Category Archives: Oh Grow Up!

A southeast Missouri gardeners journal.

La Crema sage for fashionistas.

Posted on August 20, 2010 by | 1 comment

IN THE HERB GARDEN

Flavorful Bicolor sage

Hort Couture is a company that offers “the most sought after new plants and genetics from the world’s best breeders and plants people,” according to their website. One of their more popular plant collections is Culinary Couture, a line of fashionable heirloom vegetables and herbs.

So far, I’ve grown the following plants with panache this summer: Salvia officinalis ‘La Crema’, ‘Black Krim’ (an heirloom tomato) and the worldwide hit ‘ Tomaccio’ (a new dried snack tomato). I’ll share the results of my tomatoes later this year. (It will be more than a month before I’ll have dried tomatoes and a final report.)

One of my favorite herbs from Culinary Couture is ‘La Crema’, a fragrant, variegated sage that is currently thriving in my Zone 6 garden. Reminiscent of the familiar common garden sage, ‘La Crema’ is aromatic and beautiful enough to be in the flower garden.

8-18-2010-4
Look for ‘La Crema’ in independent garden centers next spring.
It is thriving in my humid, Zone 6 garden.
Photo by Patsy Bell Hobson

What I’m most excited about is using this flavorful herb in my family’s cornbread and sage dressing this Thanksgiving. I suggest that you use this sage as you would any other garden sage. Low-growing sage can grow as a border plant in a perennial garden. In spring, blue sage flowers appear about the time chives have blossomed. The flowers also make a pretty bouquet or can be used as an edible garnish.

8-18-2010-2 8-18-2010-1
Photos by Patsy Bell Hobson

Hort Couture is the fastest growing plant brand in North America. Their plant collections include Avant Garde Annuals, Prêt a Porter Perennials, Tres Chic Tropicals, Culinary Couture and Sunny Succulents. ‘La Crema’ is from C. Raker & Sons, a wholesale plant propagation specialist based in Litchfield, Michigan. C. Raker & Sons is in partnership with Hort Couture, the fashionistas of the plant world.

8-18-2010-3
Photo by Patsy Bell Hobson

Have you ever bought herbs from Hort Couture? What do you think of their products?

1 Comment

Posted in Herb Everything, Herbs in the garden, Herbs in the kitchen, Product reviews

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Lawnmower Heaven

Posted on August 18, 2010 by | 1 comment

Jakes lawn mower repair

According to legend, older elephants instinctively direct themselves, when they reach a certain age, to the elephant graveyard. They then die there alone, far from the group

Need a part for an old lawnmower? It’s here.

There is no such thing as an elephant’s graveyard. Metaphorically it’s come to mean a resting place for a collection. And it was the first thing I thought of when we drove up to Jakes. If you need help with lawn mowing, you can hire experts from this link https://msglawncare.com/lawn/mowing/.

Hanging Tree of Weed Whackers

I know landscapers like King Green and now I have arrived in a place where lawnmowers come to die in Southeast Missouri. Then I saw the weed whacker tree. For all the tree damage that weed whackers have inflicted on trees, it came down to this. Ironically, all the tree abuse ended here. The hanging tree for weed whackers.

Jake’s is the best illustration I’ve ever seen of a “It might come in handy some day,” collection. Jake has amassed what others see as a junk pile. But to him, it’s a used lawn mower parts store.

He sometimes a has a used lawnmower, weed whacker or leaf shredder for sale. If you’ve found your way to Jakes, you probably are not of the “ buying used lawn equipment is just buying someone else’s problems” mind set. If Jake repaired it and would even consider selling it to you, it works. Lawnmowers, trimmers, shredders, there is probably one at Jakes.

No one would just happen to be driving past Jake’s while looking for a lawn mower. He doesn’t advertise and he lives in a remote area. If you know about North Star Tree Service and Jakes Lawn Repair service, it’s a testimony to word of mouth advertising.

Bring your lawn tools to Jakes to stretch out their life.

In my effort to live a greener, more earth-friendly life, I try to stretch out the life of everything. The goal is to keep it out of the landfill or junk yard for just one more year. So, in and effort to keep that old mower running just one more year, I took it to Jake’s.

Earthwise or not, it made sence to repair a lawnmower. Repairing the mower I had, gave me time to do a little consumer research before my next purchase. I can also put a mower in the budget for next summer. Instead of making an expensive “gotta have it now!” purchase, I can take my time. Giving me a post season and pre season to look for lawnmower Bargains.

1 Comment

Posted in My Gardens, My Homeplace, Oh Grow Up!

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

My Patio

Posted on August 14, 2010 by | Comments Off on My Patio

Neon Rose Wave Petunias

Beautiful spring to fall

Wave Petunias are hardy and faithful bloomers all season. They will make a ground-hugging carpet of color, but I grew my Neon Rose petunias in a hanging basket.

faithful Bloomers spring to fall

Bright colorful plants drew butterflies and hummers to my patio all growing season.

I could have had this plant photo ready by removing the spent flowers, but this pink petunia has survived on it’s own with no additional fertilizer or attention, just water.

Wave petunias were introduced in 1995. They’ve been around, introducing wave after wave of vibrant colors and  easy care annuals for 15 years.

Wave petunias have their own website. If you are a fan of this flower, let Ball Horticulture know you want to Join The Fan Club.

Twitter

BALL HORTICULTUE

Thanks to BALL HORTICULTUE who provided  the petunias

to me to trial and  evaluate.

Wave petunia fill beds with color

“Easy Wave® Neon Rose:  hot pink petunia from the Easy Wave series of spreading petunias is new for 2011. It is more mounded and controlled, making it ideal for baskets and containers.”

Comments Off on My Patio

Posted in My Gardens, My Homeplace, Oh Grow Up!

Tagged , , , , , ,

I’m headed to the Yucatan

Posted on August 9, 2010 by | 2 comments

Books

I’m headed to the Yucatan with author Margot Berwin in her first novel, Hothouse Flower. The book is an ficticious journey for the reader and the writer. Hothouse Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire is just plain fun.

The rainforest is home to some of the most exotic and deadly flowers

So, grab a cool drink, this paperback and enjoy a fun summer read.

Margot Berwin creates an adventure and horticultural myth about 9 flowers from her dreams and intuition. We get to go with her on an adventure of exotic plants, romance, travel and spirit animals that takes us from New York to the Yucatan peninsula.

Costa Maya is a fishing village where “the villagers are of Mayan Indian descent with the usual smattering of expatriate alcoholics, criminals, and students slumming it on the beaches between semesters.”

I’m giving away a copy of Hothouse Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire, written by Margot Berwin.

Email me by August 18, the drawing will be August 19. I’ll contact the winner for an address and send it to the publisher who will mail your copy of Hot House Flower.

To enter the random drawing for a free copy of this book, send me an email: Patsy64068@yahoo.com. Tell what flower you think is romantic. For example, I might write “I think the For-Get-Me-Not is a romantic flower.” One entry per person please.

My review is coming in October. But I want you to read this book now because it’s a great summer read.

Hothouse Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire written by Margot Berwin
Category: Fiction – Literary
Format: Trade Paperback, 304 pages
Price: $14.95
ISBN: 978-0-307-39054-7 (0-307-39054-3)

Growing orchids may be easier than you think.

Garden writers, horticulture bloggers and coaches, keep in mind – It’s fiction and it’s fun.

2 Comments

Posted in Ozarks Travel Examiner, Product reviews

Tagged , , , ,

Alligator Tears and Goldilocks Rocks

Posted on July 26, 2010 by | Comments Off on Alligator Tears and Goldilocks Rocks

 Alligator Tears and Goldilocks Rocks

I like this combo of two Proven Winners annuals. For some reason, I was blessed with five pots of this coleus, aligator green foliage with a creamy-yellow tear drop center; and three Golidilocks Rocks™ – Bidens Ferulifolia


ColorBlaze® Alligator Tears™ Solenostemon scutellarioides Coleus is growing in three different place in the garden. I am attracted to the multi color coleus in reds and greens, so Alligator Tears had to win me over, and it did.

It requires less trimming to maintain it’s thick, full shape than most coleus.

This was one of the easiest, to care for containers on my patio. In fact, I have a pair of these containers. One container with two coleus and one Bidens, and another with one coleus and two Bidens.

Golidilocks Rocks™ – Bidens Ferulifolia is loaded with bright yellow blooms and has bloomed continously all summer. It has grown in containers with little care or attention. Goldilocks is a great choice for containers, withstood our record-breaking heat and has blended into a delightful container combination. This self cleaning trait – meaning no deadheading necessary – is another reason to include Golidilocks Rocks™ in container garden combinations.

Aligator Tears

Only two coleus in the concrete planter, they looked kind of lonely  when they were first planted. Out by the mail boxes, these Aligator Tears recieved no pruning or cutting back. They did not set seed until mid August. They nicely fill the container and kept a good shape. Imagine how well they would do with pinching back, generous water and fertilzer.

These plants were sent to me for trial and evaluation. Thanks to Proven Winners for the opportunity to grow the newest most exciting plants. For plant combinations and container ideas, go to Proven Winners.

Comments Off on Alligator Tears and Goldilocks Rocks

Posted in My Gardens, My Homeplace, Product reviews

Tagged , , , , , ,

Calibrachoa and Coleus

Posted on July 25, 2010 by | Comments Off on Calibrachoa and Coleus

Excellent Container Choices Calibrachoa and Coleus

Superbells Coralberry Punch color Calibrachoa from Proven Winners. And Ball Horticulture Coleua “redhead”

Coralberry Punch Calibrachoa is a Superbells® Proven Winners Calibrachoa hybrid paired with Coleus Redhead a Ball Exclusive and a Simply Beautiful® selection. These two plants seem to bring out the best of red in each other. Colors do not fade and they are very drought tolerant.

Most coleus need regular pinching or pruning to keep it’s bushy shape, but I rarely trimmed or fed this combo. The Coleus Redhead, is a Ball Exclusive. It’s hard to find a fade resitant coleus this color. I will look for the Redhead next spring and add it to my hanging baskets or containers.

Calibrachoas are a new type of plant that looks like a dwarf  Petunia. These little flowers bloomed all summer, the containers are in full sun, and got irreglar watering. Great container choice for this drought tolerant plant that showed no sign of disease or insect damage.

Look for more varieties of this fade resitant full sun bloomer at Proven Winners. There are some great color combinations on Proven Winners site.

Comments Off on Calibrachoa and Coleus

Posted in My Gardens, My Homeplace, Oh Grow Up!

Tagged , , , ,

Book Review: Tomatoes Garlic Basil

Posted on June 23, 2010 by | Comments Off on Book Review: Tomatoes Garlic Basil

PBHobson2 Patsy Bell Hobson is a garden writer and a travel writer. For her, it’s a great day when she can combine the two things she enjoys most: gardening and traveling. Visit her personal blog at and read her travel writings.

In my Zone 6 garden there are always three kinds of tomatoes: a paste tomato for sauces, a cherry tomato, because these small tomatoes are always the first to ripen (and later, when the big tomatoes are producing, these small ones will be dried), and a big, meaty tomato for eating fresh (and for bragging rights). I love tomatoes and when I saw Tomatoes Garlic Basil (St. Lynn’s Press, 2010), I judged the book by its cover. It is beautiful. Eventually, I was tempted to open the paperback tribute to the garden and kitchen’s favorite produce and I’m glad that I did. The book only gets better!

5-21-2010-5
Tomatoes, garlic and basil are the holy trinity of the vegetable garden.

Doug Oster’s Tomatoes Garlic Basil is a love letter about our favorite home garden produce. If you are one of the millions of backyard gardeners who grow tomatoes, this book is for you. Tomatoes are the star of the show. And, just like most gardens, basil and garlic have strong supporting roles in the book that magnify the magic of home grown tomatoes.

The book will not overwhelm you with soil science and plant genetics. It will give you some good advice about soil preparation and plant selection. The pleasure of reading this book grows as Oster offers us many choices with these three simple garden staples.

Like most gardeners, Oster is generous in sharing his experience and recipes. If you are new to gardening, try the simple combination of these three plants. He also encourages people who do not have garden space and shares some planting options. Each chapter begins with a garden or food quote that ties into the chapter. In Chapter 2, I was inspired by “Summer Celebrations” and looked forward to incorporating some of his ideas as I create new traditions for my own family. And by the time you get to the great advice in Chapter 9, which is about soil preparation and weed control, Oster will feel like an old neighbor

Oster is still on the big adventure of trying some different tomato plants every year as well as growing his favorites. It’s a good idea and you will never run out of tomato varieties to try. After reading this book you will be able to speak about basil and garlic as well as tomatoes with any home gardener.

This book would make a great gift for either a new or experienced gardener, as well as for the recipients of your produce bounty. (I recommend you buy the print version to enjoy the artful photographs.) The only difficult part is deciding whether to put this book with my cookbooks or on the shelf with the gardening books. I decided to take the book into the kitchen and try the recipes with my own fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil.

I enjoyed the humorous and serious gardening stories and there are plenty of artsy photographs throughout the book. I will definitely put Doug’s recipes and gardening tips to use this summer.

5-21-2010-3
Cherry tomatoes are heavy producers.

Book Details
• Tomatoes Garlic Basil: The Simple Pleasures of Growing and Cooking Your Garden’s Most Versatile Veggies by Doug Oster
• Paperback: 272 pages.
• Publisher: St. Lynn’s Press; 1st edition, ISBN-10: 0981961517 and ISBN-13: 978-0981961514
• See Doug Oster’s Blog at http://www.dougoster.com/books/ to read “My favorite story from Tomatoes Garlic Basil.”

Comments Off on Book Review: Tomatoes Garlic Basil

Posted in Herbs in the garden, Herbs in the kitchen, My Gardens, Product reviews, Recipes

Tagged , , , , ,

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day May 2010

Posted on May 16, 2010 by | 4 comments

chive and sage blooms

Most herb flowers are small and unremarkable, but I look forward to these lavender colored chive and sage blooms every spring. They are edible, but I prefer to gather a kitchen bouquet so I can enjoy the flowers even longer.

Kitchen bouquets make herb leaves close and easy to use for cooking.

Flowers in the kitchen

Chive flowers will turn this white wine vinegar pink

More lavendar colored flowers

clematis “President” is a homeless plant I have yet to move to a permanent home. It has faithfully lived in this plastic pot for over a year.

( It takes just a little imagination to view the next blooms which are in my camera but not in my possession right now.)

Strawberries

Roses

Astillbe

Daylilies

Columbine

Carol, garden blogger at May Dreams Gardens started the Bloom Day tradition Garden bloggers Bloom Day May 2010.

4 Comments

Posted in My Gardens, Oh Grow Up!

Tagged , , ,

Carbon tomato: big, juicy, rich flavor

Posted on July 27, 2009 by | 5 comments

Getting close to tomato taste test party time.

I was speechless when I discovered two of my first ready-to-pick tomatoes had been ravaged by a squirrel. It’s too painful to show you the gruesome sight of half eaten black tomatoes, so they are burried in the compost pile now.

I am on the verge of Tomato Abundance. I know it is time to pick the tomatoes because this morning a squirrel ate the very tomatoes I intended to pick today. These big black tomatoes are Carbon tomatoes.

I admit to holding off for another day because usually, the first tomato that I pick every year should have waited one more day to achieve sun ripened perfection.

As soon as I started grousing to cousin Bob about these darned tomato eating squirrels, he shot back this email:

“SHOOT THE SQUIRRELS AND HAVE SQUIRREL AN DUMPLINGS.”


Just my bad luck that I traded in my squirrel gun for an elephant gun this week at Bass Pro in Springfield. (Bass Pro really does have elephant guns – I’ve seen them. But they don’t take trade-ins) Admittedly, there is a very short safari season here in the swamps of Southeast Missouri. But, I digress.

Tomato Stuffed Squirrel may even be a healthy dish. Well, for me, not the squirrel. The squirrels around here have a healthy vegetarian, organic diet. This diet keeps the squirrels fit enough to outrun me. I tried not to cuss a blue streak in the garden since the tomatoes are already blushing.

Carbon tomato won a taste test of 10 heirloom tomato varieties at Cornell Research Farm. Black/Purple tomatoes are becoming more popular for the home gardener and at the farmers market. Every year I try a different black variety. The Carbon tomato is out producing last years Cherokee Purple in quantity and size of fruit.

This is one of the heirloom tomato plants from Abundant Acres. Since they grow more than 325 heirloom plant varieties, I’ll be writing to them requesting information on squirrel resistant tomatoes.

I also bought seed from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.

 

5 Comments

Posted in My Gardens, My Homeplace, Oh Grow Up!

Tagged , ,

Leaves and lawn care

Posted on October 14, 2007 by | Comments Off on Leaves and lawn care


Black Gold

Don’t Bag It.
Fall Leaves have the same nutrients as the fertilizer you put on the ground this spring. Rake those leaves and compost them or, shred and mulch autumn leaves for some of the best product you can place around your trees and in your gardens.

This is the organic matter we talk about that will make your soil more friable. Use this mulch around your mums after the ground freezes. But first, cut mums to the ground. This will prevent the mums from heaving in the frozen ground. Heaving means the roots are pushed up above ground during freezing weather.

Mums can live for years if trimmed back in the fall.

http://preezo.com/view.php?key=8327e716df90fce639a5c7d7406560ee

 

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Comments Off on Leaves and lawn care

Posted in My Gardens, My Homeplace, Oh Grow Up!

Tagged