And besides being cheap, it’s really FUN — for adults and kids alike.

Materials

• Use “Mortar” or “Sand Mix”, which are both combinations of sand and Portland cement.  Quikrete, a product that also contains pebbles, is okay to use, but produces a rougher texture.  A 60-pound bag costs $3 and makes about 10 pavers.
• Plastic gloves
• Mold possibilities are cake pans or other aluminum baking container, plastic garbage can top, any plastic container, mold from a craft store, flashing cut in strip and taped together to form round shape of any size, etc. For stepping stones, the mold should be at least 2 to 2 ½ inches thick.
• Nonstick agent like vegetable spray for cooking, or WD-40.
• Decoration possibilities are marbles, flat glass, shells, toys, hand or paw prints, leaves, vines or other natural materials, coins. Another trick is to just write in the wet mixture with a popsickle stick. Cookie cutters can be used if embedded 1/4 inch. If the end result is something to step on, however, all decorations have to be flush with the surface (no shells or toys sticking up!)

Assembly

• The easiest way to measure is to just fill the mold you’ll be using with the concrete mix, then transfer it to a mixing bowl of some kind, like a bucket or a kitty litter pan. Add enough water to create the consistency of dough or thick mud pies, adding it gradually so the mixture isn’t TOO wet, which would mean adding more concrete mix and wasting it. Stir with stirrer of some kind or hands (gloved.)
• Spray with Pam or some other nonstick spray inside of the mold thoroughly. Fill it halfway with the wet mixture, beginning in the middle, then jiggle to remove bubbles. Then fill the rest of the way.
• Wait 5 minutes, mop up excess water with a paper towel, then insert decorations on top.
• Wait 20 minutes before writing or drawing in cement.
• Or wait 30 minutes before doing hand or pawprints in the cement.
• To use as a plaque that will be hung, insert a metal hook into the wet cement. Picture frame hangers can be used, and I’ve been known to use a 4-inch piece of wire bent in the shape of a hanger.
• OR use my preferred technique, which produces the smooth surfaces you see here in pavers I made, by placing your decorative elements on the BOTTOM, then carefully placing the wet cement on top of it.

After-Care

• Wait 36-48 hours, then remove mold by inverting and tapping gently.
• If your decorative elements were placed on the surface, use a brush to remove excess cement and brush or file to smooth the sides. You also may need to remove excess cement from the goodies on top (using a stiff brush). This is your only chance to make improvements; the next time you uncover the paver it’ll be too hard to file or smooth in any way.
• Spray or mist with water again and cover with plastic.
• Wait 2 weeks before uncovering again to paint the paver or (especially) to step on it. If paver is flush with ground it’s less likely to crack. It’ll break if dropped on a hard surface.

 Post-Curing Decorating

Happy Mother’s Day, everyone!  Even if you’re not a mother.  For me it’s a great day to remember my own mother, who passed on her love of gardening to me.  After she moved to a condominium, she frequently drove the 100 miles between us just to weed my garden.  You might suspect that it was just an excuse to visit me, but she seriously missed gardening – at least as much as she missed me.

Now for readers who happen to have received cut flowers or flower arrangements today, here are some tips for making them look as good as possible for as long as possible.

• Before putting the flowers in a vase, make sure the vase is clean.  Then use sharp scissors or a knife to strip off any leaves that will be underwater, and then recut the stems and place them immediately in water.
• Don’t overcrowd the flowers in the container – use a large enough vase.
• Check the water level in the vase and replenish it as needed.
• Change the water and recut the stems every few days.  In mixed bouquets, remove any flowers that start to wilt early; as they wilt, they may give off ethylene, which could cause other flowers to wilt early, too.  Flowers that go limp are not drinking well and need to be recut.

• Roses and other sturdy flowers can be rehydrated by plunging the entire flower and stem under cold water.  Submerging roses in a bathtub for 3 hours will add two days’ vase life, according to several sources.
• Always discard wilted blooms.
• Keep flowers away from drafts, direct sunlight, and ripening fruits, which emit ethylene gas—a substance that causes buds to remain closed, petals to have poor color, and flowers to have a shortened vase life.
• Commercial flower food WILL extend the vase life of flowers.  It often comes with arrangements but if you don’t have any, you can use a pinch of sugar and a drop of bleach.

Photo credits.  Top.   Lower left.  Lower right.

Seasonal Cooking with Rita Calvert~The Local Cook 

Yesiree we do have a confusing and early spring. In fact, the past 12 months have been the warmest since the US started keeping records. I use Clagett Farm in Upper Marlboro as my mid-Atlantic Farm barometer. Last weekend-May 5, they had ripe strawberries for their CSA shareholders. Way early since the norm is during the“strawberry moon” which is the full moon of June as I learned from Michael Heller, farmer/educator/coauthor at Clagett Farm.

Here are more recipes to celebrate your berry finest.

Berry Blush Sangria

Serves 4-6

This sangria recipe will make our early spring berries sing! Made with a dry light Pinot Grigio, NOT blush wine, the drink is crisp and refreshing with the addition of fresh citrus. Unlike most sangria, where the recipe is designed to disguise cheapo wine, this is quite the opposite. It was designed to showcase wine and berries without making the drink cloyingly (headachy) sweet.

• 8 ounces fresh strawberries
• 4 ounces fresh blueberries
• 4 ounces fresh blackberries
• 1 (750 ml) bottle Pinot Grigio
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup seltzer water
• 1 cup of white grape juice

Clean the strawberries. Leave the berries whole.

Skewer or layer the fruit in a large pitcher and let sit for about 10 minutes.

Add the seltzer first and then the remaining liquids. Stir well and lest rest for about 30 minutes to infuse. If the sangria lasts for any amount of time, you will see it begin to blush a rosy color. Serve.

Strawberry-Ricotta “Pop Tarts”

Makes 8

These flaky much-loved turnovers are served from Knead Patisserie at the back of Mission Street Food in San Francisco and highlighted in the San Francisco Chronicle. I tweaked the recipe a bit to add more of that luxurious filling. The fruit filling changes with the season. The flavor of the jam is important, so use a high quality brand and add seasonal fresh fruit to it. Of course, homemade jam will make the recipe even better. These are rich, so can easily be shared.

Cream cheese tart dough

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 8 ounces unsalted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons ricotta cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour + more for dusting work surface
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling

• 1/2 cup strawberry jam
• 1/2 cup
• Confectioners sugar, for dusting
• Extra jam and fresh strawberries

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a heavy-duty hand-held electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, ricotta and vanilla for about 2-3 minutes on medium speed. Slowly add the 2 cups flour and salt. Mix only as much as needed to incorporate.

Remove the dough from the mixer and pat into a square. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

When ready to assemble, cut the dough in half. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Working with one portion at a time (and keeping the other portion covered with plastic wrap), roll the dough out into a 13- by 9-inch rectangle, about 1/4-inch thick. Trim the edges, then cut the dough into 4 rectangles, about 4- by 6 inches each. Spread each rectangle with 1 tablespoon jam and 1 tablespoon ricotta.

Working from the top, fold the dough over the filling, about 3/4 of the way down the rectangle. Fold the bottom lip up and press over the top piece to seal. Press the exposed edges with a fork to seal tightly. At this point, you can cover and refrigerate or freeze the tarts overnight, or bake immediately.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dust the tops of the tarts with sugar, then arrange the tarts on a parchment- or silpat-lined baking sheet. Bake about 20-25 minutes, until very light golden brown.

Serve warm with strawberries mixed with extra jam on the side.

Pressed-Crust Strawberry Tart

Serves 12

This dessert, inspired by Good Housekeeping  is a cinch with a pressed crust (which folks adore anyway)-no need for a rolling pin. The gelatin is another salvation as it keeps the tart firm.

• 1 1/4 cup (from about 12 crackers) graham cracker crumbs
• 5 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound strawberries, hulled
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 package (about 2 1/2 teaspoons) powdered gelatin
• 1/3 cup strawberry jelly
• 2 tablespoon cold water
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9-in. tart pan (with removable bottom) with nonstick baking spray.

In large bowl, combine crumbs, butter, brown sugar, and salt; stir until well blended. Press mixture evenly into bottom and up side of prepared pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until set. Cool completely on wire rack.

Meanwhile, slice half of strawberries lengthwise; set aside. Chop remaining strawberries; transfer to 2-quart saucepan with 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Cook on medium 3 to 5 minutes or until strawberries are soft, stirring often. Transfer to blender; puree until smooth. Cool completely.

In small bowl, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon gelatin over remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice; let stand 1 minute. In 1-quart saucepan, heat jelly on medium 2 minutes or until melted, stirring often. Add gelatin mixture to jelly, stirring to dissolve gelatin. Cool slightly and transfer to small resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate.

In another small bowl, sprinkle remaining 2 teaspoons gelatin over water. Let stand 3 minutes. In 1-quart saucepan, stir milk and remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar until sugar dissolves. Heat on medium 1 minute or until steaming. Stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved. Remove from heat. Refrigerate milk mixture just until cool, about 40 minutes (do not allow to set).

In large bowl, whisk cooled milk mixture, yogurt, and vanilla until smooth. Transfer 1-1/4 cups to small bowl; set aside (do not refrigerate). Stir strawberry puree into remaining yogurt mixture. Pour into crust. Refrigerate 1 hour or until just beginning to set. Spread plain yogurt mixture in even layer on top.

With scissors, snip small hole in corner of plastic bag with jelly. Pipe straight lines, 1 inch apart, across surface of tart. Drag tip of paring knife through yogurt and jelly to create decorative pattern. Place sliced strawberries around edge of tart, overlapping slightly. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 6 hours or until set.

Masses of full-grown roses and stunning Byzantine architecture is a combination I dare say none of us can duplicate in our own far more modest gardens.

The photo above shows the perfect companion to roses – catmint or Nepeta.  That’s because it blooms at the same time and really, that pale lavender blue goes with everything.

Another lovely companion to roses is the Siberian iris in the foreground.  I prefer its smaller size and thinner foliage to the larger, more dramatic bearded iris.

Yellow’s a color rose we’re seeing less of these days, and I miss it.

Who’d have thought that white would look so good with orange?  Not me!

Heavy bunches of blooms on single stems are pretty darn dramatic, especially on the right where there are multiple colors in each blossom.

More pale yellow in the foreground, but how about the tall, majestic red climber?  If you approach them from the other side you see they serve as a background to several benches.  Nice spot for sitting a spell.

Another color we don’t see enough of anymore in roses is purple.  This one’s just past its peak but has sooo many flowers, it still makes a great show.

Another example of how much a stunning climber can add to a garden.  I bet this one is ‘New Dawn’, the most popular and probably best-performing climbing rose seen in gardens today.

I love these multi-colored single blooms.

Lastly, a modern touch in rose breeding is found in the parking lot with this mass of super-popular Knockout roses.  They’ll bloom repeatedly until Thanksgiving or so, without a bit of fussing over.

This first little pocket garden surrounded by stone illustrates all sorts of things – starting with how much better plants look set against stones (at least to my eyes).   And how much impact a very small garden can have, if the right plants are chosen.   Blooming in this scene are a white peony, a fuschia spirea, a nice mass of nepata (catmint), enhanced by the all-season chartreuse foliage in the creeping jenny.   Later it looks like some daylilies will add color, and late in the season, some mums.

That same little garden is seen here in its context – along the side of the home and with a climbing rose and purple trellis providing a stunning background.  It’s amazing how much a dab of paint can add to a garden.

Now isn’t this scene inviting?  Seating, a bird bath focal point and a wood-chip path make this front-yard garden both inviting and interesting, without a single bloom in sight.

More great stonework is doing its job here -  holding back soil on an incline and making all the plants look even better.  In bloom now are a Scotch broom – a plant we just don’t see enough of – and behind it, a Knockout rose.

Here’s another example of great seating making the garden.  A wisteria-covered arbor provides total shade for this dining area, and presumably it was built to handle the great weight of that famously vigorous climber.

Again, there are no blooms in sight but a pond always invites attention.  I love the weathered, old-fashioned seating, too.  All very restful.

Another example of old-fashioned and weathered is seen here in the cedar shake siding – love it!  I also appreciate the old-fashioned  look of the full-grown weigela blooming in the center of the photo.  Weigelas are one of the unsung heroes of large gardens because they grow fast, take up lots of space and provide that all-important structure – the garden’s bones – while creating very little work for the gardener.  Just a bit of renewal pruning after they’re full grown (removing one-third of the stems all the way to the ground every year or two.)

Finally, another great example of how much stone can add to a garden.   Right now the scene is enhanced by some climbing hydrangea blooms but even when that display is done for the year, this old fireplace is an effective focal point.

Seasonal Cooking with

I was jolted awake when I saw a Facebook notice from Flavor Magazine (Virginia) that LOCAL BLUEBERRIES (from Grelen Pick Your Own-near Charlottesville) ARE ALMOST HERE! Wahooo!
“Our blueberries and brambles are much ahead of last year’s ripening schedule. We expect the first blueberries to ripen within the next two weeks, and we have lots of them! Black raspberries should ripen by late May followed by red and yellow raspberries. Blackberries should ripen by mid June.”

It’s nice to have a savory dish to offer as a surprise for berries. Then, of course, come all of the irresistible desserts. Because we can never get enough berries…we’ll continue this berry plethora next week!

Pad Thai Salad with Blackberries

Serves 4-6

If you find a great source of flavorful blackberries, you’ll be amazed how their sweet juiciness enlivens even more the full-bodied recipe. If it sounds odd, have the faith…it’s delightful!

• 8 ounces rice noodles
• 2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil, like grapeseed
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut into chunks
• 4 scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 cup bean sprouts, rinsed and trimmed, optional
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce, or more
• 1 tablespoon tamarind paste or ketchup
• (2 teaspoons sugar, if you use tamarind)
• (1/4 cup lime juice, if you use ketchup)
• 2 chilies, preferably Thai, stemmed, seeded and sliced, optional
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
• 1 cup fresh sweet blackberries
• 1 cup baby arugula
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Boil rice noodles in salted water according to directions, stirring occasionally. Test for texture: noodles are done when they are firm but tender (al dente). Rinse noodles in cold water until cool and drain well. Place into a large bowl and toss with the 2 teaspoons oil until all noodles are lightly coated.

Put 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat. Add eggs and scramble quickly for first minute or so with a fork almost flat against the bottom of pan; you’re aiming for a thin egg crepe of sorts, one with the smallest curd you can achieve. Cook just until set and remove crepe to a cutting board. Cut into 1/4-inch strips and add to the noodles.

Raise heat to high, and add remaining oil. When oil is hot, add garlic and shrimp, and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp turn bright pink; transfer to the bowl with a slotted spoon; add scallions and half the bean sprouts; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Again transfer with a slotted spoon.

Add fish sauce, chilies, tamarind and sugar, (or ketchup and lime juice) and a little water-about 1/4 cup; stir just to combine and deglaze the pan (add a little more water, if necessary), then drizzle warm dressing over salad. Toss, taste, and adjust seasoning, then top with peanuts, arugula and blackberries. Serve with lime wedges on side.

Individual Berry Galettes w/ New Age Pastry (a la Jack Daniels)

Makes 4 galettes

It took me a while to sleuth out the source of this new “drunken” pastry recipe-spiked with vodka. I recently saw the new  recipe in Cooking Light Magazine, but when I googled: Vodka Pastry, all kinds of websites were highlighting it. I now believe Cooks Illustrated started the entire saga and then Cooking Light reduced the fat (butter, in this case) even more.

Well, leave it to me to want to experiment further. I don’t love making pastry but with fresh berries at the ready and a challenging twist on the pastry, I was game! So I decided to try rich caramel whiskey to see if it would impart extra richness (minus extra fat) in the crust. It was great!

The theory of adding liquor is that the liquid replaces a good bit of the fat from the butter. Since too much liquid causes an excess of gluten, the dough can become gummy. Since the alcohol evaporates as the pastry bakes, the result is a flaky light pastry.

Per galette

• 1 cup mixed berries (or single blueberries, strawberries, raspberries)
• Grated lemon zest
• Local honey
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• whipped cream of Greek yogurt for topping

New Age Pastry

• 2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 9 tablespoons (1 stick + 1 tablespoon) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/4 cup cold Jack Daniels
• 1/4 cup cold water

Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). With a rubber spatula, scrape the bowl. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

Sprinkle chilled liquor and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 425F.

Divide each disk in half and , using extra flour, roll out until about 1/4-inch thick. Place about 1 cup of berries in the center. Sprinkle with lemon zest and a drizzle of honey. Carefully fold edges of dough up to enclose just the edges of the fruit-leaving the center open. Brush with egg wash. With a large flat spatula, lift onto a greased flat baking pan.

Bake for 18-22 minutes-until golden brown. Place on a cooling rack until room temperature. Serve topped with whipped cream or Greek yogurt.

At this month’s meeting of the Golden Spades, Homestead’s own guru Gene Sumi talked fertilizer – the basics, plus answers to everyone’s questions about them.

Organics Feed the Soil

Organic gardeners know that the best way to get nutrients to their plants is to give them good soil, soil that holds onto nutrients (unlike pure sand) and has the microorganisms that can turn organic matter into nutrients (unlike the hardpan often left by developers after they’ve removed the topsoil).

So organic fertilizers, made from living things, release nutrients into the soil by way of microbial action.  Compost works this way, improving the soil’s structure  while feeding our plants.  And good soil structure means the soil can both hold and drain water, rather than waterlogging our plants in clay that doesn’t drain, or starving plants in sandy soil that doesn’t hold water long enough.  Leafgro is a great compost product that’s made from locally collected leaves.

Compost teas have recently become popular among savvy gardeners because they’re such a great source of beneficial microorganisms.  Another product that’s very effective in doing this is Bio-Tone Starter from Espoma.  It contains mycorrhizal fungi that stimulate roots to grow.   It’s so effective, Gene recommends that we use it when planting everything (except annuals).  Even houseplants benefit from having this powder sprinkled around their roots.  And that’s the key – getting Bio-Tone to the root zone – so use it when you’re planting or moving plants, rather than applying it on top of the soil.  Why do our soils need this natural product?  Because so often they’re depleted by agriculture, or because developers removed the good soil and left the hapless homeowners with “builder’s soil”, which is a cruel name for rubble and clay.  Even if your soil is adequate, plants benefit from an extra dosage of these root-starting fungi, and there’s no worry about overdosing with them.

Interestingly, the only plant groups that don’t benefit from the mycorrhizal fungi in Bio-Tone are weeds and plants in the brassica family – cabbage, cauliflower, et cetera.

Several audience members gave rave reviews for the fish-based Neptune fertilizers.  One suggested that if you don’t like the fishy after-smell, just wash your hands with some lemon juice.  Gene told us about the ability of fish-based fertilizers, unique among all organic products, to be used quickly by plants.   Fish- and seaweed-based fertilizers are the only organic products that are mixed in water and fast-acting.   So, like synthetic fertilizers, they CAN be overused; read and follow the instructions.

Water-soluble Fertilizers

Fertilizers like Miracle-Gro that are dissolved in water are fast-acting and therefore, can do damage if applied incorrectly.   And the biggest mistake in their use is overuse, with users frequently doubling the dose in the mistaken assumption that more is better.  But no, more is worse!  So follow instructions on the package carefully.

The use of these fast-acting, chemical fertilizers makes soil irrelevant except as a way to hold up the plants, because the plants are fed directly, like intravenous feedings that short-circuit our own digestive systems.

Fertilizing Lawns

The University of Maryland now recommends feeding lawns just once a year, in the early fall.   Applications of high-nitrogen fertilizers in the spring just produce excessive growth (touted as “greening-up”) that just creates the need to mow more frequently AND stresses the plants when the summer heat and drought come.

But what if you didn’t feed your lawn last fall – okay to feed it now?  Gene’s answer is yes, with the organic fertilizer Milorganite.  It won’t cause excessive growth.  With it and other organic fertilizers “You just can’t screw it up.”

Are there any lawn-care companies that use organic fertilizers?  Golden Spaders suggested Natural Lawn, a national chain that not only uses organic fertilizers but tests the soil before applying anything to make sure it’s really needed.

Recently a new law concerning fertilizer use went into effect in Maryland that reduces the amount of phosphorus in lawn fertilizers – because excess phosphorus has been running off into the Bay and creating dead zones.  Not to worry – almost all Maryland soils have plenty of phosphorus, so this restriction won’t be the downfall of our lawns.   The other mandated change we’re seeing in lawn fertilizers is the reduction in nitrogen they contain, again because any excess in nitrogen runs off into our waterways.  This is only a problem in synthetic fertilizers, since organic fertilizers already have lower amounts of nitrogen, and aren’t fast-acting and likely to wash away.

Does your lawn have excessive thatch?   Try spraying it with compost tea.  It’s proving to be quite effective in breaking down thatch.

Feeding Annuals

So what about potting soils that come with fertilizers in them?  Not to worry – because of the much lower risk of overfertilizing annuals, the plants most often grown in containers.  Annuals “live fast and die young” and thrive with regular feeding.  It takes a lot of energy to keep blooming for 4-5 months, as they do.

Feeding Trees

Don’t fertilize deciduous (leaf-dropping) plants when they’re dormant, without leaves.  It would be a waste of money because without leaves, the plants can’t use the nutrients – it’s leaves that create the “turbopull” that brings water and the nutrients it contains up into the plant.  When the leaves first start popping out in the spring IS a great time to feed, however.

Old Fertilizers

Is it okay to use fertilizers that have been sitting around for years?  Yes, they have a very long shelf life – the synthetic ones, that is.  The organic ones CAN get too old and should be kept under controlled temperatures.  Fish products, for example, can ferment over time and under the wrong conditions.

Separate Fertilizers for Every Plant Group?

What’s up with all the specialty fertilizers on the market these days?   Do we really need to use a different fertilizer for tomatoes, for annuals, for trees, and so on?  Gene says these new labels are mainly about marketing, rather than actual need.  Garden-Tone is a great all-purpose fertilizer that can be used on anything, and if your pH needs adjusting, go ahead and use Holly-Tone for acid-loving plants.  Use whatever you have and don’t worry about what plant group it’s labeled for.

• How to mow? Always with a sharp mower.  Dull blades cause injury to the blades that does not repair itself.   And don’t mow during droughts – that just encourages weeds by exposing more soil to the sun.  Most important of all, mow high – 3″ in the sun and 3.5″ in the shadier spots.
• Mike loves minor bulbs planted in lawns and told a funny story about them – that the Dutch introduced them in the U.S., thinking that we were tired of our green lawns and would want some color in them.  Turns out, Americans really love their lawns green – all the time.  (I’ve tried planting small crocuses in my lawn and loved the effect!)  When asked about bulbs that don’t come back the next year, Mike responded that that’s usually because those bulbs don’t like all the feeding and watering we’re doing to our lawns.  So if your lawn gets that kind of attention, it’s best to dig up the bulbs for the summer.  You can just put them in a pot in the basement and leave them unattended until fall, when it’s time to replant them.

• Japanese beetle – what to do about them?  They breed in turfgrass, so our lawns suffer from grabs eating the lawn roots, and then the adults damage our roses.  Interesting factoid:  Japanese beetles aren’t much of a problem in Japan because few Japanese gardens include lawn.  In fact, in Japan the beetles are considered a sign of good luck.   So, lucky us.
  One way to avoid beetle damage is to cut the lawn 3″ or higher and keep your lawn relatively dry.  (The grubs just love daily watering!)  But most effective of all is to treat your lawn with milky spore powder in late summer, making sure the soil is 70 degrees or warmer.  That’ll immunize your lawn against Japanese beetle grubs for years.
  But don’t apply milky spore now – it’s only effective when the grubs are eating, in late summer.  So until then when you can prevent the grubs occurring next year, Mike recommends cutting down all your rose blossoms at the first sign of the beetle (and that’s the only thing he recommends using the traps for – to alert you to the first beetle’s arrival).  Then take down the trap and cover the roses with a floating row cover for 10 days.  The beetles won’t hang around, so you can remove the row cover and enjoy your reblooming roses the rest of the season.
  Organic sprays like Neem-oil products, which deter feeding by the beetles, are effective for 3-4 days, so need to be applied frequently.
• Weed fabric?  Mike thinks they were created just so weeds would grow really well.
• What about raised beds for growing vegetables?  Mike’s very pro-raised bed because if you grow vegetables on flat soil, alongside your lawn, the lawn will invade your veg beds and the lawn will prevail.  To build up the soil inside the raised beds he recommends placing cardboard on top of the lawn, then good soil.
• Fertilizing lawns.  Turfgrasses really suffer in our summers (they’d rather be back in England where they came from) and the worst thing to do in the summer is to feed the lawn – it’ll just create bare spots.  Feed in the spring when the forsythias come into bloom with corn gluten meal, which is 8-10 percent Nitrogen and also acts as a pre-emergent weedkiller.  Corn gluten meal contains the “exact right food for lawn”.  Then leave grass clippings – which contain 10 percent Nitrogen – on your lawn.  For that, Mike recommends a mower that pulverizes the clippings (misnamed “mulching mower”).  They turn clippings into an imperceptible powder.  Clippings also return moisture to the lawn.
  Even if you’ve used corn gluten in early spring and left your clippings on the lawn, your lawn still needs to be fed in the fall (in this region, between August 15 and September 15) and Mike’s preferred product is a one-inch layer of good old compost.   Also in the fall, aerate if needed, and sow seeds for new lawns or to fill in bare or thin spots (overseeding).
• Synthetic fertilizers Mike considers “fake pee”, and he’s not a fan.
• During heat waves, let your lawn go tall, which keeps more moisture in the plants.  Don’t water frequently, which just results in shallow roots, which make the grass less drought-tolerant.  Always water deeply, but not frequently (like every day).  Weekly is best.  (If you cut high and water deeply, turfgrass roots will go down four feet!)  If your lawn turns brown, water deeply but don’t cut.  (And again, don’t feed.)

Even small dogs are tough on lawns.

• One audience member asked what to do about a 90-pound dog that’s damaging his lawn and Mike had several tips on hand.  Get your dog to drink more water – that dilutes the nitrogen in their urine.  No, special diets don’t really work but flushing the spot with lots of water immediately after your dog has relieved him or herself (and females do the most damage) works well.  Mike suggests having a special area of your property where your dog can pee without doing any damage, and then rewarding him or her when they use that spot.
  To repair pet damage, in the fall sow some seed of the matching turf type (the same named variety), with some compost.   If you don’t know the exact variety, bring some into Homestead and get it identified for you.
• Asked about lawn on steep slopes, where mowing can easily scalp the lawn, Mike recommends growing groundcovers that don’t need mowing, or creating terraces.
• Got shade?  If your don’t have at least four hours sun, forget about lawn – grow moss!  It’s green all year and needs neither feeding nor mowing.  Some types can even take a bit of foot traffic.  (No touch football, though.)  The new fine fescue mixes can take shade, but not much foot traffic.
• To summarize, the “dirty little secret” of lawn care is these 3 tips:  cut high, water correctly and avoid summer feeding.

Click here for lots more lawn tips and quips from Mike.  That’s our summary of his 2010 talk at Homestead.  Yes, we try to bring him back at least yearly.

Japanese beetle life cycle credit.  Dog photo credit.

Valentino basil? The leaves are huge!

Seasonal Cooking with Rita Calvert~The Local Cook -Leave a comment

Last Saturday we had lots of activities happening at Homestead Gardens, Davidsonville. If you missed the action and fun, here is a recap of the sauces I made SANS any basil. It was called, “Beyond Basil”. Now I did talk about the new ‘Valentino’ basil-pretty cool being large and great for drying-ya’ just gotta see it-only at Homestead Gardens!

Cilantro Pumpkin Seed Pesto Sauce (Shrimp in Pumpkin Seed Sauce)

Makes: 4-6 servings

For Cinco de Mayo, use this lush sauce to highlight the celebration. This recipe, published in “Recipes From the Regional Cooks of Mexico” and “Nothing Fancy,” is cookbook author Diana Kennedy’s version of a sauce from Tampico in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, along the Gulf of Mexico.

Make sure to test the heat of the chilies. I only used half of 1 small serrano and the sauce still had a kick.

• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled, shells reserved
• 1  1/2 cups water
• Salt
• 1 cup hulled pumpkin seeds, raw (no salt)
• 3 serrano chilies
• 1/4 medium sweet white onion, chopped
• 8 sprigs cilantro or more to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2/3 cup creme fraiche or sour cream

Put shrimp shells, water and salt to taste in a saucepan; cook over medium heat, 15 minutes. Strain, reserving broth; discard shells. Heat shrimp in broth to a simmer; cook, 2 minutes. Strain, reserving the broth. Set shrimp aside.

Lightly toast pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet or toaster oven-watch carefully!. The seeds should puff up a little but not brown. Puree the broth, pumpkin seeds, chilies, onion and cilantro in a blender until smooth.

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; stir in the sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. If the sauce becomes lumpy, return to blender; blend until smooth. Stir in the creme fraiche and shrimp; heat through.

Sugar Snaps and Asparagus with Pistachio Arugula Pesto

Serves 4

The lemon juice only is tossed at the end with more arugula. If you added it to the pesto, you would have a brown puree. It’s best to keep all green and fresh and add it at the end.

• 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 5 ounces small peppery arugula leaves (about 5 cups)
• 1/4 cup pistachios, toasted
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons grated Manchego cheese
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 pound. sugar snap peas, strings removed
• 1 bunch asparagus, washed and tough ends snapped
• Lemon juice, to taste

In a food processor, combine the 2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 ounces of the arugula, the pistachios and the garlic and pulse a few times until the arugula is roughly chopped. Add the Manchego and turn on the processor. Slowly drizzle in the 1/4 cup olive oil until a smooth paste forms, adding more olive oil as needed. Do not overprocess. Scrape the pesto into a bowl. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Set the pesto aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Have ready a bowl of salted ice water.

Add the snap peas to the boiling water and cook for 10 seconds, then transfer to the ice bath. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook until slightly pliable, about 2 minutes, then transfer to the ice bath. Drain the snap peas and asparagus and place on towels to dry.

Transfer the snap peas and asparagus to a large bowl, add the pesto and toss to coat well. Place the remaining 1 oz. arugula in a small bowl and lightly dress with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

To serve, place asparagus spears and pile a of snap peas on each plate or on a platter. Scatter a few of the arugula leaves around the plates and serve immediately.

Mint Pesto for Greek Foods, Lamb Chops or Chicken 

Serves 10 as a dip

We tasted this fabulous dip or topper with cucumbers and a bit of Greek yogurt. It seemed to be the winner of the other sauces. Very yummy!

We decided that increasing the almonds a bit lends an even nuttier flavor yet doesn’t overwhelm the powerful mint.

• 1 1/2 cups packed fresh mint leaves, from about 2 large bunches
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1 lemon, zested, plus juice of 1/2 lemon, about 2 tablespoons
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups Greek yogurt
• Sliced cucumber
• Crunchy pita chips

Put the mint, almonds, zest, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. With the motor running, add the lemon juice and slowly drizzle in the oil until thick and smooth. Add about 2 tablespoons water until a thick but spreadable paste forms; continue adding water until desired consistency. Taste pesto and season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.

Place the yogurt in a medium size bowl. Place the mint pesto in blobs (yes, blobs) on top of the yogurt. With a flat knife swirl the two together to create a nice pattern. Don’t over mix. Serve with sliced cucumber and crunchy pita chips on the platter around the bowl of mint pesto and yogurt.

The title of Margaret’s talk was “At Home in the 365-Day Garden” and this scene reminds us that with the right plants, there’s lots to see even in winters, something she knows a bit about there in her Zone 5 garden.  Her comment on this photo was “This is a beautiful day in the garden.”

In the spring, when the photo below was taken, sure there are flowers, but what makes this garden beautiful to me is all the structure – those evergreen bones, the pond, and fieldstone patio.

Again in this next shot we see another 365-day-a-year feature that I love – the house itself, painted olive with orange trim.  (Margaret said she “has a high tolerance for color”.)  And of course the narrow turfgrass paths through really deep borders crammed with shrubs and perennials.

Because my new garden is mostly shade, I’m hungry for scenes like the next one of shade-loving plants that are stunning all season long, thanks to their foliage.  The Hakonechloa ‘Aureola’ grass even looks good in the winter; the hand-out cited it as a “durable, unfussy plants with a long season of interest.”  Conifers fit that bill, too.

This autumn scene below demonstrates another garden principle I used in my former garden, large and woodland-edged – the layering of plants from tall trees down to understory trees and large shrubs (like the brilliant Spicebush here), to shorter shrubs and perennials and then to groundcover.  Copying but improving on how it works in nature.  Then adding an interesting focal point – the plant-filled birdbath.

Readers of Margaret’s blog know well that her garden is well populated by frogs, like this one she introduced as “my ex-husband”.  This and other wildlife photos reminded me that my point-and-shoot camera is crap when it comes to close-ups and it’s high time I did something about that.  But Margaret’s point here was that developing a relationship with the wildlife in the garden is a big part of enjoying it year-round.

More good pointers include:

• In designing the garden, use the views from indoors as guides for siting major plants, especially the ones that look good in the winter.
• There’s much to be appreciated in plants NOT at their peak – whether the “life force” in newly emerging hosta leaves or the senescence of perennials in late fall.
• “Portable color”, like the red of her Adirondack chairs, is an easy way to add what designers are always calling “pop”.
• It’s important to have “true powerhouse plants” like Viburnums, ornamental grasses and crabapples.
• Ditto “imperfect but irresistible types” with short peaks that you can’t live without.  For her that includes lilacs and Martagon lilies.
• Then ya gotta have some “late-show stars” like Lespedeza thumbergii and Ilex verticillata.
• “You have to grow it to know it.”  Ain’t that the truth, and possibly why her blog (and first gardening book) are named A Way to Garden.  Just one way, not the only way.