How & When To Pot Seedlings

In my last post, I discussed seed starting.  Once the seeds have germinated, the next step is to re-pot them so that the plants can continue to grow well before you place them in the garden in spring.

The time to re-pot a seedling is when it has grown its first set of true leaves and when its roots have filled most of the cell in the seed starting flat.

Cotyledons vs. True Leaves: Image from: http://www.78stepshealth.us/flowering-plants/seeds.html

The first leaves that a plant produces are called cotyledons.  These are usually 2 smooth, oval-shaped leaves that are the first to appear after the seed germinates.  You do not need to re-pot the seedling when you see these.  Instead, wait for the true leaves to appear.  These are the 3rd and 4th leaves that appear after the seedling has grown for several weeks.  These leaves look like the mature plant's leaves, only smaller (because they haven't grown to full size yet.) See diagram above.

To re-pot the plant follow these simple steps:

1. Fill a small pot of diameter 2-4 inches with a 50/50 mix of well-rotted compost (not manure!) and perlite or a good light potting soil. Try not to use plain dirt from your back yard unless you have to.  This is because the soil from your back yard may contain organisms that can damage the young seedling and/or may not contain enough nutrition for the young plant. If you make your own compost,  it is ok to use that mixed 50/50 with perlite or sharp sand.

2. Water the soil so that it is about as wet as a wrung out sponge.

3. Use a pencil or stick to make a hole in the center of the pot that leaves enough space for the root system of the seedling.

4. Hold the seedling by one cotyledon (baby leaf), and use the pencil to loosen the roots from the tray that the seedling was started in.  Be careful not to tear the stem or true leaves.  Be as careful as you can to avoid damaging the roots as well.

5.  Place the roots of the plant into the hole in the new pot.

Special Cases:  

With most plants, you should only place the roots beneath the soil surface, leaving the stem and leaves clear of the soil. This is to avoid rot.  A few plants are exceptions to this rule.  For example, tomatoes and peppers may be buried more deeply.  For these plants, it is a good idea to

bury the roots AND the stem of the plant up to the level of the cotyledons.  This is because the stems of these vegetables are able to grow more roots.  Burying them deeply at this stage will actually help the plant to produce a stronger root system as well as stronger stem.

6. Remember to label your plants! 

 7. Place the newly potted plants in a bright (preferably South-facing) window.  This time of year, in the north, it is a good idea to continue using a grow light since the days are still very short and since most windows do not let in enough light. Continue using your grow light until the spring equinox (when there are at least 12 hours of sunlight a day.)  or until you place the plant in your garden.

8. Water the plant when the soil feels dry when you stick your finger into the pot up to your first knuckle.  Do not leave the plant sitting in a dish of water. Do not over-water.  This can cause root rot. Most plants fail indoors because the gardener "loves them to death." That is, they get over-watered and/or over-fertilized.  At the same time, you shouldn't under water either. Do not wait until the plant has wilted to water it. Check the soil!

9. If you have used good quality compost and/or potting soil, you should not need to fertilize the plant between now and when the plant is placed in the garden in April or May (in Michigan).  Most compost and potting mixes will contain many months worth of nutrition for a typical plant.

10. If you want a plant to be bushy or to have multiple branches (e.g. peppers, basil, most other herbs etc.), wait until the plant has produced around 6 true leaves and pinch or cut off the tip of the plant below the top two leaves at the level of the stem.  This will cause the plant to branch at this level. With some plants you may continue to pinch or even prune the plant periodically so that it will continue to bush.  Herbs especially benefit from this treatment. See image below:

When & where to pinch.  Image from: http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/h-406/welcome.html

11.  Be patient and RTFSP!  That's right! "Read The ____ Seed Packet!"  The seed packet when it is the best time to put the plant out in to the garden, how far apart to space the plants & etc.  Wait for spring and the last frost.  Wait for it..... waaaaaait.....

About 3 of My Favorite "Ditch Flowers"

As I was walking the dog, I realized that some of my favorite flowers are found in ditches. There is such a great variety of wildflowers: different colors, different shapes, different sizes... and all as them tough as, well, weeds.

People often pass these flowers by without a second glance.  But I think they are worth taking the time to admire, and even to consider transplanting into a garden.

Here is some information on 3 of my favorite ditch flowers.  In the future, I hope to have more posts on various wildflowers and other wild plants.

CHICORY (Cichorium intybus)

Why I love it:  It's so very BLUE!  It is also airy, tough and useful.  Next year, I hope to create a blue border in my yard.  When I do, I am going to try to transplant one of these from the ditch to my yard. I am also going to try to collect seed from some of the plants near my home to try starting them that way as well.  Wish me luck!

Description: Herbaceous perennial. Blue stalkless flowers 1.5 inches (3.8cm) in size.  On tall stalks to 4ft. (1.2m) in height. Has a fleshy, white taproot.  The leaves are spiky, and kind of look like dandelion leaves.  Blooms early summer.

Where found:  Roadsides, and open fields. 
Grows in full sun and poor soil.  The plant is native to Europe, but has become naturalized throughout the United States and Australia as well.

Uses:  The roots can be roasted and ground as a coffee substitute or filler.  You can make chicory "coffee" by steeping 1.5tsp ground roasted chicory in a cup of boiled water.  The leaves can be boiled and eaten if you gather them early.  Older leaves can turn very bitter.  It can also be used as forage for livestock.

For more information/works cited: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicory or The Peterson Field Guide: Edible Wild Plants Eastern/Central North America

Queen Anne's Lace / Bishop's Lace/ Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) 

Why I love it: These flowers really do look like lace. They attract beneficial insects, and are useful.  I also love the story that goes with it:  Once upon a time, Queen Ann (England 1665-1714)  was sewing some lace and pricked her finger.  Her blood spilled onto the lace.  It is said that the purple flower in the center of the lacy umbel of Daucus carota resembles the queen's sewing accident.

Description:   Herbaceous biennial. White, lacy, flat (umbel) flower clusters, often with a single dark purple flower in the center. Hairy stem. Stiff, 3-forked bracts.  The leaves are feathery and resemble carrot leaves. The tap root is white and smells like carrot. 2-3 ft (60-90cm) in height. Blooms early summer until fall.

WARNING! This plant looks a lot like poison hemlock/ fools parsley!  Please be 100% certain that you have the correct plant before attempting to use or eat this plant! The main difference between hemlock and Queen Anne's lace is that hemlock stems are hairless, whereas Queen Anne's lace has hairy stems.

Where found: Roadsides and open fields throughout North America, zones 3-9.  It is indigenous to Eurasia and Northeastern Africa. It can also be found in Australia.

Uses: Cook the roots and eat them as carrots.   SEE WARNING ABOVE.

For more information/works cited: http://www.ediblewildfood.com/queen-annes-lace.aspx, The Peterson Field Guide: Edible Wild Plants Eastern/Central North America,   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daucus_carota


Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annuus)

Why I love it:  The tiny daisies are so cute!! It is also a native plant that bees adore. Ancient folklore states that these plants are good for repelling fleas, however its usefulness in this regard is debatable (or unlikely).
 
Description: Herbaceous annual or biennial in the aster family. The flowers are 1/2 inch (1-2cm) across and look like daisies. The entire plant is 1-3 feet tall (0.5-1m) The stems are grooved and hairy towards the base, and branch towards the top. The leaves are thin and oblong in shape. Some of the larger leaves have coarse teeth. They bloom in late spring to early summer for 1-2 months.

Where found: Roadsides and open field throughout North America (all zones).  It prefers full sun and good moisture and can tolerate any type of soil.

Uses: Food for sheep, groundhogs, and rabbits.  Bees, wasps, butterflies and beetles love their pollen.

For more information/works cited: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erigeron_annuus, http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/ds_fleabanex.htm, http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=ERAN


 I hope that on your next walk, bike ride or drive down the road, you take the time to admire these often over-looked treasures in our landscape, and that you love them as much as I (and the bees) do!

Project #3 - The Herb Garden

Herb garden June 2015 - AFTER planting.

Herb garden Spring 2015 - BEFORE planting.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I just moved in to my house last year (summer 2014).  The house came with several garden beds, as well as some very nice hardscaping.  While some of the beds around the house were already filled to bursting with daylilies, hosta, spiderwort, sundrops, irises and roses, others were virtually empty.

So, I am attempting to plant one major portion of the garden at my home each summer.  This summer the garden that I chose to work on was the area closest to the lake.  I decided to designate this bed as my combination herb garden and pie garden.  (Pie garden = strawberries and rhubarb.)

The garden bed, like all others has advantages and challenges.

Advantages: 

One side of the bed faces the lake, so it gets sun from that direction all day.

The soil is sandy and drains well.

The previous owners already built in a nice hardscaped path and seating area along with a retaining wall.  Because of this, the space is like it's own garden "room".

The pie garden spring 2015 - BEFORE planting.

There is a pump from the lake, so I can hook up
my hose. Otherwise, I can just dunk my watering can in the lake and water with that. 

 Disadvantages:

The bed is on the North side of the property.  It is not very protected in the winter.

The soil is sandy and does not contain a high amount of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium).

To each side, there are oak trees in my neighbor's garden.  These do shade the beds a bit in the morning and evening, but also keep the sun from mercilessly baking the area.  They are both an advantage and disadvantage.

The chipmunks have made their homes in and under this garden.  They have made holes everywhere and buried several acorns that have developed into oak seedling "weeds".  My dog is no help at all with regard to critter control. She just points at the chipmunks... as if I don't already see!

The pie garden June 2015 - AFTER planting.

  What I Did to Prepare the Area:

  Last fall, I brought in compost from Tuthill Farms. I spread    this over the bed to a depth of about  2 inches. This should help to improve the nutrients in the soil and help hold on to some moisture.

  This spring, I spread corn gluten mean (nitrogen), bone meal (phosphorus), and potash (potassium)  over the area to improve the nutrients in the soil.  These are good, slow-release, organic fertilizers.

  I mulched the area.

  I hooked up a drip hose and zig-zagged it through the garden for ease of watering.  Drip hoses are more efficient at delivering water to the plants than spray irrigation because less is lost to evaporation.  If you are interested in conserving water, but still want to provide for your garden, please consider one of these hoses.  You can find them at any large hardware store (Home Depot, Lowes, Ace etc.). 

I also purchased a live trap and have been capturing the chipmunks one by one.  Once I catch them, I drive them several miles away to empty woodlots and let them go. I may need to continue catching and releasing them for some time.  Each time that I capture one, I see another peeking at me from under a bush or a rock! 

What I Planted (or left planted) in the Herb Garden: 

Sibirian Iris / Iris Siberica (purple-blue flowers) - The former owner planted this, but I like it! I
especially like how the reedy leaves blow in the breeze off of the lake, as well as the seed pods that last through the winter.

German Iris / Iris Germanica (yellow and white, and purple-blue flowers) - The former owner planted this, but I like it as well. Irises remind me of my grandmother.

German Iris

Sedum (type unknown, yellow flowers) - The former owner planted this to fill the cracks in the retaining-wall rocks.  I like it!

Tickseed / Coreopsis (yellow flowers) - The former owner planted this, too. This is a great plant for enticing beneficial insects.

Roses / Rosa (hybrid type unknown, pink flowers)  - The former owner planted this. I sort of like it, but it is not highly useful, and is only doing moderately well where it is located.  They are nibbled on by insects. Last winter, I protected these with rose cones. They did better this year than the year before
 because of the protection. Perhaps they will improve with time and better care.

German Iris & Sedum in the background.

Red Hot Poker / Kniphofia uvaria - The former owner planted this, I like it, but I *might* move it to the sunny front garden at a later time to make room for more herbs.  I haven't decided for sure yet. It is lovely and doing fairly well where it is now.

Apothecary Rose / Rosa gallica (pink flowers) - This is a tough rose that smells good, makes edible flowers, makes large edible hips and was traditionally used as a medicinal plant. It is also the rose for the house of Lancaster during the British War of the Roses - for all you history buffs and Shakespeare fans.

Dwarf Bartlett Pear / Pyrus 'Bartlett' - I am hoping for fruit in the future!  I did plant another pear tree elsewhere in the garden so the two can fertilize each other.

Lemon Balm / Melissa officinalis - The leaves smell like lemon and can be used to make tea, potpourri, or to flavor food.

Angelica / Angelica archangelica - This herb is a biennial.  The leaves taste a bit like licorice.  It can be used to flavor salad, fruit and jam.  It also makes a large umbel shaped flower that beneficial insects enjoy. 

Bee balm with hummingbird moth.

Bee Balm / Monarda didyma - This is another pollinator-friendly tea herb.  The dried flowers taste a bit like earl grey tea.

Sorrel / Rumex acetosa -  This is a perennial plant with sour edible leaves.  It can be used as a salad green.  The leaves are also food for larval butterflies and moths.

Chives & Garlic Chives / Allium schoenoprasum & Allium tuberosum - The narrow leaves and purple or white flowers of this plant can be used to season a variety of foods.  I planted these near the roses to attempt to scare off some of the insects that might nibble the roses.  So far, the roses are being nibbled anyway!

Siberian iris and honeysuckle vine.

Egyptian Walking Onions / Allium x proliferum -  This onion "walks" by making bulbs at the end of its stalks, above the ground.  The bulbs become too heavy for the stalk, and cause the stalk to tip to the ground.  The bulbs then grow in the dirt where they fall.  This way, they "walk" across the garden, one step at a time, each summer.  The bulbs above and below ground can both be eaten.  They taste like scallions to me.

Honeysuckle Vine / Lonicera sempervirens - I am growing this down the sea wall by training it around some chicken wire. I am growing it primarily for the lovely bright-pink flowers and the sweet, sweet smell.

Stinging Nettles / Urtica Dioica - I know, I know it's a weed... but a useful one!  It can be soaked in water to make fertilizer for tomatoes.  When you cook it, the sting vanishes and it can be eaten. It is actually fairly high in protein. It is also host for red admiral butterfly larva.

Joe Pye Weed / Eutrochium purpureum - This is NOT edible. I grew it to make the beneficial insects happy and also to provide a screen at the end of the garden nearest to the property line.  It grows into a very tall plant with a purple umbel for the flower. It blooms around mid to late August.

Chamomile

Chamomile / Matricaria recutita -  This plant makes cheerful little white daises with yellow centers.  the daisies smell a bit like apple and can be dried to make the ever-so-soothing chamomile tea. ZZZzzzz.... /happy sighs/

Pincushion Flower / Scabosia -  This is not edible.  I planted it because it makes cute purple flowers nearly all summer long, and because the butterflies like it.

Salad burnet / Sanguisorba minor - The leaves of this herb are often used in salads (thus the name).  They have a light, almost sweet flavor.

Lemon Grass / Cymbopogon citratus -  I either have to grow this one as an annual or attempt to bring it indoors in the winter. It is a tropical plant that looks like grass but tastes like lemon. It is frequently used in Thai cooking.

Hyssop / Hyssopus officinalis - This makes narrow, feathery purple flowers. It tastes like a cross

Hyssop.

between sage, anise and mint.  The beneficial insects love it.  This is another one that I prefer to dry and use as tea, but it can also be used to season salads, soup and other foods. It tends to re-seed itself easily.

Lovage / Levisticum officinale -  This is another tall plant with a white umbel for a flower.  The leaves taste like celery and can be used as a flavor substitute for celery in things like salad and soup.

Winter Savory / Satureja montana - The leaves of this herb have a peppery flavor and can be used to flavor a variety of foods.  I hear that it also helps to decrease flatus (gas) when cooked with beans or Jerusalem artichokes.

Catnip / Nepeta cataria  -  This is the plant that makes the kittens crazy!  I grew it to dry and gift to my in-laws' kitty.  It can also be used to make tea.

Cilantro/ Coriander / Coriandrum sativum - This is an annual herb.  I use it to flavor a variety of Mexican and Thai dishes. It often bolts on me early. Luckily the seeds can also be used as a flavoring.

Nasturtiums and a water bath for butterflies.

Nasturtiums / Tropaeloum majus - These are annual flowers.  The flower petals can be eaten.  They don't taste like much, but they can improve the presentation of any dish with their bright colors.  They also can act as a trap for aphids.  Aphids love to nibble nasturtiums and prefer them to many vegetables. When the aphids appear, you simply allow them to swarm the nasturtium and then douse them (plant and all) in a bucket of soapy water.  Sure you end up killing the nasturtium, but think of all the tomatoes you may be rescuing!

Horehound / Marrubium vulgare - The leaves of these have an interesting flavor.  It is used to flavor horehound candy.  Ever tried it? No?  Get ye to Cracker Barrel! Either there, or the Country Store/Frontier Town in Romeo, Michigan! They sell the candy there!

Dill, fennel, California poppy and hardy kiwi.

Hardy Kiwi / Actinidia arguta - I am training this vine down the sea wall.  Hopefully, once it is
established, it will produce small, non-fuzzy, edible, kiwis.  Usually, a male and female vine are both required. However, the one I purchased is grafted with both male and female branches.  I hope that it will do well. I have never grown this before.

Dill / Anethum graveolens - This is my husband's favorite herb.  It can be used to flavor a variety of foods including pickles, fish and others.  My husband mixes it into his salmon dip. YUUUUUM!

California Poppies.

Fennel / Foeniculum vulgare - The leaves of this plant taste like anise. It also makes a bulb that can be sliced thin and cooked into a variety of dishes.  It is host plant to the swallow tail butterfly.  It is very tall and makes yellow umbel flowers.  It looks and smells wonderful when waving in the breeze!

California Poppies / Eschscholzia Californica - I planted this mostly for looks and to make the bees happy, but the seeds can also be eaten.

Sweet Majoram / Origanum majorana - This herb is commonly mixed with orgeano, basil, and thyme to make Italian spice mix.  It is great for flavoring a variety of dishes. It's flavor is difficult to describe... you should just try tasting it sometime!

Chocolate Cosmos.

Stokes aster / Stokesia laevis - This is NOT edible. I grew it because it provides beautiful purple-blue daisies in late summer to early fall.  The bees adore this plant!


Chocolate cosmos / Cosmos atrosanguineus - I grew these because they smell like chocolate. 'Nough said.  (They are annuals and NOT edible!)

Salsify / Scorzonera - The young leaf shoots, flower petals and root of this plant can all be eaten. The root has a sweet flavor when cooked.  The leaves can be used as a spinach substitute. The flower buds can be added to salad.

Good King Henry / Chenopodium bonus-henricus - The young leaves can be used in salad.  They are bitter and high in iron. The flowering shoots can also be peeled and be used as an asparagus substitute.

Thyme & Lemon Thyme/ thymus vulgaris &Thymus serpyllum citriodora - This herb is great in cooking! It also makes lovely, small, purple bee-friendly flowers.

Milkweed

Oregano / Origanum vulgare - This herb is great in Italian cooking.  I will be using it in the future to make and can spaghetti sauce - yum!

French Tarragon / Artemesia dracunculus - The leaves of this herb are often used in French cooking.  They taste great with poultry, sauces or eggs.

Sage / Salvia officinalis - The leaves of this herb are also great with poultry.  It is the primary herb that I use when making turkey stuffing for Thanksgiving. It also makes purple flowers in the spring
and can grow into a small, woody bush.

Milkweed / Asclepias syriaca - The young shoots of this plant are edible, but I grow it for the butterflies.  It is host plant to monarch butterfly larva. It also makes a beautiful ball shaped flower.

I Am Growing the Following in Pots in the Herb Garden:

Tophat Blueberry / Vaccinium 'top hat' -  I love blueberries!  I am growing this in a pot because it is easier to control the acidity of the soil this way. Blueberries prefer a soil pH of 5.5-6.5.  My ground soil is mostly alkaline (pH 7.8), so filling a pot with more acidic soil  and peat was the only way that I could grow this plant.

The potted herbs.

Spearmint / Mentha spicata- I am growing this a pot because if I don't it will attempt to take over the world!  At the same time, I love this herb.  It is great in desserts, in mojitos and even in spaghetti sauce.

Rosemary / Rosmarinus officinalis - This is a tender perennial. I will have to bring it indoors during the winter if I want to keep it for next year.  Thus, it is in a pot.  It is a great flavoring for meat, bread and many other dishes.

Lemon Verbena / Aloysia triphylla - This is another tender perennial that I will need to bring indoors in the winter. The leaves taste and smell like sweet lemon. It is great in fruit salad or as tea.

Pineapple Mint / Mentha suavolens - This is another mint that is great in mixed drinks and fruit salad. Only this time it tastes and smells a bit like pineapple!

What's Growing in the Pie Plot:

Hidcote Lavender /  Lavandula angustifolia - I lined the walkway with this. I am hoping that when it
grows, I will brush against it as I walk by and be able to smell it as I go. I do occasionally use lavender flowers in cooking, but I mostly like it for its scent. It makes great sachets and potpourri. I think that I will need to protect this plant in the winter as I do with the roses since the garden is on the North side of the yard.  This lavender is hardy to zone 5, but this garden's exposure can cause it to seem like zone 3-4 in the winter at times. 

Potted herbs, blueberry pot, metal duck, weather vane, and pie plot.

Strawberries /  Fragaria - I have both ever-bearing and June bearing strawberries planted. I LOVE strawberries: in shortcake, in pie, raw.... SUPER YUM!

Rhubarb / Rheum rhabarbarum 'Victoria' - I grow these sour stems for the purpose of making strawberry-rhubarb pie and jam. I love it!

Borage / Borago officinalis - This is an annual. It makes purple-blue, star shaped flowers that are edible and taste a bit like cucumber. It is also supposed to be a good companion plant for strawberries. It is said to help deter pests from the strawberries and to attract predatory beneficial insects such as wasps.

Asparagus / Asparagus officinalis - The stems of this plant are harvested and eaten in early spring. It will take a couple of years before I can harvest what I planted, but it will be worth it!

Strawberries, lovage and rhubarb with soaker hose.

Elderberry / Sambucus canadensis 'Johns'  - Both the berries and flowers of this plant can be made in to wine.  The berries can also be made in to jam.  This is a native plant with beautiful white, lacy flowers.  It will take several years before my little elderberry bush is large enough to produce, but it will also be worth the wait. 

As you can see from the pictures, I have only recently planted this garden area.  I plan on taking
photos next year as well, when *hopefully* the plants will have grown in more.  The garden should hit full stride by summer 2017.  You gardeners know the saying, "The first year the garden sleeps, the second it creeps, the third it leaps!"  I am hopeful that the plantings will survive long enough to leap!

Keep reading the blog for further updates.  Please consider sharing the web address with your garden-loving friends.  :)

How to Grow and Preserve Horseradish

What is horseradish?

Horseradish is one of the easiest plants to grow, and is a delicious flavoring for sauces, marinades and burger patties.  According to wikipedia, "Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana, syn. Cochlearia armoracia) is a perennial plant of the Brassicaceae family (which also includes mustard, wasabi, broccoli, and cabbage). The plant is probably native to southeastern Europe and western Asia. It is now popular around the world. It grows up to 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) tall, and is cultivated primarily for its large, white, tapered root." 

How to plant horseradish:

Horseradish is hardy in USDA zones 3-9.  It is a very tough plant and spreads vigorously via its root.  It is best planted in a pot in most garden situations. Simply place the root in the dirt about 1 -2 inches from the surface, laying lengthwise. Cover with dirt and water.  You can purchase a horseradish root from your local garden center, or online garden source

How to harvest horseradish:

If you have grown the horseradish in a pot, it is ready to harvest when the plant fills the pot or the pot is root-bound.  If you have planted the horseradish in the ground (not recommended!) you can dig it up about a year after planting.  Be sure to get every piece of root out of the ground, or it will regrow from the root scraps. 

Once you have un-potted or dug up the horseradish, you can pull it apart at the roots with a spading fork, or your hands. Then, rise off the roots with a strong blast of hose water.

If you wish, you can save a portion of the leaves and root to re-plant in the pot. (A bit like dividing and re-planting a perennial such as daylilies.)  Clean the rest of the roots thoroughly for use in the kitchen.

Cleaning the horseradish:

After you blast the horseradish root with the hose, use a sharp knife and/or pruners to trim the thin, hair-like roots from the main tap root.  Next, scrub the root with a scrubbing pad. Then, peel it with a potato peeler as you would a carrot. 

Preserving the horseradish:

Unfortunately, horseradish cannot be hot water canned or pressure canned.  This is because heat will destroy the allyl isothiocynate (mustard oil) chemical that gives the horseradish its flavor. Thus, canning would cause the horseradish to lose its spicy-heat and become bitter.

CAUTION: When preparing horseradish, please do so in a well ventilated area.  The root will not smell like much initially, but once it is cut, it emits a powerful mustard smell that will make your eyes burn! Onions have NOTHING on horseradish when it comes to making your cry!

Option 1: Simply cut the horseradish into slices, place it in a zip bag or plastic container and place it in the freezer.  It will last in the freezer for at least a year.

    

Option 2:  Make pickled horseradish "sauce".
      
 Ingredients:
1/2 lb cleaned horseradish,  2 cups vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt,  1 teaspoon sugar.

Directions:
1. Sterilize some glass canning jars and lids by boiling them in water for 10 minutes.
2. Cut the horseradish root into pieces.
3.Place the horseradish into a food processor and mince it finely. (You could also
grate the horseradish, but please only do this in a well ventilated area while wearing goggles and gloves.)
4. Mix the vinegar, salt and sugar together.
5. Mix the vinegar solution together with the horseradish pieces.
6. Place the mixture into the sterilized glass jars and seal the lid tightly

The horseradish will keep for 6 months to a year in the refrigerator with this method.

You could also try freezing the horseradish this way, but be sure to leave enough space in the jar for the liquid to expand. Otherwise, the jar may break in your freezer.  The horseradish will keep for at least a year when frozen.

CAUTION:  As with any pickled, jarred, refrigerated or fresh food (whether you make it yourself or buy it in a store): if the food appears moldy, slimy, smells bad or "off", do NOT eat it.  Please use common sense and err on the side of caution.

 Cooking with horseradish:

Many recipes make use of horseradish.  Here are links to some:

Horseradish Mayonaise

Salmon with Horseradish Crust

Roast Beef with Horseradish Cream

Horseradish Burgers

Braised Lamb with Horseradish and Parsley

 Horseradish Mashed Potatoes (vegetarian)

Roasted Asparagus and Portabella Mushrooms with Horseradish Sauce (vegan)



                     

Late May Bloomin' Update

Just a quick update of what is blooming in "MI" garden now:

The irises have bloomed in the front garden. I love their dark, dramatic flowers.

BLOOM ZOOM!

The lilac's are blooming! (I wish this screen was scratch 'n' sniff for your sake, reader!)

BLOOM ZOOM!!

Creeping pholx.  Again, we need smell-a-vision!

Black Eyed Susan Vine.  The mailbox should look HOT with these this year!

Hyssop/Agastaches.  Hopefully bees, butterflies and humming birds will locate these quickly!

Blanket flower. I feel like these are a bit early. Perhaps because I bought them from the nursery and planted them this spring. These usually don't flower until late in June.  But I am happy I have them now! :)

Coming soon: Waiting to burst... the Peonies!

Delicious Dandelion Pancakes - Taste The Spring Sunshine!

This morning I tried something new for breakfast:  I made dandelion pancakes.    Let me tell you, they were DELICIOUS!

Please bear with me, it is as difficult for me to describe flavors as it is for me to describe scents and how I want my hair cut - but I will give it my best shot:

First of all, when you bite in to them, they are sweet, but not overpoweringly so. Then you taste the dandelion.  When cooked, dandelions taste like you thought those garden flowers, or your lawn would taste when you were a small child... before you actually shoved them in your mouth and found out how bitter they are!! (Yuck!)  Dandelions taste sort-of like chewing on the end of a piece of sweet hay or sweet grass.  They taste a bit like the most caramelized part of a piece of barbecued asparagus when someone actually cooks asparagus properly, only more subtle.  They taste like you want spring to taste.

Dandelion pancakes are easy to make.  They are also inexpensive, because, let's face it: nearly everyone in the U.S.  has dandelions in their lawn, in a nearby park, or can find some along a road side for free.  They are also pretty nutritious and full of fiber etc.  If you are interested in the nutrition facts on dandelions, please visit the following: link.  Otherwise, let's get back to how to make this yummy recipe.

Ingredients: 2 cups of dandelion flowers, 2 cups of instant pancake mix, 1 1/2 cups milk (or buttermilk),  1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie mix (or cinnamon), 1/2 tablespoon local honey, and 2 tablespoons of butter.

You will also need: a bowl, measuring cups, measuring spoons, frying pan, spoon, spatula and stove.

Directions:

First, go foraging for dandelions and harvest just the flower tops.  You
will need to collect about 2 cups full.

Next, rinse the flowers well.  Then, pop off the base of the flower (where the sepals are) and compost them.  Keep the yellow petals.  The thick, green, portion of the flower is bitter tasting. You do not want it in the pancake mix.

Then, place the  dandelion petals in a bowl and mix them together with  2 cups of the dry components of your favorite pancake mix.  You can use store bought, or can mix your own.  If you need a recipe to make pancake mix at home, this one by Alton Brown is very good: pancake mix recipe.

 Add 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice mix (or cinnamon) and 1/2 tablespoon of honey to the dandelion/pancake flour mixture.  Avoid adding more than what is suggested because you want to avoid over-powering the taste of the dandelions.  You only want to enhance their flavor, not drown it out.

Then, add 1 1/2 cups of the wet components of  the pancake batter to the mix (usually either milk, buttermilk or water as directed by the pancake recipe or box mix  that you are using).  Stir together well.  The mix will be thicker than that of regular pancakes.

Next, heat your favorite frying pan along with about a tablespoon of butter to medium heat (as you would when cooking regular pancakes.)

Spoon about 1/4 cup of the mixture into the pan using a measuring cup, ice cream scoop or spoon. You may have to press the mixture flat with a spatula because the mixture is thick.

Cook the pancake for a few minutes...

 ...Then flip it to the other side and cook for a few more minutes.  The pancake should appear golden brown on both sides.

Serve and enjoy... perhaps with a side of bacon?!?

Fin!