Creating Great Meals From Your Home Garden

Turn Your Garden Harvest Into A Meal In Minutes

Planting a vegetable garden is work – perhaps a lot of work. Depending on the scale of your operation, you have your hands full during the growing season. What with planning, tilling, planting, weeding, watering, and more weeding, and more watering, there doesn't seem to be much time left over to relax and enjoy the results.

After all that work, when it's time to harvest, you want to get to the eating part fast! Let's look at a few ideas for dishes you can quickly prepare from both your summer garden and your fall garden.

Summer Garden Soup

Don't wait for the fall harvest to create soups. The summer garden provides ample opportunity to serve up big pots of satisfying soups. Cold soups are a great time saver, and so delicious and refreshing after a day spent in the garden. Pick ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, and green onions and you have the basis for a cold soup such as gazpacho. Blended sweet pea soup is another favorite. Get out your blender, or invest in an immersion blender, and throw your summer vegetables in to make creamy cold soups that are filling and ready in minutes.

Summer Garden Salad

Of course, salad ingredients are there for the picking right under your nose. But, don't forget some of the less obvious choices in your garden. Pea vines are becoming very popular in salads. They have a very delicate flavor and are so economical, and prolific! Also, those zucchini don't have to get gigantic before you can eat them. Pick tiny zucchini, and the blossoms, too, and use them in salads for a delicious and pretty addition to your meals.

Walk around your summer garden and you'll find tender greens, blossoms, and all sorts of young sprouts to quickly pluck and add to your salad; ingredients like baby broccoli buds, tiny beets clinging to their tender greens, and itchy-bitsy radishes. Just wash them up and toss them into a salad. Cucumbers can also be the star of a salad, not just a bit player. A big bowl of young cucumbers, sliced and marinated with fresh herbs, vinegar, and olive oil is a wonderful treat on a hot summer day.

Fall Garden Soup

When the season changes and nights start getting colder, you need a nice bowl of hot soup to finish off the day. But, you don't have to stand in front of the stove for hours to make a soup that's satisfying. When the vegetables are right out of the garden, the flavors will do the magic without hours of cooking. Harvest an armful of squash, onions, beans, carrots, rutabaga, potatoes, and any other vegetables you can pick or dig, then scrub and dice them. The trick here is to roast them for a few minutes to sweeten and intensify the flavor, then throw them in a big pot with water or broth and simmer for just a few minutes. When the vegetables are tender, it's time to dig in.

Fall Garden Salad

It may seem like summer is the time for salads, but not when you have such lovely fresh fall vegetables to choose from. For a delightful cold salad, cut beets in half and roast them just until knife tender, then peel them, dice them and refrigerate. Once they are cold, toss the beets in a bowl with chopped onion, vinegar or salad dressing, then top with some crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese.

Any fall vegetable such as squash, sweet potatoes, or even pumpkin can be diced and roasted and then tossed with tangy oil and vinegar dressing for a filling salad. If you have the end of the season tomatoes still hanging on, you can blend those, strain the juice, and create lovely creamy dressings. And check your pepper plants! You may be surprised with a few that have turned a gorgeous red color and are just waiting to be chopped up and tossed in with a big bowl of shredded cabbage.

Walk around your garden any season and think about what you could do with your harvest without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. It's really quite easy to turn your fresh produce into delicious soups and salads without fussing with lots of ingredients or preparation. A well tended garden will always provide satisfying meals in minutes – all it needs is your imagination!

Tips For Growing Vegetable In A Container Garden

Grow Fresh Food In Tiny Spaces With Container Gardening

Many folks dream of having a big garden filled with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peas, potatoes, and all sorts of goodies ready and waiting for a delicious meal. But, many of us also are lacking the yard space to create such a garden.

Never fear - all you really need is sunshine, water, seeds or plantings, and something to put them all together. Let's take a look at what is known as 'container gardening' to see how easily food can be grown in a limited space.

The Elements

Of course, we need to start at the very basic; the elements. Here we mean sun and water. Without these two basic requirements, it doesn't matter how fancy you build your container, nothing will grow.

Pick a spot in your yard (or patio, balcony, or wherever you plan to plant) and watch it throughout the day. Is the sun hitting it most of the day? Is there water accessible nearby? This is essential, but, for beginner container gardeners it's something that can be missed. So, pay attention to these simplest of details - sun and water - and pick the spot accordingly.

The Container

Here is where the fun begins! Most of us really enjoy searching for the right containers for our new garden. But, again, we have to remember the basics. When it comes to planting a garden in containers, you will want to think about what an in-ground garden provides for the plants.

Good garden soil holds moisture but also provides for drainage. If water puddles, the plants will rot and drown. If water runs right through, the plants will be starving for moisture and will dry up. A good garden also has plenty of room for the roots to grow.

In order to duplicate a good in-ground garden in containers, you will need to provide a container that; a) holds moisture, b) drains excess moisture, and c) has plenty of room for roots. Just about any container can work, but only if you create the right environment.

If you are using a porous container, such as clay or wood, you won't have a big problem with adequate drainage as the excess moisture will seep right through the container. However, you will still want to provide a layer of drainage material, such as rocks or old broken pots, in the bottom to keep the roots from sitting in water that may accumulate. Even with this layer of rocks for drainage, you will still want to have some holes in the bottom of whatever container you are using.

Go ahead and use metal, plastic, or even tempered glass containers to grow your garden. In this case, you will need to plan for plenty of drainage since these materials are not porous and moisture will not dissipate easily. Remember to choose containers that have holes in the bottom, or containers that you can drill holes into.

The Soil

Once you have a sunny spot with plenty of water, and a container that's big enough to let the roots spread out and take hold, and you have provided good drainage, it's time to choose the soil.

Garden soil is not appropriate for container gardening as it is typically more dense than you need. Remember, the soil in a container garden needs to drain well because it's, well, contained. Unlike an in-ground garden plot, your container won't have as much surface area to let the plant breathe.

Choose, instead, good potting soil you might use for your indoor plants. You may even find soil specifically made for outdoor container gardening, but any good light potting soil will work.  If you wish, you may add a bit of peat moss or vermiculite to the soil to help excess moisture evaporate and to help keep the soil light and airy.

Now that you have the perfect place chosen, have the container ready, and have filled it with  good soil, it's time to choose your plants and dig in! With a bit of care you should be enjoying your delicious fresh produce in no time at all.

How To Create A Hanging Vegetable Garden

Four Steps To Creating A Hanging Vegetable Garden

When the winter cold gives way to spring warming, many people start thinking about garden fresh vegetables for the table. The seed catalogs once again have us dreaming, and drooling!

But, many of us also don't have space to dig up and plant the vegetables we crave. We may not even have much of a patio to put big containers to grow vegetables. What we may have, however, is places to hang our plants. If you hope for a plentiful harvest in a small hanging garden, we have good news - it's quite possible. Let's take a look at the basics for growing vegetables in hanging baskets.

Step 1 – Choose Pot Size

You will want to start with a very large pot; at least 12 inches, but larger is better. You won't have the depth you would in an in-ground garden, or even in a container on the ground, since to plant such a deep pot would create a very heavy monster to try to handle.

By choosing a diameter of 12 inches or more, you will give the vegetable's roots a place to go without having to try to hang an outrageous amount of soil. So, a large, somewhat shallow pot is fine for hanging.

Step 2 – Choose Pot Material

Clay pots are beautiful, but they can also be very heavy. Depending on the structure you intend to hang your pot from, choose your pot material wisely.

A large pot filled with soil, drainage material, and eventually a plant, weighs a lot. By choosing a plastic pot, you will be lightening the load. If the weight of the hanging garden concerns you, this is definitely an option. Wire baskets are also a good choice to help eliminate some of the weight, but keep in mind that you will need to adjust your thinking when it comes to planting material.

Step 3 – Choose Planting Material

Of course, your hanging vegetable garden will need good, loose soil that maintains moisture. Soil in a clay pot will dry out more quickly than soil in a plastic pot, and soil in a wire basket will need to be wrapped in peat moss, canvas, plastic, or other material to help keep it in the basket and to keep it moist, as well.
All containers, whether hanging or sitting, need plenty of drainage.

Line your basket bottom with small pebbles or broken clay pots or other organic non-porous material to keep plant roots from sitting in water that may collect in the bottom. If you are concerned about the weight of the pot, remember there are materials available to help absorb moisture specifically made for container gardening. Check your local greenhouse for ideas on lightweight drainage materials.

Step 4 – Choose Support Material

It goes without saying that you will need a very strong support system for your hanging garden. I say it goes without saying, but still somehow people every year have their hanging gardens fall.

Begin by choosing a very sturdy structure to hang your basket from. This needs to be in a sunny location, about five to six hours of sunlight a day, and have access to water. You will need a large, heavy fastener, such as an eye-bolt, to hook the basket to. The structure and the fastener must be very strong. A fully watered pot of soil is about twice as heavy as a pot with dry soil, so be sure to test your structure with the extra weight.

Now, be sure to choose a chain or wire cable that is strong enough to hold up the basket once it is full of soil and water. Don't skimp - go a few sizes bigger when in doubt. Of course, you can choose a smaller pot to begin with if you are uncertain about the support you have. If you do, you will just have to limit the total number of plants in the basket, which is fine, too.

I know there's a lot to think about when choosing the location for your hanging garden, but it will be well worth it when you pick your first crop of sun-ripened tomatoes. Enjoy!

Healthy Vegetables You Should Grow At Home

Five Vegetables Every Gardener Needs To Grow

All gardeners dream big. But, as planting time approaches, most gardeners realize they have to reign in their dreams a bit. Sure, it would be nice to have a gigantic garden filled with a produce aisle worth of vegetables. However, the reality is that time, space, and money must be considered. Most of us are not blessed with endless supplies of any of those items.

Given our limited resources (time, space, and/or money), how should we approach the desire to create a garden that will make us happy, and hopefully produce some delicious vegetables? Here is a list of vegetables to plant that should satisfy the want-to-be farmer, and give anyone a harvest to be proud of.

Tomatoes

Every garden, big or small, needs tomatoes. This is a fun vegetable to grow, takes up very little room when handled properly, and gives us great joy. Whether you choose a small variety, like a cherry tomato, or a big tomato, like a beefsteak, when you pick that first ripe tomato off the plant, there is a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction.

Part of the pleasure is the time it takes to ripen, especially if you choose a large variety of tomato. You will be watching a single tomato for days, counting the minute when you can pick it. There is a lot of fun in that, but there is also fun in picking lots of little cherry tomatoes and filling bowls and bowls with them. Either way, tomatoes are a must for any gardener because there is just so much fun (and lots of flavor!) in a nice ripe tomato.

Onions

This is a vegetable that is almost too easy to grow. Plant some onions, they get big, and you pick them. It can't get much easier than that. You can also decide if you want little tiny salad type onions or just leave them in the ground until they get to be cooking onion size. There is not much work to them and they can be used just about any time for any meal. The one bonus that you may not know about onions, though, is onions help keep pests out of your garden. Surround your garden with onions and critters don't want to bother trying to eat their way through the onions (which they don't enjoy) to get to the veggies they do enjoy.

Sugar Snap Peas

These lovely plants are as pretty as they are delicious. Some gardeners avoid planting them because they require room to climb and they have tendrils that curl around everything in their path. Peas also require cooler weather, which is both good and bad. You can plant them early, giving you a nice spring gift, but they will burn off as summer wears on if they are not shaded a bit.

The wonderful thing about these peas is they offer us several ways to enjoy them. Pick the peas before they develop and you have pea pods, great for stir fry and salads. Wait until the peas develop inside the pods and pick them, shell them, and you have peas ready for cooking, salads, or even to blend into cold soups. Then there are the pea vines, which can be clipped off, chopped, and eaten as a green in salads. Give these little peas room to grow and they will pay you back plenty!

Yellow Squash

This is a vegetable that needs very little tending to grow and even less preparation to eat. They are tender and have no real seeds, especially when picked when they should be picked, when they're small. You don't peel them or scoop out seeds. Just plant, water, pick, wash, chop, and eat. You can roast, grill, boil, or fry them. Throw them in a soup, salad, or a casserole. Any time you need a vegetable in a hurry, this is the one you can grab and go with. They also won't take over your garden like some of their relatives do.

Potatoes

Okay, I know what you're thinking; “Why potatoes? They seem so boring.” Yes, potatoes have a reputation of being dull, but, not if you choose the right potato. You don't need acres of boiling potatoes in your back yard. However, a little spot of tiny gold, new red, or even fingerling potatoes would be a welcome addition to your garden. And, they are fun to grow, especially if you have kids in the house. Potatoes grow in the ground, under the plants, so they are somewhat of a surprise when it comes time to dig them up. Every potato discovered is like a buried treasure. I guarantee, once you uncover your first crop of potatoes, you'll be hooked.

You don't need to go crazy digging up your entire yard to plant a garden. With just a small patch to grow these five vegetables, you will have the joy of harvesting a mix of treats that will be a delicious pleasure!

Prepare Healthy Meals With Your Own Hanging Garden

Enjoy A Healthy Harvest With Hanging Basket Gardens

When vegetable planting time comes around, do you walk around your yard in circles trying to figure out where to start digging? Why not look up? Yes, you can plant several vegetables quite successfully over your head in hanging gardens.

The basics of planting vegetables in hanging baskets is very similar to planting flowers. You need plenty of sunshine and water, along with a strong support system. Once you fill the pot with good drainage material and soil, you are good to go. But, there is always that one last question: “What vegetables can I plant?”
Since hanging baskets are great for anything that trails or drapes, we have a few fun suggestions. Let's take a look at several vegetables that you can plant in your hanging garden with very nice (and delicious!) results.

Cucumbers

You know how cucumbers take over the ground in a garden when left to roam. In a hanging basket, you can either let them trail over the edge or you can provide some weather-proof rope or string tied to the structure the basket is hanging from, and coax them to crawl up those strings. Be sure to check often and pick them before they get too big and fall off the vine. Since the vines and leaves are typically very large, be sure to use a pot that's over 12 inches in diameter and limit yourself to about 2 or 3 plants.

Beans

String beans are another natural climber and work very well in a hanging basket. Again, you will want to provide a trellis made of string to give the beans something to wrap around as they grow. You could add a wooden structure to the basket but adding more weight is something you might want to avoid. String works just fine as long as it is weather-proof and sturdy. Choose a large pot and plant about 3 or 4 plants, then be sure to pick your beans when they are still young and tender for best results.

Peas

What a lovely sight it is to see sweet peas curling around a hanging basket! The tendrils of this plant are quite aggressive so you will want to provide plenty of opportunity for them to explore, and plenty of room away from other plants to keep them from taking over. Rather than a few pieces of string, you may want to choose a mesh (nylon or wire) an hang it from the support system you have the basket attached to. Again, choose a large pot, but go ahead and plant about 5 to 6 plants as pea vines tend to stay rather petite. And, here's another hint; harvest those pea vines. They're edible, too.

Tomatoes

Choose a patio variety (cherry or grape) for the easiest way to have a bumper crop of tomatoes. Anything larger than that may tend to drop off the vine before you get a chance to pick them. These types of tomatoes do just fine draping over the basket and don't require support for climbing. However, you may want to provide some structure or string to coax the plants upward if that helps conserve space.

If you have wanted to try your hand at container gardening, but lack the floor space to set out pots, hanging your garden may be just the perfect thing. Look around the outside of your house; is there somewhere to hang a basket? Give this fun gardening a try and you could soon be enjoying fresh produce right outside your window!