veggies

July Gardening To-Do List

June 27, 2016 by Western Gardens

Welcome gardening friends, thanks for stopping by!

If you’re excited to work in your garden, but not sure what to do in the summer heat of July, then you’ve come to the right place! We’ve put together a list of things to do in your yard and garden throughout the month.

You may not need to do everything on this list. For example, if you don’t have iris planted in your yard, then you won’t need to dig, divide and replant it. Just pick what applies to your yard and plan out when you will do it all throughout the month!

Mike from our Sandy location was just featured on KUTV 2 News, teaching how to keep your plants healthy and happy in the summer heat, plus some veggies you can plant now for a second crop this season!

July Gardening To-Do List

➺Thin & Fertilize veggies

➺Fertilize lawn, if needed

➺Treat Corn Silks to prevent corn earworms

➺Control peach twig borer and all stone pit fruits with spinosad

➺Dig, Divide & Replant iris

➺Control Codling Moth on apples & pears

➺Fertilize potatoes with nitrogen

➺Remove faded blossoms on roses and ground cover

➺Watch for insect invasions

➺Adjust Sprinklers if necessary, for increasing heat

➺Cut Back & Fertilize annuals for longer bloom

➺Provide An Even Supply of water to tomatoes, to prevent blossom end rot

➺Summer Watering Is Critical for birch trees

➺Things To Keep Away From Tree Trunks: weeds, grass, mowers and trimmers

➺Remember—water lawn early in the morning or at night

➺Plant Outside
Until July 15th: beets & broccoli
Until Sept 1st: radishes

*This is not an exhaustive list. If we’ve overlooked something important, feel free to leave a comment and we will add it to the list!

If you’re local to the Salt Lake area, come in to any of our locations with questions or samples!

Cool Season Vegetables vs. Warm Season Vegetables

May 19, 2016 by Vanessa Myers

Welcome, I’m so glad you’re here!

Are you itching for beautiful weather so you can get your veggies planted? You are not alone! Fresh vegetables are the highlight of most gardens, with fresh, healthy and delicious produce. Just make sure to plant the right veggies at the right time to get the best results!

Vegetable garden season is upon us and many gardeners are happily planning out their shopping trips to the nursery. It’s tempting to put out every kind of vegetable that you want to grow, all at the same time.

However, it’s important to know whether the types you are planting are cool season vegetables or warm season vegetables so that you can plant them at the appropriate times and help ensure the best crop possible.

Click NEXT to see the Cool Season Veggies and when to plant them!

Image by *Jay~bay* under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives License

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10 Veggies to Plant Now to Save Money Later

May 18, 2016 by Jenn Crookston

Hello! So glad to you’re here!

Do you love fresh, delicious produce, but you also love saving money? Then you’re in the right place! I’m sharing ten of my favorite veggies that not only taste better grown at home, but’ll keep more green in your wallet, too!

I am blessed with a household of children who love to eat veggies. When I hear parents planning/plotting ways to get more veggies into their children’s diet I say a silent prayer of gratitude that isn’t a battle I have to fight!

But because we love our veggies so much, we tend to fly through them, especially during the summer months, when it’s hot and a heavy meal is too much. This year, instead of running to the grocery store every other day, we can just run out to the garden!

Let me start by saying, if your family hates tomatoes, growing them yourself probably won’t make your kids suddenly love them (even though they definitely taste better than store-bought!).

So before you start planting, think of things your family enjoys and build around that. Eat a ton of spinach? Plant a ton! Love kale, but hate spending $5 every week for a bag of organic baby leaves? Put that on your garden list. Save money by planting what you’ll actually eat and cross them off your grocery list!

There are a ton of great veggies that grow well here in Utah. My list saves me money every year and they taste amazing fresh from the garden (and yes, I know a tomato isn’t botanically a vegetable, but in our house it falls into that category!).

Click NEXT to see what 10 garden veggies are saving me money!

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10 Tomato Varieties You Should Grow

May 4, 2016 by Vanessa Myers

Welcome! I’m so happy you’re here!

Do you love home-grown tomatoes? Then you’re in the right place! There’s nothing quite as satisfying as a vine-ripened tomato fresh from the garden. They offer bold flavors not usually found in grocery store varieties, which are often chosen for how well they ship and store on the shelf, instead of taste.

You will come across a wide selection of tomato varieties when you are shopping for seeds or starts. Before you rush out to pick out the first tomato plants you see, research what will do best in your yard and fit your culinary needs.

Tomato varieties come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors

Image by aurélien under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

Considerations for Picking Tomato Varieties

General types of tomatoes include:

Beefsteak (big, great for slicing)
Cherry (small for salads and eating out of hand)
Plum (good for sauces and pastes)
Salad (medium, good for general use)

Tomatoes are also divided into whether they are determinate or indeterminate. If one is determinate, it will grow to a certain height and width and then stop. One crop will be produced before the plant dies. On the other hand, indeterminate plants will keep growing throughout the season. This is important to know if space is a consideration as indeterminate varieties can turn into a jungle if the conditions are favorable.

Finally, they will be labeled as either hybrid or heirloom. If a plant is hybrid, it is the result of crossing other varieties. They are not likely to retain their desired characteristics if you try to save the seeds for the next year, and they may even be sterile. In contrast, you can collect seeds from heirlooms because they do generally keep the same genetics in their seeds.

Tomato Varieties to Check Out

The Black Krim tomato can have dark skin and flesh

Image by bert_m_b under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

1.Black Krim

Type: Beefsteak
Growth: Indeterminate
Genetics: Heirloom
Days to Harvest: 80

Interested in trying a tomato that isn’t red? Go for the Black Krim! This Russian variety sports fruit that bears a rich purple-red hue and is packed full of flavor.

Image by timlewisnm under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

2. Brandywine

Type: Beefsteak
Growth: Indeterminate
Genetics: Heirloom
Days to Harvest: 78

This is the most common type of heirloom that you will see available for sale, and has been planted since the 1800s. Each pinkish-red tomato can weigh over a pound!

Early Girl tomatoes are indeed one of the first varieties to mature

Image by Prestonbot under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

3. Early Girl

Type: Salad
Growth: Indeterminate
Genetics: Hybrid
Days to Harvest: 54-59

This variety is very popular due to its early harvest date. Early Girl will work well as a general purpose tomato for all of your favorite recipes.

Great White tomatoes will live up to the name and be white in hue

Image by quinn.anya under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

4. Great White

Type: Beefsteak
Growth: Indeterminate
Genetics: Heirloom
Days to Harvest: 85

In addition to red, orange, pink, purple, green and yellow, tomatoes can also be white when ripe. This variety is notable for being especially sweet, making it a delight to eat fresh!

Click NEXT for 6 more delicious varieties!

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Compost and Amending Soil

February 23, 2016 by Becky

Compost and amending soil can seem tricky and intimidating if you’re not sure where to start. It’s actually a simple process that will give you great results in your garden and better nutrition in your harvest. We’re breaking it down for you and explaining why we recommend {or don’t recommend!} different products and processes. Let’s get started!

Amending Soil–What is it, Why and How Often?

Amending soil means adding organic matter to your garden in order to give back the nutrition your fruits & veggies took from it last year to grow your healthy, beautiful plants. Without soil amendments, your garden could be deficient in different nutrients necessary to grow healthy plants and yield a strong harvest. You should amend your soil every year by placing a 2-3″ layer of compost over your garden beds.

Why Compost?

Also called Gardener’s Gold or Black Gold, compost is both partially decomposed organic matter {mostly plants and the manure of plant-eating animals} and the microbes that do the decomposing. Because it is made up primarily of plant matter, compost contains the right proportion of the elements needed for plant growth. Compost does many things for your soil, including:

Provides Nutrition It’s the source of all basic nutrition for plants.
Improves Soil Structure It separates soil particles and creates aeration, and nurtures the organisms that build and maintain it.
Increases the Ability of Soil to Retain Water Compost can hold up to 6 times its weight in water.
Contributes to the Health of Plants May help prevent some diseases and promotes plant growth.
Moderates Soil pH Most compost is already the ideal pH for optimal plant growth, and will help moderate the pH level in the soil.
Feeds Soil Organisms Compost is the food source for many, many organisms whose activities greatly improve soil structure, increase aeration and water retention, and make it easier for plant roots to grow. Compost feeds not only worms, but also soil bacteria and fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and more. (The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, 142)

Bumper Crop

Not everyone can compost because of space, time, location, or other reasons. You can still amend your soil even if you don’t save your kitchen scraps and lawn clippings! Our favorite soil amendment is Bumper Crop, a compost with an organic fertilizer, mycorrhizae (a beneficial bacteria that supports stronger root systems), worm castings (lots of plant-ready nutrients), and kelp meal (filled with micro-nutrients). This is what we use in our own gardens, and recommend to our customers.

Click NEXT to find out why you might NOT want to till your garden!

Images courtesy of winnod and posterize at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Garlic-Basil Butter

October 14, 2014 by Becky

Flavored butters are a simple way to add a touch of sophistication to your meal, especially this garlic-basil butter. Impress your guests or add it to a weeknight meal. It’s fancy enough for company, but easy enough for every day! It takes only minutes to prepare, but it makes even a simple meal seem a little more fancy with delicious flavor!

If you want to take it up a notch, you can have an assortment of herbed butters by adding our chive butter to your spread. (Spread. Ha! Sadly, that pun was intended.)

We love simple recipes, and this one fits the bill. Garden-fresh herbs and veggies don’t always need a lot of dressing up. This butter really lets the flavor of the garlic and basil shine through without overpowering your dish. Summertime perfection!

Ingredients

https://westerngardens.com/garlic-basil-butter/

Give this garlic-basil butter a try the next time you have fresh herbs, you will not be disappointed in the lovely flavor, and you will love how easy it is to whip up!

Butter freezes very well. Place the butter on a piece of waxed or parchment paper. Roll it into a cylindrical shape, then twist the ends of the paper to seal. You can place it in a freezer bag for an extra layer of protection, if desired. When you need some basil butter, unwrap the log and slice off a disc to use for toast or veggies, or in your recipe. This is a great option if you are trying to use as much basil as you can at the end of your harvest, and it’s just as easy to make a big batch as it is a single batch.

Enjoy!

How to Freeze Basil Pesto

October 9, 2014 by Becky

Pesto is a great way to use up a lot of basil if your garden is bursting at the seams, or if you need to harvest it before a drop in temperature. The basil pesto recipe we posted last week is a great one to try, especially if you’re looking for a less expensive pesto that still has wonderful flavor (we used pecans instead of pine nuts!).

But what if you make a big batch of pesto and you can’t finish it before it starts to go bad? Freeze it! Freezing pesto is simple, but we have a few tips to keep it fresh and green. Pesto oxidizes (darkens when exposed to air), so keep reading to find out how to keep it looking bright and green!

Start out with clean ice cube trays and a cookie scoop. My scoop is 1 tablespoon, and since two would have overfilled the tray, I placed one scoop in each pocket. You will need just a little space at the top, so don’t fill it completely full.

Once you have all of your pesto scooped into the trays, gently tap them on the counter to remove any air bubbles and to settle the pesto into an even layer. Lightly drizzle a thin layer of olive oil over the top of each pesto cube. This will help seal out any air that could turn your pesto brown.
When you are finished drizzling the oil, cover the tray with a layer of plastic wrap and press it gently onto the pesto to remove the air. Once the air has been pressed out, just place it in the freezer!

I missed a spot on the plastic wrap…it probably pulled when I picked up the tray. Check yours before you set it in the freezer just to make sure it didn’t shift like mine! Because of the oil, it retained it’s green color as it froze, but I like to be double sure that my food will be perfect when I want to use it!

Once your pesto is frozen (I left mine overnight), remove the plastic wrap and run the bottom of the trays under cold water for a second or two to loosen the pesto, if necessary (be careful not to get water on the pesto).

Label a gallon size freezer bag, being sure to include the size of your pesto cubes.

Now just remove the cubes from the trays and toss them all in the bag!

They should be a lovely green color. Now you are ready to pull out exactly how much you need when you’re ready to eat it! Garden-fresh flavor any time. Doesn’t get much better!
Be sure to squeeze out as much air as possible before you put your bag of pesto in the freezer, and you’re done! Easy!

Basil Pesto

October 1, 2014 by Becky

If you still have tons of basil in your garden and can’t stand to see it go to waste at the end of the season, basil pesto is the perfect solution! You can make it exactly how you like it for MUCH less than you will pay at the grocery store. It’s delicious in all sorts of recipes…and you can even freeze it (stay tuned for simple instructions)! There are so many reasons to make pesto, so don’t let that beautiful basil go to waste!

Pesto is very versatile…you can make it a strong flavor or make it more mild (which is especially helpful if you’re cooking for kids – or anyone else – who doesn’t like strong flavors!), and you can even add in other greens and different kinds of nuts. This recipe changes up traditional pesto just a little bit, but it still has a wonderful, rich flavor that will make you happy you made a big batch! You can always make a smaller batch, but if you have a lot of basil from your garden, this recipe is perfect for using it up!

Ingredients

https://westerngardens.com/basil-pesto/

Enjoy your pesto tossed with pasta, on baked potatoes or spread on bread! And stay tuned for some upcoming recipes that use this delicious pesto!

Pine nuts are traditionally used in pesto, and walnuts are often used as a substitution. We used pecans in our recipe and loved the results!

For a stronger flavor, add in one additional cup of basil leaves and omit the spinach.

Fat-Free Sweet Potato Fries

July 22, 2014 by Becky

If you are looking for a delicious, healthy side dish or snack, fat-free sweet potato fries are a perfect choice! They are simple to put together, loaded with good nutrition, and they’re always a crowd pleaser! They’re fantastic with our homemade garlic-cilantro aioli. We love this simple aioli because it goes together in 30 seconds in your blender! We love recipes that are quick, simple, healthy and that taste great…and both of these recipes fit the bill! Give these sweet potatoes a try and let us know what you think!

Ingredients

https://westerngardens.com/fat-free-sweet-potato-fries/

*If you don’t mind some oil on your fries, try tossing your uncooked sweet potato wedges with 2-3 tablespoons of avocado oil before seasoning them.

*Root vegetables can take a lot of salt. Don’t be afraid to give them a good sprinkling. {Don’t go overboard, but don’t skimp unless that’s how you like them}

*If you’re worried about your sweet potato wedges sticking to your foil, try crinkling the foil before you place it on the baking sheet. This way the potatoes will be touching less of the foil’s surface, which means you will have less sticking when they come out of the oven.

Garlic-Cilantro Aioli

July 8, 2014 by Becky

Aioli. You’ve heard of it. Maybe even seen it. But what in the world is it? Well, you’ve come to the right place for answers! Aioli is a garlic-flavored mayonnaise typically served with fish, seafood and vegetables. It’s a French word with Latin roots: ai–>garlic (allium) and oli–>oil (oleum). Garlic Oil. Yup. We’re making garlic oil today! With a little cilantro thrown in for good measure.

You’ll be so happy you tried today’s recipe. This aioli is so easy to make…it all goes in the blender, and you’re done in 30 seconds! There’s nothing I love more than an easy, quick, delicious recipe!

Ingredients

https://westerngardens.com/garlic-cilantro-aioli/

So far we have enjoyed our garlic-cilantro aioli with Roasted Artichoke, Fat-Free Sweet Potato Fries (we will share that recipe with you next week!) and we even used it as a sandwich spread. You just can’t go wrong with this aioli! Comment below and let us know how you like to eat your aioli!