July Tips: VEGETABLES
Show off your gardening abilities by exhibiting fresh vegetables,
flowers, and fruits at local fairs. You might even win a blue ribbon!
Continue to use Bacillus thuringiensis for caterpillar pests, such as
imported cabbageworm. Follow directions for application on the label.
Make successive plantings of beets, beans, and carrots to be able to
harvest into fall. Direct seed cool-season crops, such as broccoli,
cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, into the garden.
Continue to monitor your squash vines for squash vine borers. The
moths lay their eggs on the stems, then the emerging larvae bore
into the vines, causing the squash vine to wilt and die. Contact your
local Extension agent for control recommendations.
To obtain maximum pleasure and value from your vegetable garden,
continue planting during the growing season. This provides a harvest
until cold weather kills the plants.
Uncaged tomatoes can be damaged by sunscald. To prevent this, lean an
old window screen over the plants to protect them from the sun.
Before you spray an insecticide on your vegetables, check the label.
Each insecticide has a time you must wait before you can harvest.
To prevent okra from becoming slimy while cooking, leave the stem on
the pod.
The stem is edible, or you can remove it before serving.
Dry weather causes Swiss chard to bolt or go to seed.
Water your plants to extend the season.
Cucumbers develops a bitter taste if the soil is not kept
consistently moist.
Harvest for pickling whole when 2 to 4 inches; for table use, when
longer than 5 inches. Remove any overripe cucumbers to encourage
continuous production.
For bigger and better Brussels sprouts, pinch out the top of the
plant when sprouts at the bottom are fully grown. The smaller, upper
sprouts will grow larger than they would otherwise.
Okra, one of the most showy blooms in the vegetable garden, bears
flowers that last only one day. If the flower has been pollinated, a
miniature okra pod can be seen beneath the wilted flower.
Leave the casaba melon on the vine until the blossom end softens and
rind turns yellow. Crenshaw melon is ripe when the dark-green skin
develops yellow streaks. Pick honeydew when the blossom end softens
and white skin turns cream color.
Most of your spring crops are out of the garden, and weeds are
beginning to encroach on what once was a productive space. Plant
another crop in those empty spaces to be harvested at the end of the
growing season. Try beans, kale, turnips, mustard, broccoli, cabbage,
spinach, or even corn varieties that mature in a short season.
Remember to restore fertility to the soil before planting your fall
crops by working in a light layer of compost or aged manure or a
small application of a complete chemical fertilizer.
Shredded Chinese cabbage is a good, hot-weather substitute for
lettuce in salads and sandwiches. A second crop may be started now
for fall harvesting.
Although tomatoes are self-pollinating, they need movement to
transfer
pollen. If it is hot and calm for several days, gently shake plants
for assured pollen transfer and fruit set. Hot temperatures can also
interfere with blossom set.
Overwatered okra will produce more leaves than pods.
Water stress in sweet potatoes can result in cracked roots. A
potassium deficiency causes long, slender roots. Too much nitrogen
reduces yield and quality.
Drought and hot, dry winds can cause pepper and tomato blossoms to
drop off.
Try misting plants twice a day to cool them and help the blossoms set
fruit.
Too many cucumbers, zucchini, or tomatoes? Think pickles, relishes,
and tomato sauces.
Cucumbers have a very short "vine-storage time." Under warm, humid
conditions, the fruits on the vine may remain in prime condition less
than one day. So pick early and often.
For the best flavor, pick ripe tomatoes as needed; flavor peaks
within three minutes of picking. If you must wait to use garden-fresh
tomatoes, don't refrigerate them. Fruit texture and some aroma
compounds deteriorate quickly in the cold.
You can prolong the storage life of fresh okra by dipping it in 500
ppm of ascorbic acid for five minutes. This concentration is
approximately the same as dissolving 500 mg of vitamin C in a quart
of water.
Then air dry and pack in plastic bags for storage of up to one month
in your refrigerator.
To get more vitamins out of your vegetables, keep the outer leaves on
your cabbage heads. They are high in vitamin C. Grow yellow corn
varieties; they are higher in vitamin A than those with white
kernels.
Wash, but don't peel, cucumbers -- most of the vitamin A is in the
skin.
Harvest some green leaves with broccoli heads and stalks; the leaves
have more vitamin A than the head and are richer in vitamin C, too.
Most fertilizer recommendations are for 100 square feet, so keep your
garden's square footage a simple fraction of that. For example, a 4 x
12 1/2 foot garden is exactly 50 square feet and would require
exactly one half the fertilizer required by a garden of 100 square
feet.
Intensive gardeners know that closely spaced plants may yield less
per plant, but the yield per square foot is increased because so many
more plants are grown. The same idea can be used in container
gardening. USDA research has shown that tomatoes grown in 3 1/2-inch
pots yielded
smaller and fewer fruits than those grown in 11-inch pots, but the
total yield per square foot was almost twice as high because three
small pots could be grown in the space of one large pot.
Try a slippery plastic fence for keeping raccoons out of vegetables,
especially sweet corn. Construct one by stapling plastic sheeting (6
mil thickness) to stakes spaced every 10 feet so that the stakes are
on the inside of the plastic, toward the corn. The plastic should be
30 to 36 inches wide, and the lowermost 3 to 6 inches should rest on
the ground. If you already have a fence around your garden, try using
spring-type clothespins to clip the plastic to it. Put the fence up
shortly before the corn is ripe to give the animals less time to
figure it out. Raccoons trying to climb the slippery plastic soon
give up.
A garden needs 1 inch of rain or water each week.
Early morning is the best time to water. Evening watering is less
desirable because leaves that remain wet through the night are more
susceptible to fungal diseases. Mulch plants to reduce water loss and
improve yields.
Keep peas, beans, and berries cool while you pick them by spreading a
damp cloth over your harvest basket.
For a fall harvest of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels
sprouts, set transplants in late July. For a fall harvest of lettuce,
radish, carrots, beets, turnips, kale, and spinach, sow seeds in late
July to early August.
Fall is the best time to grow Brussels sprouts since their flavor is
enhanced by a mild frost. Sow seeds directly in the garden early in
the month, or set out transplants. Brussels sprouts are heavy feeders
so make monthly applications of 5-10-10 fertilizer from the time the
plants are 4 inches tall. Apply at a rate of 1/2 cup per square yard.
In summer, dry soil may make working the soil difficult and inhibit
seed germination. Plant your fall vegetables when the soil is moist
after a rain, or water the area thoroughly the day before you plant.
Seeds may be planted in a shallow trench to conserve moisture. Cover
the seeds about twice as deeply as you do in the spring. Early
maturing varieties are best for late plantings.
Gardeners in the mountainous regions of Virginia should start
planting fall vegetables this month. Request publication #426-334,
Fall Vegetable Gardening, from your Extension agent for guidelines on
planning and planting fall crops.
One of the most important advantages of the home garden is the
opportunity to have high-quality vegetables. Harvest your vegetables
at the peak of maturity. Don't allow them to become too old before
you pick them. Harvest summer squash when it's about 6 inches long.
Use sweet corn as soon as it is picked. If it is held under warm
conditions, the sugar changes to starch, and the corn is much poorer
in quality.
Stop vine crops from taking over your garden or lawn by pinching off
the fuzzy growing tips. This also directs the plant's energy into
ripening fruit rather than producing more vine.
Implement all the best cultural practices to reduce pest problems,
but be prepared to spray as needed to control insects and diseases.
Some pest control usually is necessary to insure the production of
healthful, high-quality vegetables.
Swiss chard can outproduce the gardener. If it becomes overmature,
cut it back to about 4 inches. After cutting, it will send out
tender, new leaves.
Plant Chinese cabbage in July about 90 days before the average date
of the first fall frost in your locality. This will allow crisp, firm
heads to form in the cool days of early autumn.
Side dress crops like corn and cabbage with 2 pounds of 5-10-5
fertilizer per 50 feet of row about a month after growth starts.
Scatter the fertilizer between the rows and scratch it into the soil
with a rake. If your garden is on an infertile sandy soil, side dress
all of your vegetables to promote vigorous growth.
If your potatoes are visible along the soil surface, the portion
exposed to light will turn green. Green-skinned potatoes will taste
bitter and can cause sickness, so protect tubers from light by
covering them with soil or mulch.
Withhold water on storage potatoes when they begin to die down. Water
and fertilizer late in the season may disturb dormancy necessary for
good storage. They can cause regrowth or cause potatoes to crack
prior to harvest.
When muskmelons are 1/3 to 1/2 their mature size, decrease watering.
Overwatering reduces sweetness and may cause the fruits to crack
open. From half-size to maturity, 1 inch of water per week from
rainfall or overhead irrigation is plenty. Likewise, trickle
irrigation should be reduced.
Dried onion flower heads make marvelous additions to winter flower
arrangements. For this reason, you may want to allow some buds that
appear in your onion patch to develop instead of pinching them out as
is useful to ensure large bulbs.
Continue to make successive plantings of crops like beans, beets,
cabbage, and sweet corn to provide a continuous harvest until fall. A
small garden will produce a large quantity of vegetables if
replanting is done throughout the summer.
Pumpkin and squash blossoms are both beautiful and edible. To prepare
squash or pumpkin blossoms, pick them after they open. Remove insects
and dirt by washing and draining. Dip the blossoms in batter and fry
until golden.
Ornamental kales and cabbage are among the showiest of all winter
plants, and as the weather cools, the color intensifies.
Transplants of these beautiful winter ornamentals are available at
garden centers and nurseries now.
Summer squash with a bitter taste should not be eaten as it may
contain a natural toxin, curcurbitacin E, that can cause food
poisoning symptoms, such as stomach cramps. Often these fruits are a
result of self-seeded plants.
Avoid this problem by not saving self-seeded squash plants.
Turning cabbage a quarter to a half turn if they start to crack will
reduce the water uptake that causes splitting. Or use a shovel to cut
through the roots on one side of the plant. If that doesn't work,
better harvest them.
Daytime temperatures above 90 degrees F prevent snap bean flowers
from
developing.
Begin to sow cover crops between rows and in vacated beds now. Sow
clover, rye, and vetch. These will return humus and nitrates to the
soil when dug under later.
Showing posts with label giy: summer garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giy: summer garden. Show all posts
Thursday, July 2, 2009
JULY Organic Gardening
JULY Organic Gardening
Link to full article below
This year, the weather has been much cooler for much longer than
usual in the Carolina Piedmont. I was still picking snow peas and
harvesting lettuce and cabbage past the middle of June. Some folks
are seeing slow growth in peppers and eggplants, which comes as no
surprise. On the other hand, folks are already harvesting squash and
cukes they put in around April 15.
Organic gardeners (and good gardeners of all philosophies)
instinctively understand the deep value both of lovingly tended
gardens and wild places. Now, if only the dandelions weren't so eager
to grow, and the chiggers so eager to bite...
Water, Water, Everywhere. This month's big job is watering. Water
containers daily, vegetable gardens and first season landscape plants
two times a week, and everything else about once a week.
Harvest Time. Harvest herbs and veggies on a regular basis. Don't let
your zucchini reach cetacean proportions—pick it before you need a
harpoon to deal with Moby Zuke. Also, harvest your Irish potatoes
when the tops begin to brown and die back.
Start Fall Plantings. Start fall vegetables, including broccoli,
cabbage, collards, kale, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. This is
also a good time to start biennials and perennials from seed, such as
foxglove and hollyhock, for planting out this fall.
Leave Space For Fall Garden Crops. Instead of planting more warm
season crops every time a bed of bush beans gets past its prime, I
often pick a section to solarize. I also plant cover crops such as
buckwheat or black-eyed peas that I dig in before planting my fall
crop.
Tomato Tip. If need be, cut up to a third off your tomatoes to keep
them from overwhelming their posts or cages. Leave some leaf to
protect against sunburn.
Taking Cutings. Take semi-hardwood cuttings of roses, azalea,
camellia, holly and other shrubs this month. Select new green-brown
stems that "crack" when you snap them. If this is new for you, follow
a good guide such as Lewis Hill's "Secrets of Plant Propagation".
To read the full article:
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-26-27-1214-8-1X2X3X4X5X6X7X8X9X10X11X12-13,00.html
Link to full article below
This year, the weather has been much cooler for much longer than
usual in the Carolina Piedmont. I was still picking snow peas and
harvesting lettuce and cabbage past the middle of June. Some folks
are seeing slow growth in peppers and eggplants, which comes as no
surprise. On the other hand, folks are already harvesting squash and
cukes they put in around April 15.
Organic gardeners (and good gardeners of all philosophies)
instinctively understand the deep value both of lovingly tended
gardens and wild places. Now, if only the dandelions weren't so eager
to grow, and the chiggers so eager to bite...
Water, Water, Everywhere. This month's big job is watering. Water
containers daily, vegetable gardens and first season landscape plants
two times a week, and everything else about once a week.
Harvest Time. Harvest herbs and veggies on a regular basis. Don't let
your zucchini reach cetacean proportions—pick it before you need a
harpoon to deal with Moby Zuke. Also, harvest your Irish potatoes
when the tops begin to brown and die back.
Start Fall Plantings. Start fall vegetables, including broccoli,
cabbage, collards, kale, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. This is
also a good time to start biennials and perennials from seed, such as
foxglove and hollyhock, for planting out this fall.
Leave Space For Fall Garden Crops. Instead of planting more warm
season crops every time a bed of bush beans gets past its prime, I
often pick a section to solarize. I also plant cover crops such as
buckwheat or black-eyed peas that I dig in before planting my fall
crop.
Tomato Tip. If need be, cut up to a third off your tomatoes to keep
them from overwhelming their posts or cages. Leave some leaf to
protect against sunburn.
Taking Cutings. Take semi-hardwood cuttings of roses, azalea,
camellia, holly and other shrubs this month. Select new green-brown
stems that "crack" when you snap them. If this is new for you, follow
a good guide such as Lewis Hill's "Secrets of Plant Propagation".
To read the full article:
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-26-27-1214-8-1X2X3X4X5X6X7X8X9X10X11X12-13,00.html
July Tips: FRUIT AND NUTS
July Tips: FRUIT AND NUTS
After harvesting your strawberries, remove excess runners and any
unhealthy crowns.
To keep birds away from fruit trees, try fake snakes.
Cut a garden hose into pieces about four feet long, and place among
the branches.
To see if blueberries are ripe enough to pick, pull some berries off
the stems. If they come off easily, they are ready to harvest. If
not, they need to ripen more. Cover with netting, or the birds will
beat you to the fruit.
Allow peaches and plums to ripen on the tree. Harvest them just as
they begin to soften.
What's a plumcot or an aprium? Both are fruit varieties produced by
crossing plums with apricots and are available on a very limited
scale from fruit tree, mail-order catalogs or at specialty nurseries.
They are reported to be sweet and juicy.
Grape leaves, the "wrappers" in many Middle Eastern appetizers and
entrees, are easy to freeze for a year-round supply. Gather young,
unsprayed leaves, lay them flat in freezer containers and freeze.
When
ready to use, scald leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds, then run
cold water over them until they are cool.
Harvest raspberries frequently to discourage Japanese beetles or sap
beetles from becoming troublesome. Both insects are especially
attracted to ripe and overripe fruit.
Fireblight on apple and pear trees can be identified by looking for
blackened twigs and branches. The disease will spread and kill the
tree if not controlled. Remove all blighted twigs, cutting eight
inches below the infected area. Disinfect pruning tools after each
cut
to prevent spreading the disease. Dip the blades in a solution of one
part household bleach and nine parts water.
Cover blueberry bushes with plastic netting or fine cloth (tobacco
cloth) to control birds. When harvesting blueberries, allow berries
to remain on the plants for three to five days after they turn blue.
Waiting several days allows berries to reach their maximum sugar
content.
Ripening grape clusters may be covered with brown paper, polyethylene
bags, or nylon netting to reduce bird damage. If using bags, provide
ventilation with holes in the bottom of the bags.
Strawberries need summer care. If you have your plants in hills, pick
off all runners. If you planted a matted row, encourage the runners
to root and grow until the row is 2 feet wide.
After harvesting your strawberries, remove excess runners and any
unhealthy crowns.
To keep birds away from fruit trees, try fake snakes.
Cut a garden hose into pieces about four feet long, and place among
the branches.
To see if blueberries are ripe enough to pick, pull some berries off
the stems. If they come off easily, they are ready to harvest. If
not, they need to ripen more. Cover with netting, or the birds will
beat you to the fruit.
Allow peaches and plums to ripen on the tree. Harvest them just as
they begin to soften.
What's a plumcot or an aprium? Both are fruit varieties produced by
crossing plums with apricots and are available on a very limited
scale from fruit tree, mail-order catalogs or at specialty nurseries.
They are reported to be sweet and juicy.
Grape leaves, the "wrappers" in many Middle Eastern appetizers and
entrees, are easy to freeze for a year-round supply. Gather young,
unsprayed leaves, lay them flat in freezer containers and freeze.
When
ready to use, scald leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds, then run
cold water over them until they are cool.
Harvest raspberries frequently to discourage Japanese beetles or sap
beetles from becoming troublesome. Both insects are especially
attracted to ripe and overripe fruit.
Fireblight on apple and pear trees can be identified by looking for
blackened twigs and branches. The disease will spread and kill the
tree if not controlled. Remove all blighted twigs, cutting eight
inches below the infected area. Disinfect pruning tools after each
cut
to prevent spreading the disease. Dip the blades in a solution of one
part household bleach and nine parts water.
Cover blueberry bushes with plastic netting or fine cloth (tobacco
cloth) to control birds. When harvesting blueberries, allow berries
to remain on the plants for three to five days after they turn blue.
Waiting several days allows berries to reach their maximum sugar
content.
Ripening grape clusters may be covered with brown paper, polyethylene
bags, or nylon netting to reduce bird damage. If using bags, provide
ventilation with holes in the bottom of the bags.
Strawberries need summer care. If you have your plants in hills, pick
off all runners. If you planted a matted row, encourage the runners
to root and grow until the row is 2 feet wide.
July Gardening Tips: The South
July Gardening Tips: The South
Link to full article below
Take advantage of cooler morning temperatures to groom your garden.
* This time of year, working in the garden is nearly impossible at
any time except early morning. As much as possible, work some morning
garden grooming into your schedule.
Deadheading 101 -- Keep deadheading. For the most flowers and tidiest
garden, deadhead daily. Some gardeners take a few minutes each
morning, making it part of their daily routine.
• Deadheading 101 >>
http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/story/data/16587.xml&catref=cat1480072
* Keep new plantings well-watered.
Drought Survival -- Check out our lawn drought-survival tips.
• Drought Survival >>
http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/how-to/data/15381.xml&catref=cat1480072
* When annuals (especially petunias) or perennials get leggy or
scraggly, cut them back by one-third or more. It will not only make
them look neater, but it also often encourages a fresh flush of
growth and/or bloom.
* With intense heat, it's a good idea not to fertilize roses this
month. High temperatures reduce vigor and therefore lessen the need
for food.
* Fertilize acid-loving plants and any other plants that may be
showing an iron deficiency; for example, young leaves may appear
yellow-green with dark green leaves. Acid-loving plants include
azaleas, gardenias, blueberries, and camellias.
Fertilize Plants in Pots -- Fertilize containers. Constant watering
flushes out nutrients. Feed with either a liquid or granular
fertilizer, synthetic or organic -- your choice.
• Fertilize Plants in Pots >>
http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/story/data/12455.xml&catref=cat1480072
* Most vegetables will stop producing in the heat. If they're
dying, remove them. Otherwise, keep them watered and wait for
production to resume in the fall.
* Mow regularly, your best defense against weeds!
* If you have a garden journal, keep up with it. Most garden
journals drop off as the season progresses, but it's a useful tool 12
months of the year.
To read the full article: http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/story/data/rgt_south_july_11272002.xml&catref=cat1480072
Link to full article below
Take advantage of cooler morning temperatures to groom your garden.
* This time of year, working in the garden is nearly impossible at
any time except early morning. As much as possible, work some morning
garden grooming into your schedule.
Deadheading 101 -- Keep deadheading. For the most flowers and tidiest
garden, deadhead daily. Some gardeners take a few minutes each
morning, making it part of their daily routine.
• Deadheading 101 >>
http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/story/data/16587.xml&catref=cat1480072
* Keep new plantings well-watered.
Drought Survival -- Check out our lawn drought-survival tips.
• Drought Survival >>
http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/how-to/data/15381.xml&catref=cat1480072
* When annuals (especially petunias) or perennials get leggy or
scraggly, cut them back by one-third or more. It will not only make
them look neater, but it also often encourages a fresh flush of
growth and/or bloom.
* With intense heat, it's a good idea not to fertilize roses this
month. High temperatures reduce vigor and therefore lessen the need
for food.
* Fertilize acid-loving plants and any other plants that may be
showing an iron deficiency; for example, young leaves may appear
yellow-green with dark green leaves. Acid-loving plants include
azaleas, gardenias, blueberries, and camellias.
Fertilize Plants in Pots -- Fertilize containers. Constant watering
flushes out nutrients. Feed with either a liquid or granular
fertilizer, synthetic or organic -- your choice.
• Fertilize Plants in Pots >>
http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/story/data/12455.xml&catref=cat1480072
* Most vegetables will stop producing in the heat. If they're
dying, remove them. Otherwise, keep them watered and wait for
production to resume in the fall.
* Mow regularly, your best defense against weeds!
* If you have a garden journal, keep up with it. Most garden
journals drop off as the season progresses, but it's a useful tool 12
months of the year.
To read the full article: http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/story/data/rgt_south_july_11272002.xml&catref=cat1480072
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Why this vegan loves the summertime
Why this vegan loves the summertime
by Catherine Capozzi
June 28, 2009
(below is link to full article)
It's Arizona. Temperatures are expected to reach 108 degrees today. And yet... this vegan adores the summertime. Why, pray tell?
1) Inexpensive produce is in abundance
Finally, strawberries, peaches, melons, avocados, and a slew of other fresh goodies are available. But oh, ranier cherries, I have yet to justify purchasing you when the cost is still $6.00/lb. Gas prices are indeed higher, but this bill is at least offset by the lower prices for some great food. In fact, those wishing to transition into a raw vegan diet are never given a better time than in the summer given the variety of foods to eat.
2) My car can function as a dehydrator
Yes, I use my car as a dehydrator to make all sorts of raw vegan goodies. Using my oven inside destroys vital nutrients, and I’m too stingy to spend 100-300 on a dehydrator to make crispy raw food. While the smell of garlic and rosemary can be a little offputting when I get into my vehicle, I can make flax seed crackers on the cheap. When people say metaphorically, “it’s like an oven getting into my car,” I mean this rather literally. Seriously, mash up some flax seeds, add some water and seasoning, spread it out onto a baking pan, set it in your car in the sun for about 6 hours, and you have yourself some flax seed crackers. No dehydrator or electricity required. One can also make banana chips, fruit leather, or some raw vegan cookies in their car. I personally do not brag about this creative resource to other people (who will likely think I’m a dirty hippy, which is true)… even if I do think it’s pretty ingenious.
3) Smoothies… sweet, lovely smoothies
To read the full article:
http://www.examiner.com/x-4348-Phoenix-Vegan-Examiner~y2009m6d28-Why-this-vegan-loves-the-summertime?cid=exrss-Phoenix-Vegan-Examiner
by Catherine Capozzi
June 28, 2009
(below is link to full article)
It's Arizona. Temperatures are expected to reach 108 degrees today. And yet... this vegan adores the summertime. Why, pray tell?
1) Inexpensive produce is in abundance
Finally, strawberries, peaches, melons, avocados, and a slew of other fresh goodies are available. But oh, ranier cherries, I have yet to justify purchasing you when the cost is still $6.00/lb. Gas prices are indeed higher, but this bill is at least offset by the lower prices for some great food. In fact, those wishing to transition into a raw vegan diet are never given a better time than in the summer given the variety of foods to eat.
2) My car can function as a dehydrator
Yes, I use my car as a dehydrator to make all sorts of raw vegan goodies. Using my oven inside destroys vital nutrients, and I’m too stingy to spend 100-300 on a dehydrator to make crispy raw food. While the smell of garlic and rosemary can be a little offputting when I get into my vehicle, I can make flax seed crackers on the cheap. When people say metaphorically, “it’s like an oven getting into my car,” I mean this rather literally. Seriously, mash up some flax seeds, add some water and seasoning, spread it out onto a baking pan, set it in your car in the sun for about 6 hours, and you have yourself some flax seed crackers. No dehydrator or electricity required. One can also make banana chips, fruit leather, or some raw vegan cookies in their car. I personally do not brag about this creative resource to other people (who will likely think I’m a dirty hippy, which is true)… even if I do think it’s pretty ingenious.
3) Smoothies… sweet, lovely smoothies
To read the full article:
http://www.examiner.com/x-4348-Phoenix-Vegan-Examiner~y2009m6d28-Why-this-vegan-loves-the-summertime?cid=exrss-Phoenix-Vegan-Examiner
Thursday, January 22, 2009
A Great Summer Garden Starts Now
A Great Summer Garden Starts Now
By Ari LeVaux, AlterNet
January 14, 2009
http://www.alternet.org/environment/119628/
http://www.alternet.org/module/printversion/119628
http://www.alternet.org/story/119628/
In some towns, people say you're not committed to the place until you buy a
burial plot in the cemetery. But where I come from, a single season gardening
earns local status.
Gardening season starts when you open your first seed catalog in the dead of
winter -- aka, right now -- and it doesn't end until you've dug your last carrot
or plucked your final Brussels sprout.
The rewards start flowing long before you get to eat anything, because the
minute you open that seed catalog you can start dreaming. And you get to
contemplate some useful questions, like who and where you are. Gardening helps
tune you in to many parts of your environment, like rainfall, frost dates, soil
type, your neighbors and what they grow.
Gardening also requires you to understand your culinary needs and habits. Your
garden should be tailored to complement your overall food-getting game plan,
which depends largely on what you want to eat fresh, and what do you wish to eat
all year long.
The tomato falls into both categories. There are the tomatoes like the Mortgage
Lifter red heirlooms and Sun Gold yellow cherries that I run to the garden
barefoot and grab for munching, slicing, or cooking. And there is the grab bag
mix of tomatoes I process into gallons of salsa, sauce, and ratatouille for
storage and year-round consumption. So while my little tomato patch gets me
through the summer, I rely on bulk-purchased tomatoes to get me through the
winter. Ideally, these purchases will be farmer-direct at the market, in their
barn, in my driveway, in some parking lot, or other such exiting place.
Other crops worth growing in a kitchen garden are herbs, strawberries, melons,
peas, spinach, other greens, and some kind of onion or shallot, the green tops
of which you can also use from time to time.
Most gardens, including mine, are too small to produce enough food to get me
through the winter. But in addition to feeding me in summer, my garden
contributes three important elements to my big-picture food plan. First, it's a
lab, a place of chaos and research where I can play with new techniques (like
letting my parsley re-seed itself) and experiment with varieties I've never
tried (like Moon and Stars watermelon).
My garden is also a last resort for things I know I like, but for which there is
no local source, like Rose Apple fingerling potatoes and Arledge chile peppers.
And if I want to pluck fresh Brussels sprouts off the stalk in December I have
to grow them myself.
And then there is my garlic and shallots, which I need in major quantity, are
expensive to buy, and I'm a snob about the way they're grown. This is the most
serious side of my garden. I haven't paid for garlic since the 1990s. I'm
finally getting the hang of shallots.
Whatever your needs and aspirations, now is the time to start scheming,
planning, and calculating all of your food needs and sources, and curling with a
cup of tea around a good seed catalog with a pen close by.
As you flip through the pages you may be confronted with intriguing plants
you've never heard of but may want to experiment with. My Jung Seeds catalog,
for example, from Randolph, Wisc., contains a native American heirloom called
Mango Melon (aka Vine Peach), whose "vigorous, spreading, very productive vines"
make "white-fleshed fruits with the flavor and texture of a mango." Uh, ok. I'll
try that. And while I'm at it I'll order some of their chocolate cherry tomato
seeds.
But beware of plants that need be started from seed in pots and then
transplanted -- like those chocolate cherry tomatoes. Seedlings take extra skill
and consistent attention, and the attempt often fails. So I buy most of my plant
starts from the pros, at the nursery or at the farmers market. The only plants I
start from seed are the experimentals, those unavailable elsewhere, and
shallots.
Shallots taste like onion but pack more flavor per pound. Since I must have
them, and they're too expensive to buy in bulk, I grow my shallots and buy my
onions. Most people grow shallots from "sets," little mini-shallots that grow
into bigger shallots, but you get a much better yield growing shallots from
seed. Like onions, shallot seeds should be started indoors by early March, which
means you need to order them in February.
There are many seed catalogs out there, each with their own personality,
specialty, informational wisdom and selection of gear and supplies. Most seed
companies post online catalogs, but I recommend you request a hard copy--the
better to spill coffee and jot notes on and leave around the house for when you
have a moment to daydream of summer.
Some of my favorite seed catalogs are:
* Jung Seeds. A new discovery to me with an interesting selection, including
the aforementioned Mango Melon, as well as the intriguing "Biggie Chile."
* Johnny's Seeds. Perhaps the tightest ship in the seed business, Johnny's
is the go-to supplier for many commercial growers and gardeners alike. Their
catalog offers glossy photos, and has the fastest turnaround time in the
business.
* Fedco. The beautifully illustrated and whimsical catalog of this
cooperative seed and garden supply organization is slightly reminiscent of the
Whole Earth Catalog, offering, in addition to seeds, networking information,
news, opinion, and notable quotes.
* High Mowing Seeds. A mission-driven company with high standards and small
selection of hearty, Vermont-tested seeds.
* Seed Savers Exchange. A non-profit organization of gardeners dedicated to
saving and sharing heirloom seeds. Mindboggling heirloom tomato selection, and
many other seeds, too.
When in doubt, go with a catalog from a company located in a region similar to
yours. That means Seeds of Change in the Southwest, Territorial or Peaceful
Valley on the West Coast, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in the South, and so on.
Summer might seem light years distant, but the days are already getting longer.
This good news brings responsibility.
It's time to dig in, if not into the frozen ground then into a seed catalog.
It's time to plan the upcoming year in food, and the payoffs will begin long
before the groundhog even hits the snooze button.
Ari LeVaux writes a syndicated weekly food column.
By Ari LeVaux, AlterNet
January 14, 2009
http://www.alternet.org/environment/119628/
http://www.alternet.org/module/printversion/119628
http://www.alternet.org/story/119628/
In some towns, people say you're not committed to the place until you buy a
burial plot in the cemetery. But where I come from, a single season gardening
earns local status.
Gardening season starts when you open your first seed catalog in the dead of
winter -- aka, right now -- and it doesn't end until you've dug your last carrot
or plucked your final Brussels sprout.
The rewards start flowing long before you get to eat anything, because the
minute you open that seed catalog you can start dreaming. And you get to
contemplate some useful questions, like who and where you are. Gardening helps
tune you in to many parts of your environment, like rainfall, frost dates, soil
type, your neighbors and what they grow.
Gardening also requires you to understand your culinary needs and habits. Your
garden should be tailored to complement your overall food-getting game plan,
which depends largely on what you want to eat fresh, and what do you wish to eat
all year long.
The tomato falls into both categories. There are the tomatoes like the Mortgage
Lifter red heirlooms and Sun Gold yellow cherries that I run to the garden
barefoot and grab for munching, slicing, or cooking. And there is the grab bag
mix of tomatoes I process into gallons of salsa, sauce, and ratatouille for
storage and year-round consumption. So while my little tomato patch gets me
through the summer, I rely on bulk-purchased tomatoes to get me through the
winter. Ideally, these purchases will be farmer-direct at the market, in their
barn, in my driveway, in some parking lot, or other such exiting place.
Other crops worth growing in a kitchen garden are herbs, strawberries, melons,
peas, spinach, other greens, and some kind of onion or shallot, the green tops
of which you can also use from time to time.
Most gardens, including mine, are too small to produce enough food to get me
through the winter. But in addition to feeding me in summer, my garden
contributes three important elements to my big-picture food plan. First, it's a
lab, a place of chaos and research where I can play with new techniques (like
letting my parsley re-seed itself) and experiment with varieties I've never
tried (like Moon and Stars watermelon).
My garden is also a last resort for things I know I like, but for which there is
no local source, like Rose Apple fingerling potatoes and Arledge chile peppers.
And if I want to pluck fresh Brussels sprouts off the stalk in December I have
to grow them myself.
And then there is my garlic and shallots, which I need in major quantity, are
expensive to buy, and I'm a snob about the way they're grown. This is the most
serious side of my garden. I haven't paid for garlic since the 1990s. I'm
finally getting the hang of shallots.
Whatever your needs and aspirations, now is the time to start scheming,
planning, and calculating all of your food needs and sources, and curling with a
cup of tea around a good seed catalog with a pen close by.
As you flip through the pages you may be confronted with intriguing plants
you've never heard of but may want to experiment with. My Jung Seeds catalog,
for example, from Randolph, Wisc., contains a native American heirloom called
Mango Melon (aka Vine Peach), whose "vigorous, spreading, very productive vines"
make "white-fleshed fruits with the flavor and texture of a mango." Uh, ok. I'll
try that. And while I'm at it I'll order some of their chocolate cherry tomato
seeds.
But beware of plants that need be started from seed in pots and then
transplanted -- like those chocolate cherry tomatoes. Seedlings take extra skill
and consistent attention, and the attempt often fails. So I buy most of my plant
starts from the pros, at the nursery or at the farmers market. The only plants I
start from seed are the experimentals, those unavailable elsewhere, and
shallots.
Shallots taste like onion but pack more flavor per pound. Since I must have
them, and they're too expensive to buy in bulk, I grow my shallots and buy my
onions. Most people grow shallots from "sets," little mini-shallots that grow
into bigger shallots, but you get a much better yield growing shallots from
seed. Like onions, shallot seeds should be started indoors by early March, which
means you need to order them in February.
There are many seed catalogs out there, each with their own personality,
specialty, informational wisdom and selection of gear and supplies. Most seed
companies post online catalogs, but I recommend you request a hard copy--the
better to spill coffee and jot notes on and leave around the house for when you
have a moment to daydream of summer.
Some of my favorite seed catalogs are:
* Jung Seeds. A new discovery to me with an interesting selection, including
the aforementioned Mango Melon, as well as the intriguing "Biggie Chile."
* Johnny's Seeds. Perhaps the tightest ship in the seed business, Johnny's
is the go-to supplier for many commercial growers and gardeners alike. Their
catalog offers glossy photos, and has the fastest turnaround time in the
business.
* Fedco. The beautifully illustrated and whimsical catalog of this
cooperative seed and garden supply organization is slightly reminiscent of the
Whole Earth Catalog, offering, in addition to seeds, networking information,
news, opinion, and notable quotes.
* High Mowing Seeds. A mission-driven company with high standards and small
selection of hearty, Vermont-tested seeds.
* Seed Savers Exchange. A non-profit organization of gardeners dedicated to
saving and sharing heirloom seeds. Mindboggling heirloom tomato selection, and
many other seeds, too.
When in doubt, go with a catalog from a company located in a region similar to
yours. That means Seeds of Change in the Southwest, Territorial or Peaceful
Valley on the West Coast, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in the South, and so on.
Summer might seem light years distant, but the days are already getting longer.
This good news brings responsibility.
It's time to dig in, if not into the frozen ground then into a seed catalog.
It's time to plan the upcoming year in food, and the payoffs will begin long
before the groundhog even hits the snooze button.
Ari LeVaux writes a syndicated weekly food column.
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