Archive for November, 2009

Your Yard is Your Own Personal Gym

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

Garden Success Tip of the Week

Your yard is your own personal gym!  Thanksgiving week kicks off the holiday season and that means holiday snacks and food galore.  And you know what I say – go ahead and eat.  We’ll burn those calories off right in your own yard!  That’s right; working in the yard is a great way to burn those extra Thanksgiving and holiday calories.  Of course, before you start, do a little warm up and stretching.  We don’t want you to be a couch potato because of a few pulled muscles!  So, what can you do to burn those calories this time of the year?

-Mow the grass one last time, and use a push mower, not a rider or self propelled.  This can burn about 480 calories an hour (150 on a riding mower).

-Pull those remaining weeds, cut off dead foliage, and hoe those beds.  This can burn about 320 calories per hour.

-Plant that extra tree, shrub, or spring flowering bulbs you’ve always wanted.   Or put a new edge on those beds.  Digging and planting can burn well over 360 calories per hour.

-Drag the hose around and water evergreens before the winter.  That’ll burn 100 calories an hour.

-Check the gutters for leaves, and when you move the ladder, only move it a few feet.  That forces you to go up and down more, burning even more calories.  Of course, always be careful when using any ladder!  And one of my favorite burners – rake those leaves!  By raking up those late leaves, not only do you help the grass, but you can burn as many as 340 calories per hour.  And if by chance we get an early snow fall, get out the snow shovel and burn over 500 calories an hour! 

-And when its all said and done, here’s one of my favorite calorie burners – just sitting quietly enjoying my fruits of labor.  Yep, you can burn 70-80 calories an hour just sitting here.  Hey, is that more turkey I smell?  Gotta run!

[There are 3 towns named after Thanksgiving's main course - Turkey, Texas - Turkey Creek, La - and Turkey, NC.   Want some hard facts about turkeys?  Its Meleagris gallopavo - gallus meaning cock, pavo meaning chicken-like, and Meleagris being Roman for guinea fowl.  The wattle is the loose skin below a turkeys chin and the warts on the waddle are called carnucles.  The male is a tom, the female a hen, and the youngsters are poults.  By the way, it takes 75-80 pounds of feed to raise a 30 pound turkey.]

Ornamental Grasses

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

Plant of the Week

Ornamental Grass

Ornamental Grass

This week, we’ll have to go with ornamental grasses!  I know we’ve used them before, but when you look around right now, they simply look spectacular!  Ornamental grasses continue to be more popular in our landscapes very year.  Besides their great appearances, grasses are useful for erosion control, space barriers, wildlife shelters, screens, as a background to flowering plants, and as architectural features, to name a few.  Grasses add the dimensions of sound and movement to the garden as wind catches and rustles the leaves.  The wide variety of colors, sizes and growth habits of grasses assures that one will fit in almost any garden.

During the growing season, appearances of ornamental grasses are wonderful.  But look at what they can add to the winter landscape.  As the seasons cool down, most of the grasses go dormant.  Their dried stalks of foliage and flowers can remain upright for great winter interest.  You’ll find many shades or tans and browns, or even russet reds like these switch grasses.  And of course, their many types of seed heads and flower plumes really add to look of the winter landscape.

Now one question I always get about ornamental grasses is when to cut them back – fall or spring.  Well I think you just heard my personal answer – leave them alone and enjoy their winter wonderfulness.  Then, come late winter, cut them back and get ready for another season.  But if you don’t like the winter look, go ahead and cut them back this fall, after they have gone dormant.  But with that look, I don’t know why you would! 

[Did you know that Wisconsin produces more cranberries than any other state?  North Carolina produces the most sweet potatoes, Illinois is the winner for producing pumpkins, Michigan for cherries, and Wisconsin wins again for producing the most green beans!]

Wild Turkeys

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

Problems in the Garden this Week

We talk a lot about critter control in the garden, especially deer, rabbits, groundhogs, squirrels, raccoons etc.  But more and more, we’re hearing from folks (mostly rural / some suburban) who are starting to experience damages from a new critter on the block whose populations are definitely on the upswing – wild turkeys!  And not only are they having turkey damage, they’re also dealing with a lot of turkey scat, or more commonly known as turkey poop.  Wild turkeys can destroy flower and vegetable gardens scratching and eating, they peck on shiny things like windows, doors and cars, they love eating birdseed, will roost in your trees or on top of cars with luggage racks, and they can get aggressive – especially during the mating season.  Like I said, they haven’t become a major issue, but are definitely showing up on the gardening radar more and more.  So, what can you do if your garden becomes invaded with wild turkeys, besides enjoying watching them?  Well, it looks like the repellents aren’t too effective, so you’ll have to go the fencing route (leave the top loose so they can’t land on it), covering plants with nylon netting and anchoring it down (same for areas of mulch where they get in it and scratch), take down the bird feeders if they feed underneath, harass them by spraying them with a high powered water hose, keep a dog in the yard as turkeys generally won’t go into yards where there is a dog, try using the plastic and inflatable snakes (but move them around every few days), and one of the most effective ways to keep them out of the yard and garden (besides the dog) is to use a motion detector sprayer like the ‘ScareCrow’.  Oh yeah, and if they do get a little aggressive towards you, the experts say act like you’re not afraid of them and they will respect you (easily said!).  Open umbrellas make a good defense tool as well.  Of course, there are the plusses of having wild turkeys in your yard.  They are pretty cool to watch and enjoy, and they do eat bugs, especially grubs, slugs and snails.  And for the extra turkey scat you may get if a large flock invades your yard, just hose it off the walks or scoop it up and throw it in the compost pile.  It makes a good fertilizer.  Their scat is not a health threat – wild turkeys are generally healthy and don’t get diseases that can be transmitted to humans.  Who would have ‘thunk’ 15 years ago that we would be talking about chasing wild turkeys out of our yards?  Go figure.

[Domesticated turkeys can't fly, but wild turkeys can, at speeds of up to 55mph.  They're not too slow on foot, either, running as fast as 20-25mph!  They have no external ears, yet have excellent hearing.  Turkeys can see in color, cannot see well at night, and have a wide field of vision (about 270 degrees).  They also have a poor sense of smell, but an excellent sense of taste.  Did you know that Benjamin Franklin proposed that the turkey become the official bird of the United States?  Yep, and he was really upset when the eagle was chosen!]

 

Questions for the Week

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

 “Is it okay to use drywall from a remodeling project to add to the soil in the garden?”  Good question – and you’ll get a grab-bag full of mixed opinions here.  Some drywall manufactures have established recycling programs for used boards like this.  And some is being reused for the agricultural industry.  But the question I have for you is what is inside the drywall you’re using? BJB and I discussed this and some drywall may include plasticizers, fiberglass, paint on the drywall, mold inhibitors, etc which we wouldn’t want in our gardens.  Your call, but I (we) don’t think that we would use it.

“Should I cut off the foliage on my iris now?”  -Yes, that’s a good idea.  Cut it off and dispose of it.  Iris borers can over winter their eggs on that foliage.  So cut it off and pitch.

“I have a bag of weed and feed.  Is it okay to use this for our last lawn feeding?”   Nope.  It’s too late for weed control, so although the fertilizer formula is good, you’re wasting the weed killer.  Save it in a dry place for next year.  By the way, let’s get that final feeding on by this weekend.

Question Follow-up – A couple weeks ago, someone had asked about burning their overabundance of leaves in the garden.  And we said technically you can, but you’re missing out on the nutrients of the leaves, watch adding ashes to the soil, and of course air pollution (many communities won’t allow it) – and, yes, it smelled good!.  Well, this past week I just happened to see an article on this same topic, and in addition to the things we mentioned, they also included burning leaves as being a fire hazard that can easily get out of control, and the fact that the smoke introduces many types of pollutants that can actually be irritating to your respiratory passages, and carcinogenic.  The EPA also notes that if leaves are moist when being burned, they burn poorly and emit even higher levels of dangerous hydrocarbons.  Geez, not sure I want to smell those burning leaves anymore!

[North Carolina usually produces the most turkeys each year, but looks like Minnesota will win this year, with Arkansas, Missouri, Virginia, and California right behind them.  Californians eat the most turkey in the country each year, eating 3 pounds more than the average American consumer.  More than 46 million turkeys are cooked each Thanksgiving averaging 15 pounds in size.  And the most popular way to eat turkey is the good old turkey sandwich.  By the way, June is National Turkey Lover's month.  Go figure.]

Baked Cranberies with Cognac, Orange Zest and Walnuts

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

From the Garden to the Kitchen

Yardboy, everyone has cranberries on Thanksgiving, whether it’s from the can or homemade. Here’s my favorite which I make every year. The alcohol bakes off, leaving only a wonderful flavor behind. (If you want to leave the alcohol out, substitute orange juice.) This lasts several weeks in the refrigerator, and is so good on turkey sandwiches. I also want to wish each and every one of our readers the best Thanksgiving ever. You, too, Yardboy!  

BAKED CRANBERRIES WITH COGNAC, ORANGE ZEST AND WALNUTS

(Can be done ahead – great served hot, warm, room temperature or chilled.)

1 bag fresh cranberries washed and picked over

1-1/2 cups sugar or to taste

1/4 cup Cognac or brandy

Juice and Zest of one large orange

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (opt)

Mix together berries, sugar, cognac, juice and zest.  Place berries in sprayed shallow casserole.  Bake uncovered for 45 minutes 1 hour, or until berries have absorbed most of the liquid and have popped.  Sprinkle with nuts.  Serves 8-10.

TIPS FROM RITA’S KITCHEN:  Buy cranberries and freeze. They last up to 6 months. Store nuts in the freezer for long term storage.  Cognac, brandy and other liqueurs never go bad. They can last for years.

What’s the difference between basted, kosher and natural turkeys, and which tastes best?

According to Cook’s Illustrated, traditionally processed frozen turkeys are basted or labeled “self basting”. This means that a solution has been injected into the turkey to make it taste better and be tenderer. The solution can range from all natural ingredients like broth to weird things with emulsifiers and artificial flavors. The bottom line, though, is that most of these birds are juicy and have a nice texture. Don’t brine a turkey that has been injected with flavoring solution.

-Kosher turkeys are processed mostly by hand according to kosher law and salt is used in this process, so don’t brine a kosher bird.

-Natural turkeys are like my friend, Rosie’s. They are untreated fresh turkeys and can be either free-range or not. They benefit from brining.

Brining: a basic formula – Again, I like Cook’s Illustrated method. A 4-hour soak in a solution of 1 cup table salt per gallon of cold water does a nice job for turkeys up to 15 pounds. If you use kosher salt, it’s less dense than table salt and one brand can be even less dense than the other. Substitute 2 cups of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt or 1-1/2 cups Morton Kosher Salt for 1 cup table salt.  A general rule of thumb for larger, or smaller, turkeys is that same formula: 1 cup table salt per gallon water.

What does brine do? Put simply, brining makes the bird more moist, seasoned and better able to withstand heat in the oven. Without getting too technical, brining allows a greater concentration of water, salt and flavorings to flow into the cells. It also cleans the bird of any residue. Once exposed to heat, much of the water is prevented from leaking out, giving you a better bird.

Good add-ins for brine: For every cup of table salt, add 1/2 cup sugar. Sugar helps in browning. A few bay leaves, thyme or other herbs and/or a handful of peppercorns are good in the brine, too. 

I don’t have a pot big enough to brine my turkey! I’m in the same boat, so I use a cooler or a big bucket. The water has to be above freezing but not more than 40 degrees.  Some good places: an unheated garage, outside, a basement, etc. You can also put enough ice packs in the water to keep it at the right temperature. Remember to scrub the cooler out with bleach after using.

Overnight brining:  It’s OK, but decrease the salt by half. 

What happens if a bird stays in the brine less, or more time than stated?

If it’s for an hour or two longer, it’s OK but much beyond that, the bird will be too salty. You do have to brine it for at least 4 hours, though; otherwise you won’t get any benefit.

Trussing: I don’t tie the legs anymore; just tuck ankles into the pocket of skin at the tail end. Tuck wings behind the bird.

To stuff or not: I stuff my turkey. There’s a big debate about that, because cooking the stuffing in a stuffed bird to a safe internal temperature can be tricky. If you’re concerned, the stuffing should register 165 degrees. You can also bake the stuffing separately.

To roast: Drain, rinse and dry turkey before roasting. If you can, let the turkey air dry in the frig overnight before roasting, and the skin will be really crisp.

Basting: Brush turkey with melted butter before roasting, but don’t bother to baste during roasting. Every time you open the oven, remember you lose hot air, plus if you baste during the last hour, sometimes the crisp skin can turn soft. But if you must baste (just like I “must” stuff), go ahead.  

When is the turkey done? My mom never owned a thermometer, stuffed a huge turkey with eggs in the stuffing, and put it in the oven before she went to bed. I’m amazed at how little was known, yet we all survived, and quite well for the most part. My professional advice is to roast the turkey until the legs move freely, the thickest part of the breast and the stuffing register 165, and the thickest part of the thigh registers 170-180. The juices will run clear at this time, and is a good sign, as well. That said, I like to pull mine out when the breast and stuffing register 160, and the thigh 170. Carryover cooking occurs with the residual heat in the bird when you take it out, so the temperature can raise 5-10 degrees.  

Resting: The turkey, not you! Resting allows for redistribution of juices, plus you won’t get a burn from a flood of hot juices. I like to tent the turkey with foil and let it rest 30-40 minutes.

Hot lines: Butterball: 800-288-8372; USDA 800-535-4555

One more thing: Don’t stress if everything doesn’t turn out perfect. It’s not just about the food, but who shares it with you.

Rita Heikenfeld, CCP (now you know what that stands for!)   www.abouteating.com

[As best our records can tell, the original Thanksgiving menu included venison, fowl (probably not turkey), fish, seafood, grains (including corn which was used for making cornmeal and fried bread), fruits (which included boiled pumpkin), vegetables, nuts, herbs and seasonings.  A little different than today's menu wouldn't you say?  Charles Dickens is created for popularizing the serving of turkey on holidays, thanks to 'The Christmas Story'.  Before that, it was swans, peacocks, cranes and geese for special occasions.]

That’s it for this Week

OBKB.  That’s it for our special Thanksgiving Edition.  Hope you enjoyed it.  Now, do yourself a favor.  Take time to give thanks, enjoy time with friends and family, enjoy the Thanksgiving food (parade, football, racing and all the other good weekend stuffing), and have the best Thanksgiving weekend of your life.  See ya.  RW, the Yardboy.  (Congrats Rose Bowl Bound Bucks, Go Bearcats, Go Bengals)

[The first American Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621, and was celebrated thereafter following fall harvests - although the 13 colonies did not celebrate it on the same day.  In 1789 President George Washington declared it a holiday, but it was Abraham Lincoln (in 1863) who officially declared the last Thursday of November as the day of Thanksgiving.  Then, in 1939, 1940, and 1941, F.D.R. (looking to lengthen the Christmas shopping season) proclaimed Thanksgiving to be the third Thursday in November.  Controversy ensued, and in 1941, Congress passed a joint resolution decreeing that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November, where it remains.]

Thanksgiving Poem

 Twas the night of Thanksgiving, but I just couldn’t sleep.  I tried counting backwards, I tried counting sheep.

The leftovers beckoned – the dark meat and white.  But I fought the temptation with all of my might.

Tossing and turning with anticipation, the thought of a snack became infatuation.

So I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door, and gazed at the fridge full of goodies galore.

I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes, pickles and carrots and beans and tomatoes.

I felt myself swelling so plump and so round, ‘Till all of a sudden I rose off the ground.

I crashed thru the ceiling, floating into the sky with a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie.

But, I managed to yell as I soared past the trees, “Happy eating to all – pass the cranberries please!

Shutting Down the Lawn for the Season

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

Garden Success Tip of the Week

Shutting Down the Lawn for the Season – As the season winds down, there are few things we need to do for our lawns (cool season grasses) to help them not only finish the season properly, but to help get them ready for next spring!

1.) If the grass is growing, keep on mowing.  As the temperatures continue to cool down, the grass will also respond to cooler air and soil temps, as well as shorter days, and slow down in its growth.  But as long as it keeps growing, you need to keep mowing.  We have been known to still be mowing at Thanksgiving time!  So keep up the mowing schedule as needed, remembering to never remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade each time you mow, change directions each time you mow, throw those clippings back into the turf when you mow, and throw those finely ground leaves back into the turf as well.  Note: If you live in an area where snow mold has been a problem, feel free to lower your mowing height ½ inch (from normal) for the last 2-3 mowings.  This isn’t necessary in most areas as long as you keep mowing until the lawn has stopped growing, but some folks just feel better lowering the height for the last couple of mowings anyway.  If the weather changes and gets cold before you get that last mow in, make sure the ground isn’t frozen and the temperatures are in the mid to upper 40’s or higher before you mow.  If the temperatures don’t get warmer, forget the last mowing.  (If the grass has frost on in, stay off the grass.  Walking or running equipment on frozen grass will definitely kill those grass blades.)

2.) When the lawn has pretty much stopped growing for the season, then it’s time for that final feeding, using a high nitrogen fertilizer.  No, this won’t encourage your lawn to keep growing, but instead, keeps your lawn looking greener through the winter, and actually helps it get off to a better start next spring.  Remember that the 2 feedings in the fall (September and once the lawn has shut down) are the two most important feedings you gave give your lawn!  Note: Do not apply fertilizer to the lawn if the ground is frozen.  Wait until the day time temps get into the mid to upper 40’s or higher.  If the temps don’t warm up in the next week, forget the last feeding.  Again, if you are in an area where snow mold has been a problem, feed the lawn in early to mid November.

3.) If there are leaves still falling in the lawn, make sure you keep collecting the leaves.  Wet leaves left on the grass over the winter will shade and smother the grass below.  Mow them back into the turf or rake and collect.

4.) When you’re finished mowing for the season, take your lawn mower in and have it serviced.  Do it now, rather than waiting for next spring, when everybody else wants to get their mowers serviced! 

[I got lost in thought and it was unfamiliar territory.]

Winterberry Hollies and the Pregnant Onion

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

Plants of the Week

Winterberry Holly
Winterberry Holly

Winterberry Hollies

(Ilex verticillata) add bold color to the winter garden. Their bright berries hold through much of the winter adding color and contrast.  Winterberry hollies are a group of slow-growing, deciduous shrubs. They have a rounded form and attractive glossy green summer foliage. The shrubs are attractive all summer, however, the blooms and fall color are insignificant. It is in late summer when these shrubs become a garden focal point.  This is when the berries turn bold colors: a sight that is even more dramatic after the foliage drops.  Berries are formed on female plants. At least, one male plant is needed nearby for berries to be produced. That male plant may pollinate up to 10 female plants.  Winterberry hollies are extremely hardy to our area. They are easy to grow in full to part sun; the best fruit is produced in full sun. They enjoy loamy soils, but easily tolerate heavier soils.  Moist soils are best, but they easily adapt to wet conditions and tolerate some dryness once established. They have no serious insect or disease issues and require minimum maintenance.  Winterberry hollies make excellent winter specimen shrubs and have extra impact when planted in groups. Add them to borders, foundation plantings, naturalized plantings and wildlife gardens.  They are especially effective when larger evergreens are utilized as a backdrop.   -Sarah Wiley / Natorp’s

I have an announcement to make.  I have recently become a new papa!  That’s right – my Pregnant Onions are not only flowering, they have produced babies!  Pretty cool, huh?  Okay, if you’re not familiar with pregnant onions (and neither was I until someone sent me some babies to plant – which by the way have been growing under the watchful eye of our greenhouse manager Pat Greeson), they’re not really an onion at all, and no, they are NOT edible.  Ornithogalum longibracteatum is an easy to grow succulent bulb (native to South Africa and grows well outdoors in similar climates like southern California – potted houseplant for us), with long pendulous evergreen leaves (Amaryllis like).  The bulb basically grows on top of the soil which is very cool!  As the bulbs mature, they begin to produce a long flower spike that is studded with multiple attractive small white flowers that are striped in green.  And it gets its name “pregnant onion” from the fact that it looks like an onion set when you plant them, grows like a big onion, and then produces baby bulblets around the perimeter of the main bulb, which actually start under the bulb’s skin, and then pop out of the skin when they get large enough – thus the name “pregnant onion”.  And right now, mine are having “baby bulblets” as well as sending up flowers!  Woo-Hoo!     Okay, so it doesn’t take much to get me excited.  But I think this is a great example of how much fun growing plants can be, especially when every now and then you get to try something unusual like pregnant onions.  Which by the way are generally not found too often for sale in garden stores, but are available thru the internet or from someone who would like to give up a few babies for adoption.  Gotta run – my “babies” are calling for their papa.  -rw J

[Ever feel like you're diagonally parked in a parallel universe?]

Moles

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

Problems in the Garden this Week

This time of the year, I always get a lot of folks calling or emailing asking the same question: “All of a sudden I am seeing piles of dirt appearing on the top of our lawn!  I scooped some up and it’s just on top of the grass.  Where is it coming from?”  Well, I hate to tell you this, but those are mole hills made from male moles.  Yes, it’s that time of the year when those males get pretty busy constructing new tunnel highways down deep in your lawn (6-8 inches down) that they travel in to move around your yard and into the neighbors, as well as connecting with their female counterparts.  And what’s neat, is that as they dig their tunnels, they create an exit tunnel to push the excavated soil out, which is what you see piled up.  Then, they seal off that exit tunnel, so when you remove the pile of soil, there is no hole underneath!  Pretty crafty, eh?  Just think – you never see those tunnels, as they’re deeper into the soils.  You always see the feeder tunnels they make at the surface which they use looking for food.  The highways down deep are for traveling.  By the way, they can move about 80 feet per minute in those tunnels – forward or backward!

Did you know that ‘the’ mole expert lives right here in Cincinnati?  He’s Tom Schmidt, The Mole Man, and is a self taught expert on moles.  His expertise has been the source of mole info for most local Universities.  I had the pleasure of spending a day with Tom (many years ago) as he trapped moles.  Unbelievable what he knows and what he taught me that day.  I call him the ‘Clint Eastwood’ of mole trappers’.  If you’d like more of Tom’s mole info, visit his website at www.themoleman.com

[If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?]

Cutting Back Roses, Boxwood, Yews…and Much More!

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

Garden Questions of the Week

“We’ve had some pretty good frosts.  Can I go ahead and cut back my roses and mulch them for the winter?”  -NO!  It’s way too early.  Knock Out roses (and many others) are still blooming.  We need to air and soil temperatures to get down into the low 40’s upper 30’s consistently before we put away the roses.  And in most cases, we won’t be cutting them back – by much, anyway.  Let’s give it a couple more weeks and see what the weather is like by then.  We’ll post a tip sheet on winterizing roses, containers, etc in a couple more weeks.  Same goes for winter mulching – way too early!

“I need to cut back my boxwood and yews to reduce their size.  They’ve just gotten too big for me.  Can I do that now?”  – I would recommend waiting until spring, before the new growth begins to appear, especially if it’s going to be a drastic or hard pruning.  

“My neighbor says that I’ll have quicker germination if I freeze my grass seed before I plant it.  Is that true?”  – I think you’ll find that bit of advice may fall into the “old wives tale” category, along with things like using juicy fruit gum for mole control.  More and more of these recommendations are being tested thru research, to see if there is any scientific truth to them, and this is one that hasn’t been proven as an effective way to speed up grass seed germination.  As a matter of fact, I had Buggy Joe Boggs (OSU Extension) who is also a turf expert weigh in on this matter.  Joe said, “Since grass seed has no germination mechanism associated with cool temps, freezing will not improve the germination process.  It is ready to germinate as soon as it matures in the seed head.  Remember that if the conditions are right, grass seed can even germinate in the seed heads while still attached to the plant!  So freezing will make no difference.  In fact, I am sometimes concerned that freezing over an extended period of time could in fact reduce germination by damaging the seed embryo.  This is why we recommend that seed be stored under cool, dry conditions.”   That’s Joe’s story and he’s sticking to it!  (By the way, pre-germinating the seed by soaking it in water will speed up the germination time, but that’s a whole ‘nuther story!)  And yes, fall seeding time has come and gone.  It’s dormant seeding from here until spring seeding.

“All of a sudden I have noticed my lawn has turned orange – it comes off on my shoes!  What is this?”  -Sounds like rust (get a sample to the garden stores for someone to see).  If it is, make sure you feed the lawn this month, collect your clippings when you mow from here on to the end of the season, and if really bad, you may want to treat it with a lawn fungicide (listed for rust) at least two times on 10-14 day intervals.

“If I buy a poinsettia right now, will it last thru the Christmas season?”  -It certainly will!  As a matter of fact, the newer selections being sold today usually last all winter long with those great colored bracts, assuming of course you treat them nice and take care of them while indoors!  J

[If your feet smell and your nose runs, does that mean you're built upside down?]

Thanksgiving Fruit & Cream Salad

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

From the Garden to the Kitchen

Yardboy, with Thanksgiving coming up next week, I thought I would share the recipe for a nice side salad using cranberry sauce. It’s a bit different from the norm, so enjoy!

Thanksgiving Fruit & Cream Salad

20 oz, pineapple tidbits, drained

16 oz, whole berry cranberry sauce

11 oz, mandarin oranges, drained

8 oz whipped cream or topping

½ cup chopped pecans

 

Mix pineapple, cranberry sauce and oranges together.  Fold in whipped cream.  Garnish with nuts.  Serves 6-8.

Rita Heikenfeld, CCP    www.abouteating.com

[Sometimes I wake up grumpy; other times I let her sleep. -Frank Heikenfeld]

That’s it for this Week

OBKB.  That’s it for this week.  Next week is Thanksgiving, so look for our newsletter on Tuesday!  Yes, it will be our annual Thanksgiving / Turkey Trivia issue!  No, do yourself a favor.  Go out and have the best weekend of your life.  See ya.  RW, the Yardboy.  (Go Bucks, Go Bearcats, Go Bengals, Go Mark Martin, and nice job Tony Stewart for the first year team owner!)

[Despite the cost of living, it still remains very popular.]

 
Ron Wilson

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