Seedlings and Second Planting

This stretchy seedling is the bell pepper.

Today, I planted some more seeds. Some are from the packs I ordered from Seed Savers Exchange

Eggplant - Listada de Gandia
Brussels Sprouts - Long Island Improved
Tomato - Sweet Pea Currant
Tomato - Italian Heirloom
Tomato - Patio (seeds from the plants I bought at Whole Foods last year)
Bell Pepper - Seeds saved from bell pepper (from the farmer's market??) last year

A few months ago, another plant started growing with the Philodendron. Out of laziness, I never pulled it. Turns out, it's a tomato plant. I separated the two plants today. The tomato didn't have great roots, but hopefully it will do better under the grow light. We should have some great early tomatoes!

2008 Garden Year in Review

I started going back through to organize my pictures and thought about the garden last year. Here are some of my favs from 2008. I learned a lot last year by just kind of sitting back and watching what the yard did since it was my first year in this house.
I'm very excited about 2009!

First Seeds

These are my first seeds ever. Planted these on 16 Feb:
Marjoram
Oregano
Bell Pepper - Mini Bell Mix
Parsley
Rosemary

I picked these seed packets up from the local nursery.

Roses

I didn't deadhead the roses...at all. So I was very suprised at the sudden massive blooming of them all so late in the season. I can only imagine what they will look like when I actually take care of them next year.

Farmer's Market Spread & Moroccan

This is the spread from the farmer's market for the weekend of Sept 20, 2008.

And, I got 'almost' 2 carrots for the price of one... OR another take on Food Porn

This recipe is a favorite. Fresh vegies melded with all the spices of Middle Eastern fare are delicious. The olives give it the final kick. It's vegetarian but very filling and satisfying on it's own. You can always add some roasted chicken, though.

MOROCCAN-STYLE VEGETABLE STEW (Joy of Cooking: All About Vegetarian (Hardcover))
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
1 small (1 1/2 pounds) butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large (10-ounce) baking potato, peeled, halved and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
3 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup raisins
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 or 2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/3-inch slices
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup halved, pitted Kalamata or Nicoise olives
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Several drops hot pepper sauce

You won’t find this meatless dish in the final version of the cookbook. Serve it over a bed of warm couscous.
Heat butter in large Dutch oven. Add onions and cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in broth and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often, until onions are very tender, about 20 minutes.
Combine cumin, chili powder, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in large bowl. Stir in squash and potato.
Add squash mixture to onions along with carrots, raisins and garlic. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover with sheet of foil placed directly on surface of vegetables, then with lid to pan. Simmer gently until vegetables are completely tender, about 25 minutes.
Stir in zucchini, garbanzo beans, olives, salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, until zucchini is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in parsley, lemon juice and hot pepper sauce.
6 servings. Each serving:
447 calories; 319 mg sodium; 11 mg cholesterol; 10 grams fat; 77 grams carbohydrates; 18 grams protein; 5.41 grams fiber.

Reprinted from: LA Times Food. A Measure of ‘Joy’ By Russ Parsons

Minty Fresh

To catch up from September....
I thought the frosts would be much earlier than then were. I read the first chance of frost would be Sept 15. I don't think we had one until well into October. Then it was back in the 60s and 70s until November.

None the less, I decided to harvest and dry the mint that grows by the front door.

I read, you can dry the mint stacked between paper towels and put in the oven with the light on overnight. I think it actually took a few days until I felt safe they were completely dry. So, I still haven't used any but I had been wanting to make Moroccan mint tea. You can also use mint in tzatziki. Maybe next year we will celebrate the Kentucky Derby with Mint Juleps.

Roses & Aphids

So pruning actually works. After deadheading last week, I got a lot more healthy bloomws this week. The few days of rain last week also helped.

Early September Blooms

Finally, I have come across a garden blog, The Art Garden, which is in Colorado. So, many of the plant written about there, are plants I also have in my yard. Therefore, I am finding names for many of the plants in my yard. I have made some updates below. However, there are still a few I have to figure out.

??

Marigolds between the onions and scrawny tomato plants. I was surprised to see these, since I didn't plant them.

Russian Sage

Butterfly Bush

Not Sure

Penstemon pinifolius 'Mersea Yellow'

Zauschneria

Dianthus

Vine on the west fence.


Pretty sure these are Brown Eyed Susans


Again, not sure.


Lupin??

I keep thinking that most of the blooms are done for the year, but then a whole new batch blooms.

Mid August Garden Update

The neighbor's peach tree is dripping with fruit. They aren't ready yet, and I am not sure when they will be, but these babies on my side of the fence are fair game!!!

They are apparently fair game for the squirrels and the ants, also. I found this large one in my front yard, half eaten by one of the squirrels, but it looks like it won't go to waste.

This rose bush on the terace bloomed last week or so. I think this is the last to bloom. Even these flowers are almost done.

I am just not too sure about the raspberries this year. M told my they would blom in June and again in August, I think. We may have cut the stalks too far back to get a good crop this year. But some sites say that Sept is the time, so maybe there is still hope.

July Cherries

The Cherries were ready around July 15th. I had some help picking them. The ones that were unreachable without a ladder, I left and let the birds and squirrels have them. they picked the tree clean.

I think about 6 cups of pitted cherries were collected. I think that is enough for about 3 pies.

Instead of making full pies, it was suggested to make pocket pies, which I did. Then you can freeze them and enjoy later.