Catnip is not just for Cats

 

If any of you have every had catnip you will know once you have one plant you have more.  Catnip is like mint and reproduces well.

Catnip contains insect repellent oil.  Fresh Catnip seeped in water and sprinkled on plants will drive out flea beetles.

The compound in catnip is chemically like those found in certain insects.  Two of these occur in ants and another in the walkingstick insect which ejects a spray against such predators as beetles, ants, spiders, birds and even humans. 

            Sprinkle catnip on your shelves to drive away black ants and if you have cats you will find they will love it.  I have some cats that spend a lot of time in my garden around the catnip.

           



 

Cleaning the Chicken Coop

 

     This is quite the elaborate chicken coop, one I would love to have.  I have two chicken coops and neither looks this good.  I have had my chickens (about 60) out running around the ranch.  It is time for them to go back into the chicken coop so I plant my garden, so the long dreaded job of cleaning my coops is here.  A very important rule for all of you gardeners to remember, YOU CAN’T HAVE CHICKENS RUNNING AROUND AND A GARDEN TOO!

           My sweet husband (I say that because there were many other things he had to do on the ranch today but helped me instead) and I went about the job today, both coops needed to be cleaned out and the chicken waste taken to the garden.  As I look out my window toward the garden I see some of the chickens happily rooting through the poop that was dumped in the garden like it is some kind of delicatessen.   Why couldn’t they have got rid of it while they were in the coop rather than make me haul it out and have to don a mask and dig through their garbage?  Chickens will eat anything, including each other (YUCK).

 

            Be careful with your chicken waste because it needs to be put in the garden sparingly as it can burn your plants if too much is put in and it isn’t broken down well.  It is wonderful to put in your compost pile, especially if it has broken down (not too fresh).

 

          I love my chickens but now is another time I would like to be like Martha Stewart and say “today I cleaned out the chicken coop” without having to set a foot in it.

Planting Beans

 

 

You are probably looking at this picture and thinking I will never be able to live up to that picture.  Well, it isn’t a picture of my bush bean garden, not enough weeds and the soil isn’t that pretty at my place.  I am working on it, but give me time and a gardener.  Let’s face it, we are not Martha Stewart.  When I say I am going to plant beans today, that doesn’t mean I have a group of gardeners who will be planting today and I may be the supervisor or just tell them to do so.  I admire Martha and am a wishing I had the staff she does, but I have to deal with who I have – me, a husband who is busy and young Grandkids who are willing but get easily distracted.   So all you gardeners out there with less cash flow than Martha, do the best you can and you will enjoy the fruits of your labors.  Just a few hints to help you be more successful, at least things I feel help me to have a better bush bean harvest.

The other beans that are included in the bush beans I am talking about are wax beans, green beans, snap, and butter beans.  If you plant a little celery with them, about one celery plant to every six or seven beans that will help.

Plant cucumbers with bush beans and they will do well together.  Bush beans planted in strawberry rows help each other, both advancing more rapidly than if planted alone.

Bush beans help corn if you plant them in alternate rows.  Do not plant near fennel (don't like or onions, all beans don’t like onions.  Beans do grow well with summer savory. 

I do like the way they have the small fences up in the picture above to help keep the beans upright, great idea!



Planting Potatoes

 

Now you are really excited about this garden you’ve started and young potato plants come to mind.  You first need to start with potatoes that have eyes in them.  You need to cut up the potato plants and make sure each section has an eye in it.  If there is any bad spots in the potatoes throw it away, do not plant bad seed.

Dig your furrows with a hoe or shovel and plant your potato plants in the ground, plant about 3 inches deep and 12 inches apart.

Potatoes do well planted with cabbage, corn, beans and horseradish (which should be planted at the corners of a potato patch).  They also do well with marigold and eggplant (which is a lure for the Colorado potato beetle.

Potatoes do not do well planted near pumpkin, tomatoes (same bug attraction) raspberry squash and cucumber.  Sunflowers stunts potatoes growth and the presence of these plants lower the potatoes resistance to blight.

If you plant beans with potatoes they help protect against Colorado potato beetle and the potatoes protect the beans against the Mexican bean beetle.

Nightshade weed attracts potato bugs and they eat the weed and die.  Nightshade is a member of the same family as potatoes and it has poisonous leaves, white flowers and black berries.

Cabbages do well planted between potatoes after the first hilling.  If you see lamb’s quarters in the potato patch it is an indication that the crop should be moved to a new location.

The reason to plant eggplant with potatoes is the Colorado beetle is attracted to eggplant rather than the potatoes as they prefer eggplant (unlike my husband who dislikes eggplant and I love eggplant.)

Don’t grow potatoes near apple trees as it can cause the potatoes to be more susceptible to phytophthora light.

When you harvest your potatoes don’t store with apples as ripening apples give off small amounts of ethylene gas which can give the potatoes an off flavor and they may not keep as well.  The apples also can lose flavor.

Good luck with your potatoes!

 

Planting Peppermint

 

 

Spring is here and with it comes our trip to the greenhouse and any other store with a garden area.  The herbs are lined up and the first one we usually see is the peppermint with visions of tea made from our own special blend.  (Maybe I’m wrong but that is usually what comes to mind.)

You have your peppermint at home and want to get it in the ground as soon as possible.  Well here are a few ground rules.

Peppermint demands humus and moisture.  It also likes small amounts of broken down chicken manure.  I have a pile from last year I will be using in various areas.  It is time to clean out the chicken coops and get more of that good stuff (not a fun job.)

Peppermint planted among cabbage will repel the white cabbage butterfly.   If you plant it by chamomile the chamomile will benefit with more chamomile but the peppermint will have less oil.  Plant by shrubs as Peppermint drives away red ants from the shrubs.  I would recommend you plant it where it won’t get dug up every year and you will end up with a nice crop for years to come.

Peppermint is said to help you sleep, I combine it with chamomile in a tea I the evening sometimes to relax.  I have it all over my yard and haven’t bought mint for years.  Just remember they like water and have fun with them as there are so many fun types of mint.  Some of the mint I have is peppermint, spearmint, chocolate mint, pineapple mint and this is just to name a few.

I’ll do a blog on drying mint later, your house will smell like mint and the jars will fill up with your store for the winter.

Lilacs

 

Beautiful age old lilacs.  These lilacs were taken from a bush that was brought from a start across the plains in either a covered wagon or push cart by the Pioneers. 

It is time for lilacs to come out in the spring.  For those of you who don't have availability to someone with a lilac bush and have to buy one here are a few tips to give your lilac bush a better chance.

Roses and Lilacs get along well.

 

Lilacs grow where there is winter, they need the cold winter and grow best in zones 3, 4, and 5, in the cooler regions of zones 6 and 7 and in the warmer regions of zone 2.  Although I grew them in Arizona and they didn't do as well, they don't like that much heat.  They don't like wind chill.  Lilacs need proper drainage and grow best along rocky, limestone hillsides.

Lilacs like sandy, gravelly loam mixed with organic matter like compost and aged manure.  In early spring sprinkle a little wood ashes around the base of the lilac bush and work it gently into the top layer of soil  Every three years apply a cup of ground limestone to the soil and work gently into the soil but be careful of the roots.

 

Plant lilacs in full to nearly full sun for you to get those pretty lilac flowers.  It is best to prune lilacs annually and the best time to prune is after they bloom.

 

After the lilac is established and the size you want it to be cut to the ground approximately one third of the oldest branches and thinnest suckers.   It send the energy into the bush and it will do better.  Remove suckers and small twiggy branches.  Cut the flowers after blooming snipping very close to the end of the flower but be careful to not remove new growth that will give you next years flowers.

 

If  you don't want a lilac tree keep to the height about eight to nine feet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Planting Tomatoes -Tomatoes don't like Potatoes but love Carrots

 

Tomatoes and all members of the Brassica (Cabbage) family repel each other and should be kept apart. Tomatoes and potatoes should be kept apart. Do not plant fennel near tomatoes.

Tomatoes protect asparagus against the asparagus beetle. Tomatoes also protect gooseberries against insects.

Tomatoes are compatible with chives, onions, parsley, marigold, nasturtium and tomatoes love carrots!

If you plant garlic bulbs between your tomato plants they protect them from the red spider mites. Stinging neetle grown close improves the keeping quality of tomatoes.

Tomatoes will protect roses against black spot. If you are not able to plant tomatoes close to roses make up a solution of tomato leaves in your vegetable juicer, adding four or five pints of water and one tablespoon of cornstarch. Strain and spray on roses.

Don't plant tomatoes near young apricot trees, the root excretions of tomatoes have an inhibiting effect on young apricot trees.

Tomatoes and corn shouldn't be planted together since the tomato fruit worm is identical with the corn ear worm.

Don't plant near potatoes since tomatoes render the potatoes more susceptible to potato blight.

You may grow your tomatoes in the same place year after year, unless you have a disease problem, then plant them in a new place.

If you smoke be sure to wash your hands before you work I your garden, tomatoes are susceptible to diseases transmitted through tobacco. 

Planting Peas - Peas don't like Onions!

 

     It is time to plant peas in if you haven't already put them in the dirt, if you are unsure about your area check with the local farm bureau.  There are a few guidelines I follow when planting my peas (and other plants). 

 

     Plants like animals and people have other plants they don't like and some they really like.  If you are going to go to all the trouble to buy seeds, plant them, weed them and water them it is best to make sure they are surrounded by others they like and get along with well.

 

     Peas grow sell with carrots (carrot roots contain an exudate beneficial to the grown of peas), peas do well with turnips, radishes, cucumbers, corn beans and potatoes, and many aromatic herbs.  Peas planted near turnips do well together.

 

Peas do not like (or grow well) with onions, shallots, gladiolus, garlic (all alliums inhibit the growth of peas and beans).

 

If you put wood ash around the base of pea vines it helps to control aphids.

If you want to plant caraway seed, sow it with a crop of peas. 

 

Just a few of the guidelines I go by when planting my peas. I will keep you updated as I plant my garden and let you know what plants I don't get along.  

 

 

 

 

CREPE RECIPE

 

As I was going about getting ready to make breakfast I decided to get away from the pancake and everyday recipes that I routinely make for breakfast and instead make crepes.  I have had many a crepe and enjoyed them, telling myself I will make them sometime, well today is sometime. 

 I have been saving this recipe and it turned out really well.  My husband wasn't as impressed as I was as he is a pancake and eat the same thing every day guy, but I was very pleased with my resulting crepes.  (I did try it a long time ago and it didn't turn out quite as well.)

Whisk 2 eggs with 1 cup milk - skim, 2% or whole milk - whatever you have.

Add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup flour

1 tablespoon oil

2 teaspoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking power

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 dash of ground allspice 

Refrigerate 20 minutes and stir before using

Heat an 8 inch nonstick skillet (I used a larger flat cast iron pan that I sprayed with oil as I try to avoid the nonstick skillets.

With a ladle or 1/4 inch measuring cup add 2 tablespoons batter to hot skillet.  Tilt and rotate pan to coat (I used a high spatula to spread it) and cook 30 seconds or until crepe is browned lightly on bottom and edges are dry.  Lift with a silicone spatula and flip over.  Cook about 5 seconds then put on a sheet of wax paper.  



 Continue on until all the crepes are done.  I spread my homemade plum jam on the crepe and put sliced strawberries on it.  My husband added strawberries and sliced bananas to his (couldn't find any whipping cream but I told him that was all right since we didn't need the extra calories.  If you have some put a spoonful on.

 It is delicious.  Just add whatever jam, syrup, fruit and nuts you have in the kitchen to your own special crepe.

Wash Day

 

I was talking to my daughter on the telephone this morning and asked what she was doing.  She replied in a not so joyful voice, “You know the usual, washing clothes.”  I told her that sounded exciting and she informed me in a sarcastic voice, “It is great folding whites.”

                Its not that she was complaining, it was just something we all do.  Washing clothes at home is somewhat of a chore and defiantly not as exciting as the TV shows which never show anyone washing and folding clothes.  They are too busy solving crimes going to parties or just having fun.  I did comment the other day to my husband that I never see the stars working a boring job or cleaning their spotless house.

                I suppose I look on washing clothes at home different than some others would.  I remember as a little girl going to the Laundromat.  I don’t remember if our washer was broken or we didn’t have one.  We would load up the clothes, usually a week’s worth into the car then unload it into the big rolling carts at the Laundromat - then sort and load into the washing machine.  Hopefully you didn’t have to wait for someone else to get done with the washers.  Then came drying time, by that time you were thinking of all the things you could be doing somewhere else.  Then folding the laundry and putting them back into the clothes baskets to load back in the car and take home.

                I lived for 6 years off the grid.  The only electricity I had came out of a small and I mean small generator.  I used a washer almost identical to the above picture.  I couldn’t have a larger washer because the motor on the washing machine was too big for the small generator.  Do you know buttons get ripped off or crushed while going through the wringer?   

                Maybe that is why I look upon washing clothes in my wonderful electric washer at home as a privilege.   Not that there are not other things I would like to be doing, but that what I am doing is a luxury you might say.  So the next time you are doing your wash in your shinny electric machine at home, think how very lucky you are…

 

 

 

 

I like muffins, they are a easy quick bread I can make that and add about any fruit or nut and make delicious.  What better than to have a warm muffin at breakfast or dinner to bring the old home feeling to your meal.  Just remember that when you are mixing the dough up to not over mix.  Mix it just enough to blend it together.

 

BLUEBERRY OR CHERRY MUFFINS

 

 

Cherry Muffins or Blueberry Muffins

1 Cup whole wheat flour
1 Cup white flour
1/8 to 1/4 cup sugar (or you can use honey)
4 teaspoons baking powder
About 2 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
2 eggs
About 1 cup of milk.  If you use white flour only use less milk

Combine ingredients (don’t mix too much).
Put cherries or blueberries into muffin cups.  I use frozen cherries as I don’t usually have fresh cherries around.
If you want to put blueberries in put as many as you want into the batter before putting into the muffin pans.
Put into well greased muffin pans, should make about 12 muffins
Bake 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

Canning Raspberry Jam Spring is here and around the corner will come the berries.  This is the Raspberry jam recipe I use.  One thing that I always suggest is to check with your local Farm Bureau agency to get recipes for canning and drying for your area. Remember you can skip the wax and put canning lids on your jars and cold pack them for a few minutes to make sure they seal.   If you decide to put your jam in the local county fair you might want to skip the wax as some judges dock points for putting wax on your jam. Raspberry Jam Prepare your jars and lids the same as the apricot jam recipe. Wash your raspberries (ants seem to love raspberries). If you have currents or other types of berries these help the raspberries go farther and make a wonderful mixture of berries. I put my raspberries in a large measuring cup a little at a time and barely crush with a potato masher. I want to just make sure they are broke down but not liquid. When you have measured out 5 cups of crushed berries put in canning pan and add 1 package of pectin, Ball and Kerr both have a good pectin or you may buy the liquid type. I usually double my bath even though they say not to, cuts down on the time for me which is very valuable. Bring raspberries and pectin to a boil over low to medium heat. After the mixture starts to boil you add your sugar. Have your sugar premeasured and ready to pour in. It makes the process go smoothly. The Ball pectin recipe calls for 7 cups of sugar, I use only 5 cups and that seems more then enough for me. You have to cook the jam longer but I like my jam a little runny, as I said with the apricot jam recipe, I don't like my jam to be cement. When the raspberries come to a boil again (keep on low to medium heat) and make sure you stir it so it doesn't stick to the bottom and burn. Boil until it has thickened to the consistency of where when you drop it out of a wooden spoon it comes on with a little thickness, not runny. To me it reminds me of a bad case of cellulite (sorry about the description but the best I can do without showing you in person). Ladle into jars like I have described above in the apricot jam recipe, put on wax if you desire, wash the rim and put on caps and lids. Let sit for 24 hours before washing and labeling. I like to label on the lid instead of the jar so I can just throw my lid away and not have to scrub the labels off the jars next year. The least amount of work when I am canning the better!! We are not responsible for any recipe or food problems you may incur while canning. This is a recipe I use, you may try it if you like but I am not responsible for any damage or problems you encounter while canning, this is just a recipe that has been working for me for many years. Homemade Raspberry and Apricot Jam Jars lids and wax for making jam. I organize my jars, double burner for wax, canning lids in covered pot with boiling (simmering) hot water to sterilize them also. When the jam is ready, so are all the other things. Putting Wax on Jars I use about 3 tablespoons of wax per jar. You might have a better way to do it, I just use an old tablespoon. You can never be too careful with wax. Always use a double boiler when heating wax, never put it directly on the heat. It will get hot and start on fire. Also never put hot wax in water, it can explode and cause severe burns.            Always keep handles away from where children can reach, you wouldn't want them to knock over hot pans and burn themselves. This stuff is hot and can cause severe burns. With care you can have a wonderful time and enjoy the fruits of your labor throughout the year. Read instructions on wax packaging. Caution: Wax will ignite if overheated or exposed to open flame. To avoid danger and to preserve the quality of the wax, always check instructions on the wax you buy. Never put wax in pan directly over heat, preferably use a double boiler.
The steam from the water bath can also cause bad burns. This is supposed to be a good experience so always take precautions with yourself and especially when children are around, keep them away from hot pans and syrup.. Never throw hot or burning wax in water, it will explode! I repeat, NEVER THROW HOT OR BURNING WAX IN WATER, IT WILL EXPLODE!!! I repeat NEVER THROW HOT OR BURNING WAX IN WATER, IT WILL EXPLODE (all over and on your face)!!! If you don't want to use wax, when jam is done put jam in canning jars, adjust lids and boil in a water bath. Bring to a boil and let boil in canner for 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, open lid and cool again before taking out bottles. I let my bottles cool some before taking out of the bath then put on a clean towel and cover with a towel. Let set at least a day before labeling and putting away. I always put my labels on the lid so when I want to reuse the bottles I don't have to scrape labels off the jars.

MOTHER DAUGHTER APRONS

 

 

     Old Fashioned Matching Mother Daughter Aprons.
Remember when you used to wear an apron in the kitchen with our Mom or Grandma?  With Mothers Day coming up what better way to enjoy it than with matching Mother Daughter Aprons  The above aprons are shown in the girl aprons, the woman apron matches except the pockets are square.
     This pretty Retro apron style comes in three sizes for girls and four sizes for women, size small to extra large (at Stitch Thru Time they don't believe one size fits all.) 
You can find these pretty aprons at www.stitchthrutime.com

Smoothies and fruit juice recipes

 

Start your day off with a fruit drink in the morning or enjoy one throughout the day.  Here are some fun recipes you might enjoy.  You can substitute the ice cream or sherbet for yogurt.

 

 

 

BERRY BANANA
3/4 cup apple juice
1 banana
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup frozen yogurt
1/2 cup raspberry sherbet
1/2 cup ice

3 TIME BERRY JUICE
1/4 cup. raspberry juice
1 cup nectar
1 cup strawberries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup ice

KIWI with RASPBERRIES
3/4 cup Kiwi juice
1 cup strawberries
1/2 cup raspberries
1  cup raspberry sherbet
1/2 cup ice

MANGO and PINEAPPLE
3/4 cup Mango-passion juice
1 1/2 cup mangos
1 cup pineapple sherbet
1/2 cup ice

MANGO ORANGE JUICE AND PEACHES
1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup peach nectar
1 cup mangos
1 cup peaches
1/2 cup ice

CHERRIES and RASPBERRIES JUICE
1/4 oz. raspberry juice
1/2 cup soymilk (or low fat milk)
1 cup cherries

Going Green

 

Perhaps I started out at a very young age thinking green.

  In the 20th century they didn't consider it going green, it was called mowing the lawn. 

 

As I grew older I still used the old push lawn mower to mow the lawn much to my sons distress.  We were the only people on the block, perhaps the whole town who didn't have a power mower.  When it was time to mow the lawn we got out our push lawn mower.  If I had lived in a gated community I could have started as early or gone as late as I wanted because there was no loud roar of the mower, only a quiet whirl as the blades went around. 

 

 Perhaps my lawns were not quite as manicured as the neighbors, but they were green.  I would always do a good base of manure, saw dust and anything available at the time before I planted grass or laid sod so I didn't need to water as often.  I would water ever few days a good watering and have a good lawn with deep roots.

 

I still mow my lawn with a push lawn mower, but not in my dress and good shoes.  Just be sure and oil it good before you start!

How to hang out clothes on the clothesline.

I found this old picture in my family photos - she is taking the clothes off the line on a cold afternoon.

 

There should be a handbook on hanging up clothes.  Anyone who has hung out clothes for years knows there is a special technique you develop after many years of spending time under the clothesline.  I have been hanging out clothes since I can remember.  I started at my Grandmother's who never had a dryer.  She would hang out her clothes year round unless it was so cold the clothes would freeze and I am sure she hung out some then. 

You need to have something to transport them from the washing machine to the clothesline.  I suggest a sturdy clothes basket, one that you can put on your hip so you don't carry all the weight in your arms, somewhat like carrying your child.  Next you need some good clothes pins. Sad to say all the good clothes pin manufactures in America have gone out of business so all we are left with are the cheap clothes pins made out of the country.  Try to pick as study as clothes pins as you can get.  I use the clothespins that have a spring; they seem to hold the clothes better.

When you get your clothes out of your basket shake them out first, don’t just put them on the clothes line.  I hang the shirts up by the bottom and put two clothes pins in the first item.  The next item overlap the edge, I use the second clothes pin from the first thing I hung up and use it as one of the clothespins on the second item and add another clothespin to hang secure the other end.  You just keep going until you get to the end of your line.  In other wards you don’t need two clothespins for every item you hang up, only two the first item then one for the other ones after that because you are using the second clothespin from your first item as the first clothes pin on your second item.  You still have two clothes pins in each item but they overlap each other, it saves room and clothespins.  I hang my clothes this way UNLESS it is winter time and cold - on heavy shirts and other clothing that is thick I don’t overlap them because it takes longer to dry in colder months.  In the summer and warmer times it doesn’t matter if they overlap the edge of the material as they dry quickly.

When you hang up sheets, table cloths or other large items make sure you put in more than two clothes pins, the wind may come up and blow it off if not secure.

When I hang up pants I use two clothes pins on each of them I don’t overlap them unless they are thinner material.  You can either lay them over or hang them up by the bottom of the pant leg.

Another thing I do is hang the longer items first and the shorter items last.  If the sun is shining I want it to not shade my clothes so the shorter ones in front (closer to the sun) give the ones in back of them the warmth of the sun more directly.

If here was a clothes hanging contest I am sure I would win hanging up clothes and taking them off the clothes line, you get pretty quick when you have hung out clothes on the clothesline as long as I have.

Last Rose of Summer 2012

Tomorrow is the Harvest Moon and this is one of the last of the tropicana roses.

We feed Cats and Skunks!

When we feed the cats the skunks come out.  The cats don't like the skunks, they avoid them as much as possible.  When the skunks get into the dog food the dog doesn't put up with it and usually ends up getting sprayed. 

We have to make sure we keep the chicken eggs gathered, otherwise the skunks eat the eggs too.  You can see the skunk on the side munching on the cat food. 

 

Just a few pictures of the first picking of my tomato harvest. 

 I picked more on the first picking but this is just a picture of a few of them.  Since then I have picked much more.   When I first planted the plants in the ground last May they didn't look like much.  With a lot of work, water and help from above it has been a wonderful harvest. 

Notice how the tomatoes aren't ripe.  I always pick the tomatoes when they start to turn.  The tomatoes will ripen inside and it will help to bring on the other tomatoes on the vine for a better harvest.

The growing season here isn't very long so I need to make sure I get the most out of the tomato plants. 

Below you will see various tomatoes.  I planted heritage tomatoes, roma tomatoes, early girl and also some cherry tomato plants.  I experiment every year and am not afraid to try new ones.

 

Zion South Hollow Ranch

Zion South Hollow Ranch with the Bird House (so named because of the bird nests in the house while still being built.)  The ranch is just 20 miles from Zion National Park.

Pink peonies, one of my favorite.  You ever wonder why peonies have ants?  They have a sweet to them the ants like.  Make sure you don't sprinkle your peony or it will stop blooming.  So if you wait all year for your peonies to bloom and then it rains on them it is like when the fruit or fruit blossoms freeze, sad.

Planting tomatoes

How to plant a tomato plant. Possibly you have that perfect dirt, black dirt full of nutrition and easy to dig in. Well that isn't the case for me and I am sure many other people out there. Where I live I have clay, hard clay. They say clay is full of nutrients but it is also like cement mortar and plants need to breath. So I have over time and still am hauling in all kinds of manure, sand (no I'm not making bricks), and any other mulch I can get my hands on. What I'm trying to say is you need to take the soil you have and make it better. You can always go the state extension service with your soil and they will tell you what to put into it to make that perfect soil for your tomatoes and other plants, a very good idea. I am just going to let you know how I plant tomatoes. I am not a master gardener although I should be after all the years I have planted gardens. Hopefully you can learn by my success and mistakes. I can't guarantee this will work for you (a disclaimer) but I can tell you what works for me.

The first thing you need are the tomato plants. I start mine from weed the first part of the year. I usually order on line from gurney's henry fields or any other reputable dealer. Make sure you get the seeds that are from the previous year. I do use older seed but when I order seed in I expect that it is the latest.
I used tomato seed peat pots I bought at Wal Mart, they sell them at other retailers also. They have small peat cups but they don't work as well for tomatoes. I have had much better success as I planted about 200 tomato seeds and most of them developed into tomato plants. Of course you can always just go buy your tomatoes already grown at your local nursery or on line.

About three to four weeks before planting if the weather permits you need to harden up your tomatoes. When I say harden your tomato plants I mean take them outside into the sun. Even if you buy your tomato plants at the store and bring them home and throw them into the ground chances are they have been in a greenhouse and not used to direct sunlight. If you want to plant them right away I think you will find much more success if you put them out in the sun for a few days before planting. The first day just do two or three hours and increase your time each day until they get used to being in the sun. You will find that your plants may get bleached out a little bit but they will green up once they get used to the sun and when you put them in the ground they will take off instead of going into shock from too much sun. Make sure they are watered well when you have them outside, you don't want them to die from dehydration.

My ground was really dry, it has been a dry winter this year and with the clay it was extra hard. It is very important that before you plant you make sure the ground is moist. My grandmother always told me that the first thing you do when you are transplanting is you dig your hold and fill it full of water. You let the water all soak in then put in your plant and fill it full of water again and then put your dirt in. If you don't do this and the surrounding ground is dry it will suck any moisture out of the plant and your plant will go into shock. This is true with any transplant.

Before I put my tomato plants in I remove the material around the peat so the roots are not restricted.. They say you can leave it on but for me I have not done well with my plants when I left it on. Above picture shows what it looks like after I have taken of the material. I hold my thumb on the top making sure not to hurt the stem of the plant. I take my middle and ring finger and firmly press on the bottom so when I pull gently the sides away I am holding pressure on the top and bottom to keep the plant from pulling apart. I gently bring the sides down and rotate the plant so the roots are not broken off but slip through the material. If the material comes off the bottom easily fine, otherwise I just leave it on so as not to disturb the plant too much.

Be sure and keep your tomato plants moist so the roots can take hold and not dry out.

http://www.stitchthrutime.com/Planting_Tomatoes.html

Water walls on tomato plants

We live in the mountains and have already had one frost (lost a few tomato plants but the tomatoes with caps on them and water walls did well. We lost a few of the tomato plants that had the caps on them but not many, a few of them were nipped but the majority of them are fine. We didn't lose any of the tomato plants with the water walls on them, they all did well. The water walls on the tomato plants act like a small greenhouse and will work well on any of your plants and will speed up your harvest. I take mine off when the plants develope more.

Future Bread Maker

Although going to the store to buy bread may seem a good idea but nothing like fresh homemade bread.  I like to know what goes into my bread and who's hands are on it.  I have a helper making bread, she loves to help!  I have my own recipe, if anyone wants it just let me know.  I use whole wheat flour, bread flour, oatmeal and other good things.

I Worked in the garden today, put more nutrients into the soil and my husband tilled it up so we are ready to plant! 
It is so much easier to just go to the store, but it is better to grow your own if you are able to.
Peas go in tomorrow.

Vintage Aprons

I love this vintage apron, the cherries are so pretty I could just pick one off and eat it!  stitchthrutime.com has this pretty cherry apron material in other styles as well.

Time to start planting the garden, peas should be in and others to follow!  These pretty flowers helped lift my spirit during the snowy winter months.

Valentine day

Next Tuesday is Valentines day. My sweetie made me some barb wire hearts for the Valentine Sweetheart Ball. The barb wire hearts are for decorations on some of the tables. I'll take a picture of the hearts and post it. Cute!!

Taxes and Canning

It is that of year to get the taxes done. If you get your taxes in early then you don't have to stress about them for the rest of the year.
You can then concentrate on getting your garden ready so you will have good vegetables to
eat this year and hopefully enough to put up in canning jars, dry or freeze. Canning may seem like an overwhelming job but once you start doing it you will find out it can be so rewarding. I like knowing what is in the food I eat and who has had their hands on it. We'll talk in detail this year on how to can, hot freeze and how to dry some of those vegetables and fruit you will either grow or purchase from the local farmers.

Tomato Seed Planting

Planting Tomato Seeds

It is almost the end of January; the first tomato seeds went in today. I planted 24 mortgage lifter tomato seeds, 24 celebrity tomato seeds and 24 beefsteak seeds.

I used the small pod planters and planted one per pod. It makes it so much easier when they need to be transplanted to a larger pot or the ground outside. Separating them is a pain otherwise. I will plant more this week.
I planted the mortgage lifter, celebrity and beefsteak last year. If you haven't tried the mortgage lifter I would recommend it. I bought it from Gurney's when they had one of their sales. Sign up and they will send you the specials. I was short last year on a few of the seeds and called them. They promptly send me new seeds to replace them. I like to deal with companies that back up there product.

We have snow on the ground now, but spring is not all that far away. This year I will plant the watermelon directly in the ground, they did so much better last year planted that way.

New Year

The Holidays are winding down, the Christmas rush is over. 2012 begins this weekend. What are your New Year resolutions?
Mine is more time with family, enjoy life more.

Spring seed planting

As Spring is around the corner I put my seeds in this week. As I was preparing for the big day last week I went to Wal Mart to buy some peat pots to plant them in. Much to my dismay I noticed all of the pots I had previously used had shrunk in quantity and gone up in price.

When I was planting my seeds I ran out of brand name jiffy small jiffy strips. I searched my stash at home and found some I had bought last year. I noticed the peat pots Jiffy strips by Jiffy I purchased last year came in a package of 5 with 10 small plant pots each. A total of 50 seeds could be planted. The ones I bought this year only had 4 with 10 plant pots each, a total of only 40 could be planted and the price had gone up!

I don't know about you but I had not been fooled by the smaller quantity. I would rather they keep the larger quantity and charge if need be more money then reduce quantity. I suppose they thought I wouldn't notice????

I used popcicle sticks to mark the variety of my seeds as I have more than one kind of plant in each type. I planted a variety of tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, winter squash, summer squash and peppers.

The Reunion "Girls Night Out"

More than 40 years have passed since we walked the halls of our old High School. The reunion was coming up and I was anxious, wondering if I should attend. I missed the last two years of High School with them and in a way I didn't feel like I really belonged to the group. As I read the correspondence back and forth with the various "kids" on the Internet yahoo group I still wasn't sure if I would go to the reunion.

I decided to drive the five hours to attend the "Girls Night Out" the night before the reunion. I was more anxious to go to that than the actual reunion. As I left my husband at my mother's home with the parting words "I'll probably be back in an hour or so", I went out the door hesitantly with much anticipation and some dread. What if they didn't remember me, what if I was the only one who didn't fit in?

As I arrived at the home of Linda a girl I grew up with who had lived just a few blocks away I noticed the balloons in the back of a very lovely brown brick home. I was greeted by Linda whom I would not have recognized had I seen her on the street. She had grown into a beautiful woman no longer the young girl I remembered. There were a couple of other "girls" there who told me their names and we said our polite hellos. The others arrived shortly after, an assortment of sizes and faces, a total of fifteen women. I searched each face looking for that little thread of recognition from so long ago.

Valerie arrived, dear cheerleader Valerie whom I had gone through grade school and Junior High associating with. She still had the pretty long blond hair and cute figure. I recognized her immediately, still the sweet and popular Valerie.

We sat at two separate tables and visited while we ate. I sat at the smaller table with some of the girls I remembered. We started talking about grade school, Valerie commenting about a play we had been in and I started singing a song I remembered from one of our plays. As I started singing the other girls joined in with huge smiles and sung with me a song I have sung so many times since while remembering us up on the stage in our cute outfits dancing and singing for our parents.
We spoke of climbing the ropes in gym class and of other experiences that we had shared together. I started of feel that even though I might have missed out on the very last of the school experience with them that our time shared together had bonded us in some way. I felt at ease and was happy that I had made the journey to meet with them once again.
We went inside Linda's beautiful home to the comfortable living room where we sat in a circle facing each other. We talked for a brief time when Linda suggested we tell of what we have been doing with our lives. One by one the woman shared their experiences in life since they left the confines of High School life.

I listened in amazement to the experiences I heard. Some told of bad marriages, deceased husbands and parents. Others of financial problems, three of them had suffered the effects of cancer. Some were still married to their early sweethearts. Each had a story to tell, some or triumph and others of hardship and failure. Through all of this I could see what amazing women they had become. One a writer, one a brilliant computer programmer, others successful in business, a principle and happy mothers with wonderful husbands. I can't tell all the stores as they were private yet shared with girls they had shared so much within the past. Adding up all of our posterity thus far we counted over a hundred and fifty descendants.

It as truly amazing to have been able to see and share a brief but I should say healing time with these women. Growing up I thought I was the only one who had problems or should I say what a child and young woman would consider problems. After listening to these women I realized I wasn't the only one who struggled at times, that we didn't all live the perfect life but we have lived a life where we have become stronger because of our experiences and trials.

I feel truly blessed to have had the experience of once again associating with the wonderful people I shared my early life with. They helped to shape me into the woman I have finally become.

I went to the reunion the next night for the entire class and was greeted by the girls I had seen the night before. I would look at my former classmate's faces to see if I recognized them and then the name tab but after a short time I started looking at the name tab first and then the face. We had changed, but hopefully most if us for the better.

When I have the opportunity to go to another class reunion I won't hesitate but will look forward to again seeing and sharing with the friends I grew up with.