Talking About Whiteflies Again?

The biggest question I ever get is how to get rid of white flies...I have written on this before but I have been doing a little research on how to get rid of them and here are a few more ideas.....

Murphy's oil soap will kill white flies on house plants: mix equal parts of soap and water and place in spray bottle mist affected plants.

How about mixing garlic powder and dish washing liquid? Mix 3 teaspoons garlic and 1/2 teaspoon dish washing liquid to 1 quart water. Put this in a large clean jar and shake very hard until all ingredients are mix together. This will be a concentrate so you will have to mix this with water....2 ounces to 16 ounces of water. Place into a spray bottle. ***remember garlic will also kill beneficial insects so spray carefully)

Hot Pepper sauce and Vegetable oil... 2 teaspoons pepper sauce and 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil add 16 ounces of water into a spray bottle.and shake well before spraying each time.

I hope this helps those with white fly problems.

Always use a small amount to see if it works on your plants...

Did you know? White flies excrete a sticky honeydew that tends to attract black mold to plant leaves....its true!


Happy Gardening....

Lynn

I would love to hear if you ever try different ingredients to help with insect problems?

Green Apple Chutney

It is almost apple season which I enjoy...we have two apple trees but the birds usually get them before we do. We have a local apple orchard we visit every year. We usually bring home a few baskets full and then I set up the kitchen to make apple chutney. Here is my recipe for Apple Chutney. It is so good on ham!


Apple Chutney

2 1/2 lbs green apples (chopped) (leaving the skins on)

1 small bulb garlic (chopped)

4 cups malted vinegar

1 pounds dates (chopped)

a small stem of ginger (chopped)

2 1/2 cups raisins

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon salt



In a large pan place apples and enough vinegar to cover apples...gently boil until soft.

Place chopped dates and ginger and garlic.... after apples have soften up a bit. Then place the rest of the ingredients stirring well.

Simmer for about 45 minutes...spoon in to warm sterilized jars and then seal jars. (check in your hot water baths instruction guide on the set timing for chutneys)


* A reminder on how to sterilize preserves in a water bath.... ( always make sure you use clean undamaged jars) (keep jars full of hot water before placing warm preserves in them)

1. Use a special sterlizing pan or a large sause pan. I line mine with a a folded cloth to keep my jars from banging against each other.

2. Place jars with lids fasten in the pan and I fold the cloth around each jar to prevent them from touching.

3. I then fill the pan with cold water to cover jars...at least 1 inch over the jars. I simmer for the required time.

4. Once the sterilizing time is complete and the jars have cooled check seal. Store in cool dark place.


Happy Gardening...

Lynn

Open Face Onion Sandwich

We have onions drying for the winter monthes...but it is hard not to use a few each week. I hope we have enough left for the winter monthes. I love making open face onion sandwiches.....just thought I would share the recipe.


Open Face Onion Sandwich

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

4 slices of fresh bread remove the crusts (you can also use store bought)

1 very nice sweet onion cut into 4 very thin slices

Preheat the broiler

In a small bowl, mix together cheese and Mayo. Spread evenly on bread slices. Place onion in the middle of the square.

Broil 4-5 inches from heat until light brown. Serve immediately.

I sometimes add a slice of tomato too! Yum!


The garden is still doing pretty good....can't wait to plant our fall veggies.


Happy Gardening..

Lynn

What Zucchini in my Salsa??

I was asked what part of the scape should you use... I asked my friend and she said use everything that is tender. Puree the pods in the blender...use the stalks by peeling it like broccoli stems. I can't not recommend enough to try this it was so Good!

We have had so much zucchini that I have been trying to find ways to cook it and I have this great salsa recipe... I though I would share it with you...so Good and Crazy! What until your friends find out what is in their salsa.

Zucchini Salsa

1 cup zucchini finely chopped

1 tablespoon salt

2 cups fresh tomatoes

1 cup sweet corn

1 red bell pepper

1/2 chilies finely chopped

1/4 cup red onion

2 tablespoons oregano ( tablespoon if dried)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Mix together the zucchini and salt let this sit for about an hour in refrigerator then drain stir in the remaining ingredients. Enjoy!!

Happy Gardening...

Lynn

What is a Garlic Scape?.... glad you asked!

Well it has been a while since I have posted..the summer garden is still slowly producing. We have been getting many potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, onions, zucchini, cucumbers and many other veggies. We are getting ready to plant our fall garden.

I really wanted to write about going to a friends house and what she served me...garlic scape. This is very new to me and I was really surprised how good it was. What is a garlic scape?
Scape's are the flower stalk found on onions, garlic, chives and leeks. Most people cut these off and throw them into the compost pile. My friend cuts them off and uses them or freezes them.

When the Garlic scape's are full and become a full curl she snaps this off just like you would asparagus. Make sure you pick these at least two weeks before budding they will not taste as good after they bloom.

You can use these in soup or salads or just about in any of your favorite recipes.

My friend made a Garlic Scape Pesto which she did use frozen scape which was good but I would imagine fresh would have tasted even better!

Here is her recipe:

Garlic Scape Pesto

1/4 pound garlic scapes

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup grated paresan cheese

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

a bit of salt

Puree garlic scape's and olive oil in a blender until smooth.

Stir in Parmesan cheese and lime juice and salt if you like.

She put this over pasta and it was so good!!

Next year I will be growing garlic and I will cut off the scape's for me to use in my kitchen and not the compost bin!

Happy Gardening...

Lynn

My Favorite Zucchini Bread Recipe

We have been eating zucchini for weeks now...we love it fried with onions just until it's a little soft Yum! I made my favorite zucchini bread and I thought I would share it with you. Enjoy!


My Favorite Zucchini Bread


3 cups all-purpose flour


2 cups sugar


1 teaspoon salt


1 teaspoon baking soda


1/4 teaspoon baking powder


3 eggs


1 cup vegetable oil


2 teaspoons vanilla extract


1 teaspoon cinnamon


2 cups of zucchini (shredded)


In large bowl mix the flour, sugar, salt,baking soda,and baking powder. In small bowl add eggs, oil, vanilla and cinnamon. Use a hand mixer and mix together....then add dry ingredients a small amount at a time. Blend in zucchini at the very end...( batter will be a little thick)


This makes two 8-in x 4in x 2 in loaf pans Bake at 350 for about 1 hour.



Don't forget you can add Chocolate chips to this recipe but reduce the flour to 2-3/4 cups.


I have also added Apple pieces....reduce sugar to 1 cup and add 1 cup brown sugar...and replace cinnamon with 1/4 teaspoon on nutmeg....Yum!


Happy Gardening....

Lynn

Storing Tomatoes Through The Winter....

We are getting tomatoes everyday now...and we will not be able to eat them all. We usually can a few jars of salsa and I like to make spaghetti sauce.....but did you know that you can freeze and dry tomatoes?



Yes you can...... the easiest way to freeze tomatoes is by putting them whole in freezer bags. I usually put tomatoes into two freezer bags to prevent freezer burn. Just take them out of the freezer and warm them in some warm water you can use these in Chili on a cold winter day. ( the skins will slip right off if you put them in hot water) You can also puree them and put into freezer bags this is great in pasta sauce. ( always use blemish free tomatoes)



If you have a food dehydrator you can dry tomatoes....you can fully dry them and then store them in jars. To dry tomatoes you cut them in half lay them on the drying rack...sprinkle salt on the up turned half. The drying time can take up to a day or longer....remove them when they feel firm and dry.



I love having the fresh taste of a tomatoes in the cold winter months. I know that they don't taste exactly the same but the flavor is still there!



Happy Gardening....



Lynn

Basil Vinegar

My Basil has been growing like crazy...and it really needs to be cut back. I decided it would be great to have a few bottles of home-made vinegar during the winter monthes. I cut a bunch of my basil and began making my Basil Vinegar....

4 large sprigs of fresh Basil

2 cups of white wine vinegar

I place the basil in a clean canning jar( don't worry about crushing it a bit that will help with the flavor) then pour the vinegar over the basil then screw on lid tightly. I store this in a cool dark place for 2-3 weeks. I shake the jar every couple of days to make sure the Basil is mixing into the vinegar.

I love to add this to my salad dressings or even over baked chicken Yum!

I also like to add other flavors to White Wine Vinegar: Blackberries and Lavender flowers this is so Good!

When I use Apple Cider Vinegar I add Chili Peppers, Horseradish and Shallots. Yum!!


Do you make Herb Vinegars? What do you like to add?

Happy Gardening...

Lynn

How I Dry Chili Peppers

We have been working in the garden daily. Our peppers are looking great and are about ready to pick. We have decided to try growing another row of green beans...we will have to wait an see if we have planted them to late but it is a chance worth taking if we can.. can a few more jars of green beans.

I thought I would share how we store our chili peppers for the winter months....

If you store your Chili Peppers right you can have them all winter long. One way is using a food dehydrator...these are great if you don't have one you should get one...you can use it for many vegetables and even fruits.

The most simple way to store Chili Peppers is hanging them.... just string a few on a piece of string. I put three together at a time so air can get around each pod. After a few weeks the peppers will get sort of wrinkly I then place them in a glass jar and use when needed.

***** I always wear plastic gloves when working with peppers and take care not to touch your face because just a little bit can really burn your eyes.****

Happy Gardening...

Lynn

How Long To Keep Vegetable Seeds?

It is almost time for fall planting. I was going through all of my old seeds and I was thinking about how long I keep seeds before I compost them. I never put my seeds in plastic bags....paper bags are always best. If you can keep your seeds in the refrigerator that would be best. It is okay to buy store bought seeds but always look at the purchased date...the older the seed the less likely it will germinate.

This is how long I keep my seeds before buy new ones....or collect new ones.

Carrots 2 years

Onions 2 years

Beans 3 years

Spinach 3 years

Peas 3 years

Broccoli 4 years

Cabbage 4 years

Pumpkins 4 years

Cucumbers 6 years

Tomatoes 6 years



Happy Gardening...

Lynn

Cucumber Jam?

We love cucumbers in my family..and the best thing about cucumbers when they are ready to pick you can get a bunch off of one bush. We usually pick and wrap them in clear plastic wrap. They will last a few weeks in the refrigerator.

Since we can't freeze cucumbers we try to eat as many fresh or we make my famous bread-n-butter pickles. I found this great cucumber jam recipe and I thought I would share it with you. Enjoy!!!

Cucumber Jam

2 lbs Cucumbers (peeled)

2 lbs sugar

2 tablespoons water

Juice of two lemons

Dice cucumbers and simmer in water until soft, add lemon juice and sugar, stir and boil...keep boiling until setting point (it becomes thick)

Jar and seal

Happy Gardening...

Lynn

How To Store Onions...

Well it is time to start getting my onions ready to be stored through the winter months. The easiest way to store onions is by hanging them and letting them dry.

On a nice warm sunny day after my onion tops have died all the way to the ground..I then lift them up out of the ground and let them dry for a week or two it is good to have them lay on something so you can bring them out of the rain. Placing them on a wood board or plastic seed tray work great!

When your onions have dried you can place them on a strong string (or cord)...I take four onions and tie the stalks together..I then tie the knotted stalks to a piece of string (or cord).... then I add more onions by tying the stalks around the piece of string (or cord) just slide them down to meet the others. After I have a few on a string (or cord)... I keep them hanging in my basement so air can get to all sides and I keep them away from moisture.

Freezing Onions?

I place small onions in freezer bags. I always peel them and make sure they are clean.

I cut onions into small pieces and place in freezer when they are rock hard. I then place them in freezer bags. I use them in sauces and they taste fresh all winter long!


Happy Gardening....

Lynn

Some Ways To Use Basil

Basil is one of my favorite herbs...I don't know why I don't grow it.... I always buy it at the farmers market. I bought a big bunch of it this weekend and I am going to make my favorite Pesto Sauce.

There are other ways to use Basil such as...

1. You can grow it in a pot on your windowsill it is suppose to keep flies away.

2. You can crush its leaves and rub the juice on your skin as a mosquito repellent.

3. You can crush some in a tissue an inhale it to keep mental fatigue away.

4 It also adds some zing to a hot refreshing bath.


or...... how about making my favorite Pesto!

1 tablespoon pine nuts

4 tablespoons chopped basil leaves (fresh is best)

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

3 oz Parmesan cheese (grated)

6 tablespoons olive oil


Blend together pine nuts, basil, and chopped garlic until smooth...then add olive oil slowly to the mixture until you have a thick paste. Stir sauce into hot pasta and then sprinkle with cheese. Yum! This will keep at least a week in a good sealed container...although I doubt you will have any left-overs!

Happy Gardening...

Lynn

Getting Rid of Whiteflies

These tiny pests can do a lot of damage to flowers and fruit trees. Whiteflies suck all the juice out the leaves of flowers, flower buds and stems. I don't know how may times I have reached for a piece of fruit off one of our fruit trees and had a bunch start flying around my head.


Signs that you might have whiteflies:


Weak or stunned plants


Sticky coating on leaves and fruit ...we sometimes get this on the bark of our peach trees.


Yellow eggs the size of tiny pinpoints on the underside of leaves.


When we get them really bad we have to cut down a tree or pull up a flower bush. I hate to do that but when you have them really bad that is what you have to do. Here is one way that I have tried to get rid of them:

http://crazygardening.blogspot.com/2009/05/tomato-or-fruit-tree-white-fly-trap.html


I just found this recipe that I am going to try:

Whitefly recipe:


1 cup sour milk


2 tablespoons flour


1 quart water


mix together and spray of infected areas.


I really hope this helps kill our whiteflies. I will let you know!

Happy Gardening...


Lynn

Grow Potatoes On Your Deck?

I went to a friends house yesterday and guess what she was growing on her deck? Potatoes! She was growing them in a small garbage can! She took a small old garbage can and filled it with about a six inches of soil she then planted about 2 sets of potatoes. After the plants have grown but before they flowered she added another layer of soil....she continued building the soil as the plants appear until it reached around four feet. They were not ready to harvest but she said that when she dumps it over she should have a heavy crop of potatoes. I thought I would try this next year!

Happy Gardening...

Lynn

Crazy Ways to Water........

We have had a lot of rain lately....I was thinking about last year and how dry it was..it had to be one of the driest. Here are a few ways you can keep your garden growing through the driest times.

1. Soaker hoses: you can get these in any garden supply store although I think they are a little expensive for my whole garden.

2. Plastic Milk Jugs: I poke about 25 holes in the bottom of a plastic milk jug. I make sure cap is off and fill with water. I usually do this in the evening.

3. Red Flower Pots: These are great! I dig a hole in the middle of my plants I place the red porous pot and fill back just leaving a lip of pot. I then only water in the hole of the pot...this has seemed to really work and it also keeps my garden tidy without the jugs everywhere.

4. Place a bag of ice near your plants in the cool of the evening.

5. Sprinklers: I remember my parents keeping the sprinkler on all night to water there vegetable plants...that was before water conservation.

6. Save your water that you cook your vegetables in....let cool and water your plants.

7. Rain Barrel: We have one of these in our garden nothing fancy and old garbage can. I have found that if I put 1 tablespoon of olive oil in it...it really keeps the mosquitoes away.

Happy Gardening...

Lynn

My Favorite Herb that are Perennial?

I love the fact that I can plant a herb plant and it will be there next year. Here are a few of my favorite Perennial Herbs.

Chives and Garlic Chives: Chives: often grow their spiky onion favored leaves in early spring..these can be picked or cut through spring. In May they will grow many purple-pink flowers these can be eaten in salads. Garlic Chives: These produce flatter garlic flavored leaves which can be cut from April to late autumn they grow white flowers in August which can be eaten in all sort of dishes.

Lovage: The leaves of this has a celery taste. Harvest time March- November


Mint: This can have a minty or fruity favor such as apple mint. This starts growing early spring and dies back late fall.


Sorrel: This has pale green leaves like spinach but has a lemon flavor. This starts growing in early spring and you should have the herbs leaves until late summer. If it gets to hot it will begin to die back early.

Happy Gardening..

Lynn

What to use as mulch in your gardening beds?

I had a friend ask if she could use anything else but regular hardwood mulch to mulch her garden and I said Yes! Here are the few suggestions I gave her.....

hay

straw

leaves

grass clippings ( always make sure you use grass clippings that have not been sprayed with a chemical weed killer)

saw dust

ground corn cobs and stalks ( you can place these in a chipper shredder)

coffee grounds

pebbles

partly finished compost

newspaper ( I do not use any that have color)

shredded paper (old mail through a paper shredder works great)

Spanish moss ( you can get this at a garden supply store)

pine needles (blue berries love them)

But..... what about black plastic?

I just don't like the look of black plastic but I have seen people roll it out and place dirt over the top and that looks pretty good.


One thing about black plastic it really heats up the soil to several degrees and that could make a big difference on your planting time.

I have been asked what you should use as mulch on onions and garlic? Grass clippings applied right after you plant should help with this problem. ****(always make sure you use grass clipping that have not been sprayed with any chemical weed killer)

I always recommend that if you use a natural mulch on your garden beds such as hay, grass clippings ect... remove these in the fall. I really think that helps prevent diseases to grow through the winter monthes...you can always plant and replace in the spring.

Happy Gardening....

Lynn

Minty Mango Salsa

My mint is doing great and I have been trying to find recipes to use it in..... here is one that I thought was Terrific! Enjoy!

Minty Mango Salsa

1 large ripe mango peeled and diced

1 medium sweet red pepper diced

1 can 4 ounces chopped green chilies

1/4 cup green onions

1 tablespoons lime juice

2 teaspoons minced fresh mint

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger ( I left this out and it was still very good)

Tortilla chips

In small bowl mix together mango, red pepper, chilies, onions, lime juice, mint and ginger. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Enjoy!!!

Happy Gardening.....

Lynn

Squash Vine Borers

We haven't grown squash in years but we do grow cucumbers, zucchini and melon. They used get attacked by the squash vine borer and the thing about these pest is you can't see them until it is to late...the first thing you will notice is wilted stems and leaves.

We have had very good luck getting rid of these pests by placing pieces of heavy aluminum foil 15-18 inches square around the base of each plant. The reflection seems to keep the borers away at least for a time.

I have never tried this but I have heard that if you do see some wilting you can look along the stem to see where the borer went in...the borer may not be far behind...cut the stem lengthwise just a little bit on both sides of the hole to see if you can find the borer and take it out. You still might lose the plant?

Happy Gardening...

Lynn