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

Growing Collard Greens:

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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.

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Storing of Greens:

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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.

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Freezing for later use:

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

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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.

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Recipes:

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Turnip Greens With Pot Likker

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(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!)

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1/2 pound salt pork

1 quart cold water

4 quarts fresh turnip greens

1/4 teaspoon salt

Dash of pepper

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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)

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Mustard Greens With Bacon

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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.

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Collards & Lentils

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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

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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.

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~Happy Gardening!~

~The Victory Gardener!~

Time to plant a Fall Garden

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/

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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.
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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.
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Wishing you all an absolutely lovely week, and Happy Gardening!
~The Garden Goose!~

Growing Turnip Greens

Growing Turnip Greens:
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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.
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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!

Wishing you all a lovely Holiday weekend!

Happy 4th of July!

~The Victory Gardener!~

Recreate The White House Victory Garden In Your Own Backyard!

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!~

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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

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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

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Happy Gardenening!

~The Victory Gardener!~

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

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
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Feel free to share the e-zine with family and friends.
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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!

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~The Victory Gardener!~