Archives for June 2014
Inspirational Quotes: Refuse To Fail
When You Lose A Blogger Friend
Yesterday I learned that a rose had been plucked from the garden. I lost a blogger friend. I must say I was shocked. I hadn’t visited her blog, Annie’s Kitchen Garden, in awhile and decided to head over to see what was growing in her garden this season. She had passed on May 7 from cancer. Those who knew Granny, loved her and will miss her greatly. She was an avid gardener, lover of life, wife, grandmother and great grandmother. I enjoyed her blog so much, and I learned much from her over the past few years in my gardening endeavors.
It is amazing how social media and blogs connect people. You can truly form friendships and bond over the internet. Granny will be the second blogger friend that I have lost. I am so grateful that I got to know her through her blog. I will hold her and all of the knowledge that she passed to me in my heart forever. Her wish for her fellow gardeners was to pass on our knowledge to others and Keep Gardening For Granny. It was an honor knowing her and I wish her family many blessings. May she RIP.
How To Pickle Peppers From Your Backyard Garden
Today I’ll be showing you How to Pickle Peppers. Do you like hot peppers on your sandwiches, nachos, in beans, salads, or dips? They’ll be as fresh months from now as they are today if you pickle them. My daughter loves them straight from the jar. She actually asked if I would mail her a few jars through the mail. I declined that request, but I do take jars when I visit her. My daughter’s sister-in-law is a fan too. So pickling peppers is one of my top backyard vegetable gardening tasks.
This batch is a combination of:
- Hungarian Wax
- Sweet Banana
- Chilies
- Jalapeno
- White Belle
However, any combination will work. So, I throw whatever peppers are ripe in the garden into the bowl. Some people prefer to use jalapeno peppers only, but I like to broaden my horizons. I make a homemade pickling broth to cover my peppers. You will need to prepare your canner for this recipe.
Here’s the broth recipe for the pickled peppers:
You may have to double the recipe depending on how many jars you will be canning:
- 1 cup water
- 4 cups of white vinegar
- 1/2 cup of Kosher salt
Here’s the steps to canning the pickled peppers:
- Bring the broth to a boil.
- Add a teaspoon of pickling spice to the bottom of 1/2 pint sterilized jars.
- Pack the jars with peppers and pour the pickling broth over the peppers.
- Prepare them for a hot water bath by removing the bubbles with a plastic knife.
- Take the knife around the jar a few times and ensure the peppers are packed tightly. Wipe the rims of each jar with a clean cloth. Place the sterilized lids and rims on each jar.
- Water bath for 15 minutes. They are delicious.
*Note – Do not use blemished peppers when canning your produce. Make sure all of the peppers are blemish free and solid. I hope you enjoyed the post on How to Pickle Peppers.
DIY – Flower Pot Tower
I’ve been wanting to make a flower pot tower for some time, and I finally got around to it. I was quick pleased with how it turned out and how easy it was to make. If you’re interested in making your own, you will need the following:
1 piece of rebar or a garden stake (Found at Lowes or Home Depot)
1 10 inch clay pot
1 8 inch clay pot
1 6 inch clay pot
potting soil
1/2 flat of petunias
Place your rebar into the ground where you will be placing your tower. Place the largest pot over the rebar. The hole in the pot will be large enough to place the pot over the rebar easily. Fill the pot with potting soil. Place the next pot over the rebar and fill with potting soil and than the third. Place petunias around the perimeter of each of the pots and water thoroughly. Looks like I need to add a few more petunias to the top. I want it be full.
If you want to add a 4th or 5th pot, you will need to use a longer stake. I recommend a garden stake, which can be purchased at your local garden center for a few bucks. You can cut the stake down once you reach the desired height of your tower.
You can also spray paint your pots the desired color if you want to a pop to your yard or add a saucer beneath the pots. Quick and easy project.
Growing Dill In The Home Garden
Dill from your garden can be used in the following ways:
1. Homemade dill pickles
2. Dip for potato chips and veggies
3. Garnishes
4. Sauce for salmon cakes
I’ve made make spicy dill pickles for the past two seasons and used fresh dill from the garden. This year I will be making bread and butter pickles. I also dry my dill and store it in an airtight container for dip. Fresh dill can also be used on fish, not my thing but many people love using it in that manner.
Last, we hope you like our growing dill tips. It is an easy herb to grow, and has given me lots of volunteers during the growing season. It loves my garlic plants. I have to harvest often, so it doesn’t choke out my onions and garlic. As a result, I should have more than enough to dry and store for dip and to share with family. If you love veggie dip, this herb will enhance it immensely. It’s much more flavorful than store brought dill. I’ll be sure to post my dip recipe the next time make it, which will be soon.
5 Benefits of Growing Chives
Today, I’m sharing gardening tips on the benefits of growing chives. The flowers on my backyard garden chives are in full bloom, and they are beautiful. I recommend that you plant a chive or two in your backyard vegetable garden. The purple blooms are so pretty, and they enhance the flavor of many dishes. Maintenance is easy, simply remove the spent flowers and cut the plant to back to 2 – 3 inches in the summer.
This should give your plant a good start for another harvest later in the season. Furthermore, removing the flowers is an important step. Otherwise, the seeds will blow and the plants will take over your garden. You will end up with volunteers, plants which have seeded and germinated from blown or dropped seeds.
So, there are several benefits to growing chives beside them. First, they are very easy to grow. Once they are planted, they require regular watering and a little fertilizer. My soil is so rich, I usually by-pass this part of the maintenance, but I do water them. Here a few other reasons to grow and eat chives:
Benefits of Growing Chives:
1. They’re a magnet for beautiful butterflies. You kids will love chasing the butterflies across the yard. Pick up a few butterfly nets and identification books so the kids can research. The can get some exercise chasing the butterflies and connect with nature. Here’s another benefit, you can keep them occupied while you put up your feet and sip a cup of coffee.
2. Also, they are delicious on baked potatoes, omelets and other dishes that call for onions. I love them in salads as well.
3. They are a great source of antioxidants and can help fight cancers in the breast, colon, prostate, ovaries and lungs. This study is from the University of Maryland Medical Center.
4. Additionally, they are a great source of Vitamin K. Which, is good for bone strength.
5. Furthermore, they help lower blood pressure and cholesterol according to the University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell.
6. Although I have not eaten them, the flowers on chives are edible. For some reason, I just can’t get past the thought of flowers in my food. On a cake yes, in my salad no. However, they can be used to decorate a dish or vegetable tray.
7. Did you know that chives can be used fresh or frozen. You can chop and seal them in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator or freezer.
8. Chives return year after year.
Last, they are low maintenance, have health benefits, and enhance the flavor of your dishes. Head to your local nursery and pick up a few plants. Better yet, grow a few plants from seed.