Christmas Tips

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Preserving Holly:
Soak your holly in this mixture:
(For preserving.)
1 cup glycerine
2 cups boiling water
Green food colorings.
Then soak again in this mixture:
(to seal in moisture )
4 cups water
1 cup floor wax.


Keep your tree fresh:

To help the tree absorb water better, cut an inch off the trunk, above the last cut.

Place the tree in a stand with a lot of water. It could absorb up to a gallon in the first day. Check the water level frequently and add water as necessary.

Never allow it to dry out or it'll shed it's needles prematurely.

Never place your tree near a heat source of any kind. This is extremely dangerous and will increase the chances of early needle loss.

Remember to always turn your Christmas tree lights off when leaving the house or when going to sleep.


Christmas Potpourri:
6 Cinnamon Sticks
Several Pine Cones
2 cups of Dried Sage
1 cup of whole Cloves
2 cups of Dried Rosemary
Grated (dried) Orange Peel
Allspice (whole or ground)
1 cup of Balsam Fir Needles
20 drops of Winterberry OIL
2 cups of Red Juniper Berries


Recipe for FIREPROOFING YOUR TREE:
Mix the following ingredients into a gallon of water then pour into a spray bottle and spray the entire tree.
Pour remaining solution into the trees water supply.
1 cup ammonium sulphate
1/2 cup boric acid
2 tablespoons borax

Tree Disposal:
A great idea for tree disposal after the festivities have come to an end, is to place your tree in your yard.

Mix birdseed, bread crumbs and suet into peanut butter then spread it on the tips of the branches of your tree.

The birds will love you and the tree can stay in your yard until spring.

Several communities also have tree pickup programs. For a small fee they will collect your tree then chip it themselves.

Bulbs Provide Easy Perennial Color

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Bulbs are some of the easiest of flowers to grow in our landscapes. They provide years of enjoyment and add seasonal beauty like few other plants can. Now is the time to plant bulbs if you want to enjoy the fragrance, color, and beauty of their blooms next spring and summer.

Some bulbs, such as the standard tulips and hyacinths, for example, are best used as annuals because they tend not to naturalize in our warm southern climate. These are "one-shot" bulbs for us. Others are dependable perennials, returning each year out of nowhere to delight us again. I am personally a little partial to these naturalizing wonders.

Here are some tips to help you get off to a successful start with bulbs in your southern garden.

Bulbs for Naturalizing

Daffodils are a southern tradition like few other bulbs. A late-winter drive through the country past those old abandoned homesteads will give you a clue why. The house is gone, the chimney is crumbling, the landscape is overgrown by brush, but the daffodils are going stronger than ever! I have found many types of daffodils to be dependable and only a few that seem to fade away over a few years. Veteran gardeners in the area can tell you which ones do best in your particular soil and climate.

Other bulbs that have naturalized well for me include Dutch iris (a bulb-type iris), grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum), hardy gladiolus (Gladiolus byzantinus), lady tulip (Tulipa clusiana), hardy amaryllis (Hippeastrum x Johnsonii), oxblood lily (Rhodophiala bifida), pink magic lily (Lycoris squamigera), red spider lily (Lycoris radiata), and summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum).

Selecting the Best Bulbs

It is important to choose healthy, quality bulbs. Second-rate bulbs produce second-rate flowers. Quality bulbs will produce flowers the first year after planting, as the blooms are already formed in the bulbs when you purchase them. Select bulbs that are large for their species and firm. I try to shop or order early while the selection is best.

Planting

Before planting bulbs, I work a few inches of compost into the soil. Slightly raised planting beds are worth the extra effort in the south, as our rainfall often comes in mini deluges! Bulbs can be a bit picky about their planting depth. When in doubt plant them at a depth of 3 times the width of the bulb. In sandy soil, set bulbs slightly deeper; in clay soils, slightly shallower. I usually mix a small handful of bone meal in the soil beneath each bulb. Then I mulch the area well with leaves and pine needles to discourage weed competition.

Then I go on my way and forget about them. They'll make their sudden debut in their appointed season with a surprising display of their own unique brand of beauty.

Water Wisdom

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Rising temperatures mean our gardens are getting thirsty. Thankfully we've had plenty of rain lately in Texas, delaying the inevitable dance of the hoses I do every summer in my yard and garden. Dragging hoses is great exercise and offers hours of quiet, mindless opportunities to contemplate life or just daydream.

Believe it or not, I actually find something therapeutic about standing in the garden with a sprayer pistol in hand watering the garden. Some of my most relaxing and creative thinking has come at the end of a garden hose. It's even better than a long ride through the countryside! And with all those new-fangled, multi-nozzle options, who can resist?

Despite these advantages, I realize that some gardeners may not appreciate the summer sport of hand watering as much as I do. Plus unless you really spend some time at it, hand watering often does not provide the deep soaking plants need. It takes time for the water to soak in and wet the soil deeply. So if you approach watering like a "one minute manager," you'd better consider another approach.

Last summer I installed some drip irrigation lines to save water and reduce leaf wetting, which promotes disease. Drip systems are now commonplace in gardens and landscapes. I found the system I put together quite easy to install and very effective. I plan on adding more lines this summer to convert more of the garden to drip. But don't worry. I'll always keep a little area for hand watering. I'd hate to work myself out of a job!

I have a few garden beds that are not in production now that the spring crops are done. Most of these will get a good coating of composted manure or other decomposed organic matter. By late summer, they will be ready for fall planting. Other areas are going to be planted with southern peas. These will make a good crop this summer, but are mainly planted to build the soil. The roots of these legumes add nitrogen to the soil. After harvest, I'll mow the vines to the ground and rototill the shredded remains into the soil.

Fried Green Tomatoes

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Much success in growing tomatoes can be attributed to use of a few proven techniques. Choosing a variety that has proven to be a true performer in your local area should be top of your list. You can't go wrong asking a local vegetable gardener or someone with a stall at a local farmer's market.

Now is the time to start tomatoe plants indoors ready to be planted out after the last frost. Start saving your eggshells as well, if you don't know why read on!

Use the best soil available to grow the tomato crop. Clay and sandy soils can be improved by working in 2 to 3 inches of compost, peatmoss, or other forms of organic matter in the top 6 to 9 inches of soil. Lime and fertilizer should be added according to instructions. Lime will help reduce nutrient imbalances, particularly with calcium and help control the blossom end rot problem that occurs so frequently on tomatoes. I always saved the shells from eggs believe it or not, and they prevented any deficiency.

Tomato plants should be spaced 1 1/2 to 2 ft apart in the row and 3 to 4 ft between rows. The planting hole should be deep enough to allow the top of a peat pot to be covered with one inch of soil. If peat pot is exposed to the air, it will act like a wick and rapidly dry out the root ball, causing stunting or death of the plant. 

If the transplant is tall and leggy at time of planting, the trench planting method should be used. To trench plant a tomato plant, dig a horizontal trench rather than a hole for each plant. Next, remove all of the leaves from the plant except the top leaf cluster (4 to 5 leaves). Then lay the plant on its side in the trench and cover the root system and bare stem up to the top leaf cluster with 2 to 3 inches of soil. Firm the soil over the plant. Be sure not to press the soil too firmly around the stem where it comes out of the soil, as the stem may break. 

Tomato plants should be staked or caged shortly after planting. Generally, staking produces larger tomatoes but less quantity than caging. A common 6-ft tomato stake may be purchased from many garden centers. The stake should be driven in the soil about one ft deep, 3 to 5 inches from the plant. Be sure to avoid driving the stake on the root side of plants that have been trench planted. Trench planted tomatoes should be staked immediately after planting while the location of the buried stem is fresh in mind. Use a strip of cloth, nylon stocking, or heavy string to tie the plant to the stake.

Tomato cages may be made by using a 5 1/2 foot length of concrete reinforcing wire. The wire will form a circle 18 to 20 inches in diameter. The bottom horizontal ring of the wire cage should be cut off so that the ends can be pushed into the ground. After setting the cage in place over the tomato plant, drive 2 or 3 stakes around the outside edge of the cage to give it extra support.

Side dress tomato plants with 2 to 3 Tbsp. per plant of a complete fertilizer such as 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 after the plants have started to set fruit and 4 to 6 weeks thereafter throughout the growing season. Keep the side dressing material 4 to 6 inches from the plant's stem to avoid fertilizer burn. Make sure you don't use any other fertilizer such as 20-20-20 as you will get lot's of leaves and few fruit.

It is important to make sure the tomatoes receive sufficient water during the season. The soil should be soaked 6 to 8 inches deep at 7-day intervals. Mulches such as wheat straw or composted leaves around the tomato plants will prove to be a real asset in conserving soil moisture during the fiery Alberta heat of July and August.


Ingredients

* 4 large green tomatoes

* 2 eggs

* 1/2 cup milk

* 1 cup all-purpose flour

* 1/2 cup cornmeal

* 1/2 cup bread crumbs

* 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

* 1 quart vegetable oil for frying

   

Directions

1  
Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Discard the ends.

2  
Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium-size bowl. Scoop flour onto a plate. Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs and salt and pepper on another plate. Dip tomatoes into flour to coat. Then dip the tomatoes into milk and egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumbs to completely coat.

3  
In a large skillet, pour vegetable oil (enough so that there is 1/2 inch of oil in the pan) and heat over a medium heat. Place tomatoes into the frying pan in batches of 4 or 5, depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the tomatoes, they should not touch each other. When the tomatoes are browned, flip and fry them on the other side. Drain them on paper towels.

Makes 4 servings


---------------------------------------

Ingredients

* 1/3 cup bread crumbs

* 1/2 teaspoon white sugar

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

* 1/4 cup vegetable oil

* 1 pound green tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick

   
Directions

1  
Stir together bread crumbs, sugar, salt and pepper.
2  
Coat tomatoes in the crumb mixture.
3  
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry tomatoes for 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.
Makes 4 servings

Fried' Green Tomatoes


1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 large green tomatoes cut horizontally into 1/2" thick slices

1 egg white -- beaten w/ 2 T. water

Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a shallow dish, combine cornmeal, bread crumbs, paprika, salt, pepper and cayenne, if desired; set aside.

Lightly coat a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray; set aside. Dip each tomato slice in egg white mixture, then dredge in cornmeal-bread crumb mixture to coat. Place slices in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Spray tops of slices with vegetable cooking spray.

Bake 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese during last 5 minutes of baking if desired. Serve immediately. 

Makes 6 servings.

Summer Gardening

Our southern gardens are once again in transition. The first transition was when danger of frost passed and we began to plant warm-season veggies and flowers. Now the weather is moving from warm to hot. That means the cool-season plantings such as broccoli are almost all done and wimpier warm-season flowers such as Dianthus and petunias will soon look like they were blasted with a welding torch.

Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, beans, and other mild-weather veggies are in their prime right now. They're ripening fast and keeping us picking every day to stay ahead of their feverish pace. But, when the summer temperatures rise a bit further, tomatoes will stop setting fruit (except perhaps for the cherry types), and even squash, cucumbers, and beans will do little in the way of producing. It'll be time to pull them out. By fall, they will be the stars again. In the mean time, I can't bear looking at a bear patch of dirt all summer, so I'm planting some summer-tough veggies and flowers in my garden.

Some of my favorite heat-loving vegetables include okra, sweet potato, vegetable amaranth, Malabar greens, water spinach, winter squash (including pumpkin), and southern peas. All these can be planted now if you haven t done so already.

Cool-season flower beds are replaced with heat-tolerant scaevola, Zinnia angustifolia, Blackfoot daisy, Lantana, Pentas, Esperanza, hyacinth bean, cigar plant, Gomphrena, Mexican petunia, and selected salvias. These plants laugh at the sultry summer sauna as long as we provide them a little water to keep them going.

This is also the season to keep that mulch replenished and make sure the plants as well as ourselves get a good drink of water to keep us perked up and healthy. With a little work now, you can reap beautiful dividends all summer long.

Flower Clock

Make a Clock with Flowers Who needs a watch when you can tell time with flowers? No, you don't need to wear a corsage on your wrist. If you plant a flower clock in your yard, you can look out the window and know the hour at almost any time of day.

The flower clock was developed by Carolus Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist. Linnaeus was a professor at the University of Uppsala, and in his studies he noticed that the flowers of different plants open and close at certain times each day. In 1748 he decided to plant a flower clock, and those who visited could look at it and tell what hour it was.

You could plant such a clock, too. First you'll need to select some flowers that open and close at different times. Try to find plants that grow well in your area, ones that flower at the same time of year. Below is a list of popular plants whose blossoms open and close at specific hours.

What to Do: Make a small circle (about a foot to eighteen inches in diameter) in some outdoor soil. Plant the flowers in order around the outside of the circle so you can read them like a clock's face. When they bloom, you'll have your own flower clock. But get moving-your botanical clock is ticking!

*morning glories and wild roses open: 5:00-6:00 a.m.

*dandelions open: 7:00-8:00 a.m.

*African daisies open: 8:00-9:00 a.m.

*gentians open: 9:00-10:00 a.m.

*California poppies open: 10:00-11:00 a.m.

*morning glories close, goatsbeard opens: noon

*four o'clocks open: 4:00 p.m.

*California poppies close : 4:00-5:00 p.m.

*evening primroses and moonflowers open: 6:00 p.m.

*daylilies and dandelions close: 8:00-9:00 p.m.

*flowering tobacco opens: 9:00-10:00 p.m.

*night-blooming cereus opens: 10:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m.

If it's too late in the summer to plant in your region, please keep this idea for next spring.

May Gardening to do List

1 Repot crowed house plants, move to a spot on your patio or under a large shade tree for the summer. Guard against burning the foliage-dont' move them directly into full sun.

2. St. Augustine lawns will likely begin to show chinch bug damage during late May.

3. Fertilize: Vegetables monthly, flowering annuals monthly; trees and shrubs twice a year; lawns every 10-12 weeks.

4. Early spring annuals such as pansies and calendulas will soon fade with summer's heat. Clean out the beds and plant summer flowering annuals.

5. This is an excellent time to propagate your favorite chrysanthemums from cuttings. As soon as the cutting are rooted, dig up the parent plant and discard.

6. Work rain-compacted soil around plants and flower beds to provide aeration. Use shallow cultivation to prevent root damage. The use of a good mulch will prevent soil compacting, eliminate the need for cultivation, greatly reduce weed growth, and cut down on watering.

7. Continue to watch for aphids, thrips, red spider mite, caterpillars, white fly, leaf rollers, and scale.

8 Complete pruning of climbing roses to insure a good supply of new wood for next year's flower formation.

9. Continue to spray roses for black spot and mildew control.

10. Pinch back leggy bedding plants to encourage side shoots. Pinching stops the terminal growth, thus resulting in bushier plants and more flower buds.

11. Caladium bulbs can be planted anytime this month.

12 Check your lawn mower blade. Dull blades can cause a brownish discoloration of the stems and leaves shortly after cutting.

13. Weeds will soon invade a lawn that is suffering from lack of moisture. A thorough, deep soaking of the lawn every week is better than frequent light watering.