End of Summer Pesto
When the first frost is predicted, that’s the time to rush into the garden and pick assorted herbs and greens for making an end-of-summer Pesto. Today we picked Tuscan kale, chard, basil, nasturtiums and arugula. Don’t worry much about the proportions, just grab the greens that are available and bring it into the kitchen. Place them in the food processor, add olive oil and garlic (raw or roasted, according to your taste) and some grated Parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste, and serve with your favorite pasta. (Pesto is also great on fish, chicken, tofu and most vegetables.)
Here are the greens I picked before the frost. Kale, arugula, chard, basil and nasturtium leaves. Yum.
The pasta was delicous!
Garden Celebration Cheese Tarts
When the garden is producing an abundance of vegetables, herbs and flowers, it's time to make some festive and delicious tarts. We'll start with a photo of the finished tart but know this: the flower petals are placed on the tarts after they are done and the oven is...
Getting Rid of Poison Ivy
I know that you're coming here looking for an easy, fast, organic and problem-free way to get rid of poison ivy. The truth is, there is no one magic method but only a combination of strategies depending on how much poison ivy you have and where it is. Bottom line? You...
Gardening as a Revolutionary Act
This is a slightly condensed version of the sermon I gave on July 27, 2014 at the Unitarian Church of Barnstable. Revolutionary is defined as “Rebellious, rebel or insurgent” “involving or causing a complete or dramatic change” “new, novel, or innovative.” Can...
I Love Echinacea ‘Milkshake’
Name: Echinacea ‘Milkshake’ Type of Plant: Perennial for full sun in zones 5-9 Why I love this: This cone flower has proved to be very strong, reliable and long flowering in my garden. I love the round dome of fluffy small petals with a yellow center, surrounded...
Mid-Summer Container Refresher
Have some of the annuals in your mixed pots or boxes stopped flowering? This isn't unusual because some of the annuals that are so perfect for spring planting don't bloom as well once the temperatures rise. This doesn't mean that they're bad plants...it just means...
Green Bean Pâté
Years ago I used to make the green bean pâté recipe out of the The Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen. Over time my recipe has evolved from that original as I've added flavors and substituted ingredients. It is still a favorite at the time of year when green beans...
How to Stake Flopping Hydrangeas
We love hydrangeas because their flowers are so huge and showy, yet often those large blooms are so heavy that they end up down in the mud. 'Annabelle' is one of the worst in my garden, so it's the one I support every year. Here's what I do: I use this method for...
Worth Fussing With
Yesterday I gave a talk at the garden center about vegetable garden problem solvers. I had just handed out a list of my go-to products for organic veggie gardens when a woman raised her hand. “Is there anything you can plant that you don’t have to fuss with?” she...
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