(Our newsletters are all copyright The Tasteful Garden 2003-2006 if you would like to reprint any of this information please let us know by email.)
October 2006
Pumpkins are everywhere!
There is one sure way to know that Fall has arrived and that is the appearance of pumpkins. As kids, this signaled the countdown to Halloween and weeks of trying to decide what to dress up as. For us here on the farm it is a time of harvest and an abundance of vegetables that are working hard to finish off the season. In the garden we are squeaking out the last of the Roma Classica tomatoes and hope to get the final green beans harvested before first frost kills the vines.
Cucumbers are coming on in the greenhouse and we are excited about a new Armenian cucumber that is light green with a very smooth skin. We also have Spinach planted in a big box in our unheated greenhouse where we can get about 20 lbs. of wonderful fresh leaves over the winter months. With the spinach scare recently, we thought a short article about this timely issue is in order for this month.
Growing herbs indoors is what we get so many questions about this time of year. Following is a brief article about how to do this successfully.
Gift season is coming up and we have lots of great gift products for sending to dear friends and family. Our beautiful 
Fall dried floral wreaths are in stock now and can be sent as gifts or buy them for your own fall decorating. 
We have gift baskets with herbs, romantic picnic baskets for two, lovely carved wooden planters with herbs to bring the garden indoors and hanging planters with Rosemary. Crates filled with herbs, soaps, cookbooks too! Gift certificates make wonderful gifts which can give again with a garden in springtime. Please call us if you have something special in mind. We are glad to help you create something unique.
NEW! Our own harvest products can be ordered including Pumpkin Butter, Peach Jam, Marinated Oven Roasted tomatoes, Habanero Pepper Jelly (this stuff is addictive) and wonderful Organic stone ground Corn meal and Grits, Basil oil, even fresh Goat cheese! We can combine these items with our fresh produce baskets upon request. (Please give us a week's notice for fresh produce orders.) Click here to order
Scary Spinach
What happened to make spinach so scary? Well, the answer is likely in the handling and not so m
uch in the growing practices although this hasn't been determined yet. It is believed to be either from irrigation water that was contaminated by E-coli or from food handlers not properly cleaning tools or hands. It has been determined that it was not from the "organic" spinach but the conventionally grown spinach supply at the plant. These large processing facilities have a high risk because of the sheer volume of produce which is processed and it can be quickly distributed all over the country.
When we purchase our produce and meats from huge corporations that distribute over a wide area including overseas, Canada and Mexico, and much of our food comes from South America (having the opposite seasons of the U.S., we take a great risk. Food storage creates the perfect moist cool conditions for growth of bacterias. Refrigeration over long periods of time, for weeks in many cases, creates perfect situations for bacteria to spread.
What to do? Always wash your produce that comes from the supermarket. Make sure you follow "best by" dates and buy as fresh and as local as you can. Produce is supposed to be marked with its country of origin in the produce section but if it is not, ask someone to find out for you. Always buying in season will assure that you do get the best quality and food that has been stored for the shortest time. Farmer's Markets are goldmines for produce and other items such as fish and eggs as most everything has been harvested within one day of sale. Freshness directly coincides with the amount of nutritional content of fruits and vegetables and as foods are held in refrigeration, the vitamin content deteriorates over time.
Growing your own assures the best quality and the best freshness, every time.
Growing Herbs Indoors:
Growing herbs indoors is relatively easy if you keep in mind that it is a short term proposition. Herbs really are not houseplants and do not thrive indoors because of lack of sunlight, humidity, and root space. In fact there is more opportunity for the plants to become stressed out and develop pest problems, yes even indoors.
To begin, make sure you allow enough pot space for each plant and don't overcrowd them. Use containers which will be able to dry frequently, good drainage holes are very important. Choose a location which is very bright and away from heater vents and fireplaces. Use good potting soil and include a little bit of compost such as worm castings or black cow which will help the potting soil consistency. Make sure you let the soil become dry in-between watering, not enough to wilt the plant, just don't ever water a plant with wet soil.
Pick the herbs frequently but keep in mind that they will be growing much slower than in springtime so only clip about 1/3 at a time giving them time to grow back before cutting them again. Some summer herbs such as Basil and Dill may not thrive indoors in the winter months as they can actually tell that it is not summer, even inside. Assume a short life span and don't worry that you "killed" them. Some of the most successful herbs to grow indoors will be Parsley, Chives, Thyme, Tarragon, Mints, Marjoram, and Sage. Start them inside in Fall and they should stay alive until they can be transplanted outdoors in spring.
NEWS: Our Produce subscription program Session 2 begins November 1st
We are excited to announce our new Produce Subscription Program for Fall called The Tasteful Harvest! Our second session will provide a box shipped right to your door of the freshest Farm Produce available, all grown naturally by our local small farms. This new program is designed to help small family owned farms by marketing this wonderful produce to people who value the best quality, freshest taste, and above all, flavor.
Similar to a CSA (or Community Supported Agriculture), this is an opportunity to get quality food, fresh from the farm, delivered right to your door within days of being picked instead of refrigerated in a store for weeks. We select the best of the harvest, every week from our own garden and greenhouses as well as from a few carefully selected local farms in our area. Most farms grow organically although organic certification is prohibitive because of the cost, they grow naturally with organic fertilizers and minimal organic pesticides. This program helps keep small farms in business by providing a market for them during the fall season.
Healthy vegetables, full of flavor, our boxes will include a selection of the freshest seasonal vegetables and
may include Lettuces, Squash, Greenhouse tomatoes, cut Herbs, Broccoli, Greens, Carrots, Cabbage, Peppers, Onions, Potatoes, Beans and more! We also include farm fresh eggs with your order.
Subscriptions for this program are available in our catalog and can be a Half order, about 5 lbs. of produce per week for 6 weeks, or a full order, about 10 lbs. per week. The cost for subscription is $47.95 per week for a half order and $67.95 per week for a full order. Pricing includes shipping to the yellow and brown areas on this map. (green, red and orange areas will require Air shipping and will cost an additional $15.00 per week.) Click map to enlarge.
To read more about this program or to order, just click this link: http://www.tastefulgarden.com/NEW!+The+Tasteful+Harvest-cat-21.html The Tasteful Harvest
Fall Gardening:
Time to pull out those spent Tomato plants and replace them with our nutritional fall vegetables! Our Fall vegetables will continue to ship until they are sold out. We still have lots of plants including Cabbages, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Spinach, Arugula, and Lettuces.
View our full selection of Fall Vegetables.
Fall Bulbs, Garlic, Shallots and Saffron are shipping now along with a large selection of herbs!
Click here to read more about Fall Gardening.
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a recipe from our Tasteful Harvest subscription program: Quiche with Fall Greens, Bell Peppers and Goat Cheese *1/4 lb. Fresh fall greens (turnip, mustard, kale or chard) chopped coarsely * 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion * 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter * 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (or roasted and peeled, then chopped) * 2 extra large eggs * 2 extra large egg yolks * 1 cup heavy cream or half and half * 1 - 9-inch pie shell For the topping: * 4 oz. mild goat cheese * 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves or a mixture of lightly flavored herbs optional items: * cooked ham or prociutto, diced finely * 1/2 small tomato diced, optional * chopped roasted pecans Preheat oven to 350F. Melt the butter over medium heat and add the onions and chopped greens. Sauté onions, peppers and greens until onions are translucent, about 5-10 minutes. Beat eggs and yolks adding the cream until smooth. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake pie shell for about 10 minutes until very lightly browned. Place partially baked pie shell on a rimmed baking pan. Fill shell with the onions, greens and pepper mixture along with the egg/cream custard and carefully place in the oven. (Note, it is helpful to fill only 2/3 full until the pie shell is slid mostly into the oven. Then with a measuring cup, pour the last bit in and gently slide it into the oven which will prevent major spills). Bake 30 minutes and when the filling is almost set, sprinkle the goat cheese, herbs, and other optional items on top and bake for another 5 or 10 minutes until cheese is melted.. Remove from oven and allow to rest 5-10 minutes. Serve very warm. |
| Shop for Kitchen and Garden items in our catalog! We have wonderful products for the upcoming shopping season, we can always design a custom basket or selection of gifts, books and plants for the kitchen gardener. Look for an article in Southern Living magazine's Nov. issue all about the Thanksgiving herbs which we contributed to. |
We love the fall and harvest time as the best of the season reaches its crescendo at Thanksgiving with the cornucopia of wonderful bounty. Making soups, baking and roasting just fills the home with scents as well as flavors and lots of love too. Share it with friends and make time for family.
Cindy & George Martin
September 2006
Fall is just around the corner!
My absolute favorite time of year is the fall. I get so excited when the days are shorter, nights are cooler and everything just breathes a sigh of relief after the baking heat of summer. We noticed that the huge old oak trees in
our yard are so happy after a long dry summer. The welcome rains these past few weeks have made their leaves dark green and full of life and the pastures are growing more grass than our small herd of cows and horses can eat. 
We have had new additions to the cow family, two of the cutest little girl cows you have ever seen. This one is named Saffron! They frolic in the pasture as they follow their parents around all day long. A new kitten named Missy has found its way to us and is now in charge of greenhouse patrol. Sadly, many people who have not spayed or neutered their cats will "drop off" litters on the side of the road here in the country. Many do not get noticed and do not survive or become wild. Missy and her brother were lucky and found homes. She has a big job ahead of her scouting for mice that like to eat our newly planted seeds! Sage and Sandy, our dogs, will take care of her like two very big sisters.
Fall dried floral wreaths are in stock now and can be sent as gifts or buy them for your own fall decorating. They are huge, over 20" in diameter and are very high quality wreaths. We also have lots of great products in our store for the kitchen and the garden. Our Organic fertilizers for azaleas (or blueberry plants), vegetables and tomatoes, and worm castings! In our catalog are products that control pests biologically such as Milky Spore for those nasty Japanese beetles and BT spray for fall caterpillars. Black cow compost and our own fertilizer blend made from Chicken litter will help you get ready for spring planting.
This month we have a featured article on the herb, Rosemary. One of the most versatile herbs it is very important in the medicinal herb garden as well as the kitchen. We focus on how to grow this beautiful plant successfully and provide a very tasty easy recipe too. For those who responded to our survey, you can also learn more about our Produce subscription program that starts Sept. 20th!
NEWS: Our Produce subscription program
We are excited to announce our new Produce Subscription Program for Fall called The Tasteful Harvest! Two sessions of 6 weeks each will begin on September 20th and will provide a box shipped right to your door of the freshest Farm Produce available, all grown naturally by our local small farms. This new program is designed to help small family owned farms by marketing this wonderful produce to people who value the best quality, freshest taste, and above all, flavor.
Similar to a CSA (or Community Supported Agriculture), this is an opportunity to get quality food, fresh from the farm, delivered right to your door within days of being picked instead of refrigerated in a store for weeks. We select the best of the harvest, every week from our own garden and greenhouses as well as from a few carefully selected local farms in our area. Most farms grow organically although organic certification is prohibitive because of the cost, they grow naturally with organic fertilizers and minimal organic pesticides. This program helps keep small farms in business by providing a market for them during the fall season.
Healthy vegetables, full of flavor, our boxes will include a selection of the freshest seasonal vegetables and may include Lettuces, Squash, Greenhouse tomatoes, cut Herbs, Broccoli, Greens, Carrots, Peppers, Potatoes, Beans and more! We also include farm fresh eggs with your order.
Subscriptions for this new program are available in our catalog and can be a Half order, about 4-5 lbs. of produce per week for 6 weeks, or a full order, about 8-10 lbs. per week. The cost for subscription is $43.95 per week for a half order and $63.95 per week for a full order. Pricing includes shipping to the yellow and brown areas on this map. (green, red and orange areas will require Air shipping and will cost an additional $15.00 per week.) Click map to enlarge.
We also are able to provide delivery of this subscription to the Birmingham area so if you are interested in picking up your produce at a central location in Birmingham or here at our farm, you may choose one of those options. Please let us know if the location or time is not convenient for you and we will try to accommodate. Because of the large area and logistic problems with delivery to Atlanta, we are not able to offer pickups at this time. We would like to talk to you about possible locations if you have an interest, please email us.
To read more about this program or to order, just click this link: http://www.tastefulgarden.com/NEW!+The+Tasteful+Harvest-cat-21.html The Tasteful Harvest
Herbs: Featuring Rosemary
Rosemary is one of the easiest herbs to grow however we hear from so many people that they "kill" their plants and can't figure out what is going wrong. We always ask, "Did you water it?" and they respond, "yes" and that is very likely the one thing they should not have done. Rosemary is a "upside down" plant. The roots must have lots of air and the leaves love humidity. Imagine rosemary growing in the dry coastal areas of Spain, Greece and Italy with almost no summer rainfall and very rocky soils. This plant is much happier collecting the moisture it needs from the air, instead of the ground. Full sunshine is best, even in very hot summertime, it can take the heat.
Give this plant lots of room as mature Rosemary bushes can grow to over 6 feet in diameter. They are hardy to zone 5 but older plants may survive winters even colder if covered and protected from bitter winter winds. Plant near a brick wall and protected on two sides from prevailing winds. Water only during periods of drought and never water a plant already starting to turn brown. This is a sign of drowning, not lack of water. Indoors rosemary should always be in bright windows with good draining potting soil and always let the soil become dry before watering again. They may need occasional misting to provide moisture to the leaves. Keep them away from heat vents and fireplaces.
Flowers appear in early spring and some varieties will bloom all summer long including the prostrate type which grows as a ground cover. Our favorite variety is Barbeque rosemary which has a wonderful strong flavor and long upright branches which can be used in many ways at the Barbeque grill. Skewering meat or vegetables onto branches imparts a nice flavor to the food as it cooks. Or when smoking meats, add some branches to the coals to add flavor to the smoke. Harvesting rosemary often will stimulate new growth and prevent the plant from getting dry and spindly. A good fall pruning, trimming back about a third of the plant is great for new spring growth.
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Fantastic Rosemary, Lemon and Garlic Chicken in cream sauce 4 boneless chicken breasts |
Shop for Kitchen and Garden items! We have wonderful products for the upcoming shopping season, we can always design a custom basket or selection of gifts, books and plants for the kitchen gardener.
Our herb and flower snips make fast work of harvesting from the garden. |
Sleek, stainless steel pepper grinder works great with the touch of a button on top. Handy for one handed grinding. |
Our rasp or Microplane is the best for hard cheeses, lemon zest, nutmeg, cinnamon, and more. |
I never have enough stainless steel bowls. Useful and durable as well as beautiful. |
The gardening season is far from over. Fall weather is the perfect time to get outdoors, rake some leaves (put them in the garden!) and prune everything for the coming winter. We hope cooler weather comes to you early this summer and chases the heat away.
Cindy & George Martin
August 2006
"Putting Up" the Harvest!
My fingers are blue from the blueberry jam, burning from the peppers in the pepper jelly, and I am going to buy stock in the Ball jar company! Corn, Basil Pesto, and Peppers in the freezer, Tomatoes and Beans in jars, Apples in pies, and Marinara made and ready for the winter. While it is always a big job, putting up is a tradition that ties us to the pioneers and old timers that survived every year from their summer harvest. The Victory Gardens during the war were a reality, if we had enough food put up for the winter, more could be sent to the troops overseas. Of course we don't have the problems of the past today, but putting up the harvest is still a wonderful way to continue the nutrition from your garden year around.
This month we offer some fantastic recipes for preserving tomatoes we hope you will try. Most vegetables can be frozen easily with just a quick blanching and canning is easy to do with just a large stockpot.
Herbs: Featuring Scented Rose Geraniums
This fantastic Geranium plant really smells just like a rose! It can be grown in containers or in the ground but unfortunately it is not cold hardy so you will have to bring it indoors or take a cutting to root for indoor growing before the weather gets too cold. Little fuscia colored flowers will appear on this plant but nothing like the huge blooms on standard geranium varieties. The scent is where this plant really shows off. Use the leaves for cakes (place leaves on the bottom of your cake pans), jelly or syrup flavoring, or even in ice cream. Your desserts and cookies can all smell like roses! Other heavily scented plants that are wonderful for desserts are Lemon Verbena, Chocolate or Orange Mint, Lavender, or Lemon and Lime Basil. Not all herbs are savory!
Fall Gardening:
Our Fall vegetables will be ready to begin shipping on August 14th and will continue until they are sold out. We will have plants of 6 varieties of Fall tomatoes along with Sweet and Sugar Peas, Bull's Blood Beets, Collard Greens, and Savoy Cabbages, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Endive, Spinach, colorful Lettuces and Rainbow Swiss Chard.
View our full selection of Fall Vegetables.
Collard greens are a staple of the Southern diet. Because they are so easy to grow, they are one of the most reliable vegetables to grow in cool weather. An old member of the brassica family which includes cabbage and broccoli, these plants survive our winters here in Alabama which can dip into the teens on a regular basis. Collards can be harvested frequently through the fall, winter, and early spring because cool weather makes them sweeter and taste less bitter. Their huge leaves are chopped and cooked for a couple of hours, usually with pieces of ham or pork and a touch of vinegar to diffuse the slightly bitter taste. Try some this fall, they are full of Vitamin C and A, Calcium, Iron and other minerals.
Bulbs such as Garlic, Shallots and Saffron are also best for planting in Fall. Ours will be ready to ship in September, order now!
You can schedule delivery of your plants for the best time for planting in your area. Northern areas should order for early delivery so plants get a good start before frost hit. Southern areas can wait until early September and Coastal and extreme South should wait until mid September for temperatures to cool down. Click here to read an article about Fall Gardening.
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"Putting Up" Recipes Marinara with herbs: No exact recipe is really needed which is part of the fun of marinara. Add what you like the best and taste as you go along. Here are my measurements but feel free to add or change. 4 lbs. fresh ripe tomatoes, peeled and squeezed gently to get rid of the seeds, then diced. Roasted Tomatoes with herbs: This recipe will make your house smell wonderful as it cooks! 4 lbs peeled whole Roma or San Marzano type tomatoes, drained, halved and seeded Roasted Red Peppers: Roast whole peppers over a gas burner or under a broiler until skin is bubbled and somewhat blackened. Cool thoroughly in closed paper bag or Ziploc bag for about 30 minutes. Skin, core and seed. Cut flesh into strips and place in sealable one-half pint glass canning jars. Prepare brine: To 1 cup (250 ml) water, add 1 level tablespoon kosher salt and 1/2 level teaspoon Citric acid monohydrate, food grade, also known as sour salt. Add enough brine to fill jars. Process in boiling water bath 25 minutes and allow to come to room temperature. Check seals and store in a cool place. Read more about canning tomatoes and pickling peppers here http://www.tastefulgarden.com/canning_tomatoes.htm |
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NEWS: Our Produce subscription program
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| Note: Our store hours have changed! Because of the Farmer's Market we attend, we are unable to open on the weekends. Our greenhouses and store will be open Monday-Friday from 9-5 and Sundays by appointment only, call 866-855-6344. |
Shop for Kitchen Gadgets!
Our herb keeper is great for keeping herbs fresh in the refrigerator |
A Provencal Garlic Keeper |
This salad dressing bottle has fresh dressing recipes on the sides! |
Use this food mill to crush your tomatoes into sauce and remove the skins and seeds. |
We also have several gift baskets and planter kits available as gifts for Birthdays and gifts. For the cooks or gardeners on your list, check out our Herb Planter kits and Herb Hanging Baskets.
Cooking from the garden is such a pleasure, nowhere else can you get that fresh flavor of herbs, and vegetables at their peak of ripeness. Just when you think you can't eat even one more tomato, you can discover a new recipe for roasted tomatoes which brings a whole other level of mouthwatering taste. Enjoy!
Cindy & George Martin
July 2006
The Tomato Garden!
Tomatoes of all shapes, sizes and colors are everywhere in our garden. After 6 full weeks with not even a trickle of rain, we finally got a 1/2" last week and the tomatoes responded nicely. The corn suffered badly and the blueberries are a bit dry but will make a nice jam. The peppers love this hot weather and are growing very well but the cucumbers just don't care for the heat and seem to just give up. We are watering with our soaker hoses to fill in during our drought and hoping for good results as the summer continues. So many others are suffering with heavy flooding we hope that gardening isn't too much of a challenge for you all this season.
This month we offer some helpful tips on summer maintenance of the vegetable garden. Don't forget to fertilize and mulch!
Fall Gardening:
We know everyone is still exhausted from all the planting this spring but we start getting ready for fall gardening this time of year. Our
selection of Fall vegetables has grown this year to include Sweet and Sugar Peas, Bull's Blood Beets, Collard Greens, and Savoy Cabbages along with Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Endive, Spinach, Lettuces and Rainbow Swiss Chard. View 
our selection of Fall Vegetables.
Best for planting in Fall, our Garlic, Shallots and Saffron bulbs will also ship in September. order now.
Fall tomatoes are also available for shipping during August 14th through September 15th. We have chosen 6 varieties which we expect to grow well in this shorter season.
Gardening in the fall is the best time of year as there are fewer bug and disease problems and the weather is so much cooler! Most of the fall vegetables produce very quickly and Lettuces can even be harvested as it grows. The nutritional value of green vegetables is staggering and everyone should try a few new things to spice up your meals.
Plants for fall vegetables will be available for shipping beginning August 14th and will continue until September 15th. Order early as our plants sell out quickly. You can schedule delivery for the best time for planting in your area. Northern areas should order for early delivery so plants get a good start before frost hit. Southern areas can wait until early September and Coastal and extreme South should wait until mid September for temperatures to cool down. Click here to read more about Fall Gardening.
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Maintaining the Vegetable Garden Fertilizing is one of the easiest tasks to forget as the weather warms up. Depending upon what you used at planting time, you may need a boost of fertilizer for your plants. Using organic fertilizers prevents overfeeding and gives the nutrition the plants need in low doses. Diseases are a fact of life in areas with heavy summer rains. Blights, fungus, wilts and other diseases are difficult to avoid although some can be prevented with sprays. If you think you have a tomato disease, click here to identify common problems and learn about solutions. A new product called Serenade is a OMRI certified organic disease treatment which works well for blight and other problems. Fungonil is another great product for preventing fungal growth. Weeding is the worst job in the garden and sometimes it feels like they are going to completely take over! The fastest way to get rid of them is to dig or pull the weeds but mulching with good heavy layers of hay straw, pine shavings or needles can shade out most of the weeds and is beneficial to the plant roots creating a insulation layer from the heat. Pulling the weeds is much easier in mulches, they pop right out! Picking the fruits is important to do early and regularly. Even though one more squash may send your neighbors into a revolt, it is no surprise to find that a huge award winning squash is buried under the leaves. Keep picking small ones for the best flavor and texture. Tomato hornworms, aphids, Japanese beetles, and several other insects and worms are invading now so be on the lookout for their damage. Read more information about insects in the garden here. We have some excellent low toxicity solutions in our catalog and a new concentrated form of Neem II which can be mixed with water making up to 16 gallons. It is safe to use on vegetables up to the day of harvest but works great on Roses and other ornamentals as well as fruit trees. |
The Best BLT starts with the best tomatoes! Here are a few ideas to dress up or stack up with your BLT's:
Roasted Sweet Bell Peppers
Fresh Farmer's Market Goat Cheese
Arugula (I know, it is a BAT, not a BLT)
Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Prosciutto or other great Italian cured meats
Smoked Provolone or fresh Buffalo Mozzarella cheese
Sweet Basil leaves!
Grilled, Crusty Ciabatta Bread from the local artisan bakery!
Check out our Bookstore for lots of new titles and our Kitchen Gadgets for several cool new kitchen tools. We also have several gift baskets and planter kits available as gifts for summer Birthdays and Hostess gifts. For the cooks or gardeners on your list, check out our Herb Planter kits and Herb Hanging Baskets. Let us know how we can help you design the perfect gift.
Our store hours have changed! Because of the Farmer's Market we attend, we are unable to open on the weekends any more. Our greenhouses and store will be open Monday-Friday from 9-5 and Sundays by appointment only, call 866-855-6344.
The rewards of gardening are apparent with the first tomato sandwich of the year, knowing that the fruit is available literally because of your labors and then beating out the squirrels makes it all worthwhile.
Cindy & George Martin
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June 2006
June is Basil time! There is just no better time to cook with Basil than early summer. It reminds us of the flavors to come as the first tomatoes begin to ripen. For those lucky enough to have planted Cherry type tomatoes, you should be eating them soon! Slice a bowl full and chop some Sweet Basil and drizzle olive oil for the ultimate summer salad, or hollow the grape tomatoes and fill them with goat cheese mixed with fresh herbs. Under the broiler for a minute or two and they are divine!
A Tasteful Basil Garden!
Here at The Tasteful Garden, we don't limit ourselves to just one basil. Variety is the spice of life so we grow several great ones for flavor versatility as well as color. Sweet Genovese is probably the most familiar variety to most of us but check out some of the more interesting flavors of these other types.
Lime Basil--One of the most fantastic scents you will ever smell is the combination of Lime and Basil contained in this plant. More subtle than Sweet Genovese, the citrus overtone is bright and crisp and accents salads perfectly. Lemon Basil is distinctively citrus but the Lime has another level altogether. Great for Salsas, especially fruit salsa, potato salads, green bean salad, dips, dressings and so much more. Even the flower petals are edible!
Siam Queen Basil--Full of anise flavor this basil has the complexity for Thai and Asian cuisine and is used extensively in all types of Middle eastern foods as well. Known as Thai or Persian basil, one of the best things about this plant is its beauty. The purple flowers are in clusters and the pointed leaves and stems have a slight purplish color. Slightly peppery, this basil works well with Lemon grass, Cilantro, Coconut milk, Ginger and Garlic. Good for any type of stir fry this basil also accents vegetables bringing out their flavor.
Spicy Greek Basil-- has a tiny form but a big flavor. When you want boldness, use this one for a slight kick. Good for strong flavored Mediterranean dishes and makes the most excellent Greek Chicken. With or without tomatoes this spicy basil is strong and full and will hold up well in Salsa as a replacement for hard to keep cool Cilantro. Plants stay small and are good in pots too!
Mammoth Basil--Our favorite basil for pesto and for sandwiches this is considered a lettuce leaf basil not just for its size but for the firm texture of the leaf which holds up well in salads as well as on your favorite Italian sub. Leaves grow as big as your hand and can be filled with shrimp and grilled or use them for lettuce wraps! Treat them like spinach in a lasagna, layer them with tomatoes and mozzarella, or just make the best pesto ever! Grows great in a pot in the kitchen or in the garden. The bold slightly anise flavor combines with the flavor of sweet basil and packs a punch.
Cuban Basil--One of the easiest plants to grow that we carry but not short on flavor at all. These plants will grow to 2-3 feet across in full sun or part shade. The spiciness is similar to Spicy Greek but not quite as strong and the leaves are a little larger. Hardly ever flowering, the plant produces an abundance of leaves all season long. Try it in any dish, especially with Mexican and South American cooking and it is perfect for soups and salsas too.
Opal Basil--Best color for salads and for coloring vinegars or oils. Try a Purple Basil Aioli or mayonnaise! Similar in flavor to Sweet Genovese, it has a slightly deeper flavor along with the addition of "purple" nutrition. Toss leaves in with baby greens or garnish plates with flower tops. Also makes great purple pesto!
Can't decide? Order our Tasteful Basil Garden and let us pick out 6 of our favorites. Also, don't forget African Blue Basil for fantastic landscape potential and to attract bees to your garden.
Also, check out our new DVD on growing and using fresh basil.
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Fresh Corn Risotto with Basil, Tomato and Lime Pesto Cheese Roulade with Sun dried tomatoes Visit The Tasteful Kitchen for more recipes and cooking tips! |
This month in the vegetable garden...
The tomatoes are beginning to turn white which is a sign of ripening. Definitely the earliest tomatoes we have ever had, we are thrilled for the early season. Since Spring was so warm and mild this year, we have seen the fruit set early and huge tomatoes are on the plants. We are currently working on a pipe system that will bring us the rain the Northeast has had as we are dry as a bone. Short of rain dancing, 
we are using our soaker hose to water deeply so the roots will grow down deep where it stays much cooler in July. Already our temperatures have risen into the 90's and it has been weeks since we have seen a drop of rain. (I know, careful what you wish for...) 
The peppers got in before the heat wave and are responding nicely. Many also have fruits set too! This has been the year for peppers with all varieties as happy as they can be over the warm growing season. Our corn has already silked at only chest high and we can't wait to taste the sweet Peaches N' Cream bicolor variety. Our Italian red torpedo onions have been picked and the Shallots will come out this week.
Our adding compost to the garden over the years has made the soil nice and dark and has lightened our red Alabama clay to a nice fluffy easy to dig topsoil. Although still a bit hard in very dry weather, we are seeing great improvement every year so don't lose heart. Even the worst soils will get better over time with a little effort.
Japanese cucumbers are already being picked and taste wonderful. Nothing like the full flavor of backyard cucumbers, just like tomatoes, their flavor is intensified by the richness of the soil. George planted Peanuts this year and the Charentais cantaloupes and Moon and Stars watermelons are coming along nicely. We can't wait for our Muscade pumpkins to start fruiting!
NEW! Olive Trees Now you can grow your own olives from our Mission variety olive trees now available in our catalog. HURRY~ Rhubarb roots for zones 3-8 are still available for shipping this week only!. Order these quickly as we will only have a small supply for a limited time. Read more about growing rhubarb here.
Tomatoes will continue shipping until quantities run out and keep in mind that early planters may want to put a second planting in for later tomatoes. We have an excellent selection and our Peppers are still in very good shape too. We have beautiful Quadrato peppers in Yellow and Red, Orange Sun bells, Topepo little bells, Habanero, Jalapeno, Serrano and Cayenne and our favorite Ancho peppers too. Order now and add some Herbs to your garden for great summer flavor!
gardeners on your list, check out our Herb Planter kits and Herb Hanging Baskets. Let us know how we can help you design the perfect gift. Check out our Bookstore for lots of new titles and our Kitchen Gadgets for several cool new kitchen tools. New Garden Markers! This is the most fun way to mark your rows! A set of 6 wooden branches hand carved and varnished which come with a marker to write on them. These are large, about 12" and about 3/4" thick. Very tasteful!
Our store hours have changed! Because of the Farmer's Markets we attend, we are unable to open on the weekends any more. Our greenhouses and store will be open Monday-Friday from 9-5 and Sundays by appointment only, call 866-855-6344.
We want to take the time to thank you all for supporting us through this busy time of year. Your patience with us was greatly appreciated when certain days got so busy and hectic for us. We know that you can always go to the Big Box stores and that you choose to come to us for our service and quality. We strive to live up to that trust every day. For those who have been with us for years, you are priceless friends and we thank you for the continued support and the word of mouth which helps our business grow.
Cindy & George Martin
May 2006
Spring days full of color and scents from Honeysuckle and fruit tree blossoms fill the air. Here at The Tasteful Garden our azaleas have bloomed and the blackberries are forming on the vines. Pineapple Sage and Lemon Verbena are coming back from last year and our Lemon grass is turning green. Sage and Lilac are in bloom and the vegetable garden is almost all planted. Corn has grown to about 15" tall already and the peppers are going in this weekend.
Pepper SALE!
We love the sweet bell peppers which ripen to such beautiful colors and the Ancho and Anaheim's will make the best Mexican enchiladas and chili. Pepper jelly from Habaneros is the best and Jalapenos filled with cheese and fried golden are spectacular. Our Kung Pao heats up stir fries and the Cayenne is classic for hot vinegar sauce. All of our peppers have grown so beautifully this season we are having a SALE! You can receive a discount of 30% off by entering the code peppers at checkout then recalculate your total for the discount. Ordering online is easy and always secure or call Lois at our order desk for help. Please note that because of this very busy time of the year, there may be a delay of up to a week or so before your order can ship. This should be only temporary until we get past Mother's Day. Any Mother's day gift orders should be ordered now so we can make sure they arrive before May 14th.
NEW! Blackberries and Blueberries are available in our catalog under Fruits & Citrus trees! We have Rabbiteye Blueberries and Kiowa Blackberries for you to grow your own! Sold in sets of two, they are in 1 gallon containers and can be shipped now. They will grow all over the US. Also new are Rhubarb roots for Northern gardens. Order these quickly as we will only have a small supply for a limited time. Read more about growing rhubarb here.
New Herbs
Spicy Orange Thyme is new in the Herb department. It is a low growing tiny leaved thyme with a spicy orange flavor. Prostrate Rosemary flowers prolifically all season long and is beautiful in hanging baskets or as a ground cover on a dry slope. Another new plant this season is 
Cilantro Delfino, a beautiful plant that seems to hold up much better than regular Cilantro. The flavor is 
exactly the same as cilantro although just a bit milder. The finely cut leaves are so pretty and we haven't seen it bolt yet! Try it, you'll like it. Both kinds are growing beautifully in our greenhouses right now but we will not be able to ship them for very much longer because of the heat in transit.
African Blue Basil grows to over 4 feet around in just one season. Unfortunately, that is as long as it lasts in about 3/4 of the United States. The flowers are amazing and its purple color is even better with a little shade. You cannot kill this plant...not even if you try. Fragrant and an excellent Bumble Bee attractant to your garden.
Pineapple Sage smells so sweet and becomes a 4 foot tall bush very quickly. In warm climates it is perennial and goes into full flower around mid September. It literally is covered in bright red tube shaped flowers which attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Fantastic plant! Par-cel is a plant that grows similar to Curly Parsley however it has a strong celery flavor which is good for soups and salads when you don't want the texture of celery. Grows in cool, shadier locations and gets about 2 feet across.
This month we have an article on vegetable gardening and getting inside the plant to find out what makes it grow!
| The Secret Lives of Plants
The two most important things that plants need is sunshine and water. Plants can grow without everything else for a certain period of time but without water, they will die and sunshine allows them to produce Chlorophyll which keeps them alive. Air and Carbon dioxide are also very important to allow them to breathe. (They are living creatures after all.) They transpire, or breathe through their leaves and also some through their roots so air is also important in the soil. Moisture is taken up by the plants through their roots as well and moves through the "blood" system to distribute over the entire plant. Wilting is caused by lack of moisture in their "veins" and cells. Sunlight provides not only vitamin D but also allows Chlorophyll production which makes the plants able to produce sugars for their fruit. Nutrients that plants require such as Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorus as well as others are necessary for the plant to survive. In nature, these nutrients are naturally produced in the soil by rotting leaves and grass, rocks and minerals already in the soil and even the bodies of dead microorganisms. When we feed them with chemical fertilizers, we are artificially trying to create those conditions and over feeding can become very dangerous for the plant and even burn the leaves when they are sprayed. Vegetable plants roots want to have nice soft loamy soil with dark organic material. When they are fed at their roots, the distribution system works to bring the proper nutrition to all parts of the plant. Spraying high nitrogen fertilizers on the leaves interrupts that natural feeding and can weaken root systems. More feeding does not produce more fruit and can actually prevent fruiting by encouraging too much vegetative or leafy growth. Dark soil, rich in manures and compost may require no additional feeding at all! Trace minerals and calcium are generally present in the soil and are not usually necessary to be added. The key to all of this working well is the proper Ph level so that the chemical reactions can happen which allow the roots to take up the nutrients properly. Every time we spray a chemical to kill an insect, we have to be careful that we are not causing damage to the plant. If some chemicals would burn your skin, of course they will burn plants "skin" too. Remember that plants have pores that breathe air and moisture, blocking those pores can create serious damage. When a plant becomes stressed by its environment such as extreme heat, dry windy conditions, or even dirty air it can be very detrimental to the health of the plant. If roots cannot move through the soil and take up nutrients, they will become stressed and will not produce fruits. Compost and mulching protects tender root systems and makes for healthy plants. Worms and other microorganisms live underground in harmony with the roots digesting organic material and producing perfect nutrition for the plants. Slow deep watering allows water to penetrate down to the lower levels of soil where it is cooler and moisture doesn't evaporate as quickly. Thinking of plants as living organisms helps us understand their needs and keeps them in good health so we can enjoy the benefits. |
We have several gift baskets and planter kits available for gifts for not only Mother's day but Father's day, Birthdays, Graduation and Hostess gifts. For the cooks or gardeners on your list, check out our new items in Gourmet Kitchen Gadgets, our Herb Planter kits, Handmade Soaps, and Herb Hanging Baskets, or just send a basket of Heirloom Tomato plants. Let us know how we can help you design the perfect gift.
Working in the dirt is so satisfying to the soul
. The age old tradition of starting your food crops for the growing season connects us to our ancestors and makes us proud of our ability to bring abundance to the table. We hope you enjoy the digging as much as the reward.Cindy & George Martin
April 2006
A new baby calf was born this week! She is a little puny but cute as a button and very curious. We have been struggling with fencing in our bull Bruno as the grass hasn't come in full enough yet and a 2000 lb. bull gets pretty hungry. For some reason our broccoli plants were most appealing and were eaten down to the ground. The animals all love the warm spring weather we have had and the new baby has them excited too! We also had to say goodbye to our black furry Kitty this month as she suffered some kind of injury and died at the hospital. We will miss her very much but we know that the full cycle of life is a big part of living on a farm.
The primary reason for gardening, in our opinion, is to produce the best food possible! This month we offer some fantastic simple recipe ideas using fresh garden tomatoes, just to get you in the mood, as well as a baby greens salad with warm goat cheese, mmmm...
Herbs, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Squash, beautiful Peppers, and even Pumpkin plants are literally up to our eyeballs here at The Tasteful Garden. Some of the more exciting and dramatic plants are the Fennel which is growing huge, Stevia which is just blooming with tiny white flowers, Pineapple Sage which can grow an inch or two a day, Rosemary (which made the most delicious Foccacia bread), and Lemon Variegated Thyme bright and colorful among all the green. We wish you all could experience it first hand!
Our store hours are 9-5 Monday-Saturday and 12-5 Sundays, Central Time. Click here for a map and directions. If you can't come visit, you can always order our wonderful plants which are all in stock now. Ordering early assures that we always have your plants in stock when it is time to ship to your area. Ordering online is easy and always secure or call Lois on our order desk for help. If you need to know your last frost date click for our recommended date for shipping in your area.
We have been traveling all over the Southeast in the past few weeks. We visited the Festival of Flowers in Mobile, AL and Callaway Gardens Spring Plant sale is going on this weekend at Pine Mountain, GA. Next week we pack up and travel to Franklin, TN to the Bloom n' Garden Expo on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Ag. Expo center.
Our annual Spring Plant sale and Farmer's Market is April 22nd from 8 am -12 Noon in Birmingham at Pepper Place. We have some fantastic vendors bringing Roses, Native plants, Perennials and more as well as lots of fresh spring produce and Goat Cheese from Bulgar Creek Farms that is the perfect compliment to tomatoes. Stock up and freeze some for your summer tomato recipes! We always bring a huge selection of plants to these events and we love to meet our customers face to face! If you live nearby, please come by and see some of our products in person. For more information about any of these events, please email us at mail@tastefulgarden.com
Featured Recipes:
These wonderful recipes feature heirloom and fresh garden tomatoes which are great for springtime outdoor meals and are easy for entertaining.
Caprese Salad (Tomato & Basil salad)
2-3 fresh ripe tomatoes, sliced approx. 1/4" thick (Try this with Green Zebra tomatoes for a real tangy treat!)
6-7 fresh basil leaves (marjoram or oregano can be substituted)
1 lb. Fresh mozzarella cheese in water, sliced to same thickness as tomatoes.
Extra virgin olive oil
freshly cracked black pepper
Layer all ingredients on a serving platter. Sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Chill 10 min. or more and serve. Drizzling balsamic vinegar can help the taste of "store bought" tomatoes
Serves 4-6
Tomato Goat Cheese Bruschetta
2 Fresh Ripe Garden Tomatoes, diced small
3-5 fresh Basil leaves, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. fresh chevre goat cheese (or cream cheese)
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin olive oil
6-8 slices crusty Italian or French bread
In a skillet warm olive oil over low heat. Add minced garlic and cook very gently for about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and add a pinch of salt and 2 grinds of fresh black pepper. In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes and fresh basil together and add the olive oil & garlic mixing well.
Toast bread slices on a grill pan or under a broiler until just crisp. While still warm, spread goat cheese in a thin layer across the toast. To make ahead, just before serving, pop the toasts back into the oven with the cheese until warm. Top with bruschetta tomato mixture. Drizzle lightly with balsamic vinegar for extra flavor. Serve immediately!
Goat cheese & Baby Greens salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
2 logs of Goat Cheese, Chevre or Montrachet
1/2 cup bread crumbs
olive oil
Fresh herbs chopped fine: Basil, Oregano, Marjoram, Garlic Chives, Italian Parsley
Baby Greens & Lettuces
Slice cheese into 1/2" rounds and coat with herbs and olive oil. Press cheese rounds into bread crumbs to stick well, coating completely. Chill for approximately 1/2 hour in the refrigerator. Heat small amount of oil in a non stick skillet over medium heat. Add cheese rounds and brown lightly on both sides approximately 1-2 min. per side. Drain on paper towels for 1 minute and serve immediately with dressed greens.
Dressing for Baby Greens:
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive oil
2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese grated
Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over greens tossing well. Serves 5-6
Summer Garden Fast Marinara Sauce
2-4 Large ripe fresh garden tomatoes, chopped coarsely
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large sweet onion, chopped or sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs such as Oregano, Marjoram, Basil and Parsley
1/4 cup Olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
Optional: 1/2 jar of Roasted Red Sweet Peppers, chopped
Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add onions and cook until almost clear or transluscent, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes and herbs and simmer for 5 minutes more. Add optional peppers and serve immediately over Angel Hair or any other favorite pasta. Grate fresh Parmigiano over top of pasta at the table.
| Growing for the Kitchen By Cindy Martin of The Tasteful Garden Vegetable or herb gardening has become much more popular in the United States in the past 10 years. The focus has been on growing more flavorful, nutritious, and fresher produce than can be found in the local grocery store. Television cooking shows make our mouths water with fresh herbs, garden ripened tomatoes, spicy ethnic peppers and veggies of all kinds. Growing your own produce is easy and fun as well as more flavorful for your cooking To get started, just go through these basic steps: 1. Choose a location. Ideal locations for kitchen gardening have some area of full sunshine for tomatoes, peppers and other fruiting vegetables as well as some areas that may be shaded in the afternoon for annual herbs such as basil and dill. Lettuces and other greens thrive where mid day heat is blocked by trees or large plants and herbs love the drainage that a raised bed provides. Soil conditions do not have to be perfect but good draining areas are always best and having your garden near the kitchen encourages you to harvest as you cook. 2. Plan a layout. Based upon what you think you will use the most, plan your kitchen garden with your needs in mind. When you are hungry is no time to plan your garden, just like at the grocery store there is a tendency to overdo. Try to grow just a few plants each of your favorite vegetables and herbs that you use most frequently. Avoid large items like watermelons and squashes, although they are easy to grow, you can be overrun with the size or quantity. 3. Organize the garden for working. Plan to have walkways and planting beds which are narrow enough for easily reaching to pick or pull weeds. Plan to have taller plants towards the back and shorter plants towards the front. Make sure your hose can reach all areas of the garden and avoid tree roots and other obstructions. 4. Work the soil. Adding compost is the most important thing you can do for your garden. Composted manures or leaves will add organic material which breaks down and improves the texture and nutrient content of your soil. Hard compacted ground will stunt root growth and prevent growth above ground as well. Rototillers and digging forks are the best for breaking up hard packed soil. Soil testing is necessary as Lime may be needed to correct the Ph in areas with heavy rainfall. 5. Containers can be great gardens. If you are limited on space or mobility, use large containers and plant combinations of herbs, vegetables and strawberries. Use deep containers for best results and always add compost to the potting soil you buy. Regular potting soil was designed for commercial greenhouses that water daily, adding compost helps retain water and nutrients for the roots. Organic or slow release fertilizers also help with keeping you from having to feed your containers weekly. Make sure you allow enough room for each plant to grow to about 2/3 of its normal size in a garden. 6. Plant good plants at the correct time. Make sure you are planting everything at the proper time for your area. Last frost dates are guidelines for tender vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers, but many cool season plants do best while nights are still nippy and cool. Herbs can be planted early but most will do best as the soil warms up in late spring. Basil is very cold tender and will not grow at all if night temps are below 42. Choosing healthy plants at their peak is key to good results. 7. Don’t over water or over feed. If rainfall is regular (about every week or so) it may never be necessary to water. If you are having a very dry season or your area doesn’t get much rainfall, use slow deep waterings of about 1 hour with a trickling hose or drip irrigation to get the water down deep. This will get the roots down low and provide a good strong root system. Feeding should always be done with the motto that less is more. When plants are stressed from extreme heat or drought, feeding will not help them. Bugs may attack plants that are stressed but again, feeding does nothing to help. If you are not concerned with growing a 20 pound tomato, don’t use quick feeds such as Miracle Gro. The best feed is an organic type which will slowly break down and feed as the plant requires it. A schedule of feeding every 6 weeks should be plenty. 8. Harvest frequently. Spend time with your garden and see what is happening to the plants on a daily basis if possible. It does them good and it’s good for you too! Picking fruits and herbs often stimulates new growth and makes everyone happy. 9. Add a little more every year. Experiment with something new each season and try adding fruits or nuts, Asian or Italian types of produce such as Lemon grass or Arugula and spice up your kitchen garden for the best flavor possible. Remember that no one is more of an expert than you are about the plants that you grow. Watching their progress will help you to understand their needs and the environment around them. Just because a bug is spotted in the garden, doesn’t mean that a catastrophe has occurred, there is likely a larger bug around the corner that wants to eat him! Always spray food plants with caution and make sure the product is approved for vegetables, don’t use Raid on something you are planning to eat. There are many organic type pesticides which are very safe not only for you but for those good bugs too. Compost is the key to good garden soil and Mulch is a nice blanket that protects plants and keeps their roots moist and cool. For the best success, always add both every season to your garden beds and clean out debris to prevent bad insects from moving in to stay. Whether you plant a large kitchen garden or a small container garden, everyone can find room for a few vegetables which add so much to our lives. |
Featured Herb: Mammoth Basil
One of the most potent herbs we grow is called Mammoth Basil. Mammoth refers not only to the size of the leaf but also to the flavor. Considerably stronger in flavor than Sweet Basil this plant is fantastic for adding to recipes that need real oomph. Grilling shrimp or fish wrapped in a mammoth basil leaf stuffed with roasted peppers or spicy corn would be delicious. It would also make a great wrapper for Thai lettuce wraps. This basil is firm like a lettuce leaf and will hold up well in sandwiches providing a little crunch. 
Easy to grow, Mammoth Basil is somewhat smaller than Sweet Genovese Basil but the leaves will actually grow as large as your hand. Keeping the soil cool and growing in part shade in hot areas will make this plant produce in abundance.
Outdoors the plant will be happy with the temperatures between 50 and 90 degrees. To grow all Basils, the daytime temperatures must be warm but not too hot (around 75-90 degrees) and it must get at least 3-4 hours of sunlight a day. It can be grown with filtered light all day such as under a tree or in a bright window indoors.
Learn more about growing and cooking with Basils on our new DVD available now in our online store.
Spring Gardening season is always exciting and fun and even though we don't get much sleep, we
are inspired by all of your enthusiasm for growing these wonderful plants as we wait for the abundance of Summertime.Cindy & George Martin
March 2006
It is always so amazing to see our greenhouses fill up with tomato plants. It is like a huge field growing and the plants grow nearly 3 inches a week! You can feel them stretching towards the sun and breathing out pure oxygen. It is a beautiful sight I wish you all could experience. We are now officially open for the season for those who would like to visit our greenhouses. Our store hours are 9-5 Monday-Saturday and 12-5 Sundays, Central Time. If you can't come visit, you can always order our wonderful plants which are in stock and have now begun shipping.
Southern states such as California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Nevada, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina and New Mexico are all getting ready to hit their last frost date soon. Ordering early assures that we always have your plants in stock when it is time to ship to your area. Ordering online is easy and always secure or call Lois on our order desk for help. If you need to know your last frost date click for our recommended date for shipping in your area.
Our herb selection is stunning right now as well. We have gorgeous plants ready to ship to you just about anywhere in the US. Basils may need to wait a few weeks more just to insure that they don't get damaged in transit by cold weather. We also have colorful lettuces, asparagus, potatoes, onions and strawberries ready for planting before your last frost date if you just have to get something in the ground!
Here at The Tasteful Garden, we live for spring, it is a busy and exciting time for us every year. We hope the "fever" catches and you get excited too!
Growing Tips: Growing Bell Peppers (all over the country):
Bell Peppers can be challenging to grow for gardeners in hot Southern Climates as well as Northern areas where the summers can be too short to ripen them to full color. Here are some tips for growing bell peppers that will help with both problems:
Most peppers begin green. There are exceptions such as Purple Beauty which starts purple and then ripens red. Once the green fruits are fully formed, the plant begins making sugars for the fruit and the skin and flesh start to turn these wonderful bright colors. When we eat green peppers, they are actually unripe fruit and sometimes have the effect of green apples on your stomach! Once they ripen, they fill up with vitamins and nutrition as well as a sweet flavor. This process naturally happens in mid summer when the weather is warm and summer rains cool off the roots. The challenge for Southern gardens is to keep the roots cool enough to make the plants
think they are in the North. This can be achieved by using heavy mulch to shade the roots and protect them from our hot sunshine which can bake the soil. In the North, the challenge is to keep the soil warm and not too cool for the fruits to form and the ripening to occur. The best solution for this is to add a dark colored plastic mulch to warm up the soil and get the fruit setting early. Also, you can pick fruits as soon as you see even the slightest amount of coloring and they will finish ripening in your kitchen.
Hot peppers grow very well in the South and generally Bells do well in the North. It is a good idea to add some extra compost and a little bit of epsom salts to the soil to add the nutrition that makes them thrive. Just an ounce per plant is plenty. Pests are not generally a problem but watch for rotting areas on the fruit in very wet summers and sun burn on the fruits in very hot weather. A good healthy leafy plant will shade its own fruit and prevent the burning. Always water deeply and infrequently to encourage the roots to dig down for moisture and coolness. If roots cannot get deep in the ground, the fruits will be small and have thinner walls. Lots of good leaf compost will help break up hard soil conditions and sweeten the fruits too!
Our recipe this month uses peppers of all kinds!
Chili Rellenos stuffed with Cilantro, Corn, Peppers, Shrimp and CheeseNew items in The Tasteful Kitchen!
Featured Herb: Cilantro
(or Coriander)
Growing Cilantro is easy and it is one of the most flavorful of all of the culinary herbs. Most people have trouble with this herb because they expect that it will grow and live for a long time like basil or oregano. Unfortunately, Cilantro is a very short lived plant which will only produce leaves for about 4-6 weeks. It likes temperatures around 70-75 degrees however it is cold tender at 32 degrees. Once the seeds germinate, the plant grows and makes lots of leaf stalks like Parsley. These leaf stalks should be harvested as soon as the first ones are about 6" long. Remove the oldest outer leaves and the new ones will continue to grow from the center of the plant. Eventually the leaves will give way to a tough stem which grows straight up and get get up to 2 feet tall! This stem will produce finely cut leaves and then flower buds will form. The flowers are edible and can be used for salads!
The seeds are produced after the flowers die off and actually are called "Coriander" which is used in curry powders and as a spice in many cultures. In some situations, the seeds will then drop down on the ground and then germinate creating a "bed" of Cilantro which can produce continuously through the summer. This requires almost perfect conditions of part shadiness and sunshine with moist cooler conditions.
Used in many cultures all over the world, Cilantro is most well known for use in Mexican salsa, Thai salads, soups and many South American dishes. The distinct flavor is loved by many and absolutely hated by a few. We have a new variety of Cilantro this season called "Delfino" which has beautiful cut leaves and a good strong flavor. Delfino will be available April 3rd.
Order Cilantro to grow indoors until after your last frost and then put it outside for the flowering! We have beautiful plants available now.
We hope the North warms up soon and we hope the South gets nice dry summer weather this season. Every year, the blooming of the first of the fruit trees signals the anticipation of the best season ever! Please contact us if we can help you get your garden started this year.
Cindy & George Martin
February 2006
Wow, such warm weather this year! We can't believe the daytime highs have been in the 60-70 range and nights although still cool have been mostly mild. Lots of sunshine and just enough rainfall, we hope this trend continues! After several years of too wet or too dry 
weather, our garden would really appreciate a nice normal year.
Our first batch of tomatoes is almost ready and although we cannot ship them too early, because of the risk of freezing weather in transit, we can sell them from our greenhouses and at the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta. We will be there on February 8-12th at the Georgia World Congress Center. Show hours are 10am-8pm except Sunday which is from 10am-6pm. We hope to see as many of you there as possible, we will have our Asparagus crowns, Seed Potatoes, Garlic, Onions, Strawberries, most of our culinary herbs, about 10-12 tomato varieties and our organic gardening products.
At the Flower Show, we will be featuring our herb baskets and planters which are just beautiful and ready to grow indoors (or outdoors if this weather keeps up)! We have a new Hanging Basket of Herbs 
and our Huge Herb Planter Bowl which come overflowing with our most popular herbs such as Sweet Basil, English Thyme, Italian Parsley, Greek Oregano, Rosemary and more. Come to the show and let us plant one for you, or if you cannot attend the show, take a few minutes to browse our online store in the category "Planting Kits" to see these great items on the web.
We are also introducing our new Tasteful Vegetable Garden Kit which comes with everything you need to have a small, easy, backyard garden, even the plants and fertilizer! On sale now! If you are interested in a completely self contained hydroponic planter for tomato plants with Free Shipping, check it out.
New Pepper and Vegetable Varieties:
This season we have added some fantastic new peppers and our vegetable selection is larger than ever! Topepo sweet little peppers are just as sweet as the jumbo Italian Bell peppers but are single sized for adding to a salad or stuffing with cheese and herbs for a light snack. The plants produce loads of bright red fruits all summer long. On the other side of the spectrum, our Super Red Pimento pepper is huge, over 4" across and has thick meaty walls for excellent soups, perfect round slices for pizza, stuffed peppers or your favorite recipe. We love this pepper!
Purple Asparagus is rare but we have it this season! Chock full of antioxidants and wonderful flavor you should really try some this year. 
Our green asparagus Jersey Knight are truly 2 year old crowns and are huge. Easy to grow and the plants can last up to 20 years once they are established. Read more about growing asparagus. These will begin shipping on February 6th so order yours today while supplies last. We also have bare root
Also new this season is Pumpkin plants. Our beautiful
Muscade de Provence pumpkins have a deep orange flesh that is so sweet and cooks down beautifully to a soup that you will love! See our new Winter Squash Soup recipe in the Tasteful Kitchen! Pumpkin pie will never be the same when you make it from your own pumpkins. We also have French Charentais melons and a huge rainbow assortment of beans and summer squashes. Make life easy and order transplants that just pop into the garden ready to grow.We always allow you to order as few plants or as many as you want without having to order in groups of 6 or 12. Our plants are guaranteed to thrive in your garden and we believe you cannot get a better quality plant from anyone else! Specializing in just edible plants and kitchen gardening allows us to grow a healthy, naturally grown transplant.
Growing Tips: Heirlooms vs. Hybrids, Open Pollinated, GMO's, Organically grown, what does it all mean???
We get asked these questions frequently by people concerned about tomato taste as well as health issues related to growing organically and GMO or Genetically Modified varieties. There is lots of confusing information out there and we hope the following FAQ will shed some light on what all this means.
This is an excerpt of the full article which can be read on our web site here.
What is an heirloom?
An heirloom is basica
This is much more natural to the plants and allows for strong slow growth. Worm castings can be top dressed or added to the top of the soil around the roots and watered in for the quickest and most natural feeding. See our catalog for ordering these products. 
Plants are living organisms just like us and although we study our own biology endlessly, what do we really know about plants nutritional needs and the environment that keeps them in the best health? Plants have many of the same systems we do such as a respiratory system, a cardio vascular type system, breathing pores, and roots which are a feeding system. They produce oxygen for us as well as edible vegetative growth and fruits which can provide us with nutrition and vitamins, anti-oxidants, beta carotene, minerals, calcium and all the building blocks for us to be healthy and have strong immune systems. It only makes sense that we should provide them everything they need to provide us with nutritious food.