Category Archives: greenhouse

Enjoying November

I’m starting to enjoy the seasons to come. I have a lot of my cancer treatments, behind me. Now I have free days. Starting with re-potting the Orchid. Which was an experience. They really do need cramped roots, and tiny pots. It’s like squeezing a fat lady into a small corset. But I DID IT!!

The best time I had yesterday. Was to bring pots, into my little Greenhouse. And fill the benches with some nice things to come. These are my herbs, of Parsley, Basil, plenty of Thyme and Marjoram. These are fresh and healthy. No spraying, and rich dirt.

This is showing my Money Plant. I love that old thing. It’s about 15 years and gives the nicest shade of green. It’s n that white/pink pot. It’s an original. As it grows it’s stems they twist around each other. This makes an interesting TRUNK. Now they use a hybrid and plant two and twist them manually.

There are a couple of Christmas/Easter Cactus.

I have some pretty flowers too……….

This one is going to make me even MORE GREY!! Ha, I let her munch for a bit then knock on the window. If she eats it all today…nothing is left for tomorrow!

Pressure Cooker Tomato Soup

IMG_1940

 

I’ve been using a stove top pressure cooker, for a month now.  I never realized how simple it is to make a delightful dish. I’ve been cooking mostly chicken, getting the most amazing, flavorful broths.  Sometimes I do soups. This one you can vary, in many ways.

Pressure cooking infuses the flavors.  Whatever you put in, you’ll surely notice.

Ingredients:

9    Roma/Plum tomatoes

2     Basil Leaves Fresh

3      Garlic Cloves

3      Cups Chicken Broth. I used broth, from a previously cooked chicken.

1/2    Large onion quartered

1        Tablespoon dried chicken broth (instead of salt and other seasonings)

Directions:

Drop tomatoes into boiled water, for a minute.  IMG_1926

Then into cold water.  IMG_1927

Now you’re able to peel the skin, and core the center.  It’s a sloppy job. It won’t take long because the pulp slides right off.  This is what you want. The rich red pulp.IMG_1930

Now! Go into your private greenhouse and collect some fresh basil leaves. IMG_1917 I have to show this, the scent it amazing.

Into the pressure cooker goes:     Tomato Pulp, Two Basil Leaves, 3 peeled Garlic Cloves, A tablespoon of seasoning. 1/2 a Large Onion, quartered. (You don’t have to chop any of these. The Pressure Cooker will take care, of it). And 3 cups Chicken Broth.  This soup is much better if you use your own. IMG_2218

Cover and put the cooker on the stove.  Bring to high pressure for 10 min.  Use slow release.IMG_1934

You can see how the ingredients have cooked down, and blended the flavors.IMG_1937

If you have an immersion blender, remove the basil, then blend for a couple, of min. I don’t so I use the regular blender.  IMG_2219

 

 

 

Return it to the stove and warm it up.  Here is where you may add cream or milk.  You might think it’s not thick enough.  Like a canned soup. But the flavors are rich, and the broth is delicate.  I have also found that if you let it sit, for a couple of hours. It’s more enjoyable.

Look who is still showing off, in the Green House……..IMG_2210

Have a lovely day and HAPPY COOKING!

 

 

A Greenhouse Sunday.

I don’t have a lot to report on my greenhouse.
So far it’s been mostly maintenance and watering.
Ventilation is a constant battle as it would be in
any confined space. I moved some of the stronger
broccoli plantings to larger containers.
 Because
they are comfortable with the cooler weather I put
them on my back porch. This way thrips  and
aphids won’t be an issue. 
 
 
Also I finally found some carrot seeds that are good
for container gardening. These are so cute how can
you not love them.
 
The radishes are loving their location and the peas
are thriving. I expect blossoms shortly.
 
I truly wanted to start the peppers and tomatoes
today.  However the Farmer’s Almanac gives
this advice, and it’s do NOT plant vegetables
that develop above the ground AFTER the full
moon.  It’s okay for carrots because they grow
below.  I shall obey.
The marigold seedlings  are coming along. They’re a hardy flower when
all else fails, The marigold is there.
That’s about it from the greenhouse. I hope everyone is having
a good day.

Green House Report

Before I got sick I was tending the greenhouse. The peas
came up right away.
 
Because they were still very tender and the temperature dropped,
I covered them at night and left the heat lamps on.  One because it’s
cold (and they don’t really mind that) Two because deer mice tend to
come in and chomp on the tiny sprouts. 
x
It’s been a couple of weeks so they’ve gained their strength.  And I put
in the radishes.  Radishes started sprouting in three days.  They’ll
need to be thinned tomorrow.
x
x
I put a row of Broccoli in too. These are all cold weather vegetables so
I’m not worried, for them.
And look who decided to welcome me back.   I didn’t scare her at all. She looked
up and went back to munching.

Looking for Summer

 
There is something about January. The days start getting longer.
Even if it’s only by the seconds. Houseplants start to develop little
sprouts. The Amaryllises drop their blooms, and the poinsettias
look a tad tired. The stores start carrying vegetable and flower seeds.
Many can’t be plant for months to come. Still the Kitchen Gardener
MUST give it a try.
 
 
I started the seedling bench in the Greenhouse a few months ago. All
I did was haul in dirt and prepare the bench. It has slats for easy drainage,
so first I layer newspapers to keep the soil from falling through.
 
 
Then I wait for January. This time I’m planting peas.
 I give them a good
soaking overnight in warm water.
 
 
 This helps the germination.
 
.
 
.
 
 
 Cover it up and give it a good soaking.  The soil tends to dry out faster than a regular bed.
So It needs a daily drink. Normally you wouldn’t want to do that because the seeds would rot.
 
Because I’m trying to keep the soil temp (for now) over 50 degrees I’m keeping the heating lamps on 24 hours.
I’ll do this until I see something sprouting.
 
 This is another bench. I took the design from Bob Thompson’s Victory Garden.  My husband
made them. They’re collapsible.  That way if we moved I could bring them with me.  Also
commercial benches are usually metal. My old clay pots are way too heavy for metal to support.
 
 
.
.
 
 
 So now I wait, I hope I have good results. 
 
 
 
…Tomorrow I’ll plant Radishes!!
 

China Doll Plant

I bought a cute little “China Doll”
(Radermachera sinica)
 plant today.
The leaves are shiny a delightful green and this
plant will annoy me to no end. I’ve probably
owned 10 so far.
 
 
They sell them as small houseplants.  Story
has it that they will grow to 6 feet. (not under
my watch.).
  They have a delightful
green and are wispy in the light.
 
 
They are sold in supermarkets this time of
year and I always make the effort.
 
 
It loves bright light. It needs strong screened
light all day. It hates drafts, needs 65-75 degrees,
hates to be moved and loves being root bound.
 
Hmm sounds like neglect to ME. I can do THAT.
And I did. I left it alone (for two years).  Watered
once a week, feeding was every other week,
and we keep the house temp. at 68 all winter.
I put it on the porch in the summer. It will
drop some leaves, but at least it doesn’t die.
And when it drops leaves and a woody stem
remains I cut it off.
 
 
It’s in a nice spot, morning sun, mid day glow, and
afternoon screened light.   It gets a breeze but not
a draft.
 
 
 
 
 
I’m very proud of neglecting this lovely plant.
It only took me years to figure it out but I
caught ON!
 
 
 
 
In a couple of weeks I’ll move her and her new sister
into the greenhouse. I hope little sis is able to adapt
to my wicked ways.
 

A time for babies

.

We’re enjoying all our new babies, little things are waking up (inside)
here are some happenings in the greenhouse.
.
.
Marigolds just starting. They only took two days to start
coming up. I had them inside in a sunny window.
Now that they’ve formed their leaves, they’re under the
warming lamps in the greenhouse
 
 
 
 
 
 
Shasta Daisies
The stem you see hanging over the daisies is from an orchid. It’s starting
to bud, and I don’t want to interrupt her.
.
.
 
 
Forget Me Not, these are a month old.
 
 
 
 
Burning Love!!
I threw some leftover geranium seeds in a tray, last fall. I actually
forgot they were there. The moisture in the air must have helped them
propagate I’m feeling a little guilty, I should have tended to them.

 

AND

The most beautiful baby of all!!

 
 
Little Matthew came to us weighing 8 lbs 6 oz.
The first grandchild
for hubby’s brother and wife,
Mommie, Matthew , and exhausted Daddy
are doing very well.
 

Waking UP! (finally)

 
 
A couple of days ago I was cleaning out the spent blooms
on the Amaryllis plants, from Christmas. I had shoved them under a bench in the
greenhouse.
And low and behold a plant from last year finally decided to wake up.
This is another Apple Blossom variety. I was thrilled. Everything is so
dead around here, and look how sweet it is.
I pulled it into the kitchen, and put it by the window there were
three other trumpets trying to open.
One did, and there is another getting ready.
 
I left it there for a night. It’s beautiful.
 
 
 
 
Then this morning the third blossom opened.
 
 
I’m so excited I figured this plant was a goner and it’s striking with it’s many shades
of green, pink and white.
 
 
 
 
 
 
She’s two months late and I’m glad she is!!
I hope you’re having unexpected blooms too!!
 

A gardener’s journal

I’m tired of winter. Pretty as it is, it’s enough. And it’s only

January.  I found my old gardening  journal.  Long before

the home computer.  I used to write ..with a PENCIL.

(can you imagine).   It was fun looking back. These

pictures and entries were from 1994.  This is a seedling

bench my husband built me for Christmas. It’s solid as

a rock,  and is still holds little seedlings, and giant pots

depending on the season.  These were carrots and radishes.

 They grew, and these are bush beans,  Waltham squash, 

little tomato plants, and many other seedlings.

 

There was a lot of journaling that season and then it jumped

to the outside garden. I remember each and every one of

these lillies. I special ordered the bulbs from Jackson and

Perkins.  That fall I stuck  a bulb wherever there was a bare patch

in the yard.  And they were glorious.

 

 This one is growing among the Liatra and Hosta

Among the day lillies are the coreospis (moonbeam) and
portalaca.   I had seeds everywhere. It wasn’t tidy but
the butterflies and bees loved it.
These are French Vanilla Marigolds. I think it was the
first season they sold this hybrid.  They have no scent
and the blooms lastes a very long time. I loved using them
as a cutting flower. The plants were very bushy and didn’t
care if they were watered or not.
I think I’m going to try them again this year.  Looking at
my old journal, reminds me how much fun it was.
Thanks for looking back, with me, through my journal
..NOW to get rid of…. THIS WINTER!