What to do with all that squash you grew

Are you in the middle of a squash bonanza like me? I've eaten it fried, dried, in casseroles and stir fried! I wanted to share a simple way to preserve squash by dehydrating and also this good recipe for dried squash chips that I made this week.

First how to dry squash:
I use a purchased dehydrator. It was not expensive and there are lots of choices for these on line. There are also instructions for making your own solar dehydrator too. I like the one I have. It has served me well for several years and is plenty big for what I need to dry. The photos below are a step-by-step on drying zucchini. The same method works for any summer squash. If the squash was extra large I cut the round slices into two sections.

1. Slice 1/8 in. thick

   

2. Layer slices on rack 

3. Ready to remove and store in baggies

Seasoned Squash Chips:

Using the same method as above except before layering slices on your racks, put the squash slices into a gallon sized baggie and add 1-2 teaspoons each of dried oregano, dried basil and garlic salt plus about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Zip up the baggie and shake to coat all the slices. You can use purchased Italian seasoning mix if you don't have dried basil and oregano. If you do that use less salt. Now put on the racks and dry as above. These make a great healthy snack

seasoned chips ready for drying

Next week I will post my Zucchini Lasagna experiment. The photo below shows that it was a hit!

Tad slurped it up!

Fun Gardening, Cooking and Craft videos!

OK I'm guilty. I spent way too much time today on Youube. But  it is a Saturday morning after all - or was when I started! LOL!

Here are a few awesome tips I found there.





and one more...these girls are sort of silly but it's a cute idea.

Make Your Own Mustard -- Who Knew!

This sounds so good and so easy! I'm going to try it myself! I bet you will like it to. Here is the link to a really good blog post from my friends over at DIYNatural  

We Love this Re-purposed Flower Container

Tad has outgrown his "turtle sandbox" and I couldn't bare to toss it out. Since it was located at the edge of my garden behind the fence. It's the one I like to call my secret garden even though everyone who comes to a plant sale sees it. Anyway, It was the perfect place for a little rock garden. All I had to do was mix some potting soil mix into the existing sand and it was the perfect mix for sedum. I planted several kinds among the stones I had gathered the last time I went to mom's creek. The center seemed a good place for a strawberry crock full of Hens and Chicks.

We all loved it - even Tad, Well, after seeing it all fixed up different, he did want to run his trucks around in it one more time... no no!

How to kill Aphids with No Harmful Chemicals

This great advice was posted to  gardening forum I belong to. The post was from Angi De Jesus from Southlake, TX. She and her husband Jose own and operate De Jesús Family Farm & Nursery there. They are Master Gardeners, seed savers and canners. Jose is a French trained pastry chef and chocolatier. Angi works in real estate. They hope their plant business will be able to fund a benevolence ministry to meet the needs of those that fall through the cracks of today's economy.

Here's what Angi said about taking care of an Aphid infestation or preventing one:

"Jules Wenke and her mother were prize winning rose growers from East Texas; Tyler, I believe. They were local celebrities winning prizes at the county and state fair, Texas Country Reporter and a weekly tidbit on a local news show and PBS. They always sprayed milk on their roses when the aphids began to appear. In a pinch powdered milk mixed with water in a spray bottle works well too. It seems that enzymes in the whey proteins are highly toxic to aphids.

Jose and I have been using this as well,  just for aphids on fruit and nut trees. It appears to only be toxic to Aphids and Pill Bugs but keeps the bees, Ninja Bugs, Assassin Bugs, Ladybugs, Praying Mantis around to do their jobs and it is safe around animals. Whenever we have a bit of milk, buttermilk or cream that is past due date, I mist it on and around our plants sometimes using a 20 gallon sprayer for larger jobs. (who are we kidding…I make Jose do this as I haven't the grace to lug around a 120 ft hose! LOL!)

I keep a large bag of powered milk around for this case as well. If I see a problem, and we have no milk on hand, then I put a cup of powered milk in the 20 gallon sprayer attachment and hand Mr. Jose a cup of coffee and direct him to his mission. Works every time!

I also make a practice of "cleaning" plants and cuttings that we introduce from outside sources. I give them a bit of wash using a mixture of 1/2 cup baby shampoo, 1/2 cup mint Listereine (or other oral disinfectant-not mouthwash like Scope) in a 32 ounce spray bottle topped off with water. I mist the plants or cuttings….sometimes giving them a bit of a wipe down if I see a problem. This is a trick I learned from the late Jerry Baker. I just love his books and have yet to find one of his Granny's home remedies that did not work."

I wish I had a Jose around my little business! Bill has a "Honey Do" list a mile long but he is not very good in the garden. He would probably spray that milk every where but where it needed to be! 

For more information on the garden forum check here: FreePlants.com

Simple Orange Vinegar Cleaning Solution

I use vinegar for lots of things around the house. We even make a drink with it to help prevent kidney stones. I had a kidney stone recently from taking too much calcium supplements! I never want another one! I'll post that one at another time.

Here is a "smell good" all purpose simple cleaner:

2 quart jar of orange peels
white vinegar

Put fresh orange peels in jar, cover with vinegar and let sit for about six weeks.Strain out the liquid, pour into a spray bottle and use it to clean sinks and counters, stove top too. Add a little baking soda and spray to make an abrasive for cooked on stain.  Don't forget to toss the used orange peels in the compost.

Cheap and Simple Seed Starter Cups

Most of my readers know how frugal- translate that cheap! Since I grow and transplant hundreds of tomatoes and other small plants, my container expense was climbing. I have small groups of folks over to my house every other week and we have snacks - I use the tall plastic cups to keep from washing dishes. They are just the right size to pot up my tomatoes for sale in! I used an ice pick to put holes in the bottom and a black permanent marker to write the variety on top!

Seed Potatoes in a Barrel!

I have very little sunny space for gardening in my yard. This year I am doing Straw Bale Gardening and I will post my experiment here soon. In addition, I am growing potatoes in half barrels. My son gave me a big white plastic barrel that had been around his work yard for years. It had not contained anything hazardous. Bill sawed it in half and drilled 1/2 inch drainage holes around the sides and in the bottom of the half that was the barrel bottom.

Here's what the bottom of that barrel looked like when Bill was finished drilling drain holes. I used a coffee filter to cover the big hole that was in the top.
Next I put about 4 inches of compost in the bottom of both barrel halves, laid my seed potatoes on top of the soil as in the picture at the top. I did red potatoes in one and Yukon Gold in the other half. Next I covered the seed potatoes with more compost until I could not see any of the potato seeds. picture below:

As the potatoes grow, I will keep covering the vines, leaving a few leaves to soak up sun, until the vines reach the top of the barrel. At that point I will let them spill over the sides till it's time to dump out my harvest! I'll post more as they grow.

Put Your Humming Bird feeders out!

The hummingbirds show up in my yard every year around April 15. One year they came on the12th. We always put our feeders out a week or two before the expected date. Sometimes we will see a little scout scoping out the neighborhood!

I have three (sometimes four) feeders in our yard. This one I can see from my kitchen table and when we sit on the deck in the afternoon we often have to duck to keep from being dive bombed! Our art studio is in the background and there is one hanging from a small tree in front of the porch. The swing provides a perfect place to watch the hummers and other bird feeders too. This blue glass one on the front porch is where we usually see our first hummers of the season.

Don't waste your money on the premixed or powdered humming bird nectar. Here is a simple recipe that will attract tons of hummers, is easy and cheap to make.



Humming Bird Nectar
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup filtered water

Combine the water and sugar and either bring to a boil on the stove top or microwave for 1 minute. Allow to cool to room temp. Fill your feeders and watch! I multiple this recipe by 4 and make 2 quarts at a time and keep it in fridge.  

I also plant flowers near my feeders and in the yard that I know attract hummingbirds. I place hanging baskets of Petunias near the feeders too, as you can see in the photo above.

Some flowers that hummers like are:
Petunias
Trumpet vine
Butterfly bushes
Honeysuckle ( it's invasive)
Bee Balm (Monarda)
Zinnia
Lilies
Tropical Hibiscus

Sweet uses for sour lemons!

As a hot tea with lemon addict, I end up with lots of left over lemon slices. I have always composted them but after reading these great tips from DIY Natural.com, I think I may use some of them for a few of the suggestions below.

Make an all-purpose cleaner

This is one of the simplest ways to use your leftover lemon peels. Add the peels of several lemons to a large jar, and fill with white distilled vinegar. Allow the solution to “steep” in a cabinet for a few weeks. Strain out the peels, and use the vinegar solution as a great lemon-scented all-purpose cleaner…perfect for de-greasing, disinfecting, and leaving things smelling fresh. Add the citrus-infused vinegar to a spray bottle and use to clean countertops, sinks, toilets, spills, stovetops, or other surfaces.

 Refresh and sanitize cutting boards

Lemon does a nice job of eliminating odors that are trapped in your cutting boards (like garlic and onion!). It also sanitizes boards due to its antibacterial properties. Take half a squeezed lemon with pulp intact, and rub vigorously over a cutting board that has been sprinkled with a coarsely ground salt (like kosher salt). Rinse well and allow to dry.

Deodorize garbage disposals

I always used lemons and oranges for this when I had a garbage disposal at my former home. Smelly garbage disposals can be freshened up with leftover lemon rinds. (I’m always careful to put smaller chunks down the disposal so it doesn't clog.) Simply drop rinds down the disposal with a few ice cubes and run the disposal.

 Freeze lemon peels for recipes

You can freeze your rinds (or even whole lemons) and use them in recipes calling for lemon zest. You can also zest your fresh lemons before using them, and store the lemon zest in the freezer. Store flat in a zip-top baggie so it’s easier to break off a chunk of frozen lemon zest. Allow to thaw before adding to recipes. Add small amounts to foods, smoothies, or desserts for a bold flavor.

Start seeds indoors

If you have lemons that were cut in half and juiced, you can use those lemon “cups” to start seeds indoors. Poke a few holes in the bottom of the lemon if desired (for drainage), fill the lemon halves with soil, and plant your tiny seeds in them. This entire lemon cup can be planted outdoors in the spring. Orange halves would work here too.

 Remove rust stains

The acid in lemons helps remove rust stains. This can be helpful in showers where shaving cream cans have left a rust ring, or sinks where iron pots have been left. Sprinkle salt on the rust stain and rub with half of a lemon that still has pulp inside. Allow the salt and lemon to sit for several hours, scrubbing periodically if needed. Allow the lemon to rest on the surface overnight if the stain has not yet disappeared, then rinse well with water.

Do you have tips for using lemons? Post them here and share with us! 

Stop Birds from Flying into Your Window Glass

If you feed the birds near your windows or glass doors or even if you don't and the glass is near where they fly, you have probably had a bird dash against the glass. They often do not survive. I love watching the birds up close from my kitchen table but often I would have to go out and rescue a stunned little bird. I saw the perfect solution one day at our "everything for a dollar" store. Little metal butterfly stickers. I popped them onto my glass doors and no more knocked out birds! They make the glass visible to my little feathered friends.They have held up through lots of window washes and of course, since they are on the inside, rain is not an issue.

GROW YOUR OWN MEYER LEMONS FROM SEED

I look forward to December every year not only because of Christmas but because our local grocery has Meyer Lemons for sale.

They are a real treat for us tea sippers and lemon lovers. Nothing beats the tangy Orangey/lemony taste of a Meyer lemon. Last year I saved seeds from one and planted it in the spring. I was rewarded with this little seedling. You can grow one too - no matter where you live.

Look for Meyer lemons in the produce isle and my store has them in a separate area from the other lemons. Meyer lemons are bigger than normal lemons and much juicier.

Save the seeds that you will find near the center of each lemon. Some of them have lots of seeds and some only a few.
Rinse the seeds and allow them to dry. Store them in a little container until ready to plant. I put them in a small pot of regular potting soil, cover with about a quarter inch of soil and keep moist until you see the little seedling. Keep it moist and warm and it should grow for you. Remember these are tropical plants so be prepared to winter them over inside if you are above zone 8. If you are lucky enough to have a greenhouse that's perfect. I have grown several types of lemons from seed and I winter them over in my little greenhouse. One is pictured below. It doesn't get below 40 degrees in there so they make it through the winter just fine. A sun room or brightly lit window will work too.

2 year old lemon in my greenhouse

As you can see in the picture above, my little tree is small but happy in the tall pot I planted it in. As it gets bigger, I'll move it up to a larger container. I'm not sure how long it takes for it to bloom. Probably three or four years - I can hardly wait. My friend bought a tree from a local garden center. It was EXPENSIVE and full of blooms. she said every bloom fell off about a week after taking it home. I think one of two things probably happened; she went from cool greenhouse atmosphere to dry house. A humidifier or steamer may have helped. Some plants simply don't like to be moved and will drop blooms and leaves due to shock. If that happens just water it sparingly and wait. They will usually recover and put out new leaves. Keep it happy and you should have blooms the following year.

MY DIY SUET GUARD

If you have read my blog for a while you will know that I feed the birds and even grow meal worms in our art studio for the blue birds. For that how to click here but be sure to come back. This week I decided it would be fun to have some peanut butter suet near the window so we could see the woodpeckers and blue birds up close. I knew from past experience that they can be quite messy... slinging suet all over the window and figured the parts that they dropped on the deck would attract ants too. I wanted a tray to catch the crumbs. The first thing I tried was a bakery cake clear top from a birthday cake I purchased. It worked well until a Downy Woodpecker got in it and could not climb out! I turned him loose and went to plan B. Bill remembered the little salad containers we saved from Wendy's take home so I got the lid from one of those, heated an ice pick on my stove burner and melted a hole in each of the four corners. Next I tied jute twine into the holes and tied them all together at the top to make a way to suspend the little tray under the suet. It works great as you can see from the picture above.  here's a closer view:  Next week I'll tell you about the butterflies you see on my door glass.

Blue Bird Treat DIY Project

I feed all sorts of birds but the blue birds are one of my winter favorites. I've written several posts about growing meal worms for them. I started buying little peanut butter balls packaged as a bird treat. They are a little expensive, so I set out to make my own. The experiment was a success and the Blue Birds, Woodpeckers, Wrens, Titmice and others gobble them up the minute I put them out. Following is my recipe:

Mix together in a large bowl the following.
2 parts Plain (not self rising) yellow corn meal
1 part freeze dries meal worms (available at most Walmart stores, Tractor Supply or here http://www.exoticnutrition.com/driedmealworms.html
1 part chunky peanut butter
Mix well, pat into a suitable container, score into serving size chunks and place in the freezer to set. Break apart and store in the refrigerator.

Ingredients ready to mix

Mix to this consistency

Ready to freeze

Not only Blue Birds but all the birds in my yard love this treat. I also made a suet/treat feeder from a carry out meal container. It is pictured below. I used two old hanging basket wires to hang it from a shepherds hook on the deck where I can watch from my window. The Lucite feeder with the cover came from Wild Birds Unlimited and I've had it for years. It is designed especially for live worms. Read how I grow them here
 http://www.tipsforgardeningonline.com/2009/03/worms-in-basement-part-2.html


Here are some of the birds enjoying the peanut butter. The Turkeys aren't after the peanut butter but we love watching them scratch for bugs in the fallen leaves. We have seen as many as 7 in our front yard.

Homemade Suet Feeder 

Blue Bird

Woodpecker

Tufted Titmouse

Wild Turkeys

How to Keep Your Greenhouse Pipes from Freezing

Heat Cable

I hope you didn't do what I did. Last fall I told Bill, "I need to put heat cables around the water pipes in Greenhouse". Promptly forgot about it. Actually it had never gotten below freezing in there. The little heater I keep in there has always kept it above freezing.

Who would have thought we would have sub-zero tempts in Middle Tennessee - for 3 nights straight! Needless to say I had a frozen water pipe at the back of my greenhouse. Our plumber (thank God, he is my neighbor too) just left from replacing that pipe and of course there is no heat cable to be had within 50 miles of here. Good ole Amazon Prime to the rescue! I found and ordered this cable and it will be here Saturday! No freezing weather predicted till then so I should be OK. I ordered the cable long enough to go ahead and wrap all the pipes in the greenhouse - even the ones that didn't freeze.

Another thing I did that didn't help any was put my big container of potting mix against that back wall and I'm sure it blocked some of the heat from reaching those pipes. I have a bigger heater now, no major damage done. Thank Goodness I was not sprouting tomatoes yet!

So learn from my mistake, install heat cables on your exposed water lines and heat your greenhouse if you plan to use it in the winter!

Save Money with Vinegar!

This is too good to keep to myself. Some great ways to save money with vinegar: