Fiddle Me This Joker!

Simply put:  Fiddleheads are the unfurled heads of ferns.  And, they are used as a vegetable that is rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6, and are high in iron and fibre.   Low in sodium and high in potassium. 

Fern fiddleheads aren't sold commercially in this area and are only available from gardens or in the wild in the early spring.  It is advised to only use 1/3 of the heads of each plant - the plant will die if they are all harvested.  The Canadian village of Tide Head, New Brunswick calls themselves the "Fiddlehead Capital of the World." Fiddleheads are exported from this area either fresh or frozen. 

Fiddleheads were a part of the Native American Indians diet.  Do not eat fiddleheads raw as they are suspected as a source of toxin.  Steam or boil and eat hot with a sauce.

For the gardener, ferns are a beautiful plant for shade and semi shade.  In older days, every yard had a healthy stand of ferns, often next to the house.  Ferns are tough and spread when conditions are right and last many years.  It's best to plant them in an area where more fragile plants need not compete.

Ferns have a very interesting history and path.  If you enjoy all the "ins and outs" of plant structure, this is a good read.  One such fact is some ferns are good at removing arsenic from the soil.  Today, I'll keep this a little more basic.   
 
Ferns do not have either seeds or flowers (they reproduce via spores).  Certain species appear in fossils dated 360 million years ago.  My opinion (and a dime), it's easiest to start ferns if you buy a plant or have a start from an other's garden.  The American Fern Society lists instructions on how to gather spores.  It takes a few years for plants to get settled and then they perform beautifully.

Do not take ferns from the wild - for one it's against the law and another it's possible you may unleash a nasty invasive noxious weed.

Not all ferns thrive in all climates so read your labels carefully or plant in similar surrounds as where you received your home start.  There are ferns for many situations, but, not all ferns fit all situations.

Many area nurseries and catalogs have a selection of interesting ferns, from large to small.  Here are just a few:

• Burgundy Lace Japanese Painted Fern - Zone 5 - A purple very short shade fern.
• Ostrich Fern - Zone 3 - A green tall shade fern - needs moisture.
• Lady Fern - Zone 2 - A green tall shade fern.
• Japanese Painted Fern - Zone 3 - A silver gray shade weeping fern.
• Royal Fern - Zone 2 - A 7 ft. emerald green light shade fern - likes moisture.
• Tatting Fern - Zone 4 - Short lacy green shade fern - unusual fronds.
• Autumn Fern - Zone 5 - 2 ft. orange brown in spring - shade fern.  
•  Marsh Fern - Zone 3b - 2 ft. light green fern - aggressive spreader.
•  Sensitive Fern - Zone 3a - 1-3 ft green fern - simply divided fronds.

There are many more, but you get the idea.  Ferns were big during Victorian times and they are making a comeback today.  That's good news if you are searching for plants.  I remember my grandma having pots of ferns on her porch during the summer.  Potting is a good solution if you don't want them to spread.   





I like to snip a few for contrast with flowers in a vase.  They provide a nice full fresh looking plant for shaded areas.

Should you want to try your hand at eating them - let me know how it goes.   

April Fool?

I've never been terribly creative with developing my own April Fool's jokes.  I did see a cute one today on Renee's Garden Seeds http://www.reneesgarden.com/  I won't ruin the fun except to say, "Wish!"

What's happening in our Illinois April from Jeff Lampe:

Flying squirrels, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, beavers, woodchucks, skunks, raccoons and moles have babies.  In the bird world:  wood ducks, Canada geese and doves lay eggs.  Other animals and birds are getting "in the mood":  American toads, wild turkeys, snipe, and prairie chickens.

Fishermen delight:  Carp, large mouth bass, white bass, walleye and muskellunge spawn.

Nature happenings:  Bats end hibernation, whitetail bucks grow antlers, and frogs call.  House wrens, swallows, ospreys, warblers, shorebirds and horned larks should be arriving our area.  We've had a large (and unusual for us) flock of red winged blackbirds roosting in our trees for several weeks. 

Speaking of courting/breeding - we have a male American Cardinal who's fighting for territory and showing his significant other whose the best mate.  Trouble is, it's his own image.  We've had a project in the garage and been parking the car outside.  Papa cardinal is sure that pretty fellow in the rear view mirror is his competition.

 My flowers are typically about a half a month later than town folks or even gardens an hour to our south.  This year, things are almost a month ahead of time.  The pretty little blue and white scillas have been blooming for over a week.  Expect to see Bloodroot and Dutchman's Britches blooming. 

A few weather facts from Anthony Peoples, meteorologist at WQAD:  

Record snow:  1997 with 13.3 inches (ouch!)

Record warmth:  1986 with 93 degrees (pant!)

Record cold:  1982 at 7 degrees (shiver!)

Record rain:  1973 with 11.3 inches (splash!)

Itching to be outside?  Good time to divide perennials (NOTspring blooming bulbs).  If you use chemicals:  Fertilize perennial beds, apply crabgrass prevention, and apply Preen to garden.  Cut down ornamental grasses, plant grass seed where it can touch the soil, fertilize trees and prune Rose of Sharon (blooms on new wood).  Remove mulch from roses and add new.  Uncover your roses if they have started to sprout but be ready to cover if weather turns too cold.  Fertilize roses (some use 3 in 1 fertilizer, fungus and insect control), heavily prune those that bloom on new growth.  Cut down ONLY those clematis that bloom on new growth. 

It's always a Spring time guess whether we are cleaning our flower beds too early.  Most perennials and bulbs will survive Spring freezing temperature.  A hard freezing rain/ice may damage buds beyond blooming for the year.  You may be able to scoot out and cover perennials prior to this ice but seldom can we effectively protect spring blooming trees and bushes.

April is a time to set aside a little bit of time (or a lot if your able) to simply enjoy all that's new in Spring.  Even if the nights get cold, the afternoon sun can be a great place to rest between jobs and be thankful for earth's renewal and beauty.  Give a little thought to those that are suffering the horrible effects of Japan's earthquake - perhaps a prayer.

“Much is required from those to whom much is given.”  - Luke 12:48

  

Popeye Rocks!

Popeye the Sailor Man knew his Spinacia oleracea and so should the rest of us gardeners.  What ol' Popeye didn't know was it's so very easy to grow that we don't need to pop a can when we need an extra boost of nutrients.

Nutrition facts about 1 cup of raw spinach: 

• Zero fat
• Zero cholesterol
• Zero carbohydrates

Can it get any better - yes, based on a daily 2,000 calorie intake - 1 cup of spinach supplies your daily need of:

• 181% Vitamin K
• 56% Vitamin A
• 47.4% Omega 3 Fatty Acids
• 15% Foliate
• 14% Vitamin C
• 13% Manganese
• 7.8% Omega 6 Fatty Acids
• 6% Magnesian
• 5% Iron
• 5% Potassium
• 3% Vitamin B6
• 3% Ribofabin
• 3% Calcium
• 3% Vitamin E
• 3% Dietary fiber
• 2% Thiamin
• 2% Copper
• 1% Niacin, Zinc, Sodium, Phosphorus

* Nutritional data provided by the USDA.

What does this mean to modern day Popeyes? 
A serving of spinach has more iron than a hamburger sandwich and way less fat.  No way!  Yes, way!
It's rich in antioxidants - those wonderful cancer fighting and inflammatory preventing lovelies.

Spinach can be grown in your garden or mixed with flowers.  Planted several times a summer, you may have a batch from Spring to Frost.  In our southern states, it may overwinter.

Old varieties of spinach (Savoy) may bolt early.  Bolting is basically going to seed which is pretty much the end of the plant.  New varieties of flat/smooth and semi-savoy are slower to bolt, typically have wider leaves and may be less bitter.

The good news about growing your own spinach is you will know there is no pesticide residue and no radiation or nitrogen gas used on your leaves (something you can't be sure of in the market place.)  The industry was hard hit 2006 after an E. coli scare, 2007 salmonella outbreak and may again be hit due to problems in Japan.  The US standards for growing/selling spinach are strict.  Guaranteed "organically grown" spinach is also an option.  Two major importers of spinach are Mexico and China.  You may come down on either side of buying or growing your spinach - today I'm talking about gardeners growing their spinach needs.

Fresh spinach should be used as-soon-as possible after picking to keep the nutrients at peak levels.  It's also recommended spinach not be boiled over one minute. 

There are so many different kinds of recipes for spinach, we can find one (or many) that pleases you and your family.  It is a meat substitute during Lent and an ingredient in most every category (well maybe not cake or candy, but still..)  Yep, I'm a spinach lover - I yam!

Some Flings for Spring

The Brown County, Indiana, 26th Annual Wildflower Foray will be April 22-24, 2011.  Wildflower and bird walks, a Lake Monroe boat trip, an art trek, “wildflower yoga,” and programs about owls, medicinal plants and prescribed fire.  20-25 hikes and programs take place over a three-day period, including wildflower and bird walks, wetland hikes, a boat trip, nature photography and more!  http://www.browncounty.com/


The U of I Horticulture Club is planning to host more than 10,000 visitors at its 49th annual Mom's Day Flower Show on Saturday and Sunday, April 17 and 18, 2004.  Show hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, in the U of I Stock Pavilion at 1402 W. Pennsylvania Avenue in Urbana, Illinois.  The public is invited to attend. Plants used in the displays, as well as other items, will be for sale.

Peoria, Illinois, Luthy Botanical Garden's Lily Show will be April 8- 24.  http://www.peoriaparks.org/

Chicago, Illinois, Garfield Park Conservatory will be hosting their Spring Flower Show from March 28 to May 8.  http://www.garfield-conservatory.org/

On April 13-14, 2011 the Indianapolis. Indiana Daffodil Society will be hosting their Daffodil Flower Show.  http://www.daffodilusa.org/ 
 
Garden Traveler   http://www.gardentraveler.com/  is a good site to visit especially if you've a vacation in mind.  Easy to navigate and links to the gardens around the U.S.  Many gardens will start opening May 1st - enclosed or housed exhibits usually are open year round.
 
Chicago Botanic Garden has show dates set aside for Daffodils, African violets, Iris, Daylily, Bonsai, Rhododendron, Dahlia and Hosta.  http://www.chicagobotanic.org/     

The Midwest Morel Fest, Ottawa, Illinois will be held May 6-7, 2011.   That ranks right up on the yum yum scale with Chicago's Baconfest on April 9th although not terribly "gardenish".

Some of these special events along with just a visit is a chance to "stop and smell the roses (or whatever)" this summer.  Take a day and venture out  to the beautiful nature all around us in this always changing country.  Take advantage of our Blessings.

Side Note:  Popular Mechanics magazine usually has some interesting articles and test results for gardeners.  The April 2011 issue tests and ranks weed eaters, demos on a new safer chain saw, how to operate a backhoe, use a stump grinder, smash concrete, and an article on homemade "super sheds".      

Growing Bruschetta

Following the conversation from a group of ladies about what we considered important for us if we're to return to a restaurant.  The consensus was:  Good food, good service and clean. 

All of the criteria is open to interpretation but here is a sample of the discussion:

• Good food means the best possible taste for the dish and presented in a complimentary way.
• Good service means treating the customer as if they were welcome, being friendly, watching the way the meal is going to help the customer with needs, and thanking them for being there.  It doesn't necessarily mean fast but shouldn't be slow simply because they aren't efficient.
• Clean means that everything in the establishment is totally clean - period.  I once heard a chef say if the bathroom isn't clean, you can be sure the kitchen is worse because it is so much harder and larger to keep it that way. 

So, where am I going with this?  We went to one of our favorite restaurants that has all of the above criteria down well:  ZBest Cafe' on Main in Sheffield, IL.  http://www.zbestcafe.com/   A little town, little restaurant, reasonable prices, clean as a pin, good customer service and the food is quite good.  And that's where we get to the bruschetta.

Chef/Owner, Eran Salzmann, knows wonderful bruschetta bread - the base for this dish.  It's got texture, a little tang, and he crisps it on the his restaurant grill. 

Now is the time to plan on planting tomatoes and basil right in our own gardens or pots.  A good meaty tomato is great for this recipe.  Although there are various kinds of basil, I usually just plant a common variety.   I've written other articles about tomatoes:  52, 53, 64, 209, 211 and 216.   

Here's some Bruschetta ideas:

Use good Italian bread or another robust type.  I like a bread that's been made with buttermilk to add the tang.  Slice 1/2 inch on the diagonal and grill both sides.  (Some use their backyard grill, others boil and some use a skillet.)  The objective is a crisp, golden, chewy, crunchy piece of bread.  As soon as it comes off the grill, rub with a fresh garlic.  Drizzle with a little olive oil - not enough to make it soggy.  Sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper to taste.  This is basic Bruschetta.

I like it with the following:

Wash, core and coarsely chop a fresh meaty tomato and let it drain in a strainer about 30 minutes.   In a bowl, add a small amount of olive oil and balsamic vinegar (reduced if you want a thicker more robust taste).  Wash and dry the leaves of fresh basil.  Stem and coarsely tear apart.  Mix in with the tomatoes.  Spoon on the Bruschetta, top with a sprinkling of crumbled Feta cheese and garnish with whole basil leaves.  This should either be served immediately or it should be kept in a bowl until serving with a slotted spoon.

Some folks do the following:

Use grated Parmesan or goat cheese instead of Feta.  Add any of the following:  chopped onions, rosemary, ham, red pepper, olives, capers, artichokes or other vegetables.  Some folks grill or broil their mixture on the bread.  I think this takes it out of the Bruschetta I like and into another catagory that almost becomes a sandwich.

A Ventricina Bruschetta is made by taking the most succulent parts of the pig and then enclosing it within the animal's stomach allowing it to cure. After the meat is cured, it is then made into a smooth paste and spread over bread which may then be grilled.

The trick is you don't want any of the mixture to soggy up the bread or overpower the tomato flavor.  I can eat this as my meal and it makes an especially nice appetizer.  Take a look at Chef Erin's Bruschetta photo above and you get the idea. 



Bruschetta is good served with a good red wine (the whole Italian thing) - iced tea if you like. 

Sit on the back porch, a beautiful summer evening and a plate of tomato Bruschetta -  Buon appetito!

Play It Again Bogey!

The very old city of Casablanca, in Morocco, has been a beautiful and magnificent area of Africa and it has been the center of destruction and violence.  A combination that continues today. 

The name also recalls the 1942 film, "Casablanca", a story about a man torn between love and virtue.  It's this scene of Bogey and Hepburn's we all remember.      

I'm never torn between love and virtue when it comes to the Oriental Lily "Casa Blanca" because it has both and in quantity. 

 

The Casa Blanca Oriental Lily is hardy in zones 3 through 8 (although cheaper ones may only be hardy to zone 5), making it a great selection for our area.  It tends to be one of the more easy to grow Orientals I've ever planted. 

A few basics:  It is grown from a bulb (it's actually a tuber) and the bigger the better when shopping.  Big bulb = hardier bigger plants.  It should be planted in full sun or edging into a bit of shade.  In this area, it should be planted in early spring to bloom in mid to late summer.  The packages will direct you on how to plant and it must be followed:  the right depth and the right side pointed up are exactly necessary. 

They need good drainage but adequate moisture.  I recommend mulching for appearance, weed control and during the winter cold.  They enjoy slightly acidic soil.  Mine do best when surrounded by lower growing perennials to shade the roots.  Be careful when raking up debris in the spring so you don't cut off the top of emerging plants and end the possibility of blooms for the year. 

When they have finished blooming, you may cut off the short bare flower stems but leave the rest of the stalk and leaves to bring in nutrients for next year's plant.

And now for the gushing:  The flowers are pure white with little bumps (called flocking in the plant world) and bright rust red stamens.  They will grow to about 4 foot tall on hardy stems and have bright dark green leaves.  The flowers may be as large as 10 inches across blooming from the top of the plant in a series of on-going beauty. 

The mega gush:  It has the most wonderful strong perfume of the many lilies offered today.  It's why it's so popular because there are many beautiful Oriental Lilies but to combine it with the intoxicating fragrance is the reason you see it in every catalog and nursery offering bulbs.  

It's often used by florists for bouquets and wedding arrangements.  The meaning of this flower is "celebration."  Picked straight from your garden, one flower will perfume your entire room.  They are elegant, formal and very sturdy.

I suggest you plant several (they often come with three bulbs) to get maximum beauty.  Plant near where you will sit or pass daily during this part of the year.  Planted next to a porch, an evening spent outside can be garden splendor.   It's the perfect addition to a moon garden because the flowers glow at night and the fragrance intensifies. 

Plant a few Casa Blanca lilies and as Humphrey said,

"...I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

Garden History 101

There may not be a Class 101 in garden history. Should you be interested in going back that far, the classes would be called by other names ending in “ology”.


For a look back one or two-hundred years, there are still old garden books, reproductions of old garden books and new books talking about old gardens. Count me in on the fun I can have with them all.


Old garden books detail how people lived by showing what they needed from natural resources. They show emerging discoveries in medicine/chemistry, nutrition, machinery, family and society’s constraints and advances.


Gardening is a specific category in history that explains a broader picture.


One of my favorite old books is “Gerard’s Herbal – Historie of Plants” written by John Gerard. Born in 1545, Gerard was an herbalist – barber – physician. Today he would be known as a pharmacist.


His description of wildflowers and garden plants and their uses is a trip back into that era. To understand why so many plants’ virtues are featured in the treatment of lung problems is to realize pneumonia, tuberculosis, and whooping cough (and others) were rampant and killed.

A look at my “Instructions for Victory Gardens” is a window upon the hard times suffered during the Depression and war.


The botanical garden sketches in “The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady” (first published in 1906) is a showcase of the “refined” pastimes of a woman of that era.

“A Guide to the Wild Flowers East of the Mississippi and North of Virginia” published in 1928 by Norman Taylor, shows a base knowledge that continues to be used in today’s plant breeding.


My “Cherokee Cooklore” book (from the Museum of the Cherokee Indian) helps to understand the use of native plants and the realization how so much of their knowledge was introduced into the early settlers’ food and gardens.


There are new books such as “Old Time Gardens” by Alice Morse Earle. A chat rather than instruction, it has history and beautiful old black and white photos to demonstrate both lavish and simple gardens. It’s a reminder: What’s new is actually old and what’s old is new again.

I’ve been fortunate my family includes garden-themed books, cookbooks & historical art books for Christmas or birthdays. Yes, I can simply look at a Monet and think spring.


I can spend hours scouting used and new book stores. Did you realize most second hand stores sell their books for almost nothing? If you don’t need a book for the long term, the local library is an excellent place for all things garden. Kindle owners may be a bit disappointed reading garden books on line since photos may not transmit well.


My version of an old song goes, “Read new garden books but keep the old – one is silver and the other gold.”