average temperature hovering around the low to mid teens.

Frosty in inland areas.

The snow season on higher peaks.

What to Grow in Winter: Colder Regions

In areas where night time temperatures may drop to eight degrees celsius or lower and where the soil is also cold (15 degrees celsius or less):

Sowing and planting of new crops into the garden is generally not recommended.

When the soil is cold, sap flow in plants is sluggish, roots take up minimal moisture and nutrients and growth slows right down.

Seeds will not germinate until the soil warms again in spring, and young seedlings may succumb to the cold before they have a chance to acclimatise and start growing.

Mid year in the south is mostly about harvesting the traditional winter crops while waiting for the weather to warm up in spring for the sowing and planting of summer vegetables.

What You Can Do:

It’s the right time for lifting, dividing and replanting crowns of the following:

Rhubarb

Asparagus

Horseradish

Globe artichoke

Some seeds may be sown into seed trays kept indoors or under cover for warmth, to produce seedlings ready to plant out into the garden in early spring. They include:

Broad beans

Onions

Spinach

Silverbeet and rainbow chard

The winter vegetable plot should be producing a good range of cold season crops including:

Cabbage and cauliflower

Broccoli and broccolini

Brussels sprouts

Kale including Tuscan kale

Winter lettuce (‘pick and come again’ varieties)

Silverbeet

Care Tip

To keep these crops growing and producing well, feed them with Scotts Performance Naturals

Vegetable & Herb Organic Based Fertiliser every 3 months

What to Grow in Winter: Warmer Regions

In the warm temperate to tropical regions of Australia, temperatures during the day may range from the low to high 20s even though nights may be chilly (below 10 in some parts). In these areas, soils absorb heat from the sun during the day and retain most of that warmth overnight.

That’s good news for those wanting to grow vegetables and herbs year-round!

Mid-winter is a great time for sowing vegetable and herb seeds and planting out seedlings – even of some of those crops more often associated with cold areas like cabbage, cauliflower, kale and turnips.

Seeds of the following may be sown now either direct into the soil or into seed trays for later transplanting:

Beetroot

Silverbeet

Spinach

Carrots

Lettuce (all types)

Beans (bush and climbing)

Spring or green onions

Leeks

Fennel

Peas (snow/sugar snap and shelling varieties)

Mid year is also a great time for planting tuberous and perennial crops like:

Jerusalem artichoke

Galangal

Ginger

Turmeric

Rhubarb

Asparagus

Globe artichoke

Whatever you are planting or sowing, remember to:

Fertilise the soil well before you start with Scotts Performance Naturals

Vegetable & Herb Organic Based Fertiliser

Water in well

Watch for chewing and sucking insect pests, and apply the non-systemic Defender Pyrethrum Insect Spray to control them if necessary.

Preparing the Patch

Successful vegetable and herb gardening, especially in winter, requires good soil preparation.

Read more: EARLY SPRING GARDENING: WHAT TO PLANT AND WHEN – IFA Country Stores

Young plants will struggle to establish and thrive if the soil is under-nourished.

Before sowing seeds or planting out seedlings:

Apply even more nutrients

Organic material slowly releases nutrients as it decomposes and breaks down.

To give plants a boost when it’s needed most, topdress with one or more of the following:

Scotts Performance Naturals

Vegetable & Herb Organic Based Fertiliser

Blood and bone

Fish emulsion

Aged manures

Scotts Performance Naturals

Soil Improver designed for digging into soils

Working and turning the soil

Over time, soil can become compacted and hard.

This is detrimental to plants because it:

Reduces the air space in the soil.

Makes it difficult for water to soak in.

Prevents plant roots from easily penetrating the soil.

Working the soil helps to break it up to:

Create pockets of air that are essential for plant growth.

Allow roots to grow and develop.

Let water penetrate down to the roots.

Release nutrients and allow them to move down through the soil.

Encourage the return of earthworms and beneficial microbes.

Lead to a soil that is healthy and alive.

Source: https://livingcorner.com.au Category: Garden

source https://livingcorner.com.au/winter-in-the-vegetable-patch/

#livingcornernews

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