Saving your herbs

Drying herbs is a great thing to do so that you always have seasonings on hand, even when your favorite fresh herbs are out of season. Here are some tips and tricks on drying herbs.

Air Drying is the cheapest and easiest, although it does take some time. This works best with hardy herbs like Rosemary, Dill & Thyme, although you can try this technique with others too of course! (I'm going to go ahead and give it a whirl with my chives.) 

1. Trim branches from plant, sit out to let dew or extra moisture dry. (If you do not dry your herbs properly they will rot. eeeek.)

2. Gently scrub off anything extra (bugs, etc) and pick off those dead leaves.

3. Gather herbs into bundles and tie tightly with a ribbon or somethin'. Be sure and tie it tight, the herbs will shrink as they dry and may fall out of their little get-up. I learned this the hard way while drying roses. They fell from my balcony to the first floor... oops. 

4. To avoid my mistake above, try putting the herb bundle in a paper bag (*recycling opportunity!*) and then tie your twine on. Poke a few holes in the bag for ventilation.

5. I hang mine outside on my balcony, but you can hang yours anywhere that they'll be out of the way, as long as the place is warm & dry.

This process takes weeks. So, just keep-a-checkin' and when they're dry and crumbly, chop and place in a jar or airtight container. I use all those cute little jars (like for pesto or pimentos) that I just can't bring myself to throw away. Guess what! Now you have an excuse to keep yours too. :)

These are the chives that I didn't dry, but they were just so delish (and sooo fragrant) that I had to share!

Casualties of Winter

It's about time that I say farewell to a few warm weather plants! My friends have been making fun of me for a while now, as a few of my plants have been looking rather sad. Dead, actually. But it's okay, because those plants are ready to die off or become dormant for the winter. This is one of the exciting things about gardening! I can now bid a happy goodbye to my tomatoes, pepper varieties and strawberry plants.  My chives, rosemary, and basil are hardy enough to survive through Fall and probably even through the Texas winter...seeing how it's November and was 86 the other day.  With their goodbye comes a very happy welcome to some of my faves: winter veggies!



Last weekend I was in Austin visiting the fam and Natural Springs Garden. Usually, for helping out I get to harvest some veggies to take home, but this time I was sent home with something even better- plants! {the whole "teach a man how to fish" philosophy, at its finest!} Also, the handymen in my life (dad and my husband) built a very cute mini garden trough for me. It's big enough to plant about two rows, and will be a beautiful container once it starts to weather naturally! Once I get some potting soil, I will be transplanting most of my new greens into it!

The cold fronts are getting closer and closer together, and squirrels getting fluffier, which is apparently a sign of a cold winter to come. With that, the fall/winter veggies that I am *very* excited to introduce are several different varieties of greens: 

Jericho Lettuce

Lola Rosa Lettuce

Arugula!

Black Seeded Simpson 

Red Salad Bowl Lettuce

Giant Red Mustard Greens

Yellow Swiss Chard. This photo is not enhancing it's color, it's actually that yellow! 

So pretty.

My Garlic chives are still looking good! They are huge! I am going to look into drying and bottling them, don't worry, I'll keep ya posted on that. :)

Bulls Blood Beet Green. Check out the little babies growing already!

Also, cilantro, basil and my baby ghost pepper plants that you've already heard about are all looking beautiful.

Ghost Pepper 

These will make for a beautiful salad! There's so much here that I can make mix and match to create different salads and not get tired of the same ol' lettuce. Yes, this means no more spending $7 on a container of organic greens that go bad in 5 days!!! 


Once these are all in their new home, I'll post the picture of the mini garden trough. Also, check back soon, I'll be researching drying herbs (my chives especially) and bottling them to stow away in your kitchen. Sometimes it's better to have dried herbs on hand because fresh ones can burn easily if you are baking them. It's always better to dry your own herbs... because it's free! :)


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A GHOST PEPPER HALLOWEEN

Happy Halloween!!!! 

This halloween, this featured pepper seemed appropriate. Its intense... I cannot stress how intense... heat of this pepper really sneaks up on you. The pepper, which is red and wrinkly like the photo above, (that I borrowed from Citrus Guy's blog ..thanks!) has a delicious, smokey flavor and then a sudden spice that you don't expect. 

I am growing Ghost Peppers now! Thanks to my mom, who gave me some. She grew them from seed, and said that even the seeds are hot! It is even recommended that you wear gloves even while planting these spicy buggers! She said a volunteer at the farm was literally coughing while planting the Ghost Pepper seeds. Yikes.

We tried this amazing Silver Leaf International Ghost Pepper salsa that my husband found at Whole Foods. It's HOT. But, it has suchhhhh a good flavor. Seriously, try it!

Be on the lookout for recipes that include Ghost Peppers for me, because I am very cautious in actually eating these peppers once my plant starts producing them! :)




Have a safe Halloween! 

Farewell to Summer

It's fall, however, it was 95 degrees here in Houston today, and the humidity was awful! We are supposed to be getting a front tomorrow that will lead us further into fall. Fall is typically beautiful in Texas, and I can't wait to see the leaves change and fall. I am getting my fall/winter veggies ready... so I hope you all are prepared to see all my great new plants that I snagged from the farm this past weekend! Until then, here's a few summer photos to say farewell to this summer heat!

xoxox

From Kitchen to Compost.

Hey everyone! I've been MIA- I know... but I am **SO** happy to see that through Blotanical, my blog has really bloomed while I have been away, busy with school for the past few weeks. Really though, visiting the site for the first time and seeing the Indie Garden Guide on the list of 100 new blogs was pretty neat. So, it's very nice to meet all of you who are visiting through Blotanical! :)

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Many people already know the benefits of composting, but just don't know where to start. That's where I come in! I have been compost container shopping for weeks now, and I'm now ready! 

You can start with pretty much any air-tight container. Now's the time to lug out that rubbermaid container that you have in the closet that isn't used because it's missing a lid. (Or is that just me that has those empty things hidden away?) This storage container can be any size, but you will yield more benefits and get rid of more scraps if you use a larger one. I reccommend 'making' your own compost container, because buying a fancy-shmancy one can be around $200... yikes!

So start with your bin, and drill some holes into it for airflow. The holes shouldn't be big enough so that some of your soil or matter will fall out. You don't even really need a lid! (But if you're worried about stinking up your patio.... feel free to use one.) 

Next, scout out anything in your kitchen that could become your kitchen compost keeper. This will be the little guy that holds your scraps until you move them to the composting bin. Things like coffee and oatmeal containers are perfect for this. This will allow some of your kitchen matter to break down and make it easier to control your layers. {We'll talk about layers further down :) }

Now that your compost bin and kitchen keeper are complete.... the fun begins! Below are some things that are great for composting! 

Be sure and shred paper into small strips and to chop veggies and fruits into small pieces to help them decompose faster. Depending on how often you have veggie scraps, this is where your kitchen keeper comes in. Add those slices of carrots, celery strips, strawberry tops- all of it - into your keeper as you produce it. Then when you have enough for a "green" layer, throw it out in your compost bin. What's this "green" layer, you may ask? -- The key with composting is to alternate your "greens" and "browns". So, start with a layer of dead leaves, coffee grounds and saw dust, and then layer on your fruit and veggie scraps. (Incorporating the browns into your compost will keep the smell of composting under control.) If your compost is too wet, increase your "browns", if it is to dry, spray some water on top to help the process. 

Your compost is ready to "harvest" when it has a nice layer of organic matter at the bottom. This layer will be very dark, moist dirt-like matter. It will do wonders for your garden!

With all of this as a guideline, your possibilities are literally endless. Also, you will be amazed at how much less trash you will have in your trashcan!

Fabulous window sills

I've had a couple inquires about window sill gardening. So, when looking into it a little more, I learned that there are soooo many cute things you can do to have a simple window sill garden if you are sans balcony. 


Herbs can usually thrive indoors. Plants like chives, parsley, rosemary, lavender, basil, mint and thyme are all great choices. They all will require watering (duh), but be sure and don't over water! Herbs don't like sitting in water, and can easily develop root rot. A monthly fertilizer is a good idea too. Try to find some organic alternatives- there are plenty out there! My mom uses fish emulsion and turkey compost for her fabulous farm, Natural Springs Garden.


Here are some really cute ideas for window sill gardens! I {lurve} this idea and am going to plant some of the more fragrant herbs in my room! 

 from apartmenttherapy.com 


Or this simply chic, potted idea.

From the dailygreen.com

This mis-matched idea is a great way to recycle your extra bottles & jars! 

From bhg.com

UMTRYITKAY!!!

Gardening Gloves Galore

My sewing machine is currently broken. It's sad, but very true. As soon as it is repaired...or replaced, depending on the poor thing's situation, I will all over this adorable tutorial on how to make your very own pair of gardening gloves. It's so cute, I'm already lurking etsy for cute fabrics.  I am just too excited to not share it!! It is a *very* easy tutorial that anyone can do. I bet you could even use stitch witchery! Jump on this tutorial and show me your creation!

DIY gardening gloves tutorial!

The Dunk.

Sudden dead leaves?
Wilted plants?
It happens to the best of us. 
These Texas heat waves that occur after days of cool weather, or vice-versa, can brink shock to a plant. My basil, for example, looks beautiful one day and is wilting the next. My guess is it just can't do the 109 degree heat index, but after a sip of water it perks right back up. 
Sometimes plants need a little more than a drink of water though, and a "dunk" is needed! My mom has coined the term "dunk" in our family & surrounding friends. (Shhhh... don't let her know that I've outed her! She dunks!) It has become contagious and I find myself announcing that my pants need a dunk, and people look at me strange. This process consists of giving your plants a little boost when they need more than just a normal watering. 
Keep in mind, you should check out the soil's moisture content before you dunk your plants. Wilting and/or brown leaves can also be a sign of over-watering. So just stick your finger about 1 inch down into the soil. If it's wet below the surface, don't water. If it's dry, water. If it's so tough on top that you can't stick your finger in 1 inch, dunk away! 
Here's how:




This is of course only for plants in containers. First, fill your sink, bathtub or a large bucket up with water. I use my kitchen sink. Be sure and keep in mind that the water your tub or sink will displace a little when you put the plant in- so leave plenty of room! 

Next, take your sad plant and prepare him for dunk by picking off the wilted areas and dead leaves. Leaving dead leaves or blooms on your plants deprives them of nutrients. The plant will try to spread nutrients to these un-needed parts if you leave them there!

Now we're ready! Just stick the plant in the water. Press it to the bottom of the sink and let it soak. Let it sit in the water until it all the bubbles are through coming up. If your sink isn't full enough (or deep enough) to fully submerge the plant, add water straight into the pot. Having water in the sink will keep the water from draining straight out the bottom and give the plant a chance to soak up that water!

Anddddd we're done! This is my poor plant after his dead leaves and such were cleaned off. But, he'll be looking better in no time. (Yes... I say it's a him... mostly because it's a Habenero plant! Yes?) Once your plant stops bubbling, that means all the soil is nice and wet. Just drain the sink or dump your bucket. Let your plant sit for a while to avoid dripping when you take it back outside! 

*CUTE* garden accessories

I have barely gotten my garden situated and sprouting, but who's to say that it's to early to accessorize? One thing about having a little space to work with is that a few accessories will go a long way. In addition to a few cute pots, you can always add a few decorative yet functional items to your balcony garden. Here are a few *adorable* finds that I have on my gardening wish list! 

Garden Markers from Anthropologie for $28. These are made from vintage spoons and metal stamped with herb names. You can make your own markers with things like popsicle sticks, twigs or painted rocks.

Okay, so you probably don't need these for a balcony gardening, as all of your plants are probably in pots. But, they're quite fashionable and will save those freshly-painted nails! Again, this find is from Anthro for $20.

Perfect example of funcational decor. Who wouldn't want this pink swan watering can? This can is a steal at only $10 from modcloth.com.

Alright, so this is a more extravagant garden purchase, but I plan to keep an eye out for my own wicker or wrought iron chairs and spray them each with different colors. This one is found at...surprise!!.... Anthropologie for $298 per chair. 

A hammock is a neat addition to any small outdoor space. We have this beautiful, hand-dyed, hand-sewed one from Whole Earth Provisions for $95. It's perfect because we can stretch it out when we want to lounge in it, and then quickly unhook it and stow it away when we need our patio space back. :)

Garden shrooms! Although the vendor on Etsy has sold out of these, these are too cute! Some of the other ones have creepy little aliens with them, but the mushrooms themselves are soooo Mario Brothers & would be really cute sitting in one of my potted veggies!

Found your own garden finds? Post them! I don't hate comments. ;)

Baker's Rack Style

We have had WEEKS of a cycle of rain, horrible humidity and then extreme heat. I peeked out @ the balcony garden today and was startled to see quite a few wilting leaves on several plants- mostly the tomato plants and the Basil. :( So, I decided that my balcony needs to be carefully arranged in order for each plant to get the amount of sun, heat and water that it needs! 
With that, I arranged a baker's rack (a Goodwill find for $18, re-painted from gold to periwinkle!) to suit a few of the plant's needs. The baker's rack system is great so far! It's so easy to create space with shelves, and it took care of the problem I was having watering, where all my water would pour out of the bottom of my pots and onto the balcony below me (and probably the balcony below them, too! oops!) This way, I can water on the upper shelves and the plants on the shelves below drink up the water that trickles through, minimizing the amount that hits the balcony floor. Perfecto! Here's a quick peek:

If you choose to use a baker's rack system, be sure and check the soil before watering all plants. You don't want to over-water! (Wilting leaves often are a sign of over watering.) Use the finger test - stick your finger 1 inch deep into the soil. If the soil at the tip of your finger feels wet, don't water. If it's dry, water away! In this photo, I had removed some plants that didn't need watering and set them off in the shade while the other's got a drink. 

Here are some facts I put together about the plants I'm growing, to help you (and me!) arrange the baker's rack according to each plant's sun and water needs. 

**Happy growing!**

****HAPPY PLANTING!****

What's growing!

So, with huge support to get this garden guide going, my mom and mother-in-law started me off with snippets & full plants of nearly every vegetable and herb that I was wanting to grow! So here's a little inventory of what I'll be starting out with!  Click the images for a large view, if needed! :)

I am so excited about growing my balcony garden! It will be interesting to begin this learn-as-you-go process. My plants are all still babies, but they will be fruiting in no time! I definitely recommend starting out with herbs in your garden. This may just be the part of me that needs instant satisfaction, but it has so far been nice to be able to step outside and snip some rosemary or basil to cook with while I'm waiting on the other plants to get bigger before they yield anything!

The next step for these guys is new pots! I will be re-vamping some moldy old pots that were given to me. Stay tuned!

From balcony to Garden; the beginning.

You roam about town for farmer's markets.

When you see good produce, you buy it in bulk and freeze some.

You are envious of your friend's yard space, and annoyed that she uses none of that space for gardening. I know the feeling.

After years of shuffling around from apartment to apartment and only dreaming of a yard full of cucumbers and onions, I thought, why can't I just grow stuff on my balcony? Flowers grow in pots, why can't vegetables? So here I am, ready to dive in and transform my 5 x 10 foot balcony into a garden. A real one. I am ready to discover (much by trial and error, and much by suggestions) gardening techniques that require no yard. We'll find the best organic ideas for pest control, fertilizing, and of course, the best deals around for cute planters and alternative ideas for just about everything. (And yes, we'll figure out how you can get around those pesky property rules!) This will be a start to finish endeavor (an amateur one, at that) of the transformation from my boring balcony now: 

to a functional, eclectic balcony garden. 

Check out these beautiful balcony gardens that others have created:

 

 Now keep in mind... I am no pro. In fact, my mom gives me plants from her CSA (shout out to Natural Springs Garden!) in Austin, Texas and then days later calls in to check on them. She often reminds me to water, and then she is there when they aren't doing so well. I have, on more than one occasion, dropped potted plants off to her to "doctor" so that she can return them to me when they are blooming again.

I would like to think that some of her gardening talents have been passed on to me. I plan to turn my thumbs green and utilize all the space I have. If you're interested, please follow along. If you're brave, join the adventure. Feel free to send me your photos and tips to contribute! Together, we will be picking cherry tomatoes and snipping rosemary in no time!