Winter Gardening Guide

Great Rhubarb Crisp

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 19:44:09 +0000

If you love Rhubarb, here is a Crisp recipe that will have Rhubarb lovers asking for the recipe.

This recipe is so fast and easy that I had it ready to go in the time it took to preheat my oven.

You will need enough Rhubarb to 1/2 fill a 8X8″ glass baking dish

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup slivered almonds

3/4 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup / one stick butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

Fill the baking dish to 1/2 with Rhubarb cut into 1″ pieces

Combine all dry ingredients

Cut the butter into small pieces and cut into the dry mixture with your hands

Add in the vanilla and mix well

Cover the Rhubarb with the mixture and bake for 55 minutes at 350 degrees.

For a yummy variation on the theme, try adding some mango pieces to your recipe.

Serve warm or cold. This crisp is great served with vanilla ice cream.

What to do about Bolting Rhubarb

admin — Sat, 05 May 2012 17:38:42 +0000

Our 10 year old rhubarb plants bolted for the first time this year. We were surprised because we had divided up the heads and moved the bed last year. So, I set out to discover why. There are several factors that can contribute to bolting. Bolting is what we call the natural, but in this case, undesirable function of the plant to set flowers and seeds. This is undesirable because the plant will put it’s energy into producing flowers and seeds instead of fruit.

Weather can play a role in bolting. Rhubarb is a cool season perennial that can remain productive for 8-15 years, if given proper care. Temperature above 90F or prolonged drought during hot weather can promote bolting.

Dividing the crowns every 4 to 5 years should help rejuvenate the plant.

Applying a moderate amount of balanced fertilizer, 12-12-12, or a well-composted manure each spring should discourage bolting.

Plant stress like heat drought and poor nutrition may cause bolting.

Some varieties are more prone to flowering. Old-fashioned varieties such as Victoria and MacDonald, are heavy seed stalk producers. Canada Red and Valentine are less likely to bolt.

If your rhubarb bolts, remove the flowering stalks, just as soon as they are visible. The plant will likely respond by sending up another flower head. If you keep at it, the plant will return to the desired priority for foliage production.

Cool Tolerant Tomatoes

admin — Sat, 05 May 2012 17:06:04 +0000

In the Pacific Northwest we have been experiencing cooler gardening weather in the spring and summer. We are careful to set warm weather crops starts out later and find even then that it is a challenge to raise cucumbers and tomatoes without a greenhouse. A common complaint around our area is that the tomato plants grow fine but the fruit doesn’t ripen to red. Here is a list of cool tolerant tomato varieties:

Cool Tolerant Open-Pollinated Tomatoes

Bellstar – Large and early plum tomato, excellent for sauces, puree and paste, juice and canning. 70 days

Black Cherry Tomato – black/purple cherry tomato, 1 inch. 65 days

Cold Set Tomato – tolerates light frost, red globe, 4 inch. 65 days

Oroma Tomato – Determinate variety, red plum, 5 inch long, excellent for canning, paste, sauce and ketchup. 70 days

Santa Cruz Kada – Indeterminate, red plum, disease resistant. 85 days

Cool Tolerant Heirloom Tomatoes

Anna Russian – Indeterminate, red up to 16 oz., Seeds brought to Oregon by a Russian immigrant. 65 to 70 days

Black Prince – Indeterminate, red/black globe, 2 oz., introduced from Siberia. 70 days

Persimmon – Indeterminate, golden.orange, beefsteak, 12 to 32 oz., reliable, rich tasting though not a big producer, variety from Russia. 79 days

Principe Borghese – Determinate, red plum, 1 to 2 oz., resists cracking, variety from Italy, known as the best drying tomatoes. 78 days

Stupice -Indeterminate, red small slicing tomatoes, 2-3 inches, variety from Czechoslovakia. 55 days

Cool Tolerant Hybrid Tomatoes

Better Boy – Indeterminate, red beefsteak, 12-16 oz., disease resistant. 75 days

Dona – Indeterminate, red globe, 6 oz., gourmet tomato from France, disease resistant. 65 days

Early Cascade – In determinate, red globe, 2 oz., dependable in cool weather. 55 days

Oregon Spring – Determinate, red globe, 5 oz., developed at Oregon State for short season gardening. 58-60 days

Early Girl – Indeterminate, red globe, 8 oz., 50 days

Quick Pick - Indeterminate, red globe, 5 oz., 66 dyas

Sun Gold – Indeterminate, gold/orange cherry, 1 inch, 55 days

Sweet 100 – Indeterminate, red cherry, 1/2 oz., high in vitamin C. 65 days

Extend you gardening season, download our ebook, The Winter Gardening Guide and get 2 bonus books free.

Gardening in Unpredictable Weather

admin — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:06:28 +0000

December Cold Frame

Gardeners have always needed to be a flexible lot. With the change in our climates, we are required to be more flexible and ingenious. We highly recommend the use of cold frames to extend the seasons and amount of food you are able to supply your family year round. We like the use of cold frames because they are easy to build yourself, affordable and portable if you are renting or moving and take up little space in a small yard.

Pictured here is our cold frame in the month of December. We use our frame all year round. In the spring we use it for starts that then go out into our garden and then for a salad garden that is close to our kitchen. In the fall we begin planting our cold frame for our over winter garden.

Our ebook at the right, The Winter Gardening Guide, includes easy plans for building a cold frame. and a guide to cold frame management, planting schedules and seed and plant selection.

France Bans Monsanto GMO Corn

admin — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:38:42 +0000

Last November the French authorities lifted a longtime ban that prohibited the planting of MON810, a GMO corn seed produced by Monsanto. This move spurred a nationwide backlash and protest. Six months later the voice of the people won out and France banned the planting of Monsanto’s Bt toxin corn. The French authorities decided to take a precautionary measure to prohibit the cultivation of MON810 corn on the national territory to protect the environment.

In 2010 Germany also banned Monsanto’s MON810 for the same environmental and health reason. Austria, Hungary and Luxembourg have also individually banned the toxic Monsanto corn as well.

However, in the United States MON810 is still widely planted, even though its effectiveness in resisting the Western rootworm beetle has waned significantly over the years. The beetle has developed a resistance to the toxin.

Studies continue to roll in showing the MON810, as well as many other GMO varieties, are responsible for causing organ damage, infertility, neurological damage and gastrointestinal dysfunction.

GMO agricultural technologies have been linked to human health concerns, insect and weed resistance and loss of biodiversity.

What can you do? Speak out, write to your politicians, refuse to plant GMO seeds in your own gardens and refuse to eat GMO foods. That will take some education since not all GMO foods are labeled as such. You can trust that your organic produce is not GMO.

Ref: Nation of Change at: http://www.nationofchange.org

Planting Onions for Winter Storage

admin — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:19:32 +0000

It is getting time to start the onion crop for the year. If planting a good winter-keeper onion is on your list then this is the onion for you: our favorite winter storage onion is the Copra. We get our starts from Territorial Seed Co. Our last years crop was a great success. We ended up with nice big yellow onions with a sweet flavor.

We harvested our onions and then set them under cover with plenty of ventilation and on a drying screen. This allows them to form dry outer skins. We then tied 6 or 8 together from the stems and hung them in out root cellar and our cool pantry. They can hang in a garage as long as they don’t freeze.

We still have fresh onions in late March. They should last us through May.

This is a hybrid variety that Territorial sells. We are so impressed with them that they are now our choice for winter-keepers.

For lots of helpful information on storage, and canning , download our Storing The Winter Harvest.

Storing the Winter Harvest comes free when you download The Winter Gardening Guide.

Growing Strawberries

admin — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:51:44 +0000

Here are some helpful hints for choosing and planting strawberries. Make your choice from disease resistant varieties. Ask you nursery owner for the best varieties for your area. You will want to purchase 30 plants for a family of four. Consider buying 2 to 3 varieties to extend your growing season over a 4 to 5 week period.

June bearing strawberries: produce a large concentrated crop in late spring. The crop ripens over a 3 week period. The fruit is large and out-produces the Everbearing variety.

Everbearing strawberries: They begin to bear fruit in July and continue through frost in the fall. They produce less fruit at one time but give you the opportunity to pick for several months. They also produce less runners than the June bearing plants. If you have a limited space , this is the variety that you may want to plant. This variety can be planted in pots, terraces and used for boarders.

Planting considerations:

Plant in direct sunlight, 6 or more hours of sunlight a day.
Avoid areas that are prone to spring frosts, low lying areas.
Choose an area with deep well-drained loam, sandy, silt or clay loam.
Soil PH should be 5.5 to 6.5
Don’t over fertilize. The plant will put on big leaves and little fruit.
Mulch with straw or bark after the plants are established.
Put your new plants in an area that has not been previously planted with potatoes, tomatoes, berries or peppers.

Plant strawberries in March or April so that the plants get a chance to get established before hot weather arrives. Plant strawberries on a cloudy day or during late afternoon. After about 4 to 5 weeks the plant will begin to send out runners. As time goes by cultivate the runner plants and cull out the older strawberry plants to maintain a fresh producing bed. Thin plant to 4 to 6 inches apart.

Eat Your Greens, They’re Good for You

admin — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 23:24:56 +0000

As you consider the greens that you want to plant for this year’s 4 season garden, here is some nutritional information to keep in mind. Rather than stoking up on vitamins with a short shelf life, plan to buy seeds for healthy greens to add nutrition to your diet.

Here is a list of the more common 4 season greens with great food values:

Keep in mind that most of these percentages are for a one cup serving and recommended daily allowances.

Kale, is strongly anti-inflammatory, Vitamin A 206%, Calcium 9%, Vitamin C 134% and Iron 6%. Provides a good supply of fiber, protein, Niacin, zinc, Vitamin E, K and B6, Magnesium, copper and Potassium.

Spinach, is mildly anti-inflammatory, Vitamin A 56%, Calcium 3%, Vitamin C 14%, and Iron 5%. Provides a good supply of fiber, protein, Niacin, zinc, Vitamin E, K and B6, Magnesium, copper and Potassium.

Dandelion, contains 305% of daily requirement for Vitamin A, Calcium 15%, Vitamin C 32%, Iron 10%. Provides a good supply of fiber, protein, Niacin, zinc, Vitamin E, K and B6, Magnesium, copper and Potassium.

Purslane, While it is lower in Vitamins and A and C and Calcium it is still a good source of fiber, protein and Niacin, zinc, Vitamin E, K and B6, Magnesium, copper and Potassium.

CornSalad, Mache or Vit, Vitamin A 79%, Calcium 2%, Vitamin C 36%, and of course, provides a good supply of fiber, protein, Niacin, zinc, Vitamin E, K and B6, Magnesium, copper and Potassium.

Green Cabbage, Mildly anti-inflammatory, High in Vitamin C at 54% and provides a good supply of fiber, protein, Niacin, zinc, Vitamin E, K and B6, Magnesium, copper and Potassium.

Lettuces, while low in Vitamin A and C, lettuce still provides fiber, protein and is mildly anti-inflammatory. It also still provides Niacin, zinc, Vitamin E, K and B6, Magnesium, copper and Potassium.

Swiss Chard, Vitamin A 214%, Calcium 10%, Vitamin C 53%, Iron 22%, Abundant in Vitamin E, K and B6, Niacin, Magnesium, copper and Potassium.

Mustard Greens, Vitamin A 177% and Vitamin C 59%, It also still provides Niacin, zinc, Vitamin E, K and B6, Magnesium, copper and Potassium.

Beet Greens, very strong anti-inflammatory, Vitamin A 220%, Vitamin C 60%, high in Vitamin E but also high in sodium content.

Claytonia or Miner’s Lettuce, Not particularly high in Vitamin A, or calcium but high Vitamin C, beta carotene and protein.

Arugula, Also low in Vitamin A and calcium, but high in B6, Panothenic acid, zinc and copper.

Endive, Strongly anti-inflammatory, Vitamin A 222%, Vitamin C 56%, Calcium, 27% and Iron 24%. Provides a good supply of fiber, protein, Niacin, zinc, Vitamin E, K and B6, Magnesium, copper and Potassium.

Sorrel, High in Potassium, Magnesium, Vitamins A, C and B9.

These standards are based on raw greens and the values will change, of course, with cooking. So, Eat you greens, they are good for you.

For a beautifully illustrated and comprehensive guide to winter greens, how to grow, when to plant and harvest, download our Winter Gardening Guide.

Learn to 4 Season Garden

admin — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 20:54:25 +0000

Now is the time to consider our seed purchases for the year. Having a 2 to 3 year supply of seeds is important in our changing climates and political and economic landscapes. It is an easy matter when you are purchasing this years seeds to just buy 3 of each packet to honor a secure future for your family. Saving back seeds is easy. Check out our category in the header on seeds.

As you read through and select the seeds you most want for this year and the next few years, consider a four season garden. Seed companies like Territorial Seeds, put out a winter seed catalog. With a little forethought for gardening year round, you can feed your family all year. Knowing this brings a sense of security and well being like no other.

Check out our Winter Gardening Guide for a comprehensive look at what, where, how and when to plant. We include a couple of gift books with your purchase.

Herbs and Essential Oils for your Chickens

admin — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:17:45 +0000

Baby Chick

Essential oils are liquids distilled from the leaf, flower, stem or root of a plant, and as the name suggests, contains the plant’s essence. It is the essence that makes the herb so powerful. There are two ways to dispense an herb’s beneficial oils, through liniments and infusions.

Generally liniments are herbs that are infused into rubbing alcohol. They can be useful for fumigating coops and roosting bars. Use a spray bottle to dispense. Liniments are not for topical or internal use and should not be ingested. Be sure to label the bottles with “not for internal use”.

Infusions on the other hand, are used topically and internally for poultry. Herbal oils are known as infusions, being an herb extract into a carrier oil. Here are some natural remedies for your feathered friends. Be cautious when buying essential oils and never give them to your chickens unless you trust the source. You are better off making your own if you can’t find a trusted source.

Dried aromatic herbs are effective insect repellents when intermixed in bedding and nest boxes. You can use catnip, oregano, rosemary, lavender, lemon verbena, rose, thyme, yarrow, or penny royal.

The most common illnesses that chicken keepers experience in their flock are worm infestations, mites, parasites and upper-respiratory illness. Administered by dropper or through drinking water, dilute honey with elderberries or their extract.

For mites use an infusion of Mullein flower and garlic in olive oil. Garlic will minimize the chance of bacterial infection and mullein flowers posses anti-parasitic and antibacterial qualities. Together they make a very effective external treatment. Applying this to the legs will coat the scales where mites make their homes.

For mild parasites use garlic infusions. (See recipe below) If however, parasites are in the later stages and you see blood in the bird’s tool, then consult a veterinarian right away.

Apple cider vinegar added to poultry water will discourage bacterial and fungal growth. Use 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per gallon of water. We use a little apple cider vinegar to clean the drinking fonts.

One shouldn’t overlook the use of garlic for your poultry. It is not an herb but is a natural antibiotic and fights all sorts of ailments from the inside out. It is effective against bacteria, viruses, molds, and yeast. You can start your young chicks out by crushing a couple of cloves into their feed or into applesauce. This will get them used to the taste. You can also add 1 to 4 crushed cloves to one gallon of their drinking water. A low dose when the flock is well and a higher dose when one is ill or they are gearing up for winter.

Where herbs and other natural remedies are concerned, don’t wait until a problem arises. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Use these remedies all along to keep your healthy flock healthy.

Garlic Oil supplement for your chickens

You will need:

1 to 3 cloves garlic chopped or minced

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cups layer feed

1 cup of scratch

Steep garlic and olive oil in a glass jar for 3 to 4 hours, preferably on a sunny window sill. Combine layer feed and scratch, mix evenly in a chicken safe bowl. Drizzle oil infusion over the feed mix and turn to coat. Provide to bird right away and use any leftover oil with 36 hours. Serves up to 10 chickens.

Ref: Susan Burek at Moonlight Mile Herb Farm www.moonlightmileherbs.com

For a source of quality herbal essences, Anita Marriott 360-894-6754 doterramasters@gmail.com