Tangent Gardening "Extras"

Urban Gardening in unnatural heat... Why Not?

Friday, July 26, 2013

Regeneration....

What does it mean to regenerate?

     In biology, regeneration is the process of renewal, restoration, and growth that makes genomes, cells, organs, organisms, and ecosystems resilient to natural fluctuations or events that cause disturbance or damage.      

     *What's in a name?

Green Onions
So many names for these beautiful long green spears of delish..

· Bunching onions
· Spring onions
· Scallions
Grow green onions from roots  
http://thekrazycouponlady.com/at-home/ill-never-pay-again-one-simple-way-to-free-green-onions/

     I have had these in my garden for some time, I know that you need to lift them before they toughen and get to old, but when is to old?
Just to name a few...

     As you think to yourself or even ask out loud as I do! How easy is it to grow them?

      I’m really not sure, but I have had great luck at growing them.
I did sow some seeds. Like months back ...  They are still out there in the garden and quite
glorious looking!


      I came across some of these articles, and read that you can regrow them straight from the root!
   
     *if say you buy a bunch of green onions from the grocery store, the recipe calls for only using the green part of the onion, take the white part, with roots on, set them in a small amount of water. Before you know it, in a short time you will get some more green.
     *If you like the feathery part of carrots, well you can cut the tops off and set them is a small amount of water and it will grow into a beautiful feathery plant.
     These are only a couple of examples given, creating plants from the tops of plants can make beautiful plants... A couple of other examples are pineapples, sweet potatoes, celery and roses too…
     I would like to try the sweet potatoes though, when they vine out and they trained well, they are a beautiful green or purple touch to any garden...
  
  
     Although, by now most gardeners know about these things, but, I would guess that experimenting with  regenerating plants, you probably could learn a couple of things huh?
  • Like one you're not actually killing it if it dies, it's purpose has already been used or has it...
  • Also you will just compost it in any result
  • And get more plants... and how many can you get out of the one plant?


Roses Too?

    
    
     As for Roses, rooting them by cutting off the heads making a clean cut on the bottoms dipping the fresh-cut bottoms in rooting hormone and putting them in a pot that is half Perlite and half soil should produce another bush...

     How cool would that be... keeping the type of rose that was given especially to you...

So Experiment time.... ?
        
      Maybe, if I get some Roses!

  Possibilities are endless... Right? 

    
     * Is this regeneration, or cloning? Does it mean the same? (Well, no!)

     I know that I want heirloom varieties... But with the GMO's, I know that I surely don't want this around, and many feel the same...

     Now as a Newbie gardener, I have a lot of learning and research to do... Everything I want in my life as a gardener includes natural, heirloom and organic...  I sometimes feel the need of being educated, (without boredom) so I can march on!

     The information is overwhelming, whom do you read, what information does one go with?  At least in the age with out computers and internet and etc...Gardeners all have or had their best kept secrets to rely on!

Are these best kept secret?

Would this be part of helping?
     
       Thoughts to ponder!

And for me  now, I have the need of...  you guessed it!

One question, when there is a cocktail party happening... What kind of music would be the all around enjoyable and soothing?   Thoughts?



Tangent Cocktail Time~



Rose Cocktail recipe

  



1/2 oz  dry vermouth
1 oz     gin
1/2 oz  apricot brandy
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp    grenadine syrup
            powdered sugar

Rub rim of a cocktail glass with lemon juice and dip into powdered sugar. Shake vermouth, gin, brandy, lemon juice, and grenadine with ice, strain into the sugar-rimmed glass, and serve.

http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink6422.html


Using salami or Ham could be an easier idea...
Scallion Straws
 Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer
Serves: 8

Ingredients
  • 5 ounce jar Hormel 95% Fat Free Dried Beef, rinsed under water and dried
  • * I would also try ham, turkey, salami, endless thoughts..
  • 8 ounce container whipped cream cheese
  • 16 scallions
Instructions
  1. With a spatula or the back of a spoon, spread about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese evenly among 3 dried beef slices. Line up the beef and slightly overlap each side. Place one scallion on top of the cream cheese. Fold one side of the beef over the scallion and roll over until the cream cheese/beef is sealed on the other side. Repeat steps until all are finished.

Notes
Think about making extra. If you have green onion fans they’ll go fast, but they’re better served the day you make them. The green onions get a little “limp” if left in the fridge for too long (still taste great though!). Money Saver: You can use 2 pieces of dried beef instead of 3, per scallion straw. *The beef is very salty, don’t forget to rinse!

Nutrition Information
Serving size: 2 Calories: 133.6 Fat: 10.1 g Saturated fat: 5.6 g Carbohydrates: 3.8 g Sugar: 2.0 g Fiber: 0.7 g Protein: 7.7 g Cholesterol: 45.1 mg

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Summer...

Summer Heat,

                  Has it been exhaustively hot for you too?

                  What a question! Of course it Has!
But...
     It seems our spring is the resemblance of summer to others else where.   I'm not saying anything that you all don't know... But getting excited for the first days of any season means something to each of us in different ways...

     I don't have a tradition, or a usual thing to celebrate for the first days... I just know that a count down happens... and I seem to have missed Spring this go around... I think, I have dawdled around for summer's too... Well, okay, I did!

    Oh My!, I better get it together or I will miss Fall too...

     So, to get back on track, making a list to plan my fall garden is in the works

  • double dig the garden ....(Well, tilled some)
  • add some compost.... (nope didn't really)
  • decide what to plant... (on some seed)
  • when to plant....(hahaha!)
  • plant the garden... (uhhh...oops!)
   
     In the end of September or October, I think planting my fruit trees would have happened but, I have already planted them, and I think the shock was too much for them...

     I think I killed them...Yep, The Plum and Cherry tree both look like I killed them... I Murdered them ...

BEFORE PICTURES:

AFTER PICTURES:




     I waited either too long to plant them or I planted to soon :( ... ...

Well,
     Making some sort of trellis needs to happen for my grapes, blackberries... Of course, a blackberry or a grape isn't to be had as of yet! I think that, I missed on that count too!




     I have figs, and I'm sure I need a net to go over the tree or I wont have any... But come to find out, it's not only the birds attacking, It's ants...  ahhhh....



     As for my Pomegranate, I thought I would have at least one (lol)... but well, NO!!... I think that it's not getting enough sun...  Not sure what to do!... Other than digging it up and moving it!


Any Ideas?


     Thinking about My tangent ranch property, if and when the chance arises to plant anything there, I am swaying to the thought of apple trees, I would love to have a small (meaning three or four trees) orchard started there... How amazing would that be... 

     I have also noticed, that rose bushes do quite well there in town.. so I wonder if that may be a possibility?

We have been visiting just about every weekend... I can't describe the unplugged feeling and relaxation that exudes from up there...


    Cocktails Tangent Time

This sounded amazing, I yet have to try this... So I would love a sound off on it...  These are my favorite ingredients.. How can it be wrong?

Strawberry Basil Lemonade








http://food52.com/recipes/22633-strawberry-basil-lemonade

Serves 8


  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 cups quartered fresh strawberries
  • 20 medium basil leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  1. Put the sugar in a heatproof bowl or cup and pour 1 cup of boiling water over it. Stir to dissolve and let cool.
  2. Combine the strawberries with the basil and 1/4 cup of the sugar syrup in a blender. Puree until smooth.
  3. To make the lemonade, fill a glass with ice and add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of the strawberry puree, 1/2 cup cold water, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar syrup, depending on how sweet you like it. Stir well and serve right away!


     Appetizer Tangent Time

Who doesn't love Taquitos?

     This recipe came from www.navywifecook.com, and she has amazing recipes, check her blog out!

Yummm!

Chicken and Cream Cheese Taquitos

http://www.navywifecook.com/2013/06/chicken-and-cream-cheese-taquitos.html

'Chicken and Cream Cheese Taquitos'
Source: Adapted from Cinnamon Spice And Everything Nice
Ingredients
3 cups cooked shredded chicken
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped baby spinach, stems removed
salt and pepper, to taste
9 - 10 (6-inch) flour tortillas
vegetable or canola oil, for frying
Serving Options:
sour cream
quacamole
salsa
taco sauce
ranch dressing
Directions
1. In a large bowl mix together the chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, cheddar and spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Working with one tortilla at a time, add 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and set seam side down on a plate. Repeat until all the tortillas are filled and rolled.
3. Add enough oil to a large skillet to generously cover the bottom. Heat on medium to medium-low heat. Cook tortillas in batches, turning to brown each side (2-3 minutes per side). Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
4. Serve with your choice of dipping sauce.



So Happy Summer  Gardening.... 

  • Now to pursue Fall Gardening!












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