Archive for September, 2009
Monday, September 28th, 2009
Garden Success Tip of the Week
___ Late August and early September is the best time for core aerating, seeding, and applying a starter fertilizer to your new seed, applying the first fall feeding of the lawn, and if needed, total lawn renovation. Timing for feeding and core aerating can continue on into and thru October if needed.
___ Plant fall colors such as mums, asters, Montauk daisies, pansies, cold hardy annuals, ornamental grasses, late – blooming perennials, ornamental cabbage and kale, etc. Change out the summer annuals in your containers for these fall bloomers.
___ Dig and divide most spring and early summer flowering perennials as needed. Late summer is the time for iris and peonies.
___ Bring tropical plants that have been outside all summer, indoors, before night temperatures reach mid 50’s. Acclimate them in the shade for 10 days. Then, be sure to inspect and treat for insects and other critter before bringing them indoors.
___ Apply Preen in the fall to help prevent winter annuals from germinating (chickweed, henbit, purslane).
___ Continue to remove all dead foliage from perennials and clean up left over annuals and veggie plants. Cut them off and leave the roots. They will break down and add organic matter back to the soil. Place disease free dead foliage in the compost pile.
___ Start a compost pile; it doesn’t take much space. Today’s yard debris can become tomorrow’s garden gold as a soil amendment. Grass clippings, finely ground leaves, small sticks, vegetable trimmings from the kitchen, spent flowers and foliage, etc, can all be added to the compost pile.
___ Clean up areas around fruiting trees and plants to get rid of fallen fruits, diseased leaves and branches, etc.
___ Start (or pot from outdoors) herbs for growing indoors over the winter.
___ Keep those leaves from accumulating on the lawn, especially newly seeded lawns. In mature lawns, feel free to return some of those leaves back to the soil by mowing them into finer pieces. Grass clippings and finely ground leaves actually creates thin layer composting right there in the turf!
___ Check for cracks and crevices, torn or loose screens, anywhere that winter invading insects can get into the house, and seal those up! For added protection, create an insect barrier around the foundation with an insecticide.
___ Cover water gardens with nylon netting to keep leaves and debris out.
___ Keep planting trees and shrubs. As long as the soil is workable and the weather is good, you can plant all through the rest of the year. Fall is thee best time for planting most trees, shrubs, evergreens, perennials, lawns, etc.
___ Protect younger trees from deer damage (bucks rubbing) with trunk protectors.
___ Protect deer browse susceptible plants with DeerScram / Liquid Fence / Repels All.
___ Transplant trees and shrubs and perennials that need to be moved in the yard.
___ Expect your evergreens to shed inner needles during the fall. It’s a normal process.
___ Plant spring flowering bulbs like tulips, daffodils, crocus, hyacinths, anemones, alliums, etc. Plant several in pots for bringing indoors early next spring. October is the best time for planting spring bulbs.
___ Fall is the best time to go after those broadleaf weeds in the landscape and lawns. Using a weed killer in the fall works better as the weeds are taking in nutrients and storing them in their roots for winter, so they take in the weed killer as well.
___ Dig, clean and store summer bulbs (cannas, tuberous begonias, gladiolas, caladiums, etc.) in a cool dark place for replanting next year. Let the light early frosts kill the tops, then dig and store away.
___ Keep mowing the lawn on a regular basis (change directions each time you mow) until the lawn has stopped growing. For the last 2 cuts, feel free to lower your mower one notch (optional). When the lawn has stopped growing for the season, mow it one last time, and then feed with a high N fertilizer. Then, go have your mower serviced!
___ Gather frost sensitive fruits and veggies before Jack Frost takes them out!
___ Till the garden this fall. Exposed soils freeze and thaw over the winter and helps to break up that heavy soil. Add a layer of compost, pine soil conditioner, or finely ground leaves and grass clippings before you till.
___ Feed the trees in fall. Vertical mulching or soil injection with a Ross Root feeder works great. Feed evergreens (if needed) late fall ½ rate.
___ Feed the birds, and clean your feeders if it hasn’t been done recently. Make sure your birds have a source of water over the winter, as well as landscaping for the birds, including evergreens, plants with seeds or berries, and thicker growing shrubs.
___ Have your soil tested. Many adjustments can be made this fall and early next spring.
___ Clean, oil and properly store all garden tools when the season is over. Also, drain and coil all hoses and store where they won’t freeze. Properly store all chemicals to keep them from freezing.
___ Empty or properly store containers and planters to prevent freezing and damages to the pots.
___ Clean out those gutters and down spouts to prevent ice clogs during the winter.
___ Brighten your holidays by planting amaryllis and paperwhite bulbs. They take 6 weeks or so to flower, so plan accordingly. Plant them on staggered times to have colors all winter long.
___ Spray evergreens (as needed) with WiltStop for greater winter protection. Spray later this fall /early winter.
___ Do not cover roses for the winter until late in the year, after the plants have gone dormant and the soil is close to or frozen. Reduce long branches as needed, but save serious pruning for next spring.
___ Winter mulching should not be done until the ground is frozen, or at least down into the lower 40’s or colder.
[Is it possible to be totally partial?]
Tags: fall garden checklist, fall gardening
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Monday, September 28th, 2009
Garden Questions of the Week
Now that fall has arrived, we always get the question” What do you think the fall color will be like this year?” And if there’s one thing I have learned over the years, is that no matter what you know about things that affect fall leaf color, never try to predict fall color intensity! I’m not sure I’ve ever been right. So here are the basics – then you can make your own fall color predictions.
Fall colors are ‘generally’ determined by the day length, temperatures, and moisture in the ground. During the season, chlorophyll is produced in large amounts daily, which is green and gives the leaves their green color. There are other pigments there (sugars), but are masked over by the chlorophyll (those sugars are passed back into the tree for nutrients or released at night through the stomates – small openings on the undersides of their leaves). But as the fall season approaches, days get shorter, photosynthesis slows down, and less chlorophyll is produced. In the meantime, sugars continue to build up in the leaves (due to cooler nights the stomates won’t open to release sugars). And at the same time, a signal is given for the leaf to produce the ‘abscission layer’ at the end of the leaf stem, which begins to separate the leaf from the branch that its growing on and stops sugars from moving back into the plant. So the sugars remain in the leaves. Sugars build up, chlorophyll reduces down, the green pigment disappears, while the other pigments of orange, red and yellow begin to show, giving you the fall colors.
This overall process is heavily affected by day length, temperatures, and soil moisture. Sunny, warm days followed by cool nights, along with even soil moisture, provides the best fall color. The leaves produce more sugar on warm sunny days, and cool night temperatures keeps those sugars in the leaves. Pigments are formed in those sugars, so the more sugars, the more color. Too much fall rain (or too little), early frosts or freezing temperatures, cloudy days, cloudy cold days, as well as warm nights can all help to diminish fall color brilliance. And guess what else can affect colors? Weather during the growing season can also have an effect on fall colors. Heavy spring rains, or hot dry summers can have a deleterious effect on fall colors. Fall colors that appear ‘out of season’ means the plants were stressed from drought, insects, low soil fertility, root problems, etc. So, now you see why it’s so hard to predict fall color intensity! Good luck!
[Can vegetarians eat animal crackers?]
Tags: fall color, fall leaf color
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Monday, September 28th, 2009
From the Garden to the Kitchen with Culinary Expert, Rita Heikenfeld
MY FAVORITE STUFFED MUSHROOMS
1 pound sausage (your favorite – I like to mix hot and Italian together)
1/2 pound hot sausage
2 cups Mozzarella cheese
Handful of fresh basil, chopped (opt)
Fresh mushrooms
Chopped parsley for garnish (opt)
Preheat oven to 350 or 375. Mix sausages, cheese and basil together. Remove stems from mushrooms and, if desired, chop finely and add to the sausage and cheese. Stuff caps. Place on baking sheet and bake, uncovered, about 30 minutes or until done. Serve hot – can be micro-waved to re-warm.
For more recipes from Rita Heikenfeld, CCP, visit www.abouteating.com
[When sign makers go on strike, is anything written on their signs?]
That’s it for this Week
OBKB. That’s it for this week. Don’t forget – NO newsletter next week. Now, do yourself a favor. Go out and have the best weekend of your life. I will – my daughter’s getting married! See ya. RW, the Yardboy. (Go Bucks, Cats, Bengals, and Tony Stewart!)
Tags: stuffed mushrooms
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Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
Garden Success Tip of the Week
Growing Your Own Buckeye Tree – The genus ‘Aesculus’ covers a wide array of trees and shrubs including Japanese Horsechestnut, Indian Horsechestnut, Red Horsechestnut, Common Horsechestnut, many ‘hybrid’ Buckeyes, California Buckeye, Chinese Buckeye, Texas Buckeye, Yellow Buckeye, Bottlebrush Buckeye, Red Buckeye, Painted Buckeye, and of course, Aesculus glabra, or commonly known as “The Ohio Buckeye”.
Ohio is the Buckeye State, and Ohioans are known as “Buckeyes”. And, of course, there is that little tie in with the greatest college in the U.S., The Ohio State University, as they are “The Buckeyes”, along with their mascot “Brutus Buckeye”. And when it comes time for college football, the buckeye seeds become a major part buckeye fans wardrobes. That’s when buckeye fans start thinking about having their own buckeye tree, not only to commemorate the state of Ohio, but to show loyalty and pay homage to The Ohio State University. (Okay, I’m a Buckeye grad – what can I say?) So, how do you grow you own from a buckeye seed? Actually, it’s fairly simple.
Growing a Buckeye from a Seed - Collecting the seeds: Buckeye seeds ripen by September and usually begin to fall from the trees mid September and into October. Collect fresh seeds as soon as they fall to the ground (good luck fighting the squirrels for them!) Separate the seed from the leathery covering or husk, and your buckeye seeds are ready to plant. Yes, they are planted fresh, and must not be allowed to dry out. Planting the seeds: Fresh buckeye seeds are either planted in the fall (in the ground or in pots), or stored in the refrigerator for planting in the spring. If planted outdoors in the fall, make sure they are protected from squirrels and other rodents with chicken wire or screen mesh. Buckeye seeds generally need a cold period of around 120 days before they germinate, but don’t be surprised if they begin to root and send up a shoot before winter arrives. Plant the seeds about 2 inches deep (about an inch or so over the top of the seed), protect from the squirrels, and keep them moist, but not wet. A light layer of mulch will help. If you decide to hold the seeds and plant in the spring, place them in some damp peat moss inside a plastic bag and store them in the refrigerator for 4 months. If you have room, they can also be planted in small pots (4-5 inch) and stored in the fridge. Once they have developed a white root, they can be planted in the ground or in pots. Again, once outside, protect from the squirrels. Note: I would suggest growing them in pots for the first 2-3 years, and then planting the young buckeyes in the ground. Be sure to water and feed as needed during the growing season. And you will have better success growing them in a filtered sun or partially shaded area for those first 2-3 years. Do plant more than you would like. Germination rates are rarely 100%. Or, you can skip all of this and go purchase one from your local independent garden store!
Poisonous Seed? The Buckeye seed, or nut, has considerable folklore from mystical qualities, to good luck charm, to being a cure for rheumatism and other ailments. The seed, or nut, is bitter and if eaten in quantity, is poisonous to man. According to OSU Extension, “Toxicity of buckeye is attributed to glycosides (e.g., aesculin, fraxin), saponin (aescin), and possibly alkaloids. Sprouts and leaves produced in early spring and seeds are especially poisonous. However, experimental feedings have shown that poisoning does not always follow buckeye consumption. Affected animals exhibit depression, incoordination, twitching, paralysis, inflammation of mucous membranes, and vomiting. Colic has also been reported in poisoned horses. Treated animals usually survive. In the spring, while waiting for other forage to become available, animals should not be allowed to graze in woodland pastures where there are buckeye sprouts.” Bottom line – have fun with the nuts but just don’t eat them! One last note: GO BUCKS! J
By the way, I am also a big Bearcat Fan, Kentucky Wildcat Fan, and a Bengals Fan. But I don’t have any Success Tips on raising these critters!
[Why do you have to "put in your two cents worth", but it's only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's the extra penny going?]
Tags: buckeye
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Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
Plant of the Week
This week, we’re letting Buggy Joe Boggs pick the plant of the week! And BJB says – drum roll please – Liriope spicata, or commonly known as ‘Lilyturf’. So, why do you like this plant Joseph? “Well, this dark green somewhat evergreen grassy looking plant is often overlooked because it doesn’t really stand out during the season. But, once it starts to flower in late summer, then it starts to get noticed. It’s an excellent groundcover, spreads quickly, and gives a great grassy groundcover look. Grows in sun or shade, works great around tree roots, and is even available in a variegated selection. I’ve even seen it planted in containers. But as far as I’m concerned, you can’t beat a nice full groundcover bed (or low grassy border planting) filled with green Liriope.” And there you have it, straight from the insect and disease infested Buggy Joe Boggs!
AMERICAN GARDEN AWARD / First Winners – For the first time, this year Americans were asked to vote for their favorite flower (six flowers to chose from) that were grown at 17 prestigious gardens across America. The winners are: Rudbeckia “TigerEye Gold”, Petunia “Baby Duck Yellow”, and Pentas “Northern Lights Lavender”. For more info, visit their website at www.americangardenaward.org.
[If a 911 operator has a heart attack, who do they call?]
Tags: lilyturf
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Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
Problems in the Garden this Week
This week, the ever popular funny man of The OSU Extension (who is totally bug and disease infested) Buggy Joe Boggs is reporting damages to corn not only from raccoons, but from skunks as well (best mode of defense in an electric fence around the corn patch), black scurf on potatoes (tubers covered with dark brown / black flaky blotches), lady bug larvae feeding on Magnolia scale, walnut anthracnose on the leaves, leaf blotch on Buckeye leaves, powdery mildew on a multitude of plant leaves, iron chlorosis of oak and sweetgum, manganese deficiency on maples, continued reports of verticillium on several woody plants (individual branches dying out), root rot on holly, continued reports of black knot on plums and fireblight on pears, yellow poplar weevil feeding on, nope, you guessed wrong, Magnolia leaves, late season caterpillars on the move feeding here and there, lacebugs continuing their activity on hawthorn, azaleas, oaks, etc, tar spots on maple leaves, more reports of bald faced hornet nests than usual, and a BJB reminder that the OSU Farm Science Review is this week (Sept. 22,23,24) – visit fsr.osu.edu.
-Catch The Buggy Joe Boggs Report every Saturday at 8:42am on 55KRC The Talk Station.
[Why do folks say they slept like a baby, when babies wake up every two or three hours?]
Tags: lady bug larvae, Raccoons, Skunks
Posted in Problems in the Garden This Week | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
Garden Questions of the Week
“How late in the fall can I plant grass seed?” -Technically, all fall. But here’s the kicker. Planting grass seed late August and early September (assuming good soil moisture / proper planting, etc) pretty much assures you that the seed will germinate quickly, get rooted in and ready to go. You’ll probably get multiple mowings on the new grass which helps it root better and harden off. So the earlier the seeding the better. The longer into the fall that you wait, the optimum germination and growing conditions window begins to close. Temps get colder, days get shorter, etc, etc, so you play with the weather more. And there will be some point where the see will not germinate, and will sit dormant until next year. So the earlier you can seed, the better off your new grass will be.
“How late in the fall can I core aerate?” -Assuming no new seeding in the fall (core aerate before you seed), technically you can core aerate well into and maybe thru October (all weather pending). We would like to aerate while the grass is actively growing, so it has time to ‘recover’ from the aeration process. If you miss this fall, it can be done next spring.
“When did you say is the best time to spot treat for broadleaf weeds in our lawn? We’re trying to get rid of Creeping Charlie.” -Mid to late October. At this time, the weeds are still active, yet are beginning to shut down for the winter – and they’re pushing all the foods down into the roots. So when you spot treat in October, you’ll get better action from the weed killer as more of it is taken right down to the roots and wipes out the weed, roots and all. You may have to spot treat a little for Charlie in the spring, but October treatments are the best. Remember – a thicker lawn means less Creeping Charlie and those other pesky weeds, so work to keep that lawn thicker and fuller. Weeds don’t choke out the grass – weeds move in where the grass is thinning out.
“We bought a few container grown trees from your outlet sale and when I pulled one out of the pot, I noticed the roots are thick on the outside of the root ball. Did I understand we need to loosen those up somehow? If so – how?” -Yes, if the roots are thick along the inside of the pot and growing in a circle, it’s important to massage those roots loose so they will grow outward rather than in a circle. And this goes for any container grown plant! Sometimes you can massage them loose, but sometimes you have to use a soil knife or sharp spade and cut them a bit to loosen them up. We shot a video on planting container trees. Check it out on our website.
“My mother in law was at a class and was told to throw out any frozen or canned tomatoes from this season’s harvest, due to a blight of some type. Is that true?” -Well, assuming they were talking about Late Blight, if the tomatoes were indeed infected with Late Blight, then yes. But if they weren’t, there is no reason to just throw away all frozen or canned tomatoes because Late Blight has been detected in the state! I’m not a “canner” so I went to the USDA. The USDA recommends that canners only use disease-free, preferably vine ripened firm tomatoes for canning. Fruit that shows symptoms of late blight should not be used. (The same applies for tomatoes that have been damaged by frost, and not used same day.) The disease itself is not harmful to eat (although it’s not recommended), but if internal molding has started or other fungal infections have started, the fruit may have a higher level of pH which can make it unsafe for canning. They may also harbor other organisms that could cause food borne illness. This also applies to potatoes which are affected by Late Blight. (Info from the USDA) So, if you’re doing the processing yourself, watch for Late Blight infected fruit and don’t use it. If you’re buying frozen or canned tomatoes from another source, you may want to ask them about whether or not their plants had been infected, or if they were aware of Late Blight being detected on some tomatoes this year, and then make a decision.
“Does deadheading my mums as the flowers become spent help to produce more flowers for the fall?” -Unfortunately it won’t increase flowers for the fall, as the flower buds are all set at the same time. But, it does clear the way for the flower buds to have more sunlight and more room to open up fully – and deadheading mums keeps them looking a little nicer as well. By the way, to be more successful in getting your mums to come back next year, 1.) Get them planted as soon as you can to give them time to get rooted in before winter, and keep them watered as needed 2.) Deadhead the spent flowers so the plant will concentrate on putting energy into the roots rather than those old flowers 3.) Don’t cut them back at the end of the season. Studies in colder temperatures have found that leaving your mum’s dead foliage alone over the winter, and then cutting it back in the early spring, may actually help to improve its winter hardiness.
“I’m already seeing paperwhite bulbs for sale at the local garden stores. Isn’t it too early to start those indoors?” -Well, it depends on when you want them to flower. Remember, it takes about 6-8 weeks from the time you start watering them until they are in flower. So, whenever you want them in flower, count back 6-8 weeks and that’s when you start. As soon as they get water, they will respond and start growing. And you can regulate flowering time, by placing them in warm temperatures for faster growth, and cooler temperatures for slower growth.
“We’re planting new trees in our yard, and we do have deer in the area. Anything we should to help protect these trees?” -YES! A newly planted tree becomes a scratching post to those bucks rubbing their antlers. Protect your new investments with tree guards, tree wrap, bark shields, plastic sleeves, as well as the additional use of deer repellents such as Liquid Fence, DeerScram, Repels All, or Milorganite. Keep those protectors on the new tree trunks over the entire winter, and remove them late next spring.
“I just planted a tree from your Outlet Sale, and the leaves have started to fall off? What did I do wrong?” -Assuming correct planting and watering, this is very common for trees planted now to drop leaves early. Keep your normal watering going (don’t over react and over water as many folks do), and be sure to check the moisture level both in the root ball and surrounding soil each time before your water. Container grown trees may require watering every 3-4 days for the first 2-3 weeks, where B&B trees may only need a good soaking every 5-7 days or so. Again, check the root ball each time before watering. By the way, we shot a video on ways to water your newly planted trees and shrubs. Check it out on our website.
[Just curious - can you cry under water?]
Tags: grass seed, new trees, tomatoes
Posted in Questions of the Week | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
From the Garden to the Kitchen with Culinary Expert, Rita Heikenfeld
Yardboy, those pickled peppers I made a couple weeks ago are so good in one of my family’s favorite quick meals:
CHICKEN CHEESE QUESADILLAS
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
2 cups cheddar, Monterrey Jack or Mexican blend cheese
1 bunch green onions, sliced
Diced canned green chilies to taste (2 oz can) or fresh jalapenos, diced (opt)
1 package flour tortillas
Garnish: Sour cream, salsa, guacamole, cilantro, etc.
Combine everything but garnishes. Spread mixture on each tortilla to within 1″ of edge. Fold in half to enclose filling, or top with another tortilla. Heat a 10″ skillet and add a bit of olive oil. Get the olive oil hot and add tortilla. Cook until golden on each side. Serve with garnishes.
For more recipes from Rita, visit www.abouteating.com
[Why do you think they put a setting on a toaster that burns the toast to a horrible crisp that no one would want to eat?]
That’s it for this Week
OBKB. That’s it for this week. Three more big days for our Nursery Outlet Sale (Sept. 25, 26, 27) so come visit us and check it out! You’ll be glad you did. Now, do yourself a favor. Go out and have the best weekend of your life. See ya. RW, the Yardboy. (Go Bucks, Cats, Bengals and Tony Stewart!) [Join us Saturday mornings - www.ronwilsononline.com - for our Saturday Morning Garden Party - live chat line!]
[Hey - If Wyle E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that stuff from ACME, why didn't he just buy dinner?]
Tags: chicken cheese quesadillas
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Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
Garden Success Tips of the Week
Core Aerating the Lawn – You know, a lush healthy lawn begins with a lush healthy root system. And if your soil is loamy and rich in organic matter, no problem! But if it’s like most folk’s, it’s good old heavy compacted clay. Root growth is inhibited by heavy clay because of the restricted oxygen supply, lack of moisture, lack of nutrients, etc. Well here’s a way to begin to turn that heavy compacted clay, into the perfect base for that lush healthy lawn.
It’s called core aerating, and is a process done with a core aerating machine (available at many tool rentals), which uses hollow tines to remove plugs of the soil. And it’s the removal of these plugs, that’s so beneficial to the turf. Core aerating loosens compacted soils, which is especially important in yards where kids play or there’s a lot of foot traffic or heavy equipment, it helps in the reduction of thatch, it improves water infiltration to the grass roots, improves nutrient infiltration, increases oxygen supply to the roots, releases carbon dioxide, and ultimately, encourages new, deeper root growth, which as we all know, means a healthier lawn.
The frequency of core aerating depends on your soil and the amount of use your lawn receives. Once a year is good, twice is even better. And if you’ve never core aerated before, well now’s the time to get started. Spring and fall are actually the best two times for aerating (while the lawn is actively growing), with fall being the better of the two. And, if you anticipate seeding or fertilizing the lawn, core aerate first
Proper soil moisture is important when you aerate, as it needs to be not too dry and not too wet, but just in the middle. When core aerating your lawn, the cores should be about ½ to ¾ inch in diameter, and about 2-3 inches deep. It’s nice to get the cores about 3-5 inches apart, so it may require a couple passes over the turf with the machine.
By the way, if you’re curious what to do with the cores that are deposited on the soil’s surface, well, just leave them alone. They’ll dry, begin to fall apart, and the next time you mow, they’ll disappear back into the top of the turf. But it will look a little funny for a few days!
[If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?]
Preserving Herbs by Rita Heikenfeld
1.) Drying – Natural: Strip three inches from the bottom of the stem. Hang in loose bunches away from heat and light. Or toss them in a paper bag and store away from heat and light. Really unorthodox, but it works: place in paper bag and close tightly. Leave in trunk of car. The heat won’t be too intense, the herbs will dry perfectly in a few days or so and your car will smell heavenly. Talk about aroma therapy! Microwave: A big debate over this as to whether it drives essential oils out. Personally, I like this method for intensely flavored herbs like bay, mint, hybrid basils, etc. Strip leaves from the stem and lay them in a single layer between two paper towels. Microwave on high for about a minute, until crisp. This works well with bay, mint and other intensely flavored herbs allowing the color to stay a nice green. If you do successive batches, place a cup of water in the microwave during drying to avoid heat build up in the microwave.
2.) Storing Dried Herbs (Leave them in whole leaf form if possible so they retain essential/volatile oils. Store in cool dry place away from light.)
Refrigerator/Freezer: You can make herb pastes and oils by whirling herbs in enough olive oil to make a paste or oil of pouring consistency. Store in frig for a couple of weeks or frozen for almost 6 months. Herb blocks are easy to store in the freezer. Pack herb pastes in little baggies and force air out. Freeze and cut off what you need. Or make herb logs for the freezer with butter or your favorite substitute. Again, cut off what you need. You can also just chop herbs and freeze hard, uncovered, on a cookie sheet. Then pack in containers and they will be pourable even when frozen. Herbs that are frozen can be used in any cooked dishes. They will turn dark and lose texture but will have a wonderful, summery flavor. How long to preserved herbs/spices last? Really depends on conditions. Dry herbs and spices especially lose their punch over time. Do a sniff and rub test: When you open the container, you should smell a lovely herbal aroma. Likewise, when you rub the herbs between your palms, the flavor component should waft up to you. Natorp’s09/Heikenfeld
[Do Lipton Tea employees take coffee breaks?]
Tags: core aerating, herbs, lawn, preserving herbs
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Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
Plant of the Week
 Annabelle I guess that I can’t help bringing up the entire group of flowering hydrangeas. Sure, we’ve been talking about Endless Summer, Blushing Bride, and the new Twist and Shout, but there are so many other species and varieties of flowering hydrangeas available, that I wish I had room to plant nothing but a hydrangea garden. Annabelle, Glowing Embers, Pink Diamond, Tardiva, Unique, Quick Fire, and Pinky Winky are just a few of the many, many hydrangeas available today. And I love the Oakleaf hydrangeas, especially Alice for a large bold hydrangea, Snow Queen, planted right by my front door, full of upright creamy white flowers that seem to last almost all summer long, Pee Wee which stays more compact, and Little Honey. And don’t forget Limelight, with its upright limey green flowers which fade to shades of pink, and the late spring blooming climbing hydrangea – perfect for that shady area, but grows in the sun as well. So many to chose, with so little space to plant them! Check out the many varieties of hydrangeas available this year at our nursery outlet sale. I’m sure there’s one or many perfect for your landscape!
[Why do overlook and oversee mean opposite things?]
Tags: hydrangea
Posted in Plant of the Week | 2 Comments »
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