Vegetable Gardens - How To Grow

How to Grow Artichokes How to Grow Asparagus How to Grow Beans How to Grow Beets How to Grow Broccoli How to Grow Brussels Sprouts How to Grow Cabbage How to Grow Carrots How to Grow Chard How to Grow Corn How to Grow Cucumbers How to Grow Eggplant How to Grow Garlic Kitchen Herb Garden How to Grow Lettuce How to Grow Onions How to Grow Peas How to Grow Peppers How to Grow Potatoes How to Grow Pumpkins How to Grow Radishes Top 12 Tomato Tips How to Grow Spinach How to Grow Summer Squash How to Grow Watermelon

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Seasonal-Recipes/Garden-Recipes/How-to-Grow-Vegetables?keycode=ZFB0513HUB

Coffee Cubes

Freeze leftover coffee in ice cube trays for use later in "iced" coffee recipes.

I do this but cut the entire coffee mixture in 1/2 and then place 1 coffee

ICE CUBE in my garden --- between plants, mostly my corn for the nitro.

Broccoli Bake Patties

Broccoli Bake Patties



photo credit  pomanmeals.com

ingredients:

2 tsp veggie oil

2 cloves garlic - minced

1/2 onion - chopped

1 (12oz) bag frozen broccoli - defrosted - drain off any liquid

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese - grated

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

2 eggs - beaten

salt - pepper

instructions:
~ preheat oven 400* **this is really important for quick baking.
~lightly grease baking sheet lined w/ foil (DO this before starting patties)
~heat oil in small pan over medium heat. (I use non-salted butter)
~add in garlic & onions.
~season w/ salt & pepper to taste.
~Saute until onions & garlic are tender.
~Set aside to cool.



~ Put broccoli in clean kitchen towel & wrap to squeeze out extra moisture.
~Put broccoli into large bowl.
~Into same bowl, add planko, cheeses, eggs & salt & pepper as needed.



Mix together & form patties. Place onto prepared baking sheets.



~Place in oven  15 minutes or until crispy & browned.
~ Flip & bake other side 15 minutes or until crispy & browned.

I make this for my hubby and I for date night, when our little one is asleep. That way I can keep the kitchen door opened (my little one is allergic to eggs. I have pan, baking sheet ect that are just for eggs.) WE love this fun food. It's great with a Vitamix Smoothie recipe I have on this blog too!
http://www.pomanmeals.com/cheesy-broccoli-patties/ PHOTO CREDITS & ORIGINAL RECIPE.

Kitchen Door Rack UPCYCLED

Kitchen Door Rack ~ Turned into outdoor Spice GARDEN

Burlap with soil & plants

Instant HERB garden ~

Grow Potatoes in Containers

100 POUNDS OF POTATOES IN YOUR BACK YARD

Container gardening isn’t only for savvy urban gardeners and folks with limited space to grow, it can also be for folks who want to maximize their yields in a controlled environment. Not only does growing potatoes in a barrel reduce the amount of weeding and exposure to pests and fungi, you don’t even have to risk shovel-damage to the tender potatoes by digging them out of the ground when they’re done, just tip the container over!

After extensive research to plan his own potatoes-in-a-barrel, Tim fromGreenupgrader.com boiled all of the recommendations down to 4 simple steps to a winning potato harvest.

1. Select and prepare a container

You’ll need to pick out a container such as a 50-gallon trash barrel or one of those half whiskey barrel planters. Alternatively, you can buy used food-grade barrels or commercially-available potato planters. Just about any 2 to 3-foot tall container will work, but be sure to select a container that either already has holes in it, or is okay to cut holes in. Next you’ll want to clean your container with a mild bleach solution to get out any of the nasties that have been lingering in there.

Good drainage is critical for the cultivation of healthy potatoes so you’ll want to cut or drill a series of large drainage holes in the bottom and bottom sides of your container. Alternatively, you can cut out the bottom altogether and place it on a well-drained surface like your garden bed.

2. Choose a variety and plant potatoes

Seed potatoes can usually be found at nurseries early in the growing season, but you should only have to buy them once. If you can, “chit” or sprout your potatoes before planting them by setting them out in an egg carton, the side with the most buds facing up, and putting them in a cool light room out of direct sunlight to sprout. Putting the tubers in an open paper bag can have this same effect.

Fill in the bottom of your container with about 6 inches of loose planting mix and compost. You’ll want to use a planting mix with a peat moss-like soil amendment like this product made from repurposed coconut husks, doing so will keep the soil from becoming too compacted and help it to store moisture for the roots. Next, add some seed potatoes on the layer of soil, making certain to leave plenty of space between each cube. You can use the whole potato but I like to cut the potatoes into 1 to 2-inch cubes for planting. Loosely backfill the potatoes with another 6 inches of your soil and compost mix and water to dampen soil. Keep the soil damp at all times but be careful not to overwater.

3. Add more soil

When they have about 6 to 8 inches of foliage, add another layer of your soil-compost mix covering about one-half to three-quarters of the visible stems and foliage. Repeat this process of allowing the sprouts to grow and then covering the sprouts and moistening the soil as the plants grow up toward the top of the barrel.

4. Harvest the potatoes

After about 10 weeks or until the plants flower and start to yellow, the potatoes should be ready to harvest. Carefully dig down with your hands to inspect the top-most layer. After you’ve confirmed your suspicions, dump the barrel out on a tarp and inspect your bounty.

Other tips to grow bushels of barrel potatoes

• After the first harvest, keep a few potatoes to use as seed potatoes next year.
• Bush beans are a great companion plant for potatoes.
• Instead of using soil, try growing potatoes in sawdust..
• Experiment with different containers, seed potatoes and watering regimes.
• Have any photos or useful tips for growing potatoes in a barrel? Please share!

http://mattovermatter.com/2011/07/how-to-grow-100-pounds-of-potatoes-in-4-steps/

Tomato Sauce Fresh from Vitamix

Fresh Tomato Sauce 

• VITAMIX RECIPE

 

Fresh Tomato Sauce
preparation: 15 minutes | processing: 20 seconds cook time: 35 – 40 minutes |

yield: 3 1/2 cups (840 ml)

6 medium Roma tomatoes (400 g), halved
1/4 cup (40 g) chopped onion
1/2 cup (65 g) chopped carrot
2 Tablespoons (30 g) tomato paste
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid.
2. Select Variable 1.
3. Switch machine to Start and slowly increase speed to Variable 10.
4. Blend for 20 seconds using the tamper to press the ingredients into the blades.
5. Pour into saucepan and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary.  

***THIS IS A VITAMIX RECIPE vitamix.com   for EXCELLENCE.

Bananas N Egg Shells N Garden

 Bananas N Egg Shells N Garden

*Clean dry egg shells
*DRY banana skins
* 2 TBSP baking soda
*1/3 cup USED coffee grounds
Grind together in food processor.

Use as:
- mulch
-top soil
- a large batch and put in empty #10 can
-1 teaspoon full of dry mix into water can for garden 

-seal and use all season long
-mix into compost
-sprinkle on garden after first snow, let it soak in during winter!

Dry banana peels between two window screens laying out in sun.
Vent them by placing them on cinder blocks.
Bring them in at night to avoid moisture.
Tear to thin strips - dry quicker.
Place on black garbage cans - for quicker drying. 




You need approximately 5 pounds of dried banana peels for every 100 square feet of soil to see benefits in plants.

 

Tea Bag In Garden

Tea Bags In Garden






~ Used tea bags ? Garden loves them.
*Bury them in the soil
*Tear them opened and sprinkle the tea all over the soil
*Put them in compost pile
*Many use them in their worm boxes too, I'm just starting worm box - so I'll let you know how that goes.

Coffee And Grounds In Garden

Coffee And Grounds In Garden

 
  photo from Folgers site. THANKS Folgers......my plants LOVE YOU.
*I don't drink coffee . I buy it at lowest price . NO flavored coffee, NO decaf.
*Plants love coffee.
*I make coffee (outside it gives my spouse asthma attacks).
*1 cup coffee - cool
*4 cups water
*Dump all around garden, never on the roots. If you are going to put on the roots use 5 cups water.

~~Coffee Grounds -
*I take them to my corn mostly ~ but I do bury some in each area of garden.
*1/3 cup coffee grounds mixed in 4 NEW cups of soil sprinkled on top of soil.

COMPOST
* I use coffee grounds from friends too ~ they go to my compost.

Crushed Egg Shells In Your Garden

Crushed Egg Shells ALL Over Your Garden...




*Crush your egg shells.
*Put them in your soil.
*When you crack an egg to fry / scramble rinse them.
*If you hard boil eggs KEEP the water - cool and use water in garden..
*I tuck them away in my soil, everywhere - all over my garden, in my garden containers -from March - the first snow (October).
*Remember DO rinse them out. The bugs love them if you don't and you DO NOT want bag bugs moving into your garden spaces.
*Keep your eggs from winter, rinse, dry & keep in a zip plastic bag.

Water Your Plants When Not At Home Cheaper

Water Your Plants When Not At Home Cheaper





























 A little improvement - tread the exposed string into straws to lower evaporation into the air.

Maybe elevate the water source higher than the plant, moist seeks lower level due to gravity.
(HomeMadeIsEasyblogger)

 http://snapguide.com/guides/water-your-plants-when-youre-away/
 

Water Bottle Upcycled to Sprinkler

PHOTO CREDIT unknown

Organic Aphid Control

Organic Aphid Control

by: Home Made Is Easy 

 http://homemadeiseasy.blogspot.com/

photo credit  Wikipedia


No one wants to work and toil to find aphid's eating their harvest. NON- CHEMICAL killing of aphids is easier than you think and better for your health, environment and "good bugs" in your garden. Here's some tips I have learned in my 20+ years of gardening. Use ground or row covers. You can remove covers when plants start to flower.

I use a cheap spray bottle for about $1.00 and mix 1 small quirt of mild (MILD) dish soap into a spray bottle of water. I spray each plant. Let it set overnight then rinse the plant off the following morning.  Don't forget to spay under the leaves. The solution dehydrates the aphids thus killing them. I also spray the soil. If  I  have mulch, I remove it and use solution on it as well. I put mulch in the sun to fry anything in mulch. NEVER leave the soap solution on my plants. This method has always worked in my garden. I want them to live and thrive.


I have made a garlic spray on aphids. I used powered garlic and water letting it infuse. The smell doesn't kill them but drives them somewhere else. Onion solution does the same, it drives the aphids somewhere else and I want them dead.
 
Make a spray of 1 cup white mineral oil (vegetable oil works I have read but I only use Mineral Oil) with 2 cups of water and 2 teaspoons bleach free dish soap. Mix in spray bottle and spray on aphid plants. It will suffocate the aphids. Keep up the treatment of solution and keep ALL plants sprayed with this solution out of the sun or they can burn. I do let this sit overnight but rinse plant the next day. And I re spray solution again, put out of sun and rinse again the next morning. This has always killed aphids in my garden.
 
Introduce beneficial bugs, like lacewings and ladybugs to your garden as a natural way to kill aphids.
Plant fennel, dill, yarrow, clover and dandelions to attract lacewings and ladybugs, these plants are knows as aphid predators. Use these plants around the plants you wish to protect.

You can also grow plants AWAY from you garden that will attract aphids to them: Nasturtium, Aster, Mum, Cosmos, Hollyhock, Larkspur, Tuberous begonia, Verbena, Dahlia & Zinnia.


Some gardeners use a strong spray of water from hose to knock off aphids. BUT, I have done this and it also knocked off starting fruit, vegetables and blossoms. You have to spray every day until the aphids are gone.  Again, I didn't have success with this method.

Some use cedar chips in their garden. Some fruits and vegetables will tolerate this mulch. Do research before using cedar chips. It's normally an effective deterrent, but not all plants do well in cedar chips.

I plant garlic and onions in container gardens and alternate veggie and then onion or garlic container. If I'm doing ground-raised bed gardening I plant garlic and onion in every other row. I also use flowers in every other row to bring in butterfly's and bees. Aphids don't like the smell of garlic, onions. I'm also big on planting marigolds throughout my gardens, container or gardens. Happy Harvest!

Note this is my flower garden. I would only use the marigolds, seen on the left back in my veggie garden.
copyright photo: HomeMadeIsEasyJennyHW

Upcycle Plastic Bottle Greenhouse

NO PHOTO CREDITs WERE GIVEN ON SITE THAT POSTED THIS ORIGINALLY.