Reader's Garden Questions

Today I'm answering several garden questions from readers. If anyone has more to add please feel free to leave tips in the comments or email me.

How do I keep my tomatoes from getting too long and leggy. My Dad told me to pinch off some of the new growth but I am not sure where to to pinch them off. My local market wasn't very helpful. ~Regards, Jenny

If you are talking about the seedlings or small plants that you grow or buy yourself, you can use this method when planting to help correct the problem.

Purdue University Extension office:
Dig a trench large enough to accommodate the section of stem you want to bury. Remove any leaves that would otherwise be below the soil. Place the tomato plant at an angle so that the foliage is at least at a bit angled away from the soil surface. As the plant continues to grow, the stem will bend toward the direction of the sun, and, in a few weeks or so, the top of the plant will be relatively upright.

If you mean after it's planted as it grows, then that's another story. Gardeners have been debating the question of "pinching" tomatoes for as long as they've been growing them in the garden. I can tell you that if the tomato you are growing is considered determinate (it should have said on the seed packet or label when you bought it.) then I wouldn't pinch it. Determinate means it will only grow to a certain height and the tomatoes will grow and ripen at about the same time. Some gardeners do pinch indeterminate tomato plants, which are the sprawling type that grow very large.

Pinching is when you pinch out the foliage that starts growing on the sides in the "V" shaped area between the bigger stems of the tomato. These are the suckers. Pinching these side shoots won't make the plant less leggy however, if anything it will make it less sprawling, which is what many gardeners prefer.

The only time it's okay to trim the top of the tomato is very late in the season, around the end of August or so, when you don't want to start any new tomatoes but want the ones already formed to ripen before heavy frost.

Can peppers be grown on top of the tomatoes, in the same container?

I did some research and couldn't find anything on growing these in the same container. My concern would be that they wouldn't get enough nutrients. As it is, the tomatoes grown upside down need to be watered frequently and fertilized more than if they were in the garden. To put two plants together that need a good, fertile soil would be too much I think. I have read that gardeners put nasturtiums or marigolds in the top of the upside down planters. They don't need as many nutrients as a vegetable so that's probably why it works.

I live in Florida and the zone I'm in is 10, last year I got a Lilac from a nursery up north and it got through the hot summers we have down here, but it only gets about an hour of sun in the morning and about a hour and half in the late afternoon and I know that they say that lilacs should be in full sun but with the real hot summers we get down here, would you say that I should put them in full sun or leave them were they are? What is a good fertilizer for the Lilacs, mine are in sandy soil. Thank You, Harry

Harry, I really hate to be the bearer of bad news. Lilacs will never do well in Zone 10 because of the heat, and the lack of cold weather in the winter. Lilacs are traditional to the North but don't thrive in hot climates and will end up dying. You can try leaving them where they are, but I doubt they will bloom. There is talk of developing a Lilac for warm climates, but so far the one they've developed, Blue Skies, hasn't done well for everyone. It's suppose to grow well in Zone 8 where it will get some cold weather in the winter. You could try amending the soil with compost and top soil, but you won't be able to produce the cold it needs in the winter months. I wish I had better news for you.

We have a great article on OFL with tips on growing tomatoes upside down.

~Brenda

Simple Mother's Day Recipes

Becoming a mother makes you the mother of all children. From now on each wounded,abandoned, frightened child is yours. You live in the suffering mothers of every race and creed and weep with them. You long to comfort all who are desolate. ~Charlotte Gray

Every Mother's Day my husband and all three kids cook me breakfast and dinner. Breakfast is always French Toast because I love it, and it's easy for the kids to help with. Dinner is the surprise meal of the day. If it's nice they grill for me, if not, they adjust the menu. I can't tell you how much I look forward to Mother's Day. I thought I would share a nice, but simple menu that can be made for Mother's Day dinner. If you are a mom you could pass it along, if not, then print the menu out and stop at the store before Sunday!

Menu:
Herbed Crab Dip
Orange Lemonade
Grilled Shrimp with rice or noodles
Simple Salad
French or Italian Bread
Dessert

Notes: Serve the dip and beverage on the porch, deck or living room where mom can snack and enjoy the day while the dinner is being prepared. Serve the shrimp dish with the salad, bread, butter and more of the Orange Lemonade. Dessert can be dishes of mom's favorite ice cream, or a cake from the local bakery.

Herbed Crab Dip

Ingredients:
2 8 ounce packages cream cheese (light or regular)
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives or green onions
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tsp. or so chopped fresh dill or 1/4 teaspoon dried dillweed
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cans (8 oz each) crabmeat, well drained

In medium bowl, combine cream cheese and mayonnaise. Stir until very smooth. Add the chives or green onions, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix thoroughly. Stir in crab. Cover and refrigerate several hours before serving. Serve with crackers and raw vegetables.

Notes: If you don't have dill you can leave it out and put in a little garlic powder, or I've used capers that have been smashed and minced too. It's a really flexible recipe.

Orange Lemonade from Sunkist

Ingredients:
1 cup Sunkist® freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups Sunkist® freshly squeezed orange juice
4 Sunkist® fresh orange slices, 1/2" thick
4 Sunkist® fresh lemon slices, 1/4" thick

To make one portion: Combine Sunkist fresh-squeezed lemon juice, water and sugar, and blend well to dissolve sugar. Add Sunkist fresh-squeezed orange juice. Mix well and chill. Place 1 orange slice and 1 lemon slice with ice cubes in a tall glass. Pour chilled Orange Lemonade over ice. Ready to serve. Makes 4 servings

Grilled Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice or wine vinegar
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper or 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 pounds raw, cleaned, shelled shrimp

In a plastic or glass bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Stir in the shrimp and marinate for 20-30 minutes. Preheat grill. Remove shrimp from the marinade, and thread onto skewers. Grill for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until done. Makes 6 servings.

Notes: We've made this with a grilling bowl too. They are a good investment for cooking vegetables and shrimp. I've also seen disposable pans for using on the grill. If you use either of these you won't need the skewers. Serve the shrimp over rice or pasta if you wish.

On OFL we also have a breakfast menu and beverage recipes for mom.

~Brenda

Nasturtiums in the Flower & Herb Garden

Nasturtiums are one of my favorite flowers to grow directly from seed. Technically, they are herbs. The blooms, foliage and seeds are all edible, plus it's charming in the garden. This year I'm growing Tall Single Mixed Colors, which has a mixture of yellows and oranges. This variety is known for it's ability to grow in poor soil where it "sprawls" and brightens up an otherwise dreary space. I'm also growing the Alaska variety below, which has a varigated foliage that has cream swirls. It sprawls, but not too much. I always plant it at the front of the flower bed.


Lastly, I'm growing a Cherry nasturtium that is actually a dwarf variety. I grew it when we lived in the city and it's a lovely pink with a light pretty fragrance. It's perfect for containers and window or deck boxes. This year I'm going to plant it in the raised vegetable bed with basil.

Nasturtiums can be direct sown into the soil about an inch deep at any time during the spring. I have experimented over the years with soaking, starting indoors etc. and still the ones that have always done the best for me are the ones I simply stuck in the ground, watered and left alone.

Nasturtium seeds can be pickled and used much like you would capers. In 'The Joy of Cooking' by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker (Bobbs-Merrill Co., Inc., New York, 1975) they give a nice recipe for preparing the seeds.

After the blossoms fall, pick off the half-ripened Nasturtium seed pods. Continue as your crop develops to drop them into a boiled and strained mixture of:

1 quart white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Pickling Salt
1 thinly sliced onion
1/2 teaspoon each allspice, mace and celery seed
3 peppercorns

Keep refrigerated and use as a variation for capers.

On OFL we have more recipes and tips for growing nasturtiums.

~Brenda

Enter our Giveaway!

This month, enter to win a these beautiful handmade "Little Girls in Pink Bows" and "Little Girls and Butterflies" tag sets courtesy of our sponsor, Fish in the Attic Studio!

To enter click here
 
"Little Girls in Pink Bows" tag set features three small girls in hats and bows, copies of Victorian era trade cards from my collection. Each is collaged onto deep rose colored card stock along with vintage style patterned papers, kittens in hats, tea cups and saucers, and punched paper flowers, and hand stamped with French script, postal cancellations, flourishes and fern leaves. They are strung with robin's egg blue vintage seam binding, through a decorative metal grommet. Each measures 2 7/8" x 5 1/4'". 

"Little Girls and Butterflies" tag set features the same three little girls, framed against a background of aqua blue, olive green, cinnamon and cream. Each is collaged onto patterned card stock along with book text and letter stickers, and hand stamped with butterflies and rulers. They are strung with robin's egg blue seam binding, through a decorative metal grommet. Each measures 3" x 6".
 
These make beautiful gift tags on presents and wine bottles, and can be hung from a door knob on a beautiful armoire. Tie them along a ribbon for a lovely garland.

Rules: Must be a legal U.S. resident, 18 years or older. You may enter once per day. Entries will be accepted through midnight, CST on May 31, 2010. Winner will be drawn at random and notified via email.  They will have 7 days to respond or an alternate winner will be drawn.

Easy Grilling: Tilapia with Herbs

Once the weather warms up, I grill as much as possible. I alternate between fish, chicken and boneless pork, depending what is on sale. Fish is especially easy and fun to experiment with as long as you take it easy and don't over do the herbs or spices. Frozen tilapia is often on sale, and this is one method I used that turned out tasty and moist.

First, I gathered a small bunch of lemon thyme from the garden. I stripped about a teaspoon of the leaves off the stems and placed it in a bowl. I added about a tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 tsp. of garlic pepper and the same amount of kosher salt. I mixed this together well and brushed it on the thawed fish, which I had placed on a sheet of foil. I then placed the remainder of the lemon thyme on top of the fish, leaving on the stems.

I preheated the grill, then turned it down on low. I placed the foil with the fish on the grill and closed the lid. I turned it once, leaving on the loose thyme so it was on the bottom. I continued to check it often, and turned it once more. It was almost cooked to where it was flaking, so I dotted the fish with a small amount of butter (at the most a tablespoon). When it was melted, and the fish cooked, I removed it from the grill and placed it on plates. I served it with potatoes I had microwaved, then cut in chunks and sauteed in a pan with butter, seasoning with salt and pepper. (I also like sauteing sliced sweet onion before adding the potatoes.)

Variations: If you don't have lemon thyme, regular garden thyme will work, plus a little lemon juice added to the mixture. You can also use minced or crushed garlic and freshly ground pepper instead of garlic pepper. This method would work with any white fish fillets such as whitefish, catfish or perch.

Visit OFL for a warm weather menu, including Italian Grilled Chicken.

~Brenda

Spring Garden Tips for May

As I've been working outside last week and this week, I jotted down some tips to share.

-Check out garden centers right now for herbs. Home Depot, Lowes, and other stores with garden centers have good deals on basic herbs such as rosemary, oregano, thyme, sage, mint, and others. I picked up at Pineapple Sage and Bee Balm at a Buy One Get One Free sale this weekend. This is a really good way to start an herb garden for a low cost.

-Remember, if you had a vegetable last season that ended up with wilt, or some other disease, don't use that same space to grow it again. Some of these diseases can lay dormant in the soil and you will have the same problem again.

-If you have any small bushes, trees or perennials, make sure you remove weeds that could use up nutrients and moisture. We just went through and did this, then mulched with composted straw that had been here when we moved in. The previous owner raised horses. You can do this same thing with compost you've made yourself or bought at a garden center.

-Now is the time to plant daylily, peonies, hostas, oriental lilies, irises, and many other perennials. I planted two new types of daylily this afternoon in spots that needed some color.

-Buy violas, pansies and Johnny-Jump-Ups and plant for some pretty spring color while we wait for more blooms. I've learned over the years the best places to tuck them into:

*plant a violas near hostas where they will be shaded later by the large foliage, and add a splash of color.

*Butterfly bushes take some time to grow and bloom, especially in the northern climates. Plant pansies in front, not too close to the base of the bush. They will give you color now, and later will be shaded.

One last reminder: allow your daffodil, tulip and other bulb foliage to die back naturally. Don't cut it off when it's done blooming because that's how the plant stores up nutrients for next year.

~Brenda

Company's Coming: Breakfast for Ten

My in-laws visited this weekend, which would have been two extra people for meals. That really isn't difficult because most of us cook a little too much and end up with leftovers as it is. It's the unexpected visitors that can throw a wrench into meal plans. My nephew ended up coming with them, and Saturday two teen friends ended up visiting my sons as well. I ended up with ten people for breakfast, and had to do a little creative cooking.

This first recipe is a variation of another potato dish I've made, but I changed it to make it more of a breakfast dish. It was a huge hit with everyone. I did forget to add chopped green onions which would have worked well. I served the potato and ham casserole, the next recipe for scrambled eggs and served it with whole wheat toast. Biscuits would have really been nice, but I didn't have the ingredients.


Ham & Cheese Potato Casserole

Ingredients:
Shredded hash browns
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups chopped ham
ground black pepper
1/2 stick margarine or butter (1/4 cup)

Spray a 9x13 baking pan with pan spray. Slice the cold margarine and place around the bottom of the pan (not exact). In a large bowl place the frozen hash browns, cheese, and ham. Mix with a wooden spoon. In a measuring cup or small bowl, put in the soup and the milk. Add black pepper. (I used a 3-4 good shakes) Mix with a whisk till combined and pour in the bowl with the potatoes. Mix gently with the wooden spoon and dump into the pan on top of the margarine. Smooth is over so it's even, cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees F. for 45-50 minutes till hot and bubbly. Serve warm.


Scrambled Eggs and Ham

Ingredients:
18 eggs
1 1/2 cups diced cooked ham
salt and pepper
1/2 cup milk
pan spray

Whisk together the eggs and milk. Season with the salt and pepper. Spray a pan with pan spray, heat on medium for a few minutes, then add the diced ham. Cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through, then add the eggs. After a minute or two stir with a spatula or wooden spoon. Every few minutes stir the eggs from the bottom of the pan, as they start to firm up, keep stirring until they are cooked to desired doneness. I usually cook so they are all firm, but they aren't browned or dry.

Don't be afraid to get creative with your recipes. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. Sure, a few have backfired, but many have ended up as "keeper" recipes.

On OFL we have menus for an Easy Weekend Brunch and Crock Pot Breakfast Recipes.

~Brenda