The Victory Gardener

Have Seeds will Garden (Planting Guide for a wide variety of vegetables)

2011-07-10T19:50:00.000-07:00

So you want to start a garden but you don't know exactly how deep to plant the seeds or how far apart. Check out this list for tips and guidance. ~Happy Gardening!

Planting Guide

Asparagus: Soak seed overnight. Sow ½ inch deep. 2 inch apart. 60 degree soil. Let grow 1 yr. then transplant to permanent area. Harvest begins 3rd year.

Beans/Peas: Sow 1 inch deep. 24 inches apart. For peas and pole beans provide a trellis. Peas and pole beans can be planted a bit closer at 6-10 inches apart. Full sun/well drained soil. Keep pea pods picked early and often to keep plants producing, same for bush beans- keep bean pods picked often so that plants keep producing blossoms.

Cabbage: Sow 1/8th inch deep as soon as soil can be worked. Full sun. Thin to 24 inch apart. Average 100 days to mature.

Carrot: Sow seed ¼ inch deep. Thin to 6 inches apart. Full sun. About 65 days to harvest.

Cucumber: Plant 4 seeds per mound. ½ inch deep. 1 foot apart. Provide trellis. About 60 days to harvest.

Eggplant: Start indoors. Transplant to garden when 6-8 inch tall. Full sun/well drained soil. About 80 days to mature.

Endive: Sow seed directly in garden as soon as soil is workable. Thin to 12 inch apart. 85 days to mature.

Lettuces/ Chards/Greens: Sow directly in garden. No deeper than ¼ inch. Thin to 12 inch apart. Full sun. Average 40-55 days to mature.

Tomatoes: Sow seed 1/4 inch deep. Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost date. Transplant to garden when 6-8 inches tall. Space plants 2-3 ft. apart. Full sun. Provide trellising or tomato cage. Full sun. Matures at about 70-80 days.

Peppers: Sow seed no deeper than ¼ inch. Peppers need soil temp. of 70 degrees to germinate well. You can provide a heat mat underneath your seed tray to assist in germination. Germination takes 7-24 days. Transfer plants to garden when 6-8 inches tall. Full sun. 70-80 days to mature.

Radish: Sow direct in garden ¼ inch deep. Full sun. Thin to 2 inches apart. Matures in 28 days.

Okra: Plant seed ½ inch deep directly in garden. Thin to 18 inch apart when 2 inches tall. Harvest pods when 3 inches long. Keep pods picked to ensure good production. About 55-70 days to mature.

Pumpkins: plant 2 seeds per hill 1 inch deep. 4-6 ft. apart. Full sun. Keep free of weeds. Rich fertile soil. Average 95-110 days to mature.

Melons: Watermelon / plant 2 seeds per hill 3 ft. apart. 1 inch deep. After danger of last frost. Full sun. Keep weed free. 75-80 days to mature.

Cantaloupe/ plant 2 seeds per hill 1 inch deep. 4 ft. apart. Full sun. 10-20 days to germinate. 80-90 days to mature.

Squash: Summer squashes/ Sow 2 seeds per hill. 1 inch deep. 3 ft. apart. Full sun. 60-65 days to mature.

Winter squashes/ Sow 2 seeds per hill. 1 inch deep. 4-6 ft. apart. After danger of last frost. 80-90 days to mature. Full sun.

Turnip: Sow seed directly in garden as soon as soil is workable. ¼ inch deep. Full sun. 50 days to mature.

Herbs: Sow seed direct in garden or pot at a depth of 1/8th inch. Full sun.

Harvest as needed.

(Article copyright/ T. Wilson/ Small Town Living)

Friends for Life: The Simple Art of Companion Planting

2011-03-23T08:26:00.000-07:00

Two days ago I planted seed for tomatoes, peppers, okra, and carrots. Not such a big deal really, but I planted them all together in the same raised bed area. I know your probably thinking “whoa, can all of that be grown together in the same area?” And the answer is “yes, as long as you learn what types of plants work together compatibly.”

A blend of lettuces

Of course there is a bit of an art to learning what types of plants work well together and are actually of benefit to each other. This afternoon I plan to plant corn, cucumbers, and some beans together.

There are quite a few benefits to learning about companion planting and what does and doesn’t work well together.

Companion planting allows the plants to benefit from being able to help each other deter pests, attract beneficial insects, helping to boost the growth of the plants by which they have been planted. For example if beans are planted next to corn they work to add nutrients to the soil ,namely nitrogen, which the corn feeds upon to grow strong. Likewise, peanuts (which are an underground legume) can also be planted next to corn to add nitrogen to the soil.

There are also beautiful flowers that can be interspersed throughout your vegetable garden, not only to help make your vegetable garden a thing of beauty, but the flowers also help to attract beneficial insects and to deter bad insects, and some flowers even help to ward off deer and rabbits.

For instance marigolds can help keep deer away and also repel nematodes. Plants in the mint family will keep aphids at bay and are not only good for the vegetable garden, but how about planting them in your rose garden to keep the aphids away? Basil also works well planted near tomatoes and can serve to keep mosquitoes and mites and funguses away.

Nasturtiums work very well around the garden to repel whiteflies and squash bugs. Plant it around your pumpkins and tomatoes for a pretty look, and the added benefit of nasturtiums is that the pretty flowers can add a peppery taste to your salads.

French Breakfast Radish

==============

Here is a list of plants that can work together in your garden, not only to be of benefit to each other, but also to beautify the vegetable garden a bit as well. You may later find that there are even more plants that are compatible or non compatible within these groups. This list just serves as a starting point to help you along the way to discovering “The Art of Companion Planting”

———————–

Beans
Friend:beets,celery,corn,cucumber,marigolds,eggplant,melons,potatoes,strawberries,brassicas(cabbage family plants such as cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts,etc.)
Foe: garlic,onion, fennel
Beets
Friend: carrot,cucumber,dill,fennel,lettuce,onion,brassicas
Foe: pole beans
Broccoli
Friend: bush bean,cabbage, chamomile,corn,garlic,potatoes,rosemary
Foe : strawberries, tomato,pole bean
Cabbage
Friend: celery, corn, dill,onion,peas,potatoes,rosemary, fava bean
Foe: strawberries, tomato, pole bean
Carrots
Friend: chives, leeks, onion,lettuce, peas,tomato
Foe: dill
Corn
Friend: beans,lettuce,marigolds,potatoes,brassicas
Foe: tomato
Garlic
Friend: beets,cabbage,lettuce,roses,strawberries
Foe: beans,peas
Lettuce
Friend: beets,carrot,cucumber,garlic,onion,radish,strawberries
Melons (such as cantaloupe, etc., other than watermelon)
Friend: beans,corn
Foe: potatoes
Onions
Friend: beets,brassicas,carrot,lettuce,strawberry,tomato
Foe: beans,peas
Peas
Friend: brassicas,corn, eggplant,legumes,potato
Foe: garlic,onion
Pole Beans
Friend: corn
Foe: beets,broccoli,cabbage
Potato
Friend: beans,cabbage,corn,eggplant,marigolds
Foe: melons,tomato
Pumpkins and Squash
Friend: corn,legumes,nasturtium
Foe: potato
Strawberries
Friend: bush beans
Foe: brassicas
Tomato
Friend: basil,carrot,celery,nasturtium,peppers
Foe: brassicas,corn,potato
Watermelon
Friend: potatoes
Foe: tall vegetables (any kind)

(Article and photos copyright: T.Wilson & Small Town Living/stliving.com)

Successfully Starting Your First Garden

2011-02-24T16:21:00.000-08:00

I am often asked tips and hints about gardening and although I am not a professional I have had my fair share of success in the garden and with plants.

One of the things that I have often been asked about are tips on growing your own food/planting a garden.

So I thought I would share a few ideas here with you on how to start your first garden successfully. Things that have helped me personally.

1. When planning out your garden you will need to know the following things first and foremost. Your planting zone and your last frost date for your region.

These 2 things are very important in learning what can and cannot be grown successfully in your area of the country.

For example: Asparagus can be grown in just about all areas of the U.S. except for Florida. Here it is just too hot and humid to attempt growing things like that . Also things like raspberries just won’t work here either, the photosynthesis on a raspberry plant will shut down once the temperatures rise above 90 degrees which happens often in the Florida summertime.

So, know your zone and know your last frost date for planting.

Knowing your last frost date is important as well, because if you try to plant things too early they’ll simply freeze and its a lot of work putting in a garden and sowing seeds only to have your hard work destroyed by frost damage. and in the same regards you don’t want to start items like peas and lettuces too late, when these types of items rely upon early Spring’s cooler weather to germinate and grow properly. Timing and zone are key to success.

2. Not only are timing and knowing your planting zone a key to a successful garden, but knowing your soil is also key. In fact one of the most important elements in a garden is the proper soil blend and ph balance. To grow most any type of vegetable successfully try for a ph balance of 6.0.

6.0 is the magic number to try to achieve in your garden. Once you have reached that number you will be on your way to success.

Proper soil blend. One of the best soil blends that works for me and that is extremely successful in my being able to have seeds/plants sprouting up and growing beautifully in no time at all, is a soil blend that includes the following: an aged blend of mushroom compost, horse manure, cow manure, chicken manure and top soil. We have this type of soil hauled in from a dirt company to use in our raised beds they call it “Gardener’s Friend” and it definitely is at that. Yes it stinks a little bit but not too much, but it is this blend of ingredients that makes the soil a great growing medium.

If you do not have a local source for a specially blended soil like this you can create your own special soil blend by using equal parts of the following: top soil, cow manure, peat. Blend all together in a wheel barrow and use in the garden.

3. Weed control: I do not and will not use chemicals in or on my garden. When I create my raised bed gardens I use a thick layer of newspapers (not the glossy kind, just the black and white printed paper) and get it all moistened and then add the soil on top of that. If a weed happens to stray into the bed I remove it the good old fashioned way, by simply pulling it out roots and all. If you decide to plant your garden in rows instead of utilizing a raised bed method the moistened newspapers are a good way to keep weeds down between the rows of your garden.

4. Siting the garden. Where to put your garden is just as important as the other elements I have mentioned in numbers 1-3. You will want to site the garden in an area that is within close proximity to a water source and is also located in full sun. The garden will need at least 6 hours of full sun a day.

5. What to plant? Sometimes when one begins a garden they can get a bit overwhelmed with the decisions on what to grow. Sometimes it may seem enticing to try to grow something new and exotic the first year you attempt a garden. My advice to you: Don’t! don’t try anything unusual or new. Start out with the baby steps first or you will be disappointed before the journey has even begun. Get a bit of experience under your belt first before you branch out into other areas of gardening.

O.k., back to “what to plant?” Start with the basics and the easy to grow. They are: radishes which take only 28 days to mature, peas (look for bush varieties of peas if you do not wish to build a trellis your first year into gardening, bush beans (try varieties like Blue Lake 274, Provider, Royal Burgundy: these varieties all are hardy and grow quickly)lettuces: a good variety to try and fun for kids is Tom Thumb an heirloom variety that is about 6 inches around when mature and only takes about 55 days to get to harvest stage. Try a type of lettuce called Mervielles des quatre saisons (or Marvel of the 4 seasons) this variety germinates quickly and makes large heads of lettuce, allow about 12 inches between each head of lettuce. Try some cut and come again varieties of lettuces such as Salad Bowl Red lettuce. You can harvest this type of lettuce by cutting the outer leaves as the plant grows. Squash is one of the easiest garden vegetables to grow. Try a variety like yellow crookneck summer squash or even zucchini. But, be warned only plant a few seeds of the squash or you’ll find yourself trying very hard to come up with creative ways to cook up this very productive vegetable. Carrots: a hardy variety is Chantenay or try Danvers. Tomatoes: tomatoes will need to be started indoors in a good quality seed starting mix. Transplant outdoors when 6-8 inches tall. Try varieties like Roma, Green Zebra these are easy to grow varieties. Peppers: peppers can be a challenge for the first time gardener as they need a soil temperature of at least 70 degrees to germinate properly. Start indoors, one way to get the proper soil temperature needed for germination is to use a heat mat under your seed starting pots.Once the plants are about 6 inches tall transfer to the garden. Cucumber: plant 2 seeds per hill and space about 3 feet apart. Provide a trellis.

6. Proper moisture. One of a new gardener’s worst enemies can be too much moisture or not enough moisture. One thing to remember when siting your garden in full sun and when the seeds have not yet sprouted is that the garden will need to be watered daily, yes, every day. Do not make your garden look like a big mud field, but do make sure that you have provided at least an inch of moisture per day on the garden. Basically is you have raised bed gardens that you have created you will need to spray the garden bed for about 5-6 minutes per garden bed with a light shower of water.

7. Proper spacing once seeds have sprouted. Once the seeds have sprouted in your garden you’ll want to ensure that the plants have adequate spacing and air flow around the plants to allow them to grow properly to maturity. Follow directions on the seed packets on spacing your plants. Of course some plants can grow successfully a bit closer together than the seed packets suggest but with your first garden do try to provide the plants a bit of the room that the seed packets suggest. Simply pluck out the extra seedlings in your row and discard or…if you haven’t the heart to discard them pot them up into containers and give as gifts to friends that may wish to start their own garden also.

8. Fertilizer. While I do not typically use a fertilizer of any kind on my garden, but choose rather to make sure that I start with a manure rich growing medium and rely upon the manures to provide the fertilizing elements that my plants need I will be utilizing an organic fish emulsion liquid (Dramm products) in my garden this year and will also be using a liquid horse manure tea from Ubiogrow. The products I will be using are natural earth friendly,chemical free products. If you decide to utilize fertilizers on your garden I hope that you’ll choose organic products only and avoid chemicals as much as possible. Remember to always read the instructions and to wear gloves and or a face mask while using any types of fertilizers/chemicals. I do not in any way advocate the use of chemicals in the garden but I do know that some people choose to use them. Exercise caution.

9. Research. I always research a new to me plant. With so much information available via the Internet you will find so many helpful hints and tips on how to grow all types of plants. Utilize this tool. It is a gardener’s friend for sure. Simply do google searches for things like “how to grow carrots successfully” and so forth. You’ll be amazed at the information that is out there that can really help you to succeed.

10. Books that I personally recommend: Grow Great Grub by Gayla Trail, Carrots Love Tomatoes by Louise Riotte, Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening, One Magic Square by Lolo Houbien, All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholemew, Small Plot High Yield Gardening by Sal Gilbertie. These are just a few of my favorites to get you started in the right direction.

These are just a few of my tried and true tips that have helped me to have a successful garden. I hope that they will be of help to you. Gardening is absolutely wonderful to get started in as it is a terrific stress reducer and it is also just absolutely terrific to watch a plant grow and mature and to know that you helped it to do so.

~Happy Gardening!~

copyright: Tina Wilson/Small Town Living

Radish Romance

2010-08-26T08:37:00.001-07:00

The Radish- one of the fastest growing root vegetables your garden is likely ever to meet. Ready to serve at your dinner table in less than a month, the radish is also very popular for use in children’s gardens as something that promises results very quickly.

Radish Seedlings/ by flickr user katerha

Did you know that radishes are related to both the horseradish and turnip? Yes they are, and they have a bit of a hot, peppery taste and crunch to remind you of this fact.

Radishes work well in salads, as colorful garnishes, sliced thin and serve on your sandwich to add a bit of “kick”, or of course eaten “fresh from the garden”.

~How to grow~

Radishes can be grown in any average soil, but do their best in a rich, well draining soil. Sow your radish seeds in a weed free prepared area. Planting to a depth of 1/2 inch. Once the seeds start sprouting thin them to a spacing of 2 inches apart. After 2 weeks you can start another crop of seeds going, to keep a constant supply though the season. Keep them watered well. You should be able to harvest your crop within 25-28 days. If you do not have a garden area radishes can also be grown in containers.

One thing you should know about growing radishes is that during the hot summer months/mid summer the radishes can have a tendency to bolt and become a bit bitter/hotter in taste. If your radishes have a bit hotter flavor than you’d like simply slice them and add them to salty water to soak for about 30 minutes. The salt and the water help to draw out the heat from the radish.

Radishes come in a variety of fun colors/photo by flickr user clayirving

~Storing after harvest~

Simply remove the green tops off of the radishes and store in your refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Green tops can be stored for up to 3 days.

~Another..Did you know?~

Did you know that the green tops of radishes can be eaten? Use them in salads or added to sandwiches or cook as you would spinach. Highly nutritious and good for you 1/2 cup of fresh radishes is only 12 calories!

Have fun growing radishes. They are a fun variety for children to try in their own little garden area and can be grown year round.

(content property of Small Town Living/Tina Wilson)

Radish

Deer Proofing with Plants

2010-08-02T09:25:00.001-07:00

Deer Proofing Your Garden…With Plants

July 23, 2010

By Small Town Living

What?! ?? What do you mean? I can actually deer proof my garden..you know the garden that has nice vegetable plants and flowers in it that Bambi and all of his kin like to munch on… simply by planting more plants??

Deer photo by flickr user: Noel Zia Lee

Yes, you can…really. But the key is in knowing exactly what types of plants deer do no like and will not eat.
These varieties will keep the deer away from the “good stuff” and will (we hope) have them looking for other ground to munch from.
The key is making sure that you plant a lush border around your vegetable garden starting with the tallest plants and then tapering them down to the low growing specimens that deter deer. In other words …you want to build a living fence… A living deer deterrent. Sure Bambi and his kin are cute, but when you work hard on tilling the ground and planting a garden, having Bambi dine on what is intended to be your dinner just isn’t very fun at all.

Delphinium by flickr user: MShades

Below is a list of flowers and plants that deer do not find very appetizing.
You’ll find varieties like nasturtiums which have a peppery taste, mints, and a few herbs like thyme,oregano, and lemon balm that deer do not find appealing.

Achillea

Ageratum

American Mountain Mint

Anise Hyssop

Aralia

Astilbe

Aster

Baby’s Breath

Bachelor Buttons

Barberry

Bishop’s Weed

Daffodils by flickr user: Mason2008

Blanketflower

Bleeding Hearts

Bluebeard

Blue Flax

Blue Star

Boxwood

Bugleweed

Butterfly Bush
Butterfly Flower

Butterfly Weed

Candytuft

Calamint

Catnip
Columbine

Butterfly Bush by flickr user: tophera

Coneflower
Coreopsis
Crocus
Daffodils
Dahlia

Daphne
Delphinium
Forget Me Not
Foxglove

Geranium — Hardy, Scented Geranium; Cranesbill
Gloriosa Daisy
Grape Hyacinth

Hellebore

Hyssop

Lady’s Mantle

Lamb’s Ear

Larkspur
Lavender

Lemon Balm

Lupine by flickr user:mwri

Ligustrum — Privet
Lobelia
Lupine
Mariposa lily

Mint
Monarda — Bee Balm

Monkshood
Moss Pink

Mullein

Narcissus
Nasturtium

Northern Bayberry

Ornamental Chives
Ornamental Grass

Oregano

Peony
Periwinkle
Pincushion flower

Pincushion flower by flickr user: uzvards

Poppy

Russian Sage

Siberian Iris
Snapdragon

Spruce

St. John’s Wort

Sumac
Sweet William

Tansy
Thyme

Wormwood

Yarrow

——————————

So, just because Bambi likes to take his evening walks across your property it does not mean that you cannot have a beautiful garden area with gorgeous flowers and vegetables. Give it a try..plant a living fence.

~Happy Gardening!~

Artisan Farming

2010-08-02T09:22:00.000-07:00

Book Review: Artisan Farming: Lessons, Lore and Recipes (Richard Harris with Lisa Fox/ Gibbs Smith 2010)

August 1, 2010

By Tina Wilson

Have you ever wondered how other farmers do what they do? How they keep the family farm going despite rough terrain and trying conditions? What the passion is that drives them to rise at the break of dawn and work from sun up to sun down and do it all over the next day…again and again?
Within the pages of “Artisan Farming: Lessons, Lore, and Recipes”(Richard Harris with Lisa Fox/Gibbs Smith 2010)You’ll have the chance to find out about the farming history of the New Mexico region, and how some family farms across the region have kept their crops and farms going in an area that is known for its harsh terrain and hot weather. Many would look at the New Mexico area as being a very difficult area to farm in, but there are many farmers that have thrived and continue to thrive on what this area offers to those willing to stick it out and give it a try. This is their story.
You’ll read stories from buffalo farmers to garlic farmers to pepper farmers, corn farmers, wheat farmers,goat farmers, and many more specialty farmers. They’ll share with you their tips on what has worked for them on their farms and some of the challenges they have faced.
You will also find a wide variety of recipes that some of the farms and farmers markets share utilizing the ingredients grown in the New Mexico region, but that you should be able to find at your local grocers or farmers markets in your area as well. Recipes for such tasty items as: Indian Blue Corn Tortillas, Traditional Enchilada Casserole, Salsa Casera (Homestyle Salsa), and so much more.
You’ll also find a regional ” road trip touring guide” listing out a number of farms worthy of visiting, along with a list of farmers markets in the area.
If you desire to read a book in which farmers share their passion for what they grow, as well as their passion for preserving the traditions of their elders, and sharing with others the tips they have learned, as well as a bit of advice on just how to prepare some delightful food items from fresh produce this is definitely a book that you will enjoy.

Find Your Copy HERE

About the Authors:
Santa Fe gourmet cook, Richard Harris, author of 36 travel and history books, has teamed up with organic farmer, Lisa Fox, who produces “Farming in Season”, a Taos public radio broadcast, and Trent Edwards, a Los Cerrillos photographer, to provide this authoritative guide to the history, methodology,and intriguing character of independent farming in New Mexico.

Ubio Grow Plant Food and a link to a giveaway for this organic plant food

2010-06-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

I’ve been using this really neat product on my house plants for a little over a month now.

It is call Ubiogrow and is a liquid plant and soil helper. Chemical and pesticide free and absolutely perfect for those looking for an organic alternative to growing plants.

I use the product mixed about 50/50 ratio in a spray bottle and spray the soil of my houseplants thoroughly with it about twice a week.

Spider plant has perked up to upright growth and has an additional 2-3 inch in growth.

I’ve gone from one start of a spider plant that looked absolutely wimpy and definitely in need of some help…to the plant totally perking up and greening up better and putting out an extra 3 inches in leaf growth.

I’ve also used the product on a few tiny succulent plants and have noticed that one of the plants in particular has greened out a lot more and has grown about 2 inches taller.

I’ve used it on a Christmas cactus that I’ve had for several years that never seemed to get any larger..since using theUbiogrow on the cactus it has set out new leaf growth and has expanded on the branches by about 2 inches all over the plant.

Christmas Cactus has an additional 1-2 inch growth on each branch. Has perked up considerably.

I’ve even used it on a ”Lucky Bamboo” plant in a miniature planter… the plant has grown about an inch and a half since using the liquid on it, and I’ll most likely need to transplant it to a new planter soon.

Lucky Bamboo sporting an additional 1-2 inches growth.

I’ve used it on yet another plant that is similar to a african violet..this plant has set out new baby “plantlets” along part of its stem since using the Ubiogrow.

I can definitely attest to the fact that the product helps to perk up sickly houseplants and to bring them back into greening out properly and growing much better.

A little about Ubiogrow(from the Ubiogrow website):

Less than 1/4 teaspoon of good UBIOGROW has been shown to contain over a billion bacteria—most of which are beneficial to plant growth. This same quarter-teaspoon may also contain over 16 feet of active fungal strands. The beneficial bacteria in UBIOGROW are good for your plants because they out-compete most disease-causing organisms. They also decompose toxic materials and plant residues and help build soil structure, which improves the soil’s water-holding capacity. Fungi play a similar role in disease prevention, and they also retain nutrients, decompose plant material and build soil structure.

This little plant has grown an additional 1-2 inches since using Ubiogrow on it.
UBIOGROW contains tens of thousands of different species of bacteria and fungi as well as protozoa, nematodes and mycorrhizal fungi. Scientists still haven’t identified most of these species—they are just too numerous and too tiny to count. But new research is beginning to isolate task specific microbes that can be employed to break down oil spills, digest scrap wood, and control specific diseases such as botrytis, scab and mildew.
Not all of the bacteria and fungi you apply will be needed. But those that aren’t will “sleep,” staying in reserve until called upon by soil conditions or your plants. Ours is suspended indefinitely and cannot be separated even in a centrifuge and that is why we have the most unique product on the market, all other compost teas must be brewed and used within hours.
UBIOGROW will promote root uptake in any living plant and does not have any N,K,P added it all occurs naturally where as all plant food or fertilizer has N,K,P chemically add and the plant becomes reliant on the chemicals for its food. When used on plants in soil UBIOGROW will increase the health of the soil each and every time it is applied.
Ubiogrow can also be used in hydroponic systems:
For Hydroponics UBIOGROW provides your plants with essential minor elements (micronutrients) not provided by your hydroponics nutrient solution. UBIOGROW is a micronutrient product with a balanced formula of micronutrients that causes these elements to interact with one another. The ingredients in UBIOGROW are blended to act as one synergistic ingredient when activated to give your plants more of what they need to be their very best.

Learn More About This Terrific Product HERE
Sign up for a giveaway of this product here:
http://stliving.com/?p=3061

Garden Book Giveaway

2010-06-05T12:07:00.000-07:00

I want to invite you to stop by this link:
http://stliving.com/?p=2907
For a chance to win this fun book.

You'll also find reviews of some of the new gardening books now available on the market. Some that you will definitely want to add to your garden book shelf or make a point to check out at your public library.
Do stop by the link I have shared above for your chance to win the book pictured here.
~The Victory Gardener!~

Kids in the Garden

2010-05-13T16:05:00.001-07:00

Want an alternative to video games and tv for your kids? Want your kids to learn about the natural world and the importance of eating locally? Want them to experience a little dirt under their fingernails and to have a terrific time while doing so, and gain an education that will last them a lifetime?
“Kids In The Garden” by Elizabeth McCorquodale (Black Dog Publishing 2010) is just the book to help get you started. Within the pages of this book you and your children will share the joys of gardening together.
You’ll learn about the parts of a plant, about photosynthesis, pollination, germination, and fertilization,and seed dispersal, and even how to save seeds for next year’s garden.
Together you will learn about how to build a compost heap and what items are best to use in a compost pile.
You will even learn how to become a worm farmer.
You’ll also learn how to create such things as little homes for beneficial garden bugs such as ladybugs and lacewings.
How to plant seeds and to start new plants from cuttings.
Together you will learn how to plant and grow everything from beans, to carrots, to blueberries, peas, peppers, potatoes, raspberries,herbs, and so much more.
Sprinkled throughout the book are very fun and interesting facts about plants and even funny jokes.
For instance : Did you know that the tallest tomato plant on record measured 28 feet tall? That is the same as seven ordinary sized ten year olds standing on each others shoulders.
Why did the corn get mad at the farmer? Answer: Because he kept pulling his ears!
You’ll find “Kids In The Garden” to be a fun book for both you and your children, and a book that can most definitely be utilized in a home education program as well.
You”ll find that there are an abundance of lovely photos and illustrations throughout the book.
Delicious recipes are featured in the back of the book as well, allowing you to utilize all of that fresh produce from a garden that you and your children have created.
This is truly a fun book and one that will have your family enjoying working and playing together in a manner that produces terrific results…Fresh, locally grown food from your own backyard!
Find Your Copy HERE
About the Author:
Elizabeth McCorquodale is a mother-of-three, a passionate gardener, and an irrepressible gardening writer. Her previous work includes “Growing Stuff An Alternative Guide To Gardening”, also published by Black Dog Publishing.

Monkey Pots "Messy Patio Contest"

2010-04-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

Share with us a photo of your messy patio and you could have a chance to Win a Perfect Patio Planter from MonkeyPots. Grow beautiful fruits and vegetables in very little space.
The wonderful folks at MonkeyPots will gift a lucky winner with one of their Perfect Patio Planter systems. ($139.99 value)
To enter the contest send us a photo of your messy patio. Send contest entries to gardengoose at gmail dot com (use the @ symbol where I’ve used the word at, and a . where I’ve used the word dot)
The contest starts April 1,2010 and ends April 30th,2010
Good Luck!
Visit the MonkeyPots website at:http://monkeypots.com/

Culinary Lavender

2010-03-27T20:08:00.000-07:00

Today I had my first ever taste of culinary lavender. Wow! It was different, but it was yummy too. Some members of my family were not keen on it in the brownies we tried, but I do think I could get used to it...and I did like both the smell of the batter while it was being prepared, and the end result. I reviewed a batch of brownie mix from Little Sky Lavender Farm in Boulder Creek, California, and will be reviewing a batch of their cookie mix in a few days..a shortbread type cookie.
While reviewing these products for the "Small Town Living" website it got me to thinking about the culinary lavender used in the mixes... L. angustifolia . I know that when I opened up the package of brownie mix I was in lavender heaven! The smell was wonderful! I am now on the look out for seeds for this variety of lavender because I want to grow some of it in my own yard, not necessarily just for the culinary benefits, but because I loved the scent of the lavender, and feel it would be fun to dabble with it for a little bit of cooking, but also for such things as sachets and displayed in vases and so forth. So the hunt is now on for some L. angustofolia that I hope to plant in my new yard soon.
~The Victory Gardener!~

(photo by flickr user Limbo Poet)

Played in the dirt today! Yay! Spring is right around the corner.

2010-02-20T15:51:00.000-08:00

This morning and afternoon I had fun playing in the dirt. Oh I had missed it so!

That feeling of the soil on the palm of my hands, and tugging at a weed to remove it from the raised bed area so that I could sow a few heirloom vegetable seeds. Ahhh! Today was sheer bliss!

The weather was absolutely gorgeous, a slight breeze upon the air, not too hot, not too cold.... the birds were singing... A perfect sunshiney day!...and absolutely perfect for playing in the dirt.

I had hoed up the raised beds yesterday afternoon, making sure to loosen all of the weeds left over from winter,( there weren't very many thankfully)...but this morning I could not wait to get outside on such a pretty day, and rake all of the weeds out of the beds.

My two youngest children soon joined me, and we sowed the following heirloom vegetable seeds into the raised bed garden area.

Blue Lake Bush Bean, Provider Bush Bean, Goldcrop Wax Beans, Royal Burgundy Bush Bean, Jimmy Nardello's Sweet Italian Peppers, Swiss Chard, "Palla Rosa" Radicchio, Chantenay Carrot, Oregon Giant Snow Pea

After we sowed the seeds I gave them a nice little shower of water...let the growing begin!

I cannot wait to watch them grow. Oooh yummy veggies are right around the corner!( I'll be planting even more vegetable varieties soon into pots..I hope to start a variety of lettuces and herbs real soon too.)

If you'd like to plant an heirloom vegetable garden this Spring visit: www.myvictorygarden.etsy.com

~The Victory Gardener!~

The Garden in the dead of winter...

2010-01-08T18:05:00.001-08:00

What actually can be done in, or for the garden area in thedead of winter? When snow may be covering the ground and hard freezes are hitting many areas of the country?

Believe it or not there are a few things that can be done to prepare for Spring's thaw and a new gardening season,and things that can be done around your yard to make those cold winter days a bit more enjoyable for both yourself and the animals that frequent your yard.

1. Now is the perfect time to assess the garden tools in your shed. Do the tools need sharpened? Use a file to sharpen the edges. Do they need rust removed from them? If they show rust wear, take a piece of fine sandpaper and sand off as much of the rust as you can and spray the tools with w-d 40 and wipe clean. Handles of the tools can be polished with a bit of wood oil.

Are any of the tools in need of being replaced? Now is the time to acquire new garden tools as you just may be able to find them on sale this time of year.

2. Order garden seeds. Get a jump start on ordering your favorite varieties, as many companies may begin to be sold out of your favorites the closer it gets to Spring time and the more folks begin to think gardening also.

3. Help your feathered friends. This is something children can do with you: roll pine cones into peanut butter and bird seed and hang from pretty ribbons in the branches of trees.Also create suet patties and place in feeders.

4. Create a new garden plan. Or garden bed design. Draft out a new garden bed or plan out your garden for Spring. Consider a theme garden.

5. You can start now to build the framing for any raised beds you plan to have.

So, there are a few things that can be done in the dead of winter for the garden.

Enjoy, and stay warm!

~The Victory Gardener!~

Merry Christmas!!

2009-12-23T17:16:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! Thanks so much for being a reader of "The Victory Gardener!"~

Flower varieties that can be winter sown

2009-12-23T16:49:00.000-08:00

I was thinking recently about items that can be winter sown...items that require a little bit of a "cold snap" to germinate.

Here are a few flower varieties :

Poppies

Echinacea

Calendula

Larkspur

Columbine

Cleome

Blackberry Lily

Lemon Balm

Butterfly Weed

Clematis

Marshmallow/Malvaceae

----------------

~The Victory Gardener!~

Recently Featured...

2009-12-23T16:46:00.000-08:00

My Victory Garden Shop was recently featured here:

http://www.paigeoneevents.com/blog/ on the 4th Day of Christmas post.

Yay! What fun!

~The Victory Gardener!~

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T10:13:00.000-08:00

Wishing You all a lovely Thanksgiving! And thank you for being a visitor to this blog. I really appreciate you.
~The Victory Gardener~

Compilation Cd's Now Available at Small Town Living

2009-11-18T14:49:00.000-08:00

Wanted to let you all know that we have revised the Small Town Living Compilation Cd's to encompass all issues of the magazine through to Aug/Sept. 2009! That means that you receive 18 issues of the magazine on a cd! Over 1,000 pages of information!
What a terrific gift for yourself, a friend, or family member!
Stop by the website at www.stliving.net to order your copy now!

The Compilation CD Includes:

18 Issues of Small Town Living

Over 1022 Pages of Small Town Living Articles,

Stories and Photos.

Searchable Content - Find the stories and articles

you want in seconds.

Practical Advice on:

Gardening

Livestock

Small Business Guidance

Herbs

Crafting
-------------

Late Fall- Early Winter Garden Chores

2009-11-10T18:52:00.000-08:00

Spring/Summer garden season is pretty much behind us now,but that does not mean that we cannot be doing something in our yards or gardens that will be of benefit to them come next Spring when the gardening season again starts in full swing. So just what can be done in and for the garden during those dull,gray days of late Fall and when those cool days of December are nearly upon us?
Well this is the time to actually look around and access your garden and yard.
Are there any limbs that are dead or dying on any of your shrubs? Now is the time to remove them.
Don't just discard them against the curb..you can actually make a small pile of them against a fence to assist birds during the winter months to have a bit of shelter.After the snow and cold has passed, then of course feel free to discard them.
Have you had a lot of leaves fall from the trees in your yard this Fall? Rake them up and instead of bagging them up and putting them out on the curb, use those leaves to mulch your flower beds to keep your plants extra warm during the winter. The mulch of leaves will help protect tender roots and as the leaves decay they add nutrients to your soil. If you have an over abundance of leaves, add the extras to your compost pile.
Although a lot of the plants and flowers that we are used to seeing bloom during the Spring and summer have now gone dormant, we can still add a bit of color and fun to our yards during this time. How you might ask?
Well, late Fall and Winter time is a terrific time to start helping the birds in your backyard.
Set up bird feeders and keep them full. Provide a daily clean water source.
String popped popcorn onto the branches of the trees in your yard for a bit of festive decor. Totally "for the birds".
Slice orange pieces very thinly and string them onto string for the orioles.
Then don't stop there with enjoying your yard and garden and what it had to offer this year..check the shrubs and trees in your yard for any abandoned,left over nests from the Spring time. Place the nest into a paper bag and spray with a bit of bug spray and seal, Let set for a week then remove and decorate with fake birds and fake eggs if you'd like. Have a few branches that you've snipped from a few trees? Bring a handful of them in and arrange them in a clear glass vase..string them with a few bits of bead garland for flair or create a few tiny colorful tissue paper flowers and hot glue them to the branches.
Or attach small fake birds to the branches.
Have a few Fall leaves that you have gathered? Frame them in a picture frame.
Have fern leaves? You can use them as stencils by painting onto the leaves with green paint then lightly pressing them onto fabric. Use the fabric to create new toss pillows for your couch.
These are just a few ways that even though the garden may not be in bloom during the Fall and Winter..you can still enjoy the beauty of nature.
Just a bit differently..and a bit "outside of the box".
Have fun decorating and enjoying nature and your garden year round.
~The Victory Gardener!~

Shame on me..but here I am now..Let's Talk about Trees

2009-10-21T00:17:00.000-07:00

Shame on me for not having posted here in a while. Please forgive me. I've been a wee bit busy as of late. But..here I am again.:0)
And here are a few gardening tips for you!
-------------
Let's talk about Trees:
------------------
This is the time of year when those that have had a garden this Spring and Summer have begun the process of either sowing their Fall gardens in areas that still have not encountered freezing temperatures(things like broccoli,snow peas, and lettuces), or for those that have already encountered frosty evenings or even snow those gardens have been laid to rest for the year.
What has been leftover has been either tilled under, or uprooted and cast into the compost bins to become soil addends for next Spring.Or quickly canned up to use for the winter pantry.
So, what to do when the garden season has drawn to a close?
-------------
Start planning for the next season!
If you had the joy of planning and planting out your first garden this past year you have no doubt learned quite a bit through the process. A few of the what to do's and what not to do's. Write these things down in a garden journal. Yes!... you should create a garden journal if you have not done so yet.
In another post I will share with you how to start a garden journal, so don't panic if you hadn't thought of that... you can just start one for next year. No worries.
Anyhow..back to the topic... So..now that the garden has been put to rest you can start planning for next year.
------------------
I'd like to suggest that you start thinking about trees.
Do you have trees in your garden area,or in your yard that are actually dual purpose trees? Trees that provide both shade and food?
If not, this is the time to start thinking about expanding what you grow to include fruit or nut bearing trees.
Gardening does not just include a vegetable plot, but gardening also includes fruit and nut producing specimens as well.
------------------
Early Spring is a good time to purchase and plant fruit trees and nut trees. Why? Because if you live in an area prone to freezing temperatures and you try to plant trees right ahead of frosty temperatures or snowy nights...well your trees will suffer. The young trees will not have had a chance to get their roots established well enough to withstand the elements. Where as trees planted in early spring have a little bit better chance to slowly get themselves established for the seasonal changes to come.That is not to say that some specimens can't be planted in the Fall, you just must be very careful that the tree has plenty of time to begin to get established before cold and freezing weather sets in.Root systems on young saplings/young trees are tender.
-----------
When choosing a fruit or nut tree variety do your research!
Look at the growth descriptions of the plant. How tall does it grow? How wide do the branches spread out? How long does the tree live?
Also an important thing to consider..what zone does this plant grow best in?
What are the water requirements? Does it need fertilizer, or any soil amendments to grow at its best?
Does it need another tree to help pollinate it to bear fruit?
Is it actually something that you and your family will enjoy eating the fruit from?
-----------------
These are all factors to consider in your choices.
Then, by all means..when your tree or trees arrive from the nursery..that is if you have ordered them from a catalog or other source. Make sure that you follow the planting directions. Don't get in a hurry and think that you can just plop a tree in the ground and be done with it, and that you will have stellar results. It doesn't quite work that way.
Take your time and read the planting instructions.Make sure that you dig the hole properly. That you have the root ball at the correct depth. That you have adjusted the roots properly to allow them to spread out and to be able to grip the soil.
----------
One thing that folks tend to do with young trees is they plant them, then forget them.
Please do not do this. Your young trees will need plenty of water for the first several months to 6 months, to even a year after being planted to establish their root systems properly.Of course do not drown them either. If you notice any curling of the young tender leaves, chances are your tree could use a bit of water.
---------------
Now where to find sources for good nut and fruit trees?
-----------
Here are some places to get you started.
Now is the time to request catalogs from these companies. It is always fun to start getting gardening catalogs in the late Fall and early December when the gardens have been laid to rest..that is the time when we can fight a bit of the cabin fever that winter chill brings by pouring over lovely photos of things that we wish to grow and plotting and planning out next years gardens.
----------------
STARK'S BRO'S:
Provides some heirloom varieties of Apple Trees, also dwarf varieties for those with small yards.Cherry trees, blackberries, blueberries and more.
http://www.starkbros.com/access?action=category&categoryID=3&currentPage=2
------------------
WILLIS ORCHARDS:
Provides Banana trees, and fig trees,pomegranates and more.
http://www.willisorchards.com/category/Fruit+Trees?gclid=COOcgs7XzZ0CFRQhnAod23uUsQ
-------------------

~The Victory Gardener!~

New Issue of Small Town Living e-zine on website

2009-10-05T18:36:00.000-07:00

Just a note to let you know that

the new Oct./November 2009 issue of Small Town Living e-zine is now available online at:

http://www.stliving.net/

Featured in this issue:

Buckeye Chickens

What We Learned Through Our CSA Adventure (one families adventure with their first year of having started a CSA(community supported agriculture)highly recommend this article if any of you are thinking of starting a CSA type farm)

My Journey To Veganism

Soap Making 101

The Do's and Don't's Of Moving To A Small Town

Gifts From the Pantry
....and more.

Please feel free to share the e-zine with family and friends. Thank you and Happy Fall!

A few Garden Quotes to share with you

2009-09-22T23:17:00.000-07:00

I recently found a darling little book filled with garden quotes from different poets/writers from ages past. I thought I'd share a few of them here.

Some of these would look very cute embroidered on a tea towel, or used in artwork, or on handmade note cards or tags.
---------------

The love of gardening is a seed that never dies.

--------

Who loves a garden still his Eden keeps,

Perennial pleasures plants,

and wholesome harvest reaps.

----------

I wish everyone had a garden,

And would work in it himself.

The world would grow sweeter tempered at once.

----------------

To cultivate a garden is to walk with God.

----------------

The man who has planted a garden

feels that he has done something

for the good of the whole world.

-----------

Scatter seeds of kidness

Everywhere you go:

Scatter bits of courtesy-

Watch them grow and grow.

Gather buds of friendship:

Keep them till full grown:

You will find more blessings

Than you have ever known.

-------------------------

~The Victory Gardener!~

More about Growing Greens...with Recipes and Storing Tips

2009-09-01T02:14:00.000-07:00

Growing Collard Greens:

------------------------

Collard greens require a well draining soil as well. You can prepare the soil for your collard greens by either turning in a good compost matter at least 4 inches deep into the soil, or by using a fertilizer that is a 10-10-10 variety.

Rake the fertilizer or compost into the soil. Create mounds that are at least six inches tall, as the collards can have roots that reach about two feet in depth.Space the rows at least two and a half to three feet apart.Sow the seed at a depth of 1/4 of an inch. Keep soil moistened. Seeds will germinate in about 7 days.

Once the plants reach about 6 inches tall thin them out to a spacing of at least 1 1/2 to 2 feet apart.If you notice the leaves on your collard plants starting to have a paler green color to them instead of a rich deep green color, you will need to add a side dressing of fertilizer to each row of plants.Add only one teaspoon of fertilizer per plant, mix the fertilizer into the soil well and water in. This may need to be done every 6 weeks as the plants grow.

Begin harvesting the leaves from the plants when the plants reach about 10 inches tall. Harvest from the bottom of the plants,discard the leaves at the very bottom (the first 3-4 leaves), as they can be tougher, then harvest the others,leaving the upper leaves on the plant.You can also choose to harvest all at once, by simply cutting the plants down when they are about 12 inches tall.----------------------------

Growing Mustard Greens:

------------------------Mustard greens are a fast growing green that pack plenty of nutritional value.Being ready to harvest in about 45 days from seed sowing.

Mustard greens can be eaten either raw or cooked.They add a bit of pep to the salad, and are a great winter time green that freezes well for use in soups, or as an accompaniment to meats like pork chops,ham, and other hearty winter time fare.

Mustard greens are a "cut and come again" crop, meaning you can cut what you need from the plants as you need it, through to winter frost.

----------------- Direct sow the mustard seed into the garden. No need to make rows for the mustard greens really, as they can be grown rather close together.You can even create a raised bed specifically for this variety.

Sow the seed at a depth of 1/3 to 1/2 inch deep. Allow to grow until the plants reach about 2 inches in height then thin to 3 inches to 5 inches apart.

Begin harvesting the outer leaves on your plants when they are 4 to 5 inches tall.If you choose the "cut and come again" method of harvesting remember to cut frequently for a steady harvest through to frost.If you choose to harvest the plants all at once, remember that they reach full maturity at about 45 days if you wish not to use them as a "cut and come again" variety of plant.

-----------------------

Storing of Greens:

------------------------------

With any of the greens make sure that you wash them thoroughly, checking the leaves over for any bugs or worms that may have attached themselves to the leaves. Swish in water very well and rinse until the leaves are clean. Wrap the greens in paper towels and store in plastic bags in your refrigerator for 3-5 days.

------------------

Freezing for later use:

-------------------------

All of these greens can be used for later dishes by freezing.

--------------------

You will need to do a fast blanch of the greens to prepare them for freezing.With any of these greens remove the stem ends and cut the leaves into smaller pieces.Make sure that the greens are all rinsed very thoroughly and free of bugs(unless of course you like the added protein...ha)

Separate the greens into one pound increments.You will need two very large stock pots.Have a large stock pot in your sink filled with 5 quarts of ice cold water.

Yes, using ice cubes in the water is a good idea, you want this water to be very cold.Using another heavy stock pot with a tight fitting lid fill this pot on your stove with 5 quarts of water.Bring to a steady rolling boil.Have a timer handy as you will need it.

Place the greens into the boiling water and immediately put the lid on and begin timing the greens immediately. Let them boil for 3 minutes exactly.Remove at the 3 minute mark and immediately dunk into the cold water bath.

Let set in the cold water bath for a full five minutes. Drain and pack into freezer bags,remove as much air as possible from the bags, and label.Immediately place into your freezer.Frozen greens will keep in your freezer for up to a year.

----------------------

Recipes:

--------------

Turnip Greens With Pot Likker

-----------------

(A good old Southern staple, this recipe comes from a War time era cookbook."Pot Likker" is the vitamin rich water that is left in the bottom of the pan after cooking the greens, this water has a good flavor from the greens, and is generally poured back over the greens prior to serving , and it is usually what the cornbread served alongside the greens is dipped into...yumm... good eatings!)

-----------

1/2 pound salt pork

1 quart cold water

4 quarts fresh turnip greens

1/4 teaspoon salt

Dash of pepper

---------------

Place the salt pork in cold water,heat to boiling and cook for 45 minutes.Wash the turnip greens in several waters and clean well.Put into the pot with the pork and cook for 1 hour.

Drain water from the greens and meat Reserving 1 1/2 cups of the water. Chop the greens rather fine and season well.Place greens on hot dish.

Arrange the pork over the top of the greens.Pour the 1 1/2 cup of hot water in which the greens were cooked over top of the greens and meat.

Serve with corn bread.

Makes 4 servings.

(***Hog jowl can be substituted for the salt pork) (****You can also cut up the root into small chunks and use in this recipe)

-----------------------------

Mustard Greens With Bacon

---------------------

Fry 6 slices of bacon in a large frying pan.Remove from pan, drain and crumble. Set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings in the frying pan.

Meanwhile clean 1 pound of fresh mustard greens thoroughly.Remove stems and cut the greens into small pieces. Add the greens to a large saucepan of water until just covered.Bring to a rolling boil and let boil for about 8 minutes.

Remove from heat and drain.Add the greens to the skillet and add the bacon back in to the pan.

Now add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.

Simmer all together over a low heat for 5 minutes.Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with black eye peas and corn bread.

Makes about 4 servings.

-----------------------

Collards & Lentils

------------------

6 slices bacon

1 small onion,diced fine

1 garlic clove,chopped fine

1 pound fresh collard greens, cleaned and cut into small pieces,inner stems removed.

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups cooked lentils

------------------------

Fry bacon in a large skillet until crisp.Remove from pan, drain and crumble. Set aside.Reserve 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings.Add the onion and garlic into pan and saute until onion and garlic are tender and translucent.

Add the collard greens into the skillet and toss. Let cook until greens are tender, about 12 minutes.Add lentils and salt and pepper into pan, let heat through.

***Serve over steamed rice if desired.Goes well with pork chops or ham dishes.

Makes 4 servings.

---------------------

~Happy Gardening!~

~The Victory Gardener!~

Time to plant a Fall Garden

2009-08-23T00:53:00.000-07:00

Have you planned your Fall Garden?Still time to get varieties like greens(turnips, collard, mustard) in the ground...also things like bush beans, peas, lettuces, chard, endive going...also radishes, it is also the time to start planting garlic.

You'll find seed available for some of the above mentioned items at http://www.myvictorygarden.etsy.com/

--------------
I'll be planting some bean varieties tomorrow in our raised beds in the back yard, although our home is currently for sale I figure I might as well try growing something for our freezer that is a fast grower..the bush beans take only about 2 months from seed to harvest to grow and if the house does not sell within that time frame at least I'll be assured that I have a couple of varieties to freeze for winter use.
And if the house does manage to get sold within a 60 day period then the new owners can enjoy some fresh veggies..I won't mind...smiles...but I'll at least have a chance to get to "play in the dirt" a little bit more this year. :0)
I'll be planting some of the following varieties of bush beans:
Royal Burgundy, Provider, Jackson Wonder Butterbean, and Queen Anne Blackeye Pea...all fast growers and all of them grow no taller than about 26 inches tall.
--------------
I am also going to stop back by our local Kmart and check to see if any of their plastic garden pots remain on sale at 70 percent off! I managed to score a great deal last week on 11 plastic pots that were normally priced at $9.99 each..I snagged them for only $3 each..saving myself a total of $77 dollars! wow!
I used 8 of those big pots to pot up 39 varieties of bearded iris rhizomes that I had received from Stoney Creek Iris (which by the way sells lovely varieties of beareded iris)..so do check them out next Spring if you are in the market for irises. Absolutely lovely varieties offered there.
Anyhow..back to the pots..I'm hoping to be able to snag about 3 more large pots if they are on sale, and use them to get some cut and come again lettuce varieties started for Fall and winter salads.
I have some nice varieties I want to get planted..like the Tom Thumb mini lettuces, and some mache corn salad, and oak leaf lettuce.
-------------
Wishing you all an absolutely lovely week, and Happy Gardening!
~The Garden Goose!~

Growing Turnip Greens

2009-08-13T22:56:00.001-07:00

Growing Turnip Greens:
----------------------
Turnip greens offer you a "two for one" benefit. Not only are the green leaves edible, but the roots of the turnip are also edible, and can be cooked similar to potatoes.
----------
Turnips will grow best in a well draining soil with a PH level of about 6.5 .
Create a row by mounding the soil up to about 4 inches tall.Space rows twelve inches apart. Plant the seeds at a depth of 1/2 inch.Keep the soil evenly moist. The seedlings should germinate in about 4 days.
Once the seedlings begin to emerge thin the plants to 4 inches apart when they reach about 2 inches tall.
Once the leaves start developing, you'll want to harvest them when they reach about 4 to 5 inches in size for the best flavor.You'll want to remove the leaves from the outermost sections, leaving the inner leaves. If you are wanting to harvest the root of the plant, do not harvest from the plant a second time, as doing so takes away from the development of the root itself, as the plant then has to put its growth effort into producing new leaves instead of allowing the root to develop more.If you'd like to use the root in cooking, harvest it when it is about 3 inches in diameter.
If you'd like to just harvest the leaves from the plant, then you should be able to obtain at least 2 leaf harvests from the plant during its growth.Just remember to harvest from the outer leaves,and when the leaves are 4-5 inches in size.
~Happy Gardening!~
~The Victory Gardener~

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-03T17:43:00.000-07:00

Wishing you all a lovely Holiday weekend!

Happy 4th of July!

~The Victory Gardener!~

Recreate The White House Victory Garden In Your Own Backyard!

2009-06-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

I had been wondering about what items were being grown in the new White House "Victory Garden" by the gardeners there, and recently came across this list of items that are/will be grown.

I thought it would be nice to share with you all, for those that may wish to recreate a "White House Victory Garden" in their own yards.I have put a red asterick next to the items that you can find heirloom seed for at: http://www.myvictorygarden.etsy.com/

~Enjoy! --- and Happy Gardening!

~The Victory Gardener!~

----------------------

Herbs:

Mint, garlic chives, chives, thyme, oregano, anise hyssop, sage, rosemary, marjoram, chamomile

Also:

Parsley, basil, Thai basil, cilantro, dill, fennel

Edible marigolds and nasturtiums

zinnias

Vegetables:

Lettuces (green oakleaf, red romaine, butterhead, galactic),*

spinach,

onions,

shallots,

chard,*

snap peas, *

shell peas, *

carrots,*

black kale,

rhubarb,

arugula,

collards,*

fennel

sugar snap peas

broccoli

butterhead lettuce(** will have available again real soon in shop)*

tomatoes,*

tomatillos,

radishes *

peppers (sweet and hot),*

beans,*

cucumbers,

okra, *

sweet potatoes

Fruits:

Blueberries,

blackberries,

raspberries

--------------

Here is a layout of what the White House Gardens look like: They measure 1100 square feet:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/garden_layout.pdf

Dual Purpose Flower Gardens

2009-06-05T21:23:00.000-07:00

We all love flowers and watching them grow, adding them to vases to brighten our homes, and enjoying their beauty in our gardens.
But do you know that not only are some flowers great to look at, they can also add quite the flavor enhancement to your brunch, lunch or dinner plate?

There are quite a number of flowers that are edible and have quite the range of flavors, from subtle cucumber flavoring to licorice flavors, to artichoke flavor, to tangy pepper flavored.

---------------

Before embarking on adding flowers to your plate a few words of caution are in order.

Only eat flowers that you are certain without a doubt are edible varieties.

Remember this key phrase: "If in doubt, do without!"

When one starts to add edible flowers to the diet it must be done slowly, and using only one variety at a time,and sparingly in recipes, to prevent intestinal upset, and especially if you may have allergies.

If you decide to add edible flowers to your plate, please be careful, and make sure that indeed the flower variety is safe and edible.

Do not use any types of pesticides or chemicals around any flowers that you intend to grow as edibles.

Do not consume flowers from florists, nurseries, or garden centers, as most of these have been treated with chemicals and pesticides and are not labelled for food consumption.

The same can be said for flowers obtained next to roadways, these very well could be sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals, and may not be safe for consumption.

-----------------

The best time to harvest your edible flowers is in the early morning when the moisture content of the flower is at its peak.

Shake the flowers to remove any little bugs that may be hidden amongst the petals.

Wash thoroughly and place on paper towels to drain.

Remove the pistils and stamens from all edible flowers before consumption.

Only eat the petals.

Edible flowers can be kept for up to 8-10 days in your refrigerator for later use if you simply lay them out on moist paper towelling and wrap with plastic wrap, or store them between pieces of moist paper towels in a sealed plastic container.

If the flowers start to look a bit wimpy and wilted simply float them in a bowl of ice water for a minute before serving and they'll perk right up.

--------------

Below you will find a list of edible flower varieties with flavor descriptions.

Now you can create your own dual purpose flower garden.

Not only will you have flowers to beautify your yard and home, but also flowers that can be used in a variety of culinary dishes.

------------------

Allium-

These are plants known as the flowering onions. All parts of these plants are edible, and some have very pretty flowers.

Plants in the Allium family include chives, garlic chives, leeks, garlic, onions,and shallots.The flower colors can vary from white to pink and add a very nice touch to the salad plate.

All of these flowers of course impart an onion to garlic type flavor, but not as strong as the actual bulb of the plant may have.

Anise Hyssop-

With a flavor reminiscent of root beer and of a slightly licorice flavor.

Often used in Chinese cuisine. The flowers are a pretty lavender-purple color and are attractive to butterflies.

Bachelor Buttons-

Also known as Cornflower these lovely peacock blue colored flowers impart a slight clove,anise flavor to dishes.

The flower also can be used to create a bluish-lavender dye for cake frostings.

Bee Balm-

Also known as Monarda the taste of Bee Balm imparts a citrusy combination of lemon and orange, and is great used as a tea.

In fact the leaves of the Bee Balm are very similar in taste to Earl Grey tea.

If using the wild version of Bee Balm the plant offers a combination of flavors similar to oregano and mint.

The wild Bee Balm leaves can be used in place of oregano in dishes, and the red flowers can be used to add a minty flavor to teas.

Borage-

A darling star shaped pale blue colored flower which can be used in summer time drinks such as lemonade and punch. The flowers have a cucumber flavor.

Burnet-

Also known as Salad Burnet. This plant has a fern like appearance and is actually related to the rose. It sends up a pretty red flowered stalk from the center of the plant. The leaves can be used in salads and drinks to impart a cucumber flavor.

Calendula-

We also all know these flowers as Marigolds. These brightly colored flowers which vary in hues of bright yellow to orange have a range of flavors from slightly bitter to a peppery taste. They can be used to flavor egg dishes, to add a bit of color to rice and pasta dishes and to add a bit of "sunshine" to salads.

Carnations-

The miniature varieties are known as Dianthus. The Dianthus have a slight clove to nutmeg scent/flavor while the larger Carnations have sweet flavored petals. Make sure that you remove the white base of the flower away from the petals.These edible flowers make lovely decorations on cakes and to decorate tea party plates.

Chrysanthemums-

Ranging in flavor tones from tangy and slightly bitter to peppery and even slightly like a cauliflower flavor, these flowers are always a delight to the garden, and now you can add them to your salads as well. Use the petals only and be sure to blanch them slightly before tossing with your salad ingredients.

Dandelion-

The flowers and leaves of this plant are both edible. Flowers should be collected when very young for the best flavor. Flowers have a sweet honey like flavor and can be used to create a dandelion flower jelly. The leaves of the Dandelion are best collected when the plant is young as well, as the larger leaves can have a bitter flavor. Steam the leaves like you would spinach, or toss into a salad and use fresh. Also can be sauteed with olive oil and garlic in a saucepan.

Fuschia-

This plant contains exquisitely designed flowers that impart a slight acidic flavor,the berries of this plant are also edible. Makes a lovely garnish.

Gladiolus-

Remove the anthers from these flowers that have a mild lettuce like flavor and use to hold spreads on the salad plate or to hold dessert mousses.

Hibiscus-

The petals of this flower can be boiled and used to impart a slight cranberry-citrus flavor to teas.

Nasturtium-

Flowers ranging in colors from yellow, to orange, to red.The flowers have a slight peppery taste and can be added to salads and sandwiches, and are a lovely garnish.

Roses-

All Roses are edible, but make sure that no chemicals have been used on the roses that you intend to use.Make sure that you remove the whitish colored parts of the petals that are located near the base of the flowers. The stronger the scent of the rose the stronger the flavor will be. Flavor varies from strawberry type flavoring to apple type flavors, to minty and spicy flavors. The darker the rose the stronger a flavor will be also.A wide array of uses for the petals of this plant: from jellies to floating the petals in fruit punches, to garnishing desserts and ice creams, to decorating cakes.

Sunflower-

We know that the seeds of the Sunflower are edible, but did you know that if you harvest the young unopened flower bud of the Sunflower and steam it, that it has a flavor very much like artichokes have?

Violets-

The tender leaves and purplish colored flowers can be used to flavor salads. They impart a slightly sweet flavor. The flowers are lovely floated into drinks and used to embellish many different types of desserts, from ice creams to cakes.Leaves can be cooked like spinach.

----------------------

Happy Gardenening!

~The Victory Gardener!~

New June/July 2009 Small Town Living E-Zine Now Online!

2009-06-04T19:43:00.000-07:00

Wanted to let you all know that the new June/July 2009 issue of
"Small Town Living" is now available online at:
http://www.stliving.net/

This issue covers such topics as:

Biscuit Making 101
Beginning Home Schooling
Farming Your Produce Aisla
Worm Composting
..... and more
--------------
Feel free to share the e-zine with family and friends.
------------
Also we'd like to invite you to be a part of our online community. Where we share about backyard homesteading, self sustainability, and "bringing back the simpler ways of living".
Here you'll find a community of caring, sharing, and learning together.
http://www.smalltownliving.ning.com/
Hope to see you there!

------------

~The Victory Gardener!~

And..the Winner...errr umm..Winners...are...

2009-05-17T17:18:00.000-07:00

Well gals..I decided that since I had about 30+ garden lovers stop by for the Drawing here..(and thank you all so very, very much for stopping by too!) That I would have one "Grand Prize" Give Away winner..and 2 more Winners as well!!!...

So...3 of you have gotten Lucky here!!..YAY!!

The Grand Prize Winner will receive a large package of heirloom garden seeds(about 30+ different types of heirloom garden seeds)

and the 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive packets of seeds that are slightly smaller(12-15 pkts)..but still a good variety of fun gardening seeds to start your own Victory Garden!

-------------

So...withhout further ado....let the drum roll begin...and tah-dah....

The Grand Prize Winner is:

nfmgirl

2nd and 3rd place Winers are:

2nd place: Kay at Rustic Cottage

3rd place: Parisienne Farmgirl

-----------------------

Congratulations Gals!

I will be contacting you through your blogs, so please get back to me as soon as possible through my profile here and email me your addresses so that I can get your seeds out to you real soon.

--------------

Thank you and Happy Gardenening!

~The Victory Gardener!~

Great Victory Garden Give Away!!!

2009-05-09T17:50:00.000-07:00

There is still time this year to plant your own Victory Garden!! ...

and trust me..if gardening and growing your own food is something you have been wanting to do...this give away is something you will NOT want to miss.

You will have a chance to win plenty of garden seeds...heirloom garden seeds at that..to have a rather large garden this year. We are talking at least 20 varieties of heirloom garden seeds here baby! Oooh yeah! Let the passion for gardening begin! (ooh that sounds really umm.. uhh risque doesn't it?..ha)

(You'll have a chance to win seeds provided by http://www.myvictorygarden.etsy.com/ for beans, lettuces, tomato, swiss chard, heirloom flowers, and more)

-------------------

So..what are the rules?

A comment gets you 1 entry

----------

Posting about this contest on your blog gets you 2 entries

-------------

Commenting, posting on your blog, and twittering about this blog post gets you 3 entries.

--------------

Easy! So...Let the fun begin! Contest Ends May 16th.

-----------------

~The Victory Gardener~

Mache Corn Salad

2009-04-28T22:45:00.000-07:00

What is Mache Corn Salad?... Also known as Lamb's Lettuce,Lamb's Tongue, and field salad, and hey..it even has a fairytale character's name too..yeah..this stuff is even known as... Rapunzel!?
So...just what is this stuff, and how is it used and grown?
---------------------
For starters... Mache Corn Salad had its beginnings in Europe, where it was originally foraged for by European peasants during the time of King Louis XIV. It was then introduced to the world...so the saying goes... by the king's gardener.Something tells me this gardener knew a good thing when he/she saw it.
This plant now grows wild, basically as a "common weed"... in parts of Europe, Asia, and even Africa.

So...what is so special about something that is known as a "common weed" in some parts of the world?

Well, you'll find it quite interesting that this "common weed" contains quite a few vitamins and nutrients that your body would thank you for.
It contains up to three times more vitamin C than lettuce does, it also contains vitamins B6 and B9, as well as omega- 3 fatty acids. Pretty good if I dare say for a mere "weed".

So, what other redeeming qualities does this mere "weed" offer to the gardener?...
Well, it actually is said to be one of the mildest and tenderest tasting salad greens with an ever so slight "nutty" taste.
It pairs well with most any salad green, adding a nice contrast to salads.It can even be eaten like spinach if you cook the leaves quickly.
It also combines nicely with fruits for a light summer salad,or you can simply eat it as a salad all by its little lonesome.
--------------------
O.k...so I've convinced you that this is a pretty cool little salad green packed with vitamins, good taste,and with a pretty neat history...now... just what does it look like , and how to grow it?
------------
Mache Corn Salad grows in a rosette shape cluster close to the ground...the plants have spoon shaped leaves that can grow up to 6 inches long, but the plant itself stays at a size of about 1 foot across.

When the plant does go to flower, it first sends up a stalk from the center of the plant that reaches about 1 foot tall, it then produces tiny blue flowers.
--------------------
How to grow it:
-------------
Mache Corn Salad is a cool weather green, and does best when started in the early spring, or started before the first frost in fall.
This little plant actually can tolerate frost and freezing temperatures, but you will want to mulch with straw.

Sow the seeds directly into the garden(seeds can be found at: www.myvictorygarden.etsy.com). Planting seed no deeper than 1/4 inch.Seeds begin to emerge in about 10 to 20 days.
Full sun or part shade. Well drained soil. Do not let the soil dry out.
When the plants have developed a set of 4 leaves, plant them 4 inches apart, and space the rows at 1 ft. apart.

Harvesting:
---------------
You can begin harvesting leaves from your Mache Corn Salad when the leaves are 1-2 inches long, or you can wait until the plant reaches maturity at 60 days, and harvest the entire plant for use in your salad.
---------------
Remember if growing this heirloom variety of greens to always set aside at least one plant as your "seed saving" specimen. Do not harvest from your "seed saving" plant, merely let it grow until it reaches maturity and starts to send up the flower stalk. Once the flower stalk starts to dry a little bit you can cut the flower stalk off with a pair of scissors and collect the seeds for next years harvest.
--------------
Happy Gardening!
~The Victory Gardener~

A wee bit busy here...

2009-04-22T22:13:00.000-07:00

Have been super busy here getting our home ready to sell..and we should be able to get the sign up for sale hopefully by the first of next week....yay!

--------

I have been dreaming, and planning out my new yard/gardens..at least in my head a bit...but...

I have found some lovely antique poppy seeds,seeds for a plant called "Pride of Madeira", a really pretty red pasque flower seeds, and a few others.

It will be so fun to plan out a new yard/flower gardens...and to plan out vegetable gardens as well. I have been saving heirloom flower and vegetable seeds for a little while now, and have a pretty good collection of things...fun, fun, fun!

I have missed out this year on any real type of gardening ...with the exception of a 4 ft by 8 ft raised bed filled with green bean plants, and a 4 ft by 8 ft bed filled with strawberry plants...that unfortunately the chickens have been having a ball eating all the baby green strawberries from.

The green beans though are close to being able to harvest..for some reason the chickens have ignored those.

I do plan on taking up a few of the strawberry plants though... and transferring them to the new house/yard, as they are the everbearing strawberries, and when I was looking at a hardware store's plant selection recently...I saw the strawberry plants priced at about $4.50-$4.99 each! So..I will be taking a few of those with us to get a strawberry bed established at the new home.

-------------

When I purchase "new to me" flowers/plants...or even flower/vegetable seed varieties that are a new variety for me...I always try to do a bit of online research into how to grow the new plant.

I encourage you to do the same when looking into adding a new plant/vegetable variety to your yard...this way you know if what you are wanting to purchase/add to your garden will work for your area, or if it will be easy to maintain, and the special soil/light/water needs for that particular plant.

It is now so very, very easy to find so much information on how to grow things properly via the internet....and not to mention so much fun to learn about something new in the plant/garden world.

---------------

I have posted a few photos here of some of the plants that I will hopefully be growing in my soon to be new yard.I found seeds for all of these varieties online at very reasonable prices.

Aren't these just lovely?

------------

(shown are: red cloak pasque flower (red/burgundy flower with silver-grey foliage),heirloom pink chenille plant (the plant with the chain of pink puff balls on it),Pride of Madeira (the pretty blue flowered plant/shrub),Mexican Cigar plant(the flowers that look like red cigars),Coral Reef Poppy (the pretty pink poppy flowers),Italian White Sunflowers,Golden Tears Bleeding heart vine(the heart shaped yellow flowers), Lucky Gold Shamrock(the pretty yellow flowers with clover leaf shaped foliage)

--------------------

In the next few days I hope to have the time to post about a few vegetable varieties that you may wish to add to your Victory Garden this year...so stay tuned. More to come in the next few days.

Thanks for stopping by!

~The Victory Gardener~

Garden Party on The Lawn

2009-04-13T17:16:00.000-07:00

(Article by : Tina Wilson for "Small Town Living" April/May 2009)

It is that time of year again...A celebration of renewal!... when the birds build their nests, when the snow has faded from the ground, when the flowers start bursting forth with color, and when gardens are planned and seeds are planted.
The perfect time to host a garden party on the lawn with friends or family!
We've gathered some tips and ideas to help you to begin a lovely tradition of an annual garden party celebration in your own back yard.
-----------------------------
First you'll need to decide just when you'd like to host this type of event..and you'll need a few invitations to send out.
You can hand craft lovely cards from scrapbooking paper, and other pretty specialty papers.
-------------------
Plan to have the event 4 to 6 weeks after the invitations are sent.
Why?... because the fun activity I will be mentioning for your guests to be involved in takes about 4 weeks to develop.
When sending out your invitations try to limit the guest list to no more than 12 when first starting out, you don't want to get boggled down with preparations and miss out on the actual festivities yourself.Once you become a "pro" at hosting a garden party you can expand on your list of guests a bit..but for now..start out small.
---------------------------
In with your invitation let your guests know that they will need to bring 13 tiny seedling starts of only one type of plant variety to the garden party with them.(this number includes you the host in with the festivities/plant swap)
These can be started in pretty paper cups or other small containers.Tell your guests to clearly write on the container the name of the plant,or to include a tag of some kind with the name on it.
Remind them to start the seedlings as soon as they receive their invitations.This gives everyone about 1 month to have healthy plants to share with each other.
You can choose whether the plant swap will be all vegetables, all flowers, or an "anything goes" type of plant swap. You can also specify "heirloom varieties only". The choice is yours.
-----------------------------
Set up a seperate table specifically for the plants.Have the first guest to arrive assist you with making sure that each plant variety is set on the table .
At the end of the garden party each guest will choose one plant from each variety brought, winding up with quite a variety to add to their gardens.
-----------------------
Have fun with the gathering table decorations.
Set out a few vases of fresh cut flowers.If you have a few pretty bird figurines or pretty Spring time animal figurines incorporate those in amongst the vases of flowers.Or purchase a few pots of pretty flowers at your local nursery, and using a pretty fabric create a cover for the pot base and tie with a ribbon bow.
Use your nice china and silverware.Make your guests feel very special.
You can set a pretty pair of garden gloves tied with jute and pretty name tags attached. Set them by each place setting for fun, or small gift bags filled with candies ,or herbal teas, or writing items such as note pads that they can keep a small garden journal in.You can even gift each guest with a small personalized notebook that you have decorated for them that say's "------------'s Garden Journal"
-----------------------------
Keep your guests engaged in conversation.You can do this by having a few cards with fun garden related questions prepared before the party. Set a few of them at each place setting. Questions such as: "What was the weirdest thing you have ever seen while digging in your garden?
"What is your least favorite plant, and why?", "What is your most favorite gardening memory?", "If you could be named after a plant what would you be called?"...you get the idea now. Have fun with it.
-----------------------
You can also borrow a book from your library on tea parties,or other party themed books for even more ideas.
------------------
Have easy to prepare foods available.
You'll want items that are quick,but delicious. The host certainly doesn't want to be in the kitchen with food preparations while everyone else has fun.
------------------
Below is an easy menu we have gathered for you.
------------

Mint Apple Juleps
-----------------------
2 cups fresh chopped mint leaves
8 cups apple juice
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish
---------------
Tie mint in a cheesecloth and put into a large saucepan.
Add the 8 cups of apple juice and bring to a boil.
Remove from the heat and discard the cheesecloth.
Stir in the fresh squeezed lime juice.
Serve over crushed ice.Garnish with fresh mint sprigs.
(8 servings/recipe can easily be doubled to accommodate the number of guests)
-----------------

Fruit Tea (Makes 2 quarts)

-----------------------

3 cups boiling water

4 regular sized tea bags (Luzianne tea is great for this!)

3/4 cup sugar

4 cups cold water1 cup orange juice (pulp free)

1 cup pineapple juice

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

-------------

Pour the boiling water over the tea bags,cover and let steep for 5 minutes.Remove tea bags.Stir in the sugar until dissolved.Stir in remaining ingredients.Serve over ice.

---------

Layered BLT Delight Salad

1 container sour cream(8 oz.)

1 cup mayonnaise

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1tsp.dried basil

1/2 tsp.salt

1/2 tsp.pepper

1/2 tsp.garlic powder

1 large head of iceberg lettuce ,chopped (about 4 cups)

1 package bacon, cooked and crumbled (32 ounce package)

6 plum tomatoes, sliced thinly

3 cups of croutons

-------------------

Combine the first 7 ingredients and set aside.

In a 13 by 9 baking dish layer the lettuce, bacon and then top with the tomato slices.Spread the mayo mixture over the tomatoes, all the way to the edges of the dish.Cover and chill for 2 hours.Sprinkle evenly with the croutons and serve immediately.(makes 8 servings)

-------------------------

Cucumber Sandwiches-

------------------

Fresh cucumber sliced THIN

Cut fresh white bread into rounds with a cookie cutter about the size of your cucumber.

Spread a VERY thin coating of butter, and then a thin spread of mayonnaise Sprinkle the cucumber with FRESH ground black pepper ONLY - NO salt. Put the lid on! Viola!...nice cool and refreshing spring time sandwiches.

-----------------------------

Strawberry Cream Cheese Sandwiches

---------------

Fresh strawberries sliced thin. Fresh bread - NO crusts. (White or wheat is good) Cut the bread into fourths. Spread each piece with butter, then cream cheese. Place a slice of strawberry on each piece and then top with another square.

----------------------------

NOTE: To store sandwiches before your gathering:Put them in a plastic container, cover with a piece of waxed paper, then dampen a paper towel and put on top of the waxed paper. Put the lid on and release any air (like tupperware) and refrigerate.

-----------------------------------------

Cream Wafers

---------------------
You will need:
2 cups flour
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 sticks butter at room temp (do not substitute)
sugar for coating cut outs
cookie cutter of your choice (the fluted ones like shown work BEAUTIFULLY)
flour for dusting your work area
Set your oven to 375
For Filling:
1 stick softened butter
4-5 cups confectioners sugar
flavoring of choice (I use 1 tsp vanilla extract, and a 1/2 tsp coconut & lemon)
Coloring if you like
I use parchment lined cookie sheets.
Cut the butter into the 2 cups of flour with a pastry cutter or fork until it is mealy…like cornmeal. Add cream all at once and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
Roll 1/3 the dough out adding just enough flour to keep it from sticking to the surface (I use a silicone mat). DO NOT over work your dough or your cookies will be tough. Cut what you can from this rolling and set the scraps to the side to use ONE more time. After the second rolling, discard the dough - too “used” to use. Place your cut outs into a plate of sugar to coat.Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and prick each one with a fork (3-4 times).Bake about 10-11 minutes until set…not browned. Remove to a wire rack till cooled.Mix your filling ingredients with a mixer until light. Spread one cookie and top with another. Makes a YUMMY sandwich cookie!
--------------------------------

***Sandwich recipes and Cream Wafer Cookie recipe courtesy of Susan Dahlem at http://www.notquitejunecleaver.com/

---------------------

~The Victory Gardener~

April/May 2009 Small Town Living Magazine/Now Online!

2009-04-04T00:06:00.000-07:00

You'll find the new April/May 2009 "Small Town Living" magazine online now at:

http://www.stliving.net/

Please share with friends and family! Enjoy!

-----------------------

Highlights:

How to Host a "Garden" Party

Growing Heirloom Lettuce:The World of Lettuce contain more than just Iceberg

Orchard Mason Bees:Give them a home and they'll Pollinate your Garden

Drip Irrigation

Our Urban Farm

The American Artisans Guide:Sources for Handmade Goods

***This is our special Spring Garden issue and contains many garden related article, tips and advice.

Let us Talk about Lettuce.....

2009-04-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

(Article by: Tina Wilson for "Small Town Living" April/May 2009)

----------

Heirlooms abound in the seed world,

from heirloom flowers such as celosia, to zinnias, and all sorts of varieties in between.

Such also can be said for vegetables,there are many, many varieties that fit into the heirloom category.

What exactly is an heirloom anyway, and why is important to know and learn about these varieties and to grow them in your own yard?

Heirlooms are open pollinated varieties of seed, they will grow true to type.

In other words, this means that a seed taken from the plant will produce a plant that looks identical to the parent plant from which the seed came from.

Such is sometimes not the case with hybrid varieties of seed. In a world where we are more and more frequently hearing the term "genetically modified"; it is even more crucial that the old timey varieties;varieties of plants,and seeds that have withstood the tests of time; be preserved, saved carefully, and passed along for future generations to enjoy and cherish.

Heirloom seed are also seed that can be dated back from 50 to 100 years or more, seed that has been passed down from generation to generation, seed with a history...with a story.

Seed that is not hybridized, or genetically modified. In other words...seed that is very important to preserve and not allow it to become extinct.

When shopping at your local grocery store or produce stand, no doubt you have seen lettuces being offered, but typically we only see about 3 to 4 varieties in the market place.

We'll often see romaine, iceberg,and perhaps a little mesclun, but clearly we are limited on the varieties we are offered.

Such need not be the case if you do a little research and find out just what else is out there.

We here at "Small Town Living" have done a little research for you to save you a bit of time, and because our own inquiring minds wanted to know as well.

So, we did a little looking at heirloom varieties because we feel as mentioned above, that these varieties are more than just a novelty, it is imperative that our generation help to preserve them, and also we just knew that there had to be more than just the few varieties of lettuces we have seen offered at local stores and produce stands.

Our taste buds and gardens want more variety!

Below we have listed some of the varieties we learned about along the way, and where you can purchase heirloom seeds for them.

We have also included some tips on how to grow lettuces in your own garden. Enjoy!..and may your salads now be filled with more than enough variety and taste.

You'll also have a little bit of a history lesson to talk about across the dinner table too, as you learn a little about each variety and how to grow them in your own gardens.

May you too learn to love heirloom vegetables, and the joy in preserving our gardening heritage...seed by seed.

---------------------------------------------------

Amish Deer Tongue:

This is a rugged, heavy producer with a unique triangular leaf shape which resembles a deer's tongue. The plants are a pretty bright green color, and are great for a cut and come again harvesting technique. They are a loose leaf type of lettuce. Only taking around 45 to 55 days from seed sowing until harvest. Leaves have a nice pleasant and sharp flavor.It is also good for baby greens... meaning harvesting when the leaves are smaller than the full harvest date size.This variety is slow to bolt.

As the name indicates it is a favorite in the Amish community.

Amish deer tongue lettuce dates back to the 1740's.This is a variety of lettuce that has found itself on the "Slow Food US's Ark of Taste", a catalogued list of 200 varieties of vegetables that are in danger of extinction.

------------------------------------

Bronze Arrowhead Lettuce:

This variety was first known as "Bronze Beauty". It was introduced by a company known as Germania Seed and Plant Company. In 1947 it was awarded an honor that suited its name perfectly...the "bronze medal" in the "All American Selections".It was also known as the finest,most colorful, and most delicious variety to grow in the garden.

This variety has pretty dark green oak leaf shaped leaves that are edged in a reddish maroon color.Looseleaf varieety that is slow to bolt.Goes from seed to harvest in just 40 to 50 days.

-------------------------------------

Cracoviensis Lettuce:

This French heirloom variety dates back to before 1885, when it was referenced by the Vilmorin Seed Company of France, whom back in the mid 1800's was known as "the most important seed company in the world", and was also noted for their scientific study on seeds and plants that were "pure line"

This variety has tender,sweet leaves that are a bright green color tipped with purple.It is also sometimes referred to as "Red Celtuce" for the tender and light pink stems that the plant produces when it does bolt.

It is sometimes quick to bolt, but the bolted stems can be used, and the leaves do not turn bitter,and remain tender throughout.A looseleaf variety. From seed to harvest is 65 days.

--------------------------

Forellenschuss Lettuce:

Growing from 8 to 12 inches tall this Austrian heirloom's name translates to "trout with a speckled back".

The beautiful green leaves are speckled all over with reddish - maroon coloring.

It is a good choice for using as baby greens or as full size heads.It is a Romaine vvariety that is ready to harvest in just 55 days.Holds up well in cold weather and also heat.

------------------------------------

Grandpa Admire's Lettuce:

Named for George Admire, a Civil War Veteran born in 1822.

The seed was preserved by Mr. Admire's granddaughter whom at age 90 in 1977, gave the seed to the Whealy family of Missouri.

The Whealy family founded "Seed Saver's Exchange" in 1975,a non profit, member supported organization that saves and shares the heirloom seeds of our garden heritage, forming a living legacy that can be passed down through generations.

This variety of lettuce is a Butterhead variety.

A bronze tinged variety which forms a large loose head, and has a mild fine flavor.A slow bolting variety, it stays tender longer than most varieties and is heat tolerant.60 days from seed to harvest.

-------------------------------------

Green Oakleaf Lettuce:

In the 1880's this heirloom variety was referred to as" Baltimore Oakleaf" and "Philadelphia Oakleaf".Forming rosettes up to 24 inches in size, this looseleaf variety is resistant to hot weather, and retains its taste, never getting bitter.Adds a lovely look and texture to salad mixes.Toss it with some of the lettuce varieties mentioned above for a gorgeous salad.50 days from seed to harvest.

---------------------------

Lolla Rossa Lettuce:

An Italian heirloom, this looseleaf variety adds plenty of beauty to your salad plate,and is wonderful as a baby salad green variety.

With lovely magenta colored frilled edge leaves and light green bases.

Mild flavored and an absolutely lovely addition to the garden.It develops small 5 inch to 8 inch half globe heads. It is also a good cut and come again variety.55 days from seed to harvest.

---------------------------------

Mervielle de Quartre Saisons Lettuce:

A lovely French heirloom bibb -type variety of lettuce that dates back to before 1885.Also known as "Marvel of Four Seasons. This is another variety mentioned in the papers of the "Vilmorin Seed Company" of France in 1885.Pretty reddish colored leaves have a crispy,excellent flavor.A Butterhead variety that is ready to harvest in 60 days from seed sowing.

------------------------------

Sanguine Ameliore Lettuce:

Introduced in 1906 by C.C. Morse and company, this French variety was then known as the "Strawberry Cabbage Lettuce". The leaves of this Butterhead variety have a deep reddish brown mottling on pretty dark green to chartreuse colored leaves.The plants reach 7 to 9 inches in diameter.Tender and mild flavor.60 days from seed to harvest.

-----------------------------

Tennis Ball Lettuce:

This tiny headed black seeded variety (seeds are black) develops light green tight rosettes that measure about 7 inches in diameter.Introduced to gardeners back in the 1850's. Fun to grow in containers due to its petite size.A Butterhead variety that is ready to harvest in 60 days.

------------------------------

Growing tips for lettuce:

-----------------------

A cool season crop, lettuces are best grown in the early spring or fall.

When sowing the seed in the garden just barely cover with soil, no more than 1/8th of an inch, as the seed needs plenty of sunlight to germinate, and needs temperatures of at least 70 degrees to do so.

Lettuces do not actually require a fertilizer, but if you decide to grow one of the "cut and come again" varieties which grow for a longer season, you will want to give the plants a little bit of manure or compost to help keep the nitrogen levels in the soil in balance during the growing season.

Because lettuces have a shallow root system it is easy for them to dry out quickly in warm weather, make sure that your plants receive frequent watering.

Slugs will become a problem if the ground is left too damp or mulched.

There is no need to mulch around lettuce plants.

To keep a steady harvest of lettuce going, make sure to plant new seed every week to ten days.

Thin your plants to allow a spacing of 8 to 12 inches between seedlings.

Not only can lettuces be direct sown into the garden, but they also work well as container crops.

--------------------------------------

Fun, but little known facts about Lettuce:

-------------------

In the 1920's "Iceberg" lettuce was known as "Crisphead" Lettuce.It earned the name "Iceberg" based upon the way it was transported commercially in California, by covering the heads with mounds of ice.

It is said that the Emperor Caesar Augustus erected a monument to lettuce because he believed it cured his illness.

Lettuce is the second most popular vegetable in the United States, corn being the first.

Lettuce is actually a member of the sunflower family.

About 25 percent of all commercially grown "Iceberg" lettuce is made into "fresh cut" salad mix.

The average American eats about 30 pounds of lettuce a year.

----------------------------------

Sources for Heirloom Lettuce Seed:

Seed Savers Exchangehttp://www.seedsavers.org/

Baker Creek Heirloom Seedshttp://www.rareseeds.com/

Wild Garden Seedhttp://www.wildgardenseed.com/

My Victory Garden Seedshttp://www.myvictorygarden.etsy.com/

--------------

Saving Your Own Lettuce Seed:

1.)Choose 2 lettuce plants as your "seed saving" plants.

2.) Place a marker near them, or tie a piece of yarn around the plants, anything to let you know that these plants are "set aside" to allow them to "bolt"(go to seed)

3.) Do not harvest from these plants, simply allow them to grow.

4.) Soon they will set up a central stalk from the center of the plant, and will begin to produce flowers.

5.)Once the flowers begin to set seed, the seed heads will look similar to dandelion flower seed heads.

6.)At this time you can begin to harvest the seed heads.

7.)Simply cut the stalks off of the plant.

8.)You'll need to have a brown paper bag with you.

Hang the seed head upside down inside of the paper bag.

9.)Use a rubber band or twisty tie to close the bag, then gently shake to release the seed.

Once you have shaken the seed loose, open the bag and allow the seed to air dry for a few days. 10.)Once they have dried out place them into a small jar or ziplock baggy and store in a cool, dry place.

You'll have next year's lettuce seed at the ready.

--------------------------

~The Victory Gardener~

Garden Seed Give Away!!

2009-03-25T13:07:00.000-07:00

Time for a gardening Give away!

This time I will be giving away a set of seeds to start your garden.

All of the seeds offered are all dated 2009 with the exception of one packet dated 2008.(yellow squash/crookneck)

But all others are packed for the 2009 growing season.All are unopened/new packets of seeds

(The seeds are of hybrid varieties...for the most part..so if that doesn't bother you..go ahead and join in the fun!)

I could not see just tossing them out...even though I personally am concentrating on turning my efforts towards heirloom varieties.

In my cleaning/sorting out.... I discovered these seeds in my seed stash, and decided that someone may still enjoy them..even though they are not heirlooms. So..let the fun begin!!!

-----------------------

O.k.... For what you'll be winning here:

---------------

1 pkt Zucchini seeds/Burpee Hybrid Zucchini

1 pkt Spinach/Baby's Leaf hybrid Burpee's

1 pkt Cucumber/Bush Champion Burpee's

1 pkt. Cantaloupe/Sweet and Early hybrid Burpee's

1 pkt. Yellow Crookneck Squash/Ferry Morse

1 pkt. Burpee's Tomato Big Boy hybrid

1 pkt Burpee's Tomato Gardener's Delight

1 pkt Burpee's Tomato Delicious

------------------------------

Simply leave me a comment and a name will be drawn on March 30th!

Please make sure you leave me a way to be able to contact you should you be the winner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

~The Victory Gardener

Happy Spring!!

2009-03-21T00:09:00.000-07:00

HELLO SPRING!!! Today it is "officially" Spring! ...Yippee!

Have been listing new items in the garden shop over at www.myvictorygarden.etsy.com

Love hearing from folks that are planning their gardens, some are new gardeners, some are veteran gardeners, but the fact remains..all of them are excited that Spring is now officially here... as of today in fact!

It is so nice to get little notes like this one from a customer in Idaho:

"Thank you for posting seeds on etsy. We've recently formed a 12 family Victory Garden with a teacher farm. The folks there are leading/teaching their trade of farming on a 1/4 acre plot this season.I am ordering these seeds for my own raised bed gardens though, and will share your site with all."

It is letters like this that really make having the garden shop so very much fun for me! I really,really enjoy that aspect of it.
-----------------
I did manage to get some green bean seeds planted in our 4 ft by 8 ft raised bed....my littlest children assisted me..and already our green bean crop has about 5 inch tall plants. Grant it the chickens did decide to feast upon some of the wee seedlings, and to scratch some of the bean seeds to the surface..the rascals!
But we do have at least half of what we planted coming up just fine, and undisturbed by the chickens..so I think we'll see a decent crop from it.
--------------
We also have quite a number of strawberries showing up on the berry plants..but again..trying to keep the chickens from discovering them.
-------------------
This time of year the amaryllis are starting to pop up in the pots they have been planted in and some have already begun blooming. So very pretty.
-------------
The days here have been delightfully sunny and breezy...yes, Spring is here!
---------------
I will be back to posting some gardening tips very soon.
You see we are currently in the "wrapping things up phase" on trying to get our home ready to be placed on the market. We wound up being several months behind on the deadline I had wanted to have things completed by..but now things are moving again full steam ahead..and life has gotten a wee bit hectic to say the least.
I do have some topics I will be covering and very soon..so please do not give up on me.
----------------
In the meantime do stop by the seed shop and check out the varieties of seed available there. I will be adding some more lettuce varieties and bean varieties soon..but already there is a nice selection posted. So..if you have not yet selected seed for your garden, I invite you to stop by. The seeds offered are all heirloom varieties.
---------------------------
Hoping you are enjoying some marvelous weather in your area and making plans for your gardens.
Have a wonderful weekend.
~Happy Gardening!
~The Victory Gardener~

Winners of Giveaway

2009-03-14T20:29:00.000-07:00

Winners for the drawing have been announced over on my other blog at:
www.gardengoose.blogspot.com
Pop on over and see if your name is on the list.
I'll be emailing you if it is.:0)
Congratulations.
I will be back to garden related posts in a jiffy..but if you are looking for heirloom seeds to start your garden with this year do stop by my little etsy shop at:
www.myvictorygarden.etsy.com
I am adding new varieties to the list quite often.
Thanks for stopping by and again..Congratulations! to the winners of my giveaway.
Have a great evening!
~The Victory Gardener!~

My Victory Garden Shop has been stalked:0) yay!

2009-03-09T11:12:00.000-07:00

I have been stalked, but in a good way now mind you.

One of the products from my garden shop has been featured on the blog "Etsy Stalker"

Check it out here:

http://etsystalker.com/?p=503

~The Victory Gardener!~

Time For A Give Away!

2009-03-08T14:28:00.000-07:00

I figured since I had not done one of these on this blog....that it was time to have a great big give away!
.....And by great big give away this one will have 16 winners!
YES!!! 16 winners!
(I've posted this give away over on my gardengoose blog as well, and will combine the comments received)
------------------
See my hubby and I own and operate a sign shop, and we have capability to print full color canvas prints.
Well..in my clearing out/packing up..I came across 16 canvas prints that had been tucked away...and are absolutely gorgeous...in various themes from farm house style, to nautical beach scenes,pelicans,fruit crate label images...etc.
All total 16 lovely canvas prints that need a new home
------------------
This will be a totally fun and random give away....a surprise giveaway. 16 random folks will be chosen, and I'll send out a random canvas image from the stash.
--------------------------
So... please spread the word and sign up below.....trust me...you will want a chance at one of these.... as they are darling.
-----------------------
I've posted a few examples of some, but not all of the designs.
(if I showed all of them it wouldn't be so much of a surprise then now would it?..ha)
So...get your name on this list here and join the fun.
Drawing will be held Friday, March 13th. (US RESIDENTS ONLY PLEASE)
------------------------------

~The Victory Gardener!~

Keeping Critters out of the Garden

2009-02-13T13:29:00.000-08:00

You have plans to plant a nice garden this year..but you find yourself between a rock and a hard place as the neighbors cat has been known to ...well..use your yard and planned garden space as a great big kitty box. Or perhaps deer or rabbits roam around your yard..how to enjoy them from a distance, and keep your yard/garden space at the same time from being chewed all up?

------------------

Here are a few ideas:
Cats:

--------

*Invest in a motion detector sprinkler.

*Mulching in flower beds ..using large pieces of bark or rocks. Cats prefer a smooth material to paw through.

*Laying chicken wire down over the ground.Then cutting areas in the chicken wire to plant in. Cats do not like walking on chicken wire.

*Sprinkling of chili pepper flakes every few days in the areas the cat goes.

*Plastic forks with the tongs stuck up..cats don't like having to dig around them.

*Ground up orange peels are supposed to deter cats.

*Scatter prickly type pinecones in the areas the cat is using.

*Install an electric wire fence.

*3 plants that supposedly cats and deer both do not like are:

rue, lavender, and pennyroyal

--------------------

Rabbits:

--------------

*For the most part rabbits do not typically like the taste of tomato plants,. corn plants, squash, cucumbers, potatoes, or peppers. So you could make sure that you plant these type of plants on the outer borders of your garden area.They do go after things like beans, peas, beets ,and lush greens.

* Construct a 2 foot high fencing around the garden.Make sure that the fence is either buried about a few inches or is tight against the ground.

*Sprinkle dried blood meal around the border of the garden, or fox urine.

*Human hair sprinkled around the border of the garden ...ask for some at your local hair salon.

* Corn cobs soaked in vinegar...resoak after about 2 weeks.

* Plant a clover patch especially for the rabbits, they'd rather eat clover than your garden.

--------------------

Deer:

------------------

* Fencing..at least 3 ft. high or higher.

*Invest in a dog. Dogs and deer do not mix.

*Here is another method I came across:

Mix 2 ½ pounds of bloodmeal (half of a 5 lb. bag) into a normal size bucket that's about half to 2/3 full of water.
Stir well.
Add 1 cup of ammonia and keep stirring until mixed.
Now, cut green florist block into big cubes and place each cube on a three-foot tall stake. Dip the staked cubes into the bucket and let them soak for awhile to get really saturated. Then, place the stakes about six feet apart around plants you wish to protect. Re-saturate the cubes every couple of weeks or after a really heavy rain.

* Grated Irish spring or Ivory soap sprinkled around the garden.

* Human urine..yes..you read right.

*Plant chives around the garden..but you'll have to keep them thinned as they can take over the garden, apparently deer don't care much for chives.

* Plants that deer will not eat can be planted around the borders of your garden. Try the following:

Annuals :

ageratum,snapdragon,salvia,nicotiana,petunia, alyssum,marigold,begonia.

Perennials:

columbine,coreopsis,foxglove,aconitum,lavender, salvia,nepeta,daffodils,hyacinth,rudbeckia,beebalm,babysbreath.

--------------------

Good Luck!...and may you have a critter free garden this year.

~Happy Gardening!~

Understanding Your Seed Catalogs

2009-02-13T13:06:00.000-08:00

The seed catalogs are starting to pour in and the excitement is in the air to get growing. But...when you look at the catalogs you see a variety of seeds ..some marked hybrid, some marked open pollinated, some marked organic, and some marked heirloom.

Just what is the difference here?
---------------------
Hybrid seed is seed that is derived from mixing different traits from various plants to come up with a new/unique variety. Alot of times when seed is planted from this type of plant..it may/may not grow true to the parent plant.
-----------------
Open pollinated seed means the seed is allowed to grow as nature intended...all heirloom seed is open pollinated seed.Open pollinated seed is then classified as both heirloom seed and open pollinated if the strain of seed has proven to grow "true to type" for 50 yrs or better.
--------------------
Heirloom seed is seed that has been passed down from generation to generation and is seed that is at least from a 50 to 100 year strain of seed that has proven to grow "true to type" meaning that what you plant seed wise will look like the parent plant.
------------------
Organic seed does not necessarily mean that you are getting an heirloom variety of seed..organic simply refers to the methods/practices by which the seed has been grown..usually with minimal chemicals. Both hybrids and heirlooms can be grown organically.
---------------------------
~Happy Gardening!~
p.s. check out the Heirloom seed available at http://www.myvictorygarden.etsy.com/
We have okra, tomato, lettuce, radicchio and more to come.

Recycled Seed Starting Containers

2009-01-10T22:04:00.000-08:00

Starting seeds needn't cost you a whole lot of money. In fact you may not even need to go to the store to get items in which to start growing seeds in.

Take a look around your home.

Here are some ideas for recycling items that you may already have in your home that can be used as seed starting containers:

1. Egg cartons/ these can be actually cut in half..cut the lid off of the bottom part and you then have a flat tray area to plant seeds into, as well as 12 compartments to plant seeds into.

2. Don't toss those yogurt containers! They can be recycled as well.

3. Pint ice cream containers work well also.Enjoy your Haagen Daaz just a little bit more now..knowing that you can use the container to also start a new tiny plant in.

4. Baby food jars

5.Don't toss out that slightly chipped coffee mug or tea cup..if it can still hold water..it can still hold soil , and will make a good seed starting container.

6. Milk jugs. Cut off the top portion , and you now have a great container in which to start a tomato plant.

7. Children have a neighborhood birthday party? Ask the hostess mom to save the paper cups for you. She may look at you a wee bit oddly, but in a week or so you can take her a gift of a small seedling started in one of those recycled cups.

8.Did you stop at the deli and get a sandwich to go? Use the container as a mini "greenhouse/seed starter"..many deli containers have a small plastic lid on them..these act as a nice "terrarium" type atmosphere..great for starting seeds.

--------------------------

Happy Gardening!

~The Victory Gardener~

(image shown courtesy of DK images free clip art)

Kumquat Marmalade

2009-01-07T17:41:00.001-08:00

So..last night I made some yummy "Kumquat Marmalade"

I took about 4 lbs of fresh sliced, de-seeded kumquats/with the stem end sliced off.
Added about 1 cup sugar per 1 lb. of fruit.Added juice of 1 fresh lemon.

Let it all cook down until the fruit starts having a transparent look on some of the peeling, and the sugary syrup starts to thicken.

I then put the hot mixture into my blender and lightly chopped it.
Then back into the pot to cook about 8 minutes more. Then into clean hot jars.
Yummy! So good on toast.
(***you can actually do the same thing with navel oranges or other oranges....slice the fruit thin and include the juice of a lemon..no need to use pectin..the fruit is tart enough)
-----------------
~The Victory Gardener~
(image shown property of Tina Wilson)

The Victory Garden

2008-12-16T17:13:00.000-08:00

In the American lifestyle(and no doubt in other countries as well now) it is now so very, very easy to find so many easy options for breakfast, lunch, dinner. So much of the foods we now consume come in paper, plastic, cartons, and bags and require very little preparation/thought if any on the part of the consumer.
But..in the long run what is all of this "super convenience" really doing to the health of all of us?
( and studies show that diseases like diabetes and more have nearly doubled in the last 10 yrs!)
Yikes!
So much for our fast, easy, convenient life style huh?
----------
Anyhow... so..I for one will begin growing a lot of my families fruits and veggies when I get located to a new home.I want to know where our food is coming from..and how it is grown.
-----------------
I have for quite a while been fascinated with things like growing heirloom varieties of fruit, vegetables, flowers.
Types of seed that are not genetically modified by big whig companies that think they have to control America's crops and use pesticides on seeds and hybridize everything.
But my interest is in saving the heirlooms..the true to strain varieties of seed that have been passed on from generation to generation of good old fashioned farmers and families whose aim was/is to preserve the proper ways of farming and growing food, and not tainted by who knows what kind of pesticide/chemical
----------------
So with that goal in mind I have been collecting seed for several years now. Flower seed, vegetable seed and herb seeds.
I whole heartily believe in saving and growing these untainted seeds...and preserving a way of life former workers of the land strove to preserve and pass on to other generations that would come to understand just how important preserving these things really is..
-----------------------
So..with that in mind..and if you too believe that providing food for your family..where you know where your food is coming from, and how it is grown/and knowing that it is not hybridized or tainted by who knows what type of new pesticide now... is important to the health and well being of your family and yourself...
I'd like to share with you a few websites about the Victory Gardens of the past.About a time when having a garden in the backyard was a pretty "NORMAL" thing.

------------------
Having a garden/growing your own vegetables does not mean you have to have a large area of land to do so.
You can grow plenty of food in a 10 by 10 square area or less, in pots, on a balcony, just because you do not have acreage should in no way be a deterrent.
----------------
First up..I'd like to share with you a link to a War Times Victory Garden Manual(copyright 1919) Some of the information in it is still useful today:
http://www.earthlypursuits.com/WarGarV/WarGardTitle.htm
And a 1944 copy of a Victory Garden manual:
http://www.earthlypursuits.com/victorygardhandbook/VGHv.htm
---------------

Enjoy!

~Happy Gardening~

(Image courtesy of Victory Garden Public Domain image)

Creating A Bentwood Trellis

2008-12-12T13:45:00.000-08:00

So you have the soil ph balance checked..

the compost pile going...

and you are ready to get planting.

Let's say that you are wanting to plant an heirloom climbing rose..or perhaps a flowering vine such as jasmine..

or maybe start that crop of pole beans...

Do you run out and buy one of those fancy smancy metal arbours that can cost anywhere from one hundred dollars and up..

you could..but..what about a "do it yourself" option that will blend into the natural surroundings but also add a bit of nostalgia and good old farmstead ingenuity to your yard...

plus you can tell your friends and family.."I made it myself"

This video will show you how to get started on creating your own trellisses.Once you see how easy it is..you can go on to create different shapes and structures.http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-build-a-Bentwood-Trellis-30825162

Have Fun!

~Happy Gardening!~

Composting

2008-12-12T13:43:00.000-08:00

Creating a Compost Pile
----------------------
Compost is a very good thing to learn how to create for amending your flower/veggie beds and for using as a plant medium.(but not recommended for use with houseplants as the compost can contain weed seeds)
Properly made compost will have a dark brown or black color and a nice earthy smell to it.
Compost has quite a few benefits, some of which are:
Helping to alleviate plant pests and diseases.
Reducing and even eliminating the need to use any type of chemical fertilizer.
Promotes higher yields in vegetable crops.
(To name a few.)
-------------
Choose an area close to your garden to create your compost pile.
You can simply pile the organic matter onto the ground, or create a compost bin by making a fenced in area with a "door",
Or even buying a compost tumbler if that suits your fancy.
Whichever method you choose to create your compost pile/bin you can guarantee that creating "black gold" for your garden is a good thing to do.
Not only does it help to keep landfills from being filled up with materials that actually could be of benefit to your garden..but it gives these recycled organic items back to nature...to building better soil for your garden.
And it's a perfect win-win situation...you are helping to keep landfills free of items that most folks don't realize are beneficial to the soil..and you are gaining a gorgeous garden in the process.
-----------------------
What to use to create a compost pile?
--------------------
Animal manure(chicken,cow,horse,etc. but not cat or dog..think barnyard animal type)Cardboard pieces(think toilet tissue rolls,pieces of cardboard boxes)
Clean paper (a perfect use for junk mail)
Coffee grounds and filters(aha..a good use for the leftovers from your morning brew)
Cotton rags
Dryer lint
Eggshells(put the benefits of having a backyard flock to even more use..yay!)
Fireplace ashes (after that warm snuggle by the fireplace with your sweet someone..scrape out the ashes and add it to the pile...and give your honey an extra kiss for having a great idea that helps to improve your garden..hee hee)
Fruits and vegetables(you know sometimes the kids just have to have the peelings removed from an apple..well toss it into the pile too..as well as banana peelings and such)
Grass clippings
Hair and fur(save the hair from your own hairbrush and from when you groom your pet)
Hay and straw (have to muck out stalls? this is a good thing..really it is. Or ask for the hay/straw from your neighbors muck day)
Houseplants(so the plant kicked the bucket but not from disease or pests..but maybe from that long vacation where ..ughh you forgot to water it..just toss the plant on the pile)
Leaves
Nut shells(have a batch of nuts for cooking..and have the leftover shells..toss them in the pile/except for black walnut)
Sawdust(have been doing a remodeling project? or wood working..save the sawdust!)
Shredded newspaper (after reading the comics ..the best part after all..toss the whole thing into the pile)
Tea bags
Wood chips
Wool (another great use for the little baa-baa's)
Yard trimmings
---------------------------------
Turn your pile at least once a week...
Use a shovel or pitch fork to sort of stir things up a bit.
This keeps the heat in the pile evenly distributed so that everything can begin to decompose at a good rate.
----------------------
What NOT to put in the pile
----------------
Black walnut tree leaves or twigs (as they release a substance that might harm trees and plants)Coal or charcoal ash(contains substances that might harm plants)
Dairy products (butter,cheese,yogurt,egg yolks,etc) Can turn rancid and just plain smelly(yucko!)..and wind up attracting all sorts of critters...not a good thing)
Diseased and bug-ridden plants(sort of a no brainer..the diseases and buggers get transferred to all the supposed to be good stuff and then "ugh..the aliens have attacked!!" NOT a good thing)Fats, grease, lard, or oils (eeeewe! stinky! a good way to attract flies and rats and mice though..but definitely not recommended)
Meat or fish bones and scraps(o.k..wanna attract CSI because of the smell? ..nawww didn't think so..the yuck smell also attracts rats,mice and other varmints along with flies..yuck! double yuck!)Pet wastes ( dog or cat feces, soiled cat litter)(o.k. eeewe gross! a good way to introduce germs, bacteria, viruses and more that can definitely be harmful to people..not a cool thing!)
Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides (o.k. let's say this out loud.."CHEMICALS ARE NOT GOOD!"..o.k. got it..not good for your compost pile..in fact they can actually kill the whole pile of organic matter and then kill the plants you put it on...so NOT cool!)
-----------------------------
Now you know what can and can't be used...have fun gathering the items needed to create a healthy compost pile.
Your garden will thank you.
-------------
Happy Gardening!
(image courtesy of Public Domain Victory Gardening image)

Know Your Soil

2008-12-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

So, you have grand plans to start that garden in the Spring?

You're ready to gather those heirloom seeds and are raring to "get plantin'" ...but..hold on a minute... is your soil really "up to the task"?(sound of record screeching here)

...Say what?! you mean I can't just dump my seeds in a space and expect stellar results?Well..you "might" could do that, and have tremendous results...

that is if your soil has all of the proper nutrients

...but...that's getting really lucky.

So..let's back up here a minute and take this slow.

------------

Soil PH...what is it?

-------

Soil PH is the factor which determines whether or not plants are able to consume nutrients from the soil properly.If the PH balance is out of whack... either too high..too much of a goood thing in one area or another...or too low..not enough of the "good stuff" ...then the soil goes into "lock down" and your plants wind up "biting the dust baby"..meaning they literally starve to death.So..soil testings help you to determine if your soil has the proper balance of everything it needs to grow certain types of plants, vegetables, shrubs, grasses and so forth.

------------

Nitrogen:

-------

A good balance of nitrogen in your soil helps to promote good growth of stalks, leaves, stems, and grasses.Too much nitrogen equals soft tissue, too fast of growth,and all around plant weakness. It can also result in loss of flower and seed formation.Too little nitrogen results in susceptibility to pests, disease, and injury.

-----------------------

Phosphorous

--------

Phosphorous gives plants a rapid start and boosts the root formation and maturing, and aids in flower and seed formation.

------------------------

Potash/Potassium

----------

Proper amounts of Potash/Potassium in the soil help to stimulate root and tuber formation.It is needful for underground crops.Too much potash in the soil reduces the plants resistance to drought and frost injury and slows down plant maturity rates.

-----------------------

Collecting Your Soil Sample:

--------

Gather soil at a depth of 2-3 inches below the surface.

Use a clean tool.

Do NOT touch the soil with your hands.

Place in a clean container. Label the container so that you know from which area of your yard/garden it was taken from.Take samples from different areas of your yard: shady areas, sunny areas.Do not collect wet soil. You want to collect soil that is dry enough to walk upon.Remove debris(rocks and wood pieces)Crumble as finely as possible. You may have to put the soil into a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to accomplish this.When your soil sample has a fine texture it is then ready for testing.

------------------

Test your soil on your own with a "Do it yourself" kit..these kits list the proper ph balance for different types of plants.Or, you can submit the soil samples to a local garden nursery that offers this service(call around, as some nurseries do offer this service)Or, you can submit the soil sample to your local extension agent.Once you receive your results you will know where to go from there..as the "do it yourself kits" will also have a chart letting you know what you need to add to the soil..and the results from the nursery or extension office will also tell you.

------------

When your soil test is complete and you have created the proper PH soil balance needed(by adding lime or other items as per the instructions from your "do it yourself kit, or the extension office forms)....

you can then truly say"Gardener's Know The Best Dirt"..and smile while saying it.

-----------

~Happy Gardening!~

(Image courtesy of DK images free clip art)