backyard Garden Archives - Page 2 of 3

Charming Chard

October 5, 2014 by theblogbloom.com 3 Comments

I am kind of disappointed in the fall crop of chard I planted in late July. It is not growing like I expected. And, it doesn’t look as vibrant as I was hoping for.

Okay. To give the chard a little credit: it did grow well and it does look good.

I was just hoping the stalks of my chard would shoot up full of colors like reds, yellows, and oranges like I saw in a Master Gardener’s garden last summer.

Instead, the stalks of mine are white.

Perplexed about the chard’s appearance, I did a little research. Turns out there are three different varieties of chard: Rainbow, Red and Swiss. I had planted Swiss.

My disappointment faded as I kept reading and learning more about this powerhouse of a leafy green. Chard, no matter what the variety, is packed with vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants and minimal calories.

One website even said that if vegetables were to receive grades for nutritional components, chard would be the valedictorian. One serving brings more than 300% of your daily Vitamin K to the table, in addition to plenty of cancer fighting and blood sugar regulating properties.

So, with all these healthy benefits, one might think that chard must really lack in the flavor department… But, think again.

Well… first I will put out a warning: Eating chard raw is… a little rough. Probably only for the super strong health nuts.

I am not there… and doubt I will ever be. But, that’s okay because, in cooking, chard is incredibly versatile and can be boiled, steamed, sauteed, braised– whatever!

Through these techniques, the flavor is not just tolerable, but tasty and the nutrients can be more condensed.

Since our first harvest this fall, Adam and I have enjoyed our Swiss Chard baked into a frittata, mixed in with lemony pasta or just cooked like spinach or kale.

I have made this protein packed salad a couple times for lunch because it’s easy, all the ingredients are staples in my kitchen and, most importantly, it fuels me with plenty of energy to get through an afternoon of phone calls, spreadsheets, and onto garden chores and evening spinning!

It definitely doesn’t disappoint.

Swiss Chard and Chickpea Salad

2014-10-05 13:38:42

Write a review

Save Recipe

Ingredients

2 TBS olive oil, divided
1 big bunch of Swiss Chard (About 10-13 leaves), center stems cut out and leaves chopped
2 cups of chicken broth (Vegetable broth works too)
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 15.5 ounce can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat 1 TBS olive oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the Swiss Chard and cook until just wilted then add the remaining chard.
When all of the chard has wilted, add the broth. Cover the skillet and cook for about ten minutes or until the chard is tender. Drain the chard and set aside.
Wipe out skillet and heat 1 TBS olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant.
Add the cooked chard and chickpeas to the pan. Cook until the beans are just heated through, about three minutes.
Remove from heat and add lemon juice, salt and pepper, and feta. Stir to just combine.
Eat right away.

Bloom. https://www.theblogbloom.com/

Garden Pride and Spaghetti Squash

August 20, 2014 by theblogbloom.com 8 Comments

The summer after graduating college, when I was dating Adam but conversations about marriage and moving to the country had not even begun, my good friend and sorority roommate, Anne, sent me this card.

She wrote on the inside, “I don’t know why, but this made me think of you!”

Well Anne, you should probably go get a lottery ticket or something because you pretty much nailed it in predicting the future. “My garden kicks ass” crossed my mind just a day before finding her card when I was going through old photos.

Our tomato plants are huge. They come up to my chin are overflowing with tomatoes that are turning red everyday.

Carrots are coming in thick. They look and taste amazing.

The amount of beans and peas we have gotten from our plants is beginning to flirt with ridiculous.

Our lettuce and kale are still booming providing me with awesome salads for lunch each day.

The garlic we planted last spring has spent the last month drying in the garage and is finally ready for cooking… and the cloves taste great!

My brother has been converted to a believer in beets thanks to the super sweet and incredibly pink beets from the garden.

Our fall crops, like spinach, Swiss chard, and more carrots and beets, are beginning to sprout to help extend our harvest this season.

Even the dahlias and wildflowers I planted in one of the garden beds to help attract bee’s are not just doing their job, but also look beautiful.

But, what really has blown me away are the spaghetti squash.

Spaghetti Squash was a newbie to the garden this year so I wasn’t sure what to expect. We began the seeds inside this spring and transplanted five plants to a garden bed in mid-May. It was exciting to watch the squash grow; starting as blossoms, then small, green globes becoming large and yellow as the weeks wore on.

After we transplanted the seedlings

Starting to grow

Ready for harvest

However, their growth wasn’t perfect. Some of the squash would develop a thick, strong skin and would be firm, which you want when growing spaghetti squash. But others were squishy or wrinkled. Some just looked dead. With the help of one of Adam’s friends who is an entomologist, we learned that some of the plants had become invested with an immature squash bug.

These bugs live in colonies and inject squash and melon vines with a toxic substance. This causes the vines to dry and turn black making it impossible for nutrients to get the squash, if any squash even develop.

Fortunately, not all of the plants got infested with these gross little bugs and we managed to get quite a few perfect spaghetti squashes (Squashes? Is that the plural of squash…? Sounds so weird.)

So perfect, in fact, that I could help but beam with a little pride when I brought a couple into the house and began to prep them for dinner. And, as I dug a fork into the squash after it roasted in the oven and it separated into it’s signature, golden stands that give it it’s unique name, I smiled and thought, “I grew this!”

Preparing spaghetti squash is super easy. The hardest part of preparing the squash happens to be step one… cutting the dang thing in half. The skin is relatively thick and even with your best kitchen knife, this is challenging. Just go slow, be patient and keep your fingers safe.

Once split in half, scoop out the seeds and coat the insides with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Place halves, cut sides up, on a roasting or baking sheet. Put into a 375 degree oven for one hour or until the flesh is tender.

When cool enough to handle (I still wear an oven mit), scrape with a fork and remove the strands.

I keep it pretty basic with a little butter, parm, red pepper flakes and chopped parsley. But there are tons of super creative ways to dress spaghetti squash up and make it your own all over Pinterest.

You will see a prevalence of spaghetti squash at the grocery store this time of year so give it a try!

Fried Zucchini Blossoms

July 18, 2014 by theblogbloom.com 5 Comments

Zucchini is a great plant for a newbie -and oldie- gardener.

They are easy to grow. It doesn’t need too much attention. Just decent soil. And there’s nothing outrageously tricky in terms of watering. They also produce veggies for a long time; Just be sure to pick them before they get huge! They are the most flavorful when they are maybe 3-4 inches wide and 5-6 inches long. (This can be a rookie gardener mistake… it’s fun to see this HUGE veggie come out of the garden, but it’s not going to taste as good as it could.)

However… There is one problem with zucchini.

Yes, the produce for a long time, but they also produce A LOT for a long time.

A few nights ago, after staring at about fifteen zucchini’s on my kitchen counter, I began looking around for new zucchini recipes to help make sure we don’t get too bored. (Not even kidding. Fifteen Zucc’s.)

In my searches I kept coming across recipes for zucchini blossoms.

Zucchini blossoms are the flowers that appear as the plant is producing a fruit. They are a very beautiful, vibrant orange when in full bloom, but they wilt as the fruit gets larger and ready for harvest.

There are female and male blossoms. Female blossoms are attached to the zucchini, male blossoms aid in pollination and will not bear a zucchini.

A female blossom. You can see the developing zucchini.

Male zucchini blossom.

Although it wouldn’t help with my growing zucchini collection, I thought with all the big blossoms on my zucchini plants to give Fried Zucchini Blossoms a try.

They looked similar to tempura, but tasted almost like a mozzarella stick thanks to the warm, melty cheese I stuffed in the blossom. My backyard basil added great, subtle pepper flavor and sweetness and the lemon had the right amount of tart to add depth to this fun appetizer.

These are great on a summer evening with a glass of cold moscato.

Fried Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

2014-07-18 17:31:50

Write a review

Save Recipe

The Cheese Filling

1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Lemon, juiced and Zested
1/4 Cup finely chopped Basil
S&P

The Batter

1 1/2 Cup Flour
1 Tbs. Baking Powder
1 1/2 cup soda water or beer
10 Zucchini Blossoms
Vegetable Oil for Frying

Instructions

Wash Zucchini blossoms thoroughly, but do not soak in water. Be sure to look inside the blossom and check for bugs and dirt.
Mix together all stuffing ingredients in a medium bowl then add salt and pepper to taste.
Stuff each zucchini blossom with the filling. Be sure to wrap the petals closed once stuffed to "seal" the blossom.
In another bowl, mix the batter ingredients together, carefully whisking in the beer or soda water.
In a heavy bottom pot or pan (we use a cast iron skillet) heat about two inches of oil until shimmering. Dip the blossoms in the batter mixture and turn until coated. Fry in batches for about two minutes or until the batter is golden brown.
Remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to cool.
Enjoy!

Bloom. https://www.theblogbloom.com/

Roasted Radishes

July 7, 2014 by theblogbloom.com 6 Comments

If you are thinking about getting your kids involved with gardening 1. Good for you!

Adam and I have talked about how we want our kids to have their own garden bed each summer where they can choose what they plant, learn a little responsibility in tending to the bed and reap the benefits of their harvest. I think it’s awesome for kids to learn how food grows.

And, 2. You should seriously consider planting radishes.

Radishes grow very quickly in comparison to other plants, which will help encourage and hold the attention of a young person. This year it took about four weeks from planting a seed to enjoying a little crunch on my salad.

Radishes just about two weeks after planting.

Radishes come in all shapes and sizes. Word to the wise: as they get bigger, they get spicier. So keep an eye on them. They also come in various beautiful shades of pinks and reds.

They are most prevalent from April to July.

What I like about radishes is that there are so many things you can do with them. Like I said, they are great in a salad. I love to just pop them with some veggie dip or hummus. We have done shaved radishes on a pizza. You could also add them to a sandwich. Pickle them so that you could eat them all year long.

The other night I decided to roast our plentiful radishes.

Roasting radishes that have maybe gotten too big is great because it cooks the spiciness out of them and makes them much easier to eat.

This recipe is my go to when roasting almost any vegetable. It is easy, light and made with ingredients that are always in my pantry. (Or, any typical pantry for that matter.)

It is proof that you don’t need to complicate things to make them good.

Roasted Radishes

2014-07-07 19:54:05

Write a review

Save Recipe

Ingredients

1 bunch Radished, quartered
1 Shallot, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Juice of one Lemon
Salt and Pepper

Instructions

Preheat Oven to 375
Toss all ingredients in a medium bowl, spread onto a baking sheet
Cook until tender about 20-25 minutes.
Eat right away.

Bloom. https://www.theblogbloom.com/

Cooking Like the Beekman Boys.

July 1, 2014 by theblogbloom.com 8 Comments

After the first of the year, I was talking with a co-worker about cheese.

Embarrassingly, too common of a conversation for me.

She told me about this great wheel of cheese that her family had over the holidays. She said it was a combo of goat milk and cow milk. She also said the cheese looked totally crazy because it had a black rind made from ashes.

Incredibly interested, I asked, “So, what’s it called?”

“Beekman 1802 Blaak,” she said.

“Beekman, what?” I asked.

“Beekman 1802. It’s made by the Beekman Boys,” she said.

Reading the confused look on my face, she went on, “Oh my gosh, Claire. You don’t know the Beekman Boys? They are right up your alley with your big garden and food blog. You would love them!”

She told me that the Beekman Boys were partners from New York City who purchased a huge old home in upstate New York. They fell in love with living the country so they began raising goats and planted a large garden.

Now they have an online mercantile where you can purchase all sorts of kitchenware, garden tools, soaps made with goats milk and foods like the Blaak cheese.

I was intrigued. It did sound like I would love them.

She told me that they also had a book, The Bucolic Plague: How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers: An Unconventional Memoir (P.S.),that tells the story of how they found their way from the city to the country. It also goes into detail about the first year of trying to get their goat milk soap business off the ground.

Adam and I were headed to Jamaica a few weeks later and I was in need of a good beach read. So, I hopped onto to Amazon and purchased The Bucolic Plague. It was a perfect, laugh out loud, easy read for the beach.

And, like my co-worker thought I would, I did fall in love with The Beekman Boys, Brent and Josh.

Since reading their memoir, I added their page to my likes on Facebook. I love staying up to date with new products that are constantly added to the online mercantile and any specials that they might be running. They also post beautiful, personal pictures of the house, their garden, and the goats.

It was on their Facebook page that I learned Williams-Sonoma was promoting their newest cookbook, The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Vegetable Cookbook: 100 Delicious Heritage Recipes from the Farm and Garden, with a cooking class in mid June. Williams-Sonoma often has cooking classes where they showcase a new cookbook or teach basic kitchen skills, such as knife skills.

I have always wanted to take one of the classes at Williams-Sonoma so I thought what would be better then this class featuring my new gardening idols.

Plus, their cookbook looked amazing and it came with the class.

Turns out I was the only person in Indianapolis who signed up for the class so I got a call from, Dottie, the instructor the day before the class. She said she would do a more hands on class versus a demo class, like it was originally supposed to be.

Obviously, I didn’t mind. In fact, I was even more excited.

I showed up the next evening ready to cook and wound up having a great time. Dottie was a wonderful lady and was full of so much knowledge about food and cooking. I loved hearing her stories of traveling in Europe and we made the connection that we were both Purdue sorority girls.

That night we made Kale Bruschetta, a Beet and Ricotta Salad, Eggplant “Meat” Balls, and a cucumber ice cream in a carrot cookie cup. All were recipes from The Beekman Boy’s new cookbook.

The cookbook has fabulous photos of the Beekman home and garden throughout the seasons that are in line with the seasonal layout of the book. Majority of the recipes are vegetarian as they are designed to utilize produce that is available throughout the year in a garden like the one at their upstate home.

We didn’t plant eggplant and our cucumbers, carrots and beets are not ready yet. But, our kale looks great.

I like have kale in the garden because it is incredibly healthy and tasty. It is a great addition to salads and smoothies. I also like to make kale chips.

Growing kale is very simple. I started a few heads of kale in the basement and transplanted the seedlings to the ground this spring. I also started a few seeds right in the ground to have more kale ready to eat at a different time than the seeds I started indoors. We plan to have more kale this fall as it is a hardy vegetable that can tolerate cooler temperatures. In fact, their leaves are even sweeter when exposed to colder temps.

With our backyard garden kale looking awesome, I decided to share a bit of my fun night at Williams-Sonoma with Adam and recreated the Kale Bruchetta at home.

I loved everything we made during the cooking class, but this bruchetta was definitely my favorite. I knew that Adam would love the salty, creamy kale topping too.

I cannot wait to try other recipes from the Heirloom Vegetable Cookbook. I have a feeling it will be a great resource for me for many, many years! Be sure to check it out!

Kale Bruschetta

2014-07-01 17:26:22

Yields 8

Write a review

Save Recipe

Ingredients

2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 garlic clove
2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
6 ounces kale, stems and ribs removed
pinch of salt
1/2 cup of water
2 Tbs. mayo
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Heat Olive Oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Add garlic and anchovies. Cook stirring frequently until anchovies have melted, about two minutes
Add kale, salt, and water. Cook until kale is tender and water has evaporated, stirring frequently.
Remove kale from skillet and place on cutting board. When cool, finely chop.
In a medium bowl combine the mayo, Parmesan, and lemon juice. Add the kale and stir to combine.
Top eight pieces of toasted baguette or Bread crisps.

Notes

Making bruschetta isn't hard. All you need is some oil and a baguette.
However, there are lots of short cuts out there. Whole foods makes little bruschetta crisps and packages them. You can find them in their baked goods section. I used some bread crisps made by Stacy's.
No one around here judges for making your life easier!

Adapted from The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Vegetable Cookbook

Bloom. https://www.theblogbloom.com/

Arugula Flat Bread Pizza

June 20, 2014 by theblogbloom.com 2 Comments

I get asked what my favorite food is often.

Odd? Maybe.

But, I work in the food industry. There it’s a pretty normal question.

It’s an ice breaker.

Part of an introduction.

An interview question.

Or, just dropped in conversation.

Two issues with this:

1. Because of the industry, I sometimes feel pressure to have some super hip, trendy and edgy answer.

Like Kim Chi or Kombucha.

I feel like the chefs I work with might be judging me and my, presumed, undeveloped palate.

And two?

I can’t pick just one.

A better question would be what my least favorite food is.

Maybe…

But, now that I think about it, that one is tough too.

I love a lot of things.

Cheese.

Wine.

August Tomatoes.

Fresh Basil.

A good steak.

Well prepared fish.

Sushi.

Ice Cream.

Fresh baked bread.

Vibrant salads.

Over easy eggs.

Chocolate.

Guacamole.

Buffalo Wings with lots of blue cheese.

Hummus.

Crunchy Cucumbers.

Old fashioned cheese burger.

Super fresh fruit.

Okay. Okay. I like a lot of food. I promise, I will only list one more.

But, I could go on and on.

But, I get it, that probably would be annoying.

And, it could potentially have you running to the fridge for a snack because I have made you hungry.

This would be bad, because you’re going to want to stick around for this one.

… In fact, it might be one of your favorites too.

Flat bread pizza.

Flat bread pizza might be the front runner for my favorite food because there are so many ways you can make it and it is a great combination of many of my listed favorites.

I am a big fan of the traditional margherita. With good old fashioned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil. We also like to sub fresh made pesto for the sauce and top with Parmesan and sliced tomatoes from the garden.

The garden tomatoes aren’t ready yet, but the arugula is and it also happens to be an excellent topping for flat breads.

Arugula is a baby green that is planted right into the ground that has a spicy flavor that I think is similar to horseradish. They don’t take too long from seed to ready to eat. Maybe four weeks or so.

This flat bread gets great flavor from the saltiness in the Parmesan and prosciutto balanced with the bite from the arugula and lemon’s tartness. Perfect for a light summer dinner.

Arugula Flat Bread Pizza

2014-06-20 07:56:32

Write a review

Save Recipe

Crust

1 Tablespoon of Yeast
1 3/4 cups of warm water
4 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp of salt
Olive Oil

Toppings

Parmesan cheese
Prosciutto
Arugula
Lemon
Salt and Pepper

Instructions

Dissolve yeast in warm water.
Once dissolved and foamy, add all ingredients to mixer with dough hook. Kneed on medium until dough is combined and pulls from the sides of the bowl.
Let rise in bowl covered with a damp towel for at least 30 minutes.
Set oven to 425.
Oil pan and dough, roll onto pan until desired thickness. For thin crust I sometime divide the dough to make two pizza's.

For Toppings

Add more oil to pizza.
Top with shredded Parmesan. I use my veggie peeler on a block of cheese.
Add torn pieces of prosciutto.
Cook about ten minutes, or until crust is golden and cheese has melted.
Toss arugula with juice of one lemon, salt and pepper and place on top of pizza after removed from the oven.
Serve right away.

Notes

Oil is the key to crispy crust!

Bloom. https://www.theblogbloom.com/

Strawberry Fields Forever

June 17, 2014 by theblogbloom.com 7 Comments

Last summer my little brother, Danny, got a guitar for his high school graduation.

He had never played, but has an amazing ear for music. He can can hear a song and start strumming around until he has the notes. Give him an afternoon and he will have the gist of the song without any sheet music.

He can rock out to all the college favorites like “Wonderwall” (… he adds, “The girls love it!” Duh. Tell me something I don’t know. I was one of those freshman girls *not too* long ago.) and “Wagon Wheel.”

He is also pretty good at Mumford and Sons.

But, some of his favorites to play are older bands like Bob Dylan and The Beatles.

This summer he is living with Adam and I and brought his guitar along. So, we get the benefit and enjoyment of our own personal guitarist while relaxing in the evening after work.

I have learned to love having Danny softly playing “Black Bird” or my favorite, “Here Comes the Sun” in the background while I am in the kitchen. Sure beats the arguments on Real Housewives…

There is something so much sweeter about these great songs when they are from a single acoustic guitar.

And, speaking of sweet… Have you seen the strawberries that are coming out of my garden?!

Oh. My. Gosh.

They are seriously amazing.

We planted a bed of strawberries last summer and knew we couldn’t expect much the first year. And I thought there was a chance the second year might be kind of light too.

I was wrong.

Strawberry Garden Bed

We have so many, huge, juicy strawberries.

So, while Danny was jammin’ out in the guitar, I got to jamming in the kitchen.

Literally.

Strawberry Jam is a great way to use a lot of strawberries and canning the jam allows us to enjoy our spectacular strawberries all year long.

Strawberry Jam

2014-06-17 19:50:48

Yields 7

Write a review

Save Recipe

Prep Time

35 min

Cook Time

5 min

Prep Time

35 min

Cook Time

5 min

Ingredients

3 Quarts Fresh Strawberries, hulled
1 1 3/4 ounce package of regular powdered fruit pectin
1/2 teaspoon of butter
7 cups sugar

Instructions

Crush Berries in a medium pot, one cup at at time until you have 5 cups of crushed berries.
Stir in pectin and butter.
Heat on high stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil.
Add sugar.
Return to boil and boil for one minute while constantly stirring.
Remove from heat and skim off foam.

To Process

Ladle into hot and sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.
Wipe the jars rims and add lids.
Process in boiling water bath for five minutes. (Start time when water bath returns to boil.)
Remove jars and set on cooling rack until cool and jars have sealed.

Bloom. https://www.theblogbloom.com/

What’s In the Garden: 2014

June 10, 2014 by theblogbloom.com Leave a Comment

One of my first blog posts last spring just listed what was in our 2013 garden. I looked back at that post often when planning this summer’s garden.

Another great tool when designing this year’s garden was Mother Earth News Vegetable Garden Planner. It is a minimal yearly charge (Neither Adam or I could remember… maybe ten bucks?), but it keeps track of where plants were each year and will really help us in crop rotation.

What our garden looks like on the garden planner.

It was super easy to use and kind of reminded me of playing The Sims. (Where are my late 90 kids at?!)

There are many different features that we still haven’t explored on the Garden Planner, but if it’s your first year gardening it may not be a bad thing for you to start too.

The garden planner was also a big help because this summer’s garden is three times the size as last year’s.

We have some weeding to do, but it has been super wet in Indiana.

Yes… Adam and I understand that we are boarder line insane.

Here is what we have growing:

Strawberries: We planted the strawberry plants last year but knew we wouldn’t have any berries to show for it. Strawberry plants need a season before they really begin to produce a lot of fruit. This year we have a ton of strawberries! They are amazing. They have a great flavor and size. There will be more posts this week about our many strawberries.

Strawberries

Asparagus: We planted the roots this spring. They have just begun to pop up. Asparagus takes about three seasons before it matures and is ready to harvest.

Garlic: We planted 100 blubs last fall and after the very cold winter, we only had about ten make it. They will be ready in late summer. I am excited because I feel like I use garlic all the time when cooking. And, let’s be real, garlic is so good.

Garlic

Brussels sprouts: This is something new we are trying. I love to cook Brussels sprouts. The plants are looking pretty good!

Brussels Sprouts

Zucchini: Super easy to grow and a staple for any summer garden. We have finished almost all of the zucchini I froze last summer so we will be ready for some replacements soon. Last year we grew yellow summer squash in addition to zucchini, but decided not to grow it this year.

Zucchini

Okra: These poor plants don’t look so great. It’s an experiment. I have not cooked with okra often either, so if they don’t work out we will survive.

Horseradish: Another plant that is an experiment. I am hoping it works out so we can make our own cocktail sauce!

Kale: A few heads were started from seedlings and they look good. A few more were planted right into the ground and are growing as well. I am excited to have kale for smoothies and salads.

Lettuce: We have many different kinds growing from mixes to Caesar heads, Mustard Greens Spinach and Arugula. Tonight we tried the arugula and mustard greens. Both were great. They both had a great little spicy kick. They will be awesome for adding dimensions to salads and sandwiches. It is seriously the best to have lettuce straight from the garden. Seriously.

Mustard Greens

Broccoli: These plants are still pretty small, but look okay. Broccoli from the backyard is typically smaller than what you see at the store. Broccoli is such a great veggie. I love to steam it and dress it with vinegar.

Broccoli a couple weeks ago

Cabbage: We had awful luck with cabbage last summer. They became infested with so many loopers and just were ruined. Here’s to better luck this year!

Cucumbers: I managed to kill the seedlings we had growing. They looked awful for weeks and I couldn’t understand what was going on and then Adam figured it out. I was using the tap water from the kitchen sink to water the seedlings. This sink is hooked up to the water softener so I was adding salt to the plants refreshments. The salt was building up in their stems preventing water and nutrients from getting to the plant. All the other plants were able to rebound after being put into the ground, but the cucumbers didn’t make it. I purchased starter plants from a woman who also sells turkeys, chickens and flowers out of her front yard on a nearby state road I drive on often for work.

Peas: These were one of my favorite last year. They are a great little snack and froze really well so we could add them to stir fry’s throughout the winter.

Green Beans: We planted a lot more than we did last year, but only about half of the beans look like they are doing well. Green Beans are planted directly into soil and it looks like the other half just never sprouted.

Green Beans

Peppers: We have green peppers and jalapenos. These are great for summer salads and salsas.

Beets: It’s our first time trying to grow beets and it’s hard to tell how they are doing because much of the activity goes on underground. Beets are great because they store well and I use them a lot.

Carrots: Another root vegetable that was planted right into the ground and hard to tell how they are doing so far. Carrots were probably my favorite thing from the garden last year. The taste difference between a fresh garden carrot and a bagged baby carrot is a world apart.

Spaghetti Squash: New to the garden this year! And, I can’t wait. Adam loves spaghetti squash. (Yes, Adam…!) We have cooked spaghetti squash many different ways, but it is just perfect with a little butter and S&P.

Spaghetti Squash

Radish: Another newbie and they are looking good.

Tomatoes: There are twenty two tomato plants gracing the garden this year with everything from cherry, beefsteak, grape, romas, etc, etc! I am really looking forward to canning. Adam’s Bloody Mary mix already has a waiting list.

Herbs in the Garden and in pots:

Basil… Duh. My fave.

Basil

Mint
Chives
Sage: New this year! I am excited! And, it looks great!
Thyme
Cilantro

Cilantro

Rosemary
Parsley

Parsley

Oregano
Dill

Bonus! A little Fun Fact: I recently read that one in three America household’s are growing food. Amazing, right?! Love stats like that!

What do you have growing this year?

Go Garden: Tools Needed

April 23, 2014 by theblogbloom.com 15 Comments

Last night, to celebrate Earth Day and because “it’s time,” Adam wanted to till up the soil in our garden beds. Tilling the soil is important because it makes it easier to work in compost to help enhance the soil and makes seeds or seedlings easier to plant.

Because we have so many garden beds and they are so large, we like to use a rototiller. But, the rototiller was not feeling very festive and, last night, it decided that it didn’t want to work.

Adam was upset. We could use a shovel to till the ground but, the rototiller is a tool that makes our lives so much easier.

Some other garden tools that I found really useful and important to have in our first year of gardening are the following:

Work Gloves: Just like a cook’s best tool, a gardener’s best tool is their hands. However, in the garden your hands might need protection from branches, thorns, etc. You can spend a lot on gloves if you really wanted to, but a good fitting pair of cotton gloves with grips work great and won’t break the bank.

Kneeler Pad: This will save your knees and quads when gardening. Even as a young, athletic person this was a life saver. You can also find them in cute patterns which always makes things fun!

Hose with a Spray Nozzle: Watering cans look very “classic gardener,” but the amount of water needed to water a decent sized garden would likely require many trips back and forth from your outdoor tap. Be sure to measure the distance from an outdoor tap to the garden to ensure you purchase a long enough hose. Also look for nozzles with a rain spray option for gentle, thorough amount of moisture.

Trowel: This one is super important. It will help with planting, weeding, incorporating compost into soil, and more. A trowel is in the garden with me at all times.

Pruning Sheers: I use mine to harvest produce such as lettuce, so that it will regenerate itself, zucchini’s and peppers. They are also great to have for flower arranging and trimming landscaping.

There are so many tools out there to help a gardener, but I feel these are the best to invest in first.

A few other of my favorite tools that I would recommend investing in as you continue to grow your garden are:

Wheelbarrow
Hand Fork/Cultivator
Garden Hoe
Rake (… the one you use for leaves in the fall will work just fine)
A good shovel or spade
Rototiller
Compost bins

… Oh, and don’t forget sunscreen and a hat!

I learned that one the hard way…

Are there any garden tools that you swear by?

Go Garden: Starting Seeds

March 25, 2014 by theblogbloom.com 7 Comments

Last night, we started seventeen different seeds.

Things that we will not be starting indoors are items like root vegetables such as carrots, beets and radishes. We saved some lettuces to sow right into the ground as well.

A good rule of thumb is that seeds should be started indoors about six to seven weeks before the last frost. The last chance of frost in my area is May 11 (…Here’s hoping!). So, I am right on track as it’s about six and half weeks out.

Starting seeds is relatively easy. And, garden companies make it even easier.

We use plastic seed starter flats that you can get at any grocery or home improvement store. Some have soil pellets in the containers when you purchase them. We used these last year and I didn’t have any issues or complaints. They were great. But, this year we added natural and organic seed starter soil to our starter flats.

Once soil is in each container in the flat, be sure to water the soil thoroughly before planting. Make sure the soil isn’t too packed or becomes too wet.

Seed companies have really made seeds easy to use. The back of the seed packets have all the basics like when to plant, how deep to plant a seed, if it can grow well in a container or if it needs to be transplanted into the ground and more.

We planted about three to four seeds in each individual container. Once they germinate, we will thin the weaker plants. Sometimes seeds will not germinate, and having more seeds in each individual container will help ensure you get a healthy plant.

Once complete, put plastic lid on the kit and place it in a warm (65-75 degrees) area of your home away from direct sunlight. You do not want to use light until the seeds have germinated.

Check your seeds daily. Make sure soil is moist, but not wet. You should see signs of germination in about 7 to 10 days. Then, you should move the seeds to a heated lamp or sunlight.

Two other little tips I have picked up from my second year of planting seed indoors:
– Make a “Cheat Sheet” to show were everything is. Even once the seedlings begin growing, it will be hard to tell what is what for a while.

– Mark numbers on each side of the starter kit and mark them on your cheat sheet. The kit can get flipped around or backwards. You will want to know if that’s the side with tomatoes or not.

Next time you see these babies there should be some GREEN!

Note: There are many, many other ways to begin seeds. Some people like to reuse recycled yogurt containers. Others, have natural wooden flats that they use year to year. Some make up their own starter soil with compost, worm casings, etc. Do what works best for you. I believe this is the most approachable start for the “Rookie/Novice Gardener.”