Tall way into Fall

Some of the best plants I have in my garden are what I would term "Old-fashion plants"   These plants are ones that have been around and passed around thru the generations!!   I love these hardy, free growing plants, full of wonderful blooms and memories!!

By far, one of favorite fall blooming is the Tatarian Aster. This beauty stands tall and in charge, while most other bloomers have faded away. This aster is different than most asters as it just is too proud to flop and instead prefers to grow over 4 to 6 feet tall.

A neighbor came over during one of my yard sales and told me that his mother had given the original owners of my house a start of this plant, which was his grandmother's favorite flower. Since my house was built over 100 years ago, this is definitely and old-fashion flower.

This plant is not invasive but loves to spread its roots! So there will be plenty to pass forward. I love them and they grace many areas in my yard.  They look best in masses and love the sunshine!! 

So, look for this variety...no pinching, and  no staking just great blooms for the fall.

Appletime

Ok ......I learned as a young child not to judge a book by its cover also to apply this same theory to apples .


My apples this year have been prolific! The deer out in the field have been over joyed by the gator load full of half rotten apples dumped for their pleasure and my yard clean up.

As a young child in a family of six siblings, my father would use us all in his favorite activity making applesauce. We had to pick up every apple even the ones similar to my deer treats. If they was one spot on the apple that somewhat eatable we had to pick it up. That was the yucky part. However I loved smelling the cooking apples and cinnamon and helping him with the food mill.

He made many many quarts from the two large apple trees in our backyard, but by far my favorite were the batches he put red hot cinnamon drops into the hot sauce.

I recently found an apple peeler that has changed my apple phobia of cutting myself while peeling. So I am spending this rainy Sunday making applesauce, apple-butter, and who knows what. I have even purchased some red hots.





I am going to try several recipes, so I will give you the winners tomorrow.

But now, it has stopped raining and I need to go pick up apples.

A Wonderful Gift

This is one of the best gifts I have ever been given. Our Sales Specialist in Indiana is always talking to me about gardening. His father is a great gardener so we are always exchanging stories. Dave told me about this couple that made these trowels and I was very interested. So he bought me one and I love it. It is by far one of the best tools I have ever had. So sturdy and sharp, perfect for transplanting, weeding and digging. It is amazing. Please contact these people, they call this a Deep Digger.

Brewer Design Ser. Inc.
1-317-392-1751
www.flags-poles.com

THIS TOOL IS THE BEST!!!!!!!







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Working Hard

So I am working on a major Strawberry Project but at the same time getting so much done as far as harvesting and preserving. Wow I have made enough tomato juice for a year and fresh barbecue sauce for dinner.

Anyway, just a pause in the action. What about frog legs? I have been seeing so many baby frogs and toads in the garden.



He was sitting on the grill... Asking for it?????

I love doing mini blogs. Maybe I need to learn how to tweet.

More tomatoes.

So I thought I was done with the masses of tomatoes. No way. So I have made two special recipes.


Zucchini Provençal and Fresh Tomato Juice.


Both were excellent and provided great food for my healing husband.
Zucchini Provençal

1 to 2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 green onions chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
4 to 5 smallish zucchini sliced
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 TBLS chopped fresh parsley
1 TBLS chopped fresh oregano
1 TBLS chopped fresh basil

1 to 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil, but do not brown. Add sliced zucchini and stir fry with a wooden spoon only under tender crisp. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Add chopped tomatoes and stir a minute or so. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle cheese over the top and let sit until it melts. Serve from the skillet. Messy, gooey goodness. Secret: Do not over cook.

I need to work on tomato juice recipe. Randy said it is too spicy.

Check it out

I just finished a blog about yesterdays project of dividing my iris!!   Check it out on my State by State Gardening Blog. Don't you like my helper? He would have been happier if I had been dividing catnip!

http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_01/past_time_to_divide_my_iris/

What a Month

This has been a wild month. I have been in and out of hospitals caring for a sick husband( He is now on the mend). Writing articles and giving speeches, plus trying to maintain the gardens and harvest the prizes of my labors. I am afraid my blog has suffered.




I took in several bunches of flowers for the great nurses at Jewish Hospital downtown Louisville.


Today I am trying to again plant kale and other fall crops. I did this once and lost them all to MR Rabbit. So I have found a safe product that is suppose to keep the critters at bay. The marigolds have just been eaten. So we will see.


I hardly ever use any Chemicals even environmentally safe ones such as this one. But it is not going on any plants just a barrier on the ground around the garden. So I will know tomorrow. Stay tuned.