Friday Favorite: Sunny Volunteers
I’ve never really had to grow sunflowers in my garden, they always spring up here and there because I have fed sunflower seeds to my chickens and wild birds. They are not always where you want them, but it beats having to plant them. I bought packets for a few different kinds of sunflowers this spring, those are coming along well, but they’re not even close to blooming.
I’m always happy to have them, I let them set seed and then throw them to the chickens. There’s nothing better than free flowers and free bird food without any work on my part!
What’s your favorite garden volunteer?
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Unusual Cutting Garden Options
While flipping through the Johnny’s Seeds catalog this spring, I noticed ‘Black Tip’ wheat and thought it looked interesting. Definitely an unusual item for the cutting garden, which is something I’m always looking for.
I’m hoping I will have enough from one seed packet to make a wreath for the house. So far it’s growing nicely and fattening up well. I’m really interested to see the color in the final seed heads. If I don’t have enough for a wreath, I think they will look lovely in a vase. Overall, this is a winner for a cutting garden in my book.
Have you grown any unusual cutting garden items?
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The Cutting Garden
This is my first year with an area of the garden dedicated to cut flowers. Even with them being specifically planted for this reason, I still have a hard time cutting them. The truth is, I enjoy flowers much more in their garden setting than inside the house. I have been cutting a few bouquets here and there, but for the most part I enjoy them in the flowers. The pollinators are loving them as well!
Adding flowers to the vegetable garden is definitely a wonderful thing to do. Not only does it make the space more colorful, they really attract a wide variety of insects and pollinators. I’ll definitely continue having a cutting garden space, even if I never cut flowers from it.
What’s your favorite cut flower for indoor bouquets?
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A Beet, is a Beet, is Not a Beet
I’ve grown a wide variety of beets in the past, for the most part they all taste very similar. They vary in color, but the earthiness in their flavor is fairly consistent. After trying a wide variety of beets, I usually grow ‘Red Ace. This year, I decided to try ‘Crosby’s Egyptian’ beet (sources from Baker Creek). Germination was spotty, which was pretty common with the drought this year. The beets that did germinate, grew quickly and sized up before I realized it. When I harvested them, most of them were softball size – EEEK. I figured they’d be a total loss because they’d be woody, but I cooked them anyways.
When I cut the first one, I was amazed at how tender it was. At first bite, I was amazed by the texture, sweetness, and flavor of these beets! They are very smoothly texture, none of the woodiness or fibrousness that can sometimes be common with beets. The flavor is very sweet, very beetlike, with none of the earthiness that the major of beets have. These would be perfect for those family members who are against the “dirt” flavor in beets. I don’t mind the earthiness at all, but this beet has a place in the kitchen for sure. We’ve been enjoying them on salads with sheep milk feta, pickled red onions, walnuts, and a maple mustard vinaigrette. I’ll definitely be adding these to my must grow list from here on out. I highly recommend giving this variety a go.
Have you discovered any flavorful new varieties of favorite vegetables?
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Friday Favorite: Front Foundation Garden
Every time I walk up to the front door I notice how much the front foundation garden has improved over the last year. Last fall, I dug everything out of the front flowerbed, smothered about a yard of grass in front of it and planted my boxwood hedge. The flowerbed was filled with ‘Annabelle’ hydrangeas, a ‘Gertrud Jekyll’ rose, along with a cornelian cherry tree on the corner. By the front door I have planters filled with lovelies, a small terra-cotta chicken and other plants in pots.
As I was looking for photos after dark last night, I realized I haven’t taken any photos from the point of view of walking up to our door. I’ll definetly do that tomorrow and share them with you next week. Right now this is one of my favorite things about the garden, all the hard work is finally started to show. I’m loving it every time I walk to the front door!
What are you loving in your garden right now?
