Easy Recipes From The Garden

One of my very favorite gardening books is the Reader’s Digest Guide to Gardening. I have a second- or third-hand copy that was passed down to me, and with it came sticky notes and scraps of paper marking pertinent spots in the book. Needless to say, I have added to those stickys and scraps and my book is truly a mess. So when I saw that there was a New Illustrated Guide to Gardening came out last year, I couldn’t want to get my hands on a copy.

And it did not disappoint. The color photos are even more vibrant, and thumbnail photos showing specific species of plants, as well as specific photos of pests and disease, are invaluable. This is truly a time when a picture is worth a thousand words. This book is a terrific resource for a beginner gardener like me, or anyone who wants access to basic and helpful gardening information in one very well put together place.

For an early Mother’s Day gift for me, my husband ordered a Hansen’s Bush Pie Cherry Tree from Guerney’s. I was thrilled to find a long box with the trees tucked inside on the front porch the other day, and quickly followed the instructions to soak the roots in water, then plant the tree. Unfortunately, we live in a zone where we’re still getting freezing temps at night, so I believe a little extra care is in order to protect the three (!) fruit trees that just arrived.

First, rather than planting them directly into the ground, we planted them in large containers. This way, we can move them around and into a sheltered area if frost or if freezing temperatures threaten.

Second, a little burlap goes a long way to protect fruit trees. We also have two peach trees on the property, and before they began to form blooms, we covered them with burlap to protect them from the cold temps and encourage them to shoot blooms. They did, and now we have the teeny, tiniest little peach buds just beginning to grow.

The weather should warm a bit by end of week but I’ll be keeping an eye on my cherry trees.

One of every three bites the average American eats is directly attributed to honey bee pollination. More than 25% of the U.S. honey bee population has disappeared over the last several winters. This affects many nut, fruits and berry crops – important produce for farmers and food manufacturers, and key ingredients in many of the most popular Häagen-Dazs flavors. The ice cream maker reports that researchers believe causes for the decline in the bee population include:

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). More than 35 states across the continental United States and in two provinces in Canada, Belgium, and Spain have reported this condition.

Varroa Mites – Inadvertently introduced into the United States in 1987, these tiny brown parasites feed exclusively on honey bees.

Viruses– Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) is linked with CCD.

Chemical Exposure – Tests on pollen in CCD-affected hives show levels of 45 different types of insecticides, fungicides and herbicides.

Lack of Nutrition – A limited supply of good pollen and nectar (due to drought) has had an effect on the honey bee population.

So what can we as gardeners do to help the honey bees? Create a bee-friendly garden with plants that are attractive to honey bees. Plants that are bee-friendly include lavender, jasmine, rosemary, violets, thyme, blue bells, wisteria, cone flowers and sunflowers – common and easy to grow perennials and herbs that will both add beauty to your garden and bees to the environment.

Consider planting one or a variety of these plants and help the dwindling honey bee population.

If you enjoy heirloom or organic fruits and vegetables, such as from farmers’ markets, try planting a seed or two from the produce. I recently planted a handful of seeds from a bag of organic Meyer lemons I bought, dreaming that someday I might have a Meyer lemon tree of my own to grow my own sweet and tart little fruits. Guess what - they have sprouted. Granted, it may not bear fruit for seven years, if at all, but it might still turn out to be a pretty house plant.

Heirlooms are such that the seeds have been saved and passed down from generations, thus the”heirloom” name. As such, the seeds can usually be planted and the plants will generate fruit. For best results, use seeds from self-pollinators such as beans, peas, peanuts, lettuce, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes.

Bee balm, or dotted mint, is an excellent plant for attracting hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and other nectar-seeking creatures into your garden. The tubular flowers on the plant’s rounded flower heads are a showy addition to flower gardens and borders, and the plant’s leaves and flowers can be made into tea. A perennial herb, the plant will return in the same spot year after year.

Bees and hummingbirds are valuable visitors to your garden. Both can help with pollinating plants, and butterflies and hummingbirds are enjoyable to watch.

Bee balm flowers are pink, red, or white; double-flowered forms are also available. Blooms will appear from early to late summer. The plant grows to be 2-4 feet tall, depending on the variety. Plant in spring in an area of your yard that receives full sun to partial shade and has rich, well-drained soil. Some bee balm varieties can tolerate wet soil and will thrive along a waterway or in a bog garden.

This year I invested in one of those heated indoor greenhouse kits (similar to this one) to start my spring seeds. So far, it’s sped up the germination process for almost all of the seeds I planted.

I started seeds for:

Purple basil

Rosemary

Genovese basil

Carrot

Garlic chives

Leeks

Bloody butcher tomatoes

Brandywine tomatoes

2 types of lettuce

I also planted a few Meyer lemon seeds from some lemons we purchased from an organic store and - lo and behold - they are sprouting! In fact, everything in the greenhouse has sprouted, some within two days of being planted. I’m thrilled that the plants are growing so quickly and that I will soon be able to move them outside to the garden. Maybe this year my vegetables will be ready for harvest a little earlier.

Mint plants not only add flavor to tea and desserts, serve as a pretty garnish, and generally smell great - they also can be used as a natural pest deterrent.

The mint plant – and spearmint in particular – is a natural ant repellant and will drive the little buggers away and prevent them from returning. Now that the warmer weather is arriving in most areas, if you find that you have an ant problem in your home, first determine where they are getting in. Then, try planting a spearmint plant in that area.

Tip: spearmint, as with most mint plants, is invasive; plant it in a decorative planter or, if you wish to plant it in the ground, first put it in a large planter or basket. Then plant it in the ground deep enough so that the container is hidden in the dirt.

Welcome to In the Garden, part of Today.com. I look forward to sharing my tips and tricks and experiences with gardening with you. I’ve been gardening for several years, with progressively larger garden plots each year, and am always learning something new. From how to start plants from seed to proper pruning of a peach tree, I am happy to share my gardening knowledge and experiences with you.

If there’s something you’d like to know more about, or if you have any gardening questions please ask - if I don’t have the answer, I’ll try to find it for you. Let’s learn together!