tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80763089214401133072024-02-18T23:52:07.328-05:00Back to Earth: Green LivingGardening, recipes, and thoughts on sustainable living.ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-24163749659962293322013-09-05T19:46:00.000-04:002013-09-05T19:46:39.641-04:00Porch ZenThis is my porch.<br />
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This is my wine on my porch.<br />
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This is nature in my wine.<br />
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<br />ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-7597460378686454222013-09-03T20:19:00.002-04:002013-09-24T08:43:07.867-04:00Alpine Strawberries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My alpine strawberry plants started bearing fruit in early summer. (Not the originals, sadly. The first heat wave this summer killed my <a href="http://backtoearth-greenliving.blogspot.com/2013/04/seeds-and-seedlings.html">seedlings</a> so I bought two plants from a local farm. Is that cheating?)<br />
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Unfortunately, the first heat wave wasn't the only one. I managed to bring the plants back from the brink a couple of times, but I think one of them may have a problem. It has red leaves and some dead outer leaves. From my online research, that could mean <a href="http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/hort/news/allontario/ao0408a1.htm">black root rot</a> or <a href="http://ipm.illinois.edu/fruits/diseases/verticillium_wilt/">verticillium wilt</a>. Or, according to a horticulturist, it may just be going dormant for the winter. We'll have to wait and see if it makes it. <br />
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The other plant looks a lot better. And they are both giving me lots of delicious, tiny fruit. <br />
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This is my version of <a href="http://www.walkerart.org/collections/artworks/spoonbridge-and-cherry">Claes Oldenburg's Spoonbridge and Cherry</a>. :) <br />
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<br />ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-32329146499107049992013-08-13T20:21:00.003-04:002013-08-13T20:21:46.157-04:00Aaah, Summer<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Red leaf lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, and mozarella cheese, all locally grown. Just when it starts feeling like summer is almost over, summer arrives on my plate. </div>
ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-25499397578668689922013-07-02T23:01:00.001-04:002013-07-07T11:59:45.184-04:00Stories of Peas in Pods Once upon a time, there were peas in a pod... <br />
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These peas are strong! They're ready to knock over their trellis in their search of just a leeetle more light... <br />
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Snow white pea flowers have two large petals that look like elephant ears, two small petals that curve inward like wings, and a vertical petal in the middle that botanists call the "keel." Take a close look at clover flowers growing on a lawn - they're in the <a href="http://www.wildflowers-and-weeds.com/Plant_Families/Fabaceae.htm">Pea family</a> too and the small flowers have the same type of petals, but in miniature.<br />
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Pea flowers quickly turn into pea pods. (Take a look at the one on the bottom right, mid-transformation.) <br />
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Voila! Sun + dirt + seed = lots and lots of pea pods.<br />
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Lots of pea pods to shell. While watching TV, of course.<br />
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These peas are ready to bust out of their pods.<br />
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There are so many delicious ways to prepare peas...<br />
But you can't go wrong with sauteeing in butter. The small pea pods were tender so I left them whole.<br />
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Yum.ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-4626363693305089682013-06-21T11:30:00.002-04:002013-07-02T22:32:12.198-04:00Herbal Tips: Getting to Know Plant Families<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The second annual <a href="http://herbstalk.org/">Herbstalk </a>took place in Somerville, MA, June 8-9 -- a full weekend of herbal classes and plant walks. Seeing the buzz around the marketplace and the enthusiasm in the classes, it's clear that there is a huge audience for this topic!<br />
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In an intensive workshop with community herbalist Mischa Schuler (of <a href="http://www.wildcarrotherbs.com/">Wild Carrot Herbs</a>), I learned tips on identifying plant families and what those plants can do for your health. Three plant families caught my attention, and their basic descriptions can help you recognize some of these in your neighborhood.<b> </b>Ok, so there are hundreds of plant families, but you have to start somewhere.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illustration from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6hler%27s_Medicinal_Plants" title="Köhler's Medicinal Plants">Köhler's Medicinal Plants</a>{{<a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Template:PD-1923" title="Template:PD-1923">PD-1923</a>}}</td></tr>
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<b>Parsley Family (or Carrot Family) (Apiaceae)</b> <br />
Flowers of the parsley family have 5 sepals, 5 petals, and 5 stamen. But the best way to recognize them, I think, is that the flowers bloom in groups that look like upside down umbrellas. (Technically, they are called compound umbels.) All of the flower stems originate from one point.<br />
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The parsley family includes anise, fennel, cumin, caraway, celery, parsley, carrot, parsnip, and dill.<br />
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Strolling around your neighborhood, you're likely to see wild carrot, also called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daucus_carota">Queen Anne's Lace</a>. You can eat its greens or root in spring, or harvest its flowers in summer. Wild carrot looks a lot like poison hemlock, but to tell the difference, remember the mnemonic "Queen Anne has hairy legs." Poison hemlock has smooth stems.<br />
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The parsley family can ease gas and bloating. Many Indian restaurants have a bowl of fennel seeds for their guests to help with digestion after dinner. Personally, I prefer the candied fennel seeds. Mm, sugar.<br />
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The parsley family is also known for decongestant and antiviral properties, Mischa recommended steeping crushed fennel seeds in hot water for about 10 minutes if you have a cold or sinusitis.Good to know, since I had sinusitis while I was taking this class.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8a_gm0O7FArQ1lxWHuRiM28AZwBuKQXx_FbRP5Km37TDJROuDjc1j9GEwhFDKhI2nLUgpCyqFxWRkxm_JZHC0txoLxpzUCmMVRTIvxv3H_Va0oJFMvJGaB1ThijqtrIzUEMKfVlZk14/s1600/Rosmarinus_officinalis_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8a_gm0O7FArQ1lxWHuRiM28AZwBuKQXx_FbRP5Km37TDJROuDjc1j9GEwhFDKhI2nLUgpCyqFxWRkxm_JZHC0txoLxpzUCmMVRTIvxv3H_Va0oJFMvJGaB1ThijqtrIzUEMKfVlZk14/s320/Rosmarinus_officinalis_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-258.jpg" width="245" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illustration from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6hler%27s_Medicinal_Plants" title="Köhler's Medicinal Plants">Köhler's Medicinal Plants</a>{{<a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Template:PD-1923" title="Template:PD-1923">PD-1923</a>}}</td></tr>
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<b>Mint Family (Lamiaceae) </b><br />
This is my favorite family. It gets points for making me feel smart - I can recognize a lot of the plants in this family. But they're also excellent healers.<br />
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Flowers of the mint family have 5 united petals, 2 lobes up and 3 lobes down. But since you want to harvest these before they grow flowers, it's good to know that they have square stems and opposite leaves. Opposite leaves means that two leaves emerge at each node on opposite sides of the stem.<br />
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The mint family includes most culinary herbs, like rosemary, sage, thyme, lavender, oregano, basil, lemon balm, and of course, mint.<br />
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This family is known for their volatile oils, which is why they are so delicious. They are also anti-viral and anti-microbial. So a mint tea is good for a cold, and lavender or thyme oil make an excellent additive to a DIY cleaning spray. And they are good remedies for gas and bloating, just one more reason to keep some mint tea around.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwFXKqWuk1e4ezXETOi8vnNkNaVBH0uWTp0NB7GQV2r3Eao1w2fzYpJIy2vGInHRqbZKCDGERCXK3c1nUYp4QLuQm4VRDM6XDLIIWPzYk3cyFgivt3w-H07Nzyh0bfD06hZWSv9GLUg0g/s1600/Malus_domestica_-_K%25C3%25B6hler%25E2%2580%2593s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-108.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwFXKqWuk1e4ezXETOi8vnNkNaVBH0uWTp0NB7GQV2r3Eao1w2fzYpJIy2vGInHRqbZKCDGERCXK3c1nUYp4QLuQm4VRDM6XDLIIWPzYk3cyFgivt3w-H07Nzyh0bfD06hZWSv9GLUg0g/s320/Malus_domestica_-_K%25C3%25B6hler%25E2%2580%2593s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-108.jpg" width="254" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illustration from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6hler%27s_Medicinal_Plants" title="Köhler's Medicinal Plants">Köhler's Medicinal Plants</a>{{<a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Template:PD-1923" title="Template:PD-1923">PD-1923</a>}}</td></tr>
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<span id="goog_632998029"></span><b>Rose Family (Rosaceae)</b><br />
Take a look at the bottom of an apple and you will see a pattern of
five, where the five petals of the flower used to be. Or cut it open
crosswise, and you will see five seeds laid out in a star pattern. These are clues that the apple belongs in the rose family. <br />
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Flowers of the rose family have 5 petals, 5 sepals, and many stamens. (I know, the Parsley family does too, but size is the difference - these are much bigger plants.) These plants also have oval, serrated leaves. <br />
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The rose family includes lots of fruits I didn't realize are so closely related: apples, pear, quince, apricot, peach, nectarine, plum, cherry, almond, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, and of course, rose. <br />
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Want to learn more about identifying plants in your neighborhood? Mischa recommended some resources (many of which are now on my Christmas wish list!) <br />
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<b>RESOURCES</b> <br />
Elpel, Botany in a Day (includes use of plants for healing)<br />
Peterson, Edible Wild Plants<br />
Newcomb's Field Guide to Wildflowers (we used this guide to do some of our identifying in the field)<br />
Thayer, The Forager's Harvest and Nature's Garden<br />
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And one recommendation of my own, if you happen to find some wild carrot:<br />
<a href="http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/Daucuca.htm">North Carolina State University's page on Daucus carota</a>ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-7319407034058801372013-06-02T22:03:00.000-04:002013-06-02T22:07:03.910-04:00Green Greens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I don't know about you, but I am very good at buying fresh veggies and then letting them waste away in my refrigerator. Like lettuce mixes - it's a shame when you think of the effort that goes into growing, harvesting, washing, packaging, and shipping greens across country to my grocery store. So I'm happy to be eating greens from my garden for the past couple of weeks - I pick what I can eat and eat it fresh.</div>
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In addition to growing spinach in containers in my backyard, I've been fortunate to be growing in a "borrowed" garden. A friend has some space that she is not using, which I've been using to grow arugula, red sails lettuce, and carrots. The carrots will be awhile yet, but for now, I'm enjoying my own salad mix.</div>
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Soon to come, oodles of fresh peas...</div>
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<br />ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-66641533263233614242013-04-21T11:50:00.001-04:002013-04-21T11:50:07.174-04:00Calendula Salve (part II)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A jar of oil has been infusing with calendula blossoms on my dining room table since <a href="http://backtoearth-greenliving.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendula-salve-part-i.html">February</a>, and now's the time to make the salve. Mountain Rose Herbs has a great <a href="http://mountainroseblog.com/healing-calendula/">recipe</a> for calendula salve, among other fabulous things.</div>
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I started with a hunk of beeswax. (Whole Foods sells beeswax by the pound. I hacked off about an ounce worth.) </div>
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And about a cup (eight ounces) of calendula flower infused oil.<br />
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To strain out the blossoms, I covered a glass with cheesecloth...</div>
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and dumped the mixture on top.<br />
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I poured the oil into my diy double broiler. I don't own one, so my substitute is a metal bowl fitted on a saucepan. I'm never buying a double broiler.<br />
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(If you haven't used one, pour some water into the saucepan, enough so it doesn't boil away too quickly, but not so much that the bowl's bottom touches the water surface. The steam from the boiling water heats the beeswax gently, without burning.)<br />
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It's melting, it's melting...<br />
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And it's melted. I poured the oil-beeswax combination into two small jars.<br />
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A few minutes later, I had me some salve! </div>
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This was so fast and easy in the end (you know, after the weeks and months of waiting) and it all came about because someone gave me a marigold seedling last year. Next time, lip balm!<br />
<br />ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-77090545516177810592013-04-09T22:40:00.002-04:002013-04-09T22:40:37.060-04:00Seeds and Seedlings<b>Peas Go to the Birds</b> <br />
I direct seeded peas last weekend into large containers (after first soaking them in water for 24 hours). This weekend, I discovered large holes dug into the soil. My first guess was squirrels, but we don't actually have too many around here. We do, however, have hoards of birds. Some of the peas had started to sprout but were lying on top of the soil. They're probably goners, but ever optimistic, I put them back in the soil. Who knows? And I planted a second row as my back-up.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Spinach Under Cover</b><br />
I direct seeded some spinach seeds as well. I put 3-4 seeds per hole, insurance against poor germination rates from seeds that are three years old. I covered them in plastic to keep in warmth and moisture, and keep out those dratted birds. I saw them watching me plant, waiting their turn. When I finished, I had a staring contest with a chickadee. I won. I do love waking up to the sound of birds chirping, but they can find their own food, thank you.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>If At First You Don't Succeed...</b><br />
I started some red butcher tomato seeds two weeks ago. Nary a sign of life two weeks later, so I dumped the tray into the compost. I had used egg cartons, and I think it's great that they're compostable, but the cardboard seems to absorb a lot of the water. If I use egg cartons again, I will water at least once a day, perhaps even twice. And I will be trying again - it's not too late to start tomatoes from seed.<br />
<br />
<b>And Then There Were Three</b><br />
About a month ago, I started
alpine strawberry seeds. Only about half of them germinated (they were three years old), and three
quarters of those died within a week. They are very sensitive to drying
out, so I suspect my lax watering abilities killed a good lot of them. But I
have three remaining seedlings, and they're looking good. I'm
keeping a close eye on their soil moisture.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3e71l-njMCX_k2Io0TUIRYGUuNqHIlTuV9zwHo4ob1wLTAfmCcpoL-iDBiyUc6KQHgI-Y5Hy1U7RebANVjsuxdYCB0Ny5SU-Bq9J_0wna0DOQVaBY-B2HWXg5SIypxVkwP1eP9R9ElSI/s1600/IMG_2208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3e71l-njMCX_k2Io0TUIRYGUuNqHIlTuV9zwHo4ob1wLTAfmCcpoL-iDBiyUc6KQHgI-Y5Hy1U7RebANVjsuxdYCB0Ny5SU-Bq9J_0wna0DOQVaBY-B2HWXg5SIypxVkwP1eP9R9ElSI/s400/IMG_2208.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h3>
From many...</h3>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMaCm_ZxB-g1Opg_vQYe1bwlpbXhkFTjWQvvGrBmu6krAaTNFeo7JnjPrnTpFVUbezWo9ClkNbM0d9gF2dNPanMe0kgFxx9tz3kbJCjks00ZKcuytzoNcPlv6r-dlYpB56gx2_4za-Qjk/s1600/2013-04-09_22-06-34_85.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMaCm_ZxB-g1Opg_vQYe1bwlpbXhkFTjWQvvGrBmu6krAaTNFeo7JnjPrnTpFVUbezWo9ClkNbM0d9gF2dNPanMe0kgFxx9tz3kbJCjks00ZKcuytzoNcPlv6r-dlYpB56gx2_4za-Qjk/s400/2013-04-09_22-06-34_85.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h3>
...to three.</h3>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And look how they've grown!<br /><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYAdgDIBWe36_mBzpjHgr9A5I2lDfYxSn_gSP7kaAbQ262RsMXMUjAtom5wBqD9pyxngZA8oL4VIoA5sYjYuWJVK1TmCo-XMZ_enImuMjplZxV0GNpyD39O8ZhNhlfwiXpamgiBfBMZc/s1600/IMG_2223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYAdgDIBWe36_mBzpjHgr9A5I2lDfYxSn_gSP7kaAbQ262RsMXMUjAtom5wBqD9pyxngZA8oL4VIoA5sYjYuWJVK1TmCo-XMZ_enImuMjplZxV0GNpyD39O8ZhNhlfwiXpamgiBfBMZc/s400/IMG_2223.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h3>
From a little munchkin...</h3>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikd3OPu_UZcHX5w-ldtTSkhFV7Qgnm2u6-Xx7PwR_50ARQo_JcHsv4tpml4Zkf8L2S3JsUDMIj2rdHuQoVUlvsJdGaTxPgsKPrlmWap1kj03YAkDMA8da-JvuJARzEhG52y6W8fcFs4lk/s1600/2013-04-09_22-06-52_619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikd3OPu_UZcHX5w-ldtTSkhFV7Qgnm2u6-Xx7PwR_50ARQo_JcHsv4tpml4Zkf8L2S3JsUDMIj2rdHuQoVUlvsJdGaTxPgsKPrlmWap1kj03YAkDMA8da-JvuJARzEhG52y6W8fcFs4lk/s400/2013-04-09_22-06-52_619.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h3>
...to a bigger munchkin!</h3>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
What fabulous successes (and failures!) have you had with starting seeds?<br />ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-63562514440337514292013-03-23T13:37:00.002-04:002013-03-23T13:37:45.340-04:00Soil EcologyIt's still too cold to start gardening in earnest, so why not kill the time by talking about gardening? I attended a lecture on soil ecology at Boston Natural Areas Network on March 12th, the finale to a series on composting.<br />
<br />
Dr. Wendy Heiger-Bernays from Boston University started us off with a scientific look at lead testing. Many of us were surprised to hear that UMass Extension was underfunded for many years, leading to potentially incorrect results on lead content in soil samples. (If you have had your soil tested within the last year and a half, don't worry, you're fine. If not, you might want to re-test.) The testing facilities are back in shape now, and in the future, they may have the capability to test compost in addition to soil.<br />
<br />
The second speaker, Casey Townsend, talked to us about soil ecology systems. He runs the rooftop garden on the Boston Medical Center parking garage, called the Northampton Square Rooftop Garden.<br />
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<br />
I don't know about you, but I often think of gardening as a linear process. Start with compost, sow seeds, water and weed, harvest. Each year I start over. Casey thinks a bit deeper about gardening, looking at the soil as a positive feedback loop between three aspects: organic matter, native populations, and nutrient build-up. Build on one aspect, and you build the rest too.<br />
<br />
So what is organic matter? Compost, of course, is a fast boost for your soil. A slower (but very efficient) option is organic mulch, like hay, which will retain moisture in the soil and can be tilled under in the fall. Casey recommended we look at the methods used on <a href="http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2012/06/30/news/doc4fef72d5ce2bb483242981.txt">Arnolds' Pleasant Valley Farm</a> as a model.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mW4JChNRt7Q/T82beQgoQuI/AAAAAABDkxk/pVqBDcTJtUo/s640/Pleasant+Valley+Farm" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mW4JChNRt7Q/T82beQgoQuI/AAAAAABDkxk/pVqBDcTJtUo/s320/Pleasant+Valley+Farm" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The Arnolds mulch with a thick layer of saltwater marsh hay through the growing season. In the fall, they till it under. And by spring, it's gone! Their soil is so rich with native populations that the hay just disintegrates, returning nutrients to the soil. <br />
<br />
Speaking of native populations - if you have earthworms, your soil is in good shape. If not, adding compost and mulch can encourage earthworms to move in. You can also supplement your garden with populations of nematodes and parasitic wasps, which like to feed on the pests in your garden. These can be purchased from gardening centers or online.<br />
<br />
The third aspect of your soil is nutrient build-up. Decaying organic matter can add minerals like boron and magnesium. Casey hopes that his garden will eventually build up nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, minimizing his input of fertilizer.<br />
<br />
This explanation of soil ecology only piqued my interest to learn more - I asked Casey for some book recommendations on soil ecology systems and he recommended these:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Building-Soils-Better-Crops-Magdoff/dp/1888626135/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364058748&sr=8-1&keywords=Building+Soils+for+Better+Crops+-+Magdoff%2C+Fred.">Building Soils for Better Crops - Magdoff, Fred</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/biology.html">The Soil Biology Primer</a> - an online book, no purchase required<a href="http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/biology.html" target="_blank"></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.newsociety.com/Books/I/The-Intelligent-Gardener">The Intelligent Gardener: Growing Nutrient-Dense Food</a> </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
BNAN has many more<a href="http://bostonnatural.org/PDFs/SSG%20SSG%202013.pdf"> awesome workshops</a> coming up this spring and summer, and they're all FREE. Some I plan to attend are:<br />
<br />
Saturday, March 30, 11am-5pm<br />
38th Annual Gardeners Gathering: a full day of gardening skill-shares, talks and demos. <br />
(115 and 120 Forsyth Street in Boston)<br />
<br />
Saturday, June 15, 9-11am<br />
Little City Gardens<br />
(30 Edgewater Drive in Mattapan)<br />
<br />
Saturday, August 10, 9-11am<br />
The Secrets of Seed<br />
(30 Edgewater Drive in Mattapan)<br />
<br />
May to July<br />
Global Gardeners: Conversations and demonstrations with expert growers from Myanmar, Iran, and Somalia, who have transplanted their traditional farming methods to New England. They will share their gardening methods, as well as their stories of how they arrived in Boston.<br />
See <a href="http://www.bostonnatural.org/">www.bostonnatural.org</a> for more details. <br />
<br />
<br />
What inspires you as you look forward to spring?<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span>ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-81388207983078579712013-03-03T21:38:00.003-05:002013-03-03T21:38:49.159-05:00Liquid GoldSome pictures of calendula-infused oliver oil in the morning sun:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBT3w3a1sEA_mJ3E7Tn92eeDyVUubOmi3GdKkd_Ew-JfxJKIshXP0xFgNqEZsjWnGXcphzn-sMhyphenhyphenqKoS9eQJp5oJHwstNDeUKA9zwcDOiHpIV7HVrFyHZm869fOn0cikHjAtfqn3QA9Y/s1600/Calendula2+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBT3w3a1sEA_mJ3E7Tn92eeDyVUubOmi3GdKkd_Ew-JfxJKIshXP0xFgNqEZsjWnGXcphzn-sMhyphenhyphenqKoS9eQJp5oJHwstNDeUKA9zwcDOiHpIV7HVrFyHZm869fOn0cikHjAtfqn3QA9Y/s320/Calendula2+002.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhjrKen35n6L3f69wAeNcPocC3KEFalaihEvmT2okSZF1GoxcPj1P0n4RfNiChyJ81EQoy-hfqbvPMmt31zqTF2OhZdnJ1pbESeJEqd_OAza7RXFLN1jaZk2u4jtqhTzoz60p5er53Jg/s1600/Calendula2+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhjrKen35n6L3f69wAeNcPocC3KEFalaihEvmT2okSZF1GoxcPj1P0n4RfNiChyJ81EQoy-hfqbvPMmt31zqTF2OhZdnJ1pbESeJEqd_OAza7RXFLN1jaZk2u4jtqhTzoz60p5er53Jg/s320/Calendula2+001.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br />ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-32204259885917838942013-02-24T14:06:00.001-05:002013-02-24T14:30:21.220-05:00Winter Sowing<a href="http://www.agardenforthehouse.com/2012/11/winter-sowing-101-6/">A Garden for the House</a> recently introduced me to winter sowing. I have never tried it before, or even heard of it. Apparently it's an easy way to sow spring vegetables, flowers, and herbs. Plant your seeds in a miniature "greenhouse," stick outside, and wait for the seeds to sprout. It sounds simple, and I like simple. So I decided to experiment.<br />
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<u><b>The Ingredients</b></u><br />
<br />Gallon milk container<br />
Knife or screwdriver <br />
Seed-starting mix or soil-less potting mix<br />
Duct tape<br />
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<u><b>The Recipe</b></u> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnyVPkYmu8r2qTKFhSRRrCqsdJbuNgTsUNa-rvB9weVvFd6ZneXmCaunJtjIxkLwoCIxHE7JJTZvLrUG8MVCXfOeuce0NbQnL3bz4sgHSCyfxI5t-FrfrfW497IHv5RBp3YnncKzvtFM/s1600/Winter+Sowing+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnyVPkYmu8r2qTKFhSRRrCqsdJbuNgTsUNa-rvB9weVvFd6ZneXmCaunJtjIxkLwoCIxHE7JJTZvLrUG8MVCXfOeuce0NbQnL3bz4sgHSCyfxI5t-FrfrfW497IHv5RBp3YnncKzvtFM/s320/Winter+Sowing+002.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
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I don't usually have gallon milk containers around the house. Fortunately, my sister has a thirsty 16-month old son, so she saved a couple for me. (I believe he calls milk "daddy" as he does nearly every other object around the house.)</div>
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Begin by cutting your gallon milk container in half. I have insanely sharp kitchen knives but you can also use scissors. Leave a little bit of plastic connecting the two halves, to serve as a hinge.</div>
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Make a few drainage holes in the bottom. Kevin from A Garden for the House uses a screwdriver heated at a gas stove flame. I used my insanely sharp kitchen knives. </div>
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It's been windy in New England for the last couple of weeks, so I tossed in a few pieces of gravel to weigh down the container.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkO_z05yDPl8vavHXnvTbfaet5XkfgL3q6nFqgSDhfR5pMU2N9PdIA-ccsiax_KvffrJUPHM5Te0wc9kTQOd3Rgho4uTLEvCe5_RBYbMV5Mwl7_RfTwTH_8TIFbLnawQVlYMLBnom-TQ/s1600/Winter+Sowing+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkO_z05yDPl8vavHXnvTbfaet5XkfgL3q6nFqgSDhfR5pMU2N9PdIA-ccsiax_KvffrJUPHM5Te0wc9kTQOd3Rgho4uTLEvCe5_RBYbMV5Mwl7_RfTwTH_8TIFbLnawQVlYMLBnom-TQ/s320/Winter+Sowing+005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Fill your container with a couple of inches of potting mix and water well. I put my container on a plate so it wouldn't drain all over my table.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkn8GpIINuvyZK_xHFzozAQ6zsel88hGcL9aXjGjXTWmBxizCo9F0f-WMotNrzq2-AuiZdJNUbhzh3skxXVc56ERQ7dPfcOzA8SoCGm2q6Bs-ZgMauePLRNbNeXhnDZHTbvKzLUf28XOo/s1600/Winter+Sowing+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkn8GpIINuvyZK_xHFzozAQ6zsel88hGcL9aXjGjXTWmBxizCo9F0f-WMotNrzq2-AuiZdJNUbhzh3skxXVc56ERQ7dPfcOzA8SoCGm2q6Bs-ZgMauePLRNbNeXhnDZHTbvKzLUf28XOo/s320/Winter+Sowing+006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I chose two seeds for my winter sowing experiment. I've been missing fresh parsley, so that went in one of them. And I thought this method might be a good way to start alpine strawberry seeds, so <i>fragaria vesca</i> went in the other.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBaSI5YlZve-qAhRivoGLaZ3DcbBis8WS4i7feuETRFo4NNGDm6KGOFP7IpBOZMwQaOINTcfb0UtiXPFukeC1oPtudKnF_mJ-dhWRfq4aRI4WBdkHRatWKKprBPKH39D_ucPCzQOmS5bU/s1600/Winter+Sowing+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBaSI5YlZve-qAhRivoGLaZ3DcbBis8WS4i7feuETRFo4NNGDm6KGOFP7IpBOZMwQaOINTcfb0UtiXPFukeC1oPtudKnF_mJ-dhWRfq4aRI4WBdkHRatWKKprBPKH39D_ucPCzQOmS5bU/s320/Winter+Sowing+007.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Finally, I duct taped the "greenhouse" shut. When the seedlings sprout, I'll be able to open the top half to allow more sun and air circulation and I can close it again during cold nights.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcoCyehw4ku_B-S7hNcJlYpRjc-nQAMkguE0IaIYTopq9wvTqmBLOcHPxutrcPs9cMYUbB3jP6x9ThxeT96v1tcg9z4qGYa3psk0Am2o2ZvSI2I7_f5F9AUlogVEclYlicdpSCsFGkJKI/s1600/Winter+Sowing+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcoCyehw4ku_B-S7hNcJlYpRjc-nQAMkguE0IaIYTopq9wvTqmBLOcHPxutrcPs9cMYUbB3jP6x9ThxeT96v1tcg9z4qGYa3psk0Am2o2ZvSI2I7_f5F9AUlogVEclYlicdpSCsFGkJKI/s320/Winter+Sowing+010.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Here they are, sitting in the snow, nestled inside one of my self-watering containers. Fingers crossed, I hope this works!<br />
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Have you tried winter sowing before? How did it go?ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-68721228642205469362013-02-17T21:03:00.000-05:002013-02-17T21:03:09.323-05:00Calendula Salve (part I)The marigold, or <i>calendula</i>, blooms about once a month, so regularly that it got its Latin name from the word "calendar." The brilliant yellow-orange flowers get their color from carotenes (including beta carotene). Their petals used to be used to color cheese, and according to <a href="http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/marigo16.html">Eleanour Sinclair Rohde's <i>Old English Herbals</i></a><i>, </i>they were also used to dye hair! But I'm especially interested in the petals' ability to act as an anti-inflammatory agent in lotions and salves. That makes it a great thing to have around for dry skin in winter.<br />
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I received two Calendula seedlings at the Get Growing Festival in Harvard Square and harvested lots of flowers over the summer. Now I'm infusing olive oil so I can make calendula salve. <br />
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I started with a bunch of dried calendula blossoms. (You can grow your own or buy them from <a href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/bulkherb/c.php#h_cal">Mountain Rose Herbs</a>.) I plucked the flowers after they had opened, when they were at their brightest. It was a little painful to kills those beauties, but worth it. I set them out to dry for a day or so on a paper towel, then stuck them in a paper bag to protect them from the light. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnasuZ4HzxJZ_iHS8Ajwr3Cv77Tkp5Us9ulgj9nFpY03CD-Z02QjRNFySgX0AVwnDT_SUy128J_OF7GFfKXOZSHsXOVBqlbc35h0SS31MG-GcrhAg0XKiOIFfQBMfvbQhbRbH3I9FwtI/s1600/Calendula+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnasuZ4HzxJZ_iHS8Ajwr3Cv77Tkp5Us9ulgj9nFpY03CD-Z02QjRNFySgX0AVwnDT_SUy128J_OF7GFfKXOZSHsXOVBqlbc35h0SS31MG-GcrhAg0XKiOIFfQBMfvbQhbRbH3I9FwtI/s320/Calendula+001.jpg" width="320" /> </a> </div>
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I bought organic olive oil to infuse with the calendula. Since this stuff is supposed to soothe dry winter skin, best to choose something with no risk of chemicals. I pulled the petals off of the flowers and put them in a clean mason jar....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiZjs6ane84AXw0mR2jKLEB8HO8XeOIQ5B8FqEEYeDpnr0_uxFEuKGOm5CM27jJXLwNOfqesz4cd-pUJumoAUkGP55VWg8m8dE5w03GIW4AWmryH6EUZ5y2JPDbHILW3ae13jQmkZtyo/s1600/Calendula+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiZjs6ane84AXw0mR2jKLEB8HO8XeOIQ5B8FqEEYeDpnr0_uxFEuKGOm5CM27jJXLwNOfqesz4cd-pUJumoAUkGP55VWg8m8dE5w03GIW4AWmryH6EUZ5y2JPDbHILW3ae13jQmkZtyo/s320/Calendula+003.jpg" width="240" /> </a></div>
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...then poured in the olive oil, about one inch above the original level of calendula petals. (They floated so I had to estimate.) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNemS6T_wDAIWbVyRiRGR1lzSIApYOHNnlxyeKS6L80-wUR6eY7pDfteb0zKYuA_vhcmvPfrfaFBiGtklqz0_HghyvObQfkne7VHTqlsM3R_U1F7jDvzjg3tEGZk-b9cUqTsHPJGLxkiQ/s1600/Calendula+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNemS6T_wDAIWbVyRiRGR1lzSIApYOHNnlxyeKS6L80-wUR6eY7pDfteb0zKYuA_vhcmvPfrfaFBiGtklqz0_HghyvObQfkne7VHTqlsM3R_U1F7jDvzjg3tEGZk-b9cUqTsHPJGLxkiQ/s320/Calendula+006.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Now they'll sit in the sun for six weeks. If you can't wait that long for the complete recipe, check out <a href="http://mountainroseblog.com/healing-calendula/">Mountain Rose Herbs' recipes</a> for calendula salve, lip balm, and more. <br />
<br />ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-84376746196265609342013-02-08T19:59:00.000-05:002013-02-08T19:59:45.943-05:00Quick Hit: Blog-LeapingToday's snow has me blog-leaping and I found a couple of cool things.<br />
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<a href="http://chiotsrun.com/">Chiot's Run</a> has a chart showing <a href="http://chiotsrun.com/2013/01/12/shelf-life-of-seeds-2/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ChiotsRun+%28Chiot%27s+Run%29">the shelf life of seeds</a>. This will come in handy as I decide which to toss and which to keep. <br />
<br />
And <a href="http://www.agardenforthehouse.com/">A Garden for the House</a> has a way to test the seeds you have in storage. Are they still viable? <a href="http://www.agardenforthehouse.com/2012/01/how-to-test-vegetable-annual-seeds/">Find out!</a><br />
<br />
What did you find while stuck at home today?ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-38764629579556166632013-02-06T21:38:00.003-05:002013-02-07T23:19:15.933-05:00Terrarium, TerrariumA friend and I decided to ignore the Superbowl last Sunday and throw a
terrarium party instead. Terrariums are quite the trend these days, maybe because they offer a chance to be creative and exercise that
green thumb without actually requiring artistic skill or a green thumb.
You
only need a few ingredients to make a kick-ass terrarium.<br />
<br />
<b>To start with, you'll need:</b>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhry4BPyykI0wLlnMVwTN0lslGPEXjp224cOHuv7QttlTKScf8o4sih4g-BMzcY8L9xVV4cKNkDbXqrB9SZh4N6SCNnym1MTM-VNaNWay5xDF0UuTDikLCVf5xGFwua8SqcFqVjHzWFS4E/s1600/Terrarium+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhry4BPyykI0wLlnMVwTN0lslGPEXjp224cOHuv7QttlTKScf8o4sih4g-BMzcY8L9xVV4cKNkDbXqrB9SZh4N6SCNnym1MTM-VNaNWay5xDF0UuTDikLCVf5xGFwua8SqcFqVjHzWFS4E/s200/Terrarium+001.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gravel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHVtUme5X0UnOwX6IWGT_ybhUY6pMfFhg74Mq0STuL3VWmvXA2Biqt5DsyhJls80PTOWfMyHoShR-sUP0cVuTpWVuYGjsG4lJFCe7dyrZaHwiPIKwjNEvgvbU-rWzocAxFnjnthB6gJ0/s1600/Terrarium+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHVtUme5X0UnOwX6IWGT_ybhUY6pMfFhg74Mq0STuL3VWmvXA2Biqt5DsyhJls80PTOWfMyHoShR-sUP0cVuTpWVuYGjsG4lJFCe7dyrZaHwiPIKwjNEvgvbU-rWzocAxFnjnthB6gJ0/s200/Terrarium+005.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charcoal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" Sphagnum Moss Soil Cover (0180) - Ace Hardware" border="0" height="200" id="mainProdImage" src="http://ACE.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p1042826dt.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title=" Sphagnum Moss Soil Cover (0180) - Ace Hardware" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sphagnum moss</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="FoxFarm FX14023 Light Warrior Soilless Mix, 1 cu ft." src="http://cdn2.bigcommerce.com/server2100/da4db/products/22475/images/86475/FX14023__89552__65443.1354757251.400.400.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; opacity: 1;" title="FoxFarm FX14023 Light Warrior Soilless Mix, 1 cu ft." /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soil-less potting mix</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Think of these as the layers in your four-layer bean
dip. (That's my last Superbowl reference.) Each layer plays a role:<br />
Start with a bottom layer of gravel to provide drainage<br />
Add some charcoal
to act as a water filter to prevent the water from stagnating<br />
A layer of sphagnum moss will keep the dirt separate from the gravel<br />
And finally, a couple of inches of soil will give roots a home and something to eat <br />
<br />
<b>You will also need:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>A clear container</li>
<li>A small plant or two or three</li>
<li>(Moss, rocks, lichen covered twigs, a mini garden gnome...)</li>
</ul>
<br />
Some garden stores cater to terrarium makers by providing mini
plants, each in its own container. They're easy to fit into your terrarium. But if you can't find mini-plants, aim for small plants
that can be divided. Look for a small pot with multiple stalks coming
out of the dirt. When you remove the plant from the pot,<i> </i>divide the stalks from each other by the
stalks by <i>gently</i> pulling the root system.<br />
<br />
<b>A few tips to help your terrarium succeed:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Keep it simple - don't put too many plants in the same container to avoid crowding </li>
<li>Choose plants depending on conditions. My dining room gets more shade than light, so I chose leafy plants that I think (hope) will do OK here</li>
<li>
Water generously after transplanting to help plants recover from the shock</li>
</ul>
<br />
There's really not much more to it than that. If you need some inspiration, check these out:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTa129FA2w2IWKSL62HvzfQd0vTaaVoBnIBsJr1eF6cLLq3BSY9Gj9t1GtzMIVd3i3FhsLEC2m-k-RoUTN3wroSUqNsG1uqXXWIBXi2RaQ_dM-VD6EXFKGYcczksSoy2BxHZ_Ne7OA08/s1600/Terrarium+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTa129FA2w2IWKSL62HvzfQd0vTaaVoBnIBsJr1eF6cLLq3BSY9Gj9t1GtzMIVd3i3FhsLEC2m-k-RoUTN3wroSUqNsG1uqXXWIBXi2RaQ_dM-VD6EXFKGYcczksSoy2BxHZ_Ne7OA08/s320/Terrarium+007.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhk-uITSmTg5wcjHSpy3hmMIELldT6Tt5sMteJuq9b_rZHqpxwI1B_b2gzNEAQqIDE8xGF_qatwAXdjY9WVmSXsqQSsQYGUMGnnyGPIknJXokCNTOMeEJSTosxGoxFCFhYKU2m4urhDAM/s1600/Terrarium+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhk-uITSmTg5wcjHSpy3hmMIELldT6Tt5sMteJuq9b_rZHqpxwI1B_b2gzNEAQqIDE8xGF_qatwAXdjY9WVmSXsqQSsQYGUMGnnyGPIknJXokCNTOMeEJSTosxGoxFCFhYKU2m4urhDAM/s320/Terrarium+008.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7MMOKozmCF2P7XtKFycGenxDz3JRk7HzTonnKJy04dJsp4Ppfkt4D43AOzxfFQzrR_Y6ThlLBrL-svLq7FB0NEtAgrM75iqXfGkmwy1y3s-T3nGyGCyHLU-gS4h9h3bCBvWaTFdsd-4/s1600/Terrarium+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7MMOKozmCF2P7XtKFycGenxDz3JRk7HzTonnKJy04dJsp4Ppfkt4D43AOzxfFQzrR_Y6ThlLBrL-svLq7FB0NEtAgrM75iqXfGkmwy1y3s-T3nGyGCyHLU-gS4h9h3bCBvWaTFdsd-4/s200/Terrarium+015.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
And if you're really adventurous, you could even solder your own glass
container like Sonia did. She filled it with sand, seashells, pebbles, and
air plants:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTsFdfxCJdR1-3Pc35JdeYvCkc4T_C81VxlT8PrmHuVIZx3crGA5coaaU6oQvi1zHuj4Cio7fBeped9IiK5Xv6NXKuH299lrW2tuRHIRAxvsyy7AEUlGwPr3bUIM6ehA1tGzfaocMSZg/s1600/Terrarium+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTsFdfxCJdR1-3Pc35JdeYvCkc4T_C81VxlT8PrmHuVIZx3crGA5coaaU6oQvi1zHuj4Cio7fBeped9IiK5Xv6NXKuH299lrW2tuRHIRAxvsyy7AEUlGwPr3bUIM6ehA1tGzfaocMSZg/s320/Terrarium+006.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That rake? It's an extendable back-scratcher :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-21802146188350679012012-12-30T16:32:00.002-05:002012-12-30T16:34:04.080-05:00Planting CalendarsLast year, I was consistently late in planting seeds and seedlings. This year, I'm making a calendar to keep track of what I'm sowing when.<br />
<br />
Kathy at <a href="http://carletongarden.blogspot.com/2012/12/my-on-line-planting-calendar-is-fixed.html">Skippy's Vegetable Garden</a> created a great program that will generate a planting calendar automatically, based on your average first frost date. <br />
<br />
Kathy has two beautiful garden sites with lots of space and sun. I have a shady backyard and am growing in containers. Because our lists look so different, I created my own planting calendar, complete with some tips that I otherwise might forget (like thinning the spinach). <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsqBCYaOTF1GdDRid3d1ckpzLVRtQ2tYMTUtQk9MLWc">Check it out.</a><br />
<br />
I'm especially excited about the <a href="http://www.seedsavers.org/onlinestore/tomato_3/Tomato-Mexico-Midget-OG.html">Mexico Midget tomatoes from Seed Savers Exchange</a>. I am ordering these heirloom tomatoes as seedlings, so they will arrive ready to plant. Not only do I get to skip the labor-intensive process of starting them from seed, but also the hardening off. To accustom delicate seedlings to the outdoors, gardeners put them out for progressively longer periods each day, hardening them off over the course of a week. I find this near impossible to do correctly with a full-time job, so it's nice to have that burden relieved.<br />
<br />
I'm also looking forward to growing as many <a href="http://www.strawberryseedstore.com/buyseeds/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=12&products_id=86">alpine strawberries</a> as possible this year. They caught my interest because they require less sun than their mainstream cousins. But since then, I've been reading about their delicious, intense flavor. I can't wait to snack on them while gardening.<br />
<br />
<br />
What plants have you been drooling over in the seed catalogs?<br />
<br />ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-81064357117296208192012-10-29T15:51:00.000-04:002012-10-29T15:54:37.426-04:00Harvest: What I Grew and What I Made<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What I grew...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_9vU_cNv1uKD8e1VOhDsuO4JLK5YkH7WxuLKwfp1FTy9ZxZFawDsXGEvdf49IzYgDgZ4do6JtHGCfo0FPR3_b32tiKQJ8S9LVIb63PMmyRD7Kje1tCoF42KrTygHWifbGyrTecImfC-8/s1600/Garlic+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_9vU_cNv1uKD8e1VOhDsuO4JLK5YkH7WxuLKwfp1FTy9ZxZFawDsXGEvdf49IzYgDgZ4do6JtHGCfo0FPR3_b32tiKQJ8S9LVIb63PMmyRD7Kje1tCoF42KrTygHWifbGyrTecImfC-8/s320/Garlic+002.jpg" width="314" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three cloves of garlic</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheaZPSve6TbVGljGtDjB8ODaGfHdtehbuiy_TnF98XLGAqBms-ekiit_zv6xbA8NdPLsdBva87F7gES0Ybz-uppT9refUJLxJify_2nsjwwES1xBHS_FUEZwIH0iPtFyJEa7P7_1h8X5g/s1600/Oregano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheaZPSve6TbVGljGtDjB8ODaGfHdtehbuiy_TnF98XLGAqBms-ekiit_zv6xbA8NdPLsdBva87F7gES0Ybz-uppT9refUJLxJify_2nsjwwES1xBHS_FUEZwIH0iPtFyJEa7P7_1h8X5g/s320/Oregano.jpg" width="314" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piles of oregano</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYq0SWS0NJYrEXTIiUuH43rvTKzlbaCPUClha6ZEriWG4M5T6xguSgJXpCdtclJEod-_MbYOsudVGbU_35VcKOBQQIs70YXyCF-3mU1Qugsuw6DBFgdUcklyXnFLfJKt9vTaOsIUEEAyM/s1600/Calendula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYq0SWS0NJYrEXTIiUuH43rvTKzlbaCPUClha6ZEriWG4M5T6xguSgJXpCdtclJEod-_MbYOsudVGbU_35VcKOBQQIs70YXyCF-3mU1Qugsuw6DBFgdUcklyXnFLfJKt9vTaOsIUEEAyM/s320/Calendula.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One calendula plant gave me a couple of handfuls of dried petals for a salve</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQ1BzSTsUrvY932T6a43qE57fTuoxo8_sf1YOxAnGyKiC_6DczsIBwyhC8s6bwrCod1Fvwpq2lxeMVBX3RYHjMjz7fp_Ey-h0TzW6hrzLOe9FSfecrYD7IBPOhiV0simCn0yJVXDaCIE/s1600/Basil+Whole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQ1BzSTsUrvY932T6a43qE57fTuoxo8_sf1YOxAnGyKiC_6DczsIBwyhC8s6bwrCod1Fvwpq2lxeMVBX3RYHjMjz7fp_Ey-h0TzW6hrzLOe9FSfecrYD7IBPOhiV0simCn0yJVXDaCIE/s320/Basil+Whole.jpg" width="314" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three basil plants, including a couple of purple heirloom varieties</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cherry tomatoes and more calendula and basil</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdywEXPtTev3-Xu4uU4oCNipWgpaQvlha8bRG-7TlDbUSoNb0346cW11VYjk-doFo8tLDtRuZOVVvK86WWADgp3Q4JjLTr3HDQPpwtuZE5yhjwG2m1J8qnuK8yIrYIMs027YvuAQ4o9nM/s1600/Harvest+2012+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdywEXPtTev3-Xu4uU4oCNipWgpaQvlha8bRG-7TlDbUSoNb0346cW11VYjk-doFo8tLDtRuZOVVvK86WWADgp3Q4JjLTr3HDQPpwtuZE5yhjwG2m1J8qnuK8yIrYIMs027YvuAQ4o9nM/s320/Harvest+2012+003.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pole beans</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>And what I made...</b></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oKEvsh6v7lwjS7yFkZhtYxFnfEqitvTGy2X6JXEDwMDIHHlP_SPYgsW5KTD2OQax5oNQkgJEIcX_gVyqz-yDSSrZbTsfHz8gAr5MMibLam2W9fl5PjCvPd7tTfiT3ZWtxvlavELfUH0/s1600/Harvest+2012+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oKEvsh6v7lwjS7yFkZhtYxFnfEqitvTGy2X6JXEDwMDIHHlP_SPYgsW5KTD2OQax5oNQkgJEIcX_gVyqz-yDSSrZbTsfHz8gAr5MMibLam2W9fl5PjCvPd7tTfiT3ZWtxvlavELfUH0/s320/Harvest+2012+002.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Tomato<span style="font-size: x-small;">, basil, and <span style="font-size: x-small;">goat cheese salad</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMEiWhkhvoG92GeLW_g7zmhyphenhyphenYLZ_FZ8sQPt192iOAC278zRNDgmxxIoacgZkhsfFaeplsKEm1JAtWNfLetKF8m7dp1rQNpjuGZbP3u9PAosXLEiBgugci3mio_fLcO1tKL4cdc6HKz5I/s1600/Pickled+Tomatoes+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMEiWhkhvoG92GeLW_g7zmhyphenhyphenYLZ_FZ8sQPt192iOAC278zRNDgmxxIoacgZkhsfFaeplsKEm1JAtWNfLetKF8m7dp1rQNpjuGZbP3u9PAosXLEiBgugci3mio_fLcO1tKL4cdc6HKz5I/s320/Pickled+Tomatoes+015.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pickled green tomatoes</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRw6E-kPPbliWNmVsgP8641kwFyu6YeeFMbAzlOikM9RaMLsDhuo06RajjJbjye6BhA7pmTHICJeompsMDapTzky0Q7pVNDtKClwfMG0qB9ZZoOjrFRZn8nPY9DC4z6OdcPrULumx_Gic/s1600/Harvest+2012+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRw6E-kPPbliWNmVsgP8641kwFyu6YeeFMbAzlOikM9RaMLsDhuo06RajjJbjye6BhA7pmTHICJeompsMDapTzky0Q7pVNDtKClwfMG0qB9ZZoOjrFRZn8nPY9DC4z6OdcPrULumx_Gic/s320/Harvest+2012+005.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fried yellow tomatoes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ISsR2brWnRpyhNfsgQLbTWF6HBiAOSFefzl_z0cr2VqiTYDeYKMczMH3vmfC_IinDGTTJF-GNJJmEhMu2nmChfUfsrOd6yl0nAyyCZBTpULCv3I_6qf9xaK7Zo7Ip1wk79z-rmqffJo/s1600/Harvest+2012+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ISsR2brWnRpyhNfsgQLbTWF6HBiAOSFefzl_z0cr2VqiTYDeYKMczMH3vmfC_IinDGTTJF-GNJJmEhMu2nmChfUfsrOd6yl0nAyyCZBTpULCv3I_6qf9xaK7Zo7Ip1wk79z-rmqffJo/s320/Harvest+2012+004.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pesto, which I froze in an ice cube tray and locked into a freezer Ziploc bag</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What did you grow and make this year?</span>ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-21077899028275966352012-10-17T22:28:00.001-04:002012-10-23T15:23:02.854-04:00Size Matters (Containers Part 2)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMm2EEkcmEPmUvxoTG8QUWOkATOXMJp993K2eOkqNrEGXpRaqkjLGu55jKATFlZWRX6xDpP4B0WkAMQUsmWsUusoXtsnPRtjQFKqPt32FvUz_Ngwj6-nePNmzHHzKGNGgMQ-ng81e06r0/s1600/Self-Watering+Container+023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMm2EEkcmEPmUvxoTG8QUWOkATOXMJp993K2eOkqNrEGXpRaqkjLGu55jKATFlZWRX6xDpP4B0WkAMQUsmWsUusoXtsnPRtjQFKqPt32FvUz_Ngwj6-nePNmzHHzKGNGgMQ-ng81e06r0/s200/Self-Watering+Container+023.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A promising start with a sad ending</td></tr>
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Containers are tricky solutions to growing vegetables. One of my first experiments in growing vegetables garnered <a href="http://backtoearth-greenliving.blogspot.com/2010/07/failure-and-success.html" target="_blank">grape-sized beets</a>. After weeks of fertilizing and watering, I ate the world's smallest beet and goat cheese salad.<br />
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This summer, I tried growing cherry tomatoes in a <a href="http://backtoearth-greenliving.blogspot.com/2012/05/self-watering-containers-part-ii.html" target="_blank">self-watering Trader Joe's container</a>, 11" diameter, 11" deep. The plant didn't fruit and ended its sad life in the compost bin. My problem, I realized, was container size.<br />
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Obviously, big plants need big pots. But how big?<br />
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<b>Container Size Recommendations</b><br />
Jeff Gillman and Meleah Maynard, the authors of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Decoding-Gardening-Advice-Science-Recommendations/dp/1604692200/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350520855&sr=8-1&keywords=decoding+gardening+advice" target="_blank"><i>Decoding Gardening Advice</i></a><b>, </b>say<b> </b>that most vegetables need to be grown in a pot at least 20" wide and 16" deep. Their recommendations: <br />
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Most fruiting plants (such as tomatoes, beets, carrots, and peas)<br />
20" diameter x 16" depth<br />
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Some less-thirsty fruiting plants (such as peppers, eggplant)<br />
15" diameter x 10-12" depth<br />
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Greens (such as spinach, lettuce) and herbs<br />
10" diameter x 10-12" depth<br />
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Jessie Banhazl at <a href="http://growmycitygreen.com/" target="_blank">Green City Growers</a> recommended slightly smaller minimums. She told me to plant fruiting plants in a minimum of 12 inches depth, or more for larger plants.<br />
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For tomatoes, zucchini, or summer squash<br />
2 square feet<br />
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For cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, tomatillos, chard and collards<br />
1 square foot<br />
(I've also grown both peas and beans in square foot containers)<br />
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<b> </b>Consider the plant too, Jessie said. Leafy greens need more surface than depth to grow well. So a short windowbox is much better suited to arugula than to carrots.<br />
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<b>For every plant there is a container</b><br />
My grape beets were in a long, narrow plastic container only 8" deep. Their tap roots hit the bottom and they stopped growing. That container is now used for spinach and lettuce. And the Trader Joe's pot? My heirloom basil flourished in it for the rest of the summer. <br />
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<b>Other Container Tips</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Water (and drainage!) Everyone knows it's easy to forget to water your plants. But drainage is important too - I'll be drilling a few extra holes in one of my containers to avoid water-logged plants next year.</li>
<li>Fertilizer: Frequent watering (or rainfall) will wash nutrients out of the soil. Remember to replace with an organic fertilizer, like compost tea or <a href="http://www.neptunesharvest.com/" target="_blank">Neptune's Harvest</a>.</li>
</ul>
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<br />ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-64745311070239059052012-08-16T23:00:00.000-04:002012-08-16T23:00:09.880-04:00The Very Hungry CaterpillarLet's set the scene of the crime. <br />
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August 4:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFCsb4csyEjjRQdcDZ9ec4vvjPjTcwpg0KY1H_lfT2f3H5cFVvgktfIKQW7AKgp-SDKN3_CZ2a4eZvvqV0UJLmJall2aoGe3tpNj0O7VQ4r1yOX3b7_k68x_KHT9r4n9eFGZHxIXeKww/s1600/Basil+Whole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFCsb4csyEjjRQdcDZ9ec4vvjPjTcwpg0KY1H_lfT2f3H5cFVvgktfIKQW7AKgp-SDKN3_CZ2a4eZvvqV0UJLmJall2aoGe3tpNj0O7VQ4r1yOX3b7_k68x_KHT9r4n9eFGZHxIXeKww/s1600/Basil+Whole.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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August 5:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9F-_7SQDM-HUi1Lg-_WDCCYEySJQMHilspQBV6-CCw0Ri6qIdYrZaksLt539xs4fhmaZH3HIVnbhKf5DPr2F52UgxJqkn_nWYny0w7X8OTFGfuIWqcgRqUPqL763gngWyp-iMrR4XvU/s1600/Basil+Eaten.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9F-_7SQDM-HUi1Lg-_WDCCYEySJQMHilspQBV6-CCw0Ri6qIdYrZaksLt539xs4fhmaZH3HIVnbhKf5DPr2F52UgxJqkn_nWYny0w7X8OTFGfuIWqcgRqUPqL763gngWyp-iMrR4XvU/s1600/Basil+Eaten.jpg" /></a></div>
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Murder! <br />
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The usual suspects?<br />
Flea beetles eat leaves, but I haven't seen them eat that quickly. They leave little holes that are perfect circles. Cabbage moths also eat leaves but leave ragged edges. Again, though, I haven't seen them eat a whole plant in a day. Maybe it was another creature with a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Very-Hungry-Caterpillar-Eric-Carle/dp/0399208534" target="_blank">voracious appetite</a>... <br /><br />
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When I looked closer, I saw a black head lift up out of the dirt, making a dash for the edge of the pot. I scooped it up and tossed it in the compost before I thought to get a picture. Fortunately, blogger and photographer Rob has taken some gorgeous pictures of various critters at <a href="http://www.robsplants.com/critters/crawlers.php" target="_blank">http://www.robsplants.com/<wbr></wbr>critters/crawlers.php</a>.<br />
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And Rob even does his research. Please meet <i>Spodoptera Ornithogalli</i>, commonly known as armyworm (though it's actually a caterpillar). It's a truly elegant little creature, camouflaged black with racing stripes down its back. Apparently its good looks are enough to let it get away with murder. (Or, I'm just squeamish about killing anything larger than an ant.) Still, if it finds its way back to my basil pots, it will not survive to tell the tale.<br />
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<br />What pests are you dealing with this summer? And on a scale of 1 to 10, how pretty are they?ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-43339258291137390572012-07-14T18:12:00.003-04:002012-07-24T20:32:49.627-04:00Pickled Green TomatoesIn my <a href="http://backtoearth-greenliving.blogspot.com/2012/07/powdery-mildew.html">last post</a>, a dying tomato plant resulted in a little less than a pound of green cherry tomatoes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3g8akiSKNTXWR7BhwJX-JPi_avpQ49JqrYOs9L7x_6ZyF97ea2huGlte4muDAzeioZI3Bg9sF266QByKynG4FlaR11CHPBazOKqW_QWfIurSJIMBkVC4kRqoDgPuEvEqKZNmyXgvAqcA/s1600/Pickled+Tomatoes+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3g8akiSKNTXWR7BhwJX-JPi_avpQ49JqrYOs9L7x_6ZyF97ea2huGlte4muDAzeioZI3Bg9sF266QByKynG4FlaR11CHPBazOKqW_QWfIurSJIMBkVC4kRqoDgPuEvEqKZNmyXgvAqcA/s1600/Pickled+Tomatoes+004.jpg" /></a></div>
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I wanted to pickle them, but wasn't in the mood to can. I found this great <a href="http://www.publicradio.org/columns/splendid-table/recipes/vegetable_pickle.html">Italian recipe</a> on Public Radio's Splendid Table for pickled green tomatoes, no processing required. I added some chopped onions because a lot of other pickling recipes call for them, and because I had them. The mint and hot pepper were out - I didn't have any on hand.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFaLUjQy5E9aKN5TR6vqjDcgzCoqdl_Xl2799pMoHFzUk2CqeSLjk_j-UTgBcvqZLGvVyvVHIMRmjd0JB7zXRv_uRDw5DEAunichz1EuuSIbCrJrLUeuf-0CKQFlky_7i13BlIfuayb8U/s1600/Pickled+Tomatoes+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFaLUjQy5E9aKN5TR6vqjDcgzCoqdl_Xl2799pMoHFzUk2CqeSLjk_j-UTgBcvqZLGvVyvVHIMRmjd0JB7zXRv_uRDw5DEAunichz1EuuSIbCrJrLUeuf-0CKQFlky_7i13BlIfuayb8U/s1600/Pickled+Tomatoes+007.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_Zq3L07oM5-gYcXryr8ZCRNJGnzjWzMYdINochPdPNqPTfccZTwEWATsP-al0QPa20dATAdarwRLgHL-ufszI9OrVXOvmj3elYAKals-w6d2qhWPhV5gF2OfdgEUx3RSgv-gzFaUnyU/s1600/Pickled+Tomatoes+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_Zq3L07oM5-gYcXryr8ZCRNJGnzjWzMYdINochPdPNqPTfccZTwEWATsP-al0QPa20dATAdarwRLgHL-ufszI9OrVXOvmj3elYAKals-w6d2qhWPhV5gF2OfdgEUx3RSgv-gzFaUnyU/s1600/Pickled+Tomatoes+009.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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I sliced the tomatoes, laid them in a single layer, and sprinkled a bit of salt on top.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1lTwNHhbDZ5TWHuVdNydmDk2T9GJAWLto1A3_QnT5POOWzIteH-8qypSPRqgNrTpV4aCsIsYwk2aRirsgTPr8mzcik4dmhoi80wcYPe6fxPgoBJ5kEV8yNfWGG9sUnL9XZYytXkC4O0/s1600/Pickled+Tomatoes+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1lTwNHhbDZ5TWHuVdNydmDk2T9GJAWLto1A3_QnT5POOWzIteH-8qypSPRqgNrTpV4aCsIsYwk2aRirsgTPr8mzcik4dmhoi80wcYPe6fxPgoBJ5kEV8yNfWGG9sUnL9XZYytXkC4O0/s320/Pickled+Tomatoes+011.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
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A layer of onions was followed by more tomatoes, each layer sprinkled with a bit more salt. <br />
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At this point, the plate was covered in saran wrap and went into the fridge for 24 hours. When I removed it, I rinsed the mixture with cold water.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGQObqXx9NykgXwl60DN-UI8vUolg7wHuzMOyKflhoNM2dP5nHqig6dgRt5KFTetpZn1XBrF_56z2IT6eoa-pVK_eTGYscKyLQmLj27rvRmWEO1xJLPwf5qe-X6SxQTMFTk1A9KaqFNM/s1600/Pickled+Tomatoes+012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGQObqXx9NykgXwl60DN-UI8vUolg7wHuzMOyKflhoNM2dP5nHqig6dgRt5KFTetpZn1XBrF_56z2IT6eoa-pVK_eTGYscKyLQmLj27rvRmWEO1xJLPwf5qe-X6SxQTMFTk1A9KaqFNM/s1600/Pickled+Tomatoes+012.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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I tossed the tomatoes and onions with minced garlic, minced sundried tomatoes (the dried kind, not the kind in oil), and some basil chiffonade. (I love that word. Makes me feel French.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZwjW5NGbs0EhkBrf1AygkA1-DwUv-b5gXwpBcj72ey_ZMIsoilrHaCKV682sJW792OrUHxGJukRGJ9S1yiSZWmgKeVvCShdXJdI9W3eDLD0S9cFndWRz4FFefUTvQ4urezmoCcdh-Zbo/s1600/Pickled+Tomatoes+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZwjW5NGbs0EhkBrf1AygkA1-DwUv-b5gXwpBcj72ey_ZMIsoilrHaCKV682sJW792OrUHxGJukRGJ9S1yiSZWmgKeVvCShdXJdI9W3eDLD0S9cFndWRz4FFefUTvQ4urezmoCcdh-Zbo/s320/Pickled+Tomatoes+017.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomato mixture packed into jars and filled with 7% white vinegar. Result: 2 pints</td></tr>
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Aren't they pretty? I'll marinate for four days and then they're ready to be sauteed with vegetables or tossed into scrambled eggs. Yum!<br />
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What concoctions would you like to make this summer?ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-20948760963193431732012-07-14T17:49:00.003-04:002012-07-14T17:49:32.417-04:00Powdery MildewLook closely at the image below:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQRbgXJzRo-qheXF_FR14rncLiffbwwcdIsFokm9pMeiB2MERvzMnTkO2yN0N8Lf4teG3ouX_Acf9IN6EjomOWnaIKQPXL-LpAJ1w8Y7x2zU3lV92_gSekf_OzZN8fs-3l0cybVgR-IE/s1600/Mildew2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQRbgXJzRo-qheXF_FR14rncLiffbwwcdIsFokm9pMeiB2MERvzMnTkO2yN0N8Lf4teG3ouX_Acf9IN6EjomOWnaIKQPXL-LpAJ1w8Y7x2zU3lV92_gSekf_OzZN8fs-3l0cybVgR-IE/s1600/Mildew2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span id="goog_723233148"><span id="goog_723233152"></span><span id="goog_723233153"></span></span><span id="goog_723233149"></span>See the gray fuzz on those tomato leaves? I think that's powdery mildew. This is what it looks like when it's further along:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsosjCObXJxCTVf7OFDxzifd7gYnjnTmdJGEiGBx4KCt_O6Bf6uCVHKoyqgBVZLpnAsE5530bUcUhNo0nMzYzocsj6M3PNcj_A265WQv6nNIrXFXiuwlQT0ahsx-IhtGB_cWl3XXhs2Lo/s1600/Applesauce+020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsosjCObXJxCTVf7OFDxzifd7gYnjnTmdJGEiGBx4KCt_O6Bf6uCVHKoyqgBVZLpnAsE5530bUcUhNo0nMzYzocsj6M3PNcj_A265WQv6nNIrXFXiuwlQT0ahsx-IhtGB_cWl3XXhs2Lo/s1600/Applesauce+020.jpg" /></a></div>
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Yellow, withered leaves, curling up on the tomato plant. I attended a workshop at <a href="http://www.bostonnatural.org/citynativesnursery.htm">BNAN City Natives</a> this morning and learned that the powdery mildew is unusual for most home gardeners in the Northeast right now, because it has been so hot. But because I have been growing these tomatoes in self-watering containers, they always have access to water. And so does the fungus that causes mildew. It doesn't help that my backyard is shady, getting maximum 5-6 hours of sunlight. <br />
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<b>My fix:</b><br />
I started by plucking the affected leaves, but this wasn't effective.<br />
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The mildew started to spread from its original hosts to its neighbors, so I decided to harvest the green tomatoes and pull the two plants most heavily affected.<br />
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Erica, garden educator at BNAN, recommended that I spray the less affected plants with a copper sulfate spray, available at hardware and gardening stores. She said to look for a spray certified by OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute).<br />
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Prevention for mildew would be better drainage - next year, I will introduce more sand into the soil mix, and maybe drill a couple of extra drainage holes.<br />
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What diseases have you had in your garden and how do you deal with them?ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-1913769954745882292012-07-07T18:41:00.002-04:002012-07-23T07:43:33.912-04:00Harvesting the Fruits of SpringThe seeds and seedlings I planted this spring are finally coming to fruition. Pun intended.<br />
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The garlic cloves I planted last November turned into fairly large bulbs, considering they're grown in a container. I had three. The third was delicious :) <br />
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I planted peas on April 16 (late) and harvested them July 5 (also late). Only one pea plant came up this year, probably because I planted the second in uncured compost. I got 7 pods, and a handful of peas. Their flavor was good but the texture a bit woody, so next time I will pay closer attention to the calendar and harvest earlier. This dwarf variety requires 65 days to mature, but I harvested them after 80.<br />
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I am also starting to harvest from two Red Robins. They are dwarf cherry tomato plants and heavy producers. The limbs were bowed over with the weight, but the plants are too short for my store-bought tomato cage, so I have a crazy staking scheme to keep them out of the dirt.<br />
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Of course, every harvest should end in a meal. With a bit of olive oil and salt, I made myself a summer salad. <br />
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What are you harvesting from your garden this season?ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-57197712769432237762012-06-20T21:35:00.001-04:002012-07-24T19:58:06.071-04:00The Case of the Fake Clover...A Weed in DisguiseThis spring, I was thrilled to find <a href="http://backtoearth-greenliving.blogspot.com/2012/05/garden-update.html">clover</a> growing next to my garlic. I rubbed my hands to think of all the nitrogen being fixed in the soil. (I'm a gardening geek.) But then the yellow flowers came out. It dawned on me that they looked nothing like clover flowers, <a href="http://askmax.countrymax.com/lawn_and_gardenDetail.php?White-Clover-97">white </a>or <a href="http://poppular.blogspot.com/2009/06/purple-clover-flowers.html">red</a>. This sneaky plant tricked me.<br />
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What I had growing in my container was not clover, but <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalis_pes-caprae#Invasive_species">oxalis buttercup</a>. (Yes, I just linked to Wikipedia.) Oxalis pes-caprae is an invasive plant and spreads ferociously through tiny bulbs that are difficult to get out of the soil without tilling, and sticky seeds that travel well via animals or cars.<br />
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The silver lining is that oxalis leaves have a delicious sour taste. That makes it easy to distinguish from real clover, which isn't sour at all. And best of all, I get to have my revenge on this sneaky weed by eating it in my summer salads. Take that, faker.<br />
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<i>A reminder to those who compost - never add weeds that have gone to seed to your compost. That includes oxalis with bulbets in the roots!</i>ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-8969450368971788852012-05-29T00:01:00.003-04:002012-05-29T00:01:55.944-04:00Self-Watering Containers, part II<br />
Last year, I wrote about building your own <a href="http://backtoearth-greenliving.blogspot.com/2011/05/containers-part-1-self-watering.html" target="">self-watering container</a> to grow happy plants. Self-watering containers have a water reservoir at the bottom of the container. Water is wicked up into the dirt, while roots reach down to get at the moisture. Plants grow strong and healthy, and <i>you </i>spend less time watering plants.<br />
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I was looking for a more flexible self-watering container than the two large bins I have. I wanted one I can take indoors or outdoors, and that is easy to clean. A plus would be one that is easy to make! <br />
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Allison Fastman, author of <a href="http://cantabrigianfarmgirl.wordpress.com/">Cantabrigian Farm Girl</a>, taught a fantastic workshop last summer on indoor gardening projects, including how to create self-watering containers out of Trader Joe's flower buckets. You've probably seen the buckets holding cut flowers. At closing, the buckets are sadly tossed into the dumpster - or better yet, the staff will hold them for you to pick up the next morning. Because the plastic isn't too thick, you can cut through them with scissors, making them easy to work with. So even if you have just a superglue gun and a set of scissors, you can still DIY.<br />
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<u>Materials (for one self-watering container):</u><br />
<ul>
<li>2 flower buckets from Trader Joe's </li>
<li>Rope (natural, not synthetic)</li>
<li>Superglue gun and glue sticks </li>
<li>Weedblocking material</li>
<li>Scissors</li>
<li>Optional: hardware cloth, screwdriver</li>
<li>The rope and weedblocking material are sold in larger quantities than needed. Share with a friend!</li>
</ul>
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<b>Do It Yourself!</b><u><br /></u><br />
1. Start by supergluing rope around the bottom third of one bucket. When you slide this "inner" bucket into the second bucket, the rope will prevent it from fitting completely, allowing space for a water reservoir.<br />
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2. Cut a hole in the center bottom of this bucket, large enough to slide rope through. If you are pushing the point of the scissors down to start the hole, add pressure slowly to avoid cracking the plastic. Do I know this from experience? Yes. (I used a combination of scissors and a screwdriver.)<br />
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3. Cut weedblocking material to fit in the bottom of the inner bucket, then cut a hole in the center. For structural integrity, you can also add hardware cloth at this point. (The hardware store can cut it down to size for you.) The weedblocking material will keep the dirt in your top bucket and keep it from falling through into the bottom bucket.<br />
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4. Tie a knot in the end of another piece of rope, then cut to about 6 inches. Pull the rope through the holes you've just cut in the bucket and weedblocking material. The rope will act as a wick, moving water from the reservoir up into the dirt.<br />
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<br />5. Poke two or more holes in the second "outer" bucket, a few inches up from the bottom. The holes should be just below where the bottom of the first bucket will end. If your plants are outdoors, this will prevent them from drowning in a rainstorm.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVx6ubY1p9SRxMlbjkRDEjSlFFrtf6dQiK4GMvU0Z_hfOq6SVAnqdETIv008zowbWt8YSEpNjoUMplZlcgBLQI8yu5BP3TSqonTcx3LijFqQ_5ksW3ZeGPY8wEJQh7rpclfZl8KAYXfuE/s1600/Self-Watering+Container+020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVx6ubY1p9SRxMlbjkRDEjSlFFrtf6dQiK4GMvU0Z_hfOq6SVAnqdETIv008zowbWt8YSEpNjoUMplZlcgBLQI8yu5BP3TSqonTcx3LijFqQ_5ksW3ZeGPY8wEJQh7rpclfZl8KAYXfuE/s1600/Self-Watering+Container+020.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bucket sat too high when empty, but sank lower when filled with dirt.</td></tr>
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6. Fill the bottom bucket with a few inches of water, and the outer with soil. Then, plant! And remember to add water as needed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lyvMjBbkoPWtSiMulE3Ivx0gBG1xT_Y9vOBhTPlq-PsuSUOSQz1U8QGLSASXi4xmnl9OtVIHpkdJ51j5SZBBFvfa2do64NdI5iG44Gqn93IxgNh00DcfNgO6nAM2h1V756KN1u2VnA4/s1600/Self-Watering+Container+023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lyvMjBbkoPWtSiMulE3Ivx0gBG1xT_Y9vOBhTPlq-PsuSUOSQz1U8QGLSASXi4xmnl9OtVIHpkdJ51j5SZBBFvfa2do64NdI5iG44Gqn93IxgNh00DcfNgO6nAM2h1V756KN1u2VnA4/s1600/Self-Watering+Container+023.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Robin cherry tomatoes</td></tr>
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If you need any containers, feel free to ask - I got about 20 from Trader Joe's. Happy planting and let me know how it turns out!<br />
<br />ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-14324411995726839922012-05-22T23:21:00.001-04:002012-07-23T07:44:08.243-04:00Spring Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I celebrated a mid-week day off with a spring salad. Bon appetit!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipI8HwU-pQUsEtrcxOxumKqpO-6NWavxUNgNVCDBBvSRdPZDGyW86eKzFJsdxGvxhpJ-z1PCFclAe8pupzk3c5ofRYy-fBeVtpxQjkn9ovUw7o5f431M0llC3zI3qOpFq1Zr-D90vHRiU/s1600/Salad+and+Self-Watering+Container+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipI8HwU-pQUsEtrcxOxumKqpO-6NWavxUNgNVCDBBvSRdPZDGyW86eKzFJsdxGvxhpJ-z1PCFclAe8pupzk3c5ofRYy-fBeVtpxQjkn9ovUw7o5f431M0llC3zI3qOpFq1Zr-D90vHRiU/s200/Salad+and+Self-Watering+Container+003.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asparagus (steamed 7 minutes) and chive flowers</td></tr>
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<i>In future, I will not be combining the onion-y chive flowers with asparagus. (I liked the colors, though.) A better choice would have been the clover flowers I have out back. </i>ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076308921440113307.post-82103912045137601382012-05-13T10:27:00.002-04:002012-07-23T07:44:53.524-04:00Mark Your CalendarsLast Saturday, in the shade behind the Harvard Co-op bookstore, I found a flock of chickens. <br />
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Yes, chickens, 6 months old and adorable. Beside their coop, there were information booths from <a href="http://www.gyostuff.com/Why_Hydroponics_.html" target="_blank">Grow Your Own Stuff</a> on hydroponics, <a href="http://friendsoffreshpond.org/" target="_blank">Fresh Pond Reservation</a> on invasive plants, <a href="http://www.citysprouts.org/" target="_blank">City Sprouts</a> selling seedlings grown in schoolyards, the awesomely helpful <a href="http://www.growmycitygreen.com/" target="_blank">Green City Growers</a> on building a raised bed garden, and more.<br />
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This was the Get Growing! Festival, part of Harvard Square's MayFair, with information for anyone interested in creating a container garden or raised bed garden, backyard chicken coop, rainwater catchment system, or just about any other urban homesteading project you can think of. <br />
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I walked away from the Get Growing Festival with free seedlings, a handbook on hydroponics for my soon-to-be-built window farm, and supplies for making a self-watering container. (soon to be new blog posts!)<br />
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I also brought back leaflets and postcards with several dates to keep in mind for workshops around town:<br />
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<b>Saturday, May 19, Fresh Pond Day</b><br />
<b>10am-2pm</b><br />
Music, storytelling, dog training, birding, container gardening, crafts, wildflower walk. The ultimate family day at Kingsley Park (250 Fresh Pond Parkway)<br />
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<b>Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20, Seedling Sales</b><br />
<b>9am-4pm</b> <br />
Organically grown vegetable, flower, and herb starts for your home garden, at Waltham Fields Community Farm (240 Beaver Street, Waltham, MA)<br />
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<b>Saturday, July 14, Breakfast on the Farm</b><br />
<b>10am-1pm</b><br />
Waltham Fields Community Farm hosts chef Joh Kokubo of Kitchen on Common.(240 Beaver Street, Waltham, MA)<br />
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<b>Friday, August 10 - Sunday, August 12, Northeast Organic Farming Association's Summer Conference</b><br />
Located in UMass, Amherst, the conference includes workshops on organic gardening, permaculture, landscaping, alternative energy, and cooking, as well as music, organic meals, and a country fair. For info: info@nofasummerconference.org<br />
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<b>Tuesday, August 14, Potluck and Stargazing</b><br />
<b>7:30-8:30pm Potluck</b><br />
<b>8:30-10pm Stargazing</b><br />
Waltham Fields Community Farm hosts Astronomer Andrew West. Free event! (240 Beaver Street, Waltham, MA)<br />
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<b>Sunday, September 23, Cambridge Urban Ag Fair</b><br />
Winthrop Park, Harvard Square<br />
Celebrating local gardeners, growers, and foods, this is a little like a country fair, but in the city. Prizes are awarded for the biggest veggies and tastiest jams.<br />
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Whether in Boston or elsewhere, what events do you have on your calendar this summer?ArtLoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446329002286485928noreply@blogger.com0