j 7/1/12 j 7/1/12

Four-Month Potato Casserole

First, grow and dig potatoes: Approximately 3.999 months

Then clean and slice them thinly: 5 minutes (with the food processor)

Layer in a casserole dish, alternately with Greek youghurt (or sour cream), olive oil and salt.

Top it off with a smidgen of cheese - something rich and sweet, or something bold like chèvre. Add chives or green onions before or after baking... or both.

Bake until done (cheat and microwave it for 5 minutes while the oven preheats).

Total time ~4 months

j 6/22/12 j 6/22/12

Fresh results from the garden

j 6/15/12 j 6/15/12

Ketchup and Mustard

Here's the latest from the garden. I've got several new fashion designs ready - look for those next week!

Ketchup and Mustard - a bicoloured petal - is new this year at jLAmode.

j 5/2/12 j 5/2/12

Tomatoes!

-- Early Girl Hybrid

j 4/30/12 j 4/30/12

Rose Gallery 2012 I

This is how the roses look. You'll see the flaws as they are (naughty worms eating holes, aphid damage). I do color correct the photos if I have to use the flash in the evening, but I don't color enhance.

j 4/24/12 j 4/24/12

Corn! ... and other garden things.

My family has planted the same type of corn for three generations:

About a dozen rows (but not too long of rows):

== other things ==

Potatoes doing well:

Volunteer tomato (it sprouted from discarded tomatoes from last fall):

Parsley, boxwood basil, rosemary, lavender, asparagus:

j 4/20/12 j 4/20/12

-Garten-

Potatoes already in April!

peaches
nectarines
tomatoes blooming
lettuce
oregano
grapes blooming
blueberries

j 4/9/12 j 4/9/12

First Rose of 2012!

Caribia Hybrid Tea Rose

j 3/22/12 j 3/22/12

Aus dem Garten [update]

New things growing: Shallots, garlic, potatoes, grapes, blueberries and lemon

j 3/14/12 j 3/14/12

Garden Progress

Here's the latest in the garden: The onion sets thriving:

Nectarines:

Peaches:

j 2/27/12 j 2/27/12

A new way of planting

Generally things get planted under the soil. However, for root crops, that means a lot of digging. This year I'm trying a new method:

First, till the ground - very shallow; 1-2 inches.
Then sprinkle a bit of rich soil atop the ground and arrange the root seed on the soil.

Then cover with adequate mulch

Finally top with more soil - it will eventually wash through the mulch, so expect to add a bit more before the shoots appear.

I'll see how it goes and keep posted on the progress. You may have noticed that I planted a lot of potatoes in a small space. I generally dig potatoes when they're new, and small. You can always thin them later if you decide it's too dense.

j 2/24/12 j 2/24/12

Taters and Onions

This afternoon was unseasonably warm, so I got a chance to work in the garden... and mow the lawn. I put in some cold weather crops: red, yellow & white onions and red potatoes. It was fun work, but I'm glad for the Day of Rest.

j 2/23/12 j 2/23/12

Roses in the winter! [Aus dem Garten - first post]

Here's the first post for the Aus dem Garten category. It's only February, and sill winter here, but the roses are are already sprouting leaves!

In spite of recent rain, making the ground sloppy and heavy, I planted some new nursery stock: The JFK Hybrid Tea Rose.

So far it's the only white rose I have in the dozen+ that grow in the garden. As they start producing, I'll post a gallery for 2012's rose blooms.