SATORI: Organic, Sexy Gardening

Hippeastrum, Early January 2012

2012-01-10T11:02:00.001-05:00

This is the last bloom coming from the Christmas Hippeastrum, January 12, 2012. Sad days. :(

2011-12-20T09:17:00.001-05:00

The hippeastrum has bloomed. :)

Here Comes the Sun

2011-11-24T11:08:00.002-05:00

This is my little window of overwintering plants, November 2011. Scented geranium (rose), geranium, aloe, African violet, snake plant, chives. The sunniest window in the house. They get a little leggy after a few months, but they survive until next summer!

Play in the Dirt

2011-11-22T21:41:00.003-05:00

One of gardener/artist Ned Vare's oils, "play in the dirt (full circle)". Ned, who died two years ago, was a gardener extraordinaire who taught me much of what I know. Thank you Ned! I hope you're having a ball with Hunter T.!

Overwintering

2011-11-02T15:22:00.004-04:00

Beautiful lemon verbena

November – a sad, sad month for gardeners. This is it. Really no more room for excuses. Potted plants either have to be sent to glory (i.e., the compost pile) or overwintered indoors. Overwintering geraniums, scented geraniums, chives and parsley is pretty easy. The tough ones, and the ones I want so much to salvage, are lemon verbena and rosemary; two of my favorite herbs.

Two winters back, I successfully overwintered a large rosemary plant in our unheated garage. It still grows, and tonight, I’m going to bring it into the garage again for its winter rest. Last night’s frost might have already done it in; I’ll know when I get home. The lemon verbena was brought into the garage about 2 weeks ago. It’s a delicate herb, and herbalist friends of mine swear by overwintering it in a root cellar or unheated garage. I’ve had no luck with either. This winter, I’m keeping it in a spot in the garage, away from the windows, but where I can see it everyday, so I’ll remember to water it about once a month. Ditto the rosemary.

Wish us luck! There’s nothing harder than spending a summer loving your babies just to watch them wither when November arrives. Blast winter.

Winter Indoor Herb Cultivation

2011-10-26T11:29:00.001-04:00

This, from Wildly Organic Women: http://ow.ly/79BZB

Garden Blogging on Zip06.com!

2011-10-26T10:45:00.001-04:00

Hit my Newest Gardening Blog on Zip06.com! "Four Hills of Beans"

http://ow.ly/79xeF

Irene, Spotted-Wing Drosophila Ruin Raspberries This Year

2011-09-09T09:34:00.003-04:00

This has just been the worst food growing season ever in Zone 6. Tragic: http://www.theday.com/article/20110909/NWS01/110909573/-1/zip06&town=Guilford&template=zip06art

'The Four Immeasurables'

2011-08-31T14:14:00.006-04:00

It's easy to forget the measure of Mother Nature's power. Hurricane Irene (which was downgraded to a tropical storm by the time it reached Connecticut) reminded me of Her great kindness as well as Her frightful muscle. Her force is beautiful and spine-chilling. Prayers of recovery to all those impacted by Irene! Stay well, my friends!

Four Immeasurables

May all beings have happiness and its causes,

May they never have suffering nor its causes;

May they constantly dwell in joy transcending sorrow;

May they dwell in equal love for both near and far.

- Buddhist Prayer of Recovery

Some beach somewhere, there’s a big umbrella casting shade over an empty chair. Palm trees are growing, warm breezes blowing. I see myself there...

2011-08-23T10:59:00.005-04:00

Cucumbers are doing OK…

It’s been a strange growing season here in Zone 6. Nothing has really done well, even the cucumbers, which usually thrive in my garden. Tomatoes are late and sporadic. Herbs are doing OK, and the flowers are blooming, although all the rain has encouraged some fungus. The cosmos are beginning to look like they’ve seen better days. I’ll be making pesto this weekend with all the basil, however, and am delighted! I freeze some of my pesto for winter dinners. It’s like opening a can of summer! A gardening friend of mine in Pasadena, California, just messaged that it appears that summer is ending. NOT! Anais, don’t say that! Summer will reign forever!

Chicken mushrooms!

2011-08-14T20:44:00.004-04:00

Driving back from breakfast this morning when I spotted something very interesting growing on the trunk of a tree along the roadside.

Lunch! Or a potential lunch, courtesy of Mother Nature and a handful of rainy days.An edible mushroom common in this area, “laetiporus” is a genus of edible mushrooms that are not only pretty, but also wonderfully tasty.

The locals call it, “chicken of the woods” or the “chicken mushroom”. In no way does it resemble a chicken, but to many people, it tastes like chicken, hence the name.

Cut carefully from the tree trunk, brought home and sautéed, the chicken mushroom really takes on a smoky, almost spicy taste. And many vegetarians use the chicken mushroom as a meat substitute; a very delicious, satisfying one. It can be cooked much in the same way chicken is cooked, so is a popular meat substitute. Very yummy!

August Dinner!

2011-08-11T19:23:00.002-04:00

AUGUST 11 DINNER: Tabouleh, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh garlic, fresh jalapeno, basil, parsley, lemon verbena, rosemary, onion, ALL (except the tabouleh) from the garden!

NOM!!!

I LOVE SUMMER! THANK YOU, MOTHER EARTH!!!!

August Flowers in My Garden!

2011-08-09T19:50:00.007-04:00

Black-eyed Susan

Marigold

Zinnia

Lavender

Cosmos

Tree of Joy!

2011-07-29T14:18:00.000-04:00

The Brown Turkey Fig Tree is putting out tons of ripe figs now. They’re falling from the tree daily. The poor tree branches are weighed down with them, and the tree looks goofy and inelegant. But who cares? We are eating ripe, warm figs off the tree this week. Thank you, Mother Earth!

Spearmint and Summer Song

2011-07-21T15:38:00.003-04:00

Just a quick mid-summer garden update. Spearmint is flourishing, thanks to its amazing ability to root almost overnight in water. Since early June, I’ve been clipping spearmint from the Guilford and Clinton gardens, putting them in jam jars, letting them root, and then planting new clumps everywhere. We have spearmint far and wide! The other day, I made spearmint sun tea. It is mouthwatering. I also made a black sun tea infused with sprigs of lavender from the garden. Refreshing and sweet. Cucumbers are in abundance, tomatoes are finally turning red, flowers are blooming and need a little pruning now, the brown turkey figs are starting to weigh down the tree (can’t pick them until they’re ripe!), sunflowers are opening, the new bean plants are climbing the poles, jalapeno, cherry and banana peppers are plumping up, last winter’s geraniums are making a comeback (we lost one), and I planted 3 new San Marzano (sauce) tomato plants given to me by a coworker (thanks Jess!). Lemon balm is getting leggy in its pot, but the ground patch is thriving. Lemon verbena is radiant (I’ll try to overwinter it again this year), and pineapple sage smells heavenly. This weekend’s project: Lavender cookies! I cut a handful of lavender flowers last week and they’ve been drying. I’ll grind them up in the coffee mill and add it to a basic sugar cookie dough. The essence of summer. Finally, the crickets are buzzing their hot afternoon song. Thank you, Mother Earth!

Sweet Peas!

2011-07-13T15:39:00.001-04:00

I really thought I’d missed the sweet peas train this year. We planted seeds in late May. Most recommend planting indoors 8 weeks before last frost, or outdoors as soon as the ice melts. But I got lazy this spring and bypassed an early planting. So, while I was sewing an all-from-seed flower bed by the side of the house (sunflowers, cosmos, zinnia, marigold, nasturtium, pink and red poppies), I made a spot for sweet peas, planted, and placed a trellis. Now, they’re blooming purple and pink! They have a lot more growing to do, but they’re in bloom. Joy! One thing, though – very little fragrance right now. Sweet peas are known for their heady fragrance. I wonder if it has anything to do with the timing of the planting. In any case, I’m delighted, and my next from-the-garden cut flower bouquet will include sweet peas! Thank you Mother Earth!

Kaleidoscopic garden

2011-07-04T07:40:00.005-04:00

The colors really burst this time of year. Petunias and zinnia - petunias from plugs, zinnia from seed. The front garden is alive with color. Thank you, Mother Earth!

Planting beans in July? Yes!

2011-07-01T14:28:00.002-04:00

Last night, I started two pots of Romano pole beans under the grow lights in the garden room. The bush beans we planted in May seem to be hibernating. I’m not sure what’s wrong, other than the excessive rain, which has yellowed the plants some. I wanted to plant pole beans anyway, so yesterday afternoon on my lunch break, I swung by the local nursery and picked up a packet of heirloom Romano pole beans. This is an old, reliable bean that has been around for generations.

Problem is, I’m planting in July.

Well, that may not be a problem. Many bean growers “succession plant” through summer – meaning they start a second or even third bean bed well into summer, for early to late autumn harvests. I succession plant basil and parsley through summer, and have fresh herbs well into October.

In our climate here, with such short summers, will it work with the beans? We’ll see. I’m giving them a quick start under the lights, so they should be ready to go into the ground in about two weeks.

On a less tentative note, last night’s dinner was fab. We boiled penne, and while it was cooking, we got out the food processor, threw in parmesan, raw garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, and the following fresh herbs from the garden – lemon balm, lemon verbena, parsley, oregano, basil, pineapple sage and chives. Whirred it all up and tossed it with the cooked penne. Divine. I love summer.

Thank you, Mother Earth!

We have figs!

2011-06-28T18:08:00.005-04:00

The Brown Turkey fig tree has suddenly decided to bear an immense amount of fruit all at once. I went out earlier to check the soil, and lo, it is covered with baby figs! It's been getting a high potassium diet and I think that explains the sudden explosion of fruit. Have you ever had a fresh, ripe fig, warm off the tree? Mmmmm........

Someone ate the baby mango trees!

2011-06-24T16:37:00.003-04:00

Someone out there in the woods of Guilford loves to nibble baby mango trees. So they went ahead and ate both of them! I suspect chipmunks or deer, but my jaw dropped last night when I went out to check on them and they had been dug up and spirited away. Good thing I have another mango ripening in the kitchen. This time, I'm going to cover the baby mango with a wire basket or some such contrivance. Back to Square One!

Rooting Basil

2011-06-22T10:04:00.003-04:00

A LOT of gardeners don’t know this: Like all the mints, lemon balm and lots of other herbs, you can easily root basil in water to produce more plants for your herb garden in much less time than it takes to germinate seeds, and less money than it takes to go to the nursery and buy more basil plants!

The trick to rooting herbs successfully is to take as long a cutting as possible remove ALL the leaves that would otherwise soak in the water that you’re rooting your basil in. Any leaves kept underwater will quickly get soused, bacteria-ridden, slimy, and eventually, dead.

So take your basil cuttings as CLOSE to the soil line as possible, gently remove ALL the leaves but the top sets, use a thin-necked bottle (so the cuttings don’t sag into the water), keep the water fresh by changing every few days, and in a week or two, you’ll see new roots sprouting from the submerged stems. When the roots are about an inch or so long, pot up your new basil plant and put it in the sun!

This is a photo of a coupe of basil cuttings I took this morning. I’m using an old glass medicine bottle with a thin neck, and you’ll note that there are NO basil leaves submerged in the water. I popped it on a windowsill in the bedroom and expect to see a new root system very soon.

This is how I keep basil going all summer. Thank you, Mother Earth!

Lemon Dreams

2011-06-12T12:36:00.002-04:00

I'm germinating some grocery store lemon pits using the peat moss baggie method. Not sure of the variety - they're not Meyer - but let's see what happens. I'll probably try grapefuit and orange next, but imagine a lovely lemon tree! I really have to think about moving to the Mediterranean. :)

UPDATE: Baby mango trees!

2011-06-11T11:00:00.004-04:00

About 3 inches tall now. They're both doing very well under the indoor grow lights in the garden room. When they've gotten a little more burly, I'll put them outside in the summer sun. I have no illusions about having a fruit crop, but they're green and exotic and it will be interesting to see how they mature! Thank you, Mother Earth!

Baby pictures!

2011-06-02T18:43:00.003-04:00

Baby mango trees (top photo) and baby chickpea plants. It took less than a week for the chickpeas to germinate. So cute. :)

A little garden update - and PEONIES!

2011-06-02T11:32:00.005-04:00

It's been a wet, cool spring, but things seem to be turning around now that it's June! I lost a pot of basil and cosmos to fungus (relentless rain and basil don't marry well) as well as a small pot of rosemary, which also likes to be dry. Other than that, everything is doing well. Outdoors, lemon balm is already GIGANTIC; the greens bed (spinach, lettuces, arugula) is good, parsley and other herbs (including "Mouse Ear" basil, a new Italian variety I bought as seed) are growing, the flower bed is spreading and some of the zinnias are already blooming. The PEONIES are in bloom and are gorgeous. They really shine, and I just love them. Purple clematis is climbing the birdhouse pole, cosmos are feathering out, roses are bushing up, dahlias are peeking. In the vegetable department, we have pole beans with purple blossoms, bush beans, two varieties of tomatoes with yellow flowers, one cherry that hasn't flowered yet, several cucumbers (Straight Eight and Marketmore) that are healthy, 3 kinds of hot peppers that are doing wonderfully, a new mint bed (spearmint, orange mint and peppermint) that will eventually take over the planet, lavender is back, and we've had wild strawberries for breakfast every day this past week. Indoors, the MANGO trees are growing! They're about 3 inches tall right now. Chickpeas are coming up (about half the seeds germinated) and will soon go outside, with the mango trees. I'm also germinating more nasturtium under the grow lights. Nasturtium in the flower bed is growing like mad. With all the lemon balm, lemon verbena, lavender and peppermint exploding in the garden, I'm going to make some herbal sun tea this weekend. Thank you, Mother Earth!

Evolution of a mango tree

2011-05-26T19:01:00.008-04:00

So tonight, I pulled the mango pits from their peat moss baggie and potted them up. This is very exciting for me :) I LOVE mangoes (although I don't expect to see fruit from these trees); and I've always wanted to germinate mango pits. So here we are.

Photo 1: Mango pits still in baggie

Photo 2: Pits removed, washed off. You can see the roots and the shoots. Fascinating the way the seed unfurls like a ribbon.

Photo 3: Close up of one pit - see the scape coming out on top? And the tiny root system below?

Photo 4: Potted up and under the grow lights! I put both pits in; the stronger one will survive, the weaker will probably have to be culled.

Mangoes - Ya mon!

Baby mango trees!

2011-05-26T11:46:00.000-04:00

THIS JUST IN: The mango seeds have germinated, using the peat moss baggie method! Will we have mango trees outside this summer and in the garden room in winter? Yes, we will. Will post photos of the newborns later. :)

Growing chickpeas!

2011-05-25T10:31:00.002-04:00

Chick pea, (Cicer arietinum), is an annual that belongs to the legume family and it is also known as garbanzo beans, although they are neither peas nor beans. But who cares?

I planted a pot of chickpeas this morning. Four little chickpeas in a medium-sized pot. Growing chickpeas is difficult in this region, as it requires long, hot growing seasons to flower and bear fruit.

Knowing this, I may just feed the plants a high-nitrogen fertilizer to encourage the gorgeous, fernlike leafy growth that chickpeas put out, and just forget about getting food from it. But this is a first time and an experiment.

Chickpeas are usually ready for harvest about 100 days after planting. That would put us into September. So, there’s a chance I may get some pods for drying. Wouldn’t it be cool to make my own hummus from chickpeas I grew in my garden? Sweet.

Nasturtium fever

2011-05-19T21:00:00.002-04:00

Planting nasturtium like crazy this spring. Can't get enough of it! Both leaves and flowers are edible and very tasty, assuming you've used no chemical fertilizer. They're pretty and they taste great. Wonderful in salads. Easy to germinate, too. One packet of seed should give you enough nasturtium to last through summer. Unless you're me. Then you'll need 10 packets of seeds.

Mango madness

2011-05-11T12:55:00.002-04:00

Well, I finally did it. I have started germinating a mango seed. Here's what I did: I bought a lovely, organic mango from the health food store, brought it home and let it ripen. Yesterday, I peeled it, ate the DELICIOUS fruit, then removed the seed husk. I scrubbed the husk clean with running water and a serrated knife, then put it on paper towels to dry overnight. This morning, I carefully pried open the husk to get to the adorable, cashew-shaped, dark brown seed inside. I am using the peat moss method. Fill a one-quart plastic bag with moist peat moss, then tie the top tightly. Place it on a warm surface (in this case, on top of one of the light banks in the indoor garden room, where it will stay very warm), and check every few days. Within a couple of weeks, the seed should sprout roots and a scape. Then, I'll plant it up and put it outside for summer. Will I ever see a mango on it? Who knows? But it will make the most interesting houseplant at least. Mango madness!

Salmon geranium

2011-05-08T21:11:00.004-04:00

Well, I couldn't resist this little salmon-colored geranium I saw at a nursery this week. Really, I have ENOUGH geraniums, and they overwinter beautifully in a south-facing window (ask me about the "Chelsea Chop" someday), but this color is really extraordinary. So, I caved. Bad girl.

Little baby basil

2011-05-05T20:37:00.002-04:00

What we have here is the first Genovese basil seedlings under a cloche, outside in the rear garden. It's TOOOO COOOLLLDDD for the babies to be exposed to the night air, but they'll do just fine here until the end of the month. But to be honest, I cheated: There's a whole trough full of basil seedlings in the rear garden, unexposed, and doing fine - so far. An experiment. We'll see. Glass cloches rule.

Teapot garden

2011-05-03T12:25:00.002-04:00

William provided the discarded but still lovely teapot; I provided nasturtium seeds. The little lovely is now hanging outside in the rear garden. See what a little ingenuity and what people call "junk" can do for a garden? There is no such thing as junk!

We have bees!

2011-05-03T12:23:00.001-04:00

We have honeybees! Three years after installing this bee house in the front garden, Western honeybees have finally decided to call it home. They're busy laying eggs inside, plugging with pollen and other yummy stuff for their babies, and making way for the next generation, which will be born next spring.

Basil, and other signs of summer

2011-04-26T20:31:00.004-04:00

Tonight, the zinnias went into the flower garden, and handsfull of cosmos seeds. Also, two dahlias - pink and orange - and Germa, a beautiful cottage flower, tangerine color. The basil I started from seed under the grow lights are out, and parsley. I found a beautiful salmon geranium plant at the nursery, potted it up, couldn't resist! We're doing beans at William's, and I bought a few pots of impatiens for spots under his tree out front. Finally, the teapot I planted with nasturtium is out and doing well. I'd say the season is underway. :)

Make your own seed balls!

2011-04-15T16:09:00.000-04:00

I've been meaning to do this for a long while. I have hundreds of packets of seeds that need to be used. The Urban Homestead blog inspired me to get to it at last. You know what I'll be doing this weekend!

Grow zinnias! Save the Western honey bee!

2011-04-15T14:34:00.006-04:00

Did I ever mention that I worship zinnias the way some people worship deities? This may be because zinnias were the very first flowers I grew from seed, in my very first garden, when I was just in the second grade. Mom gave me a tiny little spit of land, maybe 4 by 4 feet, and said I could grow whatever I wanted there. I chose zinnias and sunflowers. Zinnias, a native of Mexico, are colorful and easy to grow. Butterflies LOVE zinnias, and I LOVE butterflies. Bees also love zinnias, and I love bees. And we must, must, must work to reverse colony collapse disorder. Most of us know by now that the Western honey bee has been vanishing in North America in alarming numbers since 2006. Why does this matter? Because most agricultural crops (our food!) depend on bees for pollination! So plant as many zinnias and bee-friendly flowers as you possibly can. Honeybees don’t sting, so no worries.

I started zinnias from seeds about 5 weeks ago under grow lights in the indoor garden room. They are about 4 inches tall now, really healthy. This morning, I put them outside for the first time, in an effort to harden them up. I’ll do this for about a week before transplanting them into the flower garden. Last night, I sowed the purple and pink Cosmos seeds in the garden. They both make beautiful cut flowers too.

By the way, everyone has a theory to explain colony collapse disorder. Mites, viruses, insect diseases, etc. But I stand by the obvious reason: environmental change, urbanization and pesticides. I’m convinced we are the culprits for this catastrophe. And only we can remedy it!

Meanwhile, plant zinnias and celebrate summer. Thank you, Mother Earth!

Garden junk? Garden treasure!

2011-04-14T13:53:00.005-04:00

This is a photo I pulled last week from an online gardening blog about using discarded items (what many people call “junk”) as garden implements. I LOVE this idea: An old teapot recommissioned as a hanging planter. William, an avid pottery collector, immediately donated a great blue-green Asian teapot to the project. In this photo, Christmas cactus are in the teapot, but since summer is coming, and I love nasturtiums (the flowers are yummy-peppery in salads), I planted dwarf Cherry Red and Caribbean Sun nasturtium seeds in my teapot (hot pink, orange and yellow), and it’s under the indoor grow lights now, about to germinate. Once it does, I’ll let it grow to about 6 inches long, then use an old chain to hang it next to the front door. Nasturtiums spilling out of a beautiful blue teapot all summer. Wonderful.

Starting cilantro from seed

2011-04-11T13:03:00.003-04:00

Who knew how easy it would be? Herbs from seeds can be tough - with the exception of basil, which is always easy from seed, and chives, which seem to seed well every year. I used to HATE the taste of cilantro; now, I kind of like it. It's so popular now that I grow it to feed friends and family. Last week, I started a pot under the grow lights in the indoor garden room. It is growing like mad. No problems. In a week or so, I'll put it outside, in a semi-shaded area, under a glass cloche. A week or so after that, the cloche will come off, it will move to full sun, and hardy cilantro will be on its way. I love all forms and functions of gardening, but growing from seed is the best.

Beautiful borage

2011-04-08T14:33:00.004-04:00

Just a quick early spring gardening update: Zinnia seedlings are doing fine under the indoor grow lights, but a touch of fungus has taken a few. I’ve no idea how; all trays and containers were sterilized, and the potting mix was, of course, sterile and new. William suggested that perhaps the LIGHTS themselves need sterilization. Cilantro from seed is doing well under the lights, and chives that overwintered in the bedroom window are back, boldly! I tossed in a handful of chive seeds to help flesh out the pot. It may just stay in the pot all summer, then come back in next winter.

I planted borage this morning – 2 pots – and put it under the grow lights. I LOVE borage! Everything about it. It’s a classic herb, with pretty, purple, edible flowers that dress up summer salads. The leaves, when young, have a strong, fresh cucumber flavor – great for sandwiches and salads – and they make WONDERFUL borage water. Take a handful of young borage leaves and put in a glass pitcher. Crush them a bit, then pour spring water over. Keep in the fridge for a really refreshing, no-calorie summer drink. As the plant ages and the leaves mature, however, they become tough and hairy, so it’s best to succession-plant borage all summer, to ensure a supply of tender young leaves.

Last night, I bagged up seed starter mix with arugula seeds (bag 1), spinach seeds (bag 2), and lettuce seeds (bag 3). This weekend, I’ll spread the soil/seed mixes in three rows in the garden, press down, and water. This is an easy way to uniformly plant those teeny tiny seeds.

The geraniums survived winter indoors, and will go outside next month. Outdoors, lemon balm is coming back, crocuses are dying back, sage is lifting its head, and young oregano is giving off its inebriating fragrance. Joy!

Box of greens, revisited

2011-04-05T14:13:00.002-04:00

This is a photo of what I called the "Box of Greens" from last year's spring garden. Parsley and two kinds of lettuces thrived there. I'll use the box again this year, but lettuce is already in the ground in the side garden, so I'll plant parsley and cilantro in the box. Cilantro is growing on me (no pun intended). I used to DESPISE it. But a few good cooks in my life have converted me. I started a pot of cilantro seeds under the grow lights in the indoor garden room a week ago.

March gardening

2011-03-22T16:52:00.002-04:00

It's time to plant peas!

This, from the New York Botanical Garden online gardening calendar:

March Gardening Tips

Planning

Choose planting areas based on exposure to sun, shade, and wind; consider distance from water source
Test for soil types and pH levels before major planting

Chores and Maintenance

Carefully remove winter mulches from planting beds
Dig beds in preparation for spring planting as soon as earth is friable
Add compost in four to six inch layers and work into planting bed soil
Remove protective cover from evergreens
Reset frost-heaved plants
Apply horticultural oil sprays to dormant trees and shrubs before buds open and if there is no danger of night frost
As ground becomes workable, de-thatch lawn; fill in low spots with soil; fertilize established lawns

Planting

Plant deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs, weather and soil conditions permitting
Sow seeds of annuals and vegetables indoors that require 10-12 weeks before transplanting
Sow radish and lettuce seeds directly into the vegetable garden
Plant cold weather vegetables like spinach, peas, lettuce, and broccoli as soon as soil is workable
Plant and transplant perennials
Divide and transplant summer-blooming perennials
Soak mail order bare-root plants before planting
Plant roses

Pruning/Fertilizing

Prune all plant material to remove any diseased, dead, weak, or crossing branches
Complete tree pruning before new growth begins
Prune late-flowering shrubs such as buddleia and Hydrangea paniculata but wait until after flowering on early-flowering shrubs like forsythia, Hydrangea macrophylla, rhododendron, and syringa
Wait to prune evergreens, hedges, and other shrubs until late spring into early summer
Prune all fruit trees before growth begins
Prune hybrid tea roses, floribundas, and grandifloras but wait until after flowering on climbers and ramblers
Prune back leggy perennials
Cut back ornamental grasses to new shoots
Fertilize deciduous, broad-leaved and needle-leaved evergreen trees and shrubs if not fed in the fall
Apply fertilizer to roses as new growth begins
Fertilize and lime vegetable garden

Indoors

Begin to transplant pot-bound houseplants
Continue to inspect for pests and control as needed
Cut back leggy houseplants

Lettuce in!

2011-03-19T15:18:00.004-04:00

Planted the lettuce garden today, March 20, 2011. Germinated seeds under grow lights indoors, put the young plants in a row about 3 meters long in the veggie garden. Shielded with a poly cover, and a chunk of amethyst for good Karma and healthy growth. The 2011 food garden has begun. Thank you, Mother Earth!

Eating with compassion

2011-03-16T07:47:00.004-04:00

A page from a friend's excellent food blog. Meatless "meatballs" - a wonderful, animal-friendly food for Lent, if you are Christian, or any day of the year that you want to eat with compassion. Check it out: http://npasquariello.wordpress.com/2011/03/15/meatless-recipes-for-carnivores/

Score! A plot in the organic community garden!

2011-03-10T12:23:00.003-05:00

Just scored the LAST plot at the Dudley Farm Organic Community Garden for this summer (2011). There's a long waiting list, but because I'm a master gardener and have agreed coach other gardeners in the group, I received the last available space for this year. A 20-by-20-foot piece of organic, food-growing bliss! PHOTO ABOVE: The Dudley Farm last winter.

Lettuce celebration!

2011-02-25T11:39:00.002-05:00

Last night, it was time. Just 22 days 'till spring, rain is falling, ice is melting, I feel my bones warming. I planted a huge tray of lettuce, chicory and lamb's lettuce in a sterile, seed starting mix. Tucked it under the grow lights, set the timer for 16 on/8 off, bottom watered, said an auspicious prayer of rebirth, and danced for joy. The season has officially begun. Within a month, there will be a giant tray of baby greens ready to go outside into our row garden. By April, we'll have greens for sandwiches and salads. You know what's great about it besides chemical-free, fresh-from-the-garden goodness? Saving the CO2 emissions that it would have taken to transport the greens from somewhere else in the world. Think about it. Thank you, Mother Earth!

Connecticut's native turtles are in trouble

2011-02-23T15:21:00.002-05:00

http://www.middletownpress.com/articles/2011/02/23/news/doc4d65660fa0948013442153.txt

Hyacinth in bloom

2011-02-17T20:29:00.002-05:00

The purple hyacinths are all blooming near the bedroom window. The fragrance is delicious. :)

Getting all forceful

2011-02-11T14:29:00.007-05:00

February: The house is just alive with flora! It's a poor substitute for the virility of summer, but it's great to have green (and gold!) things sprouting and spreading in every little sun-starved nook. Photos: Forsythia stems forced into bloom in the garden room; purple hyacinths about to bloom on the night table; paperwhites in bloom near the window in the bedroom; Star of Bethlehem amaryllis in bloom in the garden room.

Blessings on the Wind: Prayer flags in the garden

2011-02-08T13:37:00.004-05:00

(I took these photos of Tibetan prayer flags at gardener David Brown's farm in Old Saybrook last summer.)

A friend has asked me about the use of Tibetan prayer flags in the home. Indoors, they are a lovely reminder of our interconnectedness. Without getting into too much explanation, the Indian Buddhist Sutras are inscribed on each flag. Traditionally, prayer flags come in sets of five, one in each of five colors. The five colors represent the elements. The center of a prayer flag traditionally features a Lung ta (powerful or strong horse) bearing three flaming jewels (specifically ratna) on its back. The Ta is a symbol of speed and the transformation of bad fortune to good fortune. The three flaming jewels symbolize the Buddha, the Dharma (Buddhist teachings), and the Sangha (Buddhist community), the three cornerstones of Tibetan philosophical tradition. The flags are made of a very lightweight material; in this way, wind and rain and other outdoor elements will disperse flag fragments; the Tibetans believe the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all pervading space. So yes, they are made for outdoor use. But no worries about stringing flags indoors! But they really function OUTDOORS, and where else? In the garden! I have flags in both the Guilford and Clinton gardens. They last about 1 year or so before completely breaking down.

Tibetan orchid planting bed

2011-01-26T13:58:00.003-05:00

Fascinating!
This unusual structure is a planting bed for the native Himalayan orchid Gastrodia elata, which is known in "Tianma." Tubers of this orchid are planted between cut stems taken from deciduous trees. Along the sides of this layout, wood chips in porous plastic bags are added. Tianma is a saprophytic perennial that does not carry out photosynthesis, but is fed by fungi, which live off decaying wood.

(Photo credit and many thanks to Daniel Winkler, West Sichua)

Winter indoor garden oasis 2011

2011-01-21T09:42:00.006-05:00

This is a little window garden I keep each winter. A few Martha Washington geraniums overwinter nicely here, as do common chives. A good African violet (purple, which I think is the strongest strain), and now, some hyacinth and paperwhite bulbs, water- and soil-forced. It's right next to the bed, so really feeds the soul during these gray months.

Hyacinths!

2011-01-20T21:25:00.002-05:00

Tonight, Jan. 20, I potted up some of the hyacinth bulbs that have been chilling in the fridge since September. All purple this year.

I like to pot each bulb individually; in the past, when I've potted 2 or more in a single pot or dish, they've not all grown at the same pace in the pot. So, I have a pot of say, 3 bulbs, all potted up at the same time, but growing at different rates. So there's one that's almost in bloom, another about halfway there, and a straggler that's just putting out a scape. Not pretty. I've collected, with William's help, lots and lots of tiny pots just right for single bulb planting.

I'm also water forcing some hyacinths, in clear glass (pictured here, an empty chutney bottle!) because the roots are just so pretty. Once they've all bloomed, they'll all be tossed along the woodline in the backyard, where, next year and for subsequent years, they'll bloom in spring. Don't let anyone tell you that a forced hyacinth is a spent hyacinth. I've had great luck with them reblooming year after year in the garden. Ditto forced daffs and tulips. And I literally just toss them along the woodline, near the compost pile.

The sweet fragrance of hyacinths will fill the house soon! 59 days till spring!

62 days until spring!

2011-01-16T14:07:00.004-05:00

Santa brought a box of paperwhite bulbs, which were planted tonight in a few small vessels, placed near a bright window, watered and praised. Their lovely fragrance will help get us through winter. Tomorrow - plant the purple hyacinths I put in the fridge in September. They've been cooling nearly 14 weeks and it's time to plant.

SPRING ARRIVES - Sunday, March 20, 2011 - 7:21 pm EDT!!!

Cool garden blog

2011-01-13T12:27:00.003-05:00

http://www.gardenrant.com/my_weblog/

Snow - it's a good thing!

2011-01-11T11:38:00.003-05:00

No one, but NO ONE, misses summer more than me! Winter, wind and snow are, as far as I'm concerned, the unholy trinity. But snow - and we're getting lots of it this winter - is a good thing for the garden.

Snow helps protect plants from freeze-thaw damage.

In fact, flower bulbs and garden root crops are best tucked under an insulating layer of snow. And the added moisture when the snow melts is good for plants.

So snow makes a great "mulch" for the garden!

Hooray for locally grown!

2011-01-02T14:40:00.004-05:00

The former Pinchbeck's Rose Farm in Guilford has reinvented itself wonderfully. CONNECTICUT-grown roses! A good article about its new incarnation in the Shoreline Times:

http://shorelinetimes.com/articles/2010/12/29/news/doc4d1a6848d088f314016375.txt

It's something like spring

2011-01-02T14:35:00.002-05:00

Wow. Woke up this morning to temperatures in the 50s. A tiny mosquito passed me as I was outside: little guy thinks it's time to wake up. Not yet! But it feels like spring is just around the corner. How I WISH it were true! Think I'll go pore over some seed catalogs this afternoon...

'The Bride Whisperer'

2010-12-23T16:14:00.002-05:00

Check out my latest gardening article in the Shoreline Times:

http://www.shorelinetimes.com/articles/2010/12/21/life/doc4d10d2e74dce9201328326.txt

Vegan organic gardening

2010-12-02T11:53:00.003-05:00

Gardening without exploitation of or harm to any animal. And guess what? It works beautifully. Enough said.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=45389413447

Skeleton Buddha

2010-11-23T21:31:00.003-05:00

This has virtually nothing to do with gardening, but I just love it. Wish I could have it carved in stone and in the garden. :)

Eye-Spy

2010-11-18T22:02:00.002-05:00

What am I? I grow everywhere in Connecticut. (Hint: They say I can fly. At least that's what my name implies.) Send your answer to jnanayogagirl@att.net.

Moss!

2010-11-18T21:56:00.003-05:00

The moss is from West Woods in Guilford; pincushion, mostly. William provided the vessel, procured from - where else? - a tag sale.

A man's place is in the garden

2010-11-18T21:31:00.001-05:00

(William)
Pumpkins go there, flowers go there. You're going to have to earn your dinner, love.

Going beddy-bye

2010-11-18T21:23:00.003-05:00

Amaryllis were cut back in September, left to dry, and have been trimmed down to their necks and are now ready to go into the root cellar for a couple of months for a nap. William is going to have to make room down there! Here they are in the garden room.

Pineapple dreams

2010-11-17T10:27:00.003-05:00

Tried starting a pineapple, with no luck. Here it is, just dried (3 days after cutting) and placed in water. But in a few days, it molded over. Here's the link to the photos - http://on.fb.me/9EEgvW. If anyone has had luck starting a pineapple plant, I'd sure like to know how you did it.

Winter bulbs

2010-11-07T12:25:00.001-05:00

Amaryllis and paperwhites are planted and in the sunniest window. Paperwhites should bloom by Thanksgiving. Let's hope at least one amaryllis blooms for Christmas. :)

Happy Birthday, Ned.

2010-07-16T11:53:00.002-04:00

I'm sure Luz is keeping the garden up.

Garden lillies

2009-08-15T10:02:00.003-04:00

Too pretty not to bring inside the house!

Enemy sighting!

2009-08-11T09:10:00.002-04:00

These little guys have been laying the basil to waste this summer. Here is one I photographed on the deck this morning. Why I took a photo is a mystery even to me!

Pretty in green

2009-08-10T12:13:00.001-04:00

Nasturtium is doing well this summer. Lots of leaves and flowers for salads.

Staghorn fern, late July

2009-07-29T11:49:00.003-04:00

The staghorn fern is getting big with all this rain and humidity! Overwintered it in the garden room, where it dried out a lot and often looked like it was about to give up. I hung it on a tree outside in June and it's doing great. It spent last summer in the same spot. Soon, I'll have to remount it.

Dahlia, mid-July

2009-07-24T20:54:00.002-04:00

Baby cukes and bird baths

2009-07-24T20:51:00.002-04:00

Just nice to look at :)

Baby tomatoes!

2009-07-21T00:08:00.003-04:00

Not long now. Tomato salads soon!

Marigolds, pentunias

2009-07-21T00:04:00.004-04:00

The slugs may be laying the herb garden to waste, but at least the annuals are doing OK!

Astilbe

2009-07-15T23:05:00.001-04:00

Beautiful astilbe is thriving in the backyard shade garden this summer.

Garden visitor

2009-07-11T07:57:00.001-04:00

Found her in the cucumber patch this morning. Sweet!

Scarlet runner beans

2009-07-10T16:20:00.003-04:00

Pretty little blossoms all over now, July 9. Beans soon!

Slugs on the basil

2009-07-02T11:47:00.003-04:00

The Martha Washington geraniums are doing well, slug-free.

But this is getting frustrating. Basil is being eaten away.

Jam making

2009-06-26T20:14:00.001-04:00

June strawberries and jam making, June 25, 2009. Yummy beyond words!

Daisy!

2009-06-24T11:22:00.002-04:00

Daisy LOVES impatiens.

Rocks and rocks

2009-06-24T11:20:00.003-04:00

Heart-shaped rocks that we collect make pretty little sculptures for the garden or the house.

Basil!

2009-06-19T11:40:00.002-04:00

It's been cool and wet, not basil-friendly weather. Much of it has dampened off and died, but some has survived. I'll be re-planting this weekend, then praying for summer to finally arrive. Meanwhile, I found the coolest basil recipe: Basilcello. This will be a basil must-do this summer, right alongside my Green Goddess salad dressing (see this blog's earlier posts for the dressing recipe), and of course, simple-but-perfect mozz/tomato/basil salad.

Basilcello (Basil Liqueur)

20 basil leaves
500ml of 95% grain alcohol (190 proof)
600g white sugar
600ml water

Clean the basil leaves by wiping them gently with a damp paper towel. Do not wet or immerse the leaves as they can lose some of their oils and will start to blacken.
Put the leaves and the grain alcohol together in a (preferably glass) bottle and close it tightly. Leave it to infuse for 15-20 days, mixing/turning it over 2-3 times a day. The liquid will start to get green immediately.
After this time passes, bring the water to a boil in a pan, add the sugar and mix it until dissolved, but take the mixture off the heat before it comes to a boil. Allow the mixture to cool completely.
Add the syrup to the basil alcohol and mix well, then filter out the basil leaves and other pieces. Close the mixture in a glass bottle, leaving it in a dark place for another 20 days.
Serve the liquid as cold as possible, and store (for ready-serving) in the freezer or refrigerator. Before pouring, shake the bottle to make sure it’s fully mixed.

Morris Cove Bill's rose garden

2009-06-16T14:37:00.005-04:00

My gardening pal in New Haven has brought forth the nicest rose garden this year! He shared some pics and a freshly cut rose with me today. Namaste, Four-Fingers! ;)

Gnome sighting!

2009-06-15T09:49:00.002-04:00

There's the cutest gnome living in Cindy's garden :)

Pretty peonies!

2009-06-14T17:42:00.002-04:00

Even though they only bloom for about 2 weeks a year, peonies are probably my favorite garden flower (well...dahlias and cosmos, which last all summer, also have a high-profile place in my heart)! These I cut and put in a vase in my bedroom today. Thank you, Mother E.!

Japanese Maple, parsley

2009-06-12T22:04:00.003-04:00

The dwarf Japanese Maple I potted last year then lazily left out through winter actually survived and is coming back nicely. Interesting color - I wonder if that has anything to do with the cold it withstood. Mounds of parsley now; grabbing handsfull for pasta, salads, etc.

Teacup feeder

2009-06-09T11:36:00.003-04:00

Morris Cove Bill's homemade teacup bird feeder. Take a 6-foot galvanized steel pole, attached a rubber top thingy. Glue to bottom of teacup, glue teacup to saucer, glue spoon to saucer (he used Gorilla glue; use sparingly!) and affix in ground. Too pretty!

Garden fox

2009-06-09T11:33:00.003-04:00

At the Mercy Center in Madison, Connecticut, this little fox watches over the grounds. What a gift; she let me close enough to take this photo. Peace, little spirit!

Moss!!!

2009-06-01T15:58:00.002-04:00

If you're into wonderful, soft, springy, cool moss, or have ever wondered what can be creatively done with it, I have the event for you. On June 20, I'll be leading a moss gardening workshop at the Mercy Center at Madison. Here's the link to class info: http://www.mercybythesea.org/CourseCatalog/classView.asp?id=947
Join us! We had great fun last time, and everyone brought home a portable moss garden. I bake homemade cookies and brew tea for the class.

Garden update

2009-05-22T09:00:00.003-04:00

Cindy's clematis

A long, cold, wet spring has wrought some havoc in the garden. Cucumbers that went in earlier this month (May) withered and died. Too cold, too wet. Good thing I planted another flat of Straight Eights and an Italian cuke, and have about 20-25 plants to work with. Tomatoes are OK, but not really taking off – no doubt waiting for summer weather. Soon. Greens (lettuces, spinach, arugula) are loving the chill, and we have more salad than we know what to do with! Herbs are coming back, but some younger transplants have dampened off. Not enough spearmint coming back (need copious spearmint for Mojitos!), so I might buy a small plant. Peas are also coming up slowly, which is strange.

Meet Jester

2009-05-22T08:58:00.001-04:00

Cindy's Jester watches over the garden. Isn't he a cutie pie?

Cradle of basil

2009-05-20T21:15:00.002-04:00

This hand-painted, wooden baby doll cradle is a perfect vessel for basil. Was going to put red geraniums in it, then remembered that my goal is to grow more FOOD this summer. When the basil matures, this will be very pretty. Drilled some holes in the bottom for drainage.

Lemongrass

2009-05-20T21:11:00.002-04:00

A must-have in the garden if you're into Thai food. I love Thai. Did I mention that I love Thai? Potted up, it overwinters indoors.

Sex in the garden

2009-05-19T11:26:00.002-04:00

Pretty ladybugs "do the deed" in Cindy's garden. A private moment, but a wonderful photo. Life imitates art. Thanks, Cindy!

Bill's tulips

2009-05-18T12:17:00.001-04:00

Words can't do them justice.

Topiary

2009-05-10T11:26:00.001-04:00

Rosemary topiary survived winter nicely. I love its graceful form.

Deer proofing

2009-05-10T11:21:00.002-04:00

Plastic cloches protect parsley from hungry deer, which love to dine on the herb garden at night.

Kimchi making

2009-05-10T11:07:00.015-04:00

Day 1: Prepare vegetables

Salting the cabbage for 24 hours

Raw sesame oil and rice vinegar

Sea salt, chili powder, fresh ginger, sesame seeds, apples, oranges, lemons

Fresh red pepper

Don't forget to compost!

Day 2: Cabbage, salted, dried and chopped.

Homemade Kimchi paste

Add veggies, fruits, citrus, spices

Mix

Pot it up, seal it airtight, store at room temp for 48 hours.