Root Veggies for Dinner

What better way to spend Monday morning than harvesting root vegetables from the garden?  I have been carefully watching my turnips and carrots get plumper and plumper, and I just can't take it anymore.  Check out their beauty:

One of my favorite ways to use these to roast them.  Here is a recipe I think you will love:

Roasted Root Vegetables

2 carrots, cut into 2 in pieces
1 large parsnip, cut into 2-in pieces
1 turnip, cut into 2-in pieces
1/2 rutabaga, cut into 2-in pieces
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2-in pieces
1 red onion, cut into 2-in pieces
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a large bowl, toss together the carrots, parsnip, turnip, rutabaga, sweet potato, and onion with olive oil to coat.  Season with 2 Tbsp salt and toss again.  Spread the vegetables in a single layer, without touching, on two baking sheets.

Roast, shaking the baking sheets occasionally and turning the vegetables with a spatula to keep them from sticking, until they develop a light crust and are tender, about 40-50 minutes.

Transfer to serving dish and serve immediately.

Stocking Up on Lemons

You just can’t ever predict the thoughts inside a child’s mind.   Today, I conducted a scavenger hunt with a 1^st grade class at the school garden, and was reminded by these comments why every hour I give is worth it and more……

“I just saw three worms building a habitat in the garden!”

“Mrs. Hedberg, can I take 4 lemons home?  Winter is coming and my family REALLY needs to stock up.”

“Harvest Day is the yummiest day of the week.”

and my favorite….

“You are the nicest gardener ever.”

Broadmor Garden Gets Some Press!

Nice article on the Broadmor Garden in the East Valley Tribune - check it out!

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/local/education/article_3f633bfe-43d4-11e1-a4ba-001871e3ce6c.html

Transplant Time

Since moving last year, I have been waiting for a whole 15 months to transplant my roses.  Now is the time - finally!  We are renting our old house so I still have access to my garden, which I miss dearly.  I am the type of gardener that can tell you where each plant came from and its sentimental value.  Moving away from all that green sentiment was hard for me.  Especially my roses.

Why?  Well, for starters, my roses smell wonderful.  I cut them weekly and their fragrance fills my home during spring.  It's hard to find a great smelling rose anymore. 

Each rose also has a story.  The first one I am transplanting is from the previous owner of my old house.  It was planted in a poor location in the back yard and looked pitiful.  After staring at it for two years, I decided to move it to full sun and fertilize it.  The new location worked great and this rose is now the happiest damn rose in town.  It smells amazing and has fantastic blooms - take a look:

The second rose (purple) has great sentimental value.  Ted's sister, Lisa, passed away in 1998 and it was planted in her memory.  His mom gave all of us a rose because Lisa loved to stop and smell the roses on her walks in LA.  This rose will move with us wherever we go.

The third rose was given to me by my Girl Scout troop three years ago.  It is yellow - my favorite color - and is a symbol of all the good times with my troop girls. 

Finally, my roses are coming home. 

Note:  for your January garden checklist, be sure to include planting bare root roses or transplanting roses.  Plant your roses in full sun, but preferably a morning sun spot that offers some protection from the hot afternoon summer heat.  Once planted, fertilize your roses every six weeks.  Peak bloom season is in April.
  

Bouquet of Greens

Forget cut flowers, try edible greens for your next bouquet.  I gave this to my friend, Hilary.  Fresh kale and swiss chard.

Snap Peas have arrived!

My snap peas are finally here.  They don't last long on the vine as my kids graze on them while playing in the backyard.  One of my favorite things to grow.....

Composting: Getting Started (Part 1 of 3)

I love compost.   I began composting years ago due to the guilt of filling my kitchen trash with organic scraps.  My family eats a lot of fruits and vegetables, so this amount of scrap was noticeable.  I also have always been skeptical of any product (i.e. fertilizer) containing the word “Miracle.”  But it wasn’t until I made my first batch of compost, spread it in my garden, and realized the benefit to my plants that I really believed in compost.  Once a believer, there was no turning back. 

Composting is pure science but you don’t have to be a science whiz to do it.  Yeh!  It is simply the decomposition of organic materials, aka handmade soil.  It is how nature recycles itself into a rich, fertile amendment for your garden.

Here are some simple guidelines to get you started:

Step One:  Find a space

A compost bin can be made out of just about anything (or nothing).  Examples include:

Plastic trash can; saw off the bottom and drill holes for air flow

Make a square bin out of 4 posts and chicken wire

Use bricks to make a bin of any shape, height and depth

Purchase a rotating bin

Use no structure and make piles on the ground

 Composting station at Broadmor School Garden

Rotating bin in my backyard

Step Two:  Add organic material

For a balanced compost, 4 items are needed:  browns, greens, air and water.  Layer brown and green organic materials, always finishing with brown material on top.

Brown = dried leaves, shredded paper, dead plant material, straw, wood chips

Green = vegetable and fruit waste, grass clippings, coffee grounds

* Do not add meat or dairy products (egg shells are okay)

**The smaller the size of your organic material, the faster it will break down.  So, chop up that moldy cucumber!  The ideal size for material is six inches long.

Step Three:  Maintain Your Compost
Aerate your compost by rotating the contents about every 2 weeks.  Keep the pile moist by watering it down when it looks dry.

Step Four:  Watch and Wait
Depending on the balance of your pile, the size of your organic material and the bacterial activity, your compost will be ready in about 3 months.  Here is a photo of my most recent batch:

Most importantly, do not over think this process.  You will learn by experimentation and observation.  Trust your inner scientist and just go for it!

Preview:  Part 2 of 3:  Meet the Bugs

New Year, New Plant

With each year, I like to adopt a new plant to my garden.  In 2011, I planted Calendula by seed and it was a simple, easy and pretty flower to grow.   Also known as Pot Marigold, it is an annual that requires full sun and moderate water.  It has a daisy-like flower in either orange or yellow, and blooms late fall through spring.

Calendula seeds are super simple to harvest.  The seeds are large and easy to handle (good for kids and little hands).  Let the bloom dry out on the stem, pick and separate seeds.  One plant produces multiple seeds so you will never have to buy them again!  I highly recommend you consider Calendula in your garden this year.

My new plant for 2012 is Kohlrabi (German turnip).  It's a funky looking vegetable that I have never grown nor eaten.  I planted both the White and Purple Vienna variety a month ago and so far, so good.   Stay tuned.....

Happy 2012!