Insects in the Garden

 I was walking around my garden today and saw a very large and beautiful Swallowtail Butterfly laying eggs on the leaves of my peach tree.  Here is one of them.  Although the children's book "The Little Hungry Caterpillar" came to mind and brought a little bit of worry with it, I decided to do some investigating and found out that they are in fact desirable and will not cause a lot of damage, so I will let nature take it's course and let it do it's thing!  Maybe I'll get lucky and see it hatch!

 So this picture is a followup from my last post on spring bloomers.  As I inspected my Columbine I noticed it was covered in aphids.  I also noticed a lady beetle and thought I would wait to see if nature would take it's course.  Today I went out and saw these tiny orange-ish eggs (lady beetle eggs) with a few more lady beetles and not as many aphids!  Lady Beetle larva gorge on aphids, even more so than adult beetles.   You can never have too many lady beetles!

 The last few weeks I have noticed that my Swiss Chard and Spinach aren't growing as well as I had hoped.  As I took a better look I noticed these tiny white eggs on the undersides of the leaves.  Leaf Miners!  The picture below shows damage done by these little pests.  I have sprayed Neem Oil on the leaves and mechanically removed the eggs.  The veggies should be good to eat within a day after Neem Oil application.

I haven't figured out what is going on with my tomatoes.  Not sure if it is a fungus or an insect... I applied Neem Oil, a great organic pesticide and insecticide.  I guess I'll just wait to see what happens.

You can visit the Universtiy of Minnesota extension website page called "What's wrong with my plant?" and find out more about your own garden insects and plants!  http://www.extension.umn.edu/gardeninfo/diagnostics/vegetable/index.html

 Curried Lentil Sweet Potato Soup

This soup is wonderful!  So filling and satisfying especially on a cooler rainy spring day!  You can make it vegan by adding cashew cream to it instead of yogurt!

Canola or olive oil for cooking

1 onion, chopped

1-2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger

1/2 cup dry lentils

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

2 tsp curry powder

4 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup yogurt or cashew cream (place 1/2 cup cashews and 1/2 cup water into blender and you have it!)

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large dutch oven heat oil over medium heat and add onion, garlic and ginger.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes until the onions are soft.  Add lentils, sweet potato, carrots, curry powder, stock and 1 cup of water.  Bring to a boil and then turn heat down, simmer for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.  Add the yogurt or cashew cream and blend with an immersion blender or pour into blender in batches to cream.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with whole grain applesauce spice muffins and a big green salad!

Whole Grain Applesauce Spice Muffins

These muffins are so good and go really well with the curried soup!  Just the right amount of spice and full of fiber from the whole grains!  Add flax meal or chia seeds to increase the fiber content further. So delicious you may want to make a double batch!

1/2 cup expellar pressed GMO free canola oil or butter

1/2 cup organic sugar or agave

1/2 cup organic brown sugar or agave

2 eggs

1 cup applesauce with 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

2 cups whole grain flour, barely, oat, spelt, wheat, etc.

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp each of cinnamon and cardamom or just 2 tsp of cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp cloves

Preheat oven to 375` and grease a 12 cup muffin tin pan.  Whisk all wet ingredients together and then add the dry.  Place in muffin tin and bake for 25-30 minutes until done.

Barely Lentil Salad

This salad is so flavorful and filling!  It's a healthy one dish meal!

Barley Lentil Salad

(from the cookbook, "Spilling the Beans")

Place 1/2 cup dry lentils, 1/2 cup dry pearl barely and 1-2 garlic cloves in a small sauce pan filled with water to cover the lentils and barley by a few inches.  Bring to a boil and cook for 45 minutes until tender.  Drain well if needed and smash the garlic into the mixture.  

In a large bowl combine the cooled lentils and barely, 2-3 tomatoes chopped, 1/2 cup chopped spinach, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, 1/4 cup small diced purple onion and freshly ground pepper to taste.  

Dressing: Shake ingredients into a jar and pour over salad.  1/4 cup olive or expeller cold pressed canola oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 Tbsp grainy mustard, 1 tsp honey and 1 garlic clove chopped fine. 

 

Verticle Grow Box

My husband Ryan, owner of OMG Landscapes built this vertical grow box over the winter.  It's perfect for herbs, annuals and even small vegetables!  We will be giving it away as one of our door prizes for the new Home and Garden Club's big Summer Soiree!  It will be June 9th from 6pm-9pm.  Tickets are $10!  Register for the party and you may win it!  (valued at $300)  Go to conservationgardenpark.org for more info!

My First Bee Inspection!

I went out yesterday before the storm came in to check on the bees.  As you can see they are busy building comb on the frames preparing for the queen to lay her eggs.  They are still docile at this point and don't necessarily need to be smoked.  In fact when I took this picture I didn't even have my suit on!  It's only when they know they have lots of honey is when they get a little more territorial.  They have started working 6 out of the 10 frames.  As they start to fill them more and more, I will put on another box called the upper deep.  This is where they will store their food for the winter.  If that one gets filled, I will have a 3rd one put on and that will be honey for me at the end of the season.  As I pulled each one out at a time to check for signs of the queen (brood) I saw many white capped combs filled with larva ready to soon be born and get to work. I didn't see the queen, but saw evidence that she was there.  I have 2 frames literally glued together by propolis and will have my mentor come to help me check again next week.  More photos to come!

Spring Bloomers in the Garden

 We have lived in our home for 2 years now so our plants in our front yard are in their 3rd year of growth since we've planted.  They are beginning to take off and fill in which has been so beautiful to watch!  My all time favorite late spring bloomers are peonies!  This particular one is called M. Jules Elie.  It is a double peony as it refers to its many petals.  And the fragrance is wonderful!

 This peach Iris is lovely in it's appearance and fragrance.  You can see ground cover thyme blooming it's pink blossoms down below!

 Coral Bells are wonderful plants that shoot long stems with dainty flowers on the ends.  Perfect for part sun to shady areas!  Perfect for cut flower arrangements!

 Bleeding Hearts are certainly lovely!  If you plant them in a more shady area the foliage will stay green longer throughout the growing season.

 This is perennial Salvia.  A long time bloomer that adds a beautiful purple to the garden.  In my opinion, you can never have too much purples and blues to contrast other colors!

 This dianthus is a nice low growing perennial with bright pink blossoms!

 This is my one and only rose shrub.  My husband doesn't care for roses, however I did manage to sneak this one in just because it is low growing and less thorny.  It is a 'florabunda' rose and produces many blossoms!

 Now here is something I recently learned.  Aphids love Columbine!  You can see I also have a lady beetle feasting on the aphids.  I have 2 choices, I can spray to kill off the aphids or just let nature takes it's course and allow the lady beetles take care of the problem.  If the lady beetles don't seem to have a handle on it within a few days I may choose to spray.  Here is a safe and effective home remedy to kill of soft bodied insects and keep lady beetles or other hard bodied/beneficial insects from getting hurt. 

Soapy Garlic Spray

Place 6-8 cloves of garlic, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper and a squirt of a plant based liquid dish soap (Costco) into a blender or food processor.  Puree and let steep in 1 gallon of water 4-24 hours.  Strain through a sieve and spray onto infested area.  

 This is Weigela.  It's leaves are variegated with light and dark green.  Just before I took this picture I saw a hummingbird feeding from the blossoms!  A very prolific bloomer!       

 Another of my favorites is Clematis!  It grows well here in Utah and needs full sun.  I love the deep purple blossoms growing up the side of my house on it's trellis! 

This is a shrub called Spirea.  There are many different varieties and colors.  I love the small pink blossoms on this one!

This beautiful shrub is Mock Orange!  Once full grown it should get to about 4-5 ft in height and width.  It's blossoms resemble the beautiful fragrance of citrus orange trees grown in California.  I highly recommend growing this variety in Utah as it does well here as opposed to other citrus plants.   

Mexican Fried Rice with Garden Herb Salad

You can make the fried rice with meat or leave it out like I did.  The salad is wonderful and can be eaten as a meal if you add white beans.

Mexican Fried Rice (recipe from "Spilling the Beans" pg. 160)

Olive oil for cooking

1/2 lb. chorizo sausage or ground turkey (if using meat)

1 onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

Pinch of Salt

3 cups cooked rice, brown or white

2 cups cooked black and pinto beans or 2 cans rinsed and drained

2 tomaotes chopped

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese or shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Cook rice in a rice cooker or on the stove top.  Saute onion and meat (if using) in a large dutch oven with olive oil.  Add jalapeno, chili powder, cumin and salt.  Cook for another minute.  Add rice to the onion mixture and a little more olive oil, add the beans, feta and tomatoes.  Stir until heated through.  Top with cilantro.

Garden Herb Salad

 

8 cups greens of choice

4 chopped tomatoes

1 red onion scliced

White beans (optional)

2 tablespoon chopped basil

2 teaspoons chopped oregano

1 rustic loaf of sourdough bread

olive oil 

salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese 

 

Chop or tear the loaf of bread into bite size pieces.  Place on a large baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Bake at 350` for 15-20 minutes until crispy and golden brown turning the bread pieces 1/2 way through cooking.   

Add all other ingredients in large bowl and sprinkle with cheese and croutons.

Vegetable Lentil Curry

This recipe is vegan, full of flavor and so delicious!

Vegetable Lentil Curry (from the cookbook "Spilling The Beans" pg. 150)

Olive or coconut oil, for cooking

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 Tbsp freshly grated or minced ginger

2 tsp curry powder

1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper

2 cups, chopped of your choice of zucchini, green beans, potatoes, cauliflower or eggplant

14 oz can of diced tomatoes or 2 fresh tomatoes chopped

1 cup cooked lentils

14 oz can of coconut milk (I used light)

2 mangos chopped or 1/4 cup mango chutney

1 tart apple, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup spinach, chopped

chopped peanuts or cashews to sprinkle on top (optional)

Cook 1 1/2 cups brown or white rice on stove top or rice cooker in 3 cups of water.  Cook 1 cup lentils on stove top or rice cooker with 2 cups water.

In the meantime saute chopped onions in a large dutch oven with oil until soft.  Add garlic, ginger and curry powder.  (If using potatoes and cauliflower add with garlic and ginger as they take a little longer to cook).  Cook for a few more minutes.  Add all other veggies including bell pepper.  Saute for a few more minutes.  Add tomatoes and coconut milk, mangos.  Bring mixture to a simmer  (I actually finished cooking the lentils here in the coconut milk because I used light to help absorb the liquid).  Add the apple and cook for 5 more minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and stir in spinach.  Cook for one more minute until spinach leaves are just wilted.  Serve over rice and sprinkle with nuts.

Open-Faced Garden Egg Sandwich with a Lemon Dill Vinaigrette

I have been picking fresh greens from my garden for about a week now and gathering eggs and fresh herbs for this dish! This sandwich is simple and satisfying! 

Garden Egg Sandwich

1-2 pieces of good whole grain bread (I like to make my own or use Dave's Organic Bread from Costco)

Fresh greens

Fresh egg, cooked to your liking

Lemon dill vinaigrette (recipe below)

2 teaspoons fresh Parmesan (optional)

Lemon Dill Vinaigrette

1 lemon zested and juiced

1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill

1/3 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

 

 

 

                                  

The Garden is Growing!

 I pulled the walls o' water off the tomatoes this week!  The weather is looking promising to stay above 40`!  If it does freeze for any reason, I have row covers and buckets and blankets I can throw over the plants and hold them down with rocks if need be.  This year I also tried planting my basil with my tomatoes.  It is known to increase the flavor of the tomatoes!  I recently purchased a book called "Great Garden Companions" by Sally Jean Cunningham.  Inside it has treasures and tips on better ways to control insects and diseases naturally.  A perfect source for organic gardening tips!

 My broccoli is looking healthy!  It is the first year that I have actually tried it!  Broccoli is a cold crop and can be grown in places where there is less direct sunlight.  It should do well for you in 6 hours of light instead of 8 hours like so many other vegetables.

 Here is a picture of my peach tree (an Early Elberta) with garlic planted around it.  The garlic is supposed to keep the peach borer away.  I have heard others say they have found success with this method, so this year I decided to give it a try!  I'll let you know if it works!

 In this box I have planted potatoes, Yukon gold, red and purple!  Behind them are Swiss chard and spinach.  I fertilized with fish emulsion this week and my concentrate was a little too strong so that is why some of the ends look a little burned, but no matter, they will grow just fine and other leaves will come on in a few more days.

 Here I have 10 different types of heirloom lettuces.  With one of the rows being Kale, I don't usually eat Kale, however when it is thrown into a big green smoothie you can't even tell it's there and it boosts the nutritional value up!  You can see in the center of the box there is an onion hanging on from last year!  I always rotate my crops every year to keep pest control down.

In this box I planted onions, red and yellow.  I love onions!  They are huge nitrogen feeders, I planted peas here the year before.  The wonderful thing about legumes is that they put nitrogen into the soil so the following year you can grow a nitrogen feeder like onions or corn in it's place and have great success!

Other vegetables planted and not shown are peppers, leeks, green onions and carrots.  Now is also a great time to plant squash, cucumbers, melons and pumpkins by seed.  They do better when their root systems are not disturbed by growing from starts.  If their root systems are disturbed it can kill the plant or make it weak giving you a smaller yield come harvest time.  Besides sowing with seed is easier and inexpensive!  Enjoy your adventures in the garden and share with me how your experience is going!

A healthier puffed cereal treat!

Who doesn't love homemade rice crispy treats?  This recipe is just a little more nutritious than what we grew up with.  And it's just as easy to make!  You can use brown rice cereal or whatever you have in the pantry.  This time I used puffed brown rice and puffed millet.

Heat one large bag of marshmallows in a nonstick dutch oven with 1/4 cup butter or coconut oil.  Once everything is melted and mixed together, add 1/4 cup flax meal or chia seeds.  Mix thoroughly and then add 8 cups of whole grain puffed or crisped cereal.  Press into a 9x13 greased glass baking dish and allow to cool for an hour.  Cut into desired size pieces and enjoy!

"Eat the entire bowl all in one sitting Guaca mole!"

Fresh Ingredients

Homemade Guacamole

This homemade guacamole is so good, you may find that after one taste, there won't be any left to share with others!  This is one of our family favorites and it is so good for you!

4 medium or 3 large ripe avocados, smashed

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

2 serrano peppers, seeded and minced (add more seeds later to increase heat)

2 limes, juiced

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a medium size bowl and serve with organic corn chips or on a whole grain tortilla!  Delicious!

5/11/12 Red Butte Garden Favorite Blooming Pics

 Sensation Lilac

One of my most favorite places to visit on a weekly basis is Red Butte Gardens (among other gardens too)!  My sisters and I share a membership pass and try to get up there as much as possible!  This sensation lilac shrub was so gorgeous and smelled heavenly!  I love the purple flower with variegated white edges!

Red Charm Peony

The red charm peony would have to be one of my most favorite spring flowers!  This picture doesn't do justice for the large sized flower head!  I love the ruffles in the center and it's scent is just lovely!