-
All You Need To Know About Growing Cucumbers
I love growing cucumbers. The best memory I have is taking a big bite out of an extremely bitter cucumber. That was early in my gardening journey and I had planted a cucumber meant for pickling, not eating raw. Who would have thought there was a difference? I sure didn’t. So, when picking seeds to plant make sure you read the seed package carefully. Decide What To Grow Cucumbers have a refreshing taste mostly because they are high in water. They are divided into 2 categories: those used for pickling and those used for slicing. Pickling cucumbers tend to be bitter and are not good when eaten raw.…
-
Zucchini Bread
The Ever-Prolific Zucchini We learned a lesson from zucchini over the years. We always grew 3-4 plants each year and you probably can guess the rest of the story. We ate zucchini. We cooked with zucchini. We froze zucchini. We gave away zucchini. We now grow 2 plants and that seems to plenty to fit our needs and we do not feel as if we are being wasteful. We like baked goods with zucchini the most. Zucchini bread and other baked items are very easy to make. Grating the zucchini is a snap if you have a food processor with a grating feature. (It really saves the knuckles.) A…
-
Pecan Trees
When I am in the garden and need a break in the shade my go to place is always under my pecan tree! Pecan trees are native to the United States and they thrive in the Southern locations. They are of the most desirable trees for home yards. They are large trees, and provide natural shade and the nutritious value make them a favorite. They do very well in Texas. My pecan tree was transplanted from a Pecan Farm 17 years ago and with this one tree we have plenty of nuts for our family plus plenty for holiday gift giving. We live on a little over a acre and…
-
How Hot Are Your Peppers?
Peppers are a favorite in most gardens behind tomatoes and herbs. They are often grown in container gardens and they do well. Peppers are a warm season favorite however, they require higher temperatures, grow more slowly and are smaller in size compared to a tomato plant. They require full sun and they need to spaced 12-18 inches apart. Peppers are a thirsty plant and need plenty of water. The soil must drain well so the roots do not get saturated which can water logs the roots. A little history about the spiciness/heat of pepper began in the 1900’s. The Scoville scale of heat is a measurement of the spiciness/heat of…
-
Is Squash A Vegetable?
Well, that’s a good question, as there are various opinions! Technically it is categorized as a fruit because it develops from a flower and it has seeds Summer squash is producing in large amounts in my garden and everyday I pick a basket full. Squash is divided into summer squash and winter squash. Summer squash includes zucchini and yellow squash. I grow both types. They are picked while they are still somewhat immature, small and tender. The outer skin is delicate and easy to eat. The plants need to be checked daily for new produce, and when removing the squash, cutting versus breaking them off at the stem is…
-
Dog Days of Summer
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac the Dog Days of Summer is the hottest, most sultry days of summer. It is usually 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11. This means we are right in between the two major planting seasons for vegetable gardens. It is typical at this time to see some empty spaces as certain vegetables succumb to oppressive heat and sometimes pests. It seems we have started those hot sultry days earlier than usual as our high temperatures have been above normal. Trying to establish young plants during this time is very difficult as I am experiencing with my tomatoes plants. During this time first…
-
Spring Showers
As planting season has come and gone, we now get to sit back (which means spend hours watching and picking as the fruits and vegetables ripen) and see the garden grow. All the hard work that leads to a plentiful crop. But, the work does not stop. We all know the reality of making sure the okra doesn’t get too large, or the tomatoes do not sit on the vine too long. What about the herbs that seem to have taken over and spread like wild-fire? Well, we know the spring showers bring much appreciated moisture to our freshly tilled garden, but it can also bring unwelcome weather. Hail is…
Home Grown is Best
