Many home gardeners are well-versed in growing plots full of juicy tomatoes, versatile squashes, and savory herbs.  Often we get a little more hesitant when considering adding some fruit trees to our repertoire.  

There is something about the permanent nature of a tree and the unknown process of where and when to prune that seems to throw off even an experienced green thumb!  Surprisingly, when it comes right down to it, pruning fruit trees is a pretty straight forward process and once you know the basics you will have healthy, thriving, and abundant fruit trees in no time at all.

When to Prune

The best time to prune your fruit trees is when the tree itself is dormant and all of the leaves have fallen away.  This is the best time for several reasons – the most basic reason is that it is simply easier to see what you are doing and exactly where you are cutting when there are no leaves to obstruct your view, and the removal of the dormant buds will send all of the growing energy and nutrition to the buds that remain giving them the best opportunity to grow healthy and strong.

  Really the only time that you would want to prune your fruit trees during the summer growing season is to slow the growth of trees that are over vigorous.

What to Prune

Branches that are growing essentially vertically or downward past approximately 90 degrees should be pruned back.  The vertical branches growing upward will produce little to no fruits, and the low hanging branches will begin to only produce small, and very little fruit over time.  The optimal growing branches for excellent quality fruit will grow at an approximate angle of 45-60 degrees.  Additionally, you should prune back any branches or growth that is dead, diseased, or damaged.

Why Prune? 

In order to encourage new and vigorous growth, be fairly aggressive with proper pruning techniques.  Keep in mind that new growth happens at the cuts so the more buds that are removed the more robust the new growth will be.  A good rule of thumb is that new fruit trees will require assertive pruning for the first three years and will produce very little high quality fruit.  However, it is the pruning that develops the growth potential in the young trees that will carry them into hearty and healthy fruit bearing trees for many years to come.   One year I was too buys and skipped this step.  I lost two of  my 4 main branches in a wind storm, due to the heavy wait of the fruit.  Never again, will I not prune. 

Finally, an additional benefit to annual pruning is that fruit trees who enjoy good air circulation and sunlight are less prone to diseases and pests that can damage the tree and ruin the harvest.

           

All of the festivities and fun of the holiday season is done and it is time to take down the Christmas tree.  This year, instead of disposing of the tree, have you ever wanted to replay your Christmas tree?  What a fun backyard idea to have trees from past Christmases!

By replanting your Christmas tree, you can begin a long tradition that will carry your holiday spirit on from year to year.  Here is some valuable information and directions on how to replant your holiday tree.

The first step to replanting your Christmas tree is to make sure that you purchase a living tree at the beginning of the holiday season!  Living trees have the roots still intact and wrapped in a burlap.  A great benefit to buying this type of tree is that it will, with proper care, stay fresh and green throughout the season, as opposed to a cut tree that can easily dry out and brown.

While the tree is being enjoyed and adorned with holiday décor inside your home it can stand in a large basin or container with the burlap wrapped root ball surrounded with and supported by some peat moss, or sawdust.

A living Christmas tree should only be kept and used inside a home for about 10 days, and no more than 2 weeks.  They should not be placed by any heat sources like open vents, fireplaces, or other varied heat sources and warm drafts.

Decorating the tree with an abundance of electric lights can also heat the tree and create some damage and lessen the chances of replanting success.  The root ball should be kept moist at all times to ensure the long term health of the tree.

To avoid the shock of going from an indoor environment to outdoor planting, let the tree stand in a cooler ‘indoor’ location like a garage or shed for about a week to acclimate it back to the cooler air.  Move it to its final planting location (the hole for planting should be at a minimum twice as wide as the root ball) afterwards.  Remove the burlap surrounding the root ball, and backfill around the tree.  Give the tree a healthy amount of water and cover the planting area with 2-3 inches of good quality mulch.  Applying some fertilizer can wait until the spring.

 

Nothing says Christmas time more than those bright red poinsettias!  They grace our homes during that festive season, bringing holiday cheer, but did you know that you can keep those gorgeous blooms alive and thriving all throughout the coming year.  With a few tips and tricks, your festive poinsettias will bloom again and again.

First, somewhat unexpectedly, poinsettias are a tropical perennial plans that can often be found in the wild, growing to as much as ten feet tall!  Knowing that they are tropical plants, it is important to remember that these blooms need a lot of light, high humidity, and warm temperatures to thrive.

Second, after the blooms have faded in the spring, the poinsettia plant will move into a dormant phase.  During this time, it is best to prune the plant back to around 6” tall.  This is also a time when the plant requires less water, and likes to be completely dry between waterings.

Third, during the summer months, you will begin to see some growth.  Replanting into a larger pot is often a good idea, and you should begin to feed your plant about every two weeks with a good quality fertilizer.  During the warm months your plant will thrive outdoors, but should be brought inside when the temperatures begin to hit the 50s.

Next, in order to get your poinsettia to bloom during the holiday season you will need to begin a regimen of dark periods during the month of October.  These flowers begin to bloom in response to shorter periods of daylight.  In order to force the blooms, put your plant in complete darkness for about 12 hours per day.  During the middle of the day make sure to uncover your poinsettia so that it does continue to receive 6 hours of sunlight per day.

Finally, after a month of dark treatments, when you see buds, you can discontinue covering the plant with darkness and move out to enjoy.

By following these simple tips and trick you will be able to enjoy your lovely poinsettias all year round.

 

Everyone enjoys the bounties that come from a successful garden during the summer months.  Soemtimes we have too much for ourselves.  Create wonderful and heartfelt neighbor gifts for your friends using your garden harvest. 

Gifting your harvest is a great way to share in the rewards of your hard work and provides a gift that has greater meaning and purpose.  Here are 7 Homemade garden gift ideas using plants from your garden harvest:

      Homemade Chili Flakes: these little gems make a great addition to soups, casseroles, even breads and muffins!

Chili Flakes

      Sweet and Spicy Pepper Jelly: this is a delicious jelly that is easy to make, makes a great bottled gift, and is a great go-to ingredient for appetizers, wonton filling, or to top sautéed vegetables or grilled chicken and beef.  It is a makes great neighbor gifts!

Pepper Jelly

      Dried herbs: if you have an overabundance of herbs from your garden, dry them and fill decorative jars with these wonderful and fragrant spices.  They make a great addition to a variety of recipes and are sure to brighten up anyone’s kitchen through the holiday season

Dried Herbs

      Apple Spice Potpourri Sachet Bags: not all gifts from the garden have to be edible – these lovely sachet bags made from things grown right in your own garden will bring warmth and a festive atmosphere to any home.

Apple Spices

      Garden Candles: share the beauty of your garden’s floral abundance by adding pressed leaves and flowers to store bought candles.  This is a lovely gift that can be enjoyed throughout the coming year

Flower Candles

      Herb infused oils: this is a great way to use up some of those herbs that you have cultivated throughout the growing season.  Herb infused oils are a wonderful addition to many recipes, and will maintain their freshness and flavor for a few months

Herb Oil

 

 Salsa: My personal favorite to give and receive!  Did you know that salas is now the number 1 American condiment?  In fact 85% of Americans use it on a regular bases.  When I plan my garden I always grow tomatoes, onions, cilantro and peppers so I can make dozens of jars of salsa.   I love the tag for these homemade neighbor gifts from the crafted sparrow.

Salsa Recipe

Most garden plants are warm weather lovers, wanting that full sunlight and heat to grow and produce.  However, there is a number of vegetable plants that thrive in the cold weather, making them great choices for early and late season garden plots.  The following is a list of 15 vegetables that love the cold!

Carrots: these orange beauties are a great cold weather crop!  Essentially, the colder temperatures lead to an accumulation of sugar which protects the plants from frost and cold weather damage.  If you live in a particularly cold area you may consider covering your carrot crop with a heavy layer of mulch.

Leeks: leeks are very cold hardy and can survive temperatures all the way down to 0 degrees Fahrenheit.  The growth of these plants is not connected with the length of the daylight which also makes them great cold weather crops.

Parsnips: this humble and unassuming vegetable, similar to carrots, build up a supply of sugars which help to protect them from the lower temperatures and frosty nights.  Parsnips take a long time to mature so make sure to plant them in the spring for a fall and winter harvest.

Spinach: these plants will grow very slowly over the intense winter months, but will bounce back in early spring.  Some varieties of spinach do better than others in colder climates, so do a little research on what type will grow best in your zone.

Collards: these leafy green crops are making a comeback in the culinary world, and make a great addition to your winter garden crops.  These very freeze-tolerant crops will bring some wonderful flavor to your winter soups and stews, or stewed to make your favorite southern side dish.

 

Cabbage: cabbage is a great choice for late summer planting and winter harvest because their flavor is actually enhanced by the winter frost!  Make sure to pick a cold-hardy variety and plant them with plenty of time to mature.

Broccoli: this garden crop can thrive in temperature down to about the freezing mark (32 degree Fahrenheit) so make sure to plant some broccoli in your fall garden soon.

Although a scrumptious, silky gravy is an essential Thanksgiving dinner component at my house, and probably yours, but gravies can enhance many dishes and shouldn’t be reserved for just one time of year.  

Turkey gravy, chicken gravy, biscuits and gravy, mushroom gravy, even vegan gravy can be made easily at home with basic ingredients, no powdered packets necessary.  With a few simple steps, you can produce a rich, flavorful gravy in minutes.

All gravies begin with the “Golden Formula” which is:

1 tablespoon of fat, 1 tablespoon of flour and 1 cup of liquid.  

The fat and broth can be derived from the pan drippings of cooked meat.  For example, once a turkey or roast is cooked, remove the meat and deglaze the pan by placing the pan over high heat, adding broth as necessary to quickly whisk the small bits from the bottom of the pan.  Remove this liquid from the pan and place it in a measuring cup or gravy separator.

Skim a tablespoon of fat from the top of the drippings for each cup of gravy you want to make. If you do not have enough fat, or you are not using pan drippings, add butter.  Place fat in a saucepan along with an equal amount of flour. Whisk together, making a roux, cooking until light caramel color, about five to eight minutes.  

While continuing to  of liquiwhisk the mixture, slowly add the cupsd or broth, using the Golden Formula.  Allow the gravy to simmer, stirring constantly, until it has thickened, about 10 more minutes.

Adjustments to the gravy are easy make:  If the gravy is too thin, add additional flour, mixed with a small amount of melted butter and whisk into the boiling gravy.  Some people prefer a thicker gravy and so adjust the ratios of the Golden Formula by doubling the fat and flour but not the broth.  If the gravy is too thick, add more liquid.

Alternative types of gravy can be made by changing the liquid used.  A turkey broth gives a light, creamy gravy while beef broth gives a darker, richer flavor.  Vegetable broth allows for a vegan gravy.  Change the flavor of your gravy by substituting wine for part of the liquid.  For a creamy mushroom gravy, use milk in place of the broth and add sautéed mushrooms.

Creamy country gravy used for country fried steaks or biscuits and gravy is achieved by using the fat remaining in the pan after frying sausage, adding butter as needed, and using whole milk and/or Half & Half for the liquid, along with a heavy dose of pepper.

Flavor changes can also be made to the standard gravy by adding onion, a variety of fresh or dried herbs, red pepper flakes, cooked and chopped giblets, Worcestershire sauce, or Kitchen Bouquet. Making your own broth can also enhance the flavor of your gravy.

And did you know that you can make gravy ahead of time?  No need for the last minute stress of making the Thanksgiving Gravy while everyone is standing around waiting to eat.  A day or two before Thanksgiving, I like to roast a couple of extra turkey legs, (you can always serve more of those) along with carrots, celery, and onion.  

I use the pan drippings, supplementing as I’ve mentioned above as necessary, and then store the completed gravy in the fridge.  On Thanksgiving morning, I let the gravy slowly heat up in a slow-cooker or saucepan, being careful not to burn it.  “Instant” delicious, homemade gravy!