Ice Tornadoes & Snow on the Table?

Today's weather.com report shows that Ice, Tornadoes & Snow

are all possible in the next few days coming from the Midwest! 

Radish, lettuce, Asian greens and nasturtiums in the ground Saturday- frost cover on stand-by.

Nevertheless, my stomach is nervous and my head is racing. 

Spring is around the corner. 

Blessings from the Garden. 

ML

Thorny...

I "shovel-pruned" twelve hybrid teas after 3 years of owning this home. I cannot be committed to spraying and tending every Saturday morning. Knockout roses have changed my once thorny take on growing roses. Don't get me wrong, I use garden roses A LOT for arrangements and bouquets, but not a fan of testy teas!

This article from Blissfully Domestic is a great start for rose recruits.

Blessings from the Garden. ML

New Tricks

I stumbled upon a blog that promised it would be easy to make my own creative banner for this website...

Well, it was! 

Check out Blissfully Domestic for more info and step by step instruction! 

I'd LOVE some feedback on the picture collage...add a comment below. 

Blessings from the Garden. 

ML

TheDirt Video Chat: Tomatoes in Pots

 Pots are perfect for growing vegetables. 
This month's TheDirt Garden Video Chat was about growing toms in pots!
Here is the wrap.


Tomatoes are perfect if you have location issues such as small space or deer.  Pots give you the option to move the plant to different areas as needed. You also have control of sun, water, and nutrition by planting in pots.



Just a few tips for those of us growing tomatoes in pots this year:
  

• decide between determinate & indeterminate- determinate has an "all at once" harvest, while indeterminate has a continual harvest. Look on the plant tag when buying seeds and/or transplants.

• cooler climate- choose early or cool weather varieties- 'Early Girl', 'First Early', Seattle Best of All' and 'Frisco Fogger' are good choices.

• Refer to your state's extension website, University of Georgia has an abundance of information on growing just about anything in our state!

• Tomatoes flower and fruit between 55 degrees and 95 degrees. Pots in the full sun can be moved to part shade when the heat is on!

• "Pots" can be buckets, beautiful glazed containers, or old plastic pots that larger trees were in!

•  Choose soil for vegetables when at the garden store, use 2/3 soil and 1/3 compost if you'd like.

• Group your pots together in the garden or patio for an interesting focal point. Get creative with your stakes---stake your tomatoes when you plant them, this could get hairy later.. 

Check out the following websites for more info on seeds and tomato growing!

Love Apple Farm

Totally Tomatoes! 

Tomato Growers

Tomato Bob

Marianna's Tomatoes 

Interesting GardenWeb forum chat re:tomatoes and beautiful pics!

Next month, Growing Tomatoes from Seed: The Basics


Blessings from the Garden. 
ML

TokBox prep

I've had a couple of questions about TokBox and how to sign up.
My techie son informed me that this would be an option for my dream of video chatting online.

Here is exactly what to do to get started.

• Go to www.tokbox.com
• Click on TokBox Video Conferencing
• Click on "Sign Up" under Video Chat Free
• Fill in your basic info..name , email, password, etc.
• Then you are ready to go. 
• If we are friends on Facebook, you'll notice a sidebar on right with FB friends. This is a way to "call" me for the chat. Otherwise,  type in ML Louise and we will connect.
• BE PATIENT! I am new at this too, so we are in it together! 

I look forward to chatting with you tomorrow at NOON!...

ML

Techno Tips

Two things I want to share with you. 

1.  Tomorrow, Thursday, January  27th, I'll host TheDirt garden chat via Tok Box. This is new for me, but I like to chat about gardening and would especially like to see you in person! No experience necessary. This will  be like sitting around the big ottoman in the middle of my den while sipping coffee! Go to www.tokbox.com, sign up for the FREE membership. You'll see a "Search for Users" button, type ML Louise and I'll be there! You can also Facebook me as a friend. Your Facebook friend list is already up on TokBox, so you can choose any of your friends to video chat. Ok-- you do have to have a webcam as it is video! I'll be sharing some ideas about growing tomatoes in pots which is my challenge for the summer!

2.  My kids have been so busy in the evenings lately, that my usual "June Cleaver" suppers were amiss. I bought (0.99) the Martha Stewart Everyday Food App for Ipad/Ipod and have hundreds of ideas at my "touch" everyday! Last night was Apricot stuffed Pork Tenderloin with roasted potatoes and broccoli. It was delicious! The combination of shallots and apricot jam were perfect.

Hope to see you tomorrow. 
Blessings from the Garden. 
ML

The Buzzzzz on Bees!

If you are interested in keeping bees in your backyard, sign

up by February 2nd for the Beginning Beekeeping class

sponsored by The Clarks Hill Beekeepers and taught by 
Georgia Master Beekeepers.

Sure to be a great experience.  
Blessings from the Garden.
ML

Let's Grow: Getting Started

Black Noodle Bean

      

We are obligated to teach our children about food. 

Where does it come from? How is it grown? What

is best to nourish our bodies?

I challenge you to get started and will share some 
simple ways to start in upcoming posts.

Augusta and the warmer zones can start planting some
of the cooler weather plants this month and next. Here
is a short list of veggie seeds that can be planted this month. 
Designate an area as your "nursery" for experimenting 
with your young ones.

Oh! Growing your own has a positive effect on interest in eating
the veggies/fruits grown!

Veggie            Variety

Radish            Easter Egg 
                          French Breakfast
                          Pink Beauty
                          Cherry Belle

Carrots           Sweet Treat
                          A #1 Hybrid
                          Big Top
                          Danvers Half Long

Lettuce           Mesclun Salad Mix
                          Mesclun Sweet Salad Mix
                          All Season Romaine Mix

Blessings from the Garden. 
ML
                     








       

TheDirt

Apologies to yesterday's "Dirt" chatters. I had difficulties with my Internet service yesterday...

Please meet with us via TokBox next Thursday, January 27th at Noon. We will chat about Tomatoes in Pots! I am trying this technique to free up space in my raised beds, and because I hear it's an ideal way to grow toms....

Check out TheDirt on right sidebar of this website for instructions!

Blessings from the Garden.
ML

Pots, Pools & Pedicures

I was fortunate to attend my first Garden Writer's Symposium in Dallas in September, 2010. This was a 4 day learning event which included 3 half days of touring some of the finest gardens in Dallas.

There were several "themes" that struck me, and to make my speaking tour a bit spicier, I dubbed the themes---Pots, Pools and Pedicures. Most every garden had beautiful containers of some sort. Whether large Italian urns or beautiful glazed pots, containers were a repeating feature.

Here are a few pics. Can't give it all away today as I have a lively presentation with pics...will share slowly!

In my Dreams...

Went to bed last night with a Johnny's Select Seed Catalog and a box of Post It page savers...
Organizing my thoughts on this year's Hagler Farms flower crop.


Now is the time to dream about your spring garden. The cold weather brings us inside to look at catalogs and Internet sites.

Wanted to share a few of my favorite sites both for buying and dreaming! Enjoy.
www.johnnyseeds.com


Harvard Study


Floret


Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds




What is your favorite seed/flower source?

Blessings from the Garden.
ML

'shrooms

Tried a new recipe today, Chicken Marsala, which included Porcini mushrooms.
I've never tried these dehydrated fungi and probably never will in my kitchen!

First, the box was a bit deceiving...looks like they came from a farm in PA, but
really they are from China! I've read they grow like crazy in China,but may be grown in the US, too.

Second, the box said nothing about rinsing or wiping them off..gritty...



Lastly, they just weren't appetizing in color to me.

So, I'll stick with portabellas or just regular old white mushrooms...unless you convince me otherwise!

Blessings from the Garden.
ML

Last Frost Date

If you are planning on starting seeds indoors for outdoor planting later, you
need to know the "last frost date" for you area. Plant Maps is a good resource for
those dates and for other helpful info based on your zip code.

Augusta's last frost date range is March 21st to March 31st.

So, if you are planting
basil indoors, for example,I would get started around Valentine's Day, February 14th!

Blessings from the Garden.
ML

Healthy Eating

There is nothing you can plant that will not be healthy...well,
LEGAL
that you plant, anyway!



Take this Consumer Report Healthy Eating Quiz to see what your perception of "healthy" is...

Blessings from the Garden
ML

Soup!

I love to find new recipes for soups that taste high cal/high fat, but are actually healthy and full of good nutrition. I found this recipe in Fitness Rx February 2011 issue to help stay on track.

I adapted a bit by adding the hot pepper flakes and a bit of salt. This is a low-sodium recipe, but I needed some salt! Top with a bit of Parmesan and you'll be glad you made this!

Even my kids enjoyed it! With the upcoming "storm" you may want to hit the store for the ingredients...


Broccoli Cauliflower Soup with Roasted Almond Puree
1T extra virgin olive oil
2 leek bulbs thinly sliced with part of green portion
3 cups broccoli florets fresh
3 cups cauliflower florets fresh
6 cups vegetable stock
3/4 cups of ground roasted raw almonds
1T fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp Pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika in Spanish spice section)
1/4 tsp lemon zest
sprinkle of red pepper flakes
garnish with dusting of Parmesan cheese


Place about a cup of whole, raw almonds on baking sheet
in 350 oven for about 12 minutes,
take out and let cool. Chop
with food processor or blender.



In a large pot, saute the leeks in the olive oil until translucent.
Add cauliflower and broccoli sauteing a couple minutes more.
Pour in the veggie stock and bring to a boil, add the almonds, thyme,
bay leaf, and paprika. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.




Remove the bay leaf and puree the soup with an immersion blender or blend in batches with processor.



Enjoy
Blessings from the Garden.
ML

January To Do's

Yes, it's cold (or is it? today?), but there are plenty of things to do in the
garden and in preparation for the upcoming growing season...









Here are a few things to keep you busy:

• feed the birds!
  
• dream. dream of what you'll be doing in the garden Feb/Mar.
• make a list of veggies, herbs and flowers you did not plant in 2010.
• prepare your garden beds now to be ready for planting in late Feb/March
  
• start a garden diary or blog. Make a sketch of your garden spot now, and add in what you'd like to plant this spring.
• plant fruit trees when available.
• buy seeds: beets, carrots, lettuce, english peas, radishes, spinach for planting late this month, early Feb. Get seed trays ready for tomatoes, peppers and eggplant to be started indoors.
  
• keep your pansies, snaps, and ornamental kale watered!
• don't massacre your shrubs yet unless you want to look at it until warm weather arrives!
• send me some of your garden goals for 2011.
• join us for "TheDirt" video chat on Thursday, January 20th at noon.

Blessings from the Garden.
ML

Garden Goals

It's time for goals and resolutions!

I just directed Robert and the kids to formulate 5 goals each for 2011 then email them back to me. Having resolutions, goals, and lists to review intermittently helps keep me focused rather than aimlessly spinning through life!

The focus for my 2011 goals (both gardening and personal) will be on purpose.

I will focus my energy on accomplishments with meaning and mission.

Garden goals from 2010 included sharing my passion for gardening with children, growing more food, joining a Community Supported Agriculture, designing 2 lasagna beds, and preparing for the 2010 Sacred Heart Garden Tour. I look back at these goals satisfied that I completed 3 of them and worked toward the other two.

Here are my garden goals for the New Year 2011:

• Re-work herb bed to include statue or fountain as focal point

• Start fresh cooking herbs from seed: basil, rosemary, chives, garlic, dill, cilantro and lovage


• Draw new sketch of garden plan for 2011 to share with garden clubs & readers. Review progress every other week.
  


• Plant 3 evergreens to hide unpleasant view!


• Continue to involve family in garden activities via Master's Table Soup Kitchen, home garden and farm garden.
  

Share your goals by commenting in the comment section below.
Blessings from the Garden.
Happy New Year!
ML